Masters of Scale
On Masters of Scale, iconic business leaders share lessons and strategies that have helped them grow the world's most fascinating companies. Founders, CEOs, and dynamic innovators join candid conversations about their triumphs and challenges with a set of luminary hosts, including founding host Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock partner). From navigating early prototypes to expanding brands globally, Masters of Scale provides priceless insights to help anyone grow their dream enterprise.
Filtered episodes(27)
- StandardSummaries onlyCannes Lions’ battle of the brands: Starbucks’ stumble, World Cup ads, and more
Published Jun 30, 2026
Every year at Cannes Lions, the advertising world takes stock of itself — what's working, what's not, and what it's pretending not to notice. Autodesk CMO Dara Treseder joins Rapid Response live from the festival to cut through the noise. She breaks down the industry's complicated relationship with AI, weighs in on the hottest and most overrated campaigns of the year including sharp takes on Nike, Adidas, and Starbucks, and explains why the path from CMO to CEO is suddenly the most interesting c
- StandardSummaries onlyIBM’s $10 billion bet on what comes after AI
Published Jun 18, 2026
While many tech companies race to build ever-larger AI models, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna sees the future differently. Speaking with host Bob Safian before a live audience during New York Tech Week, Krishna explains why enterprises are overcomplicating AI adoption, what kinds of risks leaders should be taking right now, and how to weigh AI's costs against its benefits. He also shares why IBM believes quantum computing will reshape the next era of technology.Subscribe to the Masters of Scale weekly n
- StandardSummaries onlyRapid Response: The Guardian’s secret weapon against media’s collapse, with CEO Anna Bateson
Published Jun 6, 2026
Rapid ResponseWhile legacy news outlets like The Washington Post stumble, The Guardian keeps growing — but how? Guardian Media Group CEO Anna Bateson joins Rapid Response to pull back the curtain on the company's unusual ownership structure and the multi-revenue model fueling its resilience. Bateson also weighs in on the threat and opportunity of AI chatbots, the Jeff Bezos effect on media, and what role she sees The Guardian playing as the future of news takes shape, even as the pressures of today demand her
- StandardSummaries onlyThe race no one can win: AI’s anti-human crisis, with Aza Raskin
Published Jun 2, 2026
Aza RaskinBig Tech is moving fast on AI. But who's watching out for the rest of us? Aza Raskin, co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology, has spent years sounding the alarm about where the race to build powerful AI is actually taking us. He joins Rapid Response to expose the incentive structures quietly pushing Silicon Valley toward dangerous territory, and to make the case that it's not too late to change course. Raskin also unpacks the significance of Pope Leo XIV's sweeping new encyclical on AI,
- StandardSummaries onlyPioneers of AI: How fast can you upskill in AI? We did a sprint to find out.
Published May 23, 2026
We all feel the urgency: learn to use AI, or risk falling behind at work. And we all know there's an upside: AI can reduce tedious tasks, streamline operations, and boost output. But knowing is half the battle (maybe even less) and implementing AI needs to happen across an entire organization. So what does it take to start?Well, here at WaitWhat (the company behind this podcast!) we paused all operations for three days to find out. From editorial curation to visual design to event planning, we s
- StandardSummaries onlyDuolingo’s battle for learning in an AI world, with Luis von Ahn
Published May 12, 2026
When Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn sent an internal memo about AI last year, he didn't expect it to go viral — or to ignite a firestorm about the future of work. Now he joins Rapid Response to unpack what he got right, what he got wrong, and what the backlash taught him about the real limitations of AI. Von Ahn also reveals why he's made a deliberate pivot in 2026: chasing users, not revenue — and what that bet says about how big Duolingo can get before ads become inevitable. It's a candid reckoning
- StandardSummaries onlyPossible: Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings: stories, schools, superpowers
Published Apr 25, 2026
Reed Hastings has announced he'll leave the board at Netflix, the company he co-founded. Before that news broke, Reid and Aria sat down with Hastings on "Possible" to talk about how technology has rewritten the rules of entertainment before, but AI takes him back to his beginnings. He studied AI at Stanford in the late '80s, decades before it became the only conversation in tech. Few people have watched this moment build from as many vantage points: he's served on the boards of Microsoft, Meta,
- StandardSummaries onlyA first look at Samsung’s blueprint to win the AI era, with Mauro Porcini
Published Apr 21, 2026
Mauro PorciniAI redefining how products are both built and experienced, and Samsung is reimagining its place in the tech ecosystem. As Milan Design Week gets underway, Samsung's president and chief design officer Mauro Porcini pulls back the curtain on the company’s new design manifesto, and gets candid about their rivalry with Apple, the shift from hardware to human experience, and why a brand known for engineering dominance is now betting its future on something far harder to measure: how a product makes y
- StandardSummaries onlyHumanize AI before it dehumanizes us, with Dr. Rana el Kaliouby at SXSW
Published Apr 9, 2026
AI is moving fast. But are we really keeping humans at the center? In this special live Rapid Response, recorded on stage at South by Southwest, host Bob Safian sits down with AI scientist, founder of Affectiva, investor at Blue Tulip, and host of Pioneers of AI, Dr. Rana el Kaliouby. Rana makes the case that human-centric AI isn't just a safety guardrail; it's the key to thriving socially, economically, and emotionally. She also cuts through the noise on the buzziest AI myths, weighs in on AI i
- StandardSummaries onlyThe internet is breaking. So what’s next? with Cloudflare’s Matthew Prince
Published Mar 31, 2026
AI bots are on track to outnumber humans online by 2027. No one has a better line of sight into that shift than Matthew Prince — his company, Cloudflare, routes more than 20% of all internet traffic. Speaking live from SXSW, Prince reveals how AI is rewriting the economics of the web, how tech giants are scrambling to respond, and what it means for anyone running an online business. Plus, what it's like to be on the frontlines of Iranian cyberwarfare, and why Prince made the unexpected move to b
- StandardSummaries onlyHow Shantanu Narayen transformed Adobe
Published Mar 14, 2026
Shantanu Narayen announced this week that he will step down after nearly two decades as CEO of Adobe. In this conversation first published in early 2025, Narayen talked with host Reid Hoffman about how he led the transformation of Adobe’s creative tools like Photoshop to cloud-based subscriptions, how that unlocked faster innovation, and why those lessons are serving the company well in the new age of AI.Synthetic voiceover of Reid Hoffman used in this episode was produced by Respeecher with ful
- StandardSummaries onlyStop waiting for clarity. Unfreeze and act, with Accenture’s Julie Sweet
Published Mar 10, 2026
AI disruption and geopolitical upheaval are forcing business leaders to make high-stakes decisions — fast. Accenture CEO Julie Sweet joins Rapid Response host Bob Safian to share what she's hearing from her 9,000 clients and the hard-won advice she's giving them. Sweet reveals why AI proficiency is now a requirement for promotion at Accenture, why she's doubling down on entry-level hiring amid the automation wave, and why tension in the C-suite may be the most underrated leadership advantage rig
- StandardSummaries onlyUncovering the $7 trillion reputation economy
Published Feb 17, 2026
Corey duBrowa spent much of his career advising some of the world’s most scrutinized leaders — from Howard Schultz at Starbucks and Marc Benioff at Salesforce to Sundar Pichai at Google. Now, as CEO of global communications firm Burson, he’s helping executives navigate a charged marketplace shaped by AI disruption, ICE activity, and nonstop reputational risk. duBrowa explains why reputation remains one of the most powerful (and most misunderstood) assets in business, and how leaders should decid
- StandardSummaries onlyDraftKings’ next big bets, with CEO Jason Robins
Published Feb 12, 2026
Prediction markets. AI. Super Bowl ads. Hear how DraftKings co-founder and CEO Jason Robins is placing bets on the future. Robins talked with host Jeff Berman just ahead of the Super Bowl in San Francisco about how he stays focused, cultivates company culture, and navigates a tumultuous regulatory and competitive landscape. Masters of Scale weekly newsletter: https://mastersofscale.com/newsletter/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/p
- StandardSummaries onlyReid Hoffman on AI’s new tune, Davos, and the need for CEO courage
Published Jan 27, 2026
As global leaders disperse from the World Economic Forum, LinkedIn co-founder and tech investor Reid Hoffman joins Rapid Response to break down the biggest challenges and opportunities facing business today, from political headwinds tied to immigration and geopolitics to AI’s real-time impact on industries like music and healthcare. Hoffman also explains why fears of a tech bubble aren’t shaping his investing, what it really means to be an AI-first organization, and why this moment calls for CEO
- StandardSummaries onlyHow to save a magazine, with The Atlantic’s Nicholas Thompson
Published Jan 15, 2026
When Nicholas Thompson took over as CEO of The Atlantic five years ago, the iconic magazine was in financial trouble. Now, its profitable and subscriber and revenue numbers are growing. Thompson joins host Jeff Berman to talk about the impressive turnaround, how media companies can weather AI disruption, and lessons from the world of long distance running.His new memoir is The Running Ground: A father, a son, and the simplest of sports: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/678434/the-running
- StandardSummaries onlyBusiness world predictions for 2026
Published Jan 6, 2026
As we turn from reflection to what’s ahead for a new year, Rapid Response presents host Bob Safian’s predictions for the most pressing issues business leaders could face in 2026. Join Bob and producer Alex Morris for a surprisingly hopeful conversation about what’s next – from an AI reality check to energy prices, immigration, and even the World Cup. Safian walks us through what might happen, and why being “right” matters less than sparking debate, testing assumptions, and taking a clear-headed
- StandardSummaries onlyPioneers of AI: Mark Cuban’s investment strategy in this new era of tech
Published Dec 30, 2025
Mark Cuban has spent decades as a serial entrepreneur and investor, with one of the best track records on the planet (including celebrity status on ABC’s Shark Tank). In this episode of Pioneers of AI, Cuban joins host Rana El Kaliouby for a wide-ranging conversation about whether we are in an AI bubble, how he’s applying his investment philosophy to AI, and why the AI world is tending to excite him less and less each day.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Visit the Rapid Resp
- StandardSummaries onlyMake the office a destination, not just an obligation
Published Dec 11, 2025
With over two billion in annual revenue and nearly 7,000 employees, Gensler has cemented itself as a global icon in architecture and design. Host Jeff Berman talks with co-CEO Elizabeth Brink and global co-chair Andy Cohen about why the company has doubled down on a collaborative leadership model, the ways AI is disrupting their industry, and how they’re designing for the future of work. Subscribe to the Masters of Scale weekly newsletter: https://mastersofscale.com/newsletter/See Privacy Policy
- StandardSummaries onlyBeyond the Parade: Macy’s navigates tariffs, turbulence and retail evolution
Published Nov 25, 2025
This Thursday marks the 99th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and Macy’s Inc. chairman and CEO Tony Spring joins Rapid Response with a behind-the-scenes preview of what to expect. It’s been a tumultuous year for the legacy retailer, shaped by new tariffs, shifting consumer habits, and the constant flip between “wartime” and “peacetime” leadership. Spring shares why his team is now on “version twenty-seven of the plan,” how Macy’s is entering the AI era, and what it really means to court th
- StandardSummaries onlyHow to be 'fearless' in the AI age, with Fei-Fei Li and Reid Hoffman
Published Nov 20, 2025
The brilliant computer scientist Fei-Fei Li is often called the Godmother of AI. She talks with host Reid Hoffman about why scientists and entrepreneurs need to be fearless in the face of an uncertain future.Li was a founding director of the Human-Centered AI Institute at Stanford and is now an innovator in the area of spatial intelligence as co-founder and CEO of World Labs. This conversation was recorded live at the Presidio Theatre as part of the 2025 Masters of Scale Summit.Subscribe to the
- StandardSummaries onlyAndrew Ross Sorkin: How to make sense of today’s market
Published Oct 23, 2025
Andrew Ross SorkinIs the stock market in an AI bubble? What happens if it bursts? To understand our current economic moment, it’s essential to understand history. That’s why journalist and author Andrew Ross Sorkin joined host Jeff Berman onstage at the Masters of Scale Summit in San Francisco in October. His new book is 1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History–and How It Shattered a Nation. Sorkin explains the lessons we can learn from this historical moment – and how they provide cautionary tales.
- StandardSummaries onlyAirbnb’s bet on an IRL future, with Brian Chesky
Published Oct 14, 2025
Brian CheskyAmid dramatic disruption, what role should business play in building the future? Recorded live at the 2025 Masters of Scale Summit in San Francisco, Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky shares his candid perspective on business, politics, creativity, and AI — taking listeners from Airbnb’s humble beginnings to bold plans for the company’s future. Through a designer’s lens, Chesky also reveals the single question leaders must ask themselves, and explores how best to make tricky decisions in a v
- StandardSummaries onlyPioneers of AI: The power of storytelling in VCs, with Jeffrey Katzenberg and ChenLi Wang
Published Sep 27, 2025
In this episode of Pioneers of AI, Jeffrey Katzenberg and ChenLi Wang of the venture capital firm WndrCo share why storytelling is essential for building transformative companies and how AI shapes their work. Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
- StandardSummaries onlyHistoric changes across high fashion, with WSJ. Magazine’s Sarah Ball
Published Sep 16, 2025
As the fashion world navigates an unprecedented wave of turnover from Chanel to Dior, WSJ. Magazine’s Editor in Chief, Sarah Ball joins Rapid Response to explore the most closely watched New York Fashion Week in years — what she calls "a September to remember." Ball also shares insights about how Vogue is poised to take shape post-Anna Wintour, the shockwaves from Georgio Armani's recent passing, AI's impact on fashion creatives, and how the role of influencers and social media is noticeably res
- StandardSummaries onlyPossible: Stephen Colbert isn’t so sure about AI (with Reid Hoffman)
Published Sep 13, 2025
On the latest episode of Reid Hoffman’s Possible podcast, he and Aria talk with comedian Stephen Colbert. They discuss how J.R.R. Tolkien helps The Late Show host make sense of AI, whether technology will ever be able to replicate the ‘micronutrients’ of human interaction, and more. You can find this episode and more on the Possible podcast feed: https://play.megaphone.fm/awr0uaskrl6m7mfdaaeb0wSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/priv
- StandardSummaries onlyMusic biz at a crossroads: from Taylor Swift to AI, with Sowmya Krishnamurthy
Published Sep 9, 2025
Sowmya KrishnamurthySunday’s MTV Video Music Awards shone a light on some of the biggest storylines in the music business today – from the TikTokification of newly minted stars, to the evolving relationship between artists and brands. Music journalist and author Sowmya Krishnamurthy joins Rapid Response to break down business and cultural lessons from the show and what it reveals about the state of the industry. Krishnamurthy also explores Taylor Swift’s enduring dominance, the role of AI in music, and the latest t