People vs Algorithms

Today’s mind control comes in the form of black-box algorithmic recommendation systems, autonomous robotics and agentic AI systems. The trust gap has arrived for algorithms, as seen by the backlash against TikTok's new ownership. Maybe we're hard wired to distrust men in masks. Plus: CBS News tries to “podcast-ify” a legacy network, the Atlantic’s successful pivot to subscriptions and talent, the Washington Post’s execution problems and identity crisis, Yahoo’s attempt to reassert itself through AI search, and the growing realization that community is the last media moat.
* Watch us on YouTube
* Troy Young’s People vs Algorithms newsletter
* Brian Morrissey’s The Rebooting newsletter
* Alex Schleifer’s Human Computer
* Follow Alex, Brian and Troy on Twitter

Chapters:
* 00:35 Welcome
* 04:11 Mind Control
* 13:39 Clawdbot/Moltbot
* 17:54 Elon Reframing Tesla
* 23:46 Minnesota Obscenity
* 36:06 Algorithms and Social Media
* 42:17 Hardcore Media Topics
* 59:14 Local News and Nonprofit Models
* 01:06:33 Good Product
* 01:12:05 Outro


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.peoplevsalgorithms.com

This week, like old Italian men with their hands clasped behind their backs at construction sites, we are monitoring various situations: Snowmageddon 2026, OpenAI’s inevitable embrace of advertising, Claude Code’s escape from the nerdery, why publishers are embracing prediction markets, the Davos divide between the Mark Carney and Donald Trump styles of communication, and the latest reminder that nothing ever really dies in media, it just mutates.
* Watch us on YouTube
* Troy Young’s People vs Algorithms newsletter
* Brian Morrissey’s The Rebooting newsletter
* Alex Schleifer’s Human Computer
* Follow Alex, Brian and Troy on Twitter

Chapters:
* 00:00 Open
* 00:46 Welcome
* 05:30 OpenAI Getting Into Ads
* 26:29 Claude Code’s Escape From The Nerdery
* 40:16 Prediction Markets
* 50:29 Quick Hits
* 01:15:40 Good Product
* 01:17:14 Outro


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.peoplevsalgorithms.com

After two decades of scale chasing, feed optimization, and platform dependence, the industry is rediscovering older mechanics that actually work: events, newsletters, sponsorships, classifieds, and direct audience relationships. Plus: The difficulty of changing legacy media organizations; micro-dramas as modern media format; and field notes from CES, the Affiliate Summit and an Ojai turtle sanctuary.
* Watch us on YouTube
* Troy Young’s People vs Algorithms newsletter
* Brian Morrissey’s The Rebooting newsletter
* Alex Schleifer’s Human Computer
* Follow Alex, Brian and Troy on Twitter

Chapters:
* 00:00 Open
* 00:34 Welcome
* 03:44 CES 2026
* 10:40 Semaphore and Media Business Models
* 15:18 CBS News and Media Transformation
* 29:48 Creating New Products from Great Talent
* 32:48 Retro Media
* 42:35 Affiliate Summit
* 52:54 Good Product
* 59:17 Outro


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.peoplevsalgorithms.com

Troy and Brian talk about agentic advertising and why it’s being sold as salvation, the quiet consolidation happening across media and tech, and the shift from institutional power to systems, platforms, and legible individuals. We discuss sovereignty in an automated world, and why “finding leverage” has become the defining challenge for media, marketing, and anyone trying to stay relevant.
* Watch us on YouTube
* Troy Young’s People vs Algorithms newsletter
* Brian Morrissey’s The Rebooting newsletter
* Alex Schleifer’s Human Computer
* Follow Alex, Brian and Troy on Twitter

Chapters:
* 00:00 Open
* 00:28 Welcome
* 07:06 Agentic Advertising and AI
* 11:23 Semafor’s $30 Million Raise
* 18:54 The Future of Yahoo
* 24:12 The Rise of YouTube and Influencers
* 31:08 The Future of Digital Publishers
* 34:23 Media Personalities and the Creator Economy
* 37:47 The Ethics of Content and Prediction Markets
* 47:14 The Future of Major Cities and Job Market Predictions
* 50:21 The Role of AI and Robotics in Society
* 55:14 The Battle for Sovereignty and Media Independence
* 01:01:42 Good Product
* 01:06:10 Outro


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.peoplevsalgorithms.com

This week, we wrap up the year with our picks for the biggest narratives, deal guys, hustlers and tech oligarchs.
* Watch us on YouTube
* Troy Young’s People vs Algorithms newsletter
* Brian Morrissey’s The Rebooting newsletter
* Alex Schleifer’s Human Computer
* Follow Alex, Brian and Troy on Twitter

Chapters:
* 00:00 Open
* 00:17 Welcome
* 03:22 Vanity Fair Is Back
* 05:56 Is Weiss good at media?
* 13:51 Oscars On YouTube
* 18:03 PvA 2025 Awards
* 18:28 Personality of the Year
* 25:31 Media Brand of the Year
* 30:10 Innovation of the Year
* 37:29 Overlord of the Year
* 40:38 Hustler of the Year
* 43:47 Deal Guy of the Year
* 45:45 Word of the Year
* 48:34 Narrative of the Year
* 54:25 Good Product


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.peoplevsalgorithms.com