Episode Description: Hosted by James Altucher (serial entrepreneur, bestselling author of "Choose Yourself," podcaster, hedge fund manager, chess master, and investor in over 20 companies, with expertise in crypto and AI) and Joseph Jacks (founder and general partner of OSS Capital, the world's first VC firm dedicated to commercial open-source software; early-stage investor in AI and open-source tech, previously Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Quantum Corporation). In the premiere episode, James and Joe explore Bittensor's decentralized AI ecosystem, contrasting it with centralized giants like xAI's Grok 4. They discuss subnets providing GPUs, datasets, and models; proof-of-useful-work mining; building custom AI agents; and Bittensor's potential to outpace Big Tech in achieving superintelligence. Plus, tokenomics, real-world apps, capitalism parallels, and bold predictions on TAO's future value. Key Timestamps & Topics:00:00:00 - Intro: Podcast overview, AI/crypto news (Grok 4, Bitcoin ATH), centralized vs. decentralized AI.00:09:00 - Proof of Useful Work: Mining datasets, models, inference on Bittensor.00:10:00 - Subnet Deep Dives: Dataverse (13) for data scraping; building trading models.00:16:00 - Chutes (64): Cheap AI inference, e.g., Bible chatbot at 1/50th OpenAI cost.00:23:00 - Agentic AI: Building owned agents, avoiding Big Tech biases/control.00:28:00 - Scaling & Future: Decentralization's infinite potential; Bitcoin compute parallels.00:33:00 - Superintelligence Path: Bittensor faster than Elon; energy/chip challenges.00:34:00 - Bittensor's Early Stage: Like 1990s internet, needs better user interfaces.00:38:00 - Chutes Economics: 10T+ tokens served, 4.4K H100 GPUs, user growth.00:50:00 - Valuation & Growth: Subnets as companies; TAO potentially 5-10x Bitcoin.01:02:00 - Bittensor as Pure Capitalism: Incentives for supply/demand; upgrading equity models.01:09:00 - Centralization Risks: Elon/Meta control; Bittensor's global solution.01:13:00 - Wrap-Up: Teasing future episodes on subnets, AI ventures.Key Takeaways:Bittensor incentivizes ~20-100K GPUs permissionlessly, rivaling xAI at zero CapEx.Subnets like Chutes (inference) and Dataverse (data) enable cheap, owned AI models for anyone.Decentralization democratizes AI talent/compute, potentially building AGI faster than centralized efforts.Quote: "Bittensor is the most expressive language of value in the history of languages of value." – Joseph JacksResources & Links:Bittensor Official: bittensor.comTaostats (Explorer/TAO App): taostats.ioSubnet 64 (Chutes): taostats.io/subnets/64Subnet 13 (Dataverse): macrocosmos.ai/sn13Akash Network: akash.networkxAI: x.aiFollow Hosts: @jaltucher & @josephjacks_ on X Subscribe for more on Bittensor subnets, AI building, and crypto trends! Leave a review and share your thoughts. #TheTaoPod #Bittensor #DecentralizedAI #TAO Today's Advertisers:Secure your online data TODAY by visiting ExpressVPN.com/ALTUCHERElevate your workspace with UPLIFT Desk. Go to https://upliftdesk.com/james for a special offer exclusive to our audience. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A Note from James: "Anatomy of a Con Artist. The 14 red flags to spot scammers, grifters, and thieves". This is a book—an amazing book—by Johnathan Walton. Check out his podcast Queen of the Con, and his new one Cocaine Air. We talk about both in this episode. But his book, Anatomy of a Con Artist, is just dead on. Johnathan shares how he got conned out of nearly $100,000 by someone posing as an Irish heiress. He breaks down not only that story but others—showing how all these professional con artists use the same tricks. The red flags are universal. And honestly, I’ve felt conned before. Reading this book really opened my eyes. The stories are incredible, and Johnathan’s a fantastic storyteller. You’ll hear it for yourself. Episode Description: James talks with Johnathan Walton—TV producer turned con artist hunter—about the psychology, tactics, and red flags of professional scammers. After being conned out of nearly $100,000 by someone posing as an Irish heiress, Walton went public, brought his scammer to justice, and began investigating other cases. Together, they unpack how emotion—not intellect—is the con artist’s favorite tool, and how even smart, skeptical people can be taken in. Walton explains the 14 red flags every scammer throws up, why victims rarely report what happened, and how shame and silence help cons thrive. Plus: the untold story of Walton’s family losing millions to a Jamaican Ponzi scheme, how Satanists helped him track a fugitive scammer, and why AI will never replace the twisted brilliance of the human con. What You’ll Learn:How professional con artists emotionally manipulate even intelligent peopleThe 14 red flags common to nearly every scamWhy victims often stay silent—and how scammers exploit shameHow “beak-wetting” creates false trust in investment scamsWhy AI can't replicate the improvisational storytelling of real-world con artists Timestamped Chapters:[00:00] A con artist doesn't outsmart you—they outfeel you[01:00] James introduces Johnathan Walton and his work[02:00] Behind the HBO show “Wahl Street” and producing during COVID[04:00] AI in storytelling: potential and limitations[07:00] Johnathan’s $100K con: the fake Irish heiress and inheritance scam[10:00] Red Flag: TMI—“too much information” and the psychology behind it[14:00] The trap of emotional vulnerability[17:00] How scammers build false intimacy[20:00] Johnathan’s early career and his resilience to shame[24:00] How she drained him slowly: death by a thousand cuts[25:00] The first lie that blew everything open[28:00] Uncovering her global scams and getting her arrested[30:00] Scamming Satanists and extradition to Northern Ireland[32:00] Psychopathy vs. regular criminals: how con artists differ[34:00] Why she targeted him: the do-gooder trap[36:00] Breaking down the red flags from his book[41:00] Ponzi schemes and beak-wetting in his own family[47:00] Wealthy victims who never go public[49:00] The story of NFL QB Eric Kramer and the con-woman wife[52:00] Talking victims out of suicide[53:00] Johnathan’s own mother was conned—by a family friend[55:00] The isolation technique and divide-and-conquer[57:00] How to protect yourself: background checks and gut checks[59:00] Spotting con artists in real life[01:01:00] Cocktail party con: the OnlyFans couple from Arizona[01:02:00] Final thoughts and how to follow Johnathan’s work Additional Resources with Working Links:Book: Anatomy of a Con Artist by Johnathan Walton Available on Apple Books: Anatomy of a Con Artist Also listed on Penguin Random House: Anatomy of a Con Artist Podcast: Queen of the Con by Johnathan Walton On Apple Podcasts: Queen of the Con (Apple Podcasts) Podcast: Cocaine Air by Johnathan Walton On Apple Podcasts: Cocaine Air (Apple Podcasts) Movie: Sharper (Neo-noir thriller) streaming on Apple TV+ Watch directly on Apple TV+: Sharper (Apple TV+) About the film and release details: Sharper (Wikipedia page) Today's Advertisers:Secure your online data TODAY by visiting ExpressVPN.com/ALTUCHERElevate your workspace with UPLIFT Desk. Go to https://upliftdesk.com/james for a special offer exclusive to our audience. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

James Altucher joins Smart Humans host Slava Rubin to talk Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tau, stablecoins, and AI’s economic impact. Hear James’s bold predictions, investing rules, and the habits that rebuilt his career after losing millions—twice.

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Former UFC champion Miesha Tate opens up about hitting rock bottom, leaving a toxic relationship, and discovering that winning doesn’t fix everything. She and James unpack what it really takes to rebuild your life—mentally, emotionally, and professionally.

Humorist Dave Barry returns to share stories from his wild career, his latest memoir, and why writing—and comedy—have changed forever. Hear how Dave built his career by doing outrageous things, engaged his readers as allies, and navigates the new landscape of Substack and social media.