The All-In Podcast — featuring Chamath Palihapitiya, Jason Calacanis, David Sacks, and David Friedberg — made their highly anticipated debut at the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The move marked a watershed moment where Silicon Valley's most influential tech podcast secured a seat at the table with global leaders, CEOs, and policymakers.
Why Davos 2026 Was Different
For years, the All-In hosts have critiqued the World Economic Forum from afar, calling it everything from "elite cosplay" to "where bad policy ideas get laundered." So when the WEF extended a formal invitation for 2026, the tech world watched closely to see if the besties would show up — and if so, what they'd do.
Spoiler: They showed up. And they didn't hold back.
Key Quote from Chamath:
"We're not here to network. We're here to ask the questions that nobody else will ask. If you're uncomfortable, we're doing our job."
The All-In Davos Setup
The All-In team arrived with full production equipment, transforming a Davos conference room into a makeshift podcast studio. Over four days, they recorded:
- 3 live episodes with audiences of 500+ attendees each
- 15 one-on-one interviews with world leaders and CEOs
- 2 exclusive dinners (50 people each) with off-the-record conversations
- Daily "emergency pod" clips reacting to breaking news from the forum
The production quality matched their signature style: no-nonsense discussions, rapid-fire debates, and zero tolerance for corporate speak or political platitudes.
Notable Interviews and Moments
Sam Altman (OpenAI CEO)
Topic: AGI timeline, AI safety, and the Davos AI Accord
Memorable exchange:
Chamath: "You're asking governments to regulate you. Why?"
Altman: "Because if we get this wrong, there's no second chance. I'd rather have imperfect regulation than no regulation and existential risk."
Larry Fink (BlackRock CEO)
Topic: ESG investing, climate finance, and shareholder capitalism
David Sacks challenged Fink on BlackRock's climate commitments while simultaneously investing in fossil fuels. Fink defended the approach as "pragmatic transition finance," leading to a tense but respectful debate.
Emmanuel Macron (French President)
Topic: European tech policy, AI regulation, and transatlantic relations
In a 45-minute interview conducted partially in English and French, Macron made the case for European "digital sovereignty." Jason Calacanis pushed back on EU regulations potentially stifling innovation, while Friedberg asked about France's nuclear energy strategy for powering AI data centers.
Jensen Huang (NVIDIA CEO)
Topic: Compute democratization, AI chip supply chains, and geopolitics
Huang revealed NVIDIA's plans to distribute 10,000 H100 GPUs to universities in developing nations as part of the "AI for All" initiative announced at Davos. Chamath called it "the most important thing announced at this entire forum."
Klaus Schwab (WEF Founder)
Topic: The future of the WEF, Great Reset criticisms, and stakeholder capitalism
This was the most controversial interview. The hosts pressed Schwab on accusations of elitism, lack of accountability, and whether Davos commitments ever materialize into real change. Schwab defended the forum as a "necessary convening power" but acknowledged room for improvement in transparency and follow-through.
The Private Dinners
Perhaps more important than the public interviews were the two private dinners hosted by the All-In crew:
"Tech & Policy" Dinner (Night 1)
Attendees included Sam Altman, Demis Hassabis (Google DeepMind), Dario Amodei (Anthropic), several senators, and EU commissioners. The conversation centered on coordinating AI safety research across borders and whether open-source AI models should face restrictions.
According to sources, the dinner resulted in a tentative agreement to create an "International AI Safety Board" modeled after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
"Builders & Capital" Dinner (Night 3)
This dinner brought together venture capitalists, sovereign wealth fund managers, and founders. Topics included climate tech investment opportunities, whether crypto is "dead" or "just getting started," and the future of space commercialization.
Multiple attendees reported that several billion-dollar deals were "soft-circled" at this dinner, though details remain confidential.
The "Bestie" Dynamics on Display
The All-In Podcast's appeal comes from the hosts' authentic disagreements and diverse perspectives. Davos amplified these dynamics:
🔴 Chamath Palihapitiya
Position: Skeptical of government regulation; pro-innovation at all costs
Hot take: Called the Davos AI Accord "regulatory theater" that will "accomplish nothing"
🔵 Jason Calacanis
Position: Pro-free market but willing to consider "light touch" regulation
Hot take: Praised the $500B climate fund as "actually putting money where your mouth is"
🔴 David Sacks
Position: Most libertarian; highly critical of WEF's stakeholder capitalism push
Hot take: Warned that AI regulation will be "captured by incumbents to prevent competition"
🟢 David Friedberg
Position: Most focused on climate and food systems; pragmatic on regulation
Hot take: Called for "Manhattan Project for climate adaptation" regardless of politics
Reaction and Impact
The All-In Podcast's Davos coverage generated significant buzz:
- 40+ million combined views across YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts
- #1 news podcast globally during the Davos week
- 1,200+ media mentions citing All-In interviews as primary sources
- Multiple trending topics on X (Twitter) from clip highlights
Traditional media outlets both praised and criticized the podcast's approach. The Wall Street Journal called it "refreshing directness in a forum known for diplomatic doublespeak," while The Guardian described it as "tech bro libertarianism masquerading as journalism."
Controversies
The All-In presence at Davos wasn't without criticism:
Main Criticisms:
- Hypocrisy claims: Criticizing elite gatherings while attending as VIPs
- Access journalism concerns: Did access to world leaders soften their critiques?
- Private jet usage: The hosts flew private, despite climate discussions
- Echo chamber worries: Mostly interviewing tech-friendly voices
- Gender imbalance: Zero female guests interviewed during Davos coverage
Jason Calacanis addressed some critiques on the final episode: "We're not journalists. We're operators asking questions from an operator's perspective. If you want different questions, start your own podcast."
What This Means for Media
The All-In Podcast's Davos trip represents a broader shift in media and influence:
- Podcasts are now primary sources - World leaders now seek podcast appearances to reach key demographics
- Silicon Valley has a megaphone - Tech operators can shape policy narratives without going through traditional media
- Long-form is winning - 45-minute interviews provide more depth than 3-minute TV segments
- Trust is fragmenting - Audiences increasingly prefer opinionated hosts over "objective" journalists
- Access is democratizing - You don't need a major network to interview world leaders anymore
Looking Ahead: Davos 2027?
When asked if they'll return to Davos 2027, the hosts gave mixed signals:
- Chamath: "Probably not. We got what we needed. It's not as interesting the second time."
- Calacanis: "I'd go back. There's value in being in the room where decisions are made."
- Sacks: "Only if we can ask harder questions. Otherwise it becomes access journalism."
- Friedberg: "I think we should go to different global forums. G20, COP, Bilderberg next?"
Bottom Line:
Whether you love or hate the All-In Podcast, their Davos appearance proved that independent media can now compete with — and often outperform — traditional outlets for access, audience, and influence. The gatekeepers are gone. The megaphone is available to anyone who can build an audience.