Key Takeaways
- • Warren Buffett, 96, has transitioned to retirement after stepping down as Berkshire Hathaway chairman in September 2025, now spending evenings watching YouTube content ranging from Glenn Close clips to 1950s commercials and Uzbek talent shows.
- • Buffett's eclectic viewing habits reflect a longstanding personal philosophy of work-life balance; even while leading the $1 trillion conglomerate, he reserved evenings for leisure activities including bridge (8 hours weekly) and extensive reading.
- • Despite his historical resistance to technology adoption—waiting until his late eighties to upgrade from a flip phone to an iPhone—Buffett has embraced YouTube as a retirement hobby, according to close friend Sharon Osberg.
- • The billionaire's approach to post-CEO life prioritizes leisure and intellectual curiosity over continued business engagement, consistent with his decades-long practice of dedicating significant time to reading and personal hobbies.
Summary
Warren Buffett has officially entered retirement following his September 2025 departure as Berkshire Hathaway chairman, capping a leadership transition that began in January when he handed CEO duties to Greg Abel. At 96 years old and with a net worth of $143 billion, Buffett has adopted an unexpected evening routine: watching YouTube videos with remarkably varied content.
According to Sharon Osberg, one of Buffett's closest friends who frequently joins him for these sessions, his viewing preferences span an unusually broad spectrum. Rather than consuming mainstream financial content or tech-focused material, Buffett gravitates toward Glenn Close film clips, documentary content about attorney Roy Cohn, 1950s-era commercial advertisements, and international talent competition formats such as Uzbekistan's version of America's Got Talent. Osberg noted that Buffett's selections often include "the silliest things," underscoring his willingness to embrace entertainment value regardless of conventional prestige.
Buffett's YouTube consumption marks a notable adaptation for an investor historically known for technological skepticism. He remained a flip phone user well into his late eighties before transitioning to an iPhone, despite decades as a major Apple shareholder. However, his embrace of video content aligns with established patterns in his personal life. Throughout his career running Berkshire Hathaway, Buffett reserved his evenings for leisure pursuits, dedicating approximately 8 hours weekly to bridge games—a practice he maintained even while leading the conglomerate. Reading has long served as his primary intellectual activity; he previously disclosed spending as much as 80% of his working day consuming books and newspapers, underscoring a lifelong commitment to continuous learning outside formal business contexts.
The shift to YouTube represents less a departure from Buffett's established philosophy than a digital manifestation of his longstanding emphasis on intellectual curiosity and balanced living. His retirement years appear designed to deepen rather than abandon the contemplative pursuits that characterized his decades of business leadership.
According to Sharon Osberg, one of Buffett's closest friends who frequently joins him for these sessions, his viewing preferences span an unusually broad spectrum. Rather than consuming mainstream financial content or tech-focused material, Buffett gravitates toward Glenn Close film clips, documentary content about attorney Roy Cohn, 1950s-era commercial advertisements, and international talent competition formats such as Uzbekistan's version of America's Got Talent. Osberg noted that Buffett's selections often include "the silliest things," underscoring his willingness to embrace entertainment value regardless of conventional prestige.
Buffett's YouTube consumption marks a notable adaptation for an investor historically known for technological skepticism. He remained a flip phone user well into his late eighties before transitioning to an iPhone, despite decades as a major Apple shareholder. However, his embrace of video content aligns with established patterns in his personal life. Throughout his career running Berkshire Hathaway, Buffett reserved his evenings for leisure pursuits, dedicating approximately 8 hours weekly to bridge games—a practice he maintained even while leading the conglomerate. Reading has long served as his primary intellectual activity; he previously disclosed spending as much as 80% of his working day consuming books and newspapers, underscoring a lifelong commitment to continuous learning outside formal business contexts.
The shift to YouTube represents less a departure from Buffett's established philosophy than a digital manifestation of his longstanding emphasis on intellectual curiosity and balanced living. His retirement years appear designed to deepen rather than abandon the contemplative pursuits that characterized his decades of business leadership.
Go deeper than the headline
Research every firm in this story, track the ones that matter and get the daily briefing — free for 7 days.