The Profile: The podcaster letting you eavesdrop on the AI elite & the media figure breaking with Trump

This edition of The Profile features Dwarkesh Patel, Tucker Carlson, and Anne Hathaway.

Good morning, friends!

Can internet fame be turned into a billion dollars?

I spent the last few months inside the world of two of the most polarizing figures on the internet who are trying to do exactly that.

Tomorrow morning, I’m publishing a deeply reported profile that pressure-tests whether it actually works. If you’ve ever wondered whether attention can be converted into something real, this story may change how you think about it.

This piece took five months of reporting — dozens of interviews, days of shadowing my subjects, and a close look at the actual numbers behind their business empire.

If you value original, deeply reported journalism like this, you can support the work by upgrading your subscription below:

I appreciate you always.

— Polina

PROFILES.

— The podcaster letting you eavesdrop on the AI elite [**HIGHLY RECOMMEND**]
— The conservative media figure breaking with Trump
— The actress reframing aging
— The ‘free’ social casino games
— The startups allowing you to choose your ‘best baby

PEOPLE TO KNOW.

The podcaster letting you eavesdrop on the AI elite: Dwarkesh Patel went from a bored college sophomore to the go-to interviewer for the people building A.I. — with CEOs and researchers treating his podcast as required listening. He wins access by going deeper than anyone else, mastering the material and speaking the insiders’ language. That proximity gives him real influence, shaping how the industry talks about its own future. He’s an embedded operator who documents power from inside the room. (The New York Times; alternate link)

The conservative media figure breaking with Trump: Tucker Carlson has broken with Donald Trump over the Iran war, arguing the president was pressured into a disastrous conflict that betrays his core promises. He now casts himself as a critic of both the administration and the broader Republican establishment, framing the war as morally wrong and politically ruinous. At the same time, Carlson’s worldview has grown more ideological — blending anti-interventionism, skepticism of U.S. alliances, and a belief that deeper cultural and even spiritual forces are at play. (The New York Times Magazine)

The actress reframing aging: Anne Hathaway is reckoning with what comes after the “have it all” era. And she has found that it’s … harmony. After two decades of fame, motherhood and sobriety have shifted her from relentless ambition to a more grounded, self-aware version of success. She’s still intensely driven, but now less interested in proving herself and more focused on how she moves through her life. (Harper’s Bazaar)

COMPANIES TO WATCH.

**The ‘free’ social casino games:** “Free” social casino games are generating billions by mimicking gambling — hooking players with virtual coins they can’t cash out but can endlessly pay to keep using. A small group of heavy spenders drives the business, sometimes losing tens of thousands — or even millions — while companies actively target and retain them. Apple, Google, and other platforms profit from the model, taking cuts of in-app purchases while avoiding many gambling regulations. Fascinating. (Bloomberg; alternate link)

**The startups allowing you to choose your ‘best baby:’** Startups are selling $50,000 tests that promise to help parents pick the “best” embryo, but the science behind them is still shaky. The real appeal is control, tapping into deep parental anxiety about risk and uncertainty. For now, the benefits appear marginal, but the ethical stakes, from inequality to “designer babies,” are enormous. (New York Magazine)

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