Steve Shwartz is an award winning author, angel investor, serial entrepreneur, and one of the foundational engineers behind AI technologies like natural language processing.
On this episode of Forward Obsessed, we dive deep into the profitable (and tumultuous) world of Artificial Intelligence and AI Language Models. Our guest is Steve Schwartz, an accomplished AI engineer, author, investor, and entrepreneur who has built and sold multiple companies and novel AI technologies. Steve shares his incredible story of developing AI language models in the 80’s, his insights on the current state of AI, and analyzes the tools and technologies being used in the AI arms race. We discuss Steve's background and his unlikely transition from academia to entrepreneurship, how language models worked then vs. now, Chat GPT, and the potential for AI to transform the way our society operates. Finally, we also dive into potential use cases and concerns around AI, "killer robots," and reflect on the future of Artificial Intelligence.
6 Key Entrepreneurial Topics From This Interview
- The importance of creativity and effective communication as the two biggest competitive advantages in business.
- The possibility of using AI tools, like Chat GPT, as assistants to reduce workload and increase productivity.
- The importance of learning from failures and setbacks and seeking guidance and mentorship.
- The impact of rapid technological advancements on businesses and the need to adapt and innovate.
- The value of finding niche markets and creating premium products.
- The potential of AI technology and its impact on society, such as its use in different industries and concerns about ethics and safety
OUTLINE:
- (00:00) - Intro
- (1:51) - Early years in Cape Cod with entrepreneurial parents
- (3:35) - “I learned to hate entrepreneurship and business as a kid”
- (5:05) - Attending an experimental school in Florida
- (9:38) - Going to Johns Hopkins for a PhD
- (13:28) - Creating an AI program to predict horse racing results
- (17:33) - Pivoting from teaching to being an entrepreneur
- (22:45) - What is a natural language interface?
- (28:58) - Making AI language models for an Oil rigging company
- (32:02) - Building Intelligent Business Systems
- (36:34) - Why AI was unpopular in the 1980’s
- (38:05) - Why I don’t invest in academics
- (41:25) - Being too early with a brilliant idea
- (46:20) - How to avoid accounting scandals
- (52:30) - Dealing with stress during scandal
- (58:01) - Pitfalls and disasters while trying to sell my business
- (1:00:30) - Add a “Best Efforts” clause to your contracts
- (1:05:30) - What is a CTO?
- (1:10:08) - Founder teams will make or break a good idea
- (1:15:00) - Why Al Subbloie is changing the game
- (1:21:05) - Joining Tangoe and Device42
- (1:27:30) - The recent call to slow AI development
- (1:30:00) - What ChatGPT isn’t as powerful as people think
- (1:36:00) - Good uses for ChatGPT
- (1:45:20) - The future of AI technology
- (1:50:00) - The best places to invest in AI
EPISODE LINKS:
RELATED KEYWORDS
multimodal model, Zapier, Make, SaaS tools, Chat GPT, plugin architecture, AI, Auto GBT, Pine Cone, vector embeddings, reinforcement learning, GPD, creativity, communication, assistant, productivity, four-day workweek, career change, Intelligent Business Systems, natural language interfaces, Lisp, Digital Equipment Corporation, Knowledgeware, AI arms race, killer robots, monitors, Bert Green, supervised learning, horse racing, Lenny, golf hat business, mahogany stand, Hopkins, Steve Costlin, Stephen Pinker, Jeff Hinton, Yale, Roger Shank, neurosurgery.
PODCAST INFO:
- Podcast website: https://forwardobsessed.com/
- Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/forward-obsessed/id1615760781
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2TrkOZ7xL7WSlzc2mrwXuC?si=aa5e7790aca64e05
- YouTube Full Episodes: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-ldUUGxQZ5b9WPqVXz_qlfXgK3hHPs4z
- YouTube Clips: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-ldUUGxQZ5Yt0LiPml0y6pNUSrqHzWql
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