In this edition of The Random Show, I reunite with Kevin in L.A. to talk AI super assistants that run your life over text message, agentic shopping, beta-alanine for climbing endurance, walnuts and sperm quality, dream engineering and anesthesia dreams, boner pills, man makeup, The Dark Wizard, my upcoming book, a Jean-Claude Van Damme splits bet, and much more.
Please enjoy!
P.S. Video is coming soon.
This episode is brought to you by:
- Timeline Mitopure, a highly pure form of Urolithin A that supports mitochondrial health and cellular renewal: Timeline.com/Tim
- Shopify global commerce platform, providing tools to start, grow, market, and manage a retail business: Shopify.com/Tim
- Fin powerful AI Agent for all your customer service: Fin.Ai/Tim
- Gusto simple and easy payroll, HR, and benefits platform used by 400,000+ businesses: Gusto.com/Tim
The Random Show — AI Super Assistants, Boner Pills, Dream Engineering, Wizards, Supplements, Books, and More
Additional podcast platforms
Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Audible, or on your favorite podcast platform.
Transcripts
Show Notes
Connect with Kevin Rose:
Website | Newsletter | Digg | Diggnation Podcast | The Kevin Rose Show | Instagram | X | Threads | Bluesky
Connect with Tim Ferriss:
Website | 5-Bullet Friday | Saisei Foundation | Instagram | X
Relevant Tim Ferriss Show Episodes
- Dr. Matthew Walker, All Things Sleep — How to Improve Sleep, How Sleep Ties Into Alzheimer’s Disease and Weight Gain, and How Medications (Ambien, Trazodone, etc.), Caffeine, THC/CBD, Psychedelics, Exercise, Smart Drugs, Fasting, and More Affect Sleep | The Tim Ferriss Show #650
- Henry Shukman — Zen, Tools for Awakening, Ayahuasca vs. Meditation, Intro to Koans, and Using Wounds as the Doorway | The Tim Ferriss Show #531
- James Clear, Atomic Habits — Simple Strategies for Building (and Breaking) Habits, Questions for Personal Mastery and Growth, Tactics for Writing and Launching a Mega-Bestseller, Finding Leverage, and More | The Tim Ferriss Show #648
- Michael Pollan — This Is Your Mind on Plants | The Tim Ferriss Show #520
- The Random Show, Couch Edition! — Supplements, Hummingbirds, Cock Rings, Optimizing Mitochondria, Breathing and Balance Training, Cool Grip-Strength Tools, and More | The Tim Ferriss Show #858
- The Random Show — Tim and Kevin Talk Retreats, Mortality, AI Predictions, Supplements, Rock Climbing at (Almost) 50, and Not Waiting for “Someday” | The Tim Ferriss Show #875
- UFC Hall of Famer Bas Rutten on Fundamentals of Real Self-Defense, Savage Fight Stories, How He’s Handled Bullies, Breathing Techniques for Increasing Stamina and Endurance, The Art of Personal Reinvention, and Cultivating the Practice of Prayer | The Tim Ferriss Show #621
Books & Recommended Reading
Films & TV
People
AI Agents & Tech
Supplements, Food, Drinks, & Performance
Medications
Sleep, Dreams, & Brain Stimulation
Research
- Beta-Alanine Supplementation and Sport Climbing Performance | Sas-Nowosielski et al., International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2021)
- Vitamin C–Enriched Gelatin Supplementation Before Intermittent Activity Augments Collagen Synthesis | Shaw et al., The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2017)
- Walnuts Improve Semen Quality in Men Consuming a Western-Style Diet: Randomized Control Dietary Intervention Trial | Robbins et al., Biology of Reproduction (2012)
- Nut Consumption and Fertility: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis | Cardoso et al., Advances in Nutrition (2024)
- Real-Time Dialogue Between Experimenters and Dreamers During REM Sleep | Konkoly et al., Current Biology (2021)
- Reduction in Trauma-Related Symptoms After Anesthetic-Induced Intra-operative Dreaming | Hack et al., American Journal of Psychiatry (2024)
- Feasibility of a Multicomponent Protocol to Promote Dreaming During Surgical Anesthesia | Sikka et al., Anesthesiology (2026)
- Lucid Dreaming Verified by Volitional Communication During REM Sleep | LaBerge et al., Perceptual and Motor Skills (1981)
- Suvorexant Acutely Decreases Tau Phosphorylation and A? in the Human CNS | Lucey et al., Annals of Neurology (2023)
- Contact Lens Bioelectronic Platform for Non-invasive Depression Treatment with Machine-Learning-Based Evaluation | Park et al., Cell Reports Physical Science (2026)
Training, Skin, & Health
Companies & Organizations
Timestamps
- [00:00:00] Start.
- [00:00:52] AI super assistants: Instinct, Muse, Grok Bot, and ChatGPT dots.
- [00:09:04] How AI agents could reshape shopping and video editing.
- [00:20:02] Beta-alanine for climbing endurance.
- [00:26:42] Psyllium, contaminants, and creatine without stomach trouble.
- [00:30:53] Walnuts, sperm quality, and micronutrients.
- [00:40:34] A2 protein shakes and practical training nutrition.
- [00:46:39] Dream engineering, lucid dreaming, and brain stimulation.
- [00:53:25] Anesthesia dreams and trauma recovery.
- [00:59:38] DORA sleep medications and Alzheimer’s research.
- [01:01:43] Plum Flower Curing Pills and Airofit breathing training.
- [01:05:54] Brain-stimulating contact lenses and the mysteries of anesthesia.
- [01:10:25] Boner pills, back pain, and the lure of enhancement.
- [01:13:13] AI writing tools and the value of lived experience.
- [01:17:10] “Personal Renewal”: John Gardner and the story of Cervantes.
- [01:19:03] Man makeup, rosacea, and Kevin’s skincare routine.
- [01:22:35] The Dark Wizard and the extraordinary life of Dean Potter.
- [01:25:07] Studs Terkel’s Hard Times, Working, and the art of oral history.
- [01:27:52] Exploring romantasy: Fourth Wing and A Court of Thorns and Roses.
- [01:30:59] What Fifty Shades of Grey teaches about clear positioning.
- [01:35:02] Tim’s next book: saying no in a world of noise.
- [01:37:42] Authors Equity, publishing timelines, and the case for print.
- [01:43:29] “Please Use AI,” Vonnegut’s envelope, and preserving human connection.
- [01:45:12] Will AI create more leisure—or just more work?
- [01:47:53] The $500 Jean-Claude Van Damme splits bet.
Want to hear the last time Kevin and I got together for a Random Show? Listen to this tequila-fueled edition, in which Kevin and I discussed losing Om Malik, five days of silence and the koan “Mu,” rock climbing after 40, finger-strength training, A2 protein and Maui Nui venison, deltaG ketones, the MM120 anxiety study, Kevin’s AI-powered home, Wispr Flow and my recording rig, letting your winners run, Digg’s relaunch, and much more.
This episode is brought to you by Gusto! If you’re a small business owner looking to simplify payroll and HR tasks, Gusto could be the game-changer you need. Gusto is an all-in-one payroll, benefits, and HR platform designed specifically for small businesses. Gusto automatically files federal, state, and local payroll taxes, handles W-2s and 1099s, and offers straightforward health benefits and 401(k) options for nearly any budget. With an intuitive interface and features like time tracking, onboarding tools, and direct access to certified HR experts, Gusto saves time and eliminates headaches so you can focus on what matters—growing your business. As a special offer to listeners, new customers get Gusto free for their first 3 months. This is the perfect time to choose Gusto to take care of your team and stay compliant. See for yourself why 9 out of 10 businesses recommend it. Get started now! Terms apply at Gusto.com/terms.
This episode is brought to you by Fin! Fin is an AI agent that delivers high-quality answers and helps resolve complex queries that your customers may have. Rapidly-growing companies like Anthropic (the AI lab behind Claude) rely on Fin to deliver accurate and thoughtful customer support to millions. Fin is built using custom models trained on thousands of customer interactions, and it understands the complexity and nuance of customer service like no other agent. You feed Fin your internal knowledge and policies, it learns your rules, and it can start supporting your overstretched support team. And because every business runs things differently, Fin is fully self-manageable. See the difference Fin can make for your business with a free trial at Fin.ai/Tim.
This episode is brought to you by Shopify! Shopify is one of my favorite platforms and one of my favorite companies. Shopify is designed for anyone to sell anywhere, giving entrepreneurs the resources once reserved for big business. In no time flat, you can have a great-looking online store that brings your ideas to life, and you can have the tools to manage your day-to-day and drive sales. Go to Shopify.com/Tim to sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period. It’s a great deal for a great service, so I encourage you to check it out. Take your business to the next level today by visiting Shopify.com/Tim.
This episode is brought to you by Timeline! In a recent Q&A, some of you heard me mention Urolithin A, which is now part of my routine. The reason? Your cells have a built-in maintenance crew. Every day, they clear worn-out mitochondria, the tiny power plants in your cells, and replace them with healthier ones. The technical term is mitophagy, and it gets less efficient as we age. Urolithin A supports that renewal process. Your gut bacteria can make it from compounds in foods like pomegranates, but in many people they make little or none. In one study of 100 adults, only 12 had detectable levels.
So I take Mitopure from Timeline, a highly pure form of Urolithin A backed by 15-plus years of research and multiple human clinical trials. My personal dose is 1,000 milligrams a day, in soft gels. And now, for a limited time, Timeline is offering you 30% off. Go to timeline.com/Tim and get yours today.
