AI Model Showdown: Grok 4.1 vs. Gemini 3 | E2211

Register for Founder University Japan’s Kickoff! https://luma.com/cm0x90mk

Today’s show:

*Will the arrival of two hotly-anticipated, intensely powerful AI models snap the Doomer cycle?

On a new TWiST, Jason and Alex consider the current AI landscape, one where cynicism about insider mega-deals, fear of job displacement, and concerns about bubble bursts seem to rule the day. Will the arrival of two powerful new models — xAI’s Grok 4.1 and Google’s Gemini 3 — help the industry to course-correct? And how do we decide how much these models have improved anyway?

PLUS we’re investigating Cloudflare’s recent downtime and their acquisition of Replicate. Are we heading toward a future in which everyone runs their own models, locally? And how worried should founders get if their products or sites go down for a few hours?

Finally, if you’re an investor, and want to come to Jason’s Dim Sum Demo Day in San Francisco, here’s the link: http://launch.co/dimsum

Timestamps:

(2:01) Why the internet got broadly degraded when Cloudflare went down

(5:00) How worried should founders become when their sites go offline?

(6:44) Downtime aside, what did Cloudflare want with Replicate?

(8:12) Why Jason predicts one day we’ll run our own local language models

(9:39) Goldbelly - Goldbelly ****ships America’s most delicious, iconic foods nationwide! Get 20% off your first order by going to Goldbelly.com and using the promo code TWiST at checkout.

(15:25) How to turn off “Learn From This App” on your iPhone

(17:29) Will the arrival of hotly-anticipated new models stop the spread of Doomerism and AI cynicism

(20:00) Every.io - For all of your incorporation, banking, payroll, benefits, accounting, taxes or other back-office administration needs, visit every.io.

(23:53) Checking back in with the “Best AI Model” Polymarket… why has ChatGPT dropped so low?

(29:43) Zite - Zite is the fastest way to build business software with AI. Build apps, forms, websites and portals that connect to the tools you already use. Go to zite.com/twist to get started.

(31:14) ANOTHER AI mega-deal? Nvidia and Microsoft are investing in… ANTHROPIC

(33:06) Why so many AI deals now include “up to…” language around investments

(35:04) What Jason thinks of Dario Amodei’s warning about white collar job displacement

(39:39) If we all agree AI job displacement is coming… what can be done?

(45:16) All about Jason’s Dim Sum Investor Demo Day in San Francisco!

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

Follow Lon:

X: https://x.com/lons

Follow Alex:

X: https://x.com/alex

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm

Follow Jason:

X: https://twitter.com/Jason

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(9:39) Goldbelly - Goldbelly ****ships America’s most delicious, iconic foods nationwide! Get 20% off your first order by going to Goldbelly.com and using the promo code TWiST at checkout.

(20:00) Every.io - For all of your incorporation, banking, payroll, benefits, accounting, taxes or other back-office administration needs, visit every.io.

(29:43) Zite - Zite is the fastest way to build business software with AI. Build apps, forms, websites and portals that connect to the tools you already use. Go to zite.com/twist to get started.

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland