Our curated selection of reviews
Foundering has been a truly eye-opening podcast. I thought I knew a bit about TikTok. I get sent videos every so often or I’ll hear about it in a celebrity story. But, I barely knew any of what I heard in these first two tantalizing episodes. There is so much behind this worldwide phenomenon that we didn’t hear about in the U.S. and Shelly Banjo’s capable, lighthearted and informative narration helps us understand this fascinating tale. I can’t wait for more!
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Host Shelly Banjo provides incredible insight into the story behind TikTok. The storytelling hooks you and develops beautifully. Shelly had a way of weaving together the characters masterfully. The sound editing is fantastic, as well. I can’t wait for the next episode!
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Perfect balance of excellent reporting and great story telling. Shelly Banjo clearly knows what she is talking about, and the presentation is so artful and well-edited. I’m now waiting in suspense for episode 4 to come out!
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While the Amazon season provides interesting insight into Jeff Bezos’s hand in Amazon’s rise to extreme market domination at all costs, it lacks in several aspects. I was quite surprised the podcast makes no mention of the antitrust litigation (previous and pending) against Amazon’s marketplace. The allegations are quite credible and serious. Additionally, there’s no mention of Amazon’s controversial state sales tax practices with regard to the marketplace. These, to me, are proof that Amazon does not have people’s best interest at heart and also get at the issue of Bezos’s personal wealth. Instead, we get a whole episode about Bezos’s affair and the weird conspiracy theory pushed by Bezos himself, likely as a media distraction. Quite disappointed about that. I would’ve rather heard more about Mackenzie Scott and her experience at Amazon in the early days and being married to Bezos.
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“Foundering: The OpenAI Story” had the potential to be a smart, balanced exploration of one of the most important companies of our time. Instead, it often feels like confirmation bias wrapped in compelling storytelling. The series presents conclusions first and evidence second, relying heavily on unnamed or secondhand sources that weaken its credibility.
Rather than unpacking the genuine tension between OpenAI’s mission and its business realities, the podcast seems intent on casting its subjects into familiar Silicon Valley archetypes—ambition, ego, downfall. It’s technically well-produced and easy to follow, but more theatrical than investigative.
Great journalism helps listeners think more deeply; this one tells them what to think. For a story about artificial intelligence—a field defined by nuance, uncertainty, and human judgment—that lack of intellectual balance is its biggest flaw.
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Interesting topic but very slanted towards tiktok. Has a school girl crush feel to it. Some moderate criticism of privacy and child abuse issues but more glowing reviews of the founders than I would expect from real journalism.
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