Celebrating 52 Weeks of Insight: Reflections and Future Plans

In this special episode of the Band of Insiders podcast, host Funs Jacobs marks the one-year milestone of his weekly newsletter with Episode 52, reflecting on the journey, learnings, and impact of consistent writing. He explores the challenges of finding new topics weekly, the frustration with social algorithms, and the spectrum of feedback. Funs also discusses how writing has changed his perspective on news, shares his plans to take a break in 2025, and hints at new directions for 2026. He invites listeners to a community meetup in Amsterdam and thanks all subscribers for their support.

00:00 Welcome and Introduction

01:15 Reflecting on One Year of Writing

03:43 The Challenges of Weekly Writing

04:46 Personal Growth and Learnings

05:38 The Loneliness of Content Creation

06:40 Impact on Perspective and Content Evolution

08:23 The Newsletter's Central Role in Life

09:16 Accountability and Future Plans

11:31 Thank You and Signing Off

About Band of Insiders

Band of Insiders is a future forward platform and community for curious marketers, brand leaders, and founders who want to stay ahead of the curve. We explore the cultural and technological shifts shaping business—from AI to blockchain, gaming to Gen Z behavior—and what they really mean for you.

Hosted by Funs Jacobs: Dutch innovation strategist with 10+ years of experience in advertising, music, sports, and tech. Now based in Bali, Funs helps brands around the world spot what’s next and act on it, fast.

Subscribe to the newsletter for weekly deep dives and rapid signals: www.funsjacobs.com

Join the WhatsApp community for real-time drops and discussion.

Connect on LinkedIn: ⁠www.linkedin.com/in/funsj⁠

Connect on Instagram: @funs.eth or @band.of.insiders

Email: funs@hey.com

The Rise of Nvidia: From Gaming Giant to AI Powerhouse

In this episode of the Band of Insiders podcast, host Funs Jacobs dives into the incredible journey of Nvidia, a company that has evolved from a gaming chip manufacturer to a critical player in the AI industry. The discussion covers Nvidia's history, the challenges it faced, and how it managed to dominate multiple computing sectors, including gaming, cryptocurrency, and artificial intelligence. Special focus is given to Nvidia's founder, Jensen Huang, and his vision for parallel computing. The episode also touches on the geopolitical implications of the technology race, the dependencies on key infrastructure players like TSMC and ASML, and the future outlook of AI computing. This comprehensive deep dive highlights the strategic moves and innovative culture that have made Nvidia indispensable in today's digital economy.

00:00 Introduction to the Band of Insiders Podcast

00:34 Unveiling the Focus: Nvidia's Impact on AI

02:32 The Humble Beginnings of Nvidia

06:37 Nvidia's Early Struggles and Breakthroughs

09:09 Nvidia's Role in the Cryptocurrency Boom

11:39 Nvidia's Pivotal Role in AI Development

15:01 The Triangle of AI Compute Infrastructure

20:24 The Future of Compute and Energy

21:21 Closing Thoughts and Farewell

About Band of Insiders

Band of Insiders is a future forward platform and community for curious marketers, brand leaders, and founders who want to stay ahead of the curve. We explore the cultural and technological shifts shaping business—from AI to blockchain, gaming to Gen Z behavior—and what they really mean for you.

Hosted by Funs Jacobs: Dutch innovation strategist with 10+ years of experience in advertising, music, sports, and tech. Now based in Bali, Funs helps brands around the world spot what’s next and act on it, fast.

Subscribe to the newsletter for weekly deep dives and rapid signals: www.funsjacobs.com

Join the WhatsApp community for real-time drops and discussion.

Connect on LinkedIn: ⁠www.linkedin.com/in/funsj⁠

Connect on Instagram: @funs.eth or @band.of.insiders

Email: funs@hey.com

The Future of Online Payments: How x402 Will Revolutionize the Digital Economy

In this episode of the Band of Insiders podcast, Funs Jacobs discusses the emergence of the x402 payment protocol and its potential to revolutionize the internet. Jacobs explores how the historical absence of a native payment system in the web, termed 'the original sin of the internet,' led to the dominance of ad-based models and subscription services. With x402, agents can now make microtransactions directly within HTTP requests, enabling new business models and more honest economic exchanges. Jacobs outlines how this innovation will impact AI agents, digital services, and consumer behavior, emphasizing the need for businesses to adapt to this new paradigm. The episode concludes with a call to action for companies to start integrating per-use-value models and leveraging x402 to shape the future of the internet.

00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview

01:09 The Rise of AI Agents and Predictions

02:10 The Original Sin of the Internet

05:12 The Return of HTTP 402 and x402 Protocol

08:37 How x402 Transforms AI Agent Capabilities

12:44 Rethinking Business Models in an x402 World

15:09 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

About Band of Insiders

Band of Insiders is a future forward platform and community for curious marketers, brand leaders, and founders who want to stay ahead of the curve. We explore the cultural and technological shifts shaping business—from AI to blockchain, gaming to Gen Z behavior—and what they really mean for you.

Hosted by Funs Jacobs: Dutch innovation strategist with 10+ years of experience in advertising, music, sports, and tech. Now based in Bali, Funs helps brands around the world spot what’s next and act on it, fast.

Subscribe to the newsletter for weekly deep dives and rapid signals: www.funsjacobs.com

Join the WhatsApp community for real-time drops and discussion.

Connect on LinkedIn: ⁠www.linkedin.com/in/funsj⁠

Connect on Instagram: @funs.eth or @band.of.insiders

Email: funs@hey.com