Foundering

Latest episodes

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Bob Lee Part 5: Tech vs. San Francisco

With Nima Momeni convicted of second degree murder, the media storm around Bob Lee faded. Reporter Shawn Wen tries to make sense of the widespread fascination with Lee’s

May 7
38 min

Bob Lee Part 4: The Made-for-TV Murder Trial

Nima Momeni's trial for murdering Bob Lee began in October 2024. Lee's killing, no longer a stand-in for random street crime, no longer fit neatly into the political zeit

Apr 30
50 min

Bob Lee Part 3: The Brilliant Programmer and a Lot of Wild Living

Weeks after his death, Bob Lee’s toxicology report was released, indicating that he had alcohol, cocaine, and ketamine in his system. While his killing no longer fit neat

Apr 23
38 min

Bob Lee Part 2: The Brother Did It

Nine days after Bob Lee was found stabbed in San Francisco, police arrested Nima Momeni for his murder. Desperate to squash the ‘Doom Loop’ narrative, San Francisco offic

Apr 16
47 min

Bob Lee Part 1: San Francisco Has Blood On Its Hands

Three years ago, Bob Lee, a tech executive famous for creating Cash App, was found stabbed in San Francisco. His killing set off a wave of online fury. Reporter Shawn Wen

Apr 16
37 min

Foundering: The Killing of Bob Lee (Trailer)

Three years ago, Bob Lee, a tech executive best known for creating Cash App, was found stabbed in the streets of San Francisco. His killing set off a wave of online fury.

Apr 14
1 min

Preview: The Sixth Bureau, Episode 1

It’s an open secret that the Chinese government has engaged in a global campaign to acquire intellectual property from foreign rivals. At the center of that campaign is t

Feb 14
12 min

OpenAI Part 5: Beware the Ides of November

Right as Sam Altman was at the peak of his success, touring the world to espouse the virtues of AI, his board turned on him. Altman was unceremoniously fired. OpenAI’s co

Jun 27 2024
47 min

OpenAI Part 4: Heaven and Hell, Part 2

It’s widely predicted that AI will upend the economy and threaten many existing jobs. Sam Altman, in trying to stay ahead of public fears of mass unemployment, has offere

Jun 20 2024
22 min

OpenAI Part 3: Heaven and Hell, Part 1

A group of high-level early employees who had glimpsed the fluidity and power of the technology behind ChatGPT left OpenAI to start a new company. Their exit sparked conc

Jun 13 2024
31 min

OpenAI Part2: Ilya Dreams of AGI

OpenAI employees were motivated by the dream of building an artificial general intelligence, which could think and solve problems like a human mind. In reality, they some

Jun 6 2024
35 min

OpenAI Part 1: The Most Silicon Valley Man Alive

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, shot to tech stardom with the release of ChatGPT. His company is one of the most valuable startups in the world, and he is treated like an amba

Jun 6 2024
39 min

Foundering: The OpenAI Story (Trailer)

The biggest story in tech is artificial intelligence, and the biggest story in AI is OpenAI. The company’s rapid progress and blazingly popular consumer products like Cha

May 30 2024
2 min

McAfee Bonus: Q&A

A live Q&A with this season’s host, Jamie Tarabay, and a cybersecurity expert featured in the series, Allan Liska. This bonus episode was recorded following a live produc

May 16 2023
24 min

Introducing - Spellcaster: The Fall of Sam Bankman-Fried

Coming soon: When nerdy gamer Sam Bankman-Fried rocketed to fame as the world’s richest 29-year-old, he pledged to donate his billions to good causes. But then his crypto

May 12 2023
2 min

McAfee Part 6: The Demise

A desperate escape by sea finds John McAfee deported to Europe. He ends up in a small Spanish town, but the walls are closing in on him. Reporter Jamie Tarabay investigat

Mar 23 2023
42 min

McAfee Part 5: The Descent

John McAfee forms a new operation to capitalize on a financial opportunity in cryptocurrencies. Drugs and paranoia take over. Reporter Jamie Tarabay chronicles the beginn

Mar 16 2023
34 min

McAfee Part 4: The White House

John McAfee is back in America. He meets a new business partner who helps broker a lucrative deal. As reporter Jamie Tarabay learns, the new associate eventually inspires

Mar 9 2023
40 min

McAfee Part 3: The Jungle

John McAfee seeks to evade a lawsuit and leaves the US behind. He makes a new life for himself in Central America, but reporter Jamie Tarabay finds it doesn’t take long b

Mar 2 2023
48 min

McAfee Part 2: The Yogi

After cashing out, John McAfee uproots and tries to reinvent himself. He starts a new company and forms a yoga retreat. Reporter Jamie Tarabay also looks into a new and e

Feb 23 2023
38 min

Chart trend

Position in the Tech News chart (US), last 90 days.

#1#33#64JunJulAugSep

all-time peak

days in the top 3 since Nov 2024

Chart positions

Where Foundering ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Sep 15, 2026).

#16 ▼ 4 Tech News US

What listeners say

A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.

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.

cubreporter2 · Apr 2022

I’ve listened to Tik Tok and Amazon and I’ve been impressed with both seasons and their hosts. It feels as unbiased as it gets by expounding on the achievements without dismissing the controversies.

jconrad622 · Apr 2022

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!

Dorit PL · May 2021

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!

Ashley Ultican · Apr 2021

“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.

ahermann71 · Nov 2025

The compelling initial revelations of the extent of Amazon’s ruthless attitude towards the people whose unacknowledged phenomenal hard work made it all succeed just trickles off into trite, repetitive cliches about what a selfish guy Bezos is. Should have carried that initial compelling approach through the end; the last several episodes communicate nothing we haven’t heard a thousand times already via every major news outlet’s hastily assembled evening news soundbites.

Sky Clad Guru · Apr 2022

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