This story at a glance…

1. Mark Zuckerberg drew 6,000 fans to a live podcast at San Francisco's Chase Center, discussing AI, the metaverse, and Meta's evolution.

2. The event, featuring cameos from other tech titans, felt more like a tech party than a business talk.

3. Podcasts have become the new stage for leaders to control their message.

4. Zuckerberg's appearance underscored the growing power of podcasts to draw massive audiences and shape conversations in tech.

Zuckerberg Talks Live on “Acquired” Podcast

Move over, rock stars and basketball legends—there’s a new crowd-puller in town, and he's packing stadiums not with ball skills or killer vocals, but with insights on artificial intelligence, the metaverse, and corporate strategies. On Tuesday night, more than 6,000 eager tech enthusiasts streamed into San Francisco’s Chase Center, an arena usually reserved for the Golden State Warriors and pop sensations. Their mission? To hear Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s honcho, in conversation for the hit podcast “Acquired.”

Welcome to the New Media Playground
Wearing his signature curly hair and a custom-made graphic tee, Zuckerberg took to the stage like a veteran talk show host—cool, collected, and ready to entertain. It was a spectacle reminiscent of a modern-day tech revival meeting. This wasn’t your average podcast taping; this was Silicon Valley's hottest ticket, a chance to catch one of the world’s most influential tech moguls live and unfiltered.

Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal, the co-creators of “Acquired,” a podcast that has quickly become the must-listen show for business buffs, hosted the 90-minute discussion. “This is a celebration of technology,” declared Rosenthal as the crowd settled into their seats, buzzing with anticipation. 

A Podcast Party Like No Other
You might think it’s odd that a podcast could draw such a crowd. Well, in recent years, top tech executives have increasingly chosen to sidestep traditional media, opting instead for the freedom of podcasts and YouTube streams. Why? Because these platforms allow them to spin their own stories, share their thoughts, and even—on occasion—crack a joke or two. For many of these executives, it feels less like an interrogation and more like a friendly fireside chat. 

And Zuckerberg was not alone in the digital limelight. Tech bigwigs like Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan Chase, Daniel Ek of Spotify, and Jensen Huang of Nvidia all made guest appearances, proving that the “Acquired” stage was no ordinary soapbox. With a live band playing musical interludes, the event felt more like a concert than a corporate chat.

From Hobby to Hit: The Rise of "Acquired"
“Acquired,” which began as a side hustle for Gilbert and Rosenthal, has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 2015. The podcast initially focused on dissecting company acquisitions, but it soon expanded its scope, taking deep dives into the histories of major corporations like Microsoft and LVMH. Episodes can stretch from two to four hours, often backed by hundreds of hours of research. What started as a passion project grew exponentially during the pandemic lockdowns, turning into a podcast juggernaut with an audience of over 800,000 listeners.

Zuckerberg’s Victory Lap
For Mark Zuckerberg, this podcast taping was something of a victory lap. Reflecting on Meta's journey over the past 20 years, he likened it to a Greek tragedy, quoting Aeschylus for dramatic effect. He talked about the company's challenges, from shifting from desktop to mobile and the rise of artificial intelligence to the ups and downs of navigating the ever-changing digital landscape. Zuckerberg seemed to relish the chance to share his perspective directly with an audience eager to hear him out.

Reflection 
God works through our challenges to shape us into who we’re meant to be, and He often operates over the long term, working through our lives with patience and purpose. In Proverbs 3:5-6, we're reminded to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” May we remember to trust God’s process, even when the road seems long and uncertain.