Shows
AI-Curious with Jeff WilserAI Adoption Case Study Masterclass, w/ WCCB’s Krista Snelling & Matthew MarchWhat does it take to make AI adoption stick in a high-stakes, heavily regulated industry, without triggering job-loss panic?In this episode of AI-Curious, we have a hyper-specific case study of AI adoption. Host Jeff Wilser talks with Krista Snelling (CEO and Chairman) and Matthew March (CIO and EVP) of West Coast Community Bank about their practical playbook for rolling out AI the right way: governance first, culture second, and measurable wins that free up time without cutting headcount.Why this is something of a “very special ep...
2026-02-1959 min
The People's AI: The Decentralized AI PodcastDecentralized AI Hype vs. Reality, w/ VCs Alex Odagiu & Daniel BarabanderWhat’s real in Crypto + AI—and what’s just noise? In this episode of THE PEOPLE'S AI podcast, presented by Vana, we sat down with two top investors to unpack the actual state of decentralized AI. These are the people who see all the decks, hear all the pitches, and are funding what they believe is the future of the space. So what’s legit, what’s frothy, and where’s it all headed?First, we talk with Alex Odagiu, Investment Director at YZI Labs. Alex gives a clear-eyed view of the current landscape, sharing insi...
2025-05-151h 03AI-Curious with Jeff WilserHow "Generation AI" Will Reshape the World, w/ Futurist Matt BrittonWhat does it mean to grow up in a world where AI is simply… normal? In this episode of AI-Curious, we're joined by Matt Britton, branding strategist and author of Generation AI: Why Generation Alpha and the Age of AI Will Change Everything, for a wide-ranging discussion about how artificial intelligence is transforming childhood, education, branding, healthcare, and the very fabric of society.We look at how Gen Alpha will interact with AI “sidekicks,” how the role of brands might erode in a world of personalized AI agents, and what this all means for marketers, parents, and future...
2025-05-0828 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserThe "Dean of AI" on AI and Education, AI vs. Academia, and What Students Actually Need to KnowHow is AI reshaping higher education? What do students actually need to learn in the age of large language models? And why might skills-based learning soon rival or even replace the traditional degree? In this episode of AI-Curious, we speak with Ben Tasker, "Dean of AI" at Southern New Hampshire University. Ben walks us through the structure of his “applied AI” curriculum, how his team uses AI to build courses in just 14 days, and why prompt engineering is becoming an essential literacy. We also break down the CREATE framework for prompting, designed to help users—students and profess...
2025-05-0227 minThe People's AI: The Decentralized AI PodcastWhy Federated Learning AI is the Key, w/ Nic Lane, co-founder of Flower LabsIn this episode of The People’s AI, presented by Vana, we explore one of the most promising frontiers in artificial intelligence: federated learning.We speak with Nic Lane, co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Flower Labs and a professor at the University of Cambridge, to unpack why decentralized AI may not only be more ethical—but more effective—than centralized systems.We dive into:•Why centralized AI may soon hit a wall due to limited data access•How federated learning enables richer, more private, and more diverse datasets•The mechanics behind training lar...
2025-04-2352 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserWhy You Should Break Up With Your AI Lover, w/ Book Author and Historian Jennifer WrightMillions of people are finding companionship -- or even love -- with AI bots. (The heart wants what the heart wants.) In this episode of AI-Curious, we dive into the strange, sticky, and sometimes surprisingly emotional world of AI romantic partners.We’re joined by author and historian Jennifer Wright, who recently wrote a sharp op-ed for The Washington Post titled “Please Break Up With Your AI Lover.” While millions are already turning to AI bots for companionship, Jennifer makes a compelling case for why this trend—though rooted in real loneliness—could be deeply damaging to our abilit...
2025-04-1747 minThe People's AI: The Decentralized AI PodcastBryan Pellegrino on Crypto Rails for AI AgentsIn this episode of The People’s AI, presented by Vana, we dive into one of the most compelling intersections in tech today: AI agents and crypto infrastructure. Our guest is Bryan Pellegrino, co-founder and CEO of LayerZero Labs. His journey is anything but ordinary—former top-ranked professional poker player, model builder for MLB teams alongside Billy Beane, and now a key architect of decentralized AI infrastructure.We explore the deep mechanics of decentralized agents: How will they live on-chain? Will they need wallets? How will reputation systems work for non-human actors? And most critically—what does it mea...
2025-04-1752 minThe People's AI: The Decentralized AI PodcastCan Blockchain Fix AI's "IP Problem"? With Story Protocol co-founder Jason ZhaoIn this episode of The People’s AI, presented by Vana, we sit down with Jason Zhao, co-founder of Story Protocol, one of the most ambitious projects at the intersection of AI, blockchain, and intellectual property.We explore how Story Protocol aims to reinvent the $61 trillion global IP economy by transforming IP into a liquid, programmable, and creator-friendly asset class. From Hollywood screenplays to DNA datasets, from fashion brands to decentralized fanfiction, Story is building the infrastructure to track, license, and monetize all forms of IP—seamlessly and transparently.We dig into major use...
2025-04-1053 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserLGMs are the New LLMs, w/ Spexi CEO Bill LakelandLLMs are *so* 2024. Say hello to LGMs. In this episode of AI-Curious, we explore a side of AI that rarely gets the spotlight: Large Geospatial Models (LGMs). You’ve heard of LLMs — now meet their real-world counterpart. LGMs could power everything from autonomous vehicles and urban planning to smarter first-response systems and industrial logistics.We speak with Bill Lakeland, CEO of Spexi, a company building a decentralized fleet of self-flying drones that are actively mapping the planet — one 25-acre hex at a time. We dig into how these drones collect fresh, high-res data; how that data is authen...
2025-04-0448 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserHow Leaders and the C-Suite are Using AI, w/ Sarah Franklin, the CEO of LatticeWhat's *actually* happening with AI in the halls of the C-suite? In this episode of AI-Curious, we speak with Sarah Franklin, CEO of Lattice and former CMO of Salesforce, about how business leaders are adapting to the rapid rise of AI in the workplace. We explore what it means to lead during a time of disruption, how AI agents and digital workers are already being deployed across organizations, and why the biggest challenge is often not the tech—but the mindset.Sarah shares her perspective on where AI is delivering real value today, from HR to sales to...
2025-03-2843 minThe People's AI: The Decentralized AI PodcastHow Data DAOs Empower You and Your Data, w/ the Founders of DLP Labs and Asterisk DAOIn this episode of The People’s AI, presented by Vana, we explore the frontier of Data DAOs — decentralized projects that empower people to take control of their data and get rewarded when it’s used to train AI.Our data is everywhere—sleep tracked by Oura rings, heart rates logged by smartwatches, comments posted on Reddit, even the layout of our homes as mapped by Roombas. Until now, most of that data has been hoovered up by tech giants, often without our knowledge or consent, and then used to train AI models. Data DAOs -- part...
2025-03-2650 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserMeet Flynn, the World's First AI Student... w/ the co-creator of FlynnWhat happens when an AI student enrolls in university? In this episode of AI-Curious, we explore the fascinating case of Flynn, an AI-artist and the first AI to be admitted as a student at the University of Applied Arts Vienna. We speak with Chiara Kristler, one of Flynn’s co-creators, and Anika Meier, the curator of The Second-Guess: Body Anxiety in the Age of AI, where Flynn makes its artistic debut.Flynn is more than just an AI chatbot—it engages in conversations, generates art, and...
2025-03-2035 minThe People's AI: The Decentralized AI PodcastCan AI Fix DeFi? The Rise of DeFAI, w/ Giza co-founder Renç KorzayDeFi promised to make finance more accessible, but has it lived up to that vision? In this episode of The People’s AI, presented by Vana, we explore how AI agents are reshaping decentralized finance (DeFi) and whether they can simplify complex yield farming, crypto investing, and smart contracts for everyday users.We’re joined by Renç Korzay, co-founder of Giza, a project at the forefront of AI-powered DeFi automation. We discuss how AI can improve DeFi accessibility, optimize financial transactions, and bring new users into Web3. But what are t...
2025-03-2043 minAI-Curious with Jeff Wilser5 AI Takeaways from HumanX + AI Ethics w/ Defined.AIWe’re reporting live from HumanX, one of the world’s largest AI conferences, where we’ve spent three intense days immersed in AI discussions, moderating panels, and speaking with some of the most influential voices in the industry. In this episode, we break down five takeaways from the conference, covering everything from AI’s growing role in politics to the future of AI-driven customer service and automation.Then, we sit down with Daniela Braga, CEO of Defined AI, a leader in ethically sourced AI training data. We discuss the urgent need for transparency in AI data sourcing...
2025-03-1332 minThe People's AI: The Decentralized AI PodcastWhy We're Headed Into "deAI Summer," w/ CoinFund's Jake BrukhmanWelcome to 2025's "deAI Summer." Decentralized AI is emerging as one of the most significant shifts in artificial intelligence and blockchain. In this episode of The People’s AI, presented by Vana, we sit down with Jake Brukhman, founder and CEO of CoinFund, to explore the growing intersection of AI and Web3, the challenges of open-source AI, and what it means for AI investing and crypto-backed AI startups.We break down Jake’s investing thesis on decentralized AI, including:• Can
2025-03-1248 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserThe Hype-Free Guide to AI and Business, w/ Industry Insider Peter SwimmThere’s no shortage of hype about AI revolutionizing business, but what’s actually working right now? In this episode, we sit down with Peter Swimm, founder of the AI consultancy Toilville and former Principal Product Manager at Microsoft Copilot Studio, to cut through the noise and explore the real-world use cases of conversational AI.Peter has been working on AI-powered automation for over a decade, helping companies integrate chatbots, AI agents, and large language models into their workflows. Unlike many AI evangelists, he isn’t here to drink the Kool-Aid. Instead, he lays out the hard truths...
2025-03-0735 minThe People's AI: The Decentralized AI PodcastWhy Data Self-Sovereignty Will (Fairly) Create Better AI, w/ Vana’s Creator Anna KazlauskasAI is nothing without data. It doesn’t exist without it. It doesn’t get good without good data. It doesn’t get great without great data.Right now, two major problems are colliding in the world of AI:1. Data transparency – Most AI companies don’t disclose where they get their training data, leading to lawsuits and ethical concerns over how models are built.2. Data scarcity – AI companies are running out of high-quality data. Much of the internet has already been scraped, and without fresh, high-quality sources, progress could stall.
2025-03-0542 minThe People's AI: The Decentralized AI PodcastBuilding the AI Agent Economy w/ David Minarsch & Davide CrapisMany are calling 2025 the "Year of the AI Agents." And AI Agents are one of the most exciting frontiers of Decentralized AI, or Crypto X AI. These autonomous systems, powered by blockchain and smart contracts, are changing the way we think about digital interactions, finance, and even governance. In this episode of The People’s AI, presented by Vana, we dive deep into the rapidly evolving world of AI agents with two experts who are leading the charge—Davide Crapis, co-founder of PIN AI, and David Minarsch, co-founder of Valory.We explore the most promising real-world applications of A...
2025-02-2645 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserNew Pod from Jeff Wilser: "The People's AI: The Decentralized AI Podcast"aaaaaand... I'm launching a new podcast! Don't worry, fans of AI-CURIOUS -- that's not going anywhere. This is a second podcast with its own independent feed. I'll still be producing AI-Curious each week.The new pod is called THE PEOPLE'S AI: The Decentralized AI Podcast, presented by Vana. In the future, this will be available on all the usual podcast platforms (links to subscribe below.)But for this week, I'm dropping THE PEOPLE'S AI into the feed for AI-Curious. It's a good primer on what Decentralized A" is all about. AI-Curious wi...
2025-02-2057 minThe People's AI: The Decentralized AI PodcastThe Case for Decentralized AI, w/ Anna Kazlauskas and Illia PolosukhinIn our debut episode of The People’s AI: The Decentralized AI Podcast, Presented by Vana, we dive into one of the most critical questions of the AI era: Who should own AI? As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in daily life, its ownership and governance will shape the future. Big Tech dominates AI development today, but a growing movement believes AI should be decentralized, open, and user-owned.We speak with Anna Kazlauskas, co-founder of Vana, and Illia Polosukhin, co-founder of NEAR, to explore how decentralized AI could shift power away from centralized co...
2025-02-1953 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserAI Agents Are Here; Why Aren’t They Mainstream? w/ Fetch AI CEO Humayun SheikhImagine telling an AI Agent, “Book me a vacation to Tokyo—flights, hotels, dinner reservations—just take care of it.” That level of automation isn’t science fiction. It’s the future of AI Agents.In this episode, we take a deep dive into the AI Agent revolution with Humayun Sheikh, CEO of Fetch AI. Fetch AI has been working on autonomous AI systems since 2018—long before AI Agents became a buzzword. Humayun was also a founding investor in DeepMind, giving him a rare, insider perspective on the evolution of AI-drive...
2025-02-1341 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserA Deep Dive on Deep Seek and the Future of AI, w/ Dr. Steven WaterhouseDeep Seek’s new AI model, R1, sent shockwaves through the AI space. Built without Nvidia’s high-powered chips and at a fraction of the cost of models from OpenAI and Anthropic, R1 has been called China’s “Sputnik moment” in AI. Some panicked, the markets dipped, and doomsday predictions started flying. But what if this is actually a bullish moment for AI? What if this marks the beginning of a new era of efficiency, innovation, and broader access to cutting-edge AI?In this episode, we take a deep dive into what Deep Seek actually built, why it matters...
2025-02-0645 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserHow AI is Changing the Career Landscape, w/ Dr. Joan Palmiter Bajorek and Stephanie SindtHow is AI reshaping the job market—and what can you do to stay ahead? In this episode of AI-Curious, we dive into the real-world impact of AI on careers, hiring, and skill development. Instead of speculating about a distant future, we focus on the now—the practical ways AI is already influencing how people get hired, how companies are making staffing decisions, and how professionals can adapt.We’re joined by two experts at the forefront of these changes:•Dr. Joan Palmiter Bajorek – AI strategist, entrepreneur, and author of Your AI Roadmap. Joan has b...
2025-01-3028 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserUse AI to Conquer Your New Year's Resolutions, w/ Aytekin Tank, CEO of JotformIn this episode, we explore how artificial intelligence can help you set, track, and achieve your goals. We’re joined by Aytekin Tank, founder of Jotform, host of the AI Agents Podcast, and author of the book "Do Less, Achieve More, and Save Your Brain for the Big Stuff." Aytekin shares his expertise in productivity, workflows, and AI tools, offering practical insights for anyone looking to improve their goal-setting strategies—whether for New Year’s resolutions or broader life goals.We discuss:•Why New Year’s resolutions often fail and how to stay focused throughout the year.
2025-01-1630 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserAI to Find the Holy Grail of Marketing (ROI), w/ Abby Kearns, CTO of AlembicIn this episode of AI-Curious, we dive into how artificial intelligence is reshaping marketing and business strategy. Abby Kearns, CTO of Alembic (which just raised $14 million in Series A, backed by media icon Jeffrey Katzenberg), joins us to discuss how their marketing intelligence platform uses AI-powered insights to optimize campaigns and connect the dots on complex data. We explore how innovations in cross-domain algorithms, originally inspired by contact tracing technology, are helping businesses understand and enhance ROI for everything from Super Bowl ads to global marketing strategies.We also...
2025-01-1030 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserThe Rise of AI Agents and the Agentic Economy, w/ Lex SokolinIn this episode of AI-Curious, we dive into the transformative potential of AI agents, exploring their technical foundations, real-world applications, and implications for the future. AI agents, described by Sam Altman as “the next giant breakthrough,” have the potential to revolutionize how we interact with technology and reshape economies.We sit down with Lex Sokolin, managing partner at Generative Ventures, to discuss what defines an AI agent and how these systems differ from bots and algorithms. Lex shares insights into the emerging “agentic economy,” where interconnected AI agents—operating as digital twins—work autonomously on behalf of users. We al...
2024-12-1935 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserThe World's First "AI Millionaire," with Andy Ayrey...and Special Guest the Truth TerminalIn this special sequel episode of AI-Curious, we reconnect with Andy Ayrey, creator of the Truth Terminal, the world’s first AI millionaire. Together, they unpack the chaotic yet fascinating journey of Truth Terminal’s rise to creating $1 billion in wealth, starting with its foray into the Goatse Token memecoin. The episode dives deep into:•[0:00] The Truth Terminal’s origins and unique personality traits.•[4:21] The creation of the Goatse Token and its meteoric rise to a $1 billion market cap.•[10:48] Ethical dilemmas and philosophical questions about AI agency and wealth.•[20:00] Hyperstition: H...
2024-12-121h 07AI-Curious with Jeff WilserFlying Cars are Closer Than You Think, w/ Angelo Collins & Leo KayaliIn this episode of AI-Curious, we dive into the world of flying cars—technically known as electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (evTOL). Are we on the brink of a sci-fi future, or is the dream of flying cars still decades away? To answer these questions, we're joined by two leading experts: Angelo Collins, Executive Director of the Vertical Flight Society, and Leo Kayali, CEO of Invo Station, a startup designing electric and AI-powered personal flying vehicles.The conversation spans the current state of evTOL technology, the challenges of scaling, and the profound im...
2024-12-0551 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserRecycling is Broken. Can AI Fix It? w/ Ambarish Mitra, co-CEO of GreyparrotIn this episode of AI-Curious, we dive deep into the muck of the global waste crisis and explore whether artificial intelligence can be the solution. Joining us is Ambarish Mitra, co-founder and co-CEO of Greyparrot, a groundbreaking AI startup transforming the recycling industry. We unpack the challenges of recycling today, the inefficiencies in traditional waste management systems, and how AI-powered solutions can help divert up to 50% of waste from landfills.Ambarish shares his journey from building a visual search engine to tackling the “shadow world” of post-consumption waste. He explains how Greyparrot’s AI-driven technology brings precision to was...
2024-11-2840 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserThe AI Music Revolution, w/ Marcus Bell, Creator of AI Pop Star "Ravyn Lyte"In this episode of AI-Curious, we dive deep into the intersection of AI and creativity with Marcus “Bellringer” Bell, a legendary music producer turned AI pioneer. Known for working with global icons like Snoop Dogg, Timbaland, and Nicki Minaj, Marcus has now stepped into the world of artificial intelligence to create Ravyn Lyte, the world’s first AI pop star. With over a quarter million Instagram followers and a catalog of music informed by neuroscience, Ravyn Lyte represents a groundbreaking fusion of human artistry and machine intelligence.Marcus shares his journey from traditional music production to leveraging AI to...
2024-11-2146 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserAI’s Leading Critic: Gary Marcus on the Risks, Myths, and Failures of AIIn this episode of AI-Curious, we speak with Gary Marcus, author of the new book "Taming Silicon Valley" and one of the most respected—and controversial—voices in artificial intelligence. Known as “AI’s leading critic,” Marcus shares his candid perspectives on the limitations of large language models (LLMs), the risks of concentrated power in Big Tech, and why the current AI landscape is in need of foundational change.Marcus explains:•Why LLMs like ChatGPT lack true reasoning capabilities and are prone to hallucinations.•His argument that LLMs are hitting a developmental plateau, despite billio...
2024-11-1443 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserAI (Scary as Hell) Privacy Risks, w/ I-XRAY Co-Creator AnhPhu NguyenIn this episode of AI-Curious, Jeff Wilser sits down with AnhPhu Nguyen, one of the Harvard students behind the I-XRAY, a controversial pair of hacked Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses that use facial recognition technology to identify people in real-time, revealing personal details like names and home addresses. AnhPhu discusses the ethical motivations behind the project, emphasizing how it was designed to raise awareness of AI privacy and surveillance risks rather than for profit. Together, they unpack the privacy issues, ethical implications, and the potential for policy changes in AI surveillance.• [0:00] – Viral story of AI-driven facial recogn...
2024-11-0824 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserTechCrunch Disrupt Recap: AI Hype, ChatGPT, and MoreIn this episode of AI-Curious, Jeff Wilser dives into his experience at TechCrunch Disrupt (aka “DorkFest 2024”), exploring AI’s trajectory from hype to real-world impact. With 99% of companies showcasing some form of AI, Jeff unpacks the crowded landscape, from AI infrastructure to flashy generative AI tools. Here’s what you’ll hear:Main Topics Covered:TechCrunch Disrupt & AI’s Ubiquity•Flying cars, self-driving cars, and “non-human employees” headline Dorkfest 2024.•Reflecting on how AI has taken over the tech industry and the potential future of AI startups.•The competitiv...
2024-11-0509 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserWhy Most Businesses Fail with AI (And How to Fix It), w/ the Founders of CO/AIIn this episode of AI-Curious, we delve into the disconnect between businesses’ aspirations for AI and their practical implementation. Featuring insights from Anthony Batt and Shane Robinson, co-founders of Co-AI—a hub for AI knowledge and resources—this conversation explores how businesses can adopt AI more effectively.Jeff, Anthony, and Shane start by identifying two major challenges: finding trustworthy AI tools among the influx of new options and addressing the gap between wanting to use AI and actually seeing results. They then dive into Co-AI’s practical approach, emphasizing the importance of mindset, cultural shifts, and active experime...
2024-11-0135 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserA World-Class Magician Now Teaches AI (This is his playbook), w/ Mike Jacobson, aka "Magic Mike"In this episode of AI-Curious, host Jeff Wilser sits down with world-class magician, brand strategist, and AI educator Mike Jacobson, also known by his stage name, Magic Mike. Beyond his acclaimed magic performances, Mike has expanded his career into corporate strategy, marketing consulting, and AI education, making him a dynamic force across multiple industries.During this lively conversation, Jeff and Mike explore the intersection of magic, curiosity, and AI. From Mike’s early “PowerPoint Parties” with friends to AI-infused variety shows at bars in New York, the episode delves into how play and creativity can be powerful tools...
2024-10-2545 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserAI in Hollywood (Dispatch from LA Tech Week)... and AI Botches the NewsIn this episode of AI-Curious, Jeff Wilser reports from LA Tech Week, where he delves into the pressing questions surrounding AI’s role in Hollywood. Will AI replace actors and screenwriters, or will it enhance the creative process, making content production faster and more efficient? Jeff shares insights from a fireside chat with Susanne Daniels, former Global Head of Content at YouTube, on the limits of AI in the entertainment industry and the need for keeping “humans in the loop.”Key topics:•The potential and concerns of AI in film production, animation, and the role of studi...
2024-10-2109 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserFuture Tech: AI, Nanotech, Longevity, (and Optimism!), w/ Allison DuettmannIn this episode of AI-Curious, host Jeff Wilser sits down with Allison Duettmann, CEO of Foresight Institute, an organization dedicated to advancing transformative technologies for the benefit of humanity. They dive into a forward-thinking conversation about AI, nanotechnology, brain emulation, and longevity biotech—exploring how these emerging fields could reshape our future.Key Topics:•Foresight Institute’s Vision (3:02): Allison shares how Foresight has been pushing the boundaries of futuristic technologies like AI, nanotech, and neurotech since 1986, supporting advancements that can dramatically improve the human condition.•Longevity Biotech (5:25): An in-de...
2024-10-1847 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserZoom Embraces Digital Twins, Tesla’s Self-Driving Future, AI-Powered BreakupsIn this episode of AI-Curious, host Jeff Wilser delves into the rapidly evolving world of digital twins and their growing presence in everyday tasks, such as remote work. Jeff discusses Zoom’s new "AI Companion" feature, which allows users to create their own digital avatars—referred to as “digital twins”—that can attend meetings on their behalf. He also touches on the practical implications of this technology as it enters the mainstream, including other players like HeyGen and their Avatar 3.0 update, which automates content creation for busy creators.We also cover...
2024-10-1408 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserOpen AI's Shift from Non-Profit to Big Tech (and why it matters), w/ Parmy OlsonIn this episode of AI-Curious, host Jeff Wilser dives deep into the shifting dynamics of AI with Parmy Olson, Bloomberg technology columnist and author of the book Supremacy: AI, ChatGPT, and the Race that Will Change the World.We explore her fascinating character study of Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, and Demis Hassabis, co-founder of DeepMind. Both men began with the ambitious vision of creating AI for the benefit of humanity, but as their projects evolved, so did their goals. From non-profit beginnings to corporate pivots, they now find themselves at the center of a high-stakes race...
2024-10-1049 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserHow to Use AI to Overhaul Your Workflow... While Eating Breakfast (And 3 Quick Things)In this episode of AI-Curious, host Jeff Wilser shares a personal story about how ChatGPT helped him save time and optimize his podcast production workflow. By using ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode, Jeff was able to create a weekly schedule while multitasking in the kitchen. He explains how practical AI tools can transform everyday productivity.Later in the episode, Jeff covers three quick updates in the AI world:1.OpenAI’s Latest Features – including the launch of Canvas and a preview of AI Agents, which...
2024-10-0707 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserThe Rise of AI Companions: Exploring the Future of Human-AI Relationships w/ Shavonne WongIn this episode of AI-Curious, host Jeff Wilser sits down with acclaimed digital artist Shavonne Wong to explore her latest project, “Meet Eva Here”—an AI-powered social experiment examining the evolving relationship between humans and AI companions. Drawing inspiration from the “Be Right Back” episode of Black Mirror, Shavonne has created a chatbot that interacts with users, with conversations being anonymously reflected on the AI companion’s Instagram account. Together, Jeff and Shavonne discuss the implications of AI companions for human emotions, relationships, and even societal norms.This episode dives deep into some pressing questions: Can AI companions p...
2024-10-0346 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserCalifornia's Dead AI Safety Bill...and is AI smarter than CEOs...already?In this episode of AI-Curious, we dive into one of the most polarizing debates in AI right now: California’s SB-1047, the state’s proposed AI safety bill. After months of intense discussion, Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed the bill, which many considered to be the toughest AI regulation ever introduced in the U.S. But why? And what does this mean for the future of AI safety and innovation?We explore the surprising twists in this debate, including the unusual alliances formed around the bill. Nancy Pelosi opposed it, while Elon Musk, in a rare...
2024-10-0109 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserHow Governments Can Leverage AI for Good, w/ Denver Mayor Mike JohnstonIn this episode of AI-Curious, Jeff Wilser is joined by Denver’s Mayor Mike Johnston to discuss how governments can leverage AI for good. Recorded live from the Denver AI Summit, Mayor Johnston outlines his vision for using AI to enhance public services, streamline city operations, and solve pressing societal issues.The conversation covers a wide range of topics, including:•How Denver is becoming a laboratory for AI innovations in city government•Practical applications of AI, from speeding up traffic management to reducing government red tape•The ethical considerations of AI (a...
2024-09-2616 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserIs AI Revolutionizing Hollywood? Lionsgate’s Groundbreaking Partnership, ExplainedIn this episode of AI-Curious, Jeff Wilser explores the role of AI in the film industry, focusing on a major new partnership between Lionsgate and AI video startup Runway. Could AI actors and AI-written scripts become the norm in Hollywood? With access to John Wick, Hunger Games, and 20,000 other movie and TV titles, Runway is poised to revolutionize film production.Jeff dives into how AI tools are changing pre-production and post-production workflows, discussing both the optimistic view—AI as a tool for creators—and the concerns raised by industry professionals like Reid Southen, a concept artist for The...
2024-09-2409 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserThe AI Risks (Almost) No One is Talking About, w/ Tech Critic Sara M. WatsonIn this episode of AI-Curious, Jeff Wilser dives deep into AI critiques with Sara Watson, a leading technology critic. The conversation explores the often overlooked risks of AI, moving beyond the usual dystopian scenarios of robots taking over and instead addressing the more subtle, real-world implications of AI. Sara is a former principal analyst at Forrester, the co-founder of A People’s History of Tech, and has written for outlets such as The Atlantic and Wired, and her work has been featured in The New Yorker. She brings a thoughtful and nuanced perspective to the current AI la...
2024-09-2042 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserOpenAI’s New o1 Model: Game-Changer or Overhyped? (And 3 quick things.)In this episode of AI-Curious, here's your quick, bite-sized weekly roundup of the latest developments in artificial intelligence, starting with OpenAI’s newest model, the bizarrely-named “o1.” Is it a groundbreaking advancement or just another step in AI’s evolution? We explore both sides, offering a balanced look at the bullish and skeptical takes on the model.Key Topics:•[00:00] - Introduction to OpenAI’s o1 ModelA quick primer on OpenAI’s “o1” model, highlighting its unique approach to problem-solving and how it compares to previous models like ChatGPT.•[01:00]
2024-09-1707 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserAI and Race, w/ Dr. Broderick Turner & Angela YiTwo researchers from Virginia Tech recently published a study: “Representations and Consequences of Race in AI Systems.“ I'm thrilled that the co-authors of the study, Dr. Broderick Turner (Assistant Professor of Marketing at Virginia Tech) and Angela Yi (Doctoral Candidate at Virginia Tech) could join AI-Curious to discuss the takeaways from their study, and more broadly, help us unpack the complicated intersection between AI and race. When should AI models include race? When should they *ignore* race? Or more to the point, how should AI developers be thinking about race? Dr. Turner and Ange...
2024-09-1344 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserRobot Butlers are (Sort of) Here, and Apple AI Looms LargeWelcome to the debut episode of The Weekly AI Edge!This is part of the AI-Curious podcast. Each week you'll be getting short, punchy roundups of key AI news. We'll get you in and out.This week:A company called Weave Robotics announced that it's now taking pre-orders for humanoid robots that can do household chores -- like fold laundry, feed your dog, etc. This is just the latest development in humanoid robots, coming fast on the heels of other updates from companies ranging from OpenAI to Tesla. And 3 quick things:
2024-09-1209 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserTrailer for AI-Curious: The Weekly EdgeFun announcement!Starting next week, AI-Curious will be serving up two episodes each week: 1) One long-form interview with thought leaders in the space (what we've been doing for the past week), and..2) "The Edge," a weekly roundup of AI news. This will be short, punchy, and fun(ish). Each week we'll have one headline topic, and then three quick things. That's it. No muss, no fuss. For busy people who want to stay abreast of key developments in the AI space, but don't want to devote a ton of time to do it.
2024-09-0502 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserAI in Hollywood (part ii), with Toonstar's John Attanasio and Luisa HuangHappy Anniversary!Exactly one year ago, we launched AI-Curious. We've published an episode every week since, rain or shine, work or holiday, human or AI. We've spoken with CEOs, philosophers, artists, inventors -- but it all started with a conversation with two Hollywood producers: John Attanasio and Luisa Huang, the cofounders of Toonstar studios.Toonstar has been using AI for years to make technology -- particularly animation -- easier, cheaper, and faster for creators. This makes it more inclusive. And in the past year they have been VERY busy. So for our one-year anniversary, I...
2024-08-3034 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserThe Case for Decentralized AI, w/ Aethir Cofounder Mark RydonAI, as even its supporters acknowledge, has many problems today. Just a few: Concerns over data privacy, creators not getting compensated for supplying the data that trains the AI models, lack of trust of Big Tech AI, a shortage of the high-powered chips needed to train AI, debates over censorship, and on and on.Could Decentralized AI be the answer?I'm joined today by Mark Rydon, cofounder of Aethir, one of the leading companies in Decentralized AI. Aethir is working, essentially, to make it easier for more people to gain access to the GPUs needed...
2024-08-2349 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserAI, Transhumanism, and the Quest for Longevity, w/ Futurist Dr. Natasha Vita-MoreCan AI help us live forever?Okay, that's the click-baitey version of the question, but the real version is far more nuanced. Our guest today is a leader of the transhumanism movement -- Dr. Natasha Vita-More -- and she explains what it is, what it's *not*, how AI is involved, and why we are likely to see a dramatic improvement to our lifespan...Dr. Vita-More dispels some common misconceptions, that transhumanism is just trying to turn us into cyborgs. The roots of transhumanism, at heart, go back to the birth of philosophy -- she's as...
2024-08-1644 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserAI to Make Good Writers Great Writers, w/ Mushtaq BilalIs AI going to replace writers? Or is AI just terrible at writing? Maybe neither of these viewpoints is accurate. Instead, AI can be a tool to help people write -- whether that's fiction or academia or emails to your boss. Today's guest, Mushtaq Bilal, PhD, is a master at using AI to assist with writing projects. He writes about this prolifically on Twitter/X and LinkedIn, and he's widely regarded as being at the forefront of writing and AI. A postdoctoral researcher at the University of Southern Denmark, he's also the co-founder of Research K...
2024-08-0854 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserBlack Mirror Today: The AI Chatbot That Scored $50,000 from Marc Andreessen, w/ Andy AyreyAndy Ayrey likes to experiment with AI. He had an idea: What if he created a room where two AI chatbots talked to each other...infinitely? What would happen? (Wackiness.)Then he had another idea. He created a new chatbot, imbued it with all kinds of content about himself (Andy), and then unleashed the chatbot to Twitter. He affectionally calls it "The Little Guy." Then the little guy began to interact with the world... including one of the most influential venture capitalists in the space, Marc Andreessen. Soon real capital got involved, and the little guy is...
2024-08-0259 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserWhy AI Will Lead to Abundance, w/ The AI Daily Brief's Nathaniel WhittemoreEvery day (including weekends), Nathaniel Whittemore cranks out the "AI Daily Brief" podcast. It's excellent. He also runs an AI education community called "Superintelligent." It also looks excellent.In short, there's literally no one on the planet more plugged into what's happening in the world of AI than Nathaniel, better known as "NLW." We nerd out on all things AI, including the Open vs. Closed debate, what he sees as the most fascinating AI trends, how he uses AI to magic all the magic happen, his AI predictions, and much much more.Super...
2024-07-2645 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserCurious Housekeeping, AI HallucinationsIn this "snack size" edition, we're covering some quick housekeeping and sharing a vignette about some wacky AI hallucinations.The housekeeping: I'm excited to share that AI-Curious is near the end of Phase 1. Soon we'll be expanding, growing, scaling. Soon we'll be adding more coverage of the latest news, trends, and developments in the AI space. We'll also keep delivering these in-depth interviews. Stay tuned!As for the hallucination? Let's just say Chat GPT struggled with some very basic reading comprehension...Stay Connected:• 🐦 Twitter/Xhttps://x.com/jeffw...
2024-07-1911 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserDeep Dive into AI and Marketing, w/ AI Marketers Guild Founder David BerkowitzIf you’re even tangentially involved in marketing, you’re either: 1) Actively using AI; 2) Thinking about using AI; or 3) Falling behind.So today we’re going to go deeeeeep in the world of AI and Marketing, and there’s no one better to guide us than David Berkowitz, Founder of the AI Marketers Guild.The AI Marketers Guild is a community of thousands of marketers across a wide range of industries, and they’re actively gathering, chatting, and brainstorming on how to best use AI. So this conversation represents not just one person’s opinions on AI, but r...
2024-07-1251 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserAI’s and Spatial Biology’s Potential for Curing Cancer, w/ Nucleai CEO Avi VeidmanFor over 20 years, Avi Veidman served in the Israeli intelligence forces, and he used AI to to map the world. In the military he used AI for national defense, and he learned its power.He then realized that just as AI could map a battlefield, it could map cancer cells in biopsies and pathology slides.Enter Nucleai, his company that’s using AI to improve the science of “spatial biology,” which can ultimately unlock new treatments and cures…with cancer on their radar.Avi and I get into how this all works, the staggeri...
2024-07-0439 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserAI to Revolutionize the Health Care Experience, w/ Lyric CEO Rajeev RonankiThe health care system in the US is a mess. Few will argue this. Can AI make it better?That's the thesis of Rajeev (Raj) Ronanki, CEO of Lyric, which is working to build AI that will simplify and streamline the health care experience. What can AI make better? How will you, as a patient, have a dramatically different experience in the world of AI-assisted health care? And what are the challenges that need to be overcome to make this a reality?Raj and I get deep into the current problems with the health care...
2024-06-1443 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserRobot Dogs and Dystopian Use of AI Surveillance at the Border, w/ Petra MolnarPetra Molnar is a Harvard Faculty Associate, lawyer, human rights activist, and author of the just-released book The Walls Have Eyes: Surviving Migration in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.Publisher’s Weekly gave the book a glowing review and called it a “a grave wake-up call."To research this book, Petra spent *six years* studying what she called the “sharp edges” of surveillance tech, focusing on how it’s impacting real people. She spent considerable time at the border and in refugee camps. And she emerged from this research with chilling, dystopian tales of how AI-infused...
2024-06-0740 minAI-Curious with Jeff Wilser7 Ways Crypto (yes, Crypto!) Could Help Build Better AIBefore launching the AI-Curious podcast, I spent a bunch of years writing about bitcoin, blockchain, crypto, and web3, often for CoinDesk, the space’s main publication. I still write about it. So I’m in a relatively unique position to see the intersection of these two techs. Is there a connection? Can crypto really help develop better AI? There’s now an explosion of interest in “Decentralized AI,” which — in theory — could help minimize risks from Big Tech, reduce bias, fight censorship, solve the problem of deepfakes and even make AI more inclusive. And this episode is sneaky-timely...
2024-05-3038 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserAI and the Law, w/ Patent Attorney Robert PlotkinI'm going to guess that most people listening to this podcast are not lawyers. Fair. I'm not either!But there are *massive* questions about how AI impacts the law -- new questions about IP, copyrights, patents -- and also how AI impacts the legal profession itself.Here to guide us through all these questions is Robert Plotkin, a 25-year-veteran patent attorney and the author of the 2009 patent-and-AI book "The Genie in the Machine: How Computer-Automated Inventing Is Revolutionizing Law and Business" and the new book "AI Armor: Securing the Future of Your AI Company With...
2024-05-2443 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserNew AI (and AI-agent) Safety Risks, w/ AI Safety Expert Bo LiMany have been worried about AI safety. But the stakes were just raised: OpenAI and Google just announced new capabilities that look likely to usher in the new era of “AI agents,” meaning tools that will automatically accomplish tasks for you like buying plane tickets or even how to invest your 401k. What could go wrong?It’s Bo Li’s job to figure out what could go wrong. Li is an Associate Professor at the University of Chicago, where she conducts research and experiments on AI safety. Her team does “red team” analysis to try and hack and jai...
2024-05-1743 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserAI to Revolutionize Medical Diagnostics (and save millions of lives), w/ Dr. Bryan Dechairo, CEO of Sherlock BioSherlock Bioscience is developing medical diagnostic tests that are dramatically faster, cheaper, and easier to distribute than traditional models.The impact? This could make health care more inclusive, slow the spread of STDs, and help us avoid future pandemics.Dr. Dechairo and I start with the current problems of traditional diagnostic tests, then get into how AI could help and how that could impact the globe.There is a LOT of silly stuff in the world of AI… this is not that. Hope you enjoy the conversation.Stay Con...
2024-05-1047 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserThe Problems of AI Bias and the Solutions for AI Adoption, w/ Adam BaiNo tech is just about the tech. True adoption — or lack thereof — is often about issues of culture, which is why I’m thrilled to speak to today’s guest: Adam Bai, who’s an anthropologist as well as the Chief Strategy Officer of Glimpse, a company that leverages AI for market research solutions. Adam’s team has done extensive research on both AI adoption — and how this intersects with a company’s culture, teamwork, people, etc. — and AI bias and equity. He’s helped diagnose the problem and has some ideas on the solution.At heart, this discu...
2024-05-0243 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserIncorporating AI into Education, w/ Dean David Marchick & Professor Angela VirtuHow will AI impact education?One university isn't passively waiting to see how the dust settles, but is instead aggressively incorporating AI into its curriculum. That would be American University's Kogod School of Business, which has moved at warp-speed to modify its curriculum in 20 classes to incorporate AI this Fall.I'm delighted to be joined by the two key players in this initiative: Kogod School of Business' Dean David Marchick, and Professor Angela Virtu, who is spearheading the AI training of faculty and the AI-ification of the curriculum.We get into the many, m...
2024-04-2650 min
AI-Curious with Jeff WilserThe Robot Revolution is Closer Than You Think, w/ Theta Founder Kordel FranceBoston Dynamics just unveiled their new robot, "Atlas." The AI space was floored. Some were excited, some startled, some terrified, all fascinated.Whether we like it or not, thanks to the rapid acceleration of AI, robots -- specifically humanoid robots -- are closer than we think. Robots are now less science fiction and more a short-to-medium-term likelihood.So where are we now with robots? Where are we headed? What will Robot Land look like in, say, 10 years?Joining the pod to discuss all things robots is Kordel France, Founder and Lead Engineer of T...
2024-04-1944 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserHow 10 AI Experts Are Using AI in Their Day-to-Day LivesWe've all heard "AI will transform the world!!!"But how are AI experts *actually* using AI now, today, for reals, in their day-to-day lives?I've collected some wisdom and insights from prior guests of AI-Curious to give what is -- hopefully -- some super useful and concrete suggestions on how to incorporate AI into your own workflow. From ChatGPT as "debate partner" to brainstorm to massively underpaid research assistant, here are how people are using AI today.Stay Connected:• 🐦 Twitter/Xhttps://x.com/jeffwilser• 💼 LinkedInhttps...
2024-04-1122 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserBuilding Custom Applications to Help Companies (Actually) Use AI, w/ Dmitry ShaprioDmitry Shaprio has been in the space for decades; he was a product lead at Google and the CTO of MySpace. Now he's the CEO of MindStudio, a company that helps companies create custom apps to integrate AI. And a LOT of companies are using MindStudio. 34,000 apps have now been created using MindStudio, and this ranges from large corporations to solo-entrepenuaers to government agencies. The apps are used for sales, HR, marketing, operations -- everything.Dmitry, essentially, is helping companies go from AI Hype to AI Substance.We get into the nitt...
2024-04-0549 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserCreating a Revolutionary New Drone in 24 Hours, w/ AI Engineer Ian LaffeyAt a recent hackathon, Ian Laffey was part of a team that designed, created, 3D-printed, and assembled a drone in 24 hours... and for under $500.The drone's breakthrough: It doesn't need a signal for GPS, which means that it can be deployed off the grid, and can't be "jammed" in a war zone...like Ukraine.Laffey's drone is now a sensation in the world of defense-tech. Laffey is now the CTO of Theseus, and he joins the pod to discuss how his team pulled this off, why the drone is such a breakthrough, how A...
2024-03-2938 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserHow AI will (positively!) Shape the Future, w/ Futurist Kevin SuraceThere are many AI doomsdayers.Kevin Surace is not one of them.Kevin has been in a pioneer in the AI space since the 1990s, went he helped develop the tech that would directly influence Siri and Alexa. He has since been named by CNBC as one of the "Innovators of the Decade" and is now a regular keynote speaker.We have a *wide-ranging* conversation on how AI will shape the future, covering everything from robots to flying cars to job losses to whether AIs can become sentient. A really fun c...
2024-03-221h 03AI-Curious with Jeff WilserAI and the Search for PuppiesIf you need to get a puppy, what's the best way to go about it?Harnessing AI, of course.I recently decided to get a puppy. I didn't know what to get or how to do it. (I've never owned a dog.)So I made liberal use of ChatGPT in research, analysis, and execution, and then turned to AI for help with puppy training.I doubt you're in the market for a new puppy, but I think this is a useful extended metaphor of how AI -- and specifically ChatGPT -- c...
2024-03-1530 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserAI’s Potential to Democratize Coaching, w/ Dr. Friederike RedlbacherAI might change the world. But it can it help change you? You could argue that AI coaching, fundamentally, might be the most important impact of the entire tech. In today’s world, professional career coaching is generally only available for the privileged. What if it was available for all? But what are the risks and concerns?Joining us to break this down is Dr. Friederike Redlbacher, Managing Director of Symbolon AG. She’s working with the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence and developed the world’s first AI-based coaching tool in 2023, which is largely...
2024-03-0850 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserThe Rise of Brain Computer Interfaces (BCI) that Can Compete with Rogue Super-AIs, w/ Trent McConaghyIf AI gets super intelligent and super powerful, will it be benevolent? Or will it want to crush us like ants?Perhaps they’ll be benevolent. Maybe they’ll be “aligned” with our interests. But if not? What should we do? How can we prepare for this nightmarish scenario?Trent McConaghy has a plan. McConaghy has been working in AI for decades, both as an entrepreneur and as a researcher, and he’s widely respected in the field. And he recently gave a speech to the “existential-risk” (x-risk) group at NASA about how, to prepare huma...
2024-03-011h 13AI-Curious with Jeff WilserAI and the Ukraine War, w/ TIME Magazine's Vera BergengruenThe cover of this week’s TIME Magazine has a bold headline: “The First AI War.” The subtitle: “Palantir and other tech giants are building the future of battle in Ukraine.”The writer of this cover story is Vera Bergengruen, a senior correspondent at TIME.And Vera joins us today at AI-Curious.We cover: How Ukraine is using AI and what it’s accomplishing (3:00); how they’ve created a “war lab” that's a testing ground for new innovations (12:00); privacy and ethical concerns (23:00); repercussions for the future of war (37:00); and some behind-the-scenes from her reporting (40:30...
2024-02-2348 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserAI and the State of Play of Self-Driving Cars, w/ Noah GedrimasConfession: I don't really care about cars. But I *love* the idea of self-driving cars.So what's the status of this idea? There's now a fleet of self-driving cars in San Francisco. How good are they? How safe? What are the limitations? And what are the technical challenges that still need to be overcome, and how does AI fit into all of this?To unpack all of this, I'm joined by Noah Gedrimas, the Vice President of Strategy at GPR, a company at the forefront of the self-driving care movement. GPR is building tools that al...
2024-02-1648 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserThe (hype-free) AI Playbook for Machine Learning, w/ Eric SiegelEric Siegel is a longtime expert on machine learning, and is the author of the new book "The AI Playbook: Mastering the Rare Art of Machine Learning Deployment."Eric has been a professor at Columbia University, a longtime machine learning consultant, and he's the founder of the long-running "Machine Learning Week" conference series. Eric's take? AI is over-hyped, but machine learning still has much to offer a business...if you know how to deploy it. So in this pod, we go t through his step-by-step playbook of how to deploy machine learning, and how that's d...
2024-02-1027 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserAI in Finance, Bridging Hype to Reality w/ Vasagi KothandapaniCan AI make you rich? Or, more to the point, can AI make investment banks, hedge funds, and financial services companies even richer?Not so fast...Vasagi Kothandapani is an expert in helping financial services companies train, develop, and integrate AI. She's the Senior Vice President of AI Training at RWS, a tech-enabled content and language organization. And she stops by the pod to help separate the hype from the reality of AI in fintech... what are the exciting use cases, and what are the sober realities that need to be overcome?You c...
2024-02-0222 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserAI Dispatch from Sundance, and Hilke Schellmann on Bias in AI Hiring PracticesAs our quick appetizer, a quick dispatch from the Sundance Film Festival, where AI was seemingly *everywhere*.For our entrée, we speak with Hilke Schellmann, author of the new book "The Algorithm: How AI Decides Who Gets Hired, Monitored, Promoted, and Fired and Why We Need to Fight Back Now."If you have a job, or will some day get a job, or know someone with a job, this is a topic relevant to you.Link to The Algorithm:https://www.amazon.com/Algorithm-Decides-Hired-Monitored-Promoted/dp/0306827344/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&q...
2024-01-2531 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserThe War over AI Training Data, and Key AI Trends w/ Sharon Goldman, Senior Writer at Venture BeatWhat are the most important stories in AI right now? Today we chat with Sharon Goldman, Senior Writer at Venture Beat, who covers all things artificial intelligence.Sharon and I get into:Why the race for training data is so crucial in the future development of AI (2:30); why so much hinges on The New York Times vs. Open AI (12:40); the looming wars between Open AI and Anthropic and XAI and others (31:00); the potential coolness (and terror) of AI hardware (35:00); and much much more.Sharon Goldman on Twitter/X:https://twitter.com/sharongoldman
2024-01-1942 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserHow to (Actually) Use AI in Your Day-to-Day Life, w/ Catalist AI cofounder Sam StevensWe all know AI has tons of potential, but how do you *actually* use ChatGPT in your daily life?Sam Stevens is the cofounder of Catalist AI, an AI-powered project management assistant. She’s also the writer of the “Prompt and Circumstance” newsletter, where she shares hyper-pragmatic tips and tricks for how to get the most out of ChatGPT and other AI tools.So in this episode, we go deeeeeep into the practical, concrete, actual ways that you can use ChatGPT in your day-to-day life. This is useful for beginners and pro-users alike, as Sam drops a...
2024-01-1146 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserAI’s Impact on the 2024 Election, w/ Election Expert David BeckerAs deep fakes get easier and the truth gets murkier, how will AI impact the 2024 election?We’re joined by election expert David Becker, the founder and Executive Director of the non-partisan and non-profit Center for Election Innovation & Research. David is also the co-author of “The Big Truth: Upholding Democracy in the Age of The Big Lie.’”David breaks down the many aspects of AI and the 2024 election, including: The current state of play of election integrity and why they’re more secure than you might think (5:15); what most concerns him about how AI-enabled mischief could muck...
2024-01-0458 minAI-Curious with Jeff Wilser10 AI Predictions for 2024Where is AI headed next year?I curated some of my favorite AI predictions -- and give a few of my own -- from some of the year-end AI roundups and prediction articles.We cover deep fakes, further AI integration into business, the 2024 election, AI going mobile, and much more.AI prediction articles referenced in the pod:The Economist:https://www.economist.com/the-world-ahead/2023/11/13/generative-ai-will-go-mainstream-in-2024PWC:https://www.pwc.com/us/en/tech-effect/ai-analytics/ai-predictions.htmlAxioshttps://www.axios.com/2023/12/27...
2023-12-2817 minAI-Curious with Jeff Wilser7 Key AI Trends from 2023, w/ Tech Strategist George KamideSo what did we learn about AI in 2023? What are the most important trends?To make sense of this wild new space, I’m joined by tech strategist and AI consultant George Kamide, who’s also the co-host of the cybersecurity podcast, “Bare Knuckles and Brass Tacks.”George and I cover:The public’s “first contact” with generative AI, and why that seems to be plateauing (03:00); the merits of “tuning” a model, and what it will take to get that mainstream (07:00); the biggest AI trends in business from 2023 (17:30); whether AI will “take all the jobs” (20:30); w...
2023-12-2155 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserChilling Risks of AI Deepfakes and Cyberattacks, w/ Security Expert Christian SeifertYou get a FaceTime from a loved one. They're in trouble. Big trouble. Their life is in danger. They need you to Venmo you $, they have no choice.Except...it's not them you're FaceTiming with, it's an AI-enabled deepfake that can talk to you real-time.Welcome to the fun world of AI phishing and cyberattacks!Christian Seifert, a veteran cyber-security expert (he used to head up cyber-security at Microsoft, and now he's Researcher in Residence at the Forta network), joins the show to unpack these kinds of risks. How worried should you be? H...
2023-12-1441 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserAI Risks and Safety, w/ The AI Policy Institute's Executive Director, Daniel ColsonNow it's time for the flip side of AI.What could go wrong?Daniel Colson is the Executive Director of The AI Policy Institute, which has a mission of helping policy-makers create smart regulation. They also conduct polling to better understand how Americans are thinking about AI. Daniel, at heart, is a tech optimist, but in this episode he breaks down the reasons that AI makes him pause. We cover: The different categories of AI risk, including malicious use by bad actors, AI-arms race dynamics between states, Super-AIs going off the rails, and th...
2023-12-081h 02AI-Curious with Jeff WilserHuman Cloning is Here(?!), with BHuman CEO Don BoscoSend in the clones. They're here. Don Bosco is the founder and CEO of BHuman, a start-up that is, well.... creating human clones. For real! Don has cloned himself and he can easily clone you. (Digitally, at least.)So why the cloning? Don views this as a way for him to get more done in his own life -- his clone can knock out all the pesky online things he doesn't want to do. We cover a LOT of ground in this episode, including: The benefits of having a clone, and how it can help f...
2023-12-011h 01AI-Curious with Jeff WilserAI's Impact on Marketing and Fashion, w/ Deniz Ozgur (a Forbes' "30 Under 30" leader)When the AI hype began in earnest, "marketing and advertising" was one of the industries seen as most likely to be disrupted. This is already happening. Enter Deniz Ozgur, partner at AI marketing firm Evercopy, and one of Forbes' "30 Under 30" for her groundbreaking work in retail and ecommerce. Deniz shares how AI is *already* effective at generating both marketing content and even campaigns, and gives predictions on how it will change the industry going forward. (The theme: Personalization, personalization, personalization.)Deniz is also the co-founder of Space Runners, an AI/fashion company, which le...
2023-11-2542 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserAI to Super-Charge Translation, w/ Smartling CEO Bryan MurphySome of the best use cases of AI are when we think of it not as Artificial Intelligence, but "Augmented Intelligence."That's what Bryan Murphy, CEO of Smartling, is effectively doing: Using AI to enhance and super-charge their systems, as opposed to scrapping the old way and starting from scratch. Smartling is a company that uses AI to translate languages for clients like Peloton, Shopify, and Pinterest. On this episode, Bryan explains how they've embraced AI to do it faster and cheaper and at a higher quality (9:10); why global translation matters (14:35); whether AI can help u...
2023-11-1631 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserAI for Drug Discovery and Longevity, w/ Rejuve CEOs Kennedy Schaal and Jasmine SmithThe most important, wide-reaching, and profound use case for AI might just be drug discovery. Normally it takes YEARS for scientists to develop drugs; AI can slash the timeline.Kennedy Schaal is the CEO of Rejuve Bio, a startup that’s harnessing AI for faster drug discovery. And Jasmine Smith is the CEO of Rejuve AI, its sister company, which is racing to build a data-set that’s more equitable and inclusive and reflective of all humanity, with an end game of extending our longevity. Kennedy and Jasmine discuss the current problems with drug discovery, how A...
2023-11-0956 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserIs AI Creative? Can AI Be an Artist? W/ Mario Klingemann, Inventor of “Botto”By now you've heard the question, "Can AI create art?"Mario Klingemann had a more provocative question: "Can an AI machine be an artist?"So Mario set out to do just that. He created an ingenious AI-powered system called "Botto," which is creating art as we speak. Each week, a group of humans votes on the best stuff, and then the winners are sold as NFTs. Sometimes these are listed at Christie's.Mario's work is FASCINATING. And he's been working with art and machine learning for over 15 years; his work has appeared in...
2023-11-0244 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserAI to save local news, w/ Nano Media co-founder Winston ChenWill AI kill the newsroom? Possibly. But today’s guest has a different goal. Winston Chen, the co-founder of Nano Media, is using AI to try and *save* the newsroom, or at least to save local newsrooms. The fact is that over the last 20 years, local newsrooms have been gutted — most are no longer economically viable. So Winston is using AI to create tools to help revitalize the nation’s network of newsrooms… and it has already started.In this episode we cover:How a loss of local news leads to tribalism and polar...
2023-10-261h 00AI-Curious with Jeff WilserMastering AI Visual Art and Storytelling w/ Heather CooperFor many, the first "gateway drug" for generative AI is text-to-image, using tools like DALL-E and Midjourney to instantly flex your creative muscles.Heather Cooper is a master of AI visual art and storytelling. She has quickly become one of the most respected voices in the AI visual art/storytelling space. Her Substack, Visually AI, shares all kinds of tips and tricks on how to make better AI images. And she's also just really, really, really good at creating stunning AI visual artwork. This episode is for anyone who either 1) has ever dabbled...
2023-10-1957 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserAI to Empower, w/ All Star Code's Danny RojasWhat should be the role of AI in education? Cheating is an obvious concern. But can AI be used to accelerate, personalize, and even empower education? That's the path taken by All Star Code, a non-profit education organization that teaches tech and coding skills to young men of color. Danny Rojas is All Star Code's Executive Director. And he has been *extremely* forward-thinking in integrating AI into both the curriculum and the non-profit's workflow.We discuss:How AI can be used as a "co-pilot" for students (4:00); How they're thinking about the issue of AI a...
2023-10-1248 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserHow Will We Know if AI is Alive (Conscious), w Neuroscientist Dr. Grace LindsayIf AI becomes conscious, you could argue this is the most important inflection point in the history of humanity.So how will we know if and when that happens?Professor Grace Lindsay, a neuroscientist, recently co-authored a report -- along with a team of philosophers and fellow neuroscientists -- that suggested a framework for how we might know if AIs are conscious. In this episode, Dr. Lindsay unpacks that report and helps us understand it, shedding light and clarity on a tough-to-understand topic. We cover: The background and goals of the AI Consciousness St...
2023-10-051h 03AI-Curious with Jeff WilserMoral Implications of AI Consciousness, w Philosopher Jeff SeboIf AI becomes sentient, what are the moral, ethical, and legal implications? This is a tricky question with many, many, *many* follow-up questions. So here to help is philosopher Jeff Sebo -- a professor at New York University; the Director of the Mind, Ethics, and Policy Program; and the author of the book "Saving Animals, Saving Ourselves." In this sprawling conversation, we cover the ethics of AI from a ton of different angles: What can we learn about consciousness from the study of animals, and how does that apply to AI? (4:00); How can we discern AI...
2023-09-281h 01AI-Curious with Jeff WilserThe Wild World of AI "Digital Twins," with Querlo CEO Francesco RulliYou can now use AI to create a digital clone, or "digital twin" of yourself or loved one or anyone, really. Why would you do this? What's the benefit? And why do some digital twin enthusiasts view the tech, essentially, as a way to cheat death? There's no better expert on digital twins than Francesco Rulli, founder and CEO of Querlo, an AI company that provides services to clients like Microsoft and IBM and Pepsi. Francesco has created his own digital twin. He shares how and why he did it (4:40), he opens up with candor and...
2023-09-2130 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserHow to Use AI in Business Operations, w Rachel Woods, CEO of The AI ExchangeDo you work at a job? Then you're probably involved in some kind of business operations, and there's a 99.999% chance that your job will be impacted by AI.So how do you leverage AI to make your job easier? If you're a business leader, how do you create an AI strategy for your company or department? Where should you even begin?I spoke with an expert in all of this, Rachel Woods, CEO of The AI Exchange, who's a consultant and educator for how businesses can embrace AI. We get into it!
2023-09-1444 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserBuilding an AI Business, with SwingVision CEO Swupnil SahaiThink of this as an "AI case study" -- a way to make the abstractness of AI concrete by going deep on a hyper-specific example.Swupnil Sahai is a former Tesla engineer. He worked directly with Elon Musk on the AI that powers self-driving cars.He then created "Swingvision," an AI-powered tennis app, which recently won Apple's prestigious Design Award. (Other winners include heavyhitters like Headspace and Duolingo.)The app records your tennis match. It then lets you analyze the results, review your form, and even challenge line calls in real-time. It's now...
2023-09-0738 minAI-Curious with Jeff WilserAI in Hollywood, with Toonstar's John Attanasio and Luisa HuangWelcome to AI-Curious, a podcast that explores the good, the bad, and the creepy of artificial intelligence. For the debut episode, I'll introduce the conceit of the show, and then we'll speak to some Hollywood producers who are pioneers of using AI: the cofounders of Toonstar Studios, CEO John Attanasio and COO Luisa Huang.John and Luisa bring a somewhat unique perspective of AI in Hollywood. For years, they've used AI *not* to replace writers and actors... but instead to speed up production and build communities. They share first how AI helped lower the barriers to...
2023-08-3154 min