AI Chip War: Why TSMC, Not China, Holds AI's Future Hostage
Forget generic AI hype. Chris Miller, author of 'Chip War,' explains the core bottleneck: TSMC. Learn why China's AI spend is a puzzle and how US firms shoot themselves in the foot.
Siri AI, Fable Launch, China Wakes Up, Rivian CEO Joins, IPO Filings, Learn to Weld?
With John Coogan, Jordi Hays, Tyler, R.J., Chris Miller, Evan Beard, Nick Fleer, Rob Schroeder, Alex Heath · Thursday, June 11, 2026
This episode of TBPN delves into Apple's WWDC announcements, particularly the re-launch of Siri AI and new parental controls, alongside discussions on Rivian's R2 launch and its implications for autonomous driving. Guests Chris Miller, Evan Beard, Nick Fleer, Rob Schroeder, and Alex Heath provide insights into the AI chip war, the rise of US industrial robotics, AI's impact on the legal and financial sectors, and the broader societal implications of advanced AI.
Key takeaways
- AI drove a doubling of semiconductor spending in the last four years, a radical shift after two decades of flat growth. Read more →
- The US industrial robotics market is wide open: Standard Bots, an American AI-native robot maker, just announced a $200 million Series C at a $1 billion valuation. CEO Evan Beard revealed that 99.9% of industrial robots used in the US are imported, signaling a huge opportunity for domestic production. Read more →
- Rivian's R2 isn't just a new model; it's the core of their mass-market strategy, designed from the ground up to achieve production scale far beyond the R1S and R1T. Read more →
3 articles from this episode
US Robots: Forget Humanoids, Pass the Home Alone Test
America's industrial future hinges on AI-native robots, not humanoids. Learn why Standard Bots raised $200M and how to apply the Home Alone Test.
Rivian's R.J.: L4 Autonomy by 2028, Driven by AI Shift
Rivian CEO R.J. Scaringe details a rapid path to Level 4 autonomous driving by 2028, fueled by new foundation models, not linear progress.
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