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Did Super Bowl Ads Just Predict an AI Crash? | Pivot

Kara and Scott break down the Super Bowl ads, and the backlash over Bad Bunny’s halftime show. Then, they look at what’s next for crypto as Bitcoin and other tokens plummet. Plus, Amazon and Big Tech continue their AI spending spree, Trump throws his support behind the Nexstar–Tegna merger, and Kara has a message for Jeff Bezos. #pivot #podcast #karaswisher #scottgalloway #superbowl #badbunny #bitcoin #amazon #ai #nexstar #tegna #jeffbezos 00:00 Intro 8:15 Super Bowl 18:18 Crypto Winter 25:28 Amazon’s Spending Spree 34:44 Bezos on WaPo Future 46:02 Media Merger Politics 57:56 Wins and Fails Producers: Lara Naaman Zoë Marcus Taylor Griffin Video Producer: Rich Shibley Vox Media's Executive Producer of Podcasts: Nishat Kurwa Subscribe to Pivot on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pivot/id1073226719 Subscribe to Pivot on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4MU3RFGELZxPT9XHVwTNPR Follow us on Instagram and Threads at: https://www.instagram.com/pivotpodcastofficial/ Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@PIVOTPODCAST Send us your questions by calling us at 855-51-PIVOT, or email pivot@voxmedia.com

Kara SwisherhostScott Gallowayhost
Feb 10, 20261h 9mWatch on YouTube ↗

CHAPTERS

  1. Resist and Unsubscribe: turning cancellation into market pressure

    Kara and Scott open with Scott’s “Resist and Unsubscribe” campaign—encouraging people to cancel Big Tech subscriptions as a form of economic protest. They discuss traction metrics, media strategy, and whether the effort is reaching executives or just product teams.

  2. Super Bowl ads: comedy, virtue signaling, and what landed (or didn’t)

    They trade takes on standout Super Bowl ads, preferring humor over preachiness. Kara and Scott praise some creative spots while criticizing others as manipulative, strange, or politically performative.

  3. Are Super Bowl ad trends predicting an AI crash?

    Scott frames the ad mix as a historical signal: when a quarter of Super Bowl ads come from a hot sector, a downturn may follow. He compares this year’s AI-heavy ad load to the “Crypto Bowl” and dot-com era patterns.

  4. Bad Bunny halftime backlash and the culture-war split

    They celebrate Bad Bunny’s halftime performance as joyful and forward-looking, then criticize the political backlash from right-wing media. Scott frames the NFL’s choice as future-oriented given demographic change in the U.S.

  5. Prediction markets surge as gambling apps lose momentum

    Scott highlights prediction-market apps as a surprising Super Bowl winner, claiming they’re siphoning attention from traditional gambling platforms. They discuss downloads, investor expectations, and shifting market value.

  6. Crypto winter returns: Bitcoin drawdowns, “shitcoins,” and speculation vs investing

    They pivot to crypto’s downturn—Bitcoin’s steep decline and losses across crypto-linked public equities. Scott admits his own poor crypto timing, argues Bitcoin has some legitimacy, and warns against altcoins.

  7. Amazon’s $200B capex plan: AI build-out, robotics, and the “only giants can do this” problem

    Amazon’s planned spending surge spooks markets even as leadership frames it as necessary for AI, chips, robotics, and satellites. Scott zooms out: mega-cap tech is deploying unprecedented daily capital into AI infrastructure, creating massive second-order effects.

  8. AI as complement vs substitute—and why GLP‑1s may matter more than AI

    Scott and Kara discuss how individuals should respond to AI disruption by making it complementary to their work. Scott argues GLP‑1 drugs (Ozempic/Wegovy class) may be the most life-changing “technology” for many people, even more than AI.

  9. Corporate taxes, lobbying, and who ultimately pays the bill

    Kara highlights Amazon’s sharply lower corporate tax bill despite higher profits, tying it to political capture and “sucking up” incentives. Scott expands: tax policy has structurally favored capital over labor, pushing costs onto younger generations through deficits.

  10. Bezos and The Washington Post: data talk, leadership failures, and the hard economics of news

    Kara blasts Bezos’ management and messaging about the Post’s future, arguing he doesn’t understand media and has driven audience decline through meddling. Scott stresses structural decline, consolidation, and cost-cutting—suggesting only drastic restructuring or acquisition makes sense.

  11. Local TV mega-merger politics: Nexstar–Tegna, FCC limits, and selective antitrust outrage

    They examine Trump’s shifting stance on a major local TV consolidation and the political incentives behind regulatory outcomes. The conversation broadens into weaponized agencies and the need for serious trust-busting across sectors.

  12. Wins and fails: Elon’s shifting Mars/Moon story, new creators, and the dangers of dehumanization

    They close with personal “wins and fails.” Kara mocks Elon Musk’s constantly changing space priorities and celebrates getting Scott to watch “Heated Rivalry.” Scott praises a TikTok creator for geopolitics/econ analysis and warns about political rhetoric that dehumanizes opponents.

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