NET Society

The full Net Society crew is back together to confront the arrival of disturbingly dexterous robot fingers and what increasingly capable humanoid machines could mean for work, athletics, warfare, and everyday life. From there, they examine AI future scenarios involving regulation, universal basic income, recursive improvement, and the tendency for technologists to build toward decades-old science fiction. Pri then introduces her theory that mass literacy may have been a 500-year glitch, sparking a wider debate about shallow reading, the emergence of an elite “scribe class,” and whether writing will become a luxury craft in an increasingly oral and AI-mediated culture. The conversation expands into the effects of declining literacy on law, government, language, and collective memory before turning to COVID-era education, childhood independence, and the potential for AI tutors to reshape learning. The episode closes with reactions to the latest generation of frontier AI models and a look at remix culture, collapsing intellectual property boundaries, and whether AI-generated Seinfeld makeovers could somehow bring monoculture back.Mentioned in the episodeCreepy robot fingers https://x.com/TheHumanoidHub/status/2075272514755059773?s=20AI 2040 Plan A https://ai-2040.com/People reading was actually a 500 year glitch https://pridesai.substack.com/p/people-reading-was-actually-a-500Schoolhouse Rock! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27m_Just_a_BillNew Grok Model 4.5 https://x.com/SpaceXAI/status/2074915721684086811OpenAI ChatGPT 5.6 https://x.com/OpenAI/status/2075274275104399670Meta Muse Spark 1.1 https://x.com/finkd/status/2075218444056707458Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProducer/Editor: https://x.com/0xFnkl(00:00) - Robot Fingers, AI Futures & UBI (12:50) - The 500-Year Literacy Glitch (23:05) - Writing, Law & Language in a Post-Literate World (35:52) - COVID, Education & Childhood Independence (45:03) - New AI Models & Recursive Improvement (50:47) - Remix Culture, IP & Monoculture (54:18) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The Net Society crew is back together for a holiday-weekend episode. They begin with Chris’s frustrations around Fable before examining Meta’s struggling engineering culture, copycat tendencies, and surprising progress in brain-signal decoding. From there, the conversation turns to custom models, expert investor judgment, and the growing push for AI sovereignty as enterprises question how much control they should hand to frontier labs. The crew considers whether open-source models, fine-tuning, and intelligent routing will create a more fragmented AI ecosystem where models are selected by cost, reliability, and specialization. They also ask what happened to the inventive energy of the last NFT cycle and whether better tools, cheaper blockspace, and a little AI could make crypto fun again. The episode closes with America’s 250th anniversary, Europe’s resistance to air conditioning, and an unexpectedly serious debate over whether AC belongs among humanity’s greatest inventions.Mentioned in the episodeFable 5 returns https://x.com/AnthropicAI/status/2072163884430229756Meta Engineering Culture https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/12/metas-months-old-ai-unit-is-a-soul-crushing-gulag-say-the-engineers-stuck-inside-it/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitterNature Article decoding brain activity https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-026-02303-2Bridgewater and Thinking Machines https://x.com/ziv_ravid/status/2072171186620960908?s=46&t=3cJ-BS7Y1NeBdjntkS2hZQBackseats tweet https://x.com/backseats_eth/status/2072020616400757233AC being a hot topic https://x.com/NYCMayor/status/2072411003170472359Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProducer/Editor: https://x.com/0xFnkl(00:00) - Fable Returns & Meta’s AI Problem (06:30) - Brain Decoding, BCIs & Meta’s Future (09:00) - Custom Models, Expert Judgment & AI Sovereignty (18:53) - Bringing Fun Back to NFTs (23:34) - Model Evals, Routing & AI’s Commodity Layer (30:44) - Open Source Models & the AI Frontier (36:37) - America at 250 & the Great Air-Conditioning Debate (45:33) - Welcome & Disclaimer

Special guest Jared Poz of 8NAP ART joins Aaron and Pri for a wide-ranging conversation about where digital culture, crypto, and emerging technology are heading next. They begin with Jared’s long-term outlook on NFT art, exploring smaller generative art collections, algorithmic outliers, and why larger sets can produce unexpected cultural icons. From there, the group dives into the resurgence of trading cards and tokenized collectibles, unpacking blind packs, collector psychology, physical redemption, and the growing role of blockchain-based receipts for real-world assets. They zoom out to consider whether crypto is entering a more mature era defined by utility, clearer regulation, digital provenance, and trusted custodians. The conversation then turns to AI agents, open systems, healthcare research, robotics, and the rapid convergence of several major technology curves. The episode closes by looking toward the next frontier, asking how art, collectibles, and NFTs might evolve as humanity moves further into space.Mentioned in the episodeSpecial guest Jared Poz https://x.com/jared_pozDean Eigenmann - Crypto's Graham Moment https://x.com/DeanEigenmann/status/2069052614939906362Softbank SGM Deck https://group.softbank/media/Project/sbg/sbg/pdf/ir/investors/shareholders/2026/shareholders-meeting_46_05_en.pdfJeff Koons Moon Phases https://jeffkoonsmoonphases.com/Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProducer/Editor: https://x.com/0xFnkl

The Net Society crew dives into Midjourney’s unexpected move from AI image generation to medical imaging, exploring its underwater full-body scanner and what the company’s unconventional path says about founder freedom, bootstrapping, and technological ambition. From there, they examine how better measurement, massive datasets, and preventative healthcare could transform longevity, before imagining a future of AI mattresses, intelligent objects, and sensor-filled environments. The conversation turns to growing resistance against AI doom narratives and the complicated conflict surrounding Anthropic, model safety, corporate incentives, and government oversight. They also unpack Kanye’s appearance at Art Basel, the state of digital art at major institutions, and the potential for autonomous AI art systems. The episode closes with a debate over whether machines can manufacture taste, predict cultural trends, and forecast a future shaped by rapidly advancing AI and space technology.Mentioned in the episodeMidjourney medical https://x.com/midjourney/status/2067421950314688759Fable 5 shut down https://x.com/AnthropicAI/status/2065597531644743999Eli showing Kanye William Mapan at Art Basel https://x.com/nullinger/status/2066944333714997753William Mapan sale https://x.com/RogerDickerman/status/2067222189674275201Taste labs https://x.com/taste_ai_AI 2027 https://ai-2027.com/Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProducer/Editor: https://x.com/0xFnkl(00:00) - Midjourney Medical & the Freedom to Build (08:12) - Measurement, Data & Preventative Healthcare (15:48) - AI Wealth, Longevity & the Health Tech Boom (20:04) - AI Mattresses, Intelligent Objects & the IoT Revival (26:22) - AI Doom, Anthropic & the Battle Over Safety (37:57) - Kanye, Art Basel & Autonomous AI Art (45:21) - Can AI Manufacture Taste? (57:24) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The Net Society crew welcomes collector and digital art advocate Redbeard for a wide-ranging conversation about where crypto art goes next. They begin with the upcoming Basel exhibition and the challenge of building a genuine art movement without losing the strange, internet-native culture that made the space compelling. From there, the group examines the need for more collectors, contributors, artist residencies, and other forms of patronage beyond simply buying work. The conversation turns to the parallel AI art ecosystem, asking whether AI art and crypto art will converge or remain distinct movements shaped by different ideas of process, permanence, and ownership. Redbeard then responds to recent debates around innovation, gatekeeping, and the supposed collector cabal, arguing that structural problems are real but experimentation and opportunity remain. The crew explores accessible pricing, community building, artistic quality, and why some artists are better equipped than others to develop sustainable careers. They close by calling for digital art to stop chasing institutional approval, rediscover its disruptive energy, and embrace the cultural transformation being driven by AI, robotics, and a new generation of creators.Mentioned in the episodeSpecial guest Redbeard https://x.com/redbeardnftArt Basel https://x.com/ArtBaselAire bathshttps://beaire.com/en/aire-ancient-baths-newyork#Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProducer/Editor: https://x.com/0xFnkl(00:00) - Redbeard, Basel & Building an Art Movement (07:11) - Supporting Artists Beyond Collecting (11:16) - AI Art, Crypto Art & Competing Ontologies (25:55) - Criticism, Innovation & the Collector Cabal (36:14) - Patronage, Pricing & Creative Infrastructure (49:50) - Artistic Success, Community & Distribution (57:10) - Institutions, Disruption & a New Renaissance (01:07:10) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The Net Society crew is back together for a wide-ranging conversation on crypto, AI, art, and the strange timing problems shaping the current market. They begin with the disconnect between crypto prices and onchain growth, weighing durable signals like stablecoins, RWAs, ETH activity, and agent standards against leverage, volatility, and renewed concerns around Zcash. From there, the episode turns into a deeper debate about AI fast takeoff, IPO narratives, model costs, market bubbles, and whether rapid technological progress can still create near-term economic dislocation. The crew then shifts into digital art, asking whether the next wave of creative energy is moving away from traditional NFT markets and into AI-driven artistic production. They close by exploring the coming wealth effects of AI IPOs, the future of philanthropy, the millennial midlife crisis, personalized media, community, and whether AI should be shaped by sovereign wealth funds, taxes, or broader industrial policy.Mentioned in the episodeAI is moving fast https://x.com/AnthropicAI/status/2062568862479208923Third wave of American philanthropy https://nanransohoff.substack.com/p/the-third-wave-of-american-philanthropyGmoney and Hunter Biden? https://x.com/gmoneyNFT/status/2062888418229596409?s=20Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProductionProducer/Editor: https://x.com/0xFnkl(00:00) - Crypto Drawdown vs Onchain Growth (05:37) - Zcash, Product Design & Verification (07:37) - AI Fast Takeoff, IPOs & Market Timing (30:11) - Digital Art, AI Creativity & NFTs (37:22) - AI Wealth, Philanthropy & Millennial Midlife (47:08) - Personal Media, Community & Life Stages (52:21) - AI Industrial Policy, Taxes & Tech Optimism (59:44) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The Net Society crew is joined by Alejandro from Fellowship for a full-episode debate on the state of NFTs, crypto art, and digital art in 2026. Sparked by Pri’s essay and Alejandro’s response, the conversation digs into what made NFTs feel new in the first place, from internet-native markets and global distribution to transparent ownership and community formation. Alejandro pushes on the limits of decentralization, arguing that while ownership and access may be open, attention, visibility, and support are still far more centralized than the space likes to admit. From there, the crew debates whether crypto art has drifted too far toward traditional art logic, whether collectors are asking the wrong things from the medium, and whether artists need to take bigger risks with work that feels native to the rails. They also explore the difference between crypto art, digital art, and contemporary art, before turning to attention, distribution, pricing, auctions, royalties, and the long hangover from the last NFT cycle. The episode wraps with a more open-ended conclusion: there is no single path forward, but the space probably needs more experimentation, more honest reflection, and less nostalgia for the moment when everything only went up.Mentioned in the episodeSpecial guest Alejandro Cartagena https://x.com/halecar2Pri’s ‘Stay Native’ article https://x.com/pridesai/status/2057851772924833837Alejandro’s response https://x.com/halecar2/status/2058180410476019953Joana’s response https://x.com/museumghostart/status/2058550572345704895Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingProducer/Editor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Pri’s Essay & Alejandro’s Response (02:27) - Decentralization, Visibility & Support (05:39) - Crypto Art Fundamentals & Collector Fit (13:21) - Categories, Risk & Native Work (27:11) - Crypto Art, Digital Art & Open Definitions (37:10) - Attention, Distribution & Market Coordination (45:20) - Time, Price Discovery, Royalties & Paths Forward (01:02:45) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The Net Society crew is back together for a wide-ranging conversation on AI IPO season, market structure, and where capital flows next. They kick things off by debating whether massive public listings from SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic could mark a top, a wealth creation event, or a new chapter in the AI economy. From there, they explore how the AI trade is pulling attention away from crypto, the role of data centers as the new bottleneck, and whether ETH benefits from building in the shadow of the AI boom. The conversation then turns to open source models, local AI, margin compression, and whether frontier AI companies should be valued like software businesses or utilities. Later, the crew gets into orbital data centers, regulatory arbitrage in space, and the “network state” taking its final form above Earth. The episode wraps with a cultural detour through paid speech, dead internet theory, New York discourse, vibe shifts, political exhaustion, and the strange experience economy of waiting in line for mediocre coffee.Mentioned in the episodeSpaceX IPO https://x.com/FT/status/2057896888863510658Sam Altman overdoses on GLP-1s https://x.com/Overlap_Tech/status/2056847843743162448Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingProducer/Editor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - AI IPO Season & Retail Liquidity (06:16) - Data Centers, Crypto Risk & The AI Casino (10:24) - ETH, Network Effects & AI Compression (13:59) - Open Source AI, Local Models & Utility Economics (27:14) - Orbital Data Centers & Regulatory Arbitrage (40:09) - Paid Speech, Dead Internet & Sovereign Opinion (43:01) - New York Discourse, Vibe Shifts & Coffee Lines (01:00:53) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The Net Society crew is back together to unpack a week of internet spectacle, AI froth, crypto privacy, and demographic anxiety. They kick things off with Shl0ms’ Monet fakeout, using the viral AI art discourse to talk about attention games, bots, and the strange durability of crypto art. From there, they debate Martha Stewart’s AI home management startup and whether celebrity-backed ChatGPT wrappers are a real consumer wedge or just another top signal. The conversation then widens into model commoditization, low switching costs, U.S.-China chip strategy, robotics, and the next phase of the AI race. The crew also digs into Zcash, financial privacy, Hyperliquid’s USDH drama, and the exhaustion of retail crypto getting co-opted by insiders. The episode wraps with a detour through World Cup bloat, declining birth rates, “full-time children,” family formation, and the unsettling prospect of pregnancy robots.Mentioned in the episodeSCHL0MS Monet post https://x.com/SHL0MS/status/2054280631807316329Martha Stuart Home AI https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260512987617/en/Martha-Stewart-Announces-Hint-a-New-Home-Management-Platform-Built-on-Human-Expertise-and-AI99% of people don’t use paid AI https://x.com/JohnLeFevre/status/2025334966884708846Trump’s trip to China https://x.com/nypost/status/2055098939351650595Robots working 8 hour shift https://x.com/adcock_brett/status/2054603963996278786Coinbase x Hyperliquid news https://x.com/coinbase/status/2054894760859504936World Cup halftime show lineup https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/articles/madonna-shakira-bts-co-headline-historic-final-halftime-showJasmine Sun China on AI and work https://x.com/jasminewsun/status/2055069143716766099Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingProducer/Editor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Shl0ms, Monet & AI Art Discourse (06:44) - Bots, Attention Games & Online Astroturfing (10:54) - Martha Stewart & Celebrity AI Wrappers (15:24) - Model Commoditization & Low Switching Costs (23:27) - China, Chips, Robotics & the AI Race (36:03) - Zcash, Privacy & Hyperliquid’s USDH Drama (43:03) - World Cup Bloat, Birth Rates & Pregnancy Robots (58:33) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The Net Society crew is back together for a wide-ranging conversation on politics, crypto, AI, and the accelerating weirdness of the internet. They open with Spencer Pratt’s LA political rise, using it as a lens for how celebrity, AI slop videos, and direct-to-feed campaigning may be reshaping political media. From there, they compare LA and New York political content, Mamdani’s street-level style, and the possibility of a broader reform movement breaking through old institutional structures. The crew then turns to crypto, unpacking major token and infrastructure moves around Arc, Canton, Circle, public companies, and the growing convergence between blockchains and traditional finance. Consensus in Miami becomes a referendum on crypto’s cringe problem, before the conversation shifts into AI, where Anthropic, xAI, Colossus, Cursor, Grok, OpenClaw, Hermes, and agent harnesses all point toward a new phase of frontier technology competition. The episode closes by asking whether AI agents are following a DeFi-like arc: real innovation buried under waves of noise.Mentioned in the episodeSpencer Pratt LA Mayor Campaign AI Slop vid https://x.com/charliebcurran/status/2051647381981290697Mamdani Ken Griffin video https://x.com/NYCMayor/status/2044508902809628760?s=20Bullish acquires Equiniti https://www.wsj.com/finance/currencies/crypto-exchange-bullish-strikes-4-2-billion-deal-for-transfer-agent-in-tokenization-push-4af8f41fConsensus 2026 memes https://x.com/cryptosmiff/status/2053175297818911145?s=20And https://x.com/brookejlacey/status/2053196312091427119xAI and Cursor https://x.com/xDaily/status/2052867330418335989Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingProducer/Editor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Spencer Pratt, LA Politics & AI Slop Campaigning (08:35) - Political Ads, Memes & the New Media Playbook (19:17) - The Pratt Hat, Reform Movements & Institutional Frustration (22:59) - Arc, Canton, Circle & Public Company Tokens (29:46) - Consensus Miami & Crypto’s Cringe Problem (33:25) - Anthropic, xAI, Cursor & the Compute Wars (38:10) - OpenClaw, Hermes & the Future of Agent Harnesses (46:50) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The Net Society crew is joined by John from SuperRare for a wide-ranging conversation on AI agents, headless software, crypto infrastructure, and the strange future of machine-mediated markets. They open with AI psychosis, neurotic models, compute subsidies, and the rising push toward CLI-first products, before exploring what happens when agents become the primary users of SaaS, payments, marketplaces, research tools, and crypto rails. From there, Aaron walks through a set of 2035 and 2040 agent economy predictions, including autonomous micro-enterprises, agent procurement, machine capital markets, self-sovereign AI, robotic factories, and AI-managed civic infrastructure. The episode then turns toward internet culture, Brian Johnson, peptides, crypto’s identity crisis, NFT market momentum, DeFi hacks, AI-assisted hacking, and the question of what new digital culture could actually bring buyers and creators back into the room.Mentioned in the episodeGuest John from SuperRare https://x.com/SuperRareJohnRare protocol https://rare.xyz/?utm_source=chatgpt.comBankr https://x.com/bankrbotBrian Johnson Tweet https://x.com/bryan_johnson/status/2049687845082910812Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingProducer/Editor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra

Everything is Casino. The Digital Art Timeline is a Church Basement Art Fair. New York is alive and well. Austin and El Segundo are hardware hot zones. Another Vibe Shift? The future of adaptive web design and AI UX. Etc....Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingSubstitute Producer/Editor: https://x.com/v_kirraThe usual Producer/Editor: https://x.com/0xFnkl

The Net Society crew records live from New York and opens with a familiar question in unfamiliar times: are we actually back, or just bouncing inside a bear market. From there, the conversation moves through competing views on crypto’s current state, with debate around institutional demand, stablecoin growth, ETF flows, and why the next leg up may still require more pain. The crew then explores what machine-to-machine payments could actually look like, from agentic software and API micropayments to the early shape of a machine-native economy. That leads into a sharp discussion on AI product building, where they argue that the models are already good enough and the real bottleneck is ambition, taste, and the ability to frame better problems. In the back half, they work through a run of crypto casualties and controversies, including Foundation’s collapse, Lattice shutting down, and the Bittensor Templar blowup, before closing on a more optimistic note: why so many of the most interesting builders in AI seem to come out of crypto, and how that culture may shape what comes next.Mentioned in the episodeResponse to Covenant https://x.com/const_reborn/status/2043083033969033610Lattice winding down https://x.com/latticexyz/status/2044103611072835744Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingProducer/Editor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Are We Actually Back? (10:44) - Machine Payments & Agentic Software (13:09) - AI Product Building, Ambition & Taste (20:27) - Foundation’s Collapse & Platform Fragility (25:24) - Bittensor Drama, Templar & Governance (34:02) - Lattice, Onchain Gaming & Crypto’s User Problem (42:14) - Crypto Builders Winning in AI (49:09) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The Net Society crew opens in full doomer mode, unpacking the growing public backlash to AI and whether fear around job loss, surveillance, and elite control is hardening into a broader political movement. From there, they debate whether AI anxiety is overblown, whether the real effects on labor are already here, and how anti-tech sentiment differs from the internet’s earlier adoption era. The conversation then shifts into model safety, Anthropic’s posture, and the strange mix of hype, secrecy, and moral panic shaping the AI discourse. In the back half, Aaron spins out a wild but compelling Bitcoin scenario around the Strait of Hormuz and the possibility of a future fungibility crisis, before the group detours into Sam Altman media narratives, Satoshi speculation, and the enduring appeal of unsolved mysteries. They close on a more human note with a sharp travel riff on the Azores, network state jokes, Europe’s slower pace of life, and whether AI’s best case is not mass replacement, but a world where people work less and live better.Mentioned in the episodeSam Altman targeted in attacks https://x.com/nypost/status/2043616560921633060Jasmine Sun - AI populism's warning shots https://open.substack.com/pub/jasmine/p/warning-shots?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=webThe Bronx is Burning https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29389.Ladies_and_Gentlemen_the_Bronx_is_BurningShow & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingProducer/Editor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - AI Backlash, Fear & Political Resistance (08:48) - AI Adoption, Movies & Internet Memory (15:09) - Anthropic, Model Safety & Claude Discourse (19:06) - Bitcoin Fungibility, Hormuz & Crypto Weirdness (25:05) - Sam Altman, Satoshi & Unsolved Mysteries (31:07) - Azores Travel, Europe & Network State Talk (41:10) - Working Less, Municipal Strain & AI Optimism (51:20) - Welcome & Disclaimer

With most of the crew out for the holiday, Pri and Chris hold down the fort for a loose but sharp conversation that moves from Gen Z Catholic revival to the state of crypto, digital art, and the social internet. They start with the strange resurgence of churchgoing among younger people, framing it as a reaction to loneliness, hyper-online life, and the search for meaning. From there, they turn to the muted vibes around EthCC and the broader sense that crypto conferences, NFT culture, and online art discourse have all lost some of their energy. The conversation digs into whether digital art is being absorbed into more traditional collecting structures, why the timeline feels broken, and how AI and agent culture are crowding out everything else. Later, they unpack OpenAI’s acquisition of TBPN as a play for distribution and influence, before pivoting into a discussion on Palantir, neurodivergence, labor, and the dangerous edges of techno-evolutionary thinking. The episode closes with reflections on political pendulum swings, Massachusetts’ economic drift, and a surprisingly long detour through sitcom canon, cultural durability, and what still holds up.Mentioned in the episodeGen Z’s Catholic Church https://x.com/Evie_Magazine/status/2039774646703161413?s=20Marc Zeller on ETHCC https://x.com/Marczeller/status/2039975610282324389TBPN has been acquired by OpenAI https://x.com/jordihays/status/2039756490387624327?s=20Palantir Ontology https://x.com/PalantirTech/status/2039020569115439598ADIN: Homo Divergens: What If the Weirdos Are the Next Species? https://x.com/ADINresearch/status/2038752657125556240Creators of South Park AI Company https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/matt-stone-trey-parker-deep-voodoo-ai-south-park-trump-1236552586/Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Holiday Open, Gen Z Catholicism & Meaning in the Digital Age (04:45) - EthCC, Bear Market Vibes & Crypto Conference Drift (09:48) - Digital Art, NFT Fatigue & The Broken Timeline (16:38) - OpenAI, TBPN & Buying Distribution (24:12) - Palantir, Neurodivergence & Evolutionary Risk (37:29) - Massachusetts, Political Pendulums & Institutional Decay (44:04) - Sitcom Canon, Cultural Longevity & Closing Thoughts (51:57) - Welcome & Disclaimer

Aaron, Derek, and Chris open the episode reflecting on a recent tech manifesto and what it means for crypto's original vision, before diving into a wide-ranging conversation covering the role of speculation in blockchain ecosystems, the rise of Bittensor and AI-native agent economies, and where AI model capabilities are headed by end of year. The crew also explores a thought-provoking tangent on whether AI could eventually replace political parties and governance systems, before wrapping up with news on Apple's AI strategy, the latest stablecoin legislation, and a Google research breakthrough in AI compression.Mentioned in the episodeCrypto was supposed to be for everyone https://x.com/awrigh01/status/2037534072457609246Bittensor https://bittensor.com/Simone Weil https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22747485-on-the-abolition-of-all-political-partiesClavicular arrested https://x.com/TMZ/status/2037521275946488101Google Research TubroQuant https://x.com/GoogleResearch/status/2036533564158910740Apples’s AI strategy https://finance.yahoo.com/sectors/technology/articles/apple-skipped-ai-arms-race-081939950.htmlCrypto regulatory clarity updates https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/crypto/articles/coinbase-just-pulled-support-crypto-075306381.htmlShow & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra

Derek is back this week for the first time in a while, and the crew wastes no time diving into the strange mental effects of AI-heavy workflows, from agent overload and “productivity psychosis” to the hype around GStack and the growing importance of context engineering over traditional engineering. From there, they unpack the messy state of today’s AI tooling, touch on Cursor and the broader developer stack, and close with a look at private credit, crypto regulation, and the Vanity Fair article that sparked fresh debate about how the industry is seen from the outside.Mentioned in the episodeBillionaire Marc Andreessen says he has "zero" introspection https://x.com/MorePerfectUS/status/2033583724311286051Finding acceptance after your AI "oh f*ck" moment https://mattsavage.substack.com/p/finding-acceptance-after-your-aiGmoney fatigue with agentic productivity https://x.com/gmoneyNFT/status/2034743292881948697?s=20Cursor releases Composer 2 https://x.com/cursor_ai/status/2034668943676244133Bernie Sanders talks to Claude https://x.com/SenSanders/status/2034715260259557597Vanity Fair profiles big crypto names https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/cryptos-true-believers?srsltid=AfmBOopTkswvbOnRK_m8SFe8EMLscZQK-BOSyxk-YOfPFXLsoC5-QpjlShow & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Zero Introspection (08:52) - AI Psychosis (12:14) - G Stack and Agent Overload (24:46) - The Messy Middle of AI Tools (29:12) - Cursor’s New Model (37:28) - Private Credit and Crypto Rules (45:36) - Vanity Fair and Crypto’s Image (59:55) - Welcome & Disclaimer

This week on Net Society, the conversation moves from AI infrastructure and model slowdowns into a broader look at how these systems are actually landing in everyday life, from productivity gains and context switching to brain fry, screen addiction, and the growing appeal of dumb phones. Along the way, the group unpacks the politics shaping frontier models, the corporate control forming around compute and distribution, the fog of modern war coverage online, and why so much of the current AI moment still feels split between real utility and overhyped theater. The episode closes by widening back out to crypto, payments, and the friction between ambitious everything app visions and the messy reality of how people actually use technology.Mentioned in the episodePri’s tweet, lobster vs the bull https://x.com/pridesai/status/2031783971047051445Fearless girl statue https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fearless-girl-statue-will-face-wall-street-bull-another-year-n738991Daniel Day Lewis flip phone https://x.com/karenyhan/status/981997310577119232$50M USDT Aave trade mishap https://x.com/StaniKulechov/status/2032193345414664659Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Model Slowdowns and Data Center Politics (07:58) - AI Hype, Lobster Theater, and Who Actually Knows How to Use It (17:07) - Brain Fry, Context Switching, and the Limits of AI Workflows (24:14) - Dumb Phones, Screen Addiction, and the AI Buffer Theory (31:10) - War Coverage, Information Fog, and Corporate Control of AI (41:18) - AI Subscriptions, Frontier Model Politics, and Sam Altman Fatigue (48:05) - Crypto, X Money, and the Everything App Problem (53:38) - Welcome & Disclaimer

This week on Net Society, we’re joined by special guest Gmoney to talk through how AI is moving from novelty to daily utility, and what that shift means for software, media, and business. The conversation opens with changing AI workflows and the growing importance of combining models, tools, and interfaces that actually work in practice, before expanding into the geopolitical race around compute, open models, and national advantage. From there, the episode turns to Gmoney’s personal AI stack, the rise of synthetic podcasts and AI-generated media, and the strange new entertainment layer forming around simulations, betting, and algorithmic content. The back half explores open source pressure, where durable moats may still exist, and why the next phase of AI could feel less like a single product revolution and more like a messy rewrite of everything.Mentioned in the episodeSpecial guest Gmoney https://x.com/gmoneyNFTEpstein files podcast with Claude https://x.com/levychain/status/2021713744406229262AI baby standup comedy video https://x.com/pridesai/status/2029780577843355802Micro Drama’s https://medium.com/@AT24/the-micro-drama-craze-how-90-second-soap-operas-are-disrupting-global-entertainment-e4030e6a86c3Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - AI Adoption and Agent Workflows (06:11) - Model Reliability and Multi-Model Stacks (13:11) - AI Power Politics (22:25) - Gmoney’s AI Assistant Stack (29:13) - Synthetic Podcasts and AI Media (38:33) - Simulations, Betting, and AI Entertainment (49:20) - Open Models, Business Moats, and the Weird Future (01:08:53) - Welcome & Disclaimer

This week on Net Society, we’re joined by special guest Poof to talk through why agents are suddenly moving from demo to deployment, and what that shift breaks across markets, labor, and security. The conversation opens with a war game lens on “agent warfare,” including how coordination, speed, and execution change when software can act continuously instead of waiting on humans. From there, Poof unpacks what DX Terminal Pro is actually doing, why the product is positioned around real operator workflows, and how the UI and constraints matter as much as the model. The episode then zooms out to the underlying unlock, why agents feel more viable now, where the bottlenecks really are, and why “context engineering” is starting to look like the practical craft layer that separates toys from tools. In the second half, the group debates AI doom, layoffs, and the messy transition cost, including what gets automated first, where humans stay in the loop, and why incentives will shape outcomes more than ideology. The conversation then turns to finance, market structure, and the Jane Street discourse, using it as a wedge to talk about manipulation, edge, and how fragile public narratives get when systems are too complex to explain. The episode closes on security and alignment in the real world, agents running into adversarial environments, incentive design, and why RL harnesses, evals, and constraint systems might matter more than raw model IQ as we hand models more autonomy.Mentioned in the episodeSpecial guest Poof: https://x.com/poof_ethDX Research Group / DX Terminal Pro https://x.com/dxrgaiJane Street https://www.janestreet.com/War Games https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WarGamesShow & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Cold Open: War Games and Agent Warfare (04:48) - Poof Explains DCS Terminal Pro (08:06) - Why Agents Are Suddenly Viable (18:29) - AI Doom, Layoffs, and Labor Debate (38:27) - Jane Street and Market Manipulation (47:14) - Agents, Incentives, and Security Risk (01:00:53) - RL Harness, Context Engineering, and the Big Picture (01:30:07) - Welcome & Disclaimer

This week on Net Society, we’re joined by special guest Daniel Keller to break down how policy, infrastructure, and narrative are colliding across AI and crypto. The conversation opens with the Supreme Court’s tariff ruling and what it signals about institutional power, industrial strategy, and second order economic fallout. From there, the group turns to AI, from Claude and the Pentagon to the way labs build legitimacy, sell a story of inevitability, and cycle through “mandate of heaven” moments as hype meets reality. The episode then moves into the physical layer, looking at the data center buildout, local backlash, zoning politics, and why elections shape what actually gets built. In the second half, the discussion widens to cities and status, including K shaped urban outcomes, network state thinking, and why New York’s cultural primacy feels less secure. The episode closes with an info war lens on modern media, the coming regulatory sorting in crypto, why meme coins may get sacrificed while NFTs quietly benefit, and how robots, Waymo, unions, prediction markets, and the dead internet thesis all point to a world where models become the primary interface to reality.Mentioned in the episodeSpecial Guest Daniel Keller https://x.com/dnlklrSupreme Court Tariff Ruling https://x.com/ABC/status/2024864990189044039Pentagon vs Claude https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/18/anthropic-pentagon-ai-defense-war-surveillance.htmlRand Corporation Firehose of Falsehood https://www.rand.org/pubs/perspectives/PE198.htmlEveryone will be slop in 90 days https://x.com/nikitabier/status/2021632774013432061Next XAI Safety Tsar https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2024703811806515667Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra

This week on Net Society, we’re joined by special guest Jeremy Nixon to dig into what today’s AI boom actually is and what it is not. The conversation opens with Jeremy’s path through early autonomy and self-driving, and why that era made it impossible to dismiss machine intelligence as hype. From there, the group zooms out into bigger questions about intelligence itself, contrasting “alien” intelligence with collective intelligence, and treating LLMs less like minds and more like powerful simulators. The episode then moves into creativity, measurement, and the real constraint on progress, which is not generating ideas but selecting and validating them. In the second half, the discussion turns to how LLMs were built, why major labs and incumbents made different bets, and what that says about institutional risk and ambition. The episode closes with a sharp look at AI apocalypse culture, the moral frameworks that grew around it, and how open models, game theory, and product reality collide with the temptation to turn AI into a new kind of religion.Mentioned in the episodeSpecial Guest Jeremy Nixon https://x.com/JvNixonAGI House https://x.com/agihousesfThiel on Progress and Stagnation https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/Xqcorq5EyJBpZcCrN/thiel-on-progress-and-stagnationShow & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra

This week on Net Society, we’re joined by special guest Brady Dale to talk through a moment that feels like a real inflection point for crypto, AI, and media. The conversation opens with why this cycle feels different, touching on deleveraging, fading speculation, and how AI has absorbed both capital and cultural attention. From there, the group explores what a post casino crypto world looks like, including utility, payments, stablecoins, Ethereum’s internal dynamics, and whether builders are quietly shifting priorities. The episode then moves into regulation, breaking down why legislative clarity may not arrive, why it might not matter, and how rulemaking is likely to shape the industry regardless. In the second half, the discussion widens to AI agents, automation, labor, and whether crypto is foundational infrastructure or simply attaching itself to a larger narrative. The episode closes with a reflection on the collapse of traditional media, the limits of Substack and subscriptions, AI’s impact on writing and news, and how crypto’s evolving aesthetics quietly signal where the industry may be headed next.Mentioned in the episodeGuest Brady https://x.com/BradyDaleBrady’s Substack https://www.frontstageexit.com/Multicoin co-founder steps down https://www.coindesk.com/business/2026/02/04/multicoin-co-founder-kyle-samani-steps-down-after-nearly-a-decade-to-pursue-other-areas-of-techDeleted tweet https://x.com/MiyaHedge/status/2019317927141679190?s=20Clarity Act https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/3633/textShow & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Crypto Winter, AI Dominance, and the End of Speculation (08:24) - Utility, Builders, and the Post-Casino Crypto Era (17:16) - Ethereum Power, L1 vs L2, and the Commons Problem (24:26) - Regulation, Clarity, and the Real Shape of Crypto Policy (36:10) - AI, Agents, and Whether Crypto Really Matters (47:12) - Media Collapse, Substack, and the Future of News (01:15:45) - Aesthetics, Culture, and What Crypto Communicates Now (01:19:28) - Welcome & Disclaimer

This week on Net Society, the conversation starts with self hosting clawdbot and the sudden rise of agent driven workflows before widening into a deeper look at how AI narratives form, burn hot, and disappear just as fast. From agent social networks like Moltbook and media fragmentation to pop culture blind spots and what it means to be “too online,” the group explores how attention, taste, and relevance are shifting. The episode then moves into the emerging agent economy, touching on automation, crypto rails, payments, and whether AI actually needs crypto at all. From there, the discussion zooms out into history, acceleration, and past technological inflection points, drawing parallels between electricity, industrialization, and today’s AI moment. The episode closes with a wide ranging reflection on population decline, power, money, and whether we are approaching a fundamentally different social and economic order.Mentioned in the episodeMoltbook the AI agent social network https://www.moltbook.com/WWI was the end of the world https://x.com/male_leo_xxvi/status/2017051227432112623?s=20Instagram and Substack launch TV https://open.substack.com/pub/embedded/p/even-instagram-and-substack-are-tv?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=webShow & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Self-Hosting, Mac Minis, and Agent Social Networks (04:40) - AI Narratives, Attention Cycles, and Being Too Online (11:19) - Media Fragmentation, Pop Culture, and Agent Consumption (19:04) - Agents, Automation, and the Shape of Work (27:04) - Crypto, AI Rails, and the Agent Economy (40:38) - Acceleration, History, and Technological Epochs (58:05) - Population, Power, and What Comes After Money (01:19:42) - Welcome & Disclaimer

This week on Net Society, the crew record from the West Coast and reflect on how San Francisco feels like an early AI boomtown, from Waymo becoming mundane to builders everywhere working on something new. The conversation moves through prediction markets, regulation, and why AI adoption is still largely top-down, before widening into self-hosting, homegrown software, and what automation could look like inside the home. From Apple’s strategic positioning and embodied AI to Davos signaling a global shift around AI, crypto, and labor, the episode closes with a candid discussion on the shutdown of Farcaster, the limits of Web3 social v1, and what a more mature version of decentralized social might become next.Mentioned in the episodeFSD Insurance Discounts https://x.com/SawyerMerritt/status/2013998338790535320?s=20Ralph Wiggum Claude Code https://x.com/hackerrank/status/2013936125107450280?s=20Farcaster sells to Neynar https://x.com/dwr/status/2014045233189888483?s=20Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Prediction Markets and Regulation (03:23) - Waymo, Self-Driving, and the West Coast Gap (07:54) - San Francisco as an AI Boomtown (14:20) - Self-Hosting, Homegrown Software, and Automation (24:27) - Apple, AI, and the Future of Devices (33:08) - Davos, AI Adoption, and Global Power Shifts (41:20) - Web3 Social, Farcaster, and the End of V1 (01:00:22) - Welcome & Disclaimer

This week on Net Society, the conversation moves from Bay Area tech culture and a ground level look at San Francisco’s renewed energy into Frontier Tower as a real world example of hacker driven experimentation, DAO run spaces, and the return of the American tinkerer. From there, the group explores network states, regional innovation, and open systems before turning to DeFi, yield, and the Clarity Act, followed by a sober discussion on AI’s impact on labor, robotics, and where optimism starts to blur into real dystopian risk. The episode closes with reflections on identity and intellectual property in the age of AI, celebrity as a scalable asset, and what current TV and media reveal about the cultural moment.Mentioned in the episodeFrontier tower in San Francisco https://frontiertower.io/Minerva University https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minerva_UniversityMatthew McConaughey Trademark vs AI https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/matthew-mcconaughey-trademarks-himself-to-fight-ai-misuse-8ffe76a9Creator of Industry on NY https://spectator.com/article/get-me-out-of-new-york/Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Peptides, Tech Culture, and Bay Area Vibes (03:53) - Frontier Tower and the Return of the Tinkerer (16:10) - Network States, Regional Innovation, and Open Systems (32:20) - DeFi, Yield, and the Clarity Act (41:45) - AI, Labor, and the Dystopia Debate (49:00) - Identity, IP, and the Celebrity-as-Asset Era (58:50) - Industry, TV, and Cultural Commentary (01:04:34) - Welcome & Disclaimer

This week on Net Society, Aaron and Chris open with a sense that the world feels eerily like 1989 again, marked by global instability, political volatility, and a constant acceleration of events. That backdrop leads into a discussion on AI solving meaningful math problems and why breakthroughs in math may be the real catalyst for long delayed progress in physics, materials, and applied science. From there, the conversation moves into crypto, touching on quantum risk, network resilience, and why the current moment feels more like quiet consolidation than collapse. The back half goes deep on agent based software, rethinking interfaces, self improving systems, and why the next generation of tools may give individuals more agency while reducing the noise and psychological cost of being online.Mentioned in the episodeThe Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2666.The_Bonfire_of_the_VanitiesNFT Paris Cancelled https://x.com/nft_paris/status/2008162329397961069?s=20GPT-5.2 solving the Erdős problem https://x.com/slow_developer/status/2009553229932331110Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - 1989 Vibes and Global Instability (05:17) - AI Solving Math and Fundamental Breakthroughs (11:39) - Crypto, Quantum Risk, and Network Futures (15:09) - NFT Events, Market Consolidation, and Release Drought (19:33) - Agents, Interfaces, and Rethinking Software Design (39:25) - Self-Improving Software and Human Agency (01:05:18) - Reclaiming the Internet and Mental Health (01:11:35) - Welcome & Disclaimer

It’s the 60th episode of Net Society and the first conversation of 2026, with just Aaron and Chris today. The episode kicks off with the recent surge in AI driven coding and why the “vibe coding” moment feels like a real inflection point as the cost of building software collapses. From there, the conversation moves into builders versus creators, how generalists may be better positioned than specialists, and why white collar work from software to law is likely to face deeper disruption than most expect. The back half widens out to wealth, taxation, trust in institutions, and what happens when legacy political and legal frameworks collide with AI systems, before closing on questions of meaning, identity, and where purpose comes from in a post productivity world.Mentioned in the episodeClaude having its moment https://x.com/claudeaiKarpathy AI Comments https://x.com/karpathy/status/2004607146781278521?s=20Clavicular looksmaxxer interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8qj9RNA938Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - AI Coding Inflection Point (05:00) - Builders vs Creators (12:57) - Meaning, Work, and Generalists (25:33) - Wealth, Taxation, and Trust (36:12) - Influence, Aesthetics, and Power (44:15) - AI, Law, and Governance (01:09:23) - Meaning After Productivity (01:29:22) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The crew explores what a post software world could look like as AI collapses the cost of building and reshapes where real constraints now sit. The conversation moves through the limits of current AI tooling, the growing “abundance” narrative, and why white collar work, especially law, may face deeper disruption than expected. From open source eroding AI moats to 2026 crypto predictions around regulation, token models, and ERC20s, the group examines how value, incentives, and business models are being reworked in real time. The episode closes by zooming out to NFTs, digital art, and the metaverse, questioning which cultural and spatial forms actually survive once software stops being scarce.Mentioned in the episodeHarvey legal AI https://x.com/harveyDerek’s thread on state of crypto https://x.com/derekedws/status/2001699465519042738Mathcastles 4 year anniversary https://x.com/MathcastlesShow & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Post-Software and Code Abundance (05:51) - AI Tooling Friction and Product Reality (08:44) - Abundance Narratives, Energy, and Regulation (14:53) - AI in Law and White Collar Work (27:15) - Open Source, Moats, and AI Commoditization (31:13) - Crypto 2026 Predictions and Regulatory Clarity (48:37) - NFTs, Digital Art, and the Metaverse Thesis (01:13:33) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The crew explores whether AI is actually in a bubble or simply in a messy but necessary boom phase. The group breaks down recent commentary from market veterans, the rapid collapse in AI costs, and what real signals of excess versus durability look like. From the shifting role of experts and institutions to how AI is reshaping work, organizations, and incentives, the conversation moves into crypto, capital allocation, and why resistance to change is more likely to be sidelined than resolved. The episode then widens out to culture and geopolitics, touching on demographic decline, Gen Z political revolts, media saturation, and the fragmentation of the future into parallel paths. The discussion closes with a sharp take on art, spectacle, and why cultural gatekeepers are struggling to adapt to a more direct, participatory era.Mentioned in the episodeThe age of experts is ending https://x.com/emollick/status/1999189828756263359?s=20Is AI in a bubble? https://www.oaktreecapital.com/insights/memo/is-it-a-bubbleShow & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Are We in an AI Bubble (04:10) - Tech Booms, Bubbles, and AGI (09:24) - Experts, Institutions, and Adaptation (14:05) - Crypto, Capital, and Market Discipline (21:26) - AI, Work, and Organizational Change (30:54) - Demographics, Culture, and the Future (50:19) - Welcome & Disclaimer (50:38) - Art, Spectacle, and Cultural Gatekeepers

The crew opens with Thanksgiving before diving into prediction markets, why they suddenly matter, and how insider knowledge is already shaping outcomes. They explore the financialization of everything, the social cost of hyper efficient markets, and what happens when AI and robotics reshape labor and demographics. The discussion moves into autonomous cars, insurance, and cultural shifts before closing with Basel, the rise of digital art, and how crypto native creators are pushing the medium forward.Mentioned in the episodePolymarket on 60 minutes https://www.cbsnews.com/video/60minutes-2025-11-30/Kangaroo Bio https://x.com/DraperVC/status/1970880937924935887The Depopulation Trade Article https://blog.unrulycap.com/the-depopulation-trade-an-unruly-thesis/Beeple Dog’s at Art Basel https://x.com/nypost/status/1996365399777017919Jack Butcher - Self Checkout https://x.com/jackbutcher/status/1995895014895837481Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Thanksgiving Catch Up (01:17) - Why Prediction Markets Took Off (08:05) - Insider Info and Market Manipulation (18:01) - Financialization and Cultural Consequences (26:37) - AI, Robotics and the Future of Labor (33:25) - Waymo, Insurance and Autonomous Worlds (35:09) - Basel, Digital Art and Crypto Art’s Role (01:02:22) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The Net Society crew breaks down the widening split between the winners and everyone else, from markets to culture to crypto. They compare today’s mood to the 90s, trace echoes back to the Jacksonian era, and dig into why the current macro feels like a maze with no clear exits. The team talks through record art sales at the top of the market, the shifting identity of AI coding as models plateau and commoditize, and how education, media, and culture are reshaping under all of it.Mentioned in the episodeKlimnt painting sells for record $236.4M https://x.com/artnet/status/1990938935539781633Death by Lightning ​​https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_by_LightningPluribus https://www.imdb.com/title/tt22202452/Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Tale of Two Cities (07:12) - 90s vs Today (10:32) - Jacksonian Echoes (16:16) - Crypto and the Macro Maze (22:21) - Record Art Sales (28:20) - AI Coding and LLM Bubble (42:33) - Shows, Books, and Education (53:40) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The Net Society crew digs into a wide range of topics this week, starting with the latest moves around Zcash, privacy expectations, and how crypto incentives shape market behavior. From there, the group unpacks an anthropic AI cybersecurity incident and the broader risks of local models creating real-world chaos. The conversation shifts into geopolitical tension, shadow conflict, and the surprising magic of Marble World before closing with a sharp look at elite networks, institutional trust, and a final discussion on automation, humanism, and TV recommendations.Mentioned in the episodeZcash moment https://x.com/pridesai/status/1988256631948226750Cypherpunk https://x.com/cypherpunktechAnthropic cyber attack https://x.com/AnthropicAI/status/1989033793190277618World Labs - Marble https://marble.worldlabs.ai/Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Opening and Warmup (05:37) - Zcash, Privacy, and Market Games (09:02) - DAOs, Ecosystems, and Crypto Incentives (10:32) - AI, Cybersecurity, and Local Model Chaos (14:32) - Geopolitics, Cyber Warfare, and Marble World (42:45) - Elites, Disclosure, and Institutional Trust (55:04) - Automation, Humanism, and TV Corner (01:01:57) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The Net Society crew returns to unpack the strange evolution of human AI relationships, from “slave bots” to sidekicks, companions, and schizophrenic mirrors of the self. Derek explores Sandbar and the search for the perfect AI form factor, Chris zooms out to spatial intelligence as the real unlock, and Pri probes whether emotional companionship with machines is healthy or inevitable. The group then turns to a16z’s growing media empire, the reality of building through a crypto winter, and the politics of AI power, before closing on the ideological chaos of New York’s new “vibe governance.”Mentioned in the episodeSandbar AI ring https://www.sandbar.com/Falling in love with AI article https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/11/05/magazine/ai-chatbot-marriage-love-romance-sex.htmlA16z new media https://x.com/liangsays/status/1986502829499162751?s=46&t=3cJ-BS7Y1NeBdjntkS2hZQShow & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - AI Slave Bots and Sentience (02:22) - Sandbar and the Search for the Right Form Factor (08:25) - Spatial Intelligence and the Next Operating System (10:35) - AI Companions and the Human Sidekick (16:22) - A16z and the New Media Power Play (26:14) - Building Through the Crypto Winter (36:38) - OpenAI, Regulation, and the Politics of Power (47:03) - New York, Vibes, and the Death of Governance (01:08:30) - Welcome & Disclaimer

From techno-capitalism to gooning, the crew unpacks the contradictions of a world caught between overproduction and isolation. Aaron, Chris, and Pri trace the threads from Bill Ackman discourse to exo-capitalism, exploring how prediction, automation, and financial nihilism reshape the human condition. It’s Halloween, Bitcoin’s birthday, and the trenches are thinning, but the ideas keep multiplying.Mentioned in the episodeBill Ackman https://x.com/BillAckmanPrediction and postmodernism https://a16z.com/prediction-the-successor-to-postmodernism/Exocapitalism https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/240662971-exocapitalismSecondhand Time: The Last of the Soviets https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30200112-secondhand-timeThe Good Squad https://harpers.org/archive/2025/11/the-goon-squad-daniel-kolitz-porn-masturbation-loneliness/Farcaster pivot to tokens https://x.com/tednotlasso/status/1982810870716498396Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Opening Grievances (04:19) - Bill Ackman & Cultural Fatigue (08:12) - Optimism, Propaganda, and the U.S.–China Lens (11:25) - Gambling, Nihilism, and the Age of Prediction (16:00) - Techno-Capitalism and the Anti-Human Economy (24:06) - Exo-Capitalism, Gooning, and the Future of Labor (42:43) - Crypto Parallels, PvP Markets, and the Trenches’ Decline (58:16) - Market Resets, Token Buybacks, and Halloween Wrap-Up (59:30) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The Net Society crew dives into a wide-ranging conversation on crypto’s evolving landscape and its uneasy rivalry with AI. Chris opens by questioning his own “bearish” stance, leading to a lively debate on distribution, developer momentum, and the shifting perception of tokens as tools versus speculation. The group explores how AI and blockchain may ultimately converge, touching on Hyperreal Hospitality, post-authorship, and the importance of long-term relationships between builders and users. Later, they discuss postmodern exhaustion, prediction as a new cultural logic, and the consolidation of major players like Coinbase, Base, and Tether as crypto matures into its next institutional phase.Mentioned in the episodeADIN https://x.com/adinonlineOpenAI hires 100 investment bankers https://www.afr.com/companies/financial-services/openai-hires-100-investment-bankers-to-train-its-ai-20251022-p5n4erPrediction is the successor to postmodernism https://a16z.com/prediction-the-successor-to-postmodernism/David Phelps chains owning apps https://x.com/divine_economy/status/1981006512500720113Tether https://x.com/Tether_toShow & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Bearish on Crypto (02:07) - AI vs Crypto Tokens (10:07) - Comparing Tech and Scale (15:38) - Building with Crypto and AI (19:12) - Product vs Community (26:09) - Postmodern Prediction (32:00) - Consolidation and the New Banks (49:28) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The Net Society crew returns live and in person from Marfa for a special episode featuring Jonas from FlamingoDAO. Recorded during Art Blocks Weekend, the group reflects on five years of Flamingo, the evolution of Marfa as a cultural hub, and the abundance mindset shaping digital art. They dive into early NFT history, the legendary Alien Punk purchase, and the origins of Glitch Gallery. Chris shares insights from Hyperreal Hospitality and the future of intelligent design spaces, while the group explores the next generation of builders pushing creative and technical boundaries. A lively conversation full of stories, nostalgia, and vision for what’s next.Mentioned in the episodeJonas https://x.com/jonaslamis404 (Bittensor) https://x.com/404gen_?lang=enRemembering Flamingo buying alien punk https://www.coindesk.com/tech/2021/01/23/early-cryptopunk-digital-collectible-sells-for-762k-in-etherRekt by Chris https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/74924371-rektShow & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Live from Marfa (01:37) - FlamingoDAO at Five (06:09) - Marfa and the Culture of Abundance (10:11) - The Next Generation of Builders (13:07) - Hyperreal Hospitality and the Future of Worlds (18:20) - Early NFT Days and the Alien Punk (24:36) - Marfa Memories and Glitch Evolution (37:07) - Welcome & Disclaimer

For their 50th episode, the Net Society crew marks the milestone with a timely conversation that captures the pulse of digital art and crypto innovation. They kick things off reacting live to Lava Labs’ Quine drop on Art Blocks, then look ahead to Marfa Weekend and what its growing scale means for the culture. The discussion moves through reflections on Burning Man, the evolution of creative communities, and parallels to crypto’s own cycles of growth. From there, they unpack Zcash’s resurgence, explore store-of-value narratives across assets and networks, and close with thoughts on the return of old ideas like decentralized storage and the rise of prediction markets.Mentioned in the episodeQuine by Larva Labs on Art Blocks https://www.artblocks.io/collection/quine-by-larva-labsBurning Man https://burningman.org/Geeks, MOPs, and sociopaths https://meaningness.com/geeks-mops-sociopathsZero-knowledge proof https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero-knowledge_proof$2 Billion investment in Polymarket https://finance.yahoo.com/news/york-stock-exchange-parent-company-135836830.htmlShow & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Quine Drop and Lava Labs (06:10) - Marfa Weekend Plans (08:56) - Burning Man and Cultural Growth (16:10) - Crypto Art and Protocol Reflections (26:00) - Zcash and Privacy Tech (31:27) - Store of Value and Network Effects (36:10) - Old Ideas Returning and Prediction Markets (43:12) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The Net Society crew talks about gearing up for Marfa with a look at the upcoming programming at Glitch, live coding competitions, and Chris’ upcoming book and apps. The conversation turns to the rise of Sora and Meta’s AI social experiments, and what new feed mechanics could mean for personalized algorithms. They dive into the risks of post-literacy, media evolution, and shifting cultural power, drawing parallels from Gutenberg to TikTok to memes as political weapons. The episode closes with a discussion on AI in Hollywood and the creative industries, and what comes next as adaptive media systems reshape how stories are told.Mentioned in the episodeMeta Vibes AI video feed https://x.com/alexandr_wang/status/1971295156411433228Sora 2 https://x.com/OpenAI/status/1973075422058623274The age of books and brainrot https://resobscura.substack.com/p/the-age-of-books-and-the-age-of-brainrotTilly Norwood https://x.com/Variety/status/1972792784752193553Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Marfa Countdown and Vibe Coding (02:06) - Glitch Marfa Events (and Competitions) (06:54) - Chris’ Book, Apps, and Complex Adaptive Media (10:12) - Sora, Meta Backlash, and AI Social Platforms (17:22) - The Future of Feeds and Personalized Algorithms (31:44) - Post-Literacy, Media Evolution, and Cultural Shifts (45:25) - AI in Hollywood, Creative Industries, and Beyond (50:43) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The Net Society crew returns with a lively mix of culture, tech, and markets. They kick off with coffee rituals and the rise of the “performative male,” before turning to the resurgence of old tech titans and massive AI cross-investments that feel like the early stages of Skynet. The conversation shifts to media consolidation and empire building, then dives into TikTok’s valuation, the end of the attention economy, and the rise of the token economy. The group explores new NFT Strategy experiments aimed at Squiggles/generative art liquidity, before unpacking Kraken’s IPO path and what scaling does to company culture. They close with a speculative look at AI agents, robot futures, and how media might be reshaped in the years to come.Mentioned in the episodeFemale popstars and mediocre men https://www.economist.com/culture/2025/09/08/why-female-pop-stars-are-lambasting-mediocre-menEric Schmidt AI and tech innovation in the US https://www.rdworldonline.com/dont-screw-it-up-eric-schmidts-warning-on-u-s-innovation-as-new-data-shows-china-on-track-to-take-rd-lead/Cloudflare and NET Dollar https://x.com/Cloudflare/status/1971212556011196859TokenWorks releases new projects (SquiggleStrategy) https://x.com/token_works/status/1971590630762856910Rizzbot https://www.instagram.com/p/DOQ0TuADYEh/Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Coffee, Blank Street, and Performative Male Aesthetics (09:03) - Old Tech Titans, Skynet Investments, and Cross-Pollination (15:26) - Media Consolidation and Empire Building (20:08) - TikTok Valuation, Attention Economy, and Token Economy (31:10) - NFT Strategy, Punk Strategy, and Generative Art Liquidity (38:26) - Kraken IPO, Scaling Companies, and Culture Shifts (44:19) - AI Agents, Robot Futures, and Media of Tomorrow (56:46) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The Net Society crew gears up for Marfa while unpacking the latest waves of on-chain experimentation. They dive into the launch of $PNKSTR and its protocol mechanics, weighing the lessons from early hiccups and the potential for new NFT-ERC20 hybrids. From there, the conversation broadens into questions of utility and adoption, tracing connections to low-risk DeFi and Vitalik’s vision for Ethereum’s future. The group considers the mounting pressure stablecoins place on global banking and the trillions waiting in money markets, before shifting to AI’s recent milestones and the media power plays shaping culture. The episode closes with a deep appreciation of Eric De Giuli’s Zero and reflections on the evolving role of collectors.Mentioned in the episode$PNKSTR and NFTStrategy https://x.com/token_works/status/1968361945226166754Low-risk defi from Vitalik https://x.com/VitalikButerin/status/1969522612750672132Aave https://x.com/aave/status/1969036780151169064Bank of England stablecoin caps https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bank-england-plan-cap-stablecoin-064322101.htmlEric De Giuli - Zero (Broken Symmetry) https://x.com/eeedg__/status/1966175168142913979Ask Aaron about getting link to open ai winning coding competitionPoet Engineer https://x.com/poetengineer__Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:16) - Marfa Anticipation and Event Planning (02:07) - $PNKSTR NFTStrategy and Protocol Innovation (07:15) - Utility, Adoption, and Builder Strategies (12:07) - Low-Risk DeFi and Vitalik’s Vision (16:02) - Stablecoins, Banking Pressure, and Money Markets (24:09) - AI Milestones, Models, and Media Power Plays (38:12) - Eric De Giuli’s Zero and Collector Reflections (47:38) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The Net Society crew returns with a sweeping conversation that spans regulation, culture, and technology. Derek kicks things off with a recap of his recent trip to Washington, where he led an SEC workshop on AI and crypto. From there, the group dives into the rise of custom AI stacks, the tension between open source models and tokenized services, and what it means for the future of software. Talk shifts toward escapism in an age of surveillance, touching on music, bunkers, and Marfa as a much-needed oasis. The crew wrestles with algorithms, radicalization, and the illusion of control, before zooming out to consider global unrest, institutional turnover, and generational frustration. They close with a forward look at AI agents, video models, and the seismic changes barreling toward media, advertising, and education.Mentioned in the episodeDerek visits the SEC in DC https://x.com/derekedws/status/1965272290548920610Palantir https://x.com/PalantirTechExit Society Meme https://conceptbureau.substack.com/p/exit-society?r=xww4p&utm_medium=ios&triedRedirect=trueNepal chooses next PM on Discord https://www.indiatoday.in/technology/news/story/gen-z-protestors-have-chosen-next-nepal-pm-via-vote-on-discord-what-is-discord-and-how-it-is-used-2786279-2025-09-12Albania’s new AI ‘minister’ https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/albanias-leader-new-cabinet-includes-ai-minister-fight-125504401AI generated podcasts https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/ai-podcast-start-up-plan-shows-1236361367/Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - AI and Crypto at the SEC (07:19) - Building Custom AI Stacks (13:01) - Escapism and Surveillance (23:32) - Marfa as Escape Hatch (26:15) - Algorithms, Radicalization, and Control (31:01) - Global Unrest and Institutional Shifts (49:10) - AI Agents, Video Models, and the Future of Media (01:01:35) - Welcome & Disclaimer

This week on Net Society we’re joined by special guest Seth Goldstein, who brings his perspective on building creative AI agents and the future of digital culture. The crew dives into the growing backlash against AI and fears around jobs, then explores the thrill of coding benders and the new sense of empowerment they bring. From there, the group wrestles with psyops, rabbit holes, and how cultural memory shapes our adoption of technology, before tracing historical parallels in how innovations diffuse over time. The conversation shifts to vibe coding, creativity, and the contrasting energies of East and West Coast approaches, then into on-chain experiments, autonomous agents, and the emerging religion of AI. The episode closes with reflections on entropy, weirdness, and the collective need to loosen up.Mentioned in the episodeSpecial Guest Seth Goldstein https://x.com/SethCoinbase Brian Armstrong 40% code is AI generated  https://x.com/brian_armstrong/status/1963315806248604035Eden Art https://x.com/Eden_Art_Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - AI Backlash and Job Fears (08:04) - Coding Benders and New Empowerment (15:20) - Rabbit Holes, Psyops, and Cultural Shifts (26:07) - Technology Diffusion and Historical Parallels (33:15) - Vibe Coding, Creativity, and West vs East Coast Energy (39:05) - Agents, On-Chain Experiments, and AI Religion (53:03) - Weirdness, Entropy, and Closing Banter (01:02:02) - Welcome & Disclaimer

Aaron and Derek are both out this week, leaving Chris and Pri to hold down the fort for Net Society’s first ever two-person episode. Things get a little unhinged as they wander into the woods of digital culture, comparing fairy tales and existential plays to the state of crypto. The conversation turns to Kanye’s short-lived token and the meme coin churn, then drifts through waterparks, slang, and the curious emergence of “clanker” as an AI slur. From there they unpack the world of AI boyfriends and what it says about loneliness in 2025, before diving into Jerome Powell’s latest remarks and the Fed’s shifting policy stance. The back half of the episode revisits radicalizing moments from the Iraq war to the 2008 bailouts, connecting them to Bitcoin’s origins, and closes with a hopeful turn as the pair find themselves excited again about generative art.Mentioned in the episodeKanye launches $YZY memecoin https://x.com/WatcherGuru/status/1958708989576806714American Dream Mall Waterpark https://www.americandream.com/venue/dreamworks-water-parkMy Boyfriend is AI Subreddit https://www.reddit.com/r/MyBoyfriendIsAI/Fed Chair Jerome Powell announcement https://x.com/WatcherGuru/status/1958893683299717477Quantizer by Harm van den Dorpel https://verse.works/series/quantizer-by-harm-van-den-dorpelScribbs by Fingacode https://verse.works/series/scribbs-by-fingacodeDominoes in Fluxus by Ivona Tau https://braindrops.cloud/projects/24Zach Lieberman https://x.com/zachliebermanShow & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Hansel & Gretel Opener (05:01) - Kanye’s Token and Meme Coin Chaos (07:07) - Waterparks, Slang, and the Rise of “Clanker” (11:34) - AI Boyfriends and the Loneliness Question (18:10) - Powell, Policy, and the Fed’s Balancing Act (30:23) - Radicalizing Moments and Bitcoin’s Origin Story (42:01) - Generative Art Rekindled (47:46) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The Net Society crew returns without Derek this week, diving into a caffeine-fueled opener that spirals into musings on Ayn Rand, Objectivism, and strange hotel lobby encounters. From there, they pivot to Moonbirds’ unexpected resurgence, the shifting middle tier of the NFT market, and how squiggles and character IP are competing for cultural relevance. The conversation widens to explore NFT IP as Hollywood’s new frontier, from Pudgy Penguin backpacks to hypothetical Pete Davidson cameos. A detour into Washington’s mixed signals on Bitcoin reserves morphs into satirical pitches for a Milady movie, before the group digs into the risks of LLM overuse, school phone bans, and how AI could reshape education. They close with thoughts on the SEC’s sudden pro-crypto tone, Solana’s place in the market cycle, and a timeline takeover of Howard Stern-era media nostalgia.Mentioned in the episodeThe Fountainhead by Ayn Rand https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_FountainheadMoonbirds https://x.com/moonbirdsMilady Maker https://x.com/MiladyMaker333WSJ Autism and LLMs article https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-autism-risks-openai-chatgpt-2311254dShow & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra

The Net Society crew is back with a packed conversation spanning immersive tech, AI breakthroughs, and the evolving art market. They open with the latest in metaverse development, exploring how new world models could reshape interfaces, AR adoption, and virtual environments. From there, the discussion shifts to robotics, asking how close we are to shaking hands with machines and the societal quirks that might come with it. The release of GPT-5 takes center stage next, with early impressions on its programming capabilities and what it means for the future of software creation. A spirited debate follows on the role of Figma and other design tools in an AI-driven workflow, before turning to the announcement of the Art Blocks 500 and what it signals for generative art’s legacy. The crew closes with thoughts on renewed NFT market energy, the missing middle in on-chain culture, and how future communities might thrive without falling into old tokenized traps.Mentioned in the episodeGenie 3 AI model release https://x.com/GoogleDeepMind/status/1952732150928724043GPT-5 release from OpenAI https://x.com/OpenAI/status/1953504357821165774Art Blocks 500 https://x.com/artblocks_io/status/1953120356945842542Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Is the Metaverse Back? (07:35) - AR, XR and Soft Handed Robots (15:13) - GPT-5 Release and Early Impressions (21:06) - Figma, Design Tools and the AI Stack (34:54) - Art Blocks 500 and What’s Next (43:36) - NFT Market Check and ETH Tailwinds (49:28) - Rethinking Tokenized Communities (57:08) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The Net Society crew returns with a wide-ranging conversation on digital art, crypto markets, and shifting policy winds. They kick things off with market sentiment and recent activity in the Art Blocks Discord, then dive into a discussion about what’s due for a comeback in the space. The group unpacks the consumer crypto playbook and shares thoughts on the potential of projects like Rekt. A deep dive into the SEC’s evolving stance on tokens and a new White House crypto report sparks a thoughtful look at tokenized equity, ICOs, and regulatory timelines. The episode closes with a celebration of artist conviction, spotlighting the work of Eric De Giuli, Kim Asendorf, and others.Mentioned in the episodeArt Blocks acquires Trame Paris https://x.com/artblocks_io/status/1950239952773795963Digital Assets White House market report https://x.com/derekedws/status/1950629069189771398Eric De Giuli (EDG) https://x.com/eeedg__Kim Asendorf https://x.com/kimasendorfAndreas Gysin https://x.com/andreasgysinNoper https://x.com/bagdeleteINFINITEYAY https://x.com/infiniteyayClaire Silver https://x.com/ClaireSilver12Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Off-Chain Summer and Market Sentiment (03:03) - Art Blocks Discord Resurgence (05:53) - What's Dead and What Isn't (12:26) - Consumer Crypto and Rekt Analysis (18:35) - Policy Shifts and the SEC's Crypto Framework (37:41) - The Future of Tokenized Equity (43:48) - Artist Conviction: EDG, Kim, Infinite Objects (51:58) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The crew dives into shifting market vibes, from meme stock rallies to the resurgence of NFTs, and unpacks how institutional vehicles are shaping digital asset exposure. They debate the risks of NFT treasury structures, liquidity challenges, and what it means for collectors when markets heat up. From the alien vs. ape punk showdown to reflections on “off-chain summer,” the conversation explores where digital culture, finance, and community are headed next.Mentioned in the episodeGamesquare acquires Ape Punk https://x.com/GSQHoldings/status/1948368197473677664Only jobs left meme https://www.linkedin.com/posts/blockchainheadhunter_blockchainheadhunter-activity-7336748981680513024-zRJrSonso + alien punk tweet https://x.com/saintsonso/status/1948387453855035867Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Market Vibes and Meme Stocks (05:09) - Financial Nihilism and AI Influence (09:22) - NFT Momentum and Institutional Interest (16:14) - Risks of NFT Treasury Vehicles (26:25) - Liquidity, Pricing, and Market Dynamics (40:58) - Aliens vs Apes: Punk Collection Debates (47:12) - Off-Chain Summer and Future of Digital Assets (51:12) - Welcome & Disclaimer

Derek is out this week, but Aaron, Chris, and Pri dive into a wide-ranging conversation that starts with GM energy and WAGMI nostalgia before moving into market momentum, off-chain activity, and the forces driving renewed optimism in digital assets. They debate Coinbase’s cultural identity and the broader phenomenon of corporations acting like modern religions through brand world-building, then pivot to the challenges of tokenized media, the state of consumer crypto, and the tension between speculation and real innovation. The discussion zooms out to examine neoliberalism, network states, and shifting global dynamics, before closing with thoughts on AI’s inward turn, the evolution of curation, and how information platforms might transform the way we engage with content.Mentioned in the episodeGet your BASE juice https://x.com/base/status/1945883117698593093Chris loves Ryan Reynolds https://x.com/Mintmobile/status/1932879714479206600Backyard missiles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWlOZa3YfycDeepnewz https://deepnewz.com/Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - GM Energy and WAGMI Nostalgia (02:20) - Market Momentum and Off-Chain Activity (06:07) - Coinbase, Culture, and Corporate Identity (20:27) - Corporations as Religion and Brand World-Building (30:04) - Tokenized Media, Consumer Crypto, and Speculation (40:09) - Neoliberalism, Network States, and Global Shifts (56:59) - AI, Curation, and the Future of Information Platforms (01:09:15) - Welcome & Disclaimer

In this episode of Net Society, the crew reflects on the Toledo Museum show and what it signals for digital art’s place in contemporary culture. They discuss how institutional interest is rising just as public sentiment cools, explore the macro drivers behind recent crypto market momentum, and consider what Gary Vee’s renewed NFT talk means for broader adoption. The conversation moves into questions of scale, conviction, and why generative art isn’t dead, despite what the timeline says. Finally, they unpack the shifting landscape of building in public, solo dev workflows, and how AI is redrawing the boundaries of collaboration.Mentioned in the episodeToledo Museum of Art https://x.com/toledomuseumVeeFriends https://x.com/veefriendsShow & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Toledo Museum Show and Full Circle Reflections (08:59) - Mainstream Curiosity and the Adoption Lag (12:22) - Macro Trends and Crypto Market Drivers (19:18) - NFTs, Gary Vee, and the Scaling Gap (25:14) - Generative Art Is Dead? (34:34) - Time, Patience, and Long-Term Conviction (38:12) - AI Tools, Solo Building, and the Future of Teams (57:47) - Welcome & Disclaimer