OpenAI has acquired Technology Business Programming Network (TBPN), a fast-rising tech talk show known for its deep access to Silicon Valley leaders and real-time industry commentary.
Founded in 2024 by entrepreneurs John Coogan and Jordi Hays, TBPN has quickly built a loyal following through its three-hour daily livestream format, often compared to an “ESPN-style” broadcast for technology and business. The show has featured high-profile guests including Sam Altman, Mark Zuckerberg and Satya Nadella, positioning itself as a key hub for industry conversations.
While financial details of the deal have not been disclosed, TBPN is reportedly a profitable and rapidly growing media business, generating around $5 million in advertising revenue and projected to reach as much as $30 million in 2026. As part of the acquisition, OpenAI is expected to wind down TBPN’s advertising operations, integrating the platform more closely into its broader communications strategy.
The acquisition marks OpenAI’s first major move into media, underscoring its intent to not only build AI tools but also influence how those tools and the broader AI ecosystem are understood by the public.
In an internal note, OpenAI leadership emphasised that traditional corporate communication models are insufficient for a company operating at the forefront of a transformative technology shift. Instead, platforms like TBPN offer a more dynamic, real-time space for dialogue between builders, businesses and users.
TBPN will now operate under OpenAI’s strategy and global affairs function, but the company has stressed that editorial independence will remain intact. The show will continue to decide its own programming, guests and tone, an approach aimed at preserving its credibility within the tech community.
Jordi Hays, co-founder and co-host of TBPN said, “Over the past year, we’ve had a front-row seat not just to OpenAI, but to the entire ecosystem, covering the daily news, announcements, and launches in real time. 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. Moving from commentary to real impact in how this technology is distributed and understood globally is incredibly important to us.”
