PODCAST · technology
Hallway Chat
by Fraser Kelton & Nabeel Hyatt
Fraser & Nabeel explore what it means to build great products in this new world of AI.Two former founders, now VCs, have an off-the-cuff conversation with friends about the new AI products that are worth trying, emerging patterns, and how founders are navigating a world that’s changing every week. Fraser is the former Head of Product at OpenAI, where he managed the teams that shipped ChatGPT and DALL-E, and is now an investor at Spark Capital. Nabeel is a former founder and CEO, now an investor at Spark, and has served on the boards of Discord, Postmates, Cruise, Descript, and Adept. It's like your weekly dinner party on what's happening in artificial intelligence.
Episodes
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The two types of Agentic Engineering, and their teams
We return from a break to discuss the effects of an avalanche of app making due to Claude and Codex, including “Camp,” an experiment by Nabeel in native multiplayer AI-assisted group work beyond shareable outputs. We cover: In order to be a founder leading AI transformation do you need to lead by...
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Personality, humanism, poke, and raising the ceiling
Why are dentists so into vibe coding? Where's the Steve Jobs of this era? In this episode of Hallway Chat, Fraser and Nabeel discuss the viral AI assistant Poke, within the broader context of the rise of niche AI applications. They also talk about the importance of specialization in AI...
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Be Water, Ubiquity over Ownership
In this episode of Hallway Chat, Nabeel and Fraser unpack the emerging power of tool use, reasoning traces, and code execution in modern models. They reflect on how startups can stay ahead in a market that feels like it changes every 90 days, and what product choices separate the winners from the...
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Building Open World AI w/Andrew Mason
Nabeel and Fraser sit down with Andrew Mason, founder of Descript, for a deep dive into evolution "open world agents" in AI products. The trio uses the recent Airtable re-founding as a lens to look at open world agent architecture, what makes a great AI-enhanced user experience, and how Descript…
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Making the perfect backpack. Craft in the age of AI.
Craft in the age of AI. Nabeel and Fraser start with a dive into what makes the Boundary backpack so great. They explore how AI is changing the way we do customer research, the importance of obsessive attention to detail, and why great founders still need great taste. Along the way, they debate...
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AI Severance: One Memory or Many?
In this episode of Hallway Chat, Nabeel and Fraser explore the future of AI through the lenses of memory, context, and product design. They debate whether users will maintain separate AIs for work and home, why visually verifiable output is critical to product success, and how startups should...
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State of AI and Games
Nabeel and Fraser debrief on GDC and the opportunities for innovation beyond the conservative approaches in an industry going through a funk. They touch on the experiences at the recent GDC, including the growth of AI in gaming and the recurring challenges faced by developers. The discussion also...
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Building an Interestingness Leaderboard
We have evals for AI models, what about AI products? Today, Nabeel and Fraser talk about building computer games through vibe coding, and just when we might see a breakout success of an AI-built game. Through this discussion, they also explore what building a platform that curates weird AI...
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Questions we’re asking of AI startups in 2025.
Today, Nabeel and Fraser tackle the questions they've been asking internally. What level of improvement would it take to disrupt an incumbent product? They also explore what advantages second movers have in product markets, the emerging importance of reasoning models and computer use products…
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Granola & The Art of Invisible AI - Christopher Pedregal
Nabeel and Fraser sit down for a round-table discussion with Chris Pedregal, founder and CEO of Granola, an AI note taking app, to discuss Granola’s evolution and product philosophy. Their conversation touches on the challenges of developing user-friendly AI products, and how to balance that with...
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Distilling Lessons from AI in 2024
What lessons will we take from 2024's AI products into next year? How better to reflect on advancements in the field of AI over this past year than to ask AI itself? Today, Fraser and Nabeel use AI models like ChatGPT, Claude, and o1 to first look back and see if products and innovations of 2023...
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Coaching Up: Should your AI be teaching you how to use it?
Everywhere you turn, companies have shoved AI features into their products that no one is using. Today, Fraser and Nabeel ask each other—are there any AI features that you’re actually using in older products? Plus: How kids will be shaped using AI products daily. What would a fully unstructured...
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Q&A: Is NotebookLM an exception to a rule? When to copy? When are small improvements better than big bets? Will data privacy matter?
Open format Q&A this week. Fraser and Nabeel explore AI data privacy, the ethics of copying features, and maintaining innovation. They discuss enterprise data challenges, the importance of a strong product identity, and strategies for early-stage startups during fundraising season. (00:00) - Open...
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"Software should be soft" - Meter Command with Anil Varanasi
Join Fraser, Nabeel, and special guest Anil from Meter as they dive into the innovation behind Meter Command. Meter's new interface has been called the "future of software" and a far ranging interview talks about the problem of designing product around personas, how command interfaces bridge the...
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The New Muse: Hobbyists and AI
How would you design an AI product differently for a hobbyist vs prosumer vs professional? Using MidJourney as a case study in the passion economy, they delve into how AI tools can help build communities and support semi-professional creators. They explore how these tools can democratize...
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Making product on the S curve of AI. Plus, Anthropic Artifacts
Fraser and Nabeel start by retcon'ing their earlier "maybe we should stop talking about models" and reflecting on the importance of adapting product strategy based how much disruption is happening in your market. The episode highlights the release of Claude Artifacts by Anthropic, and comparing…
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Granola, Designing AI for User Agency, and how to compete with $$$
Fraser and Nabeel dive into the evolving landscape of AI note-taking apps, focusing on a new product, Granola. They discuss Granola's unique approach of "enhancing your thought" instead of "thinking for you." They also explore: applying this idea to other categories, the influence of LLMs on UX,...
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Should we stop talking about models?
Is it still worth it to discuss models when discussing startups? Nabeel and Fraser discuss how that may be the wrong question to ask in the current landscape, and why customer-centric questions and user experience should be the basis of product experience. Later, they deliberate who might come…
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Devin & the Autonomous Engineer Wave. Plus, .Com lessons as a model for today
What is the extent of autonomous coding engineer Devin’s ability to generate real, functional applications with little to no help? Nabeel and Fraser dive into the buzz about Cognition’s ‘Devin’, what makes it different, and the transformative potential of AI in software engineering, particularly...
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AI Models. Weighing the chances of commodity vs differentiation.
This week is a discussion of the points of differentiation vs commodification in various AI models. Including how these points might change over time, and might change between language, image, and video models. Then Fraser pivots to orienting around jobs to be done in AI, and how the various…
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Trailer
What is Hallway Chat anyway (00:00) - Introduction and Podcast Naming
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Making of Arc Search, and finding your AI product strategy with Josh Miller
Josh Miller, Founder and CEO of The Browser Co, joins this week. We loved the experience with Arc Search, a new AI-enabled mobile search experience, we decided to talk to Josh directly about how it all came together. Topics * How Arc Search came to be spawned out of basically a side project * The...
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Stages of Disruption: Adaptation, Evolution, or Revolution? Plus Email AI app Shortwave
Two former founders, now VCs, play with AI products and see where that leads... Fraser and Nabeel discuss the differences between horizontal disruption and vertical market disruption and the patterns of the phases of this disruption in the mobile age. From Adaptation, to Evolution, and eventually...
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Best of the Voice Note Apps, Three Layers of AI Coding & A Wishlist of Products
Reviewing voice note transcription apps, from WaveAI to Audiopen and ChatGPT. Then Fraser and Nabeel take stock of various ways AI coding is affecting software development, from Co-Pilots to "mealeable software development" and No-Code AI. Lastly, the hosts talk through a wish list of products...
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Developments in Prompting, Making Sense of AI Hardware Gadgetpalooza & trying SunoAI music creation
Fraser and Nabeel discuss the onslaught of AI hardware launches, exploring the potential factors behind this shift. They also discuss the importance of designing not by listening to your customer but by understanding the customer. The duo also discuss the importance and challenges surrounding...
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Building entropically, Gemini, Prompt engineerings revenge, and Superpowered
Nabeel and Fraser briefly discuss Google's new AI model, Gemini, and keeping authenticity in startup pitches. They discuss the perils of trying to simplify when technology is lending towards complexity. How to stay authentic to yourself when pitching and fundraising. The new findings of Claude...
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Launch stories of ChatGPT
Nabeel gets to ask Fraser for reflections on the development of ChatGPT on the one-year anniversary. They talk about the intersection of product managers and AI researchers, how ChatGPT came to be on the roadmap, how the team came to be formed, and the difference between polish & overengineering....
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Three patterns of LLM product development
The conversation kicks off with the surprising news of Sam Altman’s departure from OpenAI. Nabeel and Fraser then discuss the ‘crazy week’ of product releases, demystifying the complexity and impact of AI in various workflows. They spotlight AI startup Lindy, review My GPTS, and early impressions...
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My GPTs, and avoiding the OpenAI tidal wave as a founder
In this conversation, discussions revolve around the recent OpenAI Dev Day, the Reflect note taking app, and how founders should internalize the "threat" and partnership opportunities with OpenAI. Fraser & Nabeel discuss that it's still "fart app and flashlight" early days for developers to truly...
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When do AI startups have advantage over incumbents?
Fraser & Nabeel get things up and running again at Hallway Chat. How AI is changing search engines, comparing Perplexity with Google, and what just goes to ChatGPT & Claude. "Shipping your org chat". Debating Sam Lessin's recent "State of Venture Capital" and whether AI in startups is just…
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Hallway Chat, #32 - Creating a middle class Creator Economy, Apple & service-based software, the PS5 and why we play games
Hey ya'll. In todays show we discuss Apple and service-based software releasing, the PS5 and why we play games, creating a middle class Creator Economy, blogging in 2021 and finding your voice on the internet, being a VC only in up times. It's our first episode of the new year, Nabeel and Bijan…
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Hallway Chat, #31 - Investing during a pandemic (ie 2020 vs 2019), hot takes about remote work
We are back with a long overdue edition of Hallway Chat. Todays episode, Bijan and Nabeel discuss: investing during a pandemic (ie 2020 vs 2019), how we are working from home (technology and schedule), some likely controversial thoughts about remote work, AirPods woes, and a few memorable moments...
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Hallway Chat, #30 - Is VC pattern recognition actually valuable, the challenge of "winner takes all" dogma
After a one year-ish break, Nabeel and Bijan are back with a shiny new episode! In this pod, we chat about things on our minds lately including, is VC pattern recognition actually valuable, what does the decline of the iPhone mean to Apple's future, the potential for single purpose electronics…
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Hallway Chat, #29 - Bitcoin, tech morality, startup hard decisions and the iMac Pro
A podcast by Bijan Sabet and Nabeel Hyatt, partners at Spark Capital. Recorded: December 13, 2017: Show summary: Bitcoin Frenzy, Tech company morality, the iMac Pro, and startup hard decisions
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Hallway Chat, #29 - The VC "Sh*t Show" and consumer apps
Another episode of Hallway Chat. Bijan and Nabeel. Recorded November 16, 2017. Show notes: - iPhone X, including new apps - Musical.ly’s exit and the notion that “mobile consumer is dead” - The changes in the VC landscape, from the moral awakening to the explosion of seeds - Eugene Wei’s blog…
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Hallway Chat, #28 - Mastering scale, Google I/O and judging "what's worth making a startup"
5/19/2017: Hey, we're back with another episode of Hallway Chat. Show notes: Clay Bavor's Virtual & Augmented Realities http://bit.ly/2pNfVra Reid Hoffman's Masters of Scale podcast https://mastersofscale.com/ Tim O'Reilly's response to Masters of Scale...
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Hallway Chat, #27 - Future of work & the moral awakening of Silicon Valley
Recorded 2/10/17. Summary: Nabeel and Bijan discuss a few favorite new apps, some thoughts about current American politics & the moral awakening of Silicon Valley, Related links: Teuxdeux: https://teuxdeux.com/ 10% Happier:...
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Hallway Chat, #26 - w/Kevin Thau - Apple
Hi everyone! @nabeel and @bijan are back with a new podcast to kick off the new year. This episode of Hallway Chat, we are joined by our fellow Spark partner Kevin Thau (@kevinthau). We talked about the new Apple Airpods, Apple vs Google apps for iOS, Bijan's beef with mail apps for iOS, Nabeel's...
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Hallway Chat, #25
Nabeel and Bijan discussed Google I/O 2016 and some thoughts about all the choices developers have to consider in a world with so many different platforms.
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Hallway Chat, #24 - Cruise, Nest, what it takes to keep innovating
Another episode of Hallway Chat with @nabeel and @bijan Topics: how the Tesla 3 has presold so much, Cruise and navigating the new rush of autonomous driving startups, Nest/Echo and what it takes to keep innovating, Snapchat’s social trajectory, and the march towards replacing MacOS with iOS....
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Hallway Chat, #23 - with Fred Wilson
A podcast by Bijan Sabet and Nabeel Hyatt, partners at Spark Capital. In todays show, we were joined by special guest and our friend, Fred Wilson. Show notes: -questions from Twitter, including how Fred started investing in social media, & YC's recent move to recommend exercising options from 90...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Fraser & Nabeel explore what it means to build great products in this new world of AI.Two former founders, now VCs, have an off-the-cuff conversation with friends about the new AI products that are worth trying, emerging patterns, and how founders are navigating a world that’s changing every week. Fraser is the former Head of Product at OpenAI, where he managed the teams that shipped ChatGPT and DALL-E, and is now an investor at Spark Capital. Nabeel is a former founder and CEO, now an investor at Spark, and has served on the boards of Discord, Postmates, Cruise, Descript, and Adept. It's like your weekly dinner party on what's happening in artificial intelligence.
HOSTED BY
Fraser Kelton & Nabeel Hyatt
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Hallway Chat have?
Hallway Chat currently has 41 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Hallway Chat about?
Fraser & Nabeel explore what it means to build great products in this new world of AI.Two former founders, now VCs, have an off-the-cuff conversation with friends about the new AI products that are worth trying, emerging patterns, and how founders are navigating a world that’s changing every week....
How often does Hallway Chat release new episodes?
Hallway Chat has 41 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Hallway Chat?
You can listen to Hallway Chat on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Hallway Chat?
Hallway Chat is created and hosted by Fraser Kelton & Nabeel Hyatt.
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