Episode · 2026-05-21
Google I/O Domination
Google I/O Domination | "Lower-Value Human Capital" | Alex Walser x Jared Gutstadt
Rundown
Chris Hall and Colin cover Google I/O announcements including Gemini's new video-editing model and Ray-Ban smart glasses, debate why Meta ad scaling keeps getting harder as ad load outpaces user growth, run an ad-battle segment breaking down Nike's Drake x Kevin Durant campaign, and riff on layoffs and the GLP-1 economy. Guests Alex Walser and Jared Gutstadt join for portions of the discussion.
Takes from this episode
Most commentary is judging Google's Gemini Omni model on the wrong axis by comparing it to Sora, when its real breakthrough is video-editing capability rather than raw generation.
I think many are focusing on the wrong aspect of the Gemini Omni model when comparing it to C dance 2.0... This is a model for editing videos like Nano Banana, like we've never had before.
Claude's recent output quality has declined, becoming slow and over-engineered compared to before.
I've been perturbed with Claude as of recent to be so honest with you... it's over-engineering the answers... it's getting really finicky right now.
The real reason Meta ad scaling gets harder every year is that ad impressions/ad load have grown far faster than the user base, not that targeting has gotten worse.
Meta serving 200% the ads it served in 2020, yet users have only grown 38%... This is the real reason scaling on Meta gets harder every year.
Brands should hope for and lean into other ad platforms (AppLovin, TikTok Shop) rising in targeting capability as an alternative to over-reliance on Meta.
Other platforms continue to rise in their capabilities for accurately targeting and netting you new customers... It's happening with app 11. It's happening people are finding their way on TikTok shop.
Nike's Drake x Kevin Durant shoe-reveal ad works because the two goofy decoy shoes comedically anchor the audience so the real shoe reveal lands harder.
You throw two decoy shoes out there to make it even funnier and then when you throw out the real shoes it's like oh obviously those are sick cuz the other two are so goofy. So you just were anchored to these other goofy two shoes.
A next-generation GLP-1 drug (retatrutide, in phase-three trials) will be the one that truly transforms the weight-loss/GLP-1 economy.Prediction
There's one in clinical trials right now from Eli Lilly. It's in phase three right now. It's called retatrutide... This thing is going to This is going to change