WSJs The Future of Everything - Archive

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

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

Southwest Airlines was built on three pillars: low fares, friendly service, and a quirky "sit anywhere" policy. But in a post-pandemic market, the rules are changing. On the latest episode of the Bold Names podcast, CEO Bob Jordan joins host Tim Higgins to discuss one of the airline’s most transformational periods in its 60-year history. To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com. Check Out Past Episodes: How SAP's CEO Is Remaking the European Tech Giant For The Age

Former Navy SEAL and Shield AI co-founder Brandon Tseng is building the autonomous drones that are redefining global defense.This week on Bold Names, WSJ’s Tim Higgins sits down with Tseng to discuss how Shield AI’s Hivemind software is currently overcoming GPS jamming in Ukraine, and why the future of the U.S. military depends on a mix of elite manned assets and swarms of affordable, autonomous drones. Editor’s Note: This interview was recorded before the war with Iran. To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel

The smartphone is everywhere, but its next evolution won’t look like the apps we use today. In this episode of Bold Names, WSJ’s Tim Higgins sits down with Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon to discuss the seismic shift from apps to AI agents – and why this transition could reshape everything from your phone to your glasses. To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com. Check Out Past Episodes: How SAP's CEO Is Remaking the European Tech Giant For The

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Who will take care of you in old age? Jeff Cardenas, the CEO and co-founder of Apptronik, says the answer is robots. The startup founder set out to build a smart, dexterous robot after watching his grandfathers grow old and dependent in their later years. Beyond healthcare, Cardenas sees robots as essential to U.S. economic growth and national security with applications across industries. Even with the latest advances in artificial intelligence and hardware, what will it take for humanoid robots to make the leap from science fiction to reality? On the

As a special bonus, we’re bringing you an episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week. Co-host Telis Demos and guest host WSJ Chief Economics Correspondent Nick Timiraos are joined by Beth Hammack, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, to discuss the state of the U.S economy, interest rates and the central bank itself. Hammack shares her views on what she’s hearing from businesses in her district and what that could mean for consumer prices and the labor market. She emphasizes the importance of Fed independence and the chairman’s role

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Every day, billions of searches flow through Google, making it not just the world’s most popular search engine, but one of history’s most valuable products. Yet for the first time in nearly 30 years, the company’s dominance is under threat. Generative artificial intelligence tools like Open AI’s ChatGPT and Perplexity are changing how people find information. On the latest episode of the Bold Names podcast, Liz Reid, VP, head of Google Search, speaks to WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins about transforming search for the age of AI. After more than

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

Who will take care of you in old age? Jeff Cardenas, the CEO and co-founder of Apptronik, says the answer is robots. The startup founder set out to build a smart, dexterous robot after watching his grandfathers grow old and dependent in their later years. Beyond healthcare, Cardenas sees robots as essential to U.S. economic growth and national security with applications across industries. Even with the latest advances in artificial intelligence and hardware, what will it take for humanoid robots to make the leap from science fiction to reality? On the

The relationship between the U.S. and China is typically framed as competitive and even adversarial. Each superpower brings strengths and weaknesses to how it approaches its society, business and growth. In his new book "Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future," author and China expert Dan Wang, frames the key differences between the two superpowers. He argues that China can be understood as an "engineering state" that builds at breakneck speed regardless of public opinion or dissent. He says the U.S., on the other hand, is a "lawyerly society" that offers

After spending much of the 2010s in the doldrums, IBM has made something of a comeback in the past five years under the leadership of CEO Arvind Krishna. That's thanks to a lot of the success in its hybrid cloud business, as well as its consulting services. All of this has led to a surge in the company's share price. Now, IBM is betting that quantum computing will be the next big thing. But will Big Blue succeed against rivals like Microsoft and Google who are racing to make their own

Every day, Wall Street Journal journalists talk with the most powerful, influential and interesting people. WSJ columnists Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins are bringing some of those conversations directly to you. Bold Names returns with new episodes on Fridays starting September 12 on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts. Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Read Christopher Mims’s Keywords column. Read Tim Higgins’s column. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

Longtime space rivals Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are vying to reach outer space with their giant rockets. Meanwhile, an ecosystem of other space-related startups are racing to be ready to set up shop on the moon and Mars. Lunar Outpost is one of three companies competing to build a space truck for NASA's Artemis missions. Founder and CEO Justin Cyrus is betting there will be a commercial rush to tap into the moon’s resources, including critical minerals. He says he wants his company to be the “mobility provider” for the

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What's next for artificial intelligence beyond autonomous agents and next-gen language models? Sarah Guo, the founder of venture capital firm Conviction, is a rising star among Silicon Valley investors. She says the next big wave of AI innovation could transform the business world. What is she looking for in investment opportunities? And why does Guo say enterprise software is prime for transformation in the AI era? She speaks to WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins on the latest episode of the Bold Names podcast. Check Out Past Episodes: ‘Businesses Don’t Like

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

Peter Jackson, the CEO of Flutter Entertainment, leads a global sports betting empire. With the U.S.-based FanDuel as its crown jewel, he has a prime view of one of the fastest-growing and most profitable entertainment industries in the world. How is Flutter using technology to supercharge sports betting, while grappling with its potential harms? Jackson speaks to WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins on the latest episode of the Bold Names podcast. Check Out Past Episodes: What This Former USAID Head Had to Say About Elon Musk and DOGE Why Bilt’s

Rajiv Shah, president of the Rockefeller Foundation and former head of USAID, has spent his career on the frontlines of the fight against global poverty. That gives him unique insight into the rapidly changing world of foreign aid and philanthropy. How are NGOs attempting to fill the funding gaps left as the Trump administration turns inward? Shah speaks to WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins on the latest episode of the Bold Names podcast. Check Out Past Episodes: ‘Businesses Don’t Like Uncertainty’: How Cisco Is Navigating AI and Trump 2.0 Palmer

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

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

When Aicha Evans took over robotaxi startup Zoox from its founders in 2019, she made two big moves: selling the company to Amazon for over $1.2 billion, and keeping Zoox’s radical design for a driverless car that looks like a lounge on wheels, with no steering wheel or brake pedal. Now, as the robotaxi industry drives toward a pivotal moment in public acceptance, Zoox is preparing to launch its commercial service later this year. How does the company fit in alongside rivals like Google’s Waymo and Elon Musk ’s Tesla? And