To start the year off right, Alex Michael sits down with Scott Belsky, founder of Behance, seed investor, and now partner at A24 and founder of A24 Labs, to walk through his predictions for 2026. Scott, who previously led product strategy and design at Adobe, has spent his career at the intersection of creative work and emerging technology.

In the episode, the pair explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping creativity, media, and the broader technology landscape, including shifts in hardware and operating systems, the changing value of data, the rise of AI‑native talent, and how “proof of craft” is becoming increasingly important in a world of abundant content. He also revisits his 2025 predictions and how the creative and media industries are standing up to rapid technological change.

Whether you follow technology or entertainment, this conversation offers a grounded look at the forces shaping the next chapter of creativity and innovation.

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DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for information purposes only. The opinions and views expressed in this material are solely the participant’s personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of LionTree or its affiliates. This material should not be copied, distributed, published, or reproduced, in whole or in part, or disclosed by any recipient to any other person without the express written consent of LionTree. The information contained in this material does not constitute a recommendation, offer or solicitation from any LionTree entity to the recipient with respect to the purchase or sale of any security, and LionTree is not providing any financial, economic, legal, investment, accounting, or tax advice through this material or to its recipient. Neither LionTree nor any of its affiliates makes any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy or completeness of the statements or any information contained in this material and any liability therefore (including in respect of direct, indirect, or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever) is expressly disclaimed. LionTree does not undertake any obligation whatsoever to provide any form of update, amendment, change or correction to any of the information, statements, comments, views, or opinions set forth in this material. Third-party content may be published on LionTree pages in response to this material. Such content is not reviewed by LionTree before it is displayed and LionTree cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of such content. The opinions and views expressed by the authors of such third-party content are solely the author’s personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of LionTree or its affiliates. LionTree reserves the right to remove, alter or edit any third-party content published on LionTree pages. LionTree expressly disclaims any liability (including in respect of direct, indirect, or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever) arising out of, or in connection with, the access or use of any social media platform or LionTree page. Use of a social media platform or LionTree page is at your own risk. Securities of any investment funds managed by LionTree are privately offered to selected investors only by means of each such fund’s governing documents and related subscription materials. Listeners and viewers should not assume that companies identified in this audio and/or video are representative of all investments made or recommended by LionTree on behalf of each firm’s clients. An investment with LionTree is speculative and involves significant risks including the potential loss of all or a substantial portion of invested capital and the lack of liquidity of an investment. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

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LionTree’s James Lindsay visits the massive studio complex of Merwas in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (the world’s largest music studio, according to Guinness) to converse with Danny Townsend, CEO of SURJ Sports Investment. Danny, who began his career playing football (a/k/a soccer) for Australia’s Sydney United Team, had a 26 year-long career on the business side of sport prior to his 2023 appointment as CEO of SURJ. The pair hone in on Danny’s broad remit, underlining the “dual mandate” of successfully deploying Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) in the sports arena, as well as bringing about genuine social change by expanding youth sport participation and maximizing opportunities for female athletes such as Saudi MMA champion, Hattan Alsaif.

This podcast is for information purposes only. The opinions and views expressed in this material are solely the participant’s personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of LionTree or its affiliates. This material should not be copied, distributed, published, or reproduced, in whole or in part, or disclosed by any recipient to any other person without the express written consent of LionTree. The information contained in this material does not constitute a recommendation, offer or solicitation from any LionTree entity to the recipient with respect to the purchase or sale of any security, and LionTree is not providing any financial, economic, legal, investment, accounting, or tax advice through this material or to its recipient. Neither LionTree nor any of its affiliates makes any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy or completeness of the statements or any information contained in this material and any liability therefore (including in respect of direct, indirect, or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever) is expressly disclaimed. LionTree does not undertake any obligation whatsoever to provide any form of update, amendment, change or correction to any of the information, statements, comments, views, or opinions set forth in this material.

Third-party content may be published on LionTree pages in response to this material. Such content is not reviewed by LionTree before it is displayed and LionTree cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of such content. The opinions and views expressed by the authors of such third-party content are solely the author’s personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of LionTree or its affiliates. LionTree reserves the right to remove, alter or edit any third-party content published on LionTree pages. LionTree expressly disclaims any liability (including in respect of direct, indirect, or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever) arising out of, or in connection with, the access or use of any social media platform or LionTree page. Use of a social media platform or LionTree page is at your own risk.

Securities of any investment funds managed by LionTree are privately offered to selected investors only by means of each such fund’s governing documents and related subscription materials. Listeners and viewers should not assume that companies identified in this audio and/or video are representative of all investments made or recommended by LionTree on behalf of each firm’s clients. An investment with LionTree is speculative and involves significant risks including the potential loss of all or a substantial portion of invested capital and the lack of liquidity of an investment. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

For further information, please see: https://liontree.com/disclaimer/. If you have questions, please go to https://liontree.com/ and select “Contact.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

LionTree’s Alex Michael chats with journalist Tara Palmeri, who, after reporting for everyone from the New York Post, CNN, Politico, Puck and ABC News, has struck out on her own with her substack, “The Red Letter,” as well as “The Tara Palmeri Show” on YouTube. The pair explores the entrepreneurial landscape for journalists, and how the confluence of media influencers and hard news is shifting the center of power in the news industry.

This podcast is for information purposes only. The opinions and views expressed in this material are solely the participant’s personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of LionTree or its affiliates. This material should not be copied, distributed, published, or reproduced, in whole or in part, or disclosed by any recipient to any other person without the express written consent of LionTree. The information contained in this material does not constitute a recommendation, offer or solicitation from any LionTree entity to the recipient with respect to the purchase or sale of any security, and LionTree is not providing any financial, economic, legal, investment, accounting, or tax advice through this material or to its recipient. Neither LionTree nor any of its affiliates makes any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy or completeness of the statements or any information contained in this material and any liability therefore (including in respect of direct, indirect, or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever) is expressly disclaimed. LionTree does not undertake any obligation whatsoever to provide any form of update, amendment, change or correction to any of the information, statements, comments, views, or opinions set forth in this material.

Third-party content may be published on LionTree pages in response to this material. Such content is not reviewed by LionTree before it is displayed and LionTree cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of such content. The opinions and views expressed by the authors of such third-party content are solely the author’s personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of LionTree or its affiliates. LionTree reserves the right to remove, alter or edit any third-party content published on LionTree pages. LionTree expressly disclaims any liability (including in respect of direct, indirect, or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever) arising out of, or in connection with, the access or use of any social media platform or LionTree page. Use of a social media platform or LionTree page is at your own risk.

Securities of any investment funds managed by LionTree are privately offered to selected investors only by means of each such fund’s governing documents and related subscription materials. Listeners and viewers should not assume that companies identified in this audio and/or video are representative of all investments made or recommended by LionTree on behalf of each firm’s clients. An investment with LionTree is speculative and involves significant risks including the potential loss of all or a substantial portion of invested capital and the lack of liquidity of an investment. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

For further information, please see: https://liontree.com/disclaimer/. If you have questions, please go to https://liontree.com/ and select “Contact.”

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.