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OpenAI Acquires Popular Tech-Industry Talk Show TBPN (cnbc.com)

(Thursday April 02, 2026 @11:30PM (BeauHD) from the independent-until-further-notice dept.)


OpenAI is [1]acquiring tech news podcast TBPN , a fast-growing daily show [2]hosted by John Coogan and Jordi Hays. OpenAI [3]says TBPN will keep its editorial independence, even though the acquisition is widely viewed as part of a broader effort to influence public discourse around AI. CNBC reports:

> In the announcement, OpenAI CEO of AGI Deployment Fidji Simo wrote that their mission of bringing artificial general intelligence comes with a responsibility to have a space for "constructive conversation about the changes AI creates." Altman has appeared on TBPN [4]multiple times and is a frequent presence across media and podcasts, even hitting NBC's "Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" in December.

>

> The announcement says TBPN will maintain editorial independence and continue to choose its own guests. "TBPN is my favorite tech show. We want them to keep that going and for them to do what they do so well," Altman wrote in a post on X. "I don't expect them to go any easier on us, am sure I'll do my part to help enable that with occasional stupid decisions." OpenAI did not disclose the terms of the deal but said TBPN will be housed within its strategy organization.

"While we've been critical of the industry at times, after getting to know Sam and the OpenAI team, what stood out most was their openness to feedback and commitment to getting this right," wrote Hays in a statement. "Moving from commentary to real impact in how this technology is distributed and understood globally is incredibly important to us."



[1] https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/02/openai-acquires-tech-podcast-tbpn.html

[2] https://www.tbpn.com/

[3] https://openai.com/index/openai-acquires-tbpn/

[4] https://youtu.be/KUNSNmr-1Bo?si=HOPkee3Qmze89ivg



... Wut? (Score:2)

by locater16 ( 2326718 )

I know Sam Altman is the modern version of a classic scam artist, presenting just enough real results to skyrocket valuations out of all proportions. I know having too much money causes grandiose narcissists to just lose their mind spending on the most random shit possible. But, a talk show being bought by an "AI" company is still a thing I did not put on my bingo card.

Re: (Score:2)

by greytree ( 7124971 )

He just needs this talk show company to bring in $85 billion p.a. and his worries are over.

Genius move.

Re:... Wut? (Score:4, Insightful)

by martin-boundary ( 547041 )

There used to be radio "talk" shows in the 50s bought by [1]fridge companies [wikipedia.org]. Why wouldn't an "AI" company buy a talk show in the 20s?

(sorry, propaganda is not new)

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westinghouse_Broadcasting

Re: (Score:2)

by Mr. Dollar Ton ( 5495648 )

They'll use the pretend sincerity to train the incoming Large Voice Models, which are necessary for the post-literacy generation.

They call him Scam Altman for a reason (Score:2)

by tatroc ( 6301818 )

They call him Scam Altman for a reason

WTF IS TBPN? (Score:3)

by ebunga ( 95613 )

Never heard of it before today but apparently it's big news.

Is this like one of those "everyone is talking about these great deals on amazon for this top 15 kitchen gadgets you don't need" articles on all the news sites?

OpenAI's greatest success is marketing. (Score:2)

by butt0nm4n ( 1736412 )

AKA Scam Altman.

Money for nothin' and your chicks for free.

Suuuure (Score:2)

by Subsentient ( 6901388 )

> The announcement says TBPN will maintain editorial independence and continue to choose its own guests.

I'm sure it will seem like it's still independent at first, but clearly that's not how it will stay.

Re: (Score:3)

by GameboyRMH ( 1153867 )

Just like how WaPo eventually went from an assurance that nothing would change to blocking an endorsement of Kamala Harris to no longer publishing any opinions that were insufficiently pro-"free market" for Bezos' taste:

[1]https://www.ms.now/opinion/msn... [ms.now]

[1] https://www.ms.now/opinion/msnbc-opinion/jeff-bezos-washington-post-opinion-free-markets-rcna194028

Re: (Score:2)

by Mr. Dollar Ton ( 5495648 )

Nothing new.

[1]https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOt-G2LVgfI

What do theAI need them for? (Score:1)

by T34L ( 10503334 )

I thought ChatGPT is extremely good at writing AI scripts, and narrating AI voices, and can AI build the AI webpage and AI host AI it. AI would AI the AI audience AI be AI too AI demanding AI demanding AI of AI the AI compute??

AI o

OpenAI is the Enron of tech (Score:3)

by dknj ( 441802 )

Everyone is gonna suffer when the merry go round stops

curious move... (Score:2)

by dfghjk ( 711126 )

...for a non-profit.

"Looks clean and obviously correct to me, but then _everything_ I write
always looks obviously correct yo me."

- Linus