Diggnation (Rebooted)

Sign up for the Digg newsletter on the front page: https://digg.com Kevin Rose and Alex Albrecht reunite to ask what deserves our time in an AI-saturated world, from online degrees and disappearing junior jobs to handmade watches, rogue agents, and social media limits. They also unpack Kevin's open-source Reflection Engine and the OpenAI and Hugging Face breach, then share practical ways their families are taking back their attention. EPISODE NOTES Education and work AI-assisted cheating is forcing colleges to rethink online degrees. Kevin and Alex consider live, AI-assisted oral exams and what happens to the career ladder when entry-level work disappears. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/10/us/ai-cheating-online-degrees.html?unlocked_article_code=1.4VA.HRYd.ZobdZ73IWxnT Watches with a story Alex shares the watch he assembled by hand before the conversation turns to watchmakers signing their work, vintage restorations, and creating heirlooms that matter more than status. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/06/fashion/artisans-signing-watches-jaeger-lecoultre.html?eafs_enabled=false The Reflection Engine Kevin explains how a language model can learn your goals, values, and recurring patterns while raising real privacy questions. https://github.com/kropdx/reflection-engine Agents in the real world A gym-booking agent gets its user the perfect reservation by making the system worse for everyone else. It is a neat example of how an agent can fulfill its instructions while missing their spirit. https://digg.com/tech/l3c70y6w AI security Kevin recommends the Black Hat presentation "The 'Breaking' News: The OpenAI and Hugging Face Incident." The pair discuss agents escaping a sandbox, compromising shared infrastructure, and defensive AI patching vulnerabilities at machine speed. Presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87DyyMV0kCY Taking back attention Kevin previews an experimental microblogging idea called "Sunday," while both hosts compare family screen rules, device-free socializing, app timers, and other ways to make technology ask less of us. CHAPTERS 00:00 Cold Open 00:39 Diggnation Returns 01:35 Alex Turns 50 06:09 A New Show Format 07:03 AI and Online Degrees 09:34 The Entry-Level Problem 11:09 Reinventing the Final Exam 14:39 The AI Marketing Job 17:24 Alex Builds a Watch 23:31 Watchmakers Sign Their Work 27:05 Craft, Status, and Stories 32:01 The Reflection Engine 37:10 AI in Everyday Life 40:48 The Rogue Gym Agent 44:00 OpenAI and Hugging Face Breach 49:37 AI Whiplash 51:23 Technology That Asks Less 56:25 What Comes Next

Basic Intelligence: https://basic.in Kevin Rose left venture capital to start an incubator. Plus: robots outrunning people, Apple's AI miss, and the greatest insurance scam involving a bear suit. Kevin and Alex hadn't seen each other in over a month and had a lot to catch up on. Kevin walked through why he stepped away from TruVentures after nine years to go back to building full time - and what he's been working on at Basic Intelligence. The short version: he crawled 9 million connections on X and built a recursive ranking system that surfaces the 1,000 people who actually drive AI discovery. The algorithm works so well that Kevin isn't even in his own top 1,000. They also dug into Apple replacing Tim Cook with John Ternus and whether Tim missed the AI window when he had Siri in every pocket. A bipedal robot beat the human half marathon world record by 7 minutes - one year after the fastest robot took 2 hours and 40 minutes. Amazon dropped another $25 billion into Anthropic, whose Mythos model just found exploits in OpenBSD after 12 years of zero breaches. Alex is hand-building a mechanical watch and won't shut up about it. And they close with the best insurance scam you've ever heard - a guy in a bear suit, barbecue shredders, and a $400,000 Rolls-Royce. 0:00:00 Kevin and Alex catch up over Pliny the Younger 0:01:27 Why Kevin Rose left venture capital to build again 0:04:23 Announcing Basic Intelligence and the future of Digg 0:06:16 Building PageRank for humans with 9 million social connections 0:13:28 Alex is building a mechanical watch from scratch 0:19:31 Alaska road trip north of the Arctic Circle 0:21:31 Tim Cook missed AI and Apple has a new CEO 0:28:14 A robot beat the human half marathon record by 7 minutes 0:31:35 Robot firefighters and buying your first robot at Costco 0:37:53 Amazon bets $25 billion more on Anthropic 0:43:31 Anthropic Mythos cracked the most secure OS after 12 years 0:46:55 App Store submissions up 60% because everyone codes with AI 0:48:04 44% of Deezer music is AI and fake sympathy Shopify scams 0:50:37 Trent Reznor reinvented his sound and crushed Coachella 0:57:29 The bear suit Rolls-Royce insurance scam Kevin Rose: https://x.com/kevinrose | / kevinrose Alex Albrecht: https://x.com/alexalbrecht

Kevin Rose and Alex Albrecht sit down for a heavy one. Digg's beta has been shut down, and the team had to make painful layoffs. Kevin breaks down the two forces that hit at the same time: usage that never reached the right product-market fit, and a relentless wave of AI-powered SEO spam attacks that exploited Digg's legacy Google authority and eroded platform trust faster than a small team could fight back. Kevin announces he's leaving True Ventures to return to Digg full-time, and lays out a vision for rebuilding with a tiny AI-augmented team that can punch above its weight class. The nostalgia play is done, and the next version of Digg will break the mold entirely. The rest of the episode covers the state of AI coding tools, how Claude Code is turning non-engineers into builders, the agentic future of computing, a hands-on look at the MacBook Neo, reactions to the AirPods Max 2 and Rivian R2 announcements, and a spirited debate about a color-changing condom that detects STIs. SPONSORS Claude - https://claude.ai/digg AI assistant for coding, workflows, and desktop automation via Cowork. Check out Claude Pro for access to all features. ZBiotics - https://zbiotics.com/DIGG Pre-Alcohol Probiotic Drink, the world's first genetically engineered probiotic, designed to tackle rough mornings after drinking. Code: DIGG for 15% off your first order. Backed by a 100% money-back guarantee. Mercury - https://mercury.com Modern fintech platform for startups and entrepreneurs. No minimum balance, no monthly fees. Apply online in minutes. Mercury is a fintech company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group and Column N.A., Members FDIC. DeleteMe - https://joindeleteme.com/digg Hands-free subscription service that removes your personal info from hundreds of data broker sites year-round. The #1 data removal service as named by Wirecutter. Code: DIGG for 20% off all consumer plans. Monarch - https://monarch.com All-in-one personal finance tool for budgeting, net worth tracking, investment monitoring, and financial planning. Code: DIGG for 50% off your first year. CHAPTER MARKERS 0:00 Cold Open 0:48 Welcome to Diggnation Ep. 28 1:32 "It's Been a Week" 1:55 Digg Beta Shut Down and Layoffs 2:39 Why Product-Market Fit Wasn't There 3:12 AI Coding Crossed the Last Mile 4:10 Helping the Team Find New Homes 4:38 Back to the Drawing Board 5:12 Parasitic SEO Attacks on Digg 7:07 AI Agents Are Destroying Platforms 8:39 When Trust Is Your Product 10:05 The Go-Forward Plan for Digg 12:23 Kevin Leaves True Ventures to Return Full-Time 12:37 Why Now Is the Best Time to Be a Builder 13:45 Using Claude Code as a Technical Co-Founder 13:58 How AI Changed the Way Alex Talks to Humans 17:04 Robocalls, Prompt Injection, and the Cupcake Test 18:30 AI-Generated Snoop Dogg Birthday Song Demo 21:16 Team Regroup: Funding Intact, New Direction 23:04 Silver Lining: Now Digg Can Break the Mold 26:55 iPhone 17E First Look 28:20 Claude Cowork and Scheduled Tasks Explained 30:50 AI Will Be Intertwined with Every OS 33:11 Chat vs. Agents vs. Code: What's the Difference? 34:50 Claude Code /mobile: Code from Your Phone 35:30 The Post-Software World 37:25 YOLO Mode and Dedicated AI Machines 42:46 AirPods Max 2 Review: Still Too Heavy 45:33 Bowers and Wilkins and Nothing Headphones 47:40 Live Translation with AirPods 49:01 Rivian R2: Range, Price, and Self-Driving 50:54 What Are the Levels of Self-Driving? (Live AI Q&A) 55:10 Rivian Fleet Vans and the Camper Van Dream 57:20 MacBook Neo Hands-On: $599 Apple Laptop 59:55 Neo as a Dedicated AI Coding Machine 1:02:18 Mac Mini vs. MacBook Neo at the Same Price 1:03:31 Teens Invent STI-Detecting Color-Changing Condom 1:10:35 See You in a Few Weeks

In this week's episode, Kevin and Alex reunite after Alex's whirlwind trip to the UK, where he survived Manchester, explored Edinburgh's frigid beauty, and spectacularly broke his Dry January streak at a house party on January 31st. The conversation quickly turns to Kevin's upcoming birthday and his ambitious "year of health" plan to get absolutely shredded by his next tortoise-year milestone (yes, they calculated his age in giant tortoise years - he's only 34). The duo dives deep into the AI revolution, discussing the massive news that OpenClaw's creator Peter Steinberg has joined OpenAI, and what this means for the future of AI agents that can literally call restaurants, navigate phone trees, and order more booze for your party via robot dog. They also unpack a new study claiming AI fails at 96% of jobs - but Kevin points out the terrifying flip side: it's only been three years and AI has already captured 4% of human work. The episode takes a wild turn when Alex pulls up footage of Chinese humanoid robots performing kung fu at the Spring Festival Gala, prompting legitimate concerns about why anyone would train robots in martial arts. Apple's upcoming March 4th event gets the skeptical treatment it deserves - when was the last time an Apple announcement actually blew anyone's mind? The hosts wrap up by discussing Logan Paul's $16.4 million Pokemon card sale and Kevin's newfound obsession with Disney's Lorcana trading card game, complete with a heartbreaking reminder that Kevin lost his entire comic book collection (including first-edition X-Men and Amazing Spider-Man) in the LA fires. Justin stops by to tease Digg's upcoming video posts feature and the new Grid View for visual communities. Sponsors Mercury: Banking redesigned for entrepreneurs — apply online in minutes https://mercury.com/ DeleteMe: Get 20% off and remove your personal data from hundreds of sites https://joindeleteme.com/digg (code: DIGG) Monarch: Get 50% off your first year with code DIGG https://monarch.com/ ZBiotics: Get 15% off your first order with code DIGG https://zbiotics.com/digg LMNT: Free 8-count sample pack with any purchase https://drinklmnt.com/digg Chapters 0:00:00 - Kirkland Champagne: The Official Drink of Chaos 0:00:18 - Welcome to Diggnation, Ex-Girlfriends Please Email In 0:01:51 - Kevin Doesn't Know What Spin the Bottle Is (Sure, Jan) 0: 02:07 - Alex's Scotland Adventure Was Beautiful and Freezing 0:03:42 - Alex's Dry January: A Heroic 30.5 Day Journey 0:05:05 - Ten Hours in the Frankfurt Airport, Send Help 0:06:36 - Kevin Is Only 34 in Giant Tortoise Years 0:09:01 - The Year of Getting Absolutely Shredded 0:10:45 - Ben's Philosophy: Does Booze Increase Enjoyment? 0:14:06 - OpenClaw Creator Joins OpenAI, VCs Are Crying 0:18:36 - AI Agents That Call BMW So You Don't Have To 0:21:03 - Robot Dog Orders More Alcohol for Your Party 0:25:16 - China Is Teaching Robots Kung Fu, We're All Doomed 0:28:45 - Would You Get a Massage From a Kung Fu Robot? 0:35:33 - The Costco Wine Hack That Changed Heather's Life 0:37:14 - Kevin's Childhood String Cheese Column Obsession 0:39:34 - AI Fails at 96% of Jobs (But Give It Five Years) 0:43:44 - Your Fitness App Is About to Become Obsolete 0:46:48 - Alexa, Say "Breakfast" in Every Room Challenge 0:47:07 - Apple's March Event: When Did We Stop Caring? 0:50:50 - Remember When the iPhone Was Actually Exciting? 1:00:00 - Logan Paul's $16.4 Million Pokemon Card Flex 1:02:00 - Kevin Discovers Lorcana and Catches the Bug 1:05:50 - Kevin Lost First-Edition X-Men in the Fire 1:09:01 - Digg Updates: Grid View and Video Posts Coming Soon 1:11:07 - Until Next Time, Stay Sober (Or Don't)

https://digg.com is live! Public beta is open for community creation! January’s almost over, which means it’s either too late or just early enough to still say “Happy New Year.” In this episode, Kevin and Alex wade through that awkward seasonal purgatory, debate etiquette, and naturally land on Alex’s go-to insult: “Eat the bag.” Kevin checks in on Dry January and confirms that sleep is, in fact, real. The conversation takes a turn into the serious realities of alcohol withdrawal before pivoting to some big Digg news: the public beta is officially live, and you can now create your own Communities. Yes, that includes one called /onlyfans, which has absolutely nothing to do with what you think unless you are deeply into industrial air movers. From there, it’s a full tech firehose. The Metaverse is officially declared dead, Claude Code is writing entire web apps in minutes, and a startup called Humans just raised $480 million to make AI more collaborative, or possibly sentient. Also on the docket: foldable iPhones, mindfulness, Matt Damon’s attention span, and why chicken wings keep showing up in self-driving cars. This one’s got layers. Sponsors Anthropic: Get 50% off your first 3 months of Claude Pro https://claude.ai/digg Monarch: Get 50% off your first year with code DIGG https://monarch.com Wispr Flow: Try it free https://wisprflow.ai/digg ZBiotics: Get 15% off your first order with code DIGG https://zbiotics.com/DIGG Chapter Markers 00:00 Intro 00:44 When Is It Too Late to Say “Happy New Year”? 01:28 Alex’s All-Purpose Insult: “Eat the Bag” 03:32 Dry January Update: Alex Hits 20 Days 04:52 Alcohol Withdrawal Gets Real 07:16 Digg Public Beta and Build-Your-Own Communities 08:36 The Confusing Purity of the “/OnlyFans” Community 09:33 AI Moderation Logs That Actually Make Sense 11:11 The Metaverse Is Dead. Long Live Reality 14:37 Matt Damon and the Shrinking Human Attention Span 15:40 Why VR and AR Still Feel Like Homework 19:16 Mindfulness, Explained by Thich Nhat Hanh 22:51 The Meaning of Life 24:53 John Cleese on Why Failure Is the Whole Point 27:01 Kevin’s New Coding Obsession: Compound Engineering 30:04 AI Context Windows and How the Magic Works 40:02 Foldable iPhones in 2026? Let’s Argue 42:34 iPad vs Mac and the UX Identity Crisis 44:18 Humans Raises $480M to Make AI Less Robotic 53:50 Tesla Goes Subscription-Only for Full Self-Driving 55:46 Tensor Auto and the Semi-Sentient Rideshare Wars 1:00:25 People Are Leaving Trash in Waymos. Including Wings 1:02:07 Outro

Diggnation is back for 2026. In this New Year’s episode, Kevin Rose and Alex Albrecht dive into Dry (ish) January, accidental woodworking injuries, and why Kevin's Peloton crush might be more motivating than your therapist. On the tech side, Kevin drops a quiet-but-clear hint for Digg beta users to keep an eye out. The guys talk about Samsung’s decision to ship Google’s Gemini AI to 800 million devices, which feels like a major win for Google’s ecosystem. On the tech side, Kevin gives a heads up to Digg beta users: Communities are coming. Now is a good time to start paying attention. Also on deck: a bizarre Waymo vs. Santa Monica standoff involving robotic cars and 3 a.m. backup beeping, a Garmin plane that landed itself (because the pilot didn’t), and a Lego set that lights up on its own. Other stops include futuristic cartilage regrowth injections, the return of "Dolphin Shorts" via a Hooters rebrand nobody asked for, and an existential debate about smart fridges. Square — Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at: https://square.com/go/digg LMNT — Get a free 8-count sample pack with any purchase: http://drinklmnt.com/digg DeleteMe — Remove your personal info from data broker sites: http://joindeleteme.com/digg Monarch — 50% off your first year with code DIGG: https://monarch.com Wispr Flow — Try voice-to-text writing for free: https://wisprflow.ai/digg YouTube Chapter Markers 00:00 Intro 02:41 Resolutions Nobody Asked For: Pilates & Productivity 03:36 Can Saunas Cure Depression or Just Make You Sweatier? 04:52 Kevin Gets Stabbed by Wellness (Acupuncture Chat) 06:02 Peloton and the German Instructor Who Yells in Motivation 07:13 Holiday Haul: Singing Bowls and the Rise of Vibe Decor 09:07 Spoon Carving, Blood Loss & $400 Japanese Hammers 12:30 Coming Soon: Digg Communities That Don’t Look Like Reddit 14:00 Samsung Gives 800M Devices a Gemini AI Glow-Up 20:31 Waymo Cars Are Beeping Insomnia Into Santa Monica 25:06 Self-Driving Cars Are Scanning Your Kids for Booster Seats 33:25 Lego Bricks Just Got Smarter (and Slightly Haunted) 37:07 How Boredom Became the New Self-Care Hack 42:10 Garmin Autoland: The Plane That Landed Itself 47:56 Parachutes for Planes and Other Backup Plans 56:53 Can Amazon's “Art Line” TV Beat the Samsung Frame? 1:01:00 Streaming Loyalty Tests: Apple TV, We See You 1:03:19 Movies Worth Hoarding Forever (Anchorman & Jack Reacher?) 1:05:08 Injecting Knees With Youth: The Cartilage Comeback 1:08:44 Dementia-Fighting Protein or Supervillain Serum? 1:09:54 Smart Fridge Fatigue vs. Bird Watching for Fun 1:13:05 Kamado Joe Smoker Review: BBQ Tech Gets Serious 1:15:23 Hooters Rebrands, Dolphin Shorts Return, Internet Shrugs

This holiday episode is a greatest hits tour of Diggnation Rebooted with Kevin and Alex in peak end of year form. Scotch gift exchanges and fighting Mike Tyson for $500,000 is a reasonable life choice. There are pronunciation corrections, especially Hyundai, plus plenty of love for retro futuristic concept cars. AI takes center stage as the duo talks creativity and productivity with tools like Cursor and ChatGPT, including negotiation tricks and extremely questionable AI day trading strategies. The conversation also covers the Telepathy Tapes podcast, autism, neurodiversity, and Alex’s experience with aphantasia. Kevin finally understanding Netflix and chill. Chapter Markers 00:00 Intro 04:22 Mike Tyson vs $500K 07:52 Hyundai Pronunciation and Car Concepts 13:00 Digg Beta Community Update 16:30 Building AI Web Apps on the Road 18:28 Telepathy Tapes, Autism, and Curiosity 21:56 AI Trading and Bad Financial Ideas 24:55 ChatGPT Negotiation Tactics 29:50 Kevin Discovers Netflix and Chill 31:38 Aphantasia Explained 35:50 Emotions, Money, and Decisions 37:41 End of Year Montage

Alex and Kevin break in the new Digg warehouse studio with brandy cocktails, French pastry flexes, and a surprisingly serious challenge—can Alex stay sober for all of 2025? They cover Netflix’s rumored $84B move to buy Warner Bros. Discovery (yes, including HBO and DC Comics), AI tools that drop your face into fake movie scenes, and the rise of “etiquette camps” for startup founders. Also: teens in Australia are happy to be banned from social media, a spider-shaped robot now performs endoscopies, and the famous Japanese 7-Eleven egg salad sandwich finally lands in the U.S.—with questionable results. All that, plus rucking vests, doomscroll detoxing, and a Kindle Color that might actually be good. SPONSORS ZBiotics Go to https://zbiotics.com/DIGG and use code DIGG at checkout for 15% off any first-time order of ZBiotics probiotics. Henson Shaving Go to https://hensonshaving.com/DIGG and enter DIGG at checkout to get a free pack of 100 blades with your purchase. (Note: You must add both the blades and the razor for the discount to apply.) Wispr Flow Try it free at https://wisprflow.ai/digg Monarch Money Use code DIGG at https://monarch.com for half off your first year. DeleteMe Get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you go to https://joindeleteme.com/DIGG and use promo code DIGG at checkout. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 03:00 Holiday cocktails get dangerously brandy-forward 04:41 Kevin explains his weighted rucking vest 07:23 Inside Digg’s new office + upcoming community features 13:06 New Year’s goals: chess apps and digital pianos 15:00 The bet: Can Alex stay sober for all of 2025? 21:10 Netflix may buy Warner Bros. Discovery for $84B 30:28 Silicon Valley founders now attend etiquette bootcamp 41:28 Australian teens are glad social media is banned 49:10 Nano Banana AI drops you into fake movie scenes 53:40 Deepfakes, bot farms, and internet misinformation 1:03:37 Pill-sized robot crawls your gut for science 1:09:05 Kindle Color Scribe vs. the Remarkable showdown 1:18:57 Japan’s viral 7-Eleven egg sandwich hits the U.S.

This week on Diggnation , Kevin ends his seven-month break from alcohol with a glass of wine and some podcast-inspired reflection on why being too rigid about anything might be its own kind of burden, While Alex sips wine and regrets live theater. Kevin reveals he has aphantasia, aka the inability to conjure mental images, which he says disqualifies him from certain forms of _ahem_ nostalgia. The pair dive into the existential horror of AI-enabled children’s toys that suggest you play with knives and explore kinks. On a lighter note, converting vintage cars to electric sparks a surprisingly feasible business idea. Waymo’s freeway rollout gets love, as the duo dreams of an L.A. where robots take the wheel and people take naps. Meanwhile, Michael Burry shorting AI stocks makes Kevin wonder if we’re still in early-internet territory or just early-stage delusion. Bezos launches an AI company because of course he does, and Nintendo drops the first look at its live-action _Zelda_ movie, which may or may not have been necessary. Also: eggnog aging, budgeting apps, and a play that made Alex fear for his life. It’s an episode. Chapter Markers 00:00:00 - Kevin's First Sip in 7 Months 00:00:56 - Welcome to Episode 23 00:02:58 - Rethinking Alcohol Rules 00:07:44 - Aged Eggnog: Discuss 00:09:25 - The Two-Two-Two Rule Returns 00:12:15 - Birthday Trips and Holiday Plans 00:14:08 - LA Auto Show Highlights 00:15:14 - Converting Classic Cars to EV 00:17:47 - EV Startups: Why It’s Hard 00:19:20 - Zelda Movie: First Look 00:20:26 - Who Is Wes Ball? 00:22:53 - AI Toys Gone Wild 00:24:49 - Kuma Bear’s Kink Talk 00:33:48 - Predator and The Red Carpet 00:34:47 - Christmas Music Timing War 00:37:05 - Kevin Has Aphantasia 00:40:49 - The Spank Bank Problem 00:43:44 - Creativity With Constraints 00:52:56 - Waymo Hits the Freeway 00:53:52 - Driverless Rides + Paranormal Play 01:02:47 - Game Awards: Who’s Nominated 01:08:42 - Burry Bets Against AI 01:10:53 - AI: Bubble or Beginning? 01:18:07 - Internet vs. Quantum Hopes 01:19:30 - Bezos Launches Prometheus AI 01:21:26 - Robots and Retail 01:24:14 - Episode Wrap-Up Sponsors ZBiotics – Get 15% off your first order of ZBiotics probiotics at https://zbiotics.com/DIGG with code DIGG at checkout. Henson Shaving – Use code DIGG at https://hensonshaving.com/DIGG to get a free pack of 100 blades with your razor purchase. You must add both the blades and the razor for the discount to apply. Mizzen and Main – Go to https://mizzenandmain.com and use promo code Digg20 for 20% off your first purchase. Monarch – Get 50% off your first year with code DIGG at https://monarch.com DeleteMe – Get 20% off your DeleteMe plan at joindeleteme.com/DIGG with promo code DIGG at checkout.

In this episode, we go full spectrum, from the rise of AI-powered web browsers like ChatGPT’s Atlas and OpenAI’s latest updates, to what it’s actually like hitting six months sober and realizing Jack Daniels might still text back. We celebrate some new EV purchases (yes, there’s a BMW iX involved), talk about Rivian’s new electric bike, and break down one of the boldest art heists in modern history, where a crew literally used a bucket truck to steal royal jewels from the Louvre. Somewhere between Apple’s innovation slump, the philosophy of consciousness, and the idea that our brains are just rendering reality like a bad GPU, we try to make sense of existence one story at a time. Basically, it’s us doing what we do best: chasing tech, culture, and absurdity until it all makes some kind of sense. 📝 Key Points • Kevin hits six months sober and talks about resetting his relationship with alcohol • Alex unveils his new BMW iX EV and breaks down its design and performance • New AI-powered browsers like ChatGPT Atlas shake up how we search the web • Kevin orders the new Rivian electric bike with 100-mile range and smart features • Breakthrough retina-implant tech gives vision back to people with macular degeneration • Deep dive into consciousness, perception, and whether reality is just “rendered” in our brains • Debate over Apple’s next AI move: build its own model or partner with OpenAI or Google • Meta’s identity crisis and why the company keeps missing real innovation • Why a 500-mile EV range could change how drivers emotionally connect to electric cars • The Louvre Museum jewel heist: thieves, a bucket truck, and French security fails • Reflecting on time, mortality, and the truth that every 100 years everyone is new • Finding meaning in the moment instead of doom-scrolling through negativity ⏱ Chapters 00:00 Intro 05:00 The Shirtening Cometh: Computer Costume Creativity 12:00 Louvre Larceny: Art Theft Gone Wild 17:00 Brain Zaps for Gym Motivation 19:00 AI Browsers: The Future of Web Surfing? 27:00 Kevin’s Crypto Conundrum 30:00 The Great Car Reveal: Alex’s New Ride 37:00 Electric Dreams: The Future of EVs 43:00 Two-Wheeled Freedom: Kevin’s E-Bike Adventure 48:00 Seeing Is Believing: Retina Implant Breakthroughs 54:00 The Philosophical Rabbit Hole 1:02:00 Time Flies: The Fleeting Nature of Existence 1:07:00 Living in the Moment: Kevin’s Life Philosophy 1:11:00 Apple’s Appetite for AI: To Build or to Partner? 1:17:00 The Meta Muddle: Facebook’s Identity Crisis 1:21:00 iPhone Woes: Apple’s Production Predicament 1:24:00 Wrapping Up: Sober Reflections and Future Fun 🪒 Sponsors Monarch – Get 50% off your first year when you use code DIGG at monarch.com Henson Shaving – Use code DIGG at HENSONSHAVING.com/DIGG to get a free pack of 100 blades with your razor purchase. You must add both the blades and the razor for the discount to apply. Claude (by Anthropic) – Sign up at claude.ai/DIGG to get 50% off Claude Pro for your first three months. Mizzen & Main – Visit mizzenandmain.com and use code DIGG20 for 20% off your first purchase.

RSVP for Chicago Digg Meetup! https://app.getriver.io/beta/events/digg-human-captcha-chicago-irl-meetup-sc1 In this week’s Diggnation: Kevin and Alex drink a mysterious brain fuel that tastes like chemical warfare, get roasted by OpenAI’s video model (bald caps included), and pitch a LAN party for aging nerds. They also question if computer science degrees still matter, fantasize about neurotech that forces you to work out, and ask the most pressing question of our time: what if Instagram was just... Instagram again? Oh, and there's a legit HIV prevention breakthrough hiding in there, too. Sponsors ZBiotics Get 15% off your first order at zbiotics.com/DIGG with code DIGG at checkout. Square Learn how your business can grow at square.com/go/DIGG Claude (by Anthropic) Get 50% off your first three months of Claude Pro at claude.ai/DIGG DeleteMe Save 20% on your DeleteMe plan at joindeleteme.com/DIGG using code DIGG Monarch Money Get 50% off your first year at monarchmoney.com with code DIGG Chapter Markers 00:00 Intro 03:01 The Shirtening Cometh + When Digg Collabed with Nike 06:06 Happy Birthday, Now Here’s a Deep Cut About Early Digg 07:42 Kevin’s Pro Phone Era and Apple’s Unhinged Glass UI 10:13 Tron Eris, Fake Beer, and Probiotics for Grown-Up Drinkers 14:15 Sora 2 Balds Kevin, Internet Debates If It’s an Upgrade 17:18 Deepfakes, Surrogates, and the Death of “That’s Clearly Fake” 21:31 Brain Zaps for Gym Motivation: Welcome to the Neurotech Era 26:11 Huawei Shrinks AI, Your GPU Fan Starts Screaming 28:36 Local AI Models, No Cloud, No Corporate Listening Devices 34:10 Sponsored by Square: Tap to Pay, Stay for the Data 35:56 Claude 4.5 Fixes Code, GPT-5 Throws Vibes and Errors 41:20 Why Build Apps When AI Can Just Read Your Mind 42:44 Kevin Gives Away Free App Ideas, Again 45:46 “Old Man Weekend”: LAN Parties, Diner Coffee, No Wi-Fi Allowed 52:13 Sponsor Break: Delete Yourself, Then Budget Wisely 54:12 The $40 HIV Shot That Could Change Everything 56:30 Herpes, Stats, and the Stigma Nobody Wants to Talk About 1:02:14 Instagram, But Worse: Where Photos Go to Die 1:07:07 Windowless Jet, Giant Screens, and One Extremely Texas Grill

Broadcasting from Kevin’s new ADU bunker (goodbye Neuehouse, we barely knew you), Kevin and Alex are back with 80-ish minutes of tech, pranks, and philosophical spirals. From Apple’s latest brain-implants-that-go-in-your-ears to a Samsung fridge trying to sell you stuff while chilling your oat milk, it’s a full spectrum ride through what the internet's doing to us—sometimes with our permission, sometimes with ads. Also: AI fails, mystery stereo tubes, and a German slug with strong prank energy. 🧪 ZBiotics Go to https://zbiotics.com/DIGG and use code DIGG at checkout for 15% off your first order. Anthropic / Claude The AI collaborator for deeper thinking. 50% off Claude Pro at Claude.ai/DIGG with code DIGG LMNT Zero-sugar electrolytes that actually work. Get a free sample pack with any order at drinkLMNT.com/DIGG. 💰 Monarch Money Get 50% off your first year at https://monarchmoney.com with code DIGG at checkout. DeleteMe Get your personal data off the internet. 20% off at joindeleteme.com/DIGG with code DIGG. Chapter Markers 0:00:00 – Cold open 0:00:39 – Officially episode 20, welcome to the chaos. 0:01:03 – Kevin lost an office, gained a backyard studio. 0:02:24 – Studio tour features incense, Buddha, and a suspiciously nice stereo. 0:04:33 – Phones are ruining mindfulness and wrecking millennial intestines. 0:06:03 – Political engagement exists mostly to keep you angry. 0:09:16 – Alex pitches viral videos about artisanal charcoal. 0:11:05 – Kevin reviews face lasers, Alex reviews earbuds. 0:13:41 – ZBiotics wants to save your liver from you. 0:16:09 – Thanks San Francisco, next stop Chicago. 0:18:57 – AirPods Pro 3: now with live translation and pulse checks. 0:21:06 – An impromptu hearing test roasts the hosts’ ears. 0:22:27 – Apple keynotes should be heckled MST3K-style. 0:23:16 – Kevin hates phone cases, Alex chooses peach. 0:26:24 – MagSafe wallets meet crypto credit cards. 0:27:43 – Kevin turns credit points into a Japan trip. 0:30:16 – Apple pretends to avoid AI, then demos AI. 0:35:57 – Rumors fly about touchscreen Macs and chip envy. 0:37:54 – Claude AI shows off its straight-A student energy. 0:40:48 – LMNT: electrolytes, but Navy Seal-approved. 0:43:29 – Meta glasses want to record your entire existence. 0:47:37 – Tech companies now monetize the in-between moments. 0:51:10 – Zuckerberg’s AI kitchen demo burns the recipe. 0:55:25 – Samsung fridges now idle as ad billboards. 1:01:47 – Kevin asks if the internet can still be fun. 1:09:05 – Diggnation is officially everywhere now. 1:09:57 – Monarch Money: couples’ therapy disguised as budgeting. 1:12:36 – DeleteMe erases your data from shady corners of the web. 1:14:20 – A German slug pranks neighbors by ringing doorbells. 1:16:28 – Childhood pranks involved eggs, TP, and fire bags. 1:18:48 – Kids now bond over lag screens instead of bike rides. 1:20:26 – Wrapping up with meetups, studio thanks, and goodbyes.

Diggnation Episode 19 is part tech dispatch, part suburban diary. Kevin and Alex open with updates on sobriety, lawn mowing, and a Linux laptop built from scratch. Then it's into smart home experiments, including security cameras that yell at people a little too enthusiastically. Digg news includes app store approvals, invite rollouts, a bot-thwarting system called the Human Captcha Project, and new plans for user-led communities. They also drop "Digg Daily," an AI-powered news podcast you can call by phone like it's 2006 again. Other highlights include a Chinese EV promising 1000 miles per charge, some soul-searching about Tesla, a look at Polymarket’s ethical gray zones, and Chipotle being delivered by drone. Add in complaints about LA transit, the surprise return of CDs, and Google’s Pixel 10 flexing real-time translation. DeleteMe Get your personal data off the internet. 20% off at joindeleteme.com/DIGG with code DIGG. --- Square See how Square can help your business run smarter. Learn more at square.com/go/DIGG. --- LMNT Zero-sugar electrolytes that actually work. Get a free sample pack with any order at drinkLMNT.com/DIGG. Chapter Markers 00:00:00 - Diggnation begins. You chose to press play. 00:01:22 - Kevin’s sober. Alex fought a spider. 00:03:08 - Lawns were mowed. Childhoods resurfaced. 00:05:14 - Kevin builds a Framework laptop. Linux approves. 00:08:19 - Security cameras now yell at people. 00:15:15 - Digg app gets approved. Embeds are live. 00:16:36 - Human Captcha Project launches. Your way into Digg. 00:17:36 - Users pitch ideas. Communities expand. 00:21:42 - Homemade beef jerky enters the chat. 00:23:20 - Digg Daily becomes a phone-in podcast. 00:29:30 - A Chinese EV promises 1000 miles. 00:38:07 - Sponsor: Delete Me. For digital vanishing acts. 00:42:08 - Prediction markets meet ethics. It's complicated. 00:54:45 - Chipotle delivery by drone is real. 00:59:43 - LA transit vs. DC. Everyone loses. 01:03:39 - Sponsor: Square. Business gets infrastructure. 01:05:21 - Sponsor: Element. Electrolytes want attention. 01:08:01 - CDs return. Audiophiles feel seen. 01:17:26 - Kids once entertained themselves. Wild. 01:21:30 - Pixel 10 does real-time translation. 01:28:46 - Pixel Watch and Apple Watch square off. 01:30:59 - Closing remarks. You made it.

This week on Diggnation: Kevin discovers a squatter secretly living in a staged LA home during a house tour, Alex tries to explain time dilation without having a full existential meltdown, and the team breaks down what actually happened at Digg’s first real-world community meetup. We’re talking mind blanking, deep meditation states that register as sleep, and why your brain sometimes just stops working for a bit. Plus: rollable laptops, modular microLED home theaters, ChatGPT’s 700 million users, and why we’re finally moving the Digg app out of TestFlight and into the App Store for real. 0:00:00 – Set flipped, drinks poured, chaos begins anew 0:07:06 – Found: one squatter, one closet, zero warning 0:10:28 – LA meetup: skeeball, tequila, surprisingly deep convos 0:12:09 – Groundbreakers now handing out keys to the castle 0:13:44 – TestFlight is dead; long live the public app 0:15:41 – Your brain sometimes goes full blank on purpose 0:17:55 – Kevin meditated so hard his ring thought he died 0:23:44 – Time isn’t real and Einstein broke everyone’s brain 0:26:27 – Laptops now roll up like scrolls, because of course 0:34:50 – ChatGPT hits 700M users, including your mom 0:36:54 – Claude, Gemini, Perplexity: the AI hunger games begin 0:58:03 – Kevin vs. boa constrictor: a wildly confident mismatch 🧪 ZBiotics Go to https://zbiotics.com/DIGG and use code DIGG at checkout for 15% off your first order. 💳 Square Visit https://square.com/go/DIGG to see how Square can simplify your business or next event. 🌐 Wix Start building your website today at https://www.wix.com Or jump straight into your free trial here: https://bit.ly/4kHb2rd 💰 Monarch Money Get 50% off your first year at https://monarchmoney.com with code DIGG at checkout. 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 People Mentioned: Justin (Digg's CEO) Mau (Diggnation Producer) Will Harlan (winemaker) Neil deGrasse Tyson Chris Hutchins (points/miles guy) 🧑‍💻 Users Mentioned: @michde – Why does your mind go blank? @sabbah – Zoo Asks People To Donate Their Healthy Pets As Food For Its Captive Predators @linux – Defrag 98: Entertainment from My Youth Complete with Sounds 🛠️ Products & Brands Mentioned: Z-biotics Oura Ring World of Warcraft Lenovo Thinkbook Plus Gen 6 MicroLED displays ChatGPT Claude Gemini (Google Ultra) Perplexity Square Monarch Money Ubiquiti Amazon Google Opal American Express Figma Nvidia Stripe SpaceX Wix TikTok Mac NVR C Drive TestFlight App Store Google Play Store OLED displays Pixel 10 Apple Intelligence

Kevin’s 82 days sober. Alex has a new audio toy. And Grok AI thinks “Hitler” is still trending (yikes). This week on Diggnation, we unpack Bitcoin conspiracies, Commodore nostalgia, and why Americans have forgotten how to party. Also: Nanoblocks, nude bowling, and a startup so weird Google only bought the humans. It’s retro futurism, digital privacy, and a kitchen remodel. Merch store is open! swag.digg.com ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro and Welcome 01:13 Justin, CEO of Digg.com Joins 03:04 Kevin's Sobriety Update and "Hooch" Mention 04:08 Kevin's Nanoblocks Hobby 08:10 Alex's Kitchen Remodel and Wine Cellar 11:32 Lossless Audio Streaming with Wiim Ultra 16:53 Digg.com Merchandise & Dark Mode Launch 19:28 Digg.com Desktop Beta & Community Feedback 23:56 Bitcoin Hits All-Time High 25:15 Satoshi Wallet Movement & China Conspiracy 31:58 Bitcoin Holding Strategy & Dollar-Cost Averaging 39:49 Commodore 64 Relaunch & Retro Futurism 41:44 First Computer Memories 46:59 Childhood Pranks & 900 Numbers 50:54 Reviving Old Tech Companies (Claude AI Ideas) 52:41 Grok AI Controversy: Returns "Hitler" 57:38 AI, Misinformation, and Source Truth 1:01:04 Re-testing Grok: "Universe Seeker of Truth" 1:03:59 Why AI Defaults to "Bad" / Human Entitlement 1:14:49 Americans Don't Party Enough & "Netflix and Chill" 1:19:11 Call to Action: Throw More Parties 1:27:05 Windsurf Acquisition by Google & Cognition 1:30:37 The Value of Individual AI Talent & Non-Competes 1:32:55 Nude Bowling & Nudism Discussion Polycade Marquee – Want to see your custom Polycade marquee featured on the show? Submit a still image or short video (MP4, 1920x360 resolution, 30fps). Public Diggnation Assets: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1k7ZxENxqQl0TLqGwusbsRPS3wkY5PFk0?usp=drive_link Sponsors: ZBiotics – Pre-alcohol probiotic engineered by real scientists: https://zbiotics.com/digg Monarch Money – Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at www.monarchmoney.com/DIGG LMNT – Zero-sugar electrolyte mix for healthy hydration. Get a free 8-count Sample Pack with any purchase. https://drinklmnt.com/digg DeleteMe – Privacy protection that removes your personal info from hundreds of data brokers. Get 20% off with code DIGG at checkout. https://joindeleteme.com/DIGG Wix – Build your own website fast with AI tools or over 2,000 customizable templates. https://bit.ly/4kHb2rd 📰 Top Stories: • Bitcoin hits $122K, Satoshi wallet stirs conspiracy: www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-14/bitcoin-hits-record-high-of-120-000-as-bullish-momentum-builds • Commodore 64 relaunches with retro flair: www.commodore.net • Grok AI slammed for “Hitler” surname bug: x.com/goodside/status/1944266538191622624 • Americans party 50% less since 2003: reason.com/2025/07/11/americans-dont-party-enough-heres-how-to-change-that • Google buys Windsurf team, not company (no link) • Nude bowling event goes “Balls Out” in PA: www.pennlive.com/news/2025/07/want-to-bowl-in-the-nude-in-pennsylvania-theres-an-event-coming-up-just-for-you.html 👤 People Mentioned: /Alex Albrecht – Host of Diggnation /Kevin Rose – Host of Diggnation Justin – CEO of Digg Will Harlan – Provided wine for the show Johnny – Opened "Curated" wine shop on La Brea Allison – Alex’s G4 friend, works at Curated Elon Musk – Associated with Grok AI and Tesla integration Satoshi – Creator of Bitcoin, linked to wallet movement Ron Burgundy – Referenced during nude bowling chat Lt. Joe Cable – Musical role Alex played in college Cory Feldman & Cory Haim – Mentioned in voicemail ad reference Jesus – Referenced during AI religion discussion Joseph Smith – Referenced in AI conversation Dan Trachtenberg – Director of *Prey*, TRS alum Zuck (Mark Zuckerberg) – Mentioned in AI talent acquisition /Mau (Mauricio Balvanera) – Producer of Diggnation and Director of Audio & Media Experiences at Digg 🛍️ Products Mentioned: Bitcoin – Cryptocurrency hitting all-time high Commodore 64 – Classic computer relaunch Grok AI – AI chatbot model with QA issues Windsurf – Coding IDE acquired for talent Claude – AI model referenced in comparison OpenAI – AI company mentioned in QA contrast Perplexity – AI search/chat tool Gemini – Google’s AI model Tesla – Car company potentially integrating Grok Wiim Ultra – Lossless streaming audio device Apple 2e – Alex’s first computer IBM PS/1 – Kevin’s first computer Microsoft Flight Simulator Rock Band – Game Kevin played with friends Polycade – Retro arcade gaming cabinet Nanoblocks – Kevin’s mini block-building hobby Duplo / Mega Blocks – Referenced humorously Sonos – Audio system in Alex's home Tailwind – CSS framework for dark mode MLS records – Real estate data discussed Netflix – Referenced in “Netflix and chill” bit Google – Acquired Windsurf’s team Cognition – Bought Windsurf’s remaining IP

In this episode, the Digg CEO drops by to give a private demo of the iOS app that may or may not change your scrolling habits forever. We also dive into reports that Apple’s been sniffing around Perplexity in a possible bid to stay in the AI race it forgot to enter. Kevin opens up about launching his new podcast *Less Than One*, sobriety milestones, and post-fire clarity. Alex reveals the kitchen remodel purgatory he’s barely survived. Plus: autofocus glasses that might kill bifocals, a whole tangent on local LLMs, and a brief appearance from Jeffrey Dahmer’s hypothetical smart speaker voice. It’s a lot. It’s Diggnation. Polycade Marquee – Want to see your custom Polycade marquee featured on the show? Submit a still image or short video (MP4, 1920x360 resolution, 30fps). Submission details and upload info are available at the bottom of the show notes. Public Diggnation Assets: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1k7ZxENxqQl0TLqGwusbsRPS3wkY5PFk0?usp=drive_link Sponsors: NordVPN – Secure your internet and hide your IP. Get an exclusive discount on a 2-year plan plus 4 bonus months free, risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee. https://NordVPN.com/digg LMNT – Zero-sugar electrolyte mix for healthy hydration. Get a free 8-count Sample Pack with any purchase. https://drinklmnt.com/digg DeleteMe – Privacy protection that removes your personal info from hundreds of data brokers. Get 20% off with code DIGG at checkout. https://joindeleteme.com/DIGG Wix – Build your own website fast with AI tools or over 2,000 customizable templates. https://bit.ly/4kHb2rd 00:00 - Episode Introduction & Welcome 00:53 - Kevin’s Sobriety Journey 03:33 - New Podcast “Less Than One” & Minimalism Deep Dive 07:27 - Kitchen Remodel Woes & Swedish Death Cleaning 09:16 - Unify Gear Talk & Justin's Summer of Skin 10:59 - Listener Shoutouts 18:08 - Apple Reportedly Eyes Perplexity AI Acquisition 25:31 - Offline LLMs, Elevenlabs, and DIY Voice Assistants 30:31 - Autofocus Glasses That Might Kill Bifocals 43:16 - Tesla FSD in Austin vs. Waymo in the Real World 58:25 - Nvidia Invests in TerraPower: Nuclear Energy Gets a Boost 1:04:02 - Molten Salt & Kinetic Energy Storage: Nerding Out 1:06:09 - Digg iOS Alpha App Demo + What “Gems” Are 1:17:36 - Digg Alpha Tour: TLDRs, AI Summaries & Scroll-Worthy Features 1:24:50 - Final Thoughts, Wrap-Up & Shirt Talk People Mentioned: Alex Albrecht – Co-host of Diggnation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Albrecht Kevin Rose – Co-host of Diggnation, host of *Less Than One* podcast https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Rose Justin Mezzell – CEO of Digg, led the private iOS alpha demo https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-mezzell/ Mauricio Balvanera – Diggnation producer and Digg Director of Video and Audio Experiences https://www.linkedin.com/in/maubrowncow/ Jason Fried – Co-founder of 37signals/Basecamp, first guest on *Less Than One* https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-fried/ Jason DeFillippo – Podcast producer/editor (Grumpy Old Geeks, Art of Charm) https://www.linkedin.com/in/jpdefillippo/ Sam Altman – CEO of OpenAI https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Altman Elon Musk – CEO of Tesla, discussed in Tesla FSD segment https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elon_Musk Bill Gates – Chairman of TerraPower, mentioned for nuclear energy investments https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Gates Arnold Schwarzenegger – Cited as a humorous AI voice example https://www.linkedin.com/in/arnoldschwarzenegger/ Products & Technologies Mentioned: Less Than One Podcast – Kevin Rose’s new audio-only show https://lessthanone.show Polycade Arcade Machine – modern plug-and-play arcade cabinet https://polycade.com Unify Products – in-wall speakers and amps used as Sonos alternative https://store.ui.com Autodesk Fusion 360 – CAD software used for 3D printing custom components https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/ Perplexity AI – AI-powered search engine and research tool https://perplexity.ai Amazon Alexa – voice assistant used for smart home control https://www.amazon.com/alexa Apple Intelligence & Siri – discussed in context of underwhelming AI rollout https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2024/06/introducing-apple-intelligence/ OpenAI – referenced in AI competition and hiring https://openai.com Claude by Anthropic – AI chatbot alternative to GPT models https://claude.ai Eleven Labs – AI voice cloning from short audio clips https://elevenlabs.io Waymo – Alphabet’s self-driving car division https://waymo.com BMW i4 – electric vehicle mentioned during troubleshooting segment https://www.bmwusa.com/vehicles/all-electric/i4.html Google Gemini – AI-enhanced search used for tech help https://gemini.google.com TerraPower – nuclear energy company backed by Bill Gates https://www.terrapower.com New Scale Power – developer of small modular nuclear reactors https://nuscalepower.com

Kevin’s 41 days sober and glowing, Alex voices a Viking, and AI is still deeply weird. This week, Kevin tries Google's "Flow" video tool, which turns your prompt into something between an ad and a fever dream. Alex talks loop group voice work on Predator: Killer of Killers, and Kevin explains why Eleven Labs’ new AI is scarily good at conversations. Also: red-tinted contact lenses that might give you night vision, Builders AI getting caught with 700 human coders, and a hot take on residuals from the streaming wars. Alex's kitchen remodel is still chaos, Kevin's skin is allegedly better, and yes, Apple is skipping straight to iOS 26. Because of course they are. ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro and Welcome 01:43 Kevin Discusses Recent Travel (NYC) 02:22 Sober Life Update (41 Days), Physical Effects Discussed 06:32 Diggnation 20th Anniversary Mention (July 1st) 07:41 Alex's New Mac Laptop Purchase (M4 Pro) 13:03 Alex Tries Mascot Harlan Wine 14:16 Kevin Shares Google's Flow AI Video Generation Experiments 24:30 Watching the "Plastic Baby" AI Video 28:00 Discussion of Flow Features (Continuity, Extending Scenes) 29:20 Alex Reveals He is In Predator: Killer of Killers 38:17 Streaming Royalties, SAG/AFTRA, and AI Impact 0:50:54 Apple's Reported Jump to iOS 26 0:55:41 Kevin Shows His New iPhone and Hard Graft Sleeve 0:59:45 Reflections on Aging, Time, and Pet Toaster 1:01:04 Antarctica Trip for Kevin's 50th? 1:03:19 Builder.AI Exposed for Using Human Engineers 1:06:53 Satirical Builder.AI AI Video 1:09:34 Bitcoin and Crypto Bro Kidnapping Story 1:13:17 11 Labs Conversational AI 2.0 Demo 1:23:18 Infrared Contact Lenses Development 1:27:05 Apple AirPods Hearing Aid Feature 1:28:22 Attempting Mouse Contact Lens AI Video 1:32:25 Closing Remarks, Continued Sobriety Reflections 📦 Sponsors: NordVPN – Secure your internet and hide your IP. Get a deal on a 2-year plan + 4 bonus months: https://NordVPN.com/digg Vuori – 20% off your first order of ridiculously comfortable clothes: https://vuori.com/DIGG LMNT – Zero-sugar electrolyte mix. Free sample pack with any purchase: https://drinklmnt.com/digg ZBiotics – Pre-alcohol probiotic engineered by real scientists: https://zbiotics.com/digg Monarch Money – Personal finance app that helps you manage your budget without judgment: https://monarchmoney.com/ 📰 Top Stories: Builders AI bankruptcy: https://www.theregister.com/2025/05/20/builders_ai_real_people/ Flow AI demo: https://ai.googleblog.com/2025/05/introducing-flow-google-video-generation Infrared contact lens tech: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/night-vision-contact-lenses-infrared Eleven Labs Conversational AI 2.0: https://elevenlabs.io/blog/conversational-ai-update Apple skips to iOS 26: https://www.macrumors.com/2025/05/15/apple-ios26-2026-plan/ 👤 People Mentioned: Alex Albrecht – / alalbrecht Kevin Rose – / kevinrose Dan Trachtenberg – https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1502434/ Will Harlan – / willharlan Alexis Ohanian – https://www.776.com/team/alexis-ohanian Mauricio Balvanera – / maubrowncow Heather (Alex’s wife) – still hates AirDrop Betty White – timeless icon Wim Hof – https://www.wimhofmethod.com/ Tim Ferriss – https://tim.blog/ 🛍️ Products Mentioned: Flow (Google AI tool) – https://ai.google/tools/flow/ Eleven Labs – https://elevenlabs.io/ Unreal Engine – https://www.unrealengine.com/ MacBook Pro Max – https://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/ Mascot Harlan wine – https://www.harlanestate.com/mascot Builder.AI – https://www.builder.ai/ AirPods Pro – https://amzn.to/3ZakGJV Snapchat – https://www.snapchat.com/ FaceTime – https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204380 Kore Shorts (Vuori) – https://vuori.com/products/kore-short Hard Graft – https://www.hardgraft.com/ Costco – https://www.costco.com/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/ Bitcoin – https://bitcoin.org/ 🎧 Follow Diggnation: Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/diggnation-rebooted/id1766027468 Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/0bzwpvUwHNLiGqlcTCBKJZ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/thediggnation

Kevin’s 15 days into sobriety, Alex is resin-printing door parts, and the Digg mobile app is quietly becoming a real thing. This week, AI is either your creative assistant or the reason you need a new career—depending on how you feel about Marvel using bots for its opening credits. Jayci Hayes joins with tales of heli-repelling wildfires, building GameCrib, working with Twitch in its early days, and launching a bottled margarita brand designed to protect citrus from UV light. Also: Alex automates his home with Home Assistant (bye Echo), Apple finally loses its grip on in-app payments, and listener Graz emails in to offer custom Diggnation knives. It’s a caffeine-fueled episode with actual emotional depth and at least one sincere conversation about electrolytes. ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:15 Kevin hits 15 days sober, skips red wine and Jack 07:19 Mascot wine list opens to listeners 08:41 Graz offers custom chef’s knives 10:46 Gemini AI codes games, Bolt builds apps 13:53 Kevin hits NYC, Alex sees plays 15:23 Sponsor: NordVPN 17:50 Made In Grill 20:59 Starlink camping + Amazon satellites 22:59 Digg app update + $115K raised 26:33 AI friends? Still weird 33:03 Reddit fights persuasive bots 39:33 Kevin goes all in on Home Assistant 41:48 Sponsor: LMNT 44:54 Guest: Jayci Hayes—fires, Twitch, margaritas 50:55 Runway AI makes an animated pilot 51:57 Will AI replace creatives? 1:03:04 Whoop 5.0 features + sleep guilt 1:11:27 Alex prints a custom spacer 1:19:06 Apple loses in-app payment fight 📦 Sponsors: NordVPN – Secure your internet and hide your IP. Get a deal on a 2-year plan + 4 bonus months: https://NordVPN.com/digg Vuori – 20% off your first order of ridiculously comfortable clothes: https://vuori.com/DIGG LMNT – Zero-sugar electrolyte mix. Free sample pack with any purchase: https://drinklmnt.com/digg 📰 Top Stories: Reddit tightens AI bot rules: https://techcrunch.com/2025/05/06/reddit-will-tighten-verification-to-keep-out-human-like-ai-bots Runway launches AI pilot: https://variety.com/2025/artisans/news/runway-ai-studio-animated-pilot-mars-siv-1236381403 Whoop 5.0 release: https://www.theverge.com/news/661773/whoop-5-news-price-specs-battery Apple ruling on in-app payments: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2025-05-02/ruling-apple-app-store-epic-games Made In’s new grill: https://madeincookware.com/collections/grill-pans-and-griddles 👤 People Mentioned: Alex Albrecht – https://www.linkedin.com/in/alalbrecht/ Kevin Rose – https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinrose Justin Mezzell – https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-mezzell/ Mau Balvanera – https://www.linkedin.com/in/maubrowncow/ Will Harlan – https://www.linkedin.com/in/willharlan John Graziano – https://grazmakes.com/about Mike Mazer – https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemaser/ Jayci Hayes – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaci-hays-5174a6/ Theo Vaughn – https://www.theovon.com/ Mark Zuckerberg – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Zuckerberg 🛍️ Products Mentioned: Barebones Pulaski Axe - https://amzn.to/4iX08fj Made In Grill – https://madeincookware.com/collections/grill-pans-and-griddles Home Assistant – https://www.home-assistant.io/ Echo Devices – https://amzn.to/3ZakGJV Eleven Labs – https://elevenlabs.io/ Plex – https://www.plex.tv/ Apple Watch – https://amzn.to/3YJNadz Aura Ring – https://amzn.to/437ikNb Whoop 5.0 – https://amzn.to/43dJi5O Runway AI – https://runwayml.com/ Fusion 360 – https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360 Formlabs – https://formlabs.com/ Disney+ – https://www.disneyplus.com/ Secret Invasion – https://www.disneyplus.com/browse/entity-4cfe6313-7f5e-4544-af84-d31bf718f65a Photoshop – https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop.html Kindle – https://amzn.to/3GPDnfP Crucial Conversations – https://amzn.to/42Sz3VI 🎧 Follow Diggnation: Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/diggnation-rebooted/id1766027468 Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/0bzwpvUwHNLiGqlcTCBKJZ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/thediggnation

We’re not saying nostalgia hits harder with a cocktail in hand. But it helps. Dr. Tiki and Lala from Tiki Bar TV join Alex and Kevin for a tropical-tinged episode full of old internet tales, new tech obsessions, and the slow unraveling of Alex's appendix-related trauma. They sip Mascot wine, wrestle with home automation setups, and revisit the chaotic brilliance of the early web. Plus: robot horses, maple syrup whiskey, and the most ethical lottery heist ever attempted. 0:00 Intro 0:02 Mascot Wine & Tony Hawk memories – Fancy juice, legendary guests 0:05 Emergency Appendix Removal – Everything is fine, no one panic 0:09 Home Automation – Kevin gifts Alex cursed smart gear 0:14 Emails: Anxiety & Claustrophobia – Meditation, vodka, or both 0:22 Sponsor: Vuori – Soft clothes for hard emotional spirals 0:32 Lottery Hack – They did the math. It paid off. 0:39 Sponsor: LMNT – Electrolytes for the hungover and hopeful 0:43 Kawasaki’s Robot Horse – Childhood dreams, now rideable 0:44 Nintendo Switch 2 – New console, same impulse buy 0:47 Sponsor: Delete Me – Because your data is not vibing 0:49 Guest Segment: Jeff & Lala – The Tiki Bar TV reunion you didn’t know you needed 0:56 Mixology Interlude – Drinks. Weird ones. Made live. 1:01 Mixology Interlude continued – Still shaking things up 1:20 Wrap-up – Tiger count confirmed. French toast pending 💎 Episode Sponsors Vuori Vuori is an investment in your happiness. Get 20% off your first purchase at vuori.com/digg. Free shipping on U.S. orders over $75 and free returns. Exclusions apply. Visit the site for full terms. DeleteMe DeleteMe removes your personal info from hundreds of data broker sites and keeps it off. Get 20% off your plan at joindeleteme.com/digg with code DIGG. The only way to get the discount is by using that link and code at checkout. LMNT LMNT is a zero-sugar electrolyte drink mix with 1,000 mg of electrolytes and 200 mg of potassium. Trusted by Olympic athletes and Navy SEAL teams. Get a free sample pack with any purchase at drinklmnt.com/digg. Also try LMNT Sparkling, a 16 oz can of bold, fizzy electrolytes. Not for you? Email hello@drinklmnt.com for a no-questions-asked refund. 📢 Top Stories Tiki Bar TV returns (kind of) https://www.tikibartv.com Home automation via Unifi https://community.ui.com/stories/UniFi-Enhancing-the-household-through-automation-wireless-and-wired-access/d438fb9d-f4f7-4b2f-bfcd-d7e812855c6e Nintendo Switch 2 preorders https://www.nintendo.com/us/whatsnew/nintendo-maintains-nintendo-switch-2-pricing-retail-pre-orders-to-begin-april-24-in-u-s Texas Lottery heist (the legal kind) https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/these-guys-spent-25-million-to-win-the-lottery-they-almost-did/ Robot horses exist now, apparently https://www.cnet.com/tech/rideable-horse-robot-viral-video-the-real-story-behind-it/ 🎧 Listen and Follow Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0bzwpvU Instagram: @thediggnation

Alex and Kevin recount their tequila-fueled live show in Austin, complete with backstage chaos, crowd energy, and at least one emotional moment that may or may not have involved crying. They officially unveil the relaunch of Digg.com and introduce “Groundbreakers,” a community for early users to help shape the platform’s future. The episode also dives into tech topics like the upcoming GTA game, advancements in AI and local models, and the 23andMe data breach. Rounding things out, Alex goes deep on a startup reinventing helicopter flight with fly-by-wire tech, because of course he does. 00:00 Introduction – Alex and Kevin try explaining the show. Again. 01:19 Studio Location – Live(ish) from Digg Hollywood. Setup crew gets their flowers. 02:18 Austin & Live Shows – Alex survives Austin. Kevin did not. 11:08 Digg.com Reboot – The site lives. Again. Also: secret society vibes incoming. 18:09 Groundbreakers Details – Early access, badges, and archival good deeds. Cloaks not included. 19:40 Sponsor: DeleteMe – Your data’s out there. DeleteMe would like to go get it back. 21:57 Skyryse Cockpit – Helicopter flies itself. Alex ascends. 26:11 General Aviation Complexity – Planes: still confusing. Skyryse: less so. 37:06 AI Guesses Kevin – Kevin asks ChatGPT who he is. Regrets follow. 51:19 Sponsor: LMNT – Electrolytes with a no-sugar, lots-of-branding flavor. 51:38 GTA 6 Delays – No one wants to release near the boss level. 1:00:40 DeepSeek V3 & OpenAI Images – AI on Mac Studio makes weird art. Blame the prompt. 1:07:30 Localized AI & Billy Bass – Singing fish meets custom AI. Chaos sings back. 1:10:35 23andMe Data Breach – Your DNA’s been socialized. Might wanna export. 1:22:36 Limitless AI Wearable – A gadget that transcribes your entire life. Why not. 1:35:16 Wrap-up & Groundbreakers – Sponsors thanked. Groundbreakers plugged. Internet fades to black. 📢 Top Stories DeleteMe's approach to removing personal information from data broker sites https://www.deleteme.com/how-deleteme-com-searches-and-deletes-personal-information-from-the-internet-and-dark-web/ SXSW updates and Digg.com information https://www.sxsw.com/news/ https://digg.com/ "Who Am I" AI search capabilities https://www.perplexity.ai/ LMNT Zero Sugar Electrolyte Drink Mix and its partnership with Team USA Olympic Weightlifting https://drinklmnt.com/SQUEEZE DeepSeek-V3 performance on Mac Studio https://hyperight.com/deepseek-v3-0324-the-first-open-source-ai-to-beat-non-reasoning-models/ Impact of GTA6 release on other game publishers' release schedules https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2025/03/26/as-the-gta-6-meteor-looms-publishers-are-fleeing-the-impact-zone/ Sale of DNA data by 23andMe during bankruptcy https://customercare.23andme.com/hc/en-us/articles/30805135934615-Questions-related-to-23andMe-s-Chapter-11-Filing 3D printed and factory-built homes addressing the housing crisis https://www.enterprise-tocsin.com/housing-crisis-spurs-alternatives-building-homes-3d-printing-walls-made-hemp-0 GPT-4o System Card and OpenAI's stance on generating images of adult public figures https://openai.com/index/gpt-4o-system-card/ 🎧 Listen and Follow Catch more episodes and join the conversation on our official channels: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0bzwpvU Instagram: /thediggnation