Why 'The Diary of a CEO' star Steven Bartlett says he can't do his job without X — and isn't a Mark Zuckerberg fan

"The Diary of a CEO" host Steven Bartlett says creators need to control their audience relationships.

Shane Anthony Sinclair/Getty Images for Cannes Lions Star podcaster Steven Bartlett favors X to keep up with a fast-paced news cycle.

He also expressed concern that AI would accelerate the decline of creators' social reach.

That's why he's focusing on building direct relationships with his audience through events and more.

"The Diary of a CEO" host Steven Bartlett is close to catching Joe Rogan in subscribers on YouTube and has become the No.

1 business podcast on Spotify in the US.

But when it comes to staying up on the news, it's X that he prizes.

"I just find it like a day ahead, especially on subjects I care about in a rapidly changing world, like AI, frankly," the star podcaster said, speaking at an event to announce a $400 million creator venture with Authentic Brands Group.

Elon Musk-owned X has dipped slightly in recent years as a news source but remains a go-to for 12% of US adults, behind Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, according to 2025 Pew Research Center data.

Among users of the platform, though, 57% regularly get news there, a higher percentage than among users of the other platforms.

"I need to be very quickly up to date as an interviewer," Bartlett said.

"And yesterday night, we did a big debate interview here in Manhattan with the three biggest experts in AI safety .

You can imagine how quickly that moves.

I actually have to have a screen in real time when I'm interviewing to see if the news is changing." Bartlett hit on another platform during the conversation — in a far less complimentary way.