OpenAI has announced the acquisition of “TBPN,” a daily live tech talk show hosted by entrepreneurs John Coogan and Jordi Hays. The deal marks OpenAI’s first acquisition of a media company. Financial terms were not disclosed. “TBPN” will operate within OpenAI’s strategy organization, reporting to Chief Political and Policy Officer Chris Lehane.
“TBPN,” short for “Technology Business Programming Network,” launched in 2025 and airs weekdays on YouTube, X, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, LinkedIn, Substack, and Instagram. The show runs three hours daily and covers technology, business, AI, and defense, featuring interviews with prominent tech leaders, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
Despite launching last year, “TBPN” generated approximately $5 million in advertising revenue in 2025 and is on track to exceed $30 million in 2026, according to the Wall Street Journal. The show has secured sponsorships from fintech companies Ramp and Plaid, Google’s Gemini, and has a partnership with the New York Stock Exchange. “TBPN” currently counts 58,000 subscribers on YouTube.
Editorial Independence Preserved
OpenAI head of AGI Deployment Fidji Simo, who announced the deal internally, framed the acquisition as a response to the company’s unique communications demands. “The standard communications playbook just doesn’t apply to us,” Simo wrote. “We’re driving a really big technological shift.”
Simo stated that “TBPN” will retain full editorial independence, continuing to select its own guests and make its own programming decisions. “That’s foundational to their credibility, and it’s something we’re explicitly protecting as part of this agreement,” she wrote.
Altman echoed that position in a post on X. “‘TBPN’ is my favorite tech show. We want them to keep that going and for them to do what they do so well,” he wrote. “I don’t expect them to go any easier on us, I’m sure I’ll do my part to help enable that with occasional stupid decisions.”
‘TBPN’s’ Strategic Rationale
Beyond programming, OpenAI intends to draw on “TBPN’s” marketing and communications expertise to support broader company initiatives. Simo said the team’s instincts will help OpenAI “bring AI to the world in a way that helps people understand the full impact of this technology on their daily lives.”
“TBPN” co-founder Jordi Hays described the acquisition as an opportunity to move beyond commentary. “While we’ve been critical of the industry at times, after getting to know Sam and the OpenAI team, what stood out most was their openness to feedback and commitment to getting this right,” Hays said. “Moving from commentary to real impact in how this technology is distributed and understood globally is incredibly important to us.”
Nii A. Ahene is the founder and managing director of Net Influencer, a website dedicated to offering insights into the influencer marketing industry. Together with its newsletter, Influencer Weekly, Net Influencer provides news, commentary, and analysis of the events shaping the creator and influencer marketing space. Through interviews with startups, influencers, brands, and platforms, Nii and his team explore how influencer marketing is being effectively used to benefit businesses and personal brands alike.
OpenAI has announced the acquisition of “TBPN,” a daily live tech talk show hosted by entrepreneurs John Coogan and Jordi Hays. The deal marks OpenAI’s first acquisition of a media company. Financial terms were not disclosed. “TBPN” will operate within OpenAI’s strategy organization, reporting to Chief Political and Policy Officer Chris Lehane.
“TBPN,” short for “Technology Business Programming Network,” launched in 2025 and airs weekdays on YouTube, X, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, LinkedIn, Substack, and Instagram. The show runs three hours daily and covers technology, business, AI, and defense, featuring interviews with prominent tech leaders, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
Despite launching last year, “TBPN” generated approximately $5 million in advertising revenue in 2025 and is on track to exceed $30 million in 2026, according to the Wall Street Journal. The show has secured sponsorships from fintech companies Ramp and Plaid, Google’s Gemini, and has a partnership with the New York Stock Exchange. “TBPN” currently counts 58,000 subscribers on YouTube.
Editorial Independence Preserved
OpenAI head of AGI Deployment Fidji Simo, who announced the deal internally, framed the acquisition as a response to the company’s unique communications demands. “The standard communications playbook just doesn’t apply to us,” Simo wrote. “We’re driving a really big technological shift.”
Simo stated that “TBPN” will retain full editorial independence, continuing to select its own guests and make its own programming decisions. “That’s foundational to their credibility, and it’s something we’re explicitly protecting as part of this agreement,” she wrote.
Altman echoed that position in a post on X. “‘TBPN’ is my favorite tech show. We want them to keep that going and for them to do what they do so well,” he wrote. “I don’t expect them to go any easier on us, I’m sure I’ll do my part to help enable that with occasional stupid decisions.”
‘TBPN’s’ Strategic Rationale
Beyond programming, OpenAI intends to draw on “TBPN’s” marketing and communications expertise to support broader company initiatives. Simo said the team’s instincts will help OpenAI “bring AI to the world in a way that helps people understand the full impact of this technology on their daily lives.”
“TBPN” co-founder Jordi Hays described the acquisition as an opportunity to move beyond commentary. “While we’ve been critical of the industry at times, after getting to know Sam and the OpenAI team, what stood out most was their openness to feedback and commitment to getting this right,” Hays said. “Moving from commentary to real impact in how this technology is distributed and understood globally is incredibly important to us.”