Podcast appearances and mentions of chris benson

As AI agents become more capable and autonomous, they also introduce new security challenges. In this 'Fully Connected' episode, Dan and Chris unpack Anthropic's Zero Trust for AI Agents security framework and what it means for organizations deploying agentic systems. They examine the key security risks facing agentic systems and discuss how organizations can apply Zero Trust principles to deploy AI agents safely. Along the way, they break down practical security controls and discuss how traditional cybersecurity principles must evolve for the age of AI agents.Featuring:Chris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XLinks: Zero Trust for AI AgentsOWASP GenAI Project Sponsors:Prediction Guard: A self-hosted AI control plane for running agents in high impact environments. predictionguard.com/practicalaiUpcoming Events: Register for upcoming webinars here!Midwest AI Summit 2026

AI models can win math olympiads… but still struggle to read an analog clock. In this fully connected episode, Dan and Chris break down the latest Stanford AI Index Report and explore what it reveals about the current state of AI. They discuss AI adoption and safety, disappearing junior tech jobs, robotics, AI's “jagged frontier” of intelligence, and the growing race between the U.S. and China. Along the way, they debate whether AI should optimize everything, or if some things are better left human. Featuring:Chris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XLinks:The 2026 AI Index ReportSponsors:Prediction Guard: A self-hosted AI control plane for running agents in high impact environments. predictionguard.com/practicalaiUpcoming Events: Register for upcoming webinars here!Midwest AI Summit 2026

What happens when AI agents start acting less like chatbots and more like coworkers? In this episode, Dan and Chris sit down with Craig McLuckie, CEO of Stacklok to explore MCP, Kubernetes, ToolHive, enterprise AI, and the emerging infrastructure powering AI-native applications. From identity management to agent orchestration and system architecture, this conversation dives into how organizations may soon manage entire fleets of AI agents working behind the scenes.Featuring:Craig McLuckie – LinkedInChris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XLinks:StacklokToolhiveSponsors:Prediction Guard: A self-hosted AI control plane for running agents in high impact environments. predictionguard.com/practicalaiUpcoming Events: Register for upcoming webinars here!Midwest AI Summit 2026

Open Source AI is entering a new era, one shaped by self-improving AI Agents, recursive learning systems, and rapidly evolving AI Tools that blur the line between software and autonomous collaborators. In this episode, Daniel and Chris sit down with Nous Research co-founder and CTO Jeffrey Quesnelle to explore Hermes Agent. Along the way, they discuss models vs. harnesses, the changing role of developers, and one of the biggest questions facing the AI Future: what remains uniquely human as AI capabilities continue to accelerate?Featuring:Jeffrey Quesnelle – Website, LinkedInChris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XLinks:Nous ResearchHermes AgentSponsors:Framer: The enterprise-grade website builder that lets your team ship faster. Get 30% off at framer.com/practicalaiPrediction Guard: A self-hosted AI control plane for running agents in high impact environments. predictionguard.com/practicalaiUpcoming Events: Register for upcoming webinars here!Midwest AI Summit 2026

U.S. Congressman Don Beyer returns to Practical AI for another far-reaching conversation with Chris about many of the most important AI challenges facing America and the world.  Blending political savvy and statesmanship with his unique technical understanding as an active Ph.D student in AI at George Mason University (making him the coolest member of Congress!), the congressman shares his perspective about the really hard AI concerns that you would have asked him yourself.  Together, Congressman Beyer and Chris explore AI regulation, cybersecurity concerns sparked by advanced models like Mythos, bipartisan AI governance efforts, and the growing AI race between the U.S. and China. They fearlessly dived headfirst into AI-driven job displacement, mass surveillance, autonomous weapons, existential risk, and the philosophical questions surrounding consciousness and superintelligence as AI continues to accelerate.  This is an unusual and insightful conversation you don't want to miss!Congressman Beyer was previously on Practical AI episode 271 on May 29, 2024:AI in the U.S. CongressFeaturing:Congressman Don Beyer – Congress, LinkedIn, Bluesky, XChris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XUpcoming Events: Register for upcoming webinars here!Midwest AI Summit 2026

In this fully connected episode, Dan and Chris break down one of the biggest questions in AI today: do open vs. closed models still matter? From the rise of physical AI and edge devices to the shifting landscape of open-source models like LLaMA, they explore whether the “model wars” are becoming irrelevant. The conversation then dives into a bigger transformation, the rise of agentic systems, workflows, and AI-driven infrastructure.Featuring:Chris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XUpcoming Events: Register for upcoming webinars here!Midwest AI Summit 2026

In this Fully-Connected episode, Dan and Chris start with Anthropic's Mythos frontier model, parsing what is publicly known about its cybersecurity capabilities and projecting its possible implications from "We've been here before.

Autonomous driving is not just a big tech or closed-source game, it's becoming accessible through open innovation and real-world deployment. Dan and Chris sit down with Harald Schäfer, CTO at Comma AI, to explore how OpenPilot is bringing self-driving to everyday vehicles using open source AI. We dive into the intersection of machine learning, robotics, and simulation, including how world models are enabling training at scale and shaping the future of autonomy.Featuring:Harald Schäfer – LinkedInChris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XLinks:Comma

In this fully connected episode, Dan and Chris break down the Anthropic Claude Code leak, what went wrong and what it reveals about agentic systems, AI architecture, and AI safety. They also explore how the open source community is responding and why this moment could reshape how AI systems are built and secured.Featuring:Chris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XUpcoming Events: Register for upcoming webinars here!

AI is rapidly transforming how software is built, shifting economic incentives from open source code and collaboration toward on-demand, personalized development through agentic coding a.k.a. vibe coding. In this episode, Chris speaks with Miklós Koren of Central European University about how AI is reshaping open source and the software industry. They explore the economics of incentives, evolving collaboration patterns, and what this shift means for software development, the future of AI, and its broader impact on the technology sector.Featuring:Miklós Koren – LinkedInChris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XLinks:Vibe Coding Kills Open SourceThe Directions of Technical ChangeThe Tailwind storyUpcoming Events: Register for upcoming webinars here!

What does “AI at the edge” really mean in 2026, and why does it matter now more than ever before? In this episode, we're joined by Brandon Shibley, Edge AI Solutions Engineering Lead at Qualcomm's Edge Impulse, to discuss the current state and future of Edge AI in 2026. We discuss Gen AI, Small Models, and Cascades of Models, along with real-world constraints like latency, power, and privacy. We also dive into the role of MLOps, evolving hardware, and how developers can start building practical edge AI systems today.Featuring:Brandon Shibley – LinkedInChris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XLinks:Read our Ultimate Guide to Edge AIDownload your copy of O'Reilly's AI at the Edge Check out the Edge Impulse blogSign-up for an expert led trial of Edge ImpulseUpcoming Events: Register for upcoming webinars here!

Send us a MessageIn this episode of Culture Change RX, Sue Tetzlaff, cofounder of Capstone Leadership Solutions, engages in conversation with Chris Benson from Juniper Advisory about the complexities of healthcare partnerships, particularly in the context of mergers and acquisitions. They discuss the cultural implications of these partnerships, the current trends in hospital consolidations, and navigating the decision-making processes. Healthcare partnerships can take many forms.The decision to partner should be driven by community needs and organizational goals.Many hospitals are still independent, but consolidation is a growing trend.Understanding the motivations behind mergers can help boards make informed decisions.The process of exploring partnerships can take several months and requires careful planning.Engaging stakeholders early in the process is crucial for success.Maintaining a focus on quality care is essential for any partnership. If you would like to connect with Chris or learn more about Juniper Advisory, you can find them here:

This week, we're digging way, way back into the vault for a proper Tone Mob reissue. While I was in Nashville helping move the Stringjoy shop, I needed something special for this week's episode and decided it was finally time to revisit one of the oldest artifacts in the archive: episode two. Yep, the second episode ever. In this early conversation, I'm joined by my good buddy Chris Benson of Benson Amps, recorded in the sweltering attic of his old Portland house with no AC, a couple of SM57s in hand, and probably far more sweat involved than any podcast should require. At the time, Chris had just quit his job to go all-in on Benson Amps, and listening back now, it's a wild snapshot of two guys at the beginning of their own strange little journeys in the gear world. We get into amp design, low-wattage magic, speaker efficiency, tape echoes, plate reverbs, why some “bad” tones work better in a mix, and the beautiful sickness that makes guitar people obsess over all of this in the first place. It's raw, a little scrappy, very early-internet, and a whole lot of fun to revisit now that the show is well past 500 episodes. So here it is: Tone Mob episode two, reissued. Enjoy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when an AI hater starts building with AI agents? In this episode, we talk with software engineer Steve Klabnik, known for his work on the Rust programming language, about his journey from criticizing AI to experimenting with it firsthand. We explore Steve's programming language Rue, largely built with the help of AI tools like Claude, and discuss what this means for software engineering and the future of coding in an AI-driven world.Featuring:Steve Klabnik – LinkedInChris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XLinks:The Rust Programming LanguageRustRueDaniel's RSA Meeting link for March 23, 2026Daniel's RSA Meeting link for March 24-25, 2026Upcoming Events: Register for upcoming webinars here!

AI is reshaping global power, from chip manufacturing and computing power to AI governance and US-China relations.  In this episode, Ben Buchanan, Assistant Professor at The Johns Hopkins University and former White House Special Advisor for AI, explores how AI policy, geopolitics, and international cooperation intersect with AI  innovation and AI safety. We discuss the strategic importance of computing power, the future of AI governance, and what it will take for democracies to lead responsibly in the age of AI.Featuring:Ben Buchanan – LinkedIn Chris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XLinks:The AI Grand BargainUpcoming Events: Register for upcoming webinars here!

In this episode of Cutting Through the Noise, Hayley Mears sits down with salon owner and entrepreneur Sheridan Rose Shaw for a deeply honest conversation about growth, motherhood, and redefining leadership during major life transitions.Sheridan shares what the past year has looked like as her business continues to expand while welcoming her second daughter, Queenie. While the growth has been exciting, she opens up about the reality behind the scenes — navigating postpartum anxiety, battling mastitis, and learning to slow down after years of being driven by ambition and momentum.The conversation explores how these experiences reshaped Sheridan's approach to leadership and business. Rather than working constantly in the salon, she began shifting her focus to working on the business — bringing on a manager, Tom, and implementing backend systems like Trello to support daily operations and allow the team to thrive without her being across every detail.Sheridan also speaks about the importance of daily rituals that support her wellbeing and mindset. Breathwork, meditation, and intentional moments of stillness have become non-negotiable anchors that help her stay present both as a mother and as a leader.A self-described “fast manifester,” Sheridan reflects on the power of clarity and commitment when pursuing goals. Once she sets her mind on a vision, she pours her energy into making it happen — a mindset that has shaped both her career and her personal growth.The episode also highlights the importance of mentorship and collaboration within the industry, including Sheridan's long-standing connection with award-winning hairdresser Chris Benson, whose guidance and support have played a role in her development.This is a thoughtful and vulnerable conversation about ambition, resilience, and learning how to evolve as both a business owner and a parent.In this episode, we cover:Growing a salon business while welcoming a second childPostpartum anxiety, mastitis, and the realities of new motherhoodTransitioning from working in the business to working on itBuilding systems and hiring leadership supportThe role of daily rituals in maintaining mental wellbeingManifestation, mindset, and turning vision into actionThe value of mentorship and industry collaboration

As AI accelerates innovation and adoption, leaders are facing rising cognitive load, shifting systems, and new emotional realities inside their organizations. In this episode, Deloitte's Chief Innovation Officer Deborah Golden joins us to explore how AI is reshaping leadership, why vulnerability and empathy are critical in this moment, and how anti-fragility, not just resilience, will define the future of work.Featuring:Deborah Golden – LinkedIn Chris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XLinks:DeloitteSponsor: Framer - The website builder that turns your dot com from a formality into a tool for growth. Check it out at framer.com/PRACTICALAIUpcoming Events: Register for upcoming webinars here!

AI is moving fast from research to real-world deployment, and when things go wrong, the consequences are no longer hypothetical. In this episode, Sean McGregor, co-founder of the AI Verification & Evaluation Research Institute and also the founder of the AI Incident Database, joins Chris and Dan to discuss AI safety, verification, evaluation, and auditing. They explore why benchmarks often fall short, what red-teaming at DEF CON reveals about machine learning risks, and how organizations can better assess and manage AI systems in practice.Featuring:Sean McGregor– LinkedInChris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XLinks:AI Verification & Evaluation Research InstituteAI Incident Database38th convening of IAAIBenchRiskState of Global AI Incident ReportingUpcoming Events: Register for upcoming webinars here!

AI agents are moving from demos to real workplaces, but what actually happens when they run a company? In this episode, journalist Evan Ratliff, host of Shell Game, joins Chris to discuss his immersive journalism experiment building a real startup staffed almost entirely by AI agents. They explore how AI agents behave as coworkers, how humans react when interacting with them, and where ethical and workplace boundaries begin to break down.Featuring:Evan Ratliff  – LinkedIn, XChris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XLinks:Shell GameUpcoming Events: Register for upcoming webinars here!

As AI increasingly shapes geopolitics, elections, and civic life, its impact on democracy is becoming impossible to ignore. In this episode, Daniel and Chris are joined by security expert Bruce Schneier to explore how AI and technology are transforming democracy, governance, and citizenship. Drawing from his book Rewiring Democracy, they explore real examples of AI in elections, legislation, courts, and public AI models, the risks of concentrated power, and how these tools can both strengthen and strain democratic systems worldwide.Featuring:Bruce Schneier – XChris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XLinks: Schneier on SecuritySponsors:Framer - The website builder that turns your dot com from a formality into a tool for growth. Check it out at framer.com/PRACTICALAIZapier - The AI orchestration platform that puts AI to work across your company. Check it out at zapier.com/practicalUpcoming Events: Register for upcoming webinars here!

As generative AI moves into production, traditional guardrails and input/output filters can prove too slow, too expensive, and/or too limited. In this episode, Alizishaan Khatri of Wrynx joins Daniel and Chris to explore a fundamentally different approach to AI safety and interpretability. They unpack the limits of today's black-box defenses, the role of interpretability, and how model-native, runtime signals can enable safer AI systems. Featuring:Alizishaan Khatri – LinkedInChris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XUpcoming Events: Register for upcoming webinars here!

In this start-of-year FC episode, Chris and Daniel break down what really mattered in AI in 2025, and what to expect in 2026. They explore the rise of AI agents, the practical reality of multimodal AI, and how reasoning models are reshaping workflows. The conversation dives into infrastructure and energy constraints, the continued value of predictive models, and why orchestration (not just better models) is becoming the defining skill for AI teams. The episode wraps with grounded 2026 predictions on where AI systems, tooling, and builders are headed next.Featuring:Chris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XSponsor:Framer - The enterprise-grade website builder that lets your team ship faster. Get 30% off at framer.com/practicalaiUpcoming Events: Register for upcoming webinars here!

Episode 158: Chris Benson of Benson amps and Bryan Sours of Soursound transformers make their long-awaited returns to the Truth About Vintage Amps. Why? They want to tell us all about the logging truck of an amp they are currently building, a 700-watt(!) all-tube beast dubbed Babylon! The Babylon will feature 14 KT88 tubes, 16 total speakers, three knobs, and two power cords. It's literally the most powerful tube amp they could make without requiring a dryer outlet. Check our Instagram for a sneak peek at the creation.  https://www.bensonamps.com/ https://soursound.com/ and honorable mention to... https://bottosbbq.com/ Hear the Babylon in person at the 2026 Wood, Wire & Volts festival (or anywhere within a mile or two radius of the show). https://www.woodwirevolts.com/ Deep cuts: Bryan's first appearance on our show can be found here (it's pretty epic) and Chris originally appeared on our 30th episode.  Thank our sponsors: Grez Guitars; Emerald City Guitars and Amplified Parts. And happy holidays to all of our listeners and Patreon members for their support! We'll be back in 2026.  Want amp tech Skip Simmons' advice on your DIY guitar amp projects? Want to share your top secret family recipe? Need relationship advice? Join us by sending your voice memo or written questions to podcast@fretboardjournal.com! Include a photo, too. Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal. 

As AI reshapes the workplace, employees and leaders face questions about meaningful work, automation, and human impact. In this episode, Jason Beutler, CEO of RoboSource, shares how companies can rethink workflows, integrate AI in accessible ways, and empower employees without fear. The discussion covers leveraging AI to handle routine tasks (SOPs or "plays") and reimagining work for smarter, more human-centered outcomes.Featuring:Jason Beutler – LinkedInChris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XSponsor:Framer – Design and publish without limits with Framer, the free all-in-one design platform. Unlimited projects, no tool switching, and professional sites—no Figma imports or HTML hassles required. Start creating for free at framer.com/design with code `PRACTICALAI` for a free month of Framer Pro.Upcoming Events: Register for upcoming webinars here!

Chris and Daniel talk with returning guest, Ramin Mohammadi, about how those seeking to get into AI Engineer/ Data Science jobs are expected to come in a mid level engineers (not entry level). They explore this growing gap along with what should (or could) be done in academia to focus on real world skills vs. theoretical knowledge. Featuring:Ramin Mohammadi – LinkedInChris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XSponsors:Shopify – The commerce platform trusted by millions. From idea to checkout, Shopify gives you everything you need to launch and scale your business—no matter your level of experience. Build beautiful storefronts, market with built-in AI tools, and tap into the platform powering 10% of all U.S. eCommerce. Start your one-dollar trial at shopify.com/practicalaiUpcoming Events: Register for upcoming webinars here!

Chris and Daniel unpack how AI-driven document processing has rapidly evolved well beyond traditional OCR with many technical advances that fly under the radar. They explore the progression from document structure models to language-vision models, all the way to the newest innovations like Deepseek-OCR. The discussion highlights the pros and cons of these various approaches focusing on practical implementation and usage.Featuring:Chris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XSponsors:Shopify – The commerce platform trusted by millions. From idea to checkout, Shopify gives you everything you need to launch and scale your business—no matter your level of experience. Build beautiful storefronts, market with built-in AI tools, and tap into the platform powering 10% of all U.S. eCommerce. Start your one-dollar trial at shopify.com/practicalaiFabi.ai - The all-in-one data analysis platform for modern teams. From ad hoc queries to advanced analytics, Fabi lets you explore data wherever it lives—spreadsheets, Postgres, Snowflake, Airtable and more. Built-in Python and AI assistance help you move fast, then publish interactive dashboards or automate insights delivered straight to Slack, email, spreadsheets or wherever you need to share it. Learn more and get started for free at fabi.aiFramer – Design and publish without limits with Framer, the free all-in-one design platform. Unlimited projects, no tool switching, and professional sites—no Figma imports or HTML hassles required. Start creating for free at framer.com/design with code `PRACTICALAI` for a free month of Framer Pro.Upcoming Events: Register for upcoming webinars here!

This episode is a special crossover between the Practical AI podcast and The Changelog podcast. Chris was recently invited by longtime friends Jerod Santo and Adam Stacoviak, cohosts of The Changelog, to join them on the show. They discuss AI, drones, robotics, swarming technology, and the rise of high-performance edge computing with Rust.  Chris points out that open source software, small AI models, and affordable hardware are making home automation and local AI accessible to everyone. From automating household functions to experimenting with drones and single-board computers, Chris describes how hands-on maker projects are shaping a bright future for physical AI, on small budgets and right from the comfort of your own home.Featuring: Jerod Santo – LinkedInAdam Stacoviak – LinkedInChris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XSponsors: Miro – Get the right things done faster with Miro's Innovation Workspace. AI Sidekicks, instant insights, and rapid prototyping—transform weeks of work into days. No more scattered docs or endless meetings. Help your teams get great done at Miro.com.Shopify – The commerce platform trusted by millions. From idea to checkout, Shopify gives you everything you need to launch and scale your business—no matter your level of experience. Build beautiful storefronts, market with built-in AI tools, and tap into the platform powering 10% of all U.S. eCommerce. Start your one-dollar trial at shopify.com/practicalaiUpcoming Events: Register for upcoming webinars here!This week we have extended show notes below from Chris!Swarming & Fully Autonomous Multi-Agent UxV SystemsChris's Definition of Swarming (anchor link in show notes)Chris's definition of Swarming“Swarming occurs when numerous independent fully-autonomous multi-agentic platforms exhibit highly-coordinated locomotive and emergent behaviors with agency and self-governance in any domain (air, ground, sea, undersea, space), functioning as a single independent logical distributed decentralized decisioning entity for purposes of C3 (command, control, communications) with human operators on-the-loop, to implement actions that achieve strategic, tactical, or operational effects in the furtherance of a mission.”© 2025 Chris BensonConceptual FoundationsSwarm Robotics – WikipediaHigh-level overview of swarm robotics as decentralized robot collectives.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swarm_roboticsSwarm Robotic Platforms – WikipediaSurvey of hardware platforms used in swarm robotics research.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swarm_robotic_platformsSwarm Intelligence – WikipediaBroader algorithms and theory behind collective intelligence (beyond robots).https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swarm_intelligenceAnt Robotics – WikipediaNature-inspired “ant-like” robotics as a special case of swarm robotics.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant_roboticsOpen Research & Multi-Robot Resources (Stepping-Stones Toward True Swarms)Programming Multiple Robots with ROS 2 (online book)Free book on multi-robot systems, ROS 2, and the Robot Middleware Framework (RMF).https://osrf.github.io/ros2multirobotbookSimulation with ROS 2 & Gazebo (ROS 2 Humble tutorial)Official tutorial on connecting ROS 2 to Gazebo simulation.https://docs.ros.org/en/humble/Tutorials/Advanced/Simulators/Gazebo/Gazebo.htmlSpawning Multiple Robots in Gazebo with ROS 2Hands-on tutorial to launch N robots in Gazebo, each with its own namespace.https://www.theconstruct.ai/spawning-multiple-robots-in-gazebo-with-ros2ROS 2 Multi-Robot Simulation Best Practices (Discourse thread)Discussion of patterns for multi-robot systems (domains, namespaces, Nav2, etc.).https://discourse.openrobotics.org/t/multi-robot-simulation-best-practices/38987Getting Hands-On: Consumer Robotics, ROS 2 & GazeboROS 2 (Robot Operating System 2)Official ROS 2 Documentation – Humble (LTS)Main docs for ROS 2 Humble (recommended distro) with tutorials and APIs.https://docs.ros.org/en/humbleROS 2 Installation Guide (Humble)Step-by-step install on supported platforms.https://docs.ros.org/en/humble/Installation.html“From Zero to Robotics Hero: A Beginner's Guide to ROS 2” (article)Beginner-friendly overview with ideas for where to go next (MoveIt, Nav2, multi-robot, etc.).https://riyagoja.medium.com/from-zero-to-robotics-hero-a-beginners-guide-to-ros-2-90ac9c3b87baROS 2 Tutorial for Beginners (2025 guide)Up-to-date intro that walks you from install to simulating your first robot in 2025.https://www.timesofexplore.com/2025/10/ros2-tutorial-beginners-build-first-robot-2025.htmlGazebo SimulationGazebo Sim – Official SiteModern Gazebo (Ignition) simulator; models, worlds, and docs.https://gazebosim.orgGetting Started with Gazebo (Docs)Official “start here” guide for using Gazebo and Gazebo Fuel assets.https://gazebosim.org/docs/latest/getstartedClassic Gazebo Tutorials (still useful for fundamentals)https://classic.gazebosim.org/tutorialsmicro-ROS (ROS 2 on Microcontrollers)micro-ROS – ROS 2 for MicrocontrollersOfficial site for running ROS 2 on tiny embedded boards.https://micro.ros.orgmicro-ROS GitHub OrganizationRepositories, examples, and tutor...

Practical AI co-host, Chris Benson, joins us to discuss the latest advancements in AI, drones, home automation, and robotic swarming tech. Chris defines "swarm" with detail/precision and it turns out that what most people are calling a swarm today is NOT a swarm!

Practical AI co-host, Chris Benson, joins us to discuss the latest advancements in AI, drones, home automation, and robotic swarming tech. Chris defines "swarm" with detail/precision and it turns out that what most people are calling a swarm today is NOT a swarm!

Fireflies CEO, Krish Ramineni shares how the company is transforming AI-powered note-taking into a deeper layer of knowledge automation. He breaks down the technology behind real-time functionality like Live Assist, the user behavior patterns driving product evolution, and how Fireflies is innovating far beyond meetings. Krish also shares insights on future trends in AI and the potential for hardware integration, emphasizing the ongoing evolution of AI in knowledge work.Featuring:Krish Ramineni – LinkedInChris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XLinks:Fireflies AISponsors:Miro – Get the right things done faster with Miro's Innovation Workspace. AI Sidekicks, instant insights, and rapid prototyping—transform weeks of work into days. No more scattered docs or endless meetings. Help your teams get great done at [Miro](https://miro.com).Framer – Design and publish without limits with Framer, the free all-in-one design platform. Unlimited projects, no tool switching, and professional sites—no Figma imports or HTML hassles required. Start creating for free at [framer.com/design](https://www.framer.com/design/) with code `PRACTICALAI` for a free month of Framer Pro.Upcoming Events: Register for upcoming webinars here!

Artificial intelligence is transforming how CPA financial planners approach research, analysis, and communication. In this episode, Chris Benson shares how he moved from curiosity to confident integration of AI in his daily practice. He explains how AI helps him generate first drafts of client communication, brainstorm planning strategies, and reduce research time from hours to minutes. Chris also provides a balanced perspective on data privacy, compliance risks, and how planners should evaluate new tools without getting distracted by every new release. Whether you are just beginning to explore AI or already incorporating it into your workflows, Chris's insights will help you find practical, responsible ways to harness the power of AI in your practice. Topics Covered How to begin experimenting with AI as a CPA financial planner The role of AI as a research assistant, communication partner, and brainstorming tool Time-saving examples from client questions, financial modeling, and planning scenarios Risks related to privacy, cybersecurity, and client impersonation Cautious evaluation of emerging AI tools and what to look for in early demos A realistic forecast for how AI may be embedded in future tax and planning software AICPA Resources: Upcoming webcast: AI & Technology updates for PFP   Resources:      AI Tax Resource Center                         Empowering tax professionals with AI                         Leveraging Generative AI                         Business in the age of AI                         Getting started with generative AI/ChatGPT This episode is brought to you by the AICPA's Personal Financial Planning Section, the premier provider of information, tools, advocacy, and guidance for professionals who specialize in providing tax, estate, retirement, risk management and investment planning advice. Also, by the CPA/PFS credential program, which allows CPAs to demonstrate competence and confidence in providing these services to their clients. Visit us online to join our community, gain access to valuable member-only benefits or learn about our PFP certificate program. Subscribe to the PFP Podcast channel at Libsyn to find all the latest episodes or search "AICPA Personal Financial Planning" on your favorite podcast app.

Waymo's VP of Research, Drago Anguelov, joins Practical AI to explore how advances in autonomy, vision models, and large-scale testing are shaping the future of driverless technology. The conversation dives into the dual challenges of building an onboard driver and testing that driver (via large scale simulation). Drago also gives us an update on what Waymo is doing to achieve intelligent, real-time performance while ensuring proven safety and reliability.Featuring:Drago Anguelov – LinkedInChris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XLinks:Waymo ResearchNew Insights for Scaling Laws in Autonomous DrivingAI in MotionSponsors: Outshift by Cisco - The open source collective building the Internet of Agents. Backed by Outshift by Cisco, AGNTCY gives developers the tools to build and deploy multi-agent software at scale. Identity, communication protocols, and modular workflows—all in one global collaboration layer. Start building at AGNTCY.org.Shopify – The commerce platform trusted by millions. From idea to checkout, Shopify gives you everything you need to launch and scale your business—no matter your level of experience. Build beautiful storefronts, market with built-in AI tools, and tap into the platform powering 10% of all U.S. eCommerce. Start your one-dollar trial at shopify.com/practicalaiFabi.ai - The all-in-one data analysis platform for modern teams. From ad hoc queries to advanced analytics, Fabi lets you explore data wherever it lives—spreadsheets, Postgres, Snowflake, Airtable and more. Built-in Python and AI assistance help you move fast, then publish interactive dashboards or automate insights delivered straight to Slack, email, spreadsheets or wherever you need to share it. Learn more and get started for free at fabi.aiUpcoming Events: Register for upcoming webinars here!

   The Kansas City Chiefs are currently in negotiations with NASCAR and the state of Kansas to acquire land just west of Kansas Speedway for a potential new domed stadium.     Multiple sources confirm with KKHI that a land acquisition agreement is the final piece the Chiefs need in place to make a decision on whether to build a new stadium or renovate Arrowhead again.  We have all the details of what is a very high level, high stakes negotiation.     Then, some good and some bad in the NFL on Sunday for the Chiefs playoff picture.  Trump has quite a day at the Lions/Commanders game. KU and MU lose in opposite fashions Saturday and the Senate is close to re-opening the federal government.   And veterans, listen up.  Tuesday is Veterans Day and veteran Chris Benson  from www.thrivemediakc.com joins us to talk about service to country and some amazing deals just for veterans on Tuesday.   Our Final Final is the spookiest lottery story ever.

Dan and Chris unpack whether today's surge in AI deployment across enterprise workflows, manufacturing, healthcare, and scientific research signals a lasting transformation or an overhyped bubble. Drawing parallels to the dot-com era, they explore how technology integration is reshaping industries, affecting jobs, and even influencing human cognition, ultimately asking: is this a bubble, or just a fizzy new phase of innovation?Featuring:Chris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XLinks: Powell says that, unlike the dotcom boom, AI spending isn't a bubble: ‘I won't go into particular names, but they actually have earnings'Sponsors:Outshift by Cisco - The open source collective building the Internet of Agents. Backed by Outshift by Cisco, AGNTCY gives developers the tools to build and deploy multi-agent software at scale. Identity, communication protocols, and modular workflows—all in one global collaboration layer. Start building at AGNTCY.org.Shopify – The commerce platform trusted by millions. From idea to checkout, Shopify gives you everything you need to launch and scale your business—no matter your level of experience. Build beautiful storefronts, market with built-in AI tools, and tap into the platform powering 10% of all U.S. eCommerce. Start your one-dollar trial at shopify.com/practicalaiFabi.ai - The all-in-one data analysis platform for modern teams. From ad hoc queries to advanced analytics, Fabi lets you explore data wherever it lives—spreadsheets, Postgres, Snowflake, Airtable and more. Built-in Python and AI assistance help you move fast, then publish interactive dashboards or automate insights delivered straight to Slack, email, spreadsheets or wherever you need to share it. Learn more and get started for free at fabi.aiUpcoming Events: Join us at the Midwest AI Summit on November 13 in Indianapolis to hear world-class speakers share how they've scaled AI solutions. Don't miss the AI Engineering Lounge, where you can sit down with experts for hands-on guidance. Reserve your spot today!Register for upcoming webinars here!

Dan and Chris sit down (again) with Jared Zoneraich, co-founder and CEO of PromptLayer, to discuss how prompt engineering has evolved into context engineering (and while loops with tool calls). Jared shares insights on building flexible AI applications, managing tool calls, testing and versioning prompts, and empowering both technical and non-technical users in AI development. Along the way, they dive into coding agents and the “crawl-walk-run” approach to AI deployment.Featuring: Jared Zoneraich – LinkedInChris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XLinks:PromptLayerUpcoming Events: Join us at the Midwest AI Summit on November 13 in Indianapolis to hear world-class speakers share how they've scaled AI solutions. Don't miss the AI Engineering Lounge, where you can sit down with experts for hands-on guidance. Reserve your spot today!Register for upcoming webinars here!

In this fully connected episode, Daniel and Chris explore the emerging concept of tiny recursive networks introduced by Samsung AI, contrasting them with large transformer based models. They explore how these small models tackle reasoning tasks with fewer parameters, less data, and iterative refinement, matching the giants on specific problems. They also discuss the ethical challenges of emotional manipulation in chatbots.Featuring: Chris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XLinks:Less is More: Recursive Reasoning with Tiny NetworksResearchers detail 6 ways chatbots seek to prolong ‘emotionally sensitive events'Sponsors:Outshift by Cisco - The open source collective building the Internet of Agents. Backed by Outshift by Cisco, AGNTCY gives developers the tools to build and deploy multi-agent software at scale. Identity, communication protocols, and modular workflows—all in one global collaboration layer. Start building at AGNTCY.org.Fabi.ai - The all-in-one data analysis platform for modern teams. From ad hoc queries to advanced analytics, Fabi lets you explore data wherever it lives—spreadsheets, Postgres, Snowflake, Airtable and more. Built-in Python and AI assistance help you move fast, then publish interactive dashboards or automate insights delivered straight to Slack, email, spreadsheets or wherever you need to share it. Learn more and get started for free at fabi.aiMiro – The innovation workspace for the age of AI. Built for modern teams, Miro helps you turn unstructured ideas into structured outcomes—fast. Diagramming, product design, and AI-powered collaboration, all in one shared space. Start building at miro.comUpcoming Events: Join us at the Midwest AI Summit on November 13 in Indianapolis to hear world-class speakers share how they've scaled AI solutions. Don't miss the AI Engineering Lounge, where you can sit down with experts for hands-on guidance. Reserve your spot today!Register for upcoming webinars here!

As AI systems move from simple chatbots to complex agentic workflows, new security risks emerge. In this episode, Donato Capitella unpacks how increasingly complicated architectures are making agents fragile and vulnerable. These agents can be exploited through prompt injection, data exfiltration, and tool misuse. Donato shares stories from real-world penetration tests, the design patterns for building LLM agents and explains how his open-source toolkit Spikee (Simple Prompt Injection Kit for Evaluation and Exploitation) is helping red teams probe AI systems.Featuring:Donato Capitella – LinkedIn, XChris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XLinks:ReversecSponsors:Outshift by Cisco - The open source collective building the Internet of Agents. Backed by Outshift by Cisco, AGNTCY gives developers the tools to build and deploy multi-agent software at scale. Identity, communication protocols, and modular workflows—all in one global collaboration layer. Start building at AGNTCY.org.Shopify – The commerce platform trusted by millions. From idea to checkout, Shopify gives you everything you need to launch and scale your business—no matter your level of experience. Build beautiful storefronts, market with built-in AI tools, and tap into the platform powering 10% of all U.S. eCommerce. Start your one-dollar trial at shopify.com/practicalaiFabi.ai - The all-in-one data analysis platform for modern teams. From ad hoc queries to advanced analytics, Fabi lets you explore data wherever it lives—spreadsheets, Postgres, Snowflake, Airtable and more. Built-in Python and AI assistance help you move fast, then publish interactive dashboards or automate insights delivered straight to Slack, email, spreadsheets or wherever you need to share it. Learn more and get started for free at fabi.aiUpcoming Events: Join us at the Midwest AI Summit on November 13 in Indianapolis to hear world-class speakers share how they've scaled AI solutions. Don't miss the AI Engineering Lounge, where you can sit down with experts for hands-on guidance. Reserve your spot today!Register for upcoming webinars here!

In this episode, Daniel and Chris are joined by Chris Aquino, software engineer at Thunderbird to hear the story of how they developed a privacy-preserving AI executive assistant. They discuss various design decisions including remote (but confidential) inference, local encryption, and model selection. Chris A. does an amazing job describing the journey from "let the big LLM do everything" to splitting apart the workflow to be handled by multiple models. Featuring:Chris Aquino – LinkedInChris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XLinks: ThunderbirdThunderbird ProSponsors:Shopify – The commerce platform trusted by millions. From idea to checkout, Shopify gives you everything you need to launch and scale your business—no matter your level of experience. Build beautiful storefronts, market with built-in AI tools, and tap into the platform powering 10% of all U.S. eCommerce.Start your one-dollar trial at shopify.com/practicalaiUpcoming Events: Join us at the Midwest AI Summit on November 13 in Indianapolis to hear world-class speakers share how they've scaled AI solutions. Don't miss the AI Engineering Lounge, where you can sit down with experts for hands-on guidance. Reserve your spot today!Register for upcoming webinars here!

In this Fully Connected episode, we dig into the recent MIT report revealing that 95% of AI pilots fail before reaching production and explore what it actually takes to succeed with AI solutions. We dive into the importance of AI model integration, asking the right questions when adopting new technologies, and why simply accessing a powerful model isn't enough. We explore the latest AI trends, from GPT-5 to open source models, and their impact on jobs, machine learning, and enterprise strategy. Featuring:Chris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XLinks: The GenAI Divide: State of AI in Business 2025MIT Report: 95% of generative AI pilots at companies are failingSponsors:Miro – The innovation workspace for the age of AI. Built for modern teams, Miro helps you turn unstructured ideas into structured outcomes—fast. Diagramming, product design, and AI-powered collaboration, all in one shared space. Start building at miro.comShopify – The commerce platform trusted by millions. From idea to checkout, Shopify gives you everything you need to launch and scale your business—no matter your level of experience. Build beautiful storefronts, market with built-in AI tools, and tap into the platform powering 10% of all U.S. eCommerce.Start your one-dollar trial at shopify.com/practicalaiUpcoming Events: Join us at the Midwest AI Summit on November 13 in Indianapolis to hear world-class speakers share how they've scaled AI solutions. Don't miss the AI Engineering Lounge, where you can sit down with experts for hands-on guidance. Reserve your spot today!Register for upcoming webinars here!

Daniel and Chris sit with Citadel AI's Rick Kobayashi and Kenny Song and unpack AI safety and security challenges in the generative AI era. They compare Japan's approach to AI adoption with the US's, and explore the implications of real-world failures in AI systems, along with strategies for AI monitoring and evaluation.Featuring:Rick Kobayashi – LinkedInKenny Song – LinkedInChris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XLinks:Citadel AIRegister for upcoming webinars here!

Dan and Chris break down Winning the Race: America's AI Action Plan, issued by the White House in July 2025.  Structured as three "pillars" — Accelerate AI Innovation, Build American AI Infrastructure, and Lead in International AI Diplomacy and Security — our dynamic duo unpack the plan's policy goals and its associated suggestions — while also exploring the mixed reactions it's sparked across political lines. They connect the plan to international AI diplomacy and national security interests, discuss its implications for practitioners, and consider how political realities could shape its success in the years ahead. Featuring:Chris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XLinks:Press Release: White House Unveils America's AI Action PlanPaper: America's AI Action PlanSponsors:Shopify – The commerce platform trusted by millions. From idea to checkout, Shopify gives you everything you need to launch and scale your business—no matter your level of experience. Build beautiful storefronts, market with built-in AI tools, and tap into the platform powering 10% of all U.S. eCommerce. Start your one-dollar trial at shopify.com/practicalaiRegister for upcoming webinars here!

Allegra Guinan of Lumiera helps leaders turn uncertainty about AI into confident, strategic leadership. In this conversation, she brings some actionable insights for navigating the hype and complexity of AI. The discussion covers challenges with implementing responsible AI practices, the growing importance of user experience and product thinking, and how leaders can focus on real-world business problems over abstract experimentation.Featuring:Allegra Guinan – LinkedInChris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XLinks:LumieraSponsors:Shopify – The commerce platform trusted by millions. From idea to checkout, Shopify gives you everything you need to launch and scale your business—no matter your level of experience. Build beautiful storefronts, market with built-in AI tools, and tap into the platform powering 10% of all U.S. eCommerce. Start your one-dollar trial at shopify.com/practicalaiRegister for upcoming webinars here!

We unpack how AI is reshaping hiring decisions, shifting job roles, and creating new expectations for professionals — from engineers to marketers. They explore the rise of AI-assisted teams, the growing compensation bubble, why continuous learning is now table stakes, and how some service providers are quietly riding the AI wave.Featuring:Chris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XSponsors:Outshift by Cisco: AGNTCY is an open source collective building the Internet of Agents. It's a collaboration layer where AI agents can communicate, discover each other, and work across frameworks. For developers, this means standardized agent discovery tools, seamless protocols for inter-agent communication, and modular components to compose and scale multi-agent workflows."Register for upcoming webinars here!

In this episode, Chris sits down with Igor Nikitin, CEO and co-founder of Nice Technologies, to explore how AI and modern engineering practices are transforming the actuarial field and setting the stage for the future of actuarial modeling. We discuss the introduction of programming into insurance pricing workflows, and how their Python-based calc engine, AI copilots, and DevOps-inspired workflows are enabling actuaries to collaborate more effectively across teams while accelerating innovation. Featuring:Igor Nikitin – LinkedInChris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XLinks:Nice TechnologiesSponsors:Shopify – The commerce platform trusted by millions. From idea to checkout, Shopify gives you everything you need to launch and scale your business—no matter your level of experience. Build beautiful storefronts, market with built-in AI tools, and tap into the platform powering 10% of all U.S. eCommerce. Start your one-dollar trial at shopify.com/practicalai

In this episode of Practical AI, Chris and Daniel explore the fascinating world of agentic AI for drone and robotic swarms, which is Chris's passion and professional focus. They unpack how autonomous vehicles (UxV), drones (UaV), and other autonomous multi-agent systems can collaborate without centralized control while exhibiting complex emergent behavior with agency and self-governance to accomplish a mission or shared goals. Chris and Dan delve into the role of AI real-time inference and edge computing to enable complex agentic multi-model autonomy, especially in challenging environments like disaster zones and remote industrial operations.Featuring:Chris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XLinks:ROS - Robotic Operating SystemGazeboHugging Face Agents CourseSwarm Robotics | WikipediaChris's definition of Swarming:Swarming occurs when numerous independent fully-autonomous multi-agentic platforms exhibit highly-coordinated locomotive and emergent behaviors with agency and self-governance in any domain (air, ground, sea, undersea, space), functioning as a single independent logical distributed decentralized decisioning entity for purposes of C3 (command, control, communications) with human operators on-the-loop, to implement actions that achieve strategic, tactical, or operational effects in the furtherance of a mission.© 2025 Chris BensonSponsors:Outshift by Cisco: AGNTCY is an open source collective building the Internet of Agents. It's a collaboration layer where AI agents can communicate, discover each other, and work across frameworks. For developers, this means standardized agent discovery tools, seamless protocols for inter-agent communication, and modular components to compose and scale multi-agent workflows.

Let's flip the script! Typically, Dr. Leon Klempner and Amy Epstein pose the tough questions, delving into the latest trends and innovations that shape the world of orthodontics. But on this special episode of The Golden Age of Orthodontics, they're in the hot seat! With their podcast nearing an incredible 1.5 million views, they've invited Alison Werner, the sharp editor-in-chief of Orthodontic Products, to turn the tables and get their story. Tune in as Alison uncovers the journey of "People in Practice" and how this father-daughter duo built a platform dedicated to helping orthodontists not just survive, but truly thrive in this golden age. Remember, as Dr. Leon always says, “There has never been a better time to be an orthodontist!” IN THIS EPISODE: (00:00) Intro: Let's Flip The Script!(03:30) Meet Alison Werner(05:00) The genesis of starting the Golden Age of Orthodontics, renaming it to reflect a thriving industry and achieving nearly 1.5 million views (10:33) Father-daughter duo in business and the dynamics of family working together(14:03) Differentiating client practices with digital tools, focusing on patient benefits and favorite guests(26:02) The different types of orthodontic practices that People + Practice serves (30:03) The shift from DIY marketing to professional guidance(32:23) Subscribe to Orthodontic Products magazineKEY TAKEAWAYS: The podcast's shift from "Survival Guide" to "Golden Age of Orthodontics" signifies a reframe from merely coping with industry changes to recognizing and leveraging opportunities for growth and prosperity.Effective orthodontic marketing hinges on highlighting patient benefits derived from technology, not just the technology itself. The focus should be on the improved experience, not only the advanced equipment.People + Practice offers specialized digital marketing strategies designed to meet the distinct needs of orthodontic practices at every stage—from startups and those undergoing transitions to established practices seeking renewed growth and even those preparing for sale. In today's rapidly evolving orthodontic landscape, professional guidance is essential as relying on outdated methods or untrained staff is no longer sufficient to compete and ensure sustained growth effectively.RESOURCE LINKSPeople + Practice - Website Leon - EmailAmy - EmailPeople + Practice - EmailEp. 67 - Is Align Technology Still Committed to OrthodontistsEp. 72 - Protect Your Practice With Trey LawrenceEp. 63 - Practice Embezzlement, What You Need to Know With Financial Forensic CPA David Harris Ep. 59 - The Past, Present and Future of Orthodontics with Chris Benson

In the first episode of an "AI in the shadows" theme, Chris and Daniel explore the increasing concerning world of agentic misalignment. Starting out with a reminder about hallucinations and reasoning models, they break down how today's models only mimic reasoning, which can lead to serious ethical considerations. They unpack a fascinating (and slightly terrifying) new study from Anthropic, where agentic AI models were caught simulating blackmail, deception, and even sabotage — all in the name of goal completion and self-preservation. Featuring:Chris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XLinks:Agentic Misalignment: How LLMs could be insider threatsHugging Face Agents CourseRegister for upcoming webinars here!

In this episode, we sit down with Joey Conway to explore NVIDIA's open source AI, from the reasoning-focused Nemotron models built on top of Llama, to the blazing-fast Parakeet speech model. We chat about what makes open foundation models so valuable, how enterprises can think about deploying multi-model strategies, and why reasoning is becoming the key differentiator in real-world AI applications.Featuring:Joey Conway – LinkedInChris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XLinks:Llama Nemotron UltraNVIDIA Llama Nemotron Ultra Open Model Delivers Groundbreaking Reasoning AccuracyIndependent analysis of AIParakeet ModelParakeet LeaderboardTry the Llama-3.1-Nemotron-Ultra-253B-v1 model here and here

Can AI-driven autonomy reduce harm, or does it risk dehumanizing decision-making? In this “AI Hot Takes & Debates” series episode, Daniel and Chris dive deep into the ethical crossroads of AI, autonomy, and military applications. They trade perspectives on ethics, precision, responsibility, and whether machines should ever be trusted with life-or-death decisions. It's a spirited back-and-forth that tackles the big questions behind real-world AI.Featuring:Chris Benson – Website, GitHub, LinkedIn, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XLinks:The Concept of "The Human" in the Critique of Autonomous WeaponsOn the Pitfalls of Technophilic Reason: A Commentary on Kevin Jon Heller's “The Concept of ‘the Human' in the Critique of Autonomous Weapons”Sponsors:Outshift by Cisco: AGNTCY is an open source collective building the Internet of Agents. It's a collaboration layer where AI agents can communicate, discover each other, and work across frameworks. For developers, this means standardized agent discovery tools, seamless protocols for inter-agent communication, and modular components to compose and scale multi-agent workflows.

It seems like we are bombarded by news about millions of dollars pouring into AI startups, which have crazy valuations. In this episode, Chris and Dan dive deep into the highs, lows, and hard choices behind funding an AI startup. They explore early bootstrapping, the transition to venture capital, and what it's like to trade in code commits for investor decks. Featuring:Chris Benson – Website, GitHub, LinkedIn, XDaniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, XLinks:Builder.ai Collapses: $1.5bn 'AI' Startup Exposed as 'Actually Indians' Pretending to Be BotsSponsors:Miro: Feeling overwhelmed by AI? Miro brings clarity by combining human creativity with intelligent tools to help teams get great work done. Learn more at miro.com.