While mergers like Netflix/Warner Bros. raise antitrust concerns, the low cost of creating and distributing content ensures a competitive landscape at the content layer. This mitigates monopoly risks even if distribution platforms consolidate.
Even though anyone can create media, legacy brands like The New York Times retain immense power. Their established brands are perceived by the public as more authoritative and trustworthy, giving them a 'monopoly on truth' that new creators lack.
Satirical examples of using prediction markets to replace DoorDash or Tinder reveal a core flaw in their utopian vision. Applying these financial models to everyday life can create bizarre and perverse incentives, highlighting the absurdity of a one-size-fits-all solution.
Justin Bieber's complaint about Apple's dictation button—sharing space with the send button—is a powerful example of poor UX. Overloading a single UI element with multiple functions leads to frequent, frustrating errors, even in market-leading products.
The argument that a Netflix/Warner Bros. merger is 'pro-consumer' due to a lower initial bundle price is short-sighted. The resulting consolidation would grant the new entity immense long-term pricing power, likely leading to significantly higher prices in the future.
While other AI companies are hesitant, Google is expected to lead LLM ad integration. As a company built on ads, it is culturally positioned to implement monetization quickly and effectively, unlike competitors that may view ads as a necessary evil rather than a core competency.