No Mercy / No Malice: Optimization

China Decode: Ballistic Missile Test, Europe's AC Addiction, and China's AI Coding Challenger

Alice Han and James Kynge start with China's latest ballistic missile test into the Pacific and what it means alongside a new Australia-Fiji defense pact. Then: Europe wants to shrink its record trade deficit with China, but its worst heat wave on record has sent demand for Chinese air conditioners soaring. They break down whether the two sides can actually cooperate on AI and renewable energy even as tensions rise. Plus: Z.ai just launched ZCode, a coding agent for its GLM-5.2 model said to rival Claude and ChatGPT. Alice and James discuss how big a threat this is to U.S. AI dominance, as well as the fallout from claims that Anthropic used hidden code to track Chinese users. Finally: China's new "Ethnic Unity" law took effect July 1. What does it mean for Tibetans, Uyghurs, and Taiwan… and how is Beijing defending it internationally? Subscribe to China Decode on Substack for weekly analysis, livestreams, and deep dives into the biggest story shaping the global economy: chinadecode.profgmedia.com [http://chinadecode.profgmedia.com] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Why AI Stocks Are Overvalued + Are Networking Events Actually Worth It?

Scott Galloway breaks down why AI spending is soaring while ROI lags, weighs in on whether Cannes Lions is worth it for young professionals without networking budgets, and reflects on how rowing crew at UCLA taught him the gap between perceived and actual limits. Want to be featured in a future episode? Send a voice recording to officehours@profgmedia.com, or drop your question in the r/ScottGalloway subreddit [https://www.reddit.com/r/ScottGalloway/comments/1tu0icz/got_a_question_for_scott_ask_here_june_thread/]. Plus, you can now call or text Scott a question at our new Office Hours hotline: ‪(201) 472-3656‬. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

What Comes After the Iran War? — with Rep. Jim Himes

Scott Galloway speaks with Congressman Jim Himes, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, to discuss the fragile ceasefire with Iran, whether the U.S. has lost leverage in the Middle East, the future of Ukraine, and what Democrats need to offer beyond opposition to Trump.  Algebra of happiness: the memories never made. Want to listen to this and other episodes ad-free? You can, if you subscribe at profgmedia.com [http://profgmedia.com]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

How to Build Wealth on Less Than $60K a Year + Investing for Retirement Income (ft. Nick Maggiulli)

In this special Office Hours episode, Scott Galloway and Nick Maggiulli, COO of Ritholtz Wealth Management, answer listener questions on building wealth at every stage of life. They talk about paying down debt on a modest income, generating retirement income without over-obsessing on dividends, and whether young families should keep investing or wait on an inheritance. Want to be featured in a future episode? Send a voice recording to officehours@profgmedia.com, or drop your question in the r/ScottGalloway subreddit [https://www.reddit.com/r/ScottGalloway/comments/1tu0icz/got_a_question_for_scott_ask_here_june_thread/]. Plus, you can now call or text Scott a question at our new Office Hours hotline: ‪(201) 472-3656‬. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

China Decode: Apple's China Chip Play, DeepSeek Seeking Billions, and the Californication of Chinese Food

Alice Han and James Kynge dig into why Apple is lobbying the Trump administration for permission to buy memory chips from a Chinese company on the Pentagon's military blacklist. With DRAM prices up nearly 100% in a single quarter — analysts are calling it "RAMageddon" — Apple already raised MacBook and iPad prices by up to 20%, and iPhones could be next. How far will Apple go to secure its supply chain, and what does it mean if Washington says yes? They also break down DeepSeek's landmark $7.4 billion funding round, which is the first time the Chinese AI startup has ever taken outside money. Tencent, CATL, and China's state-backed National AI Investment Fund are among the backers, and the valuation has jumped six-fold in six weeks to nearly $59 billion. DeepSeek built its reputation on doing more with less — so why does it need the money now? And finally: a new sign that China's middle class is changing what it puts on the table. The Economist calls it the "Californication" of Chinese diets: a growing appetite for organic, health-conscious food. Subscribe to China Decode on Substack for weekly analysis, livestreams, and deep dives into the biggest story shaping the global economy: chinadecode.profgmedia.com [http://chinadecode.profgmedia.com]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]