Bold Names

McDonald's CEO on Going Viral, the Big Arch and the Fast-Food Value War

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0000

When McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski took a small bite out of a big burger on camera, the internet—and his rivals—pounced. But in an era where CEOs are the face of the brand, is there such a thing as bad publicity? In this episode of Bold Names, WSJ’s Tim Higgins sits down with Kempczinski at McDonald's Chicago headquarters to discuss the fallout of his viral moment. Plus, they dive deep into the fast food giant’s strategy to compete by balancing a premium half-pound burger against the urgent need for meal deals in an economy where many customers are concerned with affordability.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

Roses, Revenue, and Retention: Hinge’s Strategy for a $1 Billion Year

Southwest’s $1 Billion Pivot: CEO Bob Jordan on Bag Fees And Other Changes

The Five Step “Algorithm” Driving Tesla’s Success

How Athletic Brewing Sells Beer for a Post-Alcohol Generation

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com.

Read Tim Higgins’s column.

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Roses, Revenue, and Retention: Hinge’s Strategy for a $1 Billion Year

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0000

For years, dating app Hinge’s slogan has been “Designed to be Deleted” — a bold mission for a company on track to hit $1 billion in annual revenue in the coming years. In this episode of Bold Names, WSJ’s Tim Higgins sits down with Hinge’s new CEO, Jackie Jantos, to discuss the high-stakes evolution of digital romance. How is the company working to remain relevant with Gen Z? Is the rise of AI companions changing real-life dating? And what does the future hold for Hinge’s “Roses”?

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

The Five Step “Algorithm” Driving Tesla’s Success

Southwest’s $1 Billion Pivot: CEO Bob Jordan on Bag Fees And Other Changes

Can Zillow’s 'Super App' Fix a Broken Housing Market?

‘We Sell Scarcity:’ How Lamborghini Continues to Stay So Cool

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com.

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The Five Step 'Algorithm' Driving Tesla’s Success

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0000

What is the trick behind the Elon Musk school of management? In this episode of Bold Names, host Tim Higgins sits down with Jon McNeill, the former president of Tesla and current GM board member, to deconstruct the operating system that powered Tesla’s growth during his tenure. McNeill explains why he thinks automation should always come last, how to inject urgency into a corporate culture, and whether companies need an Elon Musk to reach the heights of innovation.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

Why This Tesla Pioneer Says the Cheap EV Market 'Sucks'

Why Elon Musk’s Battery Guy Is Betting Big on Recycling

‘We Sell Scarcity:’ How Lamborghini Continues to Stay So Cool

How Uber Plans to Win the Self-Driving Car Race

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com.

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Southwest’s $1 Billion Pivot: CEO Bob Jordan on Bag Fees And Other Changes

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0000

Southwest Airlines was built on three pillars: low fares, friendly service, and a quirky "sit anywhere" policy. But in a post-pandemic market, the rules are changing. On the latest episode of the Bold Names podcast, CEO Bob Jordan joins host Tim Higgins to discuss one of the airline’s most transformational periods in its 60-year history.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

How SAP's CEO Is Remaking the European Tech Giant For The Age Of AI

How Corning Is Using Trump’s Tariffs To Its Advantage

How Athletic Brewing Sells Beer for a Post-Alcohol Generation

McLaren CEO Zak Brown On F1 And Business Strategy At 200 Miles Per Hour

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com.

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The SEAL Turned CEO: Brandon Tseng on the AI-Powered Future of War

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0000

Former Navy SEAL and Shield AI co-founder Brandon Tseng is building the autonomous drones that are redefining global defense.This week on Bold Names, WSJ’s Tim Higgins sits down with Tseng to discuss how Shield AI’s Hivemind software is currently overcoming GPS jamming in Ukraine, and why the future of the U.S. military depends on a mix of elite manned assets and swarms of affordable, autonomous drones.

Editor’s Note: This interview was recorded before the war with Iran.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

Palmer Luckey's 'I Told You So' Tour: AI Weapons and Vindication

The AI Agent in Your Pocket: Qualcomm’s CEO on the Future of Mobile

Condoleezza Rice on Beating China in the Tech Race: 'Run Hard and Run Fast'

This CEO Says Global Trade Is Broken. What Comes Next?

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The AI Agent in Your Pocket: Qualcomm’s CEO on the Future of Mobile

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 08:00:00 -0000

The smartphone is everywhere, but its next evolution won’t look like the apps we use today. In this episode of Bold Names, WSJ’s Tim Higgins sits down with Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon to discuss the seismic shift from apps to AI agents – and why this transition could reshape everything from your phone to your glasses.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

How SAP's CEO Is Remaking the European Tech Giant For The Age Of AI

How Corning Is Using Trump’s Tariffs To Its Advantage

This Tech Founder's $1.3 Billion Company Is Taking On Apple and Samsung

Biden’s Antitrust Architect on How Big Tech Threatens U.S. Prosperity

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can Zillow’s 'Super App' Fix a Broken Housing Market?

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0000

"Depressed." That’s how Zillow CEO Jeremy Wacksman describes the current state of the U.S. housing market. With sales hitting 30-year lows and a deficit of nearly 5 million homes, the American dream of homeownership feels further away than ever for many. On the latest episode of the Bold Names podcast, Wacksman joins WSJ’s Tim Higgins to discuss how Zillow is pivoting to become a "housing super app" and why he believes the solution to affordability is a local supply revolution.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

Why Cigna’s CEO Is Confident We Can Fix American Healthcare

How SAP's CEO Is Remaking the European Tech Giant For The Age Of AI

Affirm’s Max Levchin: Why ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ Beats Credit Cards

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why Cigna’s CEO Is Confident We Can Fix American Healthcare

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0000

How do we fix the American healthcare system? On this episode of Bold Names, we ask David Cordani, the chairman and CEO of one of America’s biggest health insurers – the Cigna Group. He says rising healthcare costs are driven by two powerful forces: growing demand for care and increasingly expensive new drugs and treatments. But Cordani is still optimistic. He joins WSJ’s Tim Higgins and David Wainer to explain what role insurers play in bringing down costs and how the U.S. can make healthcare more affordable.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

Inside Visa’s Tech-Charged Future: From Crypto to AI

This Company Has a Plan to Beat Neuralink at the Brain-Computer Interface Game

What This Former USAID Head Had to Say About Elon Musk and DOGE

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com.

Read David Wainer's column.

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Encore: Can IBM Beat Microsoft and Google in the Quantum Computing Race?

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0000

IBM has made a comeback in the past six years under the leadership of CEO Arvind Krishna. That's thanks to success in its hybrid cloud business and consulting services. But even as the company is reinventing itself again for the AI era, Krishna is already betting that quantum computing is the next big thing. Will Big Blue succeed against rivals like Microsoft and Google who are racing to make their own quantum breakthroughs? And how is the company learning from its past mistakes with Watson AI? Krishna joins the WSJ's Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins on the Bold Names podcast.

To watch the video version of this episode of Bold Names, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

This CEO Says Global Trade Is Broken. What Comes Next?

What This Former USAID Head Had to Say About Elon Musk and DOGE

‘Businesses Don’t Like Uncertainty’: How Cisco Is Navigating AI and Trump 2.0

Why This Tesla Pioneer Says the Cheap EV Market 'Sucks'

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.

Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

‘We Sell Scarcity:’ How Lamborghini Continues to Stay So Cool

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0000

Lamborghinis dominate pop culture – from rap lyrics to blockbuster movies – but the reality is few people actually own them. Every year, the luxury carmaker delivers around 10,000 vehicles worldwide. Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann says that scarcity is central to the brand’s appeal. On Bold Names, Winkelmann joins WSJ’s Tim Higgins to explain how the company leans into exclusivity, why it’s choosing hybrids over a fully electric future, and how tariffs and global trade pressures are challenging the business.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

How SAP's CEO Is Remaking the European Tech Giant For The Age Of AI

Affirm’s Max Levchin: Why ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ Beats Credit Cards

How Athletic Brewing Sells Beer for a Post-Alcohol Generation

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com.

Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How SAP's CEO Is Remaking the European Tech Giant For The Age Of AI

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0000

In 2020, SAP CEO Christian Klein decided to shift the 50-year-old German software giant entirely to the cloud. The immediate result? The stock price dropped 20% in a single day. Fast-forward to today: SAP is one of the most valuable companies in Europe. In this episode of Bold Names, Klein joins WSJ’s Tim Higgins to discuss navigating that tumult, the cultural overhaul required to modernize the company, and why Europe needs to focus on applied AI to compete with the U.S. and China.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

The Boldest Ideas of 2025 — And What’s in Store for 2026

How Corning Is Using Trump’s Tariffs To Its Advantage

Condoleezza Rice on Beating China in the Tech Race: 'Run Hard and Run Fast'

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How Athletic Brewing Sells Beer for a Post-Alcohol Generation

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0000

When Bill Shufelt left Wall Street to make non-alcoholic beer, most people thought he was crazy. At the time, the category made up less than 1% of U.S. beer sales and was widely seen as a joke. But nearly a decade later, Shufelt’s company Athletic Brewing is at the center of a major cultural shift around health and wellness. On this episode of Bold Names, he joins Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins to talk about the rise of non-alcoholic beer, how his company is navigating President Trump’s tariffs, and why beer giants like Heineken and Guinness are now chasing the category he helped create.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

How Corning Is Using Trump’s Tariffs To Its Advantage

The Boldest Ideas of 2025 — And What’s in Store for 2026

McLaren CEO Zak Brown On F1 And Business Strategy At 200 Miles Per Hour

How Tubi Is Coming for Netflix and YouTube in the New Streaming Wars

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com.

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.

Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How Corning Is Using Trump’s Tariffs To Its Advantage

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0000

Corning is everywhere: from the fiber optic cables powering the internet to the Gorilla Glass on your iPhone. Now, the 175-year-old company is making domestic manufacturing profitable. In this week’s episode of Bold Names, CEO Wendell Weeks sits down with WSJ's Christopher Mims to discuss how he plays the long game with technology investments and why his company is uniquely positioned to take advantage of the Trump administration’s tariffs and industrial policy.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

Condoleezza Rice on Beating China in the Tech Race: 'Run Hard and Run Fast'

Biden’s Antitrust Architect on How Big Tech Threatens U.S. Prosperity

This CEO Says Global Trade Is Broken. What Comes Next?

Reid Hoffman Says AI Isn’t an ‘Arms Race,’ but America Needs to Win

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com.

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.

Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Affirm’s Max Levchin: Why ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ Beats Credit Cards

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0000

Is "buy now, pay later" a debt trap or the future of finance? Affirm CEO Max Levchin says the real problem is the credit card in your wallet. On this week’s episode of Bold Names, Levchin joins WSJ’s Tim Higgins to discuss how his early days as a co-founder of PayPal led him to his latest venture: using “buy now, pay later” loans to reinvent how people buy things. We talk about why he thinks financing is more transparent than credit, the personal reason he hates late fees and how AI is changing shopping.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

The Boldest Ideas of 2025 — And What’s in Store for 2026

Inside Visa’s Tech-Charged Future: From Crypto to AI

This CEO Says Global Trade Is Broken. What Comes Next?

Why Bilt’s CEO Wants You To Pay Your Mortgage With a Credit Card

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com.

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.

Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Even More Bold Names in 2026

Fri, 02 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0000

Bold Names is gearing up to be bigger and bolder than ever in 2026. Get ready for another year of the best minds in business and tech going deep on the latest industry moves. From the C-suite of tech companies like SAP, Qualcomm and Affirm, to leaders from Lamborghini, Southwest Airlines and Chobani, WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins will be back next week to kick off a new year of conversations with the leaders shaping tomorrow.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

The Boldest Ideas of 2025 — And What’s in Store for 2026

McLaren CEO Zak Brown On F1 And Business Strategy At 200 Miles Per Hour

This Tech Founder's $1.3 Billion Company Is Taking On Apple and Samsung

This CEO Says Global Trade Is Broken. What Comes Next?

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com.

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Encore: This CEO Says Humanoid Robots Are The "Space Race" of Our Time

Fri, 26 Dec 2025 08:00:00 -0000

Who will take care of you in old age? Jeff Cardenas, the CEO and co-founder of Apptronik, says the answer is robots. The startup founder set out to build a smart, dexterous robot after watching his grandfathers grow old and dependent in their later years. Beyond healthcare, Cardenas sees robots as essential to U.S. economic growth and national security with applications across industries. Even with the latest advances in artificial intelligence and hardware, what will it take for humanoid robots to make the leap from science fiction to reality? On the latest episode of the Bold Names podcast, Cardenas tells WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins why Apptronik is betting it will create the home robot helper that everyone will want.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

Condoleezza Rice on Beating China in the Tech Race: 'Run Hard and Run Fast'

Reid Hoffman Says AI Isn’t an ‘Arms Race,’ but America Needs to Win

Why This Investor Says the AI Boom Isn’t the Next Dot-Com Crash

How the U.S. Stacks Up to China’s ‘Engineering State’

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com.

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SPECIAL WSJ’s Take On the Week: How This Fed Hawk Views the Economy, Inflation, AI and Jobs

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 08:00:00 -0000

As a special bonus, we’re bringing you an episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week. Co-host Telis Demos and guest host WSJ Chief Economics Correspondent Nick Timiraos are joined by Beth Hammack, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, to discuss the state of the U.S economy, interest rates and the central bank itself.

Hammack shares her views on what she’s hearing from businesses in her district and what that could mean for consumer prices and the labor market. She emphasizes the importance of Fed independence and the chairman’s role in fusing differing viewpoints to create stable monetary policy. She also offers her perspective on the so-called neutral rate as well as artificial intelligence.

If you like what you hear, subscribe to WSJ’s Take On the Week for weekly market previews and analysis.

Visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

Inside Visa’s Tech-Charged Future: From Crypto to AI

Why This Investor Says the AI Boom Isn’t the Next Dot-Com Crash

This CEO Says Global Trade Is Broken. What Comes Next?

The Boldest Ideas of 2025 — And What’s in Store for 2026

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 08:00:00 -0000

In this special episode, Tim Higgins and Christopher Mims revisit some of their favorite moments from the first year of Bold Names. We look back on conversations with guests including Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on the explosive growth of AI and the complexities of the U.S.-China trade war. Then, Mims and Higgins flip the script to interview each other about the technological breakthroughs and geopolitical shifts that defined 2025 — and ask if the AI industry is heading toward a bubble burst next year. Plus, we answer your questions.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

How Microsoft’s AI Chief Defines ‘Humanist Super Intelligence’

This CEO Says Global Trade Is Broken. What Comes Next?

Condoleezza Rice on Beating China in the Tech Race: 'Run Hard and Run Fast

Why IBM's CEO Thinks His Company Can Crack Quantum Computing

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com.

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.

Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Inside PlayStation's Plans to Lead a $200 Billion Industry

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 08:00:00 -0000

Gaming is a $200 billion industry that dwarfs Hollywood — and PlayStation is at the center of it all. On this week’s episode of Bold Names, Sony Interactive Entertainment SVP Eric Lempel joins WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins to discuss how the company plans to compete in a mobile-first gaming world. We talk about keeping the “soul” of game development as artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into businesses, the success of games like “Fortnite” and “The Last of Us,” and what the next decade holds for the console wars.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:
This Tech Founder's $1.3 Billion Company Is Taking On Apple and Samsung

Why This Investor Says the AI Boom Isn’t the Next Dot-Com Crash

The Google-Backed Startup Taking on Elon Musk in Humanoid Robotics

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com.

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.

Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

McLaren CEO Zak Brown On F1 And Business Strategy At 200 Miles Per Hour

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 08:00:00 -0000

What business lessons are forged at 200 miles per hour? On this week’s Bold Names, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown joins Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins to talk about his new book, “Seven Tenths of a Second.” A racecar driver turned executive, Brown leads a global racing organization worth hundreds of millions of dollars. We talk about the pressure and focus required to run a winning Formula One team, and what racing has taught Brown about leading a competitive business.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

How Uber Plans to Win the Self-Driving Car Race

70,000 Bets a Minute: How FanDuel’s Parent Is Winning at Sports Gambling

How Tubi Is Coming for Netflix and YouTube in the New Streaming Wars

Space Trucks: One Startup’s Plan to Get the U.S. Back on the Moon

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com.

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SPECIAL WSJ Tech Live: The Man Leading Trump’s AI Charge Against China (The Journal Podcast)

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 08:00:00 -0000

This week, we’re bringing you an episode of The Journal, produced by Spotify and the Wall Street Journal. In this episode, recorded at WSJ’s Tech Live, host Jessica Mendoza sits down with Michael Kratsios, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, to discuss everything from chips to chatbots, how Kratsios thinks AI should be regulated, and whether or not the AI boom might be a bubble.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

Condoleezza Rice on Beating China in the Tech Race: 'Run Hard and Run Fast'

Reid Hoffman Says AI Isn’t an ‘Arms Race,’ but America Needs to Win

Why This Investor Says the AI Boom Isn’t the Next Dot-Com Crash

How the U.S. Stacks Up to China’s ‘Engineering State’

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com.

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.

Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Biden’s Antitrust Architect on How Big Tech Threatens U.S. Prosperity

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 08:00:00 -0000

Are we becoming a nation mined for our money, data, and attention? Author and legal scholar Tim Wu certainly thinks so. A key architect of President Joe Biden’s antitrust policy, Wu joins WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins on Bold Names to explain how a handful of tech platforms conquered the economy and why he fears Silicon Valley could become “inefficient, bloated, and bested by foreign competitors,” if the country doesn’t rein in monopoly power. Wu shares insights from his new book, “The Age of Extraction,” which maps out a path toward restoring competition and rebuilding an economy that works for everyone.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

The World’s Tech Giants Are Running Out of Power. This CEO Plans to Deliver.

Why This Investor Says the AI Boom Isn’t the Next Dot-Com Crash

Inside Visa’s Tech-Charged Future: From Crypto to AI

Condoleezza Rice on Beating China in the Tech Race: 'Run Hard and Run Fast

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com.

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.

Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The World’s Tech Giants Are Running Out of Power. This CEO Plans to Deliver.

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 08:00:00 -0000

Electricity demand is exploding, fueled by the rise of artificial intelligence and an unprecedented wave of data center construction. Some experts warn the U.S. grid won’t be able to handle it. But Scott Strazik, the CEO of GE Vernova, says his company can deliver. On this episode of Bold Names, Strazik joins the WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins to talk about leading GE’s energy spin-off through its blockbuster first year, how gas turbines have become Silicon Valley’s hottest commodity, and whether nuclear can help power the future.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

Condoleezza Rice on Beating China in the Tech Race: 'Run Hard and Run Fast'

The Google-Backed Startup Taking on Elon Musk in Humanoid Robotics

This Tech Founder's $1.3 Billion Company Is Taking On Apple and Samsung

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com.

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How Uber Plans to Win the Self-Driving Car Race

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 08:00:00 -0000

Driverless cars are no longer in the realm of science fiction. Nearly a decade after abandoning its own self-driving car unit, Uber is taking a hybrid approach, partnering with more than a dozen autonomous vehicle firms, including Alphabet’s Waymo and Chinese robotaxi company WeRide. But as the robotaxi market heats up, can Uber stay in the race? On the latest episode of Bold Names, Uber’s Chief Product Officer, Sachin Kansal, speaks to WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins about the company's plans for a driverless future.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

Inside Visa’s Tech-Charged Future: From Crypto to AI

This Tech Founder's $1.3 Billion Company Is Taking On Apple and Samsung

The Google Exec Reinventing Search in the AI Era

Condoleezza Rice on Beating China in the Tech Race: 'Run Hard and Run Fast

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com.

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.

Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Inside Visa’s Tech-Charged Future: From Crypto to AI

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 07:00:00 -0000

Every second, tens of thousands of transactions cross Visa’s global network. Last year alone, the company processed more than $13 trillion in purchases – nearly triple the size of Japan’s economy. Now, one of the largest payment networks in the world wants to become even bigger. On this episode of Bold Names, Rajat Taneja, Visa’s president of technology, joins WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins to discuss how the company is embracing digital currency and agentic AI to power the future of payments. Taneja says this is a natural evolution for a company built on innovation. But what does the future hold? Will Visa be the next everything platform?

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

This Tech Founder's $1.3 Billion Company Is Taking On Apple and Samsung

Condoleezza Rice on Beating China in the Tech Race: 'Run Hard and Run Fast'

The Google-Backed Startup Taking on Elon Musk in Humanoid Robotics

Why IBM's CEO Thinks His Company Can Crack Quantum Computing

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.

Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Tech Founder's $1.3 Billion Company Is Taking On Apple and Samsung

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 07:00:00 -0000

Can a startup beat Apple and Samsung on their own turf? Carl Pei, the founder and CEO of Nothing, is betting on it. Growing up in Sweden, Pei was captivated by American gadgets like Apple’s first iPod. But over time, he says, those products lost their edge. On the latest episode of Bold Names, Pei joins WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins to explain why he believes his electronics company, Nothing, which is valued at $1.3 billion, can challenge Apple and Samsung. Pei believes that artificial intelligence and a new generation of design-savvy users will set Nothing apart.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

Reid Hoffman Says AI Isn’t an ‘Arms Race,’ but America Needs to Win

The Google Exec Reinventing Search in the AI Era

Why This Tesla Pioneer Says the Cheap EV Market 'Sucks'

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.

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Why This Investor Says the AI Boom Isn’t the Next Dot-Com Crash

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 07:00:00 -0000

The artificial intelligence boom has sparked one of the costliest building sprees in history. By 2028, investment in chips, servers and data centers could hit nearly $3 trillion, according to Morgan Stanley. To help fund the build-out, tech companies are taking on huge amounts of debt, raising concerns of a possible bubble. On the latest episode of the Bold Names podcast, Martin Casado, a general partner at Andreessen Horowitz, who leads the firm’s $1.25 billion infrastructure practice, speaks to WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins, about whether the industry’s biggest bet in decades will deliver returns. Casado explains why he is optimistic about AI and how this moment compares to the internet buildout of the 1990s.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

The Google Exec Reinventing Search in the AI Era

Condoleezza Rice on Beating China in the Tech Race: 'Run Hard and Run Fast'

Why IBM's CEO Thinks His Company Can Crack Quantum Computing

How Tubi Is Coming for Netflix and YouTube in the New Streaming Wars

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.

Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Google Exec Reinventing Search in the AI Era

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Every day, billions of searches flow through Google, making it not just the world’s most popular search engine, but one of history’s most valuable products. Yet for the first time in nearly 30 years, the company’s dominance is under threat. Generative artificial intelligence tools like Open AI’s ChatGPT and Perplexity are changing how people find information. On the latest episode of the Bold Names podcast, Liz Reid, VP, head of Google Search, speaks to WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins about transforming search for the age of AI. After more than two decades inside the company, Reid says that Google has weathered disruption before and believes this moment will expand, not erode, how people explore the web. But can Google Search survive in a world of AI chatbots and answer engines?

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

Condoleezza Rice on Beating China in the Tech Race: 'Run Hard and Run Fast'

The Google-Backed Startup Taking on Elon Musk in Humanoid Robotics

Reid Hoffman Says AI Isn’t an ‘Arms Race,’ but America Needs to Win

Why IBM's CEO Thinks His Company Can Crack Quantum Computing

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.

Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Condoleezza Rice on Beating China in the Tech Race: 'Run Hard and Run Fast'

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Condoleezza Rice’s experience navigating geopolitical tensions and uncertainty gives her a background few people have. The former secretary of state currently leads the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and is a founding partner at Rice, Hadley, Gates & Manuel LLC, a strategic consulting firm. On this week’s episode of Bold Names, she speaks to WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins about why she says the U.S. needs to “run hard and run fast” and win the tech race with China. She also explains why executives can no longer afford to think of foreign policy as separate from strategy.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

This CEO Says Global Trade Is Broken. What Comes Next?

What This Former USAID Head Had to Say About Elon Musk and DOGE

‘Businesses Don’t Like Uncertainty’: How Cisco Is Navigating AI and Trump 2.0

Why This Tesla Pioneer Says the Cheap EV Market 'Sucks'

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com.

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Google-Backed Startup Taking on Elon Musk in Humanoid Robotics

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Check Out Past Episodes:

Why IBM's CEO Thinks His Company Can Crack Quantum Computing

‘Businesses Don’t Like Uncertainty’: How Cisco Is Navigating AI and Trump 2.0

Humanoid Robot Startups Are Hot. This AI Expert Cuts Through the Hype.

Reid Hoffman Says AI Isn’t an ‘Arms Race,’ but America Needs to Win

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com.

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.

Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How the U.S. Stacks Up to China’s ‘Engineering State’

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 10:00:00 -0000

The relationship between the U.S. and China is typically framed as competitive and even adversarial. Each superpower brings strengths and weaknesses to how it approaches its society, business and growth. In his new book "Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future," author and China expert Dan Wang, frames the key differences between the two superpowers. He argues that China can be understood as an "engineering state" that builds at breakneck speed regardless of public opinion or dissent. He says the U.S., on the other hand, is a "lawyerly society" that offers civil and environmental protections, but blocks everything, good and bad. On the latest episode of the Bold Names podcast, Wang speaks to WSJ’s Christopher Mims about how this framework could help us understand which country ultimately has the upper hand in the current geopolitical and technological arms race.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

This CEO Says Global Trade Is Broken. What Comes Next?

What This Former USAID Head Had to Say About Elon Musk and DOGE

‘Businesses Don’t Like Uncertainty’: How Cisco Is Navigating AI and Trump 2.0

Why This Tesla Pioneer Says the Cheap EV Market 'Sucks'

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com.

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.

Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why IBM's CEO Thinks His Company Can Crack Quantum Computing

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 04:00:00 -0000

After spending much of the 2010s in the doldrums, IBM has made something of a comeback in the past five years under the leadership of CEO Arvind Krishna. That's thanks to a lot of the success in its hybrid cloud business, as well as its consulting services. All of this has led to a surge in the company's share price. Now, IBM is betting that quantum computing will be the next big thing. But will Big Blue succeed against rivals like Microsoft and Google who are racing to make their own quantum breakthroughs? And how is the company learning from its past mistakes with Watson AI? Arvind Krishna speaks to WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins on the latest episode of the Bold Names podcast.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.

Check Out Past Episodes:

This CEO Says Global Trade Is Broken. What Comes Next?

What This Former USAID Head Had to Say About Elon Musk and DOGE

‘Businesses Don’t Like Uncertainty’: How Cisco Is Navigating AI and Trump 2.0

Why This Tesla Pioneer Says the Cheap EV Market 'Sucks'

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.

Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bold Names Is Back

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Every day, Wall Street Journal journalists talk with the most powerful, influential and interesting people. WSJ columnists Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins are bringing some of those conversations directly to you. Bold Names returns with new episodes on Fridays starting September 12 on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.

Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From AI and Defense Tech, to Tariffs and the New Streaming Wars: The Best of Bold Names

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 10:00:00 -0000

WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins take a trip into the Bold Names podcast archives. They’ve covered everything from artificial intelligence and humanoid robots, to the online sports betting industry and the new streaming wars. Check out highlights from some of their favorite interviews. Plus, Tim and Christopher look back on what made these conversations memorable and share their own insights on guests including Anduril founder and CEO Palmer Luckey, venture capitalist Sarah Guo and Microsoft AI chief Mustafa Suleyman. Bold Names returns with new episodes on Fridays starting September 12 on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.

Check Out Past Episodes:

Booz Allen CEO on Silicon Valley’s Turn to Defense Tech: ‘We Need Everybody.’

Venture Capitalist Sarah Guo’s Surprising Bet on Unsexy AI

Reid Hoffman Says AI Isn’t an ‘Arms Race,’ but America Needs to Win

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff and the AI ‘Fantasy Land’

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column .

Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Space Trucks: One Startup’s Plan to Get the U.S. Back on the Moon

Fri, 08 Aug 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Longtime space rivals Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are vying to reach outer space with their giant rockets. Meanwhile, an ecosystem of other space-related startups are racing to be ready to set up shop on the moon and Mars. Lunar Outpost is one of three companies competing to build a space truck for NASA's Artemis missions. Founder and CEO Justin Cyrus is betting there will be a commercial rush to tap into the moon’s resources, including critical minerals. He says he wants his company to be the “mobility provider” for the lunar economy. On the latest episode of Bold Names, Cyrus joins WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins to discuss why the U.S. and its biggest rivals are in a race to build permanent bases on the moon.

Check Out Past Episodes:

How Tubi Is Coming for Netflix and YouTube in the New Streaming Wars

Tariffs, EVs and China: A CEO Insider’s View of the Car Business

Booz Allen CEO on Silicon Valley’s Turn to Defense Tech: ‘We Need Everybody.’

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How Tubi Is Coming for Netflix and YouTube in the New Streaming Wars

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Tubi is a free ad-supported streaming service that's gaining ground on big players like Netflix and Amazon. It has the largest content library of any streaming platform, full of obscure gems and films by up and comers, including one starring TikTok influencer Noah Beck. Tubi CEO Anjali Sud says that by putting viewers first, the streamer is "expanding the definition of quality" when it comes to content. On the Bold Names podcast, Sud speaks to WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins about how Tubi is thinking about original content, audience retention and strategy in a changing streaming landscape. Plus, why she says Tubi will be the home for the next generation of Hollywood talent.

Check Out Past Episodes:

70,000 Bets a Minute: How FanDuel’s Parent Is Winning at Sports Gambling

Venture Capitalist Sarah Guo’s Surprising Bet on Unsexy AI

Why José Andrés Says We Need Leaders Who Believe in ‘Longer Tables’

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.

Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are AI Agents the Future of Business? Salesforce Is Betting $8 Billion on It

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Informatica isn’t a household name, but it plays a crucial role in helping companies like Toyota and Unilever manage and organize vast amounts of data. As artificial intelligence becomes more powerful, that data is like a gold mine. Customer relationship software company Salesforce recently struck a multibillion-dollar deal to acquire Informatica. On the latest episode of the Bold Names podcast, Informatica CEO Amit Walia speaks to WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins about why his company is worth $8 billion to Salesforce’s AI ambitions.

Check Out Past Episodes:

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff and the AI ‘Fantasy Land’

Tariffs, EVs and China: A CEO Insider’s View of the Car Business

How Microsoft’s AI Chief Defines ‘Humanist Super Intelligence’

Venture Capitalist Sarah Guo’s Surprising Bet on Unsexy AI

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Encore: Could Amazon’s Zoox Beat Tesla and Waymo in the Robotaxi Race?

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 10:00:00 -0000

With Elon Musk’s Tesla piloting its robotaxi service in Austin, Texas and Waymo expanding, it’s the perfect time to revisit our interview with Zoox CEO Aicha Evans. She went deep with WSJ’s Tim Higgins and Christopher Mims on her decisions to sell the company to Amazon for over $1.2 billion and to keep Zoox’s radical design for a driverless car that looks like a lounge on wheels. As she and her rivals work to win customers’ trust, Evans’s insights into robotaxi safety are even more timely.

Plus, in a brand-new segment Higgins and Mims dig into why this moment is so crucial for the robotaxi business to reach surprising new customers–like parents.

Check Out Past Episodes:

Tariffs, EVs and China: A CEO Insider’s View of the Car Business

How Microsoft’s AI Chief Defines ‘Humanist Super Intelligence’

How Zipline’s Drones Are Taking Off in the U.S. and Rivaling Amazon

Humanoid Robot Startups Are Hot. This AI Expert Cuts Through the Hype.

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.

Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tariffs, EVs and China: A CEO Insider’s View of the Car Business

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 10:00:00 -0000

For months, the complex global auto industry has grappled with the added challenge of navigating the Trump administration’s trade war. That gives Swamy Kotagiri, the CEO of Magna International, a first-hand perspective of how tariffs, trade negotiations and shifting supply chains are reshaping the future of the business, today. How is the largest auto parts manufacturer in North America adjusting its plans now that the industry’s traditional patterns have been disrupted? Kotagiri speaks to WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins on the latest episode of the Bold Names podcast.

Check Out Past Episodes:

This CEO Says Global Trade Is Broken. What Comes Next?

What This Former USAID Head Had to Say About Elon Musk and DOGE

‘Businesses Don’t Like Uncertainty’: How Cisco Is Navigating AI and Trump 2.0

Why This Tesla Pioneer Says the Cheap EV Market 'Sucks'

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.

Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why José Andrés Says We Need Leaders Who Believe in ‘Longer Tables’

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 10:00:00 -0000

José Andrés knows what it’s like to work under pressure. From managing the chaos of restaurant kitchens, to running a global business empire, to helping feed people in disaster zones, the celebrity chef doesn’t like to sit still, especially when it comes to food. On a special bonus episode of the Bold Names podcast, Andrés speaks to WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins about his new book, why he’s investing in lab-grown meat and his belief that good meals and “longer tables” are the cure for what ails us.

Check Out Past Episodes:

Booz Allen CEO on Silicon Valley’s Turn to Defense Tech: ‘We Need Everybody.’

This CEO Says Global Trade Is Broken. What Comes Next?

How Zipline’s Drones Are Taking Off in the U.S. and Rivaling Amazon

What This Former USAID Head Had to Say About Elon Musk and DOGE

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.

Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How Microsoft’s AI Chief Defines ‘Humanist Super Intelligence’

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Few people developing artificial intelligence have as much experience in the field as Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman. He co-founded DeepMind, helped Google develop its large language models and designed AI chatbots with personality at his former startup, Inflection AI. Now, he’s tasked with leading Microsoft’s efforts on its consumer AI products. On the latest episode of the Bold Names podcast, Suleyman speaks to WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins about why AI assistants are central to his plans for Microsoft’s AI future. Plus, they discuss the company’s relationship with OpenAI, and what Suleyman really thinks about “artificial general intelligence.”

Check Out Past Episodes:

Booz Allen CEO on Silicon Valley’s Turn to Defense Tech: ‘We Need Everybody.’

Venture Capitalist Sarah Guo’s Surprising Bet on Unsexy AI

Reid Hoffman Says AI Isn’t an ‘Arms Race,’ but America Needs to Win

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff and the AI ‘Fantasy Land’

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column .

Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Booz Allen CEO on Silicon Valley’s Turn to Defense Tech: ‘We Need Everybody.’

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Horacio Rozanski says he is obsessed with speed. As the CEO of Booz Allen Hamilton, a company that helps government agencies leverage the latest advances in technology used by the private sector, he has insight into the global race to develop artificial intelligence, especially in the realm of warfare. How does Rozanski see the relationship between the U.S. government and Silicon Valley evolving? He speaks to WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins on the latest episode of the Bold Names podcast.

Check Out Past Episodes:

This CEO Says Global Trade Is Broken. What Comes Next?

Venture Capitalist Sarah Guo’s Surprising Bet on Unsexy AI

What This Former USAID Head Had to Say About Elon Musk and DOGE

Palmer Luckey's 'I Told You So' Tour: AI Weapons and Vindication

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.

Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This CEO Says Global Trade Is Broken. What Comes Next?

Fri, 23 May 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Evan Smith is the co-founder and CEO of Altana, one of a few companies that have a global view and insight into the world’s supply chains. Think LinkedIn, but with the ability to track every step of a product’s movement from raw materials to store shelves. That lets him see firsthand how President Trump’s tariffs have thrown global trade networks into chaos as companies rush to rework every step of the manufacturing process. And Smith says this is just the beginning. Is the era of global free trade over? And if so, what comes next? Smith speaks to WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins on the latest episode of the Bold Names podcast.

Check Out Past Episodes:

Venture Capitalist Sarah Guo’s Surprising Bet on Unsexy AI

What This Former USAID Head Had to Say About Elon Musk and DOGE

‘Businesses Don’t Like Uncertainty’: How Cisco Is Navigating AI and Trump 2.0

Palmer Luckey's 'I Told You So' Tour: AI Weapons and Vindication

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.

Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Company Has a Plan to Beat Neuralink at the Brain-Computer Interface Game

Fri, 16 May 2025 10:00:00 -0000

What if you could control computers with just a thought? Precision Neuroscience is one of several companies working to make that a reality. Michael Mager is the co-founder and CEO of the brain-computer interface company whose technology aims to give patients with severe mobility issues new ways to interact with the digital world. How does Precision plan to offer brain implants to millions of people who could benefit from them? And how is the company competing with rivals like Synchron and Elon Musk’s Neuralink? Mager speaks to WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins on the latest episode of the Bold Names podcast.

Check Out Past Episodes:

Why Elon Musk’s Battery Guy Is Betting Big on Recycling

Venture Capitalist Sarah Guo’s Surprising Bet on Unsexy AI

Could Amazon’s Zoox Beat Tesla and Waymo in the Robotaxi Race?

Humanoid Robot Startups Are Hot. This AI Expert Cuts Through the Hype.

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.

Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Venture Capitalist Sarah Guo’s Surprising Bet on Unsexy AI

Fri, 09 May 2025 10:00:00 -0000

What's next for artificial intelligence beyond autonomous agents and next-gen language models? Sarah Guo, the founder of venture capital firm Conviction, is a rising star among Silicon Valley investors. She says the next big wave of AI innovation could transform the business world. What is she looking for in investment opportunities? And why does Guo say enterprise software is prime for transformation in the AI era? She speaks to WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins on the latest episode of the Bold Names podcast.

Check Out Past Episodes:

‘Businesses Don’t Like Uncertainty’: How Cisco Is Navigating AI and Trump 2.0

Humanoid Robot Startups Are Hot. This AI Expert Cuts Through the Hype.

Reid Hoffman Says AI Isn’t an ‘Arms Race,’ but America Needs to Win

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff and the AI ‘Fantasy Land’

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.

Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How Zipline’s Drones Are Taking Off in the U.S. and Rivaling Amazon

Fri, 02 May 2025 10:00:00 -0000

After flying 100 million miles and making over 1.4 million deliveries using autonomous drones, Zipline CEO and co-founder Keller Rinaudo Cliffton is looking to transform how same-day delivery works in the U.S. His company has spent years shipping medical supplies across countries like Rwanda, Ghana and Kenya. But will Zipline become a household name by flying burritos and salads to backyards in the U.S.? And how is the startup competing with tech giants like Amazon and Alphabet? Cliffton speaks to WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins on the latest episode of the Bold Names podcast.

Correction: Zipline has flown more than 100 million commercial autonomous miles. An earlier version of this podcast incorrectly stated that it's flown 50 million miles without human pilots. (Corrected on May 2.)

Check Out Past Episodes:

Could Amazon’s Zoox Beat Tesla and Waymo in the Robotaxi Race?

Palmer Luckey's 'I Told You So' Tour: AI Weapons and Vindication

Humanoid Robot Startups Are Hot. This AI Expert Cuts Through the Hype.

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.

Read Tim Higgins’s column.

The Drone-Delivery Service Beating Amazon to Your Front Door

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

70,000 Bets a Minute: How FanDuel’s Parent Is Winning at Sports Gambling

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Peter Jackson, the CEO of Flutter Entertainment, leads a global sports betting empire. With the U.S.-based FanDuel as its crown jewel, he has a prime view of one of the fastest-growing and most profitable entertainment industries in the world. How is Flutter using technology to supercharge sports betting, while grappling with its potential harms? Jackson speaks to WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins on the latest episode of the Bold Names podcast.

Check Out Past Episodes:

What This Former USAID Head Had to Say About Elon Musk and DOGE

Why Bilt’s CEO Wants You To Pay Your Mortgage With a Credit Card

The CEO Who Says Cheaper AI Could Actually Mean More Jobs

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com

Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column.

Read Tim Higgins’s column.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What This Former USAID Head Had to Say About Elon Musk and DOGE

Fri, 18 Apr 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Rajiv Shah, president of the Rockefeller Foundation and former head of USAID, has spent his career on the frontlines of the fight against global poverty. That gives him unique insight into the rapidly changing world of foreign aid and philanthropy. How are NGOs attempting to fill the funding gaps left as the Trump administration turns inward? Shah speaks to WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins on the latest episode of the Bold Names podcast.

Check Out Past Episodes:

‘Businesses Don’t Like Uncertainty’: How Cisco Is Navigating AI and Trump 2.0

Palmer Luckey's 'I Told You So' Tour: AI Weapons and Vindication

Reid Hoffman Says AI Isn’t an ‘Arms Race,’ but America Needs to Win

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Coming Soon: Bold Names Season Three

Fri, 11 Apr 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Every day, Wall Street Journal reporters talk with the most powerful, influential and interesting people. On the next season of WSJ’s Bold Names podcast, columnists Tim Higgins and Christopher Mims are bringing some of those conversations directly to you. Join them, starting Friday, April 18.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

‘Businesses Don’t Like Uncertainty’: How Cisco Is Navigating AI and Trump 2.0

Fri, 21 Mar 2025 10:00:00 -0000

Few people sit at the nexus of business and politics like Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins. As head of a company that makes much of the infrastructure underlying the internet and artificial intelligence systems, and as chairman of the lobbying group Business Roundtable, Robbins has a unique perspective on the rapid changes facing both Silicon Valley and Washington, D.C. How is he navigating this moment? And what lessons did he learn from playing basketball with an all-time legend? Robbins speaks to WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins on the Bold Names podcast.

Check Out Past Episodes:

Could Amazon’s Zoox Beat Tesla and Waymo in the Robotaxi Race?

Palmer Luckey's 'I Told You So' Tour: AI Weapons and Vindication

Humanoid Robot Startups Are Hot. This AI Expert Cuts Through the Hype.

Reid Hoffman Says AI Isn’t an ‘Arms Race,’ but America Needs to Win

Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices