Podcasts about Unsupervised learning

  On this episode of Unsupervised Learning, Razib talks to Bo Winegard and Noah Carl, the editors behind the online publication Aporia Magazine, founded in 2022. Winegard and Carl are both former academics. Winegard has a social psychology Ph.D. from Florida State University, and was an assistant professor at Marietta College. He was an editor at Quillette before moving to Aporia. Carl earned his Ph.D. in sociology from Oxford University. He was a research fellow at St. Edmund's College, Cambridge, before becoming a contributor to The Daily Skeptic and UnHerd, and a managing editor at Aporia. First, Razib asks Winegard and Carl about their respective cancellations, and the recent attacks on Aporia from the British media in particular. Winegard observes that many of the criticisms were muddled, as journalists struggled to get basic facts straight about who did what, as well as mixing up present associations among various editors with past ones. The two also address the change in the culture over the last few years, as cancellations seem to have lost some of their bite. Then Razib asks Winegard about the perception that Aporia is fixated on the third-rail of American culture: race and IQ, and its relevance to social policy and politics. Winegard talks about how he has long since said everything he has to say on the topic, but he still finds that the public conversation fails to address the possibility of cognitive differences between populations, and so keeps finding himself wading back in, to fill a gap in the discourse. Razib also asks the editors about their view of “cold winters theory,” which attempts to explain the higher IQs of temperate zone populations versus tropical ones. Then they discuss the disappointments of the MAGA movement, and its appeal to populist emotion. Winegard had hoped that despite its inchoate nature, it might have been able to pare back the radical excesses of the progressive cultural changes of the 2010's, but now he worries that overreach may up the chances that woke policies make a comeback with the inevitable political backlash in the next few years. Winegard also addresses his personal souring on reflexive anti-wokism, and Carl shares his own views from across the Atlantic, where Britain appears to follow in the US' footsteps, even if from an entirely different social-historical context. Winegard discusses the difficulties of maintaining a consistent heterodoxy in the face of tribalistic demands for conformity. Finally, they discuss the path forward for publications like Aporia that do not toe any particular party line.

  Today Razib talks to Tim Lee, a previous guest on Unsupervised Learning. Lee hosts Understanding AI. Lee covered tech more generally for a decade for Washington Post, Ars Technica, and Vox.com. He has a master's degree in computer science from Princeton. Lee writes extensively about general AI issues, from Deep Research's capabilities to the state of large language models. But one of the major areas he has focused on is self-driving cars. With expansion of Waymo to Austin, and this June's debut of Tesla's robotaxis, Razib wanted to talk to Lee about the state of the industry. They discuss the controversies relating to safety and self-driving cars. Is it true, as some research suggests, that Waymo and self-driving cars are safer than human-driven cars? What about the accidents Waymos have been implicated in? Is it true that they were actually due to human error and recklessness, rather than the self-driving cars themselves? Lee also contrasts the different companies' strategies in the sector, from Waymo to Zoox to Tesla. Razib also asks him about the fact that self-driving cars' imminent arrival seems to have been overhyped five years ago, with Andrew Yang predicting trucker mass unemployment, to the reality that Waymo has now surpassed Lyft in ride volume in San Francisco. They also discuss the limitations of self-driving cars in terms of their ability to navigate cities and regions where snow might be a major impediment, and why there has been a delay in their expansion to freeway routes.

Logan sits down with Jeffrey Katzenberg, Hollywood legend and co-founder of DreamWorks, and Sujay Jaswa, former CFO of Dropbox - together, the duo behind WndrCo. They talk about building enduring companies, bridging tech and media, and what makes a great CEO partnership. The conversation also touches on storytelling as a business superpower and lessons from scaling at different stages. Whether you're a founder or a media nerd, there's something here for you. (00:00) Intro (04:26) The Genesis of the Partnership (13:06) Building and Investing in Companies (20:27) The Team and Their Roles (26:52) Decision-Making Process (33:25) Balancing Dreams and Skepticism (35:06) The Dynamics of Partnerships (37:25) Transitioning to Tech (38:45) Cultural Differences in Industries (41:26) The Value of Failure and Success (44:37) Excitement in Emerging Technologies (48:23) The Venture Capital Game (56:42) The Dropbox Talent Network (01:01:20) AI's Impact on Media and Creativity (01:06:18) Transitioning to CG Animation at DreamWorks (01:08:39) Embracing Change in the Intelligence Revolution (01:11:52) The Role of AI in Enhancing Productivity (01:14:11) Building a Consumer Cybersecurity Business (01:23:49) The Mission to Protect Children Online (01:35:17) Reflections on Partnership and Innovation Executive Producer: Rashad Assir Producer: Leah Clapper Mixing and editing: Justin Hrabovsky Check out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA

Sholto Douglas, a Member of Technical Staff at Anthropic, joined Unsupervised Learning to break down why coding is the clearest early signal of model progress, how AI agents are already accelerating research, and what it'll take to unlock real-world breakthroughs in fields like biology and robotics. (0:00) Intro(0:48) Claude 4(1:30) Capabilities and Improvements(2:29) Practical Applications and Advice(3:04) Future of AI in Coding(4:38) Managing Multiple AI Models(11:20) The Barrier to Agents is Reliability(16:35) Agents Conducting Research(19:54) Impact of Models on World GDP(25:14) Most Important Metrics in Model Improvement(29:53) Stories of Model Creativity(32:45) How Often Will New Models Be Shipped in the Future?(39:51) Day-to-Day Work of AI Researchers(46:46) The Future of AI and Society(51:26) Quickfire With your co-hosts: @jacobeffron - Partner at Redpoint, Former PM Flatiron Health @patrickachase - Partner at Redpoint, Former ML Engineer LinkedIn @ericabrescia - Former COO Github, Founder Bitnami (acq'd by VMWare) @jordan_segall - Partner at Redpoint

In this episode, Logan is joined by Zach Weinberg (Co-Founder/CEO @ Curie.Bio) and Derek Thompson (writer at The Atlantic) for a candid discussion on the state of U.S. healthcare and scientific progress. They unpack what went right, and wrong, with COVID vaccine policy, the public backlash against mRNA technology, and the ripple effects on trust in science. The conversation also dives into the real reasons behind NIH budget cuts, the economics of drug discovery, and the business incentives in medical R&D. It's a sharp, thought-provoking look at the intersection of policy, innovation, and public perception. (00:00) Introduction to Drug Pricing in the US (00:23) Broad Healthcare Topics and Open-Ended Discussion (02:37) COVID-19 Vaccines: Successes and Public Perception (06:21) The Evolution of COVID-19 and Vaccine Efficacy (07:59) Public Policy and Vaccine Mandates (13:10) Impact of School Closures and Public Sentiment (19:23) NIH Funding and the Importance of Basic Research (25:04) Challenges in Science Funding and Public Perception (35:19) Government vs. Private Investment in Science (36:40) Operation Warp Speed: A Case Study (39:07) Antibiotic Resistance Crisis (43:22) The Drug Pricing Debate (44:05) Challenges in Drug Discovery (54:06) Regulatory Hurdles in Medical R&D (58:06) The Future of Drug Development (01:04:19) Concluding Thoughts Executive Producer: Rashad Assir Producer: Leah Clapper Mixing and editing: Justin Hrabovsky Check out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA

Yotam Segev is the co-founder and CEO of Cyera, one of the fastest-growing cybersecurity startups in the world. In this episode, he joins Logan to talk about scaling Cyera from 100 to 550 employees in under two years, what it takes to operate at that speed, and why going slow can actually be riskier. They cover lessons from a tough go-to-market year, the emotional conviction behind choosing data security, and how Yotam thinks about platform expansion, hiring, and staying close to customers. It's a candid look at the mindset and mechanics behind building an elite security company at breakneck pace.(00:00) Intro(01:23) Yotam's Journey in Cybersecurity(02:30) Scaling a Company with Core Values(05:02) Founding Cyera: From Military to Startup(07:59) Entering the Venture Ecosystem(18:19) Early Challenges and Lessons Learned(22:36) Achieving Product-Market Fit(33:01) Ambitious Goals and Rapid Growth(37:39) The Future of Cybersecurity(39:07) The Cybersecurity Paradigm Shift(39:47) Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Cybersecurity(40:25) The Cat and Mouse Game of Cybersecurity(42:47) Traits of Effective CISOs(43:55) Expanding the Cybersecurity Platform(52:36) The Role of AI in Cybersecurity(01:03:25) The Impact of the October 2023 Attack on Israel(01:08:27) Leadership and Company Culture at Cyera(01:12:33) Reflections on Success and Future Goals(01:21:37) Fundraising and Partnerships(01:26:07) Hiring and Company GrowthExecutive Producer: Rashad AssirProducer: Leah ClapperMixing and editing: Justin HrabovskyCheck out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA

When Khan Academy launched Khanmigo, Salman Khan thought they might reach 100k users by 2025. Today, they're at 1.4 million. 

Blake Scholl, founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic, is leading the boldest effort in decades to bring back commercial supersonic flight—this time with product-market fit.We talk about what went wrong with the world's first try at supersonic commercial aircraft (launched in the 70s), why Boeing hasn't introduced a new plane in over a decade, and how Blake's startup is building a jet that flies 2x faster than today's aircraft—without the sonic boom. This episode is a crash course in engineering ambition, regulatory dysfunction, and what it takes to defy gravity and incumbents.(00:00) Intro(00:40) The History and Evolution of Aviation(01:12) The Rise and Fall of Concorde(05:25) The Impact of Government and Founders on Innovation(08:57) Regulatory Challenges and Business Models(26:53) Boom's Vision for Supersonic Travel(47:10) Building Trust with Regulators(48:16) Challenges in the Aerospace Startup(49:36) Recruiting Talent from Unlikely Places(55:47) The Importance of Mission Success Events(01:01:52) Developing a Custom Jet Engine(01:22:54) Reindustrialization and Economic Strategy(01:34:42) Conclusion and Final ThoughtsExecutive Producer: Rashad AssirProducer: Leah ClapperMixing and editing: Justin HrabovskyCheck out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA

College sports are going through massive changes—from athlete pay drama to superconference realignment and transfer portal chaos, not to mention the giant class action lawsuit playing out now.Matt Brown, the publisher behind Extra Points and one of the top experts on the business of college athletics, joined the show to break it all down. We walked through the full history of college sports, the current money dynamics, and where things could be headed. (00:00) Meet Matt Brown: Expert in College Sports Business(03:09) The Origins of College Sports(06:31) The Evolution of College Sports Broadcasting(14:53) Title IX and Its Impact on College Athletics(17:53) The 1984 Supreme Court Decision and Its Aftermath(20:03) The SMU Death Penalty Scandal(22:19) Conference Realignment and the BCS Era(28:22) The Rise of Conference Television Networks(30:23) The Arms Race in College Sports Facilities(34:41) The Role of Boosters in College Sports(36:03) Financial Breakdown of Major College Sports Programs(37:04) Understanding Nonprofit Accounting in College Athletics(38:20) Revenue Generation in College Sports(40:34) Athletics as Enrollment Management(42:04) The Flutie Effect and University Applications(44:37) Conference Realignment and Financial Instability(48:58) The O'Bannon Case and Video Game Licensing(53:59) The Northwestern Unionization Attempt(58:19) The Alston Case and Educational Awards(01:02:11) Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Marketplaces(01:05:51) The Role of Collectives in College Sports(01:12:08) Dependability of Young Campaign Partners(01:13:03) Transfer Portal and Its Impact(01:15:56) Rise of NIL Agents and Handlers(01:17:40) Economic Incentives and Transfer Market(01:20:37) Challenges in NIL Enforcement(01:22:48) House Settlement and Future Implications(01:25:38) Allocation of NIL Funds by Universities(01:44:26) Potential Super Leagues and Investment Challenges(01:48:07) Concluding Thoughts on College SportsExecutive Producer: Rashad AssirProducer: Leah ClapperMixing and editing: Justin HrabovskyCheck out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA

Aidan joined this week's Unsupervised Learning for a wide-ranging conversation on model architectures, enterprise adoption, and what's breaking in the foundation model stack. If you're building or investing in AI infrastructure, Aidan is worth listening to. He co-authored the original Transformer paper, leads one of the most advanced model labs outside of the hyperscalers, and is now building for real-world enterprise deployment with Cohere's agent platform, North. Cohere serves thousands of customers across sectors like finance, telco, and healthcare — and they've made a name for themselves by staying model-agnostic, privacy-forward, and deeply international (with major bets in Japan and Korea) (0:00) Intro(0:32) Enterprise AI(3:23) Custom Integrations and Future of AI Agents(4:33) Enterprise Use Cases for Gen AI(7:02) The Importance of Reasoning in AI Models(10:38) Custom Models and Synthetic Data(17:48) Cohere's Approach to AI Applications(23:24) Future Use Cases and Market Fit(27:11) Building a Unified Automation Platform(27:34) Strategic Decisions in the AI Journey(29:19) International Partnerships and Language Models(31:05) Future of Foundation Models(32:27) AI in Specialized Domains(34:40) Challenges in Data Integration(35:06) Emerging Foundation Model Companies(35:31) Technological Frontiers and Architectures(37:29) Scaling Hypothesis and Model Capabilities(42:26) AI Research Culture and Team Building(44:39) Future of AI and Societal Impact(48:31) Addressing AI Risks With your co-hosts:  @jacobeffron  - Partner at Redpoint, Former PM Flatiron Health  @patrickachase  - Partner at Redpoint, Former ML Engineer LinkedIn  @ericabrescia  - Former COO Github, Founder Bitnami (acq'd by VMWare)  @jordan_segall  - Partner at Redpoint

In this episode, Derek Thompson (Writer, The Atlantic) delves into the tumultuous nature of Trump's trade policies, especially regarding tariffs, and how they impact American manufacturing and global markets. They discuss the constant changes in policy, the resulting uncertainty for industries like automotive and aerospace, and the mismatch between Trump's ‘madman strategy' and effective industrial policy. The conversation also explores the broader economic consequences, including stock market volatility, housing affordability issues, and the role of government in promoting economic growth and innovation.(00:00) Intro(00:20) Trump's Trade Policy and Its Implications(01:30) The Uncertainty of Tariff Policies(02:12) Impact on American Manufacturing(05:15) Stock Market Reactions(07:00) Debating the Effectiveness of Tariffs(10:02) Wall Street vs. Main Street(18:44) Housing and Healthcare Challenges(34:53) Historical Context of Housing Regulations(41:48) The Reality of Construction Jobs(42:35) The American Dream and Housing Costs(42:57) The 30-Year Mortgage and Its Impact(43:48) Comparing Home Ownership to Stock Market Investments(45:14) Political Reception of the Book 'Abundance'(46:17) Pro-Business Democrats and Government's Role(48:38) The Need for Aggressive Democratic Leaders(51:18) The Importance of Economic Growth(01:01:26) Debating Government's Role in Industrial Policy(01:03:34) Challenges in the Semiconductor Industry(01:13:19) The Housing Problem in New York City(01:15:26) Conclusion and Final ThoughtsExecutive Producer: Rashad AssirProducer: Leah ClapperMixing and editing: Justin HrabovskyCheck out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA

Debate between Keith Rabois and Zach Weinberg on what tariffs are actually trying to accomplish. One core theme: Tariffs aren't fully about “bringing back factories,” but rather a negotiation tool to eliminate foreign trade barriers - ultimately aiming to increase free trade, not restrict it.We also got into:- What each of them would do if they were in charge- Whether the trade deficit is a meaningful metric or just a misunderstood talking point- If tariffs could be part of an initiative to replace income tax — shifting toward a more consumption-based tax system- If tariffs could successfully be used as a non-military tool to reduce drug supply to the US- If there's a major disconnect between the new administration's rhetoric and the actual economic goals behind the policyOne of the deepest economic conversations from the show's recent history — and a rare debate where both sides had real logic behind their views.(00:00) Introduction and Host's Biases(00:46) Keith's Perspective on Tariffs(03:05) Zach's Perspective and Clarifying Questions(05:14) Debating Tariff Strategies(07:45) Economic Implications and Free Trade(13:31) Trump's Tariff Policies and Goals(16:57) Global Trade and Protectionism(25:52) Final Thoughts on Tariffs and Trade(29:16) Discussion on Trade Tariffs and Partners(30:17) Impact of Tariffs on GDP and Debt(31:20) Political Coalitions and Trade Policies(32:00) Tariffs as Consumer Taxes(33:30) Debate on Trade Deficit and Tariff Rates(36:53) Regulatory Reforms and Economic Policies(47:25) Fentanyl Crisis and Trade Negotiations(51:06) Closing Remarks and Future TopicsExecutive Producer: Rashad AssirProducer: Leah ClapperMixing and editing: Justin HrabovskyCheck out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA

In this freeform episode, Logan sits down with Zach Weinberg (Co-Founder and CEO of Curie.Bio) to break down two of the biggest storylines in tech: tariffs and AI.They banter through the core arguments for and against tariffs, including national security, domestic employment, and negotiation power. Plus, they revisit what's happened in past trade wars and share predictions on the real economic consequences this time around.Logan and Zach also discuss OpenAI's $40B raise and the broader race for AI dominance—can OpenAI maintain its lead against tech giants like Google and Apple? They debate the limits of product defensibility, the power of platform defaults, and the strategic moves OpenAI might need to make to stay ahead.Topics include:The arguments for and against tariffsWhat happened during past U.S. tariff cycles—and how this one comparesWhether OpenAI can maintain its edge in a world of native AI platformsA possible playbook for OpenAI to build user lock-in beyond utilityWhat this era of AI competition means for the U.S.—and what could derail ithttps://fdra.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Trade-War-Lessons-from-the-Past-2025.pdf?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_axiosmacro&stream=business00:00 Intro01:35 Liberation Day and Global Trade02:13 Freeform Discussion on Various Topics02:44 Podcasting and VC Life03:32 Debating Tariffs and National Security11:26 Arguments Against Tariffs22:19 Historical Context of Tariffs26:58 Economic Predictions and Stagflation33:39 The Forgotten Lessons of Recessions36:02 The Fixed vs. Growth Mindset in Economics37:17 The Democratic Party's Shift on Economic Policies42:33 The Rise of Populism and Its Impact50:28 OpenAI's Explosive Growth and Challenges54:28 The Competitive Landscape of AI58:33 The Future of AI and Consumer Behavior01:07:20 The Role of Social Networking in AI's Future01:10:43 Wildcard: The Role of XAI and GrokExecutive Producer: Rashad AssirProducer: Leah ClapperMixing and editing: Justin HrabovskyCheck out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: / @redpointai

Unsupervised Learning is a podcast that interviews the sharpest minds in AI about what's real today, what will be real in the future and what it means for businesses and the world - helping builders, researchers and founders deconstruct and understand the biggest breakthroughs. Top guests: Noam Shazeer, Bob McGrew, Noam Brown, Dylan Patel, Percy Liang, David Luan https://www.latent.space/p/unsupervised-learning Timestamps 00:00 Introduction and Excitement for Collaboration 00:27 Reflecting on Surprises in AI Over the Past Year 01:44 Open Source Models and Their Adoption 06:01 The Rise of GPT Wrappers 06:55 AI Builders and Low-Code Platforms 09:35 Overhyped and Underhyped AI Trends 22:17 Product Market Fit in AI 28:23 Google's Current Momentum 28:33 Customer Support and AI 29:54 AI's Impact on Cost and Growth 31:05 Voice AI and Scheduling 32:59 Emerging AI Applications 34:12 Education and AI 36:34 Defensibility in AI Applications 40:10 Infrastructure and AI 47:08 Challenges and Future of AI 52:15 Quick Fire Round and Closing Remarks Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction and Collab Excitement 00:00:58 Open Source and Model Adoption 00:01:58 Enterprise Use of Open Source Models 00:02:57 The Competitive Edge of Closed Source Models 00:03:56 DeepSea and Open Source Model Releases 00:04:54 Market Narrative and DeepSea Impact 00:05:53 AI Engineering and GPT Wrappers 00:06:53 AI Builders and Low-Code Platforms 00:07:50 Innovating Beyond Existing Paradigms 00:08:50 Apple and AI Product Development 00:09:48 Overhyped and Underhyped AI Trends 00:10:46 Frameworks and Protocols in AI Development 00:11:45 Emerging Opportunities in AI 00:12:44 Stateful AI and Memory Innovation 00:13:44 Challenges with Memory in AI Agents 00:14:44 The Future of Model Training Companies 00:15:44 Specialized Use Cases for AI Models 00:16:44 Vertical Models vs General Purpose Models 00:17:42 General Purpose vs Domain-Specific Models 00:18:42 Reflections on Model Companies 00:19:39 Model Companies Entering Product Space 00:20:38 Competition in AI Model and Product Sectors 00:21:35 Coding Agents and Market Dynamics 00:22:35 Defensibility in AI Applications 00:23:35 Investing in Underappreciated AI Ventures 00:24:32 Analyzing Market Fit in AI 00:25:31 AI Applications with Product Market Fit 00:26:31 OpenAI's Impact on the Market 00:27:31 Google and OpenAI Competition 00:28:31 Exploring Google's Advancements 00:29:29 Customer Support and AI Applications 00:30:27 The Future of AI in Customer Support 00:31:26 Cost-Cutting vs Growth in AI 00:32:23 Voice AI and Real-World Applications 00:33:23 Scaling AI Applications for Demand 00:34:22 Summarization and Conversational AI 00:35:20 Future AI Use Cases and Market Fit 00:36:20 AI Education and Model Capabilities 00:37:17 Reforming Education with AI 00:38:15 Defensibility in AI Apps 00:39:13 Network Effects and AI 00:40:12 AI Brand and Market Positioning 00:41:11 AI Application Defensibility 00:42:09 LLM OS and AI Infrastructure 00:43:06 Security and AI Application 00:44:06 OpenAI's Role in AI Infrastructure 00:45:02 The Balance of AI Applications and Infrastructure 00:46:02 Capital Efficiency in AI Infrastructure 00:47:01 Challenges in AI DevOps and Infrastructure 00:47:59 AI SRE and Monitoring 00:48:59 Scaling AI and Hardware Challenges 00:49:58 Reliability and Compute in AI 00:50:57 Nvidia's Dominance and AI Hardware 00:51:57 Emerging Competition in AI Silicon 00:52:54 Agent Authentication Challenges 00:53:53 Dream Podcast Guests 00:54:51 Favorite News Sources and Startups 00:55:50 The Value of In-Person Conversations 00:56:50 Private vs Public AI Discourse 00:57:48 Latent Space and Podcasting 00:58:46 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

  On this episode of Unsupervised Learning, Razib talks to Graeme Wood. Wood is a staff writer at The Atlantic, where he usually covers geopolitics and international affairs. His work ranges from a profile of Richard Spencer, the American white nationalist public figure with whom he went to high school with, to the Islamic State. He is the author of The Way of the Strangers: Encounters with the Islamic State. Wood grew up in Dallas, Texas, and graduated from Harvard College. He also studied at the American University in Cairo, Indiana University and Deep Springs College. Today Razib talks to Wood about his piece in The Atlantic, Germany's Anti-Extremist Firewall Is Collapsing. Wood addresses the economic malaise of contemporary Germany, in particular, the former East Germany, and how that is impacting the national cultural climate. More concretely, they consider why the right-wing Alternative For Deutschland (AFD) party is so popular, and its transformation from an anti-EU party to an anti-migrant party. Wood emphasizes that Germany has become a highly polarized society when it comes to ethnicities, with very cosmopolitan cities, but small towns in rural eastern provinces where he recalls feeling like possibly the only non-white face at the local beer hall (his father is a white American while his mother is ethnically Chinese). Razib muses whether German multiculturalism as an ideology has allowed for more, not less racism, while Wood reflects on his multi-decade experience visiting the nation as an outsider.

Darshan H. Brahmbhatt, Podcast Editor of JACC: Advances, discusses a recently published original research paper on Unsupervised Learning-Derived Complex Metabolic Signatures Refine Cardiometabolic Risk

Two weeks ago, OpenAI released its set of tools to help developers build agentic systems. Today on Unsupervised Learning, Nikunj Handa (Product Lead) and Steve Coffey (Eng Lead) answer some of the biggest questions around how developers should be thinking about building in the agentic paradigm in 2025. [0:00] Intro[0:53] OpenAI's Vision for Consumer Interaction[4:51] Building Multi-Agent Systems for Business Solutions[6:53] Challenges and Innovations in AI Fine-Tuning[13:20] Exploring Computer Use Cases and Applications[17:20] Advanced Use Cases and Developer Insights[25:29] Challenges with Context Storage and Chat Completions[26:09] Introducing the Responses API and MCP[27:16] AI Infrastructure Companies and Their Role[29:35] Building the Tools Ecosystem[30:17] Exploring Computer Use Models[31:47] The Future of AI and Developer Tools[38:36] Quickfire With your co-hosts: @jacobeffron - Partner at Redpoint, Former PM Flatiron Health @patrickachase - Partner at Redpoint, Former ML Engineer LinkedIn @ericabrescia - Former COO Github, Founder Bitnami (acq'd by VMWare) @jordan_segall - Partner at Redpoint

On the latest episode of Unsupervised Learning, Jacob is joined by two of the most influential minds in AI today. 

As tariff drama continues to heat up, Ryan Petersen, CEO of Flexport (one of the hottest freight forwarders in the world) came on the show to unpack the impact. Ryan also dives deep into the hidden world of US shipping, opportunities for AI automation in logistics, reflections on building Flexport, and some supply chain conspiracy theories.(00:00) Intro(01:16) Flexport's Mission and Operations(02:28) Impact of Tariffs on Businesses(05:15) Navigating New Duties and Regulations(09:19) Flexport's Strategic Response(14:39) Challenges in U.S. Shipping Policies(28:21) Union Influence on Port Automation(40:35) National Security and Trade Negotiations(41:06) Tariffs and Business Planning Challenges(42:16) Investment Opportunities in Ports(44:02) Port Automation and AI Integration(45:09) Flexport's Big Tech Launch(47:02) AI's Role in Supply Chain Management(53:14) Digitizing Freight Contracts(58:18) Lessons from Flexport's Growth(01:09:13) Conspiracy Theories in Shipping Executive Producer: Rashad AssirProducer: Leah ClapperMixing and editing: Justin Hrabovsky Check out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA

  On this episode of Unsupervised Learning, friend of the podcast, Charles Murray returns to chat with Razib again. Murray has been a public intellectual and scholar since the 1970's. He is the author of Losing Ground, The Bell Curve, Human Accomplishment, Real Education, Coming Apart and What it means to be a libertarian and Human Diversity, among others. Born in 1943 in Newton, Iowa, Murray has a BA from Harvard, an MA and PhD from MIT, and did a 1960's stint in the Peace Corps in Thailand. He has held positions at the American Institutions for Research, the Manhattan Institute and the American Enterprise Institute. More than four years after their last conversation, and seven years after his official retirement, Murray reflects with Razib on where he sees America going in the next decade, and what has surprised him about the last 25 years. Razib asks what it is like to be a long-standing “Never Trump conservative” and a libertarian in Trump's populist America. They also discuss the end of the “awokening” that began in the mid-2010s, and whether Murray's long exile from notice and acknowledgement from mainstream opinion-leaders and tastemakers is at an end. Murray also addresses the ideological fractures he sees on the right, and how America will deal with the last generation of mass immigration that has altered the US' demographic balance. They also discuss how taboo it still is to talk about group differences in cognitive performance, and whether America will be able to face the reality of demographics and the social consequences thereof in the 21st century.

On today's Unsupervised Learning, Mike Schroepfer (ex-CTO of Meta and founder of Gigascale Capital) reveals why energy is a key bottleneck holding AI progress back. Mike discusses how we can scale energy production to democratize AI globally and explores AI's role in climate change. He also reflects on a decade as Meta's CTO and how AI coding is transforming the CTO role. Finally, he offers predictions on the future of AI developer tools, VR, and open-source models. [0:00] Intro[0:43] AI's Role in Energy and Climate Change[4:32] Innovative Energy Solutions[14:50] Open Source and AI Development[22:35] Challenges in Chip Design[24:04] Balancing Data Center Capacity[25:55] The Future of VR and AI Integration[29:41] AI's Role in Climate Solutions[31:41] AI in Material Science and Beyond[34:31] Personal AI Assistants and Their Impact[38:47] Reflections on AI and Future Predictions[41:23] Quickfire With your co-hosts: @jacobeffron - Partner at Redpoint, Former PM Flatiron Health @patrickachase - Partner at Redpoint, Former ML Engineer LinkedIn @ericabrescia - Former COO Github, Founder Bitnami (acq'd by VMWare) @jordan_segall - Partner at Redpoint

On this episode of Unsupervised Learning, Razib talks to Titus Techera, a Romanian living in Budapest, but commenting extensively on American and European culture. He is the Executive Director of the American Cinema Foundation, International Coordinator of the National Conservatism Conference and is a primary contributor to the Substack PostModernConservative. Techera also hosts a podcast for the American Cinema Foundation. Razib first talks to Techera about the 2024 Romanian presidential election that was overturned by the courts over accusations of Russian interference. Techera explains the social and cultural context of the candidate initially declared victorious against a backdrop of Romanian society's typical stock characters. Techera also discusses the tension between having a nation-state with a distinctive character and becoming part of the broader EU project that is attempting to forge unity across 27 countries. He then addresses what a “Postmodern Conservative” is in the context of the arts. Perhaps most importantly, PostModern Conservatives take the 20th century and the modernist period seriously; they are not simply reactionaries who want to return to the 19th century. Conservatives who value the arts and culture cannot simply roll the tape back; they have to engage with what has come before. Razib and Techera also consider how inferences from the sciences, like the rejection of the “blank slate,” might influence the arts. They also discuss their disagreements about the latest Dune films, Techera prefers David Lynch's attempt to adapt the book in 1984 to Denis Villeneuve's 2021 version.

Waymo is an autonomous driving technology company with the mission to be the world's most trusted driver. The company operates a 24/7 public ride-hail service and provides over 150,000 trips each week across San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin, making mobility more accessible, sustainable, and safer for everyone.In this week's episode of Unsupervised Learning, we dive deep into the frontier where AI meets hardware — and there's no better guide than Vincent Vanhoucke, Distinguished Engineer at Waymo and former Head of Robotics at DeepMind. [0:00] Intro[0:50] Waymo's Technological Evolution[2:40] The Role of LLMs in Autonomous Driving[6:02] Vincent's Journey to Waymo[9:17] Challenges in Autonomous Driving[11:58] Simulation and World Models[27:44] Future Milestones and Expansion[30:10] Broader Robotics and AI[36:12] Future of General Robotics Models[38:14] Hardware vs. Software Approaches in Robotics[40:19] Challenges in Robotic Data Acquisition[40:38] Simulation vs. Real-World Data in Robotics[43:02] Human-Robot Interaction for Data Collection[45:03] Advancements in Multimodal Models[47:08] Unanswered Questions in Robotics[52:02] Reasoning Capabilities in AI[54:57] Future of Robotics and AI[1:00:51] Quickfire With your co-hosts: @jacobeffron - Partner at Redpoint, Former PM Flatiron Health @patrickachase - Partner at Redpoint, Former ML Engineer LinkedIn @ericabrescia - Former COO Github, Founder Bitnami (acq'd by VMWare) @jordan_segall - Partner at Redpoint

Yamini Rangan, CEO of HubSpot (a $40 billion leader in the CRM space) shares how AI is transforming go-to-market strategies, the key lessons Yamini has learned as a first-time CEO, and the sales tactics she's mastered.She also discusses the challenges of navigating major business pivots, including how companies can successfully transition into AI-first businesses and what it takes to stay competitive in an evolving landscape.(00:00) Intro(00:56) Yamini Rangan's Background and Career Journey(02:33) Joining HubSpot and Early Challenges(03:49) Transition to CEO and Leadership Insights(07:33) Strategic Planning and Long-Term Vision(15:15) AI Transformation and Product Innovation(18:57) AI's Impact on CRM and Future Prospects(28:51) Content Strategy and Customer Engagement(37:34) Contextual AI Features for Better Usage(38:13) Human Expectations and AI(39:36) AI in Daily Productivity(42:54) The Art and Science of Sales(51:05) The Role of Curiosity and Resilience in Sales(53:23) Evolving Company Culture(55:27) Leadership Style and Management Lessons(58:27) Scaling Startups: Lessons from Workday(01:02:54) The Future of AI and Incumbents(01:14:10) Concluding Thoughts Executive Producer: Rashad AssirProducer: Leah ClapperMixing and editing: Justin Hrabovsky Check out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA

Andy is the founder of Artisanal Ventures and Artisanal Talent, one of Silicon Valley's top search firms. He's helped build leadership teams at companies like Databricks, Snowflake, Confluent, Abnormal Security, AcuityMD, and many more.In this episode, he shares…- How founders can differentiate in the talent war today- Maximizing the success rate of executive hires- Why interviews are a waste of time- The best ways to do references- How to choose the right search firm& more (00:00) Intro(02:02) Andy Price's Background and Career Journey(03:20) The Role of Founders in Hiring(04:32) Challenges in Early Stage Hiring(10:08) Importance of Venture Capital Brand(12:14) Effective Search Processes and Candidate Evaluation(23:27) Backchannel References and Networking(29:10) Identifying Key Players in Sales Growth(29:44) The Importance of Minimal Disruption(30:40) Effective Founder-Executive Relationships(30:57) The Role of Soak Time in Differentiation(31:52) Hiring Strategies for Rapid Growth(33:42) Common Failure Modes in Hiring(34:32) Aligning Founder and Executive Expectations(38:26) Building a Strong Talent Acquisition Team(40:51) The Talent Wars and Hiring Choke Points(44:24) Balancing Skill Sets and Company Culture(47:29) Evaluating and Upleveling Team Members(49:59) The Importance of Forecasting and Planning(51:34) Handling Executive Transitions Smoothly(59:09) The Art of Firing: Best Practices(59:32) Handling Employee Terminations with Dignity(01:02:19) Negotiating with Candidates: Tips and Tricks(01:06:31) Understanding Compensation Trends(01:08:18) Avoiding Common Founder Mistakes(01:11:28) Scaling Operations in Hypergrowth(01:15:00) Navigating the Current VC and Talent Ecosystem(01:23:34) The Importance of Specialized Search Firms(01:28:03) Adapting to the New Market Realities(01:30:46) Final Thoughts and Reflections Executive Producer: Rashad AssirProducer: Leah ClapperMixing and editing: Justin Hrabovsky Check out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA

The recent controversy between WordPress and WP Engine put Matt Mullenweg (Co-Founder of WordPress, CEO of Automattic) under intense online scrutiny. In our conversation, he shared lessons from the controversy and managing through crisis, as well as this thoughts on the future of open source AI and more.(00:00) Intro(01:17) Controversy with WP Engine(03:36) Understanding Open Source and Trademarks(04:36) Automattic's Role and Contributions(08:26) Navigating Legal Battles and Community Relations(18:27) Leadership and Personal Resilience(21:49) The Impact of Social Media on CEOs(31:22) Future Outlook and Reflections(32:42) Exploring the Quinn Model and Open Source Innovations(33:17) The Evolution of AI Interfaces and User Interactions(35:36) AI as a Writing and Coding Partner(38:07) The Power of Open Source in AI Development(40:00) Commoditizing Complements: A Business Strategy(41:39) The Battle with Shopify and Open Source Models(42:33) The Impact of Open Source on Market Dynamics(43:55) USB-C Transition and Gadget Recommendations(47:53) The Benefits of Sabbaticals(53:34) The Future of WordPress and Automattic(59:12) Employee Ownership and Liquidity Programs(01:04:33) Conclusion and Final Thoughts Executive Producer: Rashad AssirProducer: Leah ClapperMixing and editing: Justin Hrabovsky Check out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA 

  On this episode of Unsupervised Learning, third-time guest John Hawks returns after two years to discuss what we've learned in paleoanthropology since he and Razib last talked. Hawks obtained his PhD under Milford H. Wolpoff, and is currently a professor in anthropology at the University of Wisconsin. Hawks has also co-authored Almost Human: The Astonishing Tale of Homo naledi and the Discovery That Changed Our Human Story and Cave of Bones: A True Story of Discovery, Adventure, and Human Origins with Lee Berger. Razib first presses Hawks on what we know about archaic human admixture into modern populations, and particularly what we've learned about Denisovans. They discuss how many Denisovan populations there were, how many Denisovan fossil remains we have, and why it has taken so long for researchers to assign a species name to this lineage of humans. Hawks also address the puzzle of the phenomenon of why there are at least two pygmy hominin populations in Southeast Asia. Perhaps humans too are subject to island dwarfism like many other mammals? Also, Razib wonders why Southeast Asia was home to such a startling variety of humans at once prior to the arrival of modern populations. They discuss all of this in light of the framework of Out-of-Africa, the recent spread of anatomically modern humans outside of Africa. Razib questions how robust this model is today given our understanding of modern humans' extensive and repeated interactions with both Neanderthals and Denisovans. Finally, Hawks covers some controversies over fossils being sent into space that roiled the archaeological world last year.

Two weeks after Oura CEO Tom Hale started tracking and improving his sleep, he recalls, “It was like walking out of a black-and-white movie into a 4K technicolor movie… I've been missing this for 30 years.” The experience of feeling 20 again every day inspired him to apply for the Oura CEO role. Now, nearly 3 years into the job, he sat down to discuss what all founders and CEOs should consider when it comes to avoiding burnout and maximizing health and productivity. We covered his experiences with tools like continuous glucose monitoring, his thoughts on the future of wearables, and how AI insights will help us take better control of our health. (00:00) Intro(00:53) The Journey with Oura Ring(01:47) Sleep Optimization and Health Trends(05:06) Behavioral Changes for Better Sleep(09:33) Tom Hale's Professional Background(12:47) Challenges and Opportunities at Oura(22:50) The Importance of Sleep(26:05) Health Benefits of Quality Sleep(28:38) Oura's Unique Position in the Market(36:47) Consumer Choice and Healthcare Disruption(40:59) Unexpected Insights from HSA and FSA Spending(41:36) The Future of Insurance and Wearable Data(44:40) Preventative Care and Employer Incentives(47:21) The Impact of Small Choices on Health(48:52) Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare(54:08) The Role of Continuous Glucose Monitors(59:50) Expanding Oura's Market and Product Strategy(01:12:04) Navigating Leadership and Company Culture(01:19:22) Future Opportunities and Global Expansion(01:23:43) Closing Remarks and Reflections  Executive Producer: Rashad AssirProducer: Leah ClapperMixing and editing: Justin Hrabovsky Check out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA

In this episode of Unsupervised Learning, we sit down with Dylan Patel, Chief Analyst at SemiAnalysis, to break down what these sweeping changes really mean. From how they consolidate power among Big Tech to China's narrowing options for AI dominance, we unpacked the impact of this regulatory shift.Follow SemiAnalysis: https://semianalysis.com/ [0:00] Intro[1:07] Grading the AI Diffusion Rule[3:48] What Will Happen to the Malaysian Data Centers?[7:23] How do the Regulations Favor Giant Tech Companies?[9:07] Pre-Regulation AI Landscape[13:00] Where Does Chinese AI Go From Here?[22:00] The Goldie Locks Approach to Regulation[24:16] Size of Cluster Buildouts Today[37:47] How Big Will Cluster Buildouts Get?[43:00] Are Open-Source Models Falling Behind?[47:51] Questions Dylan Wants the Answer To[51:30] Hardware Startups[1:01:05] The Future of Enterprise AI[1:05:10] What Made CoreWeave So Successful?[1:19:28] Quickfire With your co-hosts: @jacobeffron - Partner at Redpoint, Former PM Flatiron Health @patrickachase - Partner at Redpoint, Former ML Engineer LinkedIn @ericabrescia - Former COO Github, Founder Bitnami (acq'd by VMWare) @jordan_segall - Partner at Redpoint

Jay Chaudhry is the definition of a self-starter. Born in the Himalayas with no running water or electricity until high school, Jay has now scaled Zscaler to a $30B public company. He and his wife went all in many times over—betting their life savings and quitting their jobs to launch their first venture, Secure IT, which became a huge success. Jay then parlayed that into building multiple more self-funded, successful cybersecurity companies before founding Zscaler.In this episode, Jay shares his playbook for building disruptive companies, how he picks a market, and insights on using AI to combat modern breaches—plus his perspectives on life, family, and money. Executive Producer: Rashad AssirProducer: Leah ClapperMixing and editing: Justin Hrabovsky Check out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA

  On this episode of Unsupervised Learning, Razib catches up with Nikolai Yakovenko about the state of AI at the end of 2024. Yakovenko is a former professional poker player,and research scientist at Google, Twitter and Nvidia. With a decade in computer science, Yakovenko has been at the forefront of the large-language-model revolution that has given rise to multi-billion dollar companies like OpenAI, Anthropic and Perplexity and hundreds of smaller startups. Currently, he is the CEO of DeepNewz, an AI-driven news startup that leverages OpenAI's latest model. Full disclosure: Razib actively uses and recommends the service and is an advisor to the company.  Razib and Yakovenko first review what makes the last few years special, the rise of large-language-models on top of neural network architecture of transformers. Yakovenkoi discusses how far they've come since OpenAI released ChatGPT to the public in the fall of 2022, and how people have been using the underlying technology to develop applications atop it. Despite predictions of mass unemployment, Razib points out that two years later America is at full employment, and only niche fields like translation have been impacted. In contrast, Yakovenko points out that most software developers use artificial intelligence in some form to aid in their daily engineering work, noting the possibility that the AI revolution is integrating itself seamlessly as a utility for preexistent jobs. They also discuss the fact that though AI is a booming field, only one brand-name company has so far emerged in the industry, OpenAI. Though they agree that the current hype cycle is now abating, it is clear that the major investments in the field like data centers will continue from major players as AI-driven applications like self-driving cars become more and more mainstream.

  On this episode of Unsupervised Learning, Razib talks to Yasha Mounk. The founder of Persuasion, a contributor to The Atlantic and a professor at Johns Hopkins, Mounk now has his own Substack, where he hosts his weekly column and podcast. He is the author of The Great Experiment: Why Diverse Democracies Fall Apart and How They Can Endure, The People vs. Democracy: Why Our Freedom Is in Danger and How to Save It and The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time.  Razib and Mounk first discuss Mounk's immediate reaction to the 2024 election, and how the Democrats might pick up the pieces going forward. Mounk believes that the argument in his book The Identity Trap, neatly captures many of the problems for the party. Democrats leaned in on the inevitably of racial polarization in an age of progressive depolarization. Razib also asks Mounk for his retrospective on the COVID-19 epidemic, in which he was a commentator who argued in The Atlantic for more stringent habits and then later, for an opening up. They also discuss how the Public Health establishment COVID interventions threw the whole field into disrepute, and what it tells us about the nature of expertise. Then Razib asks Mounk about European nations and their future. In particular, whether their low productivity and fertility rates combined with mass migration doom them to a future of irrelevance and national dissolution. Mounk highlights the unfortunate case of the UK in particular, though he notes that his home nation of Germany is finding itself in a precarious situation with China competing with its manufacturers and Russia cutting off its gas supply. Finally, Razib closes by asking Mounk whether he is still as worried about American democracy in the wake of the 2024 Trump win as he was in 2016.

In this episode, Marc Benioff (CEO, Salesforce) responds to Satya Nadella's recent predictions and shares his thoughts on the current reality of Agi. He dives into the rise of digital labor, the multi-trillion-dollar potential of agentic technology, and what the future split between software and agentic revenue might look like. Marc also discusses why CEOs need to stay grounded in delivering actionable solutions, and he emphasizes the moral obligation businesses have to retrain employees and invest in communities as AI continues to evolve.(00:00) Intro(01:45) Salesforce's AI Impact on Business(03:03) The Future of Digital Labor(05:28) Agentic AI and Customer Success(07:42) Salesforce's Competitive Edge(11:48) Marc Benioff's Response to Satya Nadella(14:16) The Role of AI in Enterprise Software(20:14) The Balance of AI and Human Labor(28:34) Salesforce's Philanthropic Efforts(36:24) The Future of AI and Regulation(40:24) Conclusion and Farewell Executive Producer: Rashad AssirProducer: Leah ClapperMixing and editing: Justin Hrabovsky Check out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA

In our new world of AI, few minds shine as brightly as Bob McGrew's. Until November Bob was the Chief Research Officer at OpenAI, and before that led Palantir's engineering and product management for the first decade of its existence. He's seen it all and we were fortunate to get his insights and vision for the future in one of my favorite episodes of Unsupervised Learning to date: [0:00] Intro[0:44] Debating AI Model Capabilities[0:57] Inside vs Outside Perspectives on AI Progress[1:39] Challenges in AI Pre-Training[3:02] Reinforcement Learning and Future Models[3:48] AI Progress in 2025[5:58] New Form Factors for AI Models[8:56] Reliability and Enterprise Integration[18:14] Multimodal AI and Video Models[24:05] The Future of Robotics[32:46] The Complexity of Automating Jobs with AI[34:08] AI in Startups: Tackling Boring Problems[35:33] AI's Impact on Productivity and Consultants[36:43] Traits of Top AI Researchers[40:52] The Evolution of OpenAI's Mission[46:57] The Challenges of Scaling AI[49:16] The Future of AI and Human Agency[54:47] AI in Social Sciences and Academia[1:01:15] Reflections and Future Plans[1:02:57] Quickfire With your co-hosts:  @jacobeffron  - Partner at Redpoint, Former PM Flatiron Health  @patrickachase  - Partner at Redpoint, Former ML Engineer LinkedIn  @ericabrescia  - Former COO Github, Founder Bitnami (acq'd by VMWare)  @jordan_segall  - Partner at Redpoint

Eran Zinman entered a crowded category, out-executed everyone, and scaled monday.com into a $14B public company. In my latest conversation with him, he details their unique metric tracking system (dubbed Big Brain) that allows them to do the same amount of work with ½ the people, along with their relentless focus on cash over other metrics, and the little tactics that brought significant ROI (like sending everyone—including investors—a daily SMS with yesterday's metrics).(00:00) Introduction to the Logan Bartlett Show(01:12) The Philosophy Behind Monday.com(01:29) Building a Flexible Platform(04:12) Competing in a Crowded Market(06:21) The Evolution of Monday.com(13:43) The Importance of Cash Efficiency(14:22) Big Brain: The In-House Analytics Platform(23:54) Performance Marketing Strategies(29:47) AI Integration and Future Prospects(38:51) Founder Mode and Company Philosophy(40:53) Learning from Mistakes and Adapting(43:04) Customer Success and Service Philosophy(46:53) Building a Strong Company Culture(51:10) Interviewing and Hiring Best Practices(54:49) Going Public and Investor Relations(01:03:38) Co-CEO Model and Partnership(01:08:34) Future Vision for Monday.com(01:11:07) Embracing Failure and Continuous Improvement Executive Producer: Rashad AssirProducer: Leah ClapperMixing and editing: Justin Hrabovsky Check out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA

(00:00) Intro(01:37) Overview of Booking Holdings(02:31) Early Days of Priceline and Joining the Company(03:33) Dot-Com Boom and Financial Challenges(07:28) Travel Industry Resilience(07:47) Cultural and Economic Factors in Travel(09:17) Stock Splits and Employee Incentives(13:34) Acquisition of Booking.com and Active Hotels(24:20) Growth and Integration of Acquired Companies(29:11) Artificial Intelligence in Travel(30:57) Future of Travel and AI Integration(38:54) The Greatest Acquirers in History(39:16) Teamwork in Business Acquisitions(40:48) Challenges in M&A and Regulatory Hurdles(41:49) Patterns in Successful and Failed Deals(46:06) Cultural Alignment in Mergers(50:31) Brand Management and Integration(54:14) Regulatory Environment and Smart Regulations(01:00:11) Post-COVID Business Travel Trends(01:08:24) Leadership Through Crises(01:15:33) Technological Advancements in Travel Executive Producer: Rashad AssirProducer: Leah ClapperMixing and editing: Justin Hrabovsky Check out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA

Ali Ghodsi, CEO of Databricks (now a $61B company), has become one of the top minds in AI, evolving from researcher to leading one of the biggest AI-centered private companies. In our conversation, he broke down the AI hype cycle in detail and made bold predictions for the future. He also shared his biggest operating lessons from scaling Databricks to a market leader and pivotal moments in his journey. (00:00) Introduction to AGI and AI Challenges(01:00) Ali Ghodsi's Journey in AI(01:38) The Evolution and Impact of AI(03:59) AI in Enterprises and Consumer Adoption(05:25) Specialized AI Systems and Data Advantage(07:32) The Hype Cycle and Future of AI(08:22) Scaling Laws and Compound AI Systems(19:52) AI Use Cases and Industry Applications(28:29) Early Days of Databricks and Spark(38:43) Taking Over as Interim CEO(39:00) Focusing on Enterprise Sales(40:42) Innovating in Open Source(41:08) Challenges and Pivots in 2015(44:31) Building and Scaling New Products(47:57) Leadership Evolution and Advice(54:45) Hiring and Promoting Leaders(01:10:44) Future of AI and Databricks Executive Producer: Rashad AssirProducer: Leah ClapperMixing and editing: Justin Hrabovsky Check out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA

For this episode of Unsupervised Learning we spoke with Russ d'Sa, co-founder of LiveKit, a company at the forefront of voice AI technology. Russ thinks of LiveKit as a “nervous system,” powering the sensory interfaces humans use to interact with AI – including the Advanced Voice feature in ChatGPT as well as applications like Character.ai, Spotify and many more. Russ talked about when voice makes sense as an interface, the exciting new UX paradigms on the horizon, the intersection of voice and robotics and Anthropic's Computer Use API. [0:00] Intro[0:24] Using ChatGPT Voice in Daily Life[2:26] How LiveKit Works with ChatGPT Voice[5:16] LiveKit as the Nervous System for AI[8:11] Future of Work and AI Interfaces[18:31] Emerging Use Cases for Voice AI[22:29] AI Models in Customer Support[23:10] Latency Improvements in AI[24:37] Challenges in System Integration[26:01] Multimodal AI and Browser Integration[29:40] Telephony and AI in Healthcare[32:11] Humanoid Robotics and On-Device AI[33:50] Cloud vs. On-Device Inference[36:50] Quickfire With your co-hosts: @jacobeffron - Partner at Redpoint, Former PM Flatiron Health @patrickachase - Partner at Redpoint, Former ML Engineer LinkedIn @ericabrescia - Former COO Github, Founder Bitnami (acq'd by VMWare) @jordan_segall - Partner at Redpoint

Eoghan McCabe returned to the CEO seat at Intercom with a mission to shake things up. Over the past two years, he's been reinventing the company's culture, leading with zero apologies, and transforming Intercom into an AI-driven powerhouse. In my latest conversation, we dive into Eoghan's journey back to Intercom after a two-year break, his blueprint for turning a software company into an AI leader, and the tactics he uses to keep Intercom running like a high-intensity startup. Eoghan also shares his thoughts on personal freedom and his controversial endorsement of Donald Trump. [0:00] Intro[1:33] Eoghan McCabe's Return to Intercom[3:01] Challenges and Learnings[10:44] Cultural Reset at Intercom[29:23] AI and the Future of Customer Service[31:11] Adapting to AI and Market Changes[43:00] Competitive Landscape and Strategy[48:29] Future of AI in Customer Service[50:24] The Evolution of Work[52:18] Challenges and Rewards of Leadership[56:45] Media and Public Perception[1:00:40] Political Endorsements and Reactions[1:10:11] Freedom Club and Cultural Influence[1:12:33] HR and Company Culture[1:29:35] Fundraising and Investor Relations[1:33:01] Final Reflections and Advice  Executive Producer: Rashad AssirProducer: Leah ClapperMixing and editing: Sam Dewees and JR Bohannon Check out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA

What does it take to scale a company from an idea to a $13B industry leader? In my latest episode, Okta CEO Todd McKinnon dives into the essential lessons he's learned on high-stakes decision-making, managing up to the board, and competing against tech giants like Microsoft.Todd also reflects on his journey to founding Okta, his bold choice to team up with a co-founder he hardly knew, and the motivations that have fueled him for over seven years as a public company CEO. Some key takeaways… [0:00] Intro[0:33] Todd McKinnon's Early Career and Founding Okta[1:38] Challenges and Psychological Shifts in Leadership[2:49] Decision Making and Company Culture[6:10] Milestones and Early Successes[18:03] The Importance of Market Timing[30:34] Hiring and Building a Strong Team[39:22] Setting Expectations with Board Members[40:50] The Shift in Board Dynamics[41:41] Maintaining Context and Strategic Input[43:15] Navigating Public Company Governance[45:21] Trusting Instincts and Founder Mode[47:11] Breaking Out of the Echo Chamber[51:00] The Importance of Prioritization[53:05] The Loneliness of Innovation[1:05:33] The Role of a CEO in Decision Making[1:18:17] The Journey to IPO and Beyond  Executive Producer: Rashad AssirProducer: Leah ClapperMixing and editing: Sam Dewees and JR Bohannon Check out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA

On this episode of "Unsupervised Learning," Razib talks to Rachel Haywire, who writes at Cultural Futurist. Haywire is the author of Acidexia and began her career in futurism as an event planner for the Singularity Institute. She got her start as part of the "right-brain" faction around the Bay Area transhumanist and futurist scene circa 2010. Currently, she is working on starting an art gallery in New York City that serves as an event space for avant-garde creators who are not encumbered by mainstream or "woke" cultural sensibilities. Haywire recounts her experience as a creator in the early 2010s in the Bay Area and the transition from a socially libertarian milieu where diverse groups mixed freely to one more defined by a progressive cultural script, with the threat of cancel culture beginning to be noticeable. She points to the 2013 cancellation of Pax Dickinson for edgy tweets as a turning point. Razib and Haywire also allude to the role that the reclusive accelerationist philosopher  Nick Land played in seeding certain ideas and influencing movements like the  Dark Enlightenment. Jumping to the present, Haywire now lives in New York City, and she addresses the Dimes Square scene centered around the neighborhood in Manhattan's Lower East Side. Haywire points out that the actual artistic production from Dimes Square luminaries is quite low, with an almost total lack of music and a focus on online personas. Her goal with her salons and soon-to-open gallery is to put the emphasis on art above politics or e-celebrity culture. Finally, Razib discusses the impact of AI on creativity and whether it will abolish the artist. Haywire believes that AI is just another tool and has had mixed success leveraging it for her own artistic works in areas like industrial music. She believes that the real use of AI will be to create drafts and prototypes that artists will have to polish and reshape so that they reflect human creativity rather than just some averaged algorithm.

Nine months into his role as Snowflake's CEO, Sridhar Ramaswamy sat down for a candid discussion on the journey so far & what's ahead.He uncovered details about his transition to Snowflake CEO, the operational changes he's put in place to accelerate product development, and his bold predictions for AI's future—along with how he's guiding a vision for Snowflake to fit into that landscape.Sridhar also reflects on how his leadership has evolved, from leading a major Google unit to founding Neeva (acquired by Salesforce) and now running Snowflake. [0:00] Intro[0:56] Sridhar's Journey to Snowflake[3:37] Snowflake's AI Vision and Cortex AI[10:35] Innovative Uses of AI at Snowflake[15:49] Challenges and Future of AI in Business[21:27] Snowflake's Long-Term AI Aspirations[25:04] Predictable and Unpredictable Aspects of AI[25:20] Voice Interfaces and Data Transformation[26:20] Autonomous Agents and AI Predictions[27:01] Market Consolidation in AI[29:54] Journey into AI and Early Experiences[31:21] The Evolution of AI Models[32:06] Building Neeva and AI Search Engines[36:16] Leadership and Product Development at Snowflake[40:45] Setting Goals and Accountability[43:25] Leadership Style and Cultural Foundations[47:25] Career Advice and Finding Your Path  Executive Producer: Rashad AssirProducer: Leah ClapperMixing and editing: Sam Dewees and JR Bohannon Check out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA

Evan Goldberg has been leading NetSuite for 26 years and counting. In this episode, Evan reflects on the journey of building NetSuite—from launching it with Larry Ellison's support, to scaling through its IPO, and eventually being acquired by Oracle for $9.3B. He shares his leadership philosophies around humor and empathy, lessons learned from Larry Ellison and Marc Benioff, and why he still feels passionate about the business after all these years. [0:00] Intro[1:13] Lessons from Economic Crises[2:22] The Importance of Existing Customers[4:24] Founding and Early Days of NetSuite[6:32] The Pivot to Business Software[10:26] NetSuite's Growth and Customizability[20:26] AI and the Future of NetSuite[32:24] The Role of Customizability in NetSuite's Success[38:49] Balancing Profitability and Growth[40:46] Leadership Evolution and Management Philosophy[46:59] The Importance of Empathy in Leadership[48:42] Navigating Hypergrowth and Tough Decisions[51:11] Consumer Quality in Enterprise Software[52:31] Oracle's Transformation and Redwood Design System[55:57] Maintaining Focus Amid Distractions[59:39] Company Culture and Humor[1:03:03] NetSuite's Unique Position within Oracle[1:10:15] Involvement with the V Foundation[1:13:52] Reflections on Founding and Leadership[1:16:38] Conclusion and Final Thoughts  Executive Producer: Rashad AssirProducer: Leah ClapperMixing and editing: Sam Dewees and JR Bohannon Check out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA

Drew Houston has now been CEO of Dropbox for over 17 years. In my latest conversation, he opens up about the pivotal leadership lessons he's learned, the mistakes that shaped the company, and the true challenges of going head-to-head with big tech. We also dive into the highs and lows of fundraising, how valuations can make or break a company trajectory, and discuss the opportunities AI presents for the future of work. [0:00] Intro[0:44] AI Opportunities for Dropbox[5:57] Dropbox's AI Principles[7:52] Introducing Dropbox Dash[9:18] AI Enhancements in Search[12:33] Personal Productivity with AI[17:10] Memo-First Culture at Dropbox[22:15] Reflections on Leadership and Growth[31:21] Early Challenges and Viral Growth[48:22] Facing Fierce Competition[51:51] Strategic Shift to Collaboration[53:20] Navigating Internal Challenges[55:18] Reevaluating Productivity[1:03:07] The Birth of Dash[1:16:32] You Don't Want to Feel Like a Victim[1:30:29] Closing Thoughts and Lessons Learned  Executive Producer: Rashad AssirProducer: Leah ClapperMixing and editing: Sam Dewees and JR Bohannon Check out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA

Vladislav Voroninski, Co-Founder & CEO of Helm.AI joined Grayson Brulte on The Road to Autonomy podcast to discuss how generative AI will revolutionize autonomous vehicles. Generative AI has the potential to revolutionize the development of autonomous vehicles, while shortning the development time required to build autonomous driving systems. Helm.AI's unsupervised learning approach to autonomous driving is enabling more compute-efficient AI models for autonomous driving.Episode Chapters0:00 Current State of GenAI5:52 AI Simulation Models8:02 Autonomous Driving Bottlenecks 11:36 Validate Decision Making 13:56 Tesla's Approach to Full Self-Driving18:22 Helm AI's Simulation Platform 23:06 Unsupervised Learning 25:05 Helm AI Decision Making Models 29:27 Helping OEMs Develop Autonomous Driving Systems 35:04 Autonomous Vehicle Market Outlook39:23 Key Takeaways Recorded on Thursday, September 26, 2024--------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy® is a leading source of data, insight and commentary on autonomous vehicles/trucks and the emerging autonomy economy™.Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/autonomy-economy/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Will Gaybrick joined Stripe as CFO after investing in the company at Thrive Capital. Over the past 9 years, now as President, he's helped grow Stripe's into one of the world's largest private startups. In this episode, we explore his impressive career journey—from Harvard Math to software engineering, Yale Law, venture capital, and now his leadership role at Stripe. Will shares key insights on capital allocation, crypto, AI, investing, leadership, and more. Some takeaways:(00:00) Intro(01:09) From Academia to Venture Capital(02:01) Joining Stripe: The Unexpected Journey(02:09) Career Philosophy and Decision Making(05:23) Building Hack Yale and Teaching(08:15) The Role of a Polymath at Stripe(09:31) Learning Techniques and AI Insights(16:15) Operational Shifts and Growth Strategies(20:36) Hiring and Leadership at Stripe(28:08) Organizational Systems and Processes(31:40) Migrating Users to New API Versions(32:07) Challenges in API Refactoring(33:57) The Rise of Stablecoins(34:07) Stripe's History with Crypto(35:51) Stablecoins: Use Cases and Adoption(41:30) AI and Machine Learning at Stripe(47:59) Risk Management and Compliance(53:21) Empowering Innovation with AI(57:14) Decision-Making Frameworks at Stripe(01:04:07) Stripe's Product Evolution(01:09:31) Exploring the Fun and Challenges of Product Space(01:10:20) Stripe's Organizational Structure and Strategy(01:12:12) The Importance of Technical Unification(01:13:13) User Demands and Capital Allocation(01:14:18) The Role of ROI in Early Projects(01:15:53) Stripe's Unique Approach to Titles and Levels(01:18:36) Insights on Organizational Design(01:21:36) Effective Leadership and Decision-Making(01:24:18) Reflections on Influential Leaders(01:33:25) The Value of Venture Capital(01:38:29) Future Prospects and Motivation at Stripe  Executive Producer: Rashad AssirProducer: Leah ClapperMixing and editing: Justin Hrabovsky Check out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA

Parker Conrad has spent the last 8 years building Rippling into a $13B company, marking his redemption after being ousted from Zenefits. In his second appearance on the podcast, Parker and I discussed Paul Graham's "founder mode" essay and how he operationalizes it at Rippling. He also reflected on the key lessons he's learned throughout his career, highlighting the differences in how he ran Zenefits compared to Rippling today. Additionally, Parker shared his candid views on the challenges of having investors as board members and why he believes much of VC "value add" is overrated.(00:00) Intro(01:31) Parker's Leadership Principles at Rippling(02:16) The Importance of Anecdotal Evidence(04:09) Balancing Founder Mode and Team Collaboration(05:08) The Risks of Over-Extrapolating Founder Mode(06:56) The Reality of Sales Compensation(08:15) Hiring Founders for New Products(11:10) The Pace of Execution in a Company(11:21) The 'C on a Box' Dilemma(12:07) The Speed vs. Quality Debate(13:56) The Viral Tweet Incident(16:51) Governance and Board Dynamics(20:04) Choosing the Right Investors(29:57) The Role of Career VCs as Board Members(33:43) Misaligned Incentives Between Founders and Investors(35:43) Navigating Business Challenges(36:27) Sam Altman's Crucial Support(38:45) The Role of Venture Capitalists(40:06) The Value of Y Combinator(43:16) Fundraising and Valuations(01:00:39) Lessons from Past Ventures(01:06:05) Building Compound Software(01:09:33) The Future of Compound Software Businesses(01:10:04) Microsoft's Unassailable Approach(01:10:40) Building Narrow vs. Compound Software(01:12:16) Investment Decisions in New vs. Existing Products(01:14:42) Platform Development and Resource Allocation(01:16:32) The Journey from Chem Major to Software Visionary(01:18:34) Challenges and Strategies in Multi-Product R&D(01:25:32) Improving Customer Support Metrics(01:28:50) The Role of a Founder in Product Management(01:31:23) Hiring and Cultivating Executive Talent(01:39:07) The Motivation Behind Rippling's Success(01:41:58) Conclusion and Final Thoughts Executive Producer: Rashad AssirProducer: Leah ClapperMixing and editing: Justin Hrabovsky Check out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA

Many know Celsius as a top energy drink brand today, but few are aware of the tumultuous journey CEO John Fieldly took to get it here. In the episode, John shared how the company nearly went bankrupt multiple times, lost 50% of its revenue overnight and even got delisted from the NASDAQ.Despite these challenges, John stepped up to rebuild the brand to the nearly $10B company it is today. We discuss how he shifted focus from weight loss to broad-based energy, secured key distribution deals, landed a major partnership with Pepsi, and much more. (00:00) Intro(01:34) The Origins of Celsius(03:30) Going Public: The Early Days(06:07) Challenges and Lawsuits(09:17) Rebuilding and Rebranding(13:18) Strategic Shifts and Market Positioning(30:40) The Role of Influencers and Social Media(32:03) John Fieldly's Leadership Journey(33:34) Reflecting on the Stock Price Journey(34:12) Navigating Public Company Challenges(35:25) Distribution Deals and Market Perception(38:00) Strategic Moves and Competitive Advantage(44:08) Marketing Strategies and Consumer Engagement(52:35) Leadership and Company Culture(01:02:01) International Expansion and Future Goals(01:06:01) Conclusion and Final Thoughts Executive Producer: Rashad AssirProducer: Leah ClapperMixing and editing: Justin Hrabovsky Check out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA

Josh Wolfe, co-founder and managing partner at Lux Capital, is a master at quickly understanding complex, emerging technologies. In our conversation, Josh shared how he identifies the next big thing, his contrarian views on nuclear energy, biotech, and robotics, as well as his thoughts on the state of the venture capital market today.(00:00) Intro(01:02) Daily News Routine(05:28) Geopolitical Insights(07:03) Competitiveness and Curiosity(11:01) Investment Strategies and Risks(26:07) The Control Labs Story(33:48) The Founder's Dilemma: Financial vs. Strategic Motivations(34:33) Geopolitical Concerns: Iran and Global Politics(36:31) Investments in Defense: Controversies and Convictions(37:36) The State of Society: Happiness and Social Dynamics(48:07) Artificial Intelligence: Trends and Predictions(01:02:22) The Future of Robotics: Beyond Humanoids(01:06:46) Ethical Implications of AI and Defense Technologies(01:11:29) Lux Capital's Investment Strategy and LP Relations(01:12:43) ESG and Moral Impositions(01:13:30) Defense and Complex Moral Valences(01:14:19) Investment Ethics and Decision Making(01:16:46) Venture Capital Market Outlook(01:17:56) Challenges in Venture Capital(01:37:12) The Role of Storytelling in Venture Capital(01:43:20) Personal Reflections and Background(01:51:34) Partnership Dynamics and Trust(01:53:48) Conclusion and Final Thoughts Executive Producer: Rashad AssirProducer: Leah ClapperMixing and editing: Justin Hrabovsky Check out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA