This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Linear. Linear helps product teams focus on what they do best: Planning and building great products. Streamline issues, projects, and product roadmaps in a tool your team will actually enjoy using. Get 25% off at https://www.linear.app/twist Oracle - Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, or OCI, is a single platform for your infrastructure, database, application development, and AI needs. Save up to 50% on your cloud bill at ⁠https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠ Fundrise. Fundrise provides access to diversified portfolios of private real estate to all investors with their industry leading, easy to use platform. Sign up today at https://www.fundrise.com/TWIST * Todays show: Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss OpenAI CTO’s departure (2:03), DOJ AI compliance guidelines (9:11), current trends in tech M&A (19:15), and much more! * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (2:03) Breaking news: OpenAI CTO departure and speculation (8:17) Linear - Streamline issues, projects, and product roadmaps in a tool your team will actually enjoy using. Get 25% off at https://www.linear.app/twist (9:11) DOJ AI compliance guidelines (17:52) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at ⁠⁠https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠⁠ (19:15) Current state and trends in tech M&A (29:13) Liquidity, market trust, and the move towards a cashless society (36:05) Fundrise - Sign up today at https://www.fundrise.com/TWIST (37:21) Startup funding, valuations, and disciplined fundraising (50:09) Instacart's valuation journey and venture capital challenges (53:25) Optimism for the AI-driven business super cycle (55:36) The future of labor: Skilled trades vs. knowledge workers (1:02:03) Trends in apprenticeships, college enrollment, and geographic arbitrage (1:08:24) Startup opportunities in vocational training and alternative education models (1:11:09) Google's career certificates initiative (1:14:16) Job expectations and the reality for young professionals (1:15:42) Tenet Media controversy * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Mentioned on the show: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/09/16/the-toolbelt-generation-why-teens-are-losing-faith-in-college.html https://globalventuring.com/corporate/exit/exits-corporate-backed-startups-august-2024 https://www.wsj.com/articles/justice-department-pushes-companies-to-consider-ai-risks-116cfcf7?mod=hp_minor_pos11 https://www.ft.com/content/78b7e7a7-7428-4c5e-bfa2-0921c9d6cd25 * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (8:17) Linear - Streamline issues, projects, and product roadmaps in a tool your team will actually enjoy using. Get 25% off at https://www.linear.app/twist (17:52) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at ⁠⁠https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠⁠ (36:05) Fundrise - Sign up today at https://www.fundrise.com/TWIST * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916