People vs Algorithms

People vs Algorithms

It’s the Context, Stupid

Oct 30, 2026 · 1 hr 42 min · 16 segments

Troy and Brian dig into what happens when AI stops imitating Odie as the overly eager helper and starts owning the workflow, the coordination and the organizational memory, why a 100-year-old law firm…

Troy and Brian dig into what happens when AI stops imitating Odie as the overly eager helper and starts owning the workflow, the coordination and the organizational memory, why a 100-year-old law firm unraveled when its high-leverage people walked, and what Microsoft’s voluntary buyouts say about the managerial class. Then CJ Gustafson of *Mostly Metrics* breaks down Anthropic’s S-1: the growth, the revenue per employee, and where the costs got tucked away. **Plus:** Time and Mobian serving ads to AI agents, Axios selling data feeds to client LLMs, cognitive mercantilism, Semafor and the conflicts baked into every media model, Obama vs. the Cheesecake Factory, Serbia’s student movement shows how a decentralized protest movement can wrest power and Troy’s ode to the Starbucks breakfast wrap. \* 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 \* Join our community - PvA Field Notes **Chapters:** \* 01:57 Updates From Out and About \* 09:53 AI Podcasts And Law Firm Collapse \* 18:21 PVA Media Lab Update \* 22:28 Claude Duet And Corporate Bloodbath \* 50:54 Cognitive Mercantilism \* 58:28 Media Model Conflicts \* 01:05:54 Cheesecake Factory \* 01:10:17 Serbia Student Uprising \* 01:16:11 Good Product \* 01:19:17 Inside the Anthropic S-1 with CJ Gustafson \* 01:41:10 Credits 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 dig into what happens when AI stops imitating Odie as the overly eager helper and starts owning the workflow, the coordination and the organizational memory, why a 100-year-old law firm…

Code & Theory Reunion1:58 – 4:19

1:58

Just a couple of updates from being out and about, as they say in Canada.

2:02

First, now it was a long time ago now, I was at Organic and we had a project with Sony, I believe, and we couldn't get it done.

2:13

And it occurred to me that this was 25 years ago.

2:17

Because I went to my friend Dan Gardner and Brandon, who I used to know, haven't seen in a long time, were the founders of a digital agency called Code and Theory that went on to do much of the work in the media space for, well, I used them extensively at Hearst.

2:37

They did work for Condé.

2:38

They did work for Time Inc.

2:39

They did work for everybody in media.

2:42

They were always excellent, always curious, always trying to kind of figure out what we could do next, you know, in the confines of, you know, ad-driven media business, you know, delivering content

Brian MorrisseyHost

2:55

on the web.

Brian MorrisseyHost

2:57

Can I ask, why would you have to use them? Organic-built websites.

Brian MorrisseyHost

3:00

You couldn't build a freaking, like, publishing website?

3:03

Oh, so why the first chapter was the guys at Code & Theory were really good in something at the time, which will maybe bring back memories, called Flash Video.

3:14

Oh, God.

3:14

And we were doing this really complicated Flash microsite for Sony Ericsson.

3:20

And really, it was kind of arbitrage.

3:22

I went to them and I said, guys, all I got is like 100 grand.

3:25

Just do the work because I can't get it done for 100 grand here.

3:30

And they worked, you know, crazy, a crazy amount to make the whole thing.

3:35

And then you took credit

Brian MorrisseyHost

3:36

for it, right?

3:37

Probably, yeah.

3:39

Anyway, I learned to, I developed a great relationship with those guys, really love them.

3:44

And they invited me to their 25th anniversary party that was at Chinese Tuxedo.

3:49

Lots of nice folks.

3:51

Really, yeah, the food was terrific.

Code & Theory Reunion1:58 – 4:19

1:58

Just a couple of updates from being out and about, as they say in Canada.

2:02

First, now it was a long time ago now, I was at Organic and we had a project with Sony, I believe, and we couldn't get it done.

2:13

And it occurred to me that this was 25 years ago.

2:17

Because I went to my friend Dan Gardner and Brandon, who I used to know, haven't seen in a long time, were the founders of a digital agency called Code and Theory that went on to do much of the work in the media space for, well, I used them extensively at Hearst.

2:37

They did work for Condé.

2:38

They did work for Time Inc.

2:39

They did work for everybody in media.

2:42

They were always excellent, always curious, always trying to kind of figure out what we could do next, you know, in the confines of, you know, ad-driven media business, you know, delivering content

Brian MorrisseyHost

2:55

on the web.

Brian MorrisseyHost

2:57

Can I ask, why would you have to use them? Organic-built websites.

Brian MorrisseyHost

3:00

You couldn't build a freaking, like, publishing website?

3:03

Oh, so why the first chapter was the guys at Code & Theory were really good in something at the time, which will maybe bring back memories, called Flash Video.

3:14

Oh, God.

3:14

And we were doing this really complicated Flash microsite for Sony Ericsson.

3:20

And really, it was kind of arbitrage.

3:22

I went to them and I said, guys, all I got is like 100 grand.

3:25

Just do the work because I can't get it done for 100 grand here.

3:30

And they worked, you know, crazy, a crazy amount to make the whole thing.

3:35

And then you took credit

Brian MorrisseyHost

3:36

for it, right?

3:37

Probably, yeah.

3:39

Anyway, I learned to, I developed a great relationship with those guys, really love them.

3:44

And they invited me to their 25th anniversary party that was at Chinese Tuxedo.

3:49

Lots of nice folks.

3:51

Really, yeah, the food was terrific.