Amazon is betting on agents to win the AI race

Decoder with Nilay Patel

Vox Media Podcast Network

Technology, Business

4.3 • 3.2K Ratings

🗓️ 21 August 2025

⏱️ 55 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This is Alex Heath, your Thursday episode guest host and deputy editor at The Verge. One of the biggest topics in AI these days is agents — the idea that AI is going to move from chatbots to reliably completing tasks for us in the real world. But the problem with agents is that they really aren’t all that reliable right now. There’s a lot of work happening in the AI industry to try and fix that, and that brings me to my guest today: David Luan, the head of Amazon’s AGI research lab, a cofounder of Adept, and a former VP of engineering at OpenAI. David and I discussed the release of GPT-5, what Amazon wants with agents, and where he thinks the AI race is headed next. Read the full transcript on The Verge. Links: The Platonic Representation Hypothesis | Phillip Isola Amazon plays catch-up with new Nova models to generate voices, video | Verge Amazon’s new AI agent is designed to do your shopping | Verge Microsoft is racing to build an AI ‘agent factory’ | Verge OpenAI’s new ChatGPT Agent can control an entire computer | Verge 24 hours with Alexa Plus: we cooked, we chatted, and it kinda lied to me | Verge Why AI researchers are getting paid like NBA All-Stars | Decoder OpenAI’s Windsurf deal is off — and Windsurf’s CEO is going to Google | Verge This is Big Tech’s playbook for swallowing the AI industry | Command Line Amazon hires founders away from AI startup Adept | TechCrunch Credits: Decoder is a production of The Verge and part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Our producers are Kate Cox and Nick Statt. Our editor is Ursa Wright. The Decoder music is by Breakmaster Cylinder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Support for this show comes from OnePassword. If you're an IT or security pro, managing devices,
0:08.3	identities, and applications can feel overwhelming and risky. Trellica by OnePassword helps
0:14.8	conquer SaaS sprawl and Shadow IT by discovering every app your team uses, managed or not.
0:21.4	Take the first step to better security for your team.
0:24.7	Learn more at onepassword.com slash podcast offer.
0:29.4	That's onepassword.com slash podcast offer, all lowercase.
0:37.9	Introducing the new Dell AI PC powered by the Intel Core Ultra processor.
0:43.0	It helps do your busy work for you so you can fast forward through enhancing security,
0:48.4	simplifying IT management, automating workflows,
0:51.4	synthesizing data, improving user experience or responding to James's
0:54.9	long emails.
0:57.4	Ooh.
0:59.4	Leaving all the time in the world for the things you actually want to do.
1:02.6	No offence, James.
1:03.8	Get a new Dell AIPC at Dell.com.uk slash AIPC.
1:09.3	Dell.
1:10.0	How those ahead, stay ahead.
1:15.4	Here is a big existential question for every media company today.
1:20.6	Do they fight the AI tech overlords or do they just take their money?
1:25.3	So far, most of them are taking the money, but a few are fighting.
1:29.5	One of them is Zip Davis.
1:31.9	This is Peter Kafka, the host of channels.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Vox Media Podcast Network, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Vox Media Podcast Network and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.