The Intelligence from The Economist - Next top model: GPT-5 and its AI rivals

A look at progress in generative AI shows that OpenAI’s latest, greatest model sits on a neat curve of growing utility over time. But what other firms are on that curve, and where is it taking humanity? After a long, wary time, Japanese savers are getting into investing—with gusto. And what goofy, small-time wrestling leagues reveal about today’s America.


Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

Code Story: Insights from Startup Tech Leaders - S11 E12: Ravi Madabhushi, ScaleKit

Ravi Madabhushi finds that all of the stops along his professional journey were accidental. He grew up in a tiny village in the south of India - so small, it would take you 10 minutes to sprint across it, end to end. His goals back then were common - get a job, get married, etc. - but after he moved to Bangalore post school, he got acquainted with startups... and was hooked. Outside of tech, he is married with 2 kids. He enjoys playing tennis, badminton, and squash. He got introduced to squash when he was playing tennis, it started raining, and they were forced inside to play "inside tennis"... IE squash.

Ravi and his team had a successful exit from their prior company, and decided to give startups another go. They wanted to solve the authentication problem for builders wanting to focus on their product - not building auth. What they found was a new arena in the world of AI, agents, and authentication of everything in between.

This is the creation story of ScaleKit.

Sponsors

Links



Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/code-story-insights-from-startup-tech-leaders/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Headlines From The Times - Deadly Steel Plant Blast, Gaza Journalist Killed, Disney Streaming Surge, California Smoke Claim Dispute

One person is dead and another missing after a massive explosion at a U.S. Steel plant near Pittsburgh, prompting urgent rescue efforts and a shelter-in-place order. In Gaza, a strike on a journalists’ tent killed seven, including prominent Al Jazeera reporter Anas Al-Sharif, drawing international condemnation. Disney reports strong streaming growth despite theatrical losses, with plans to merge Disney+ and Hulu next year. And in California, wildfire survivors accuse the state’s last-resort insurer of illegally denying smoke damage claims, prompting state intervention.

Marketplace All-in-One - The ghost that launched a business

Hey, Million Bazillionaires! We just wrapped up the latest season of the show and are already working on the next one. In the meantime, we’re bringing you a special feature from our friends at Story Pirates. In this episode, you’ll hear two fun stories: “The Ghost That Launched a Business,” a terrifying tale about entrepreneurship, written by Jesse, a 9-year-old from the UK, and “Julius Caesar: The Guinea Pig, Not the Famous Ancient Roman Dude, But This Rodent Thinks Otherwise,” a story about how our names sometimes shape who we are inside, written by a 9-year-old from Illinois named Scottie. 

Up First from NPR - D.C. Crackdown, Europe’s Putin-Trump Scramble, Ford’s Cheaper EV Rollout

President Trump asserts federal control over Washington D.C., police force. European leaders will meet with Trump before a U.S. - Russia summit. Ford plans to invest billions of dollars into a plant in Kentucky to prepare to build a new, cheaper electric truck.

Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter. 


Today's episode of Up First was edited by Gigi Douban, Ryland Barton, Kara Platoni, Olivia Hampton and Adam Bearne. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Destinee Adams, and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Stacey Abbott. And our technical director is Carleigh Strange. 

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

The Daily - Trump Sends the National Guard Into Washington, D.C.

President Trump said on Monday that he would take control of the Washington, D.C., police department and send hundreds of National Guard troops to the city.

Devlin Barrett, who covers the F.B.I. for The New York Times, explains why the president says this is necessary and how it fits into his broader strategy for dealing with cities run by Democrats.

Guest: Devlin Barrett, a New York Times reporter covering the Justice Department and the F.B.I.

Background reading: 

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

Photo: Kent Nishimura for The New York Times

Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Lost Debate - What Washed Away

Years before the levees failed, New Orleans’ public schools were already in crisis. The corruption was so entrenched that the FBI even set up shop inside the district. The first episode of Where the Schools Went uncovers how decades of mismanagement and neglect turned New Orleans into a cautionary tale long before Hurricane Katrina ever made landfall, and how it set the stage for what would come after. We also follow a group of educators who fled to Houston in the aftermath of the storm and built a school for displaced students. And then we follow them – and their students – back to a city and school system struggling to rebuild.

--

Where the Schools Went is an original podcast from The Branch in partnership with ⁠The 74⁠ and ⁠MeidasTouch⁠. For future episodes, make sure to follow the series on Apple ⁠here⁠ and on Spotify ⁠here⁠.

Let us know what you think of the show! Email us at ⁠wheretheschoolswent@thebranchmedia.org⁠ or follow us on ⁠X⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠ at @thebranchmedia.

Take This Pod and Shove It - Our Review of the New Album Snipe Hunter by Tyler Childers

Tyler Childers refuses to be pinned down. As one of the most celebrated country artists working today, his unpredictability has frustrated some listeners while also delighting others. This week we give our thoughts on the highly anticipated Snipe Hunter, Childers's new album produced by Rick Rubin.

Check out our Patreon!
Check out our new merch store!
Instagram: @TakeThisPodandShoveIt
For everything else click HERE!

Want to create your own great podcast? Why not start today! We use BuzzSprout for hosting and have loved it. So we suggest you give them a try as well! Buzzsprout gets your show listed in every major podcast platform, and makes understanding your podcast data a breeze.
Follow this link to let Buzzsprout know we sent you—you'll get a $20 credit if you sign up for a paid plan, and it helps support our show.



The Daily Signal - Liberation Day 2.0 Sends Crime Denier Packing & Putin-Trump Freaky Friday Alaska Summit | Aug. 12, 2025

On today’s Top News in 10, we cover:

  • President Donald Trump declares a state of emergency in Washington, DC to restore safety and protect public servants, citizens, and tourists from crime. 
  • President Trump also announces he will be meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, August 15 to discuss ending the conflict in Ukraine.

Keep Up With The Daily Signal

Sign up for our email newsletters:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.dailysignal.com/email⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  

Subscribe to our other shows: 

The Tony Kinnett Cast: https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL2284199939

The Signal Sitdown: https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL2026390376  

Problematic Women:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL7765680741  

Victor Davis Hanson: https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL9809784327  

 

Follow The Daily Signal: 

 

X:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://x.com/intent/user?screen_name=DailySignal

Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/thedailysignal/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/TheDailySignalNews/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Truth Social:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://truthsocial.com/@DailySignal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

YouTube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.youtube.com/dailysignal?sub_confirmation=1 

 

Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and never miss an episode.

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