Bill Ready (Pinterest) on Social Media’s “Big Tobacco” Moment, Growing Pinterest to 578M Users, and What Gen Z Really Wants

Bill Ready has never been afraid to make big bets—and at Pinterest, those bets are paying off. Since becoming CEO, he’s doubled down on building a healthier internet: one where all accounts under 16 are private by default, AI is tuned for positivity, and users come away inspired instead of exhausted. Today, Sammi sits down with Bill to trace his journey from his father’s auto shop in Kentucky to the helm of PayPal, Google, and now Pinterest. They dig into the headline-making decisions that reshaped Pinterest’s future, the rise of Gen Z shopping habits, and how collaborations like Pinterest Predicts with Emma Chamberlain’s coffee brand are setting cultural trends. If you want a look at what social media can be when it prioritizes progress over doomscrolling, this conversation is it. Follow Sammi on Instagram  Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter  Keep up with Pinterest here Check out the trend report Pinterest Predicts  00:00 Bill Ready’s Social Currency  02:05 Early Lessons from the Auto Shop  05:31 The Controversial Decision to Turn Accounts Private for Users Under 16  06:43 Tuning AI for Positivity  26:10 Evolving the Pinterest Shopping Experience  31:58 Pinterest's Unique Approach to Video Content  34:24 Inclusive AI Tools and Driving User Engagement  41:44 How Pinterest Shapes and Predicts Trends  51:45 Bill’s Systems for Success 53:14 Social Currency Corner  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices