How AI Happens
How AI Happens features experts and practitioners explaining their work at the cutting edge of Artificial Intelligence. Tune in to hear AI Researchers, Data Scientists, ML Engineers, and the leaders of today’s most exciting AI companies explain the newest and most challenging facets of their field. Powered by Sama.
Amdocs Group President Anthony Goonetilleke
The rapid evolution of technology excites Anthony, especially in AI.User preferences are shifting towards more human-like AI interactions.Empathy in AI is crucial for better customer service experiences.The partnership between Amdocs and NVIDIA emphasizes the importance of software efficiencySoftware and hardware advancements must progress in parallel to maximize productivity.Physical AI integration will enhance daily life through automation and smart devices.Emergent behavior in AI represents a new frontier in reasoning and decision-making.Generative AI can learn and adapt beyond traditional if-then programming.An audit trail is essential for transparency in AI decision-making processes.
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Physics & Machine Health with Algorithms Lead Mica Rubinson, Ph.D
Mica shares the methods behind Augury’s fault testing processes, why they use the highest quality data available, how in-house experts help them filter their data reliably, and their approach to communicating with customers. Our conversation also explores the balance between edge computing and cloud computing, and why both are necessary for optimal performance and monitoring.
Key Points From This Episode:
Mica’s journey from studying physics at the Weizmann Institute to her current role at Augury.How her background in physics and neuroscience inform her work in AI.Why physicists are drawn to AI and data...AWS Director of Generative AI Apps Srini Iragavarapu
Srini highlights the importance of integrating these agents into real-world applications, enhancing productivity and user experiences across industries. Srini also delves into the challenges of building reliable, ethical, and secure AI systems while fostering developer innovation. His insights offer a roadmap for harnessing advanced agents to drive meaningful technological progress. Don’t miss this informative conversation.Â
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Introducing today’s guest, Srini Iragavarapu, a leader at AWS. His thoughts on how Agentic and AI are intersecting today. The state of the union of agents in the world and at AWS.How AWS is leve...Exploring Retail in AI with Freshworks CMO Mika Yamamoto & Sama VPM Lisa Avvocato
 We explore the current trends of AI-based solutions in retail, what has driven its adoption in the industry, and how AI-based customer service technology has improved over time. We also discuss the correct mix of technology and humans, the importance of establishing boundaries for AI, and why it won't replace humans but will augment workflow. Hear examples of AI retail success stories, what companies got AI wrong, and the reasons behind the wins and failures. Gain insights into the value of copilots, business strategies to avoid investing in ineffective AI solutions, and much more. Tune in now!
Ke...
eBay Chief AI Officer Nitzan Mekel-Bobrov
We hear about Nitzan’s AI expertise, motivation for joining eBay, and approach to implementing AI into eBay's business model. Gain insights into the impacts of centralizing and federating AI, leveraging generative AI to create personalized content, and why patience is essential to AI development. We also unpack eBay's approach to LLM development, tailoring AI tools for eBay sellers, the pitfalls of generic marketing content, and the future of AI in retail. Join us to discover how AI is revolutionizing e-commerce and disrupting the retail sector with Nitzan Mekel-Bobrov!Â
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Nitzan's career exp...Unilever Head of Data Science Dr. Satyajit Wattamwar
Satya unpacks how Unilever utilizes its database to inform its models and how to determine the right amount of data needed to solve complex problems. Dr. Wattamwar explains why contextual problem-solving is vital, the notion of time constraints in data science, the system point of view of modeling, and how Unilever incorporates AI into its models. Gain insights into how AI can increase operational efficiency, exciting trends in the AI space, how AI makes experimentation accessible, and more! Tune in to learn about the power of data science and AI with Dr. Satyajit Wattamwar.
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Vanguard Principal of Center for Analytics & Insights Jing Wang
Jing explains how Vanguard uses machine learning and reinforcement learning to deliver personalized "nudges," helping investors make smarter financial decisions. Jing dives into the importance of aligning AI efforts with Vanguard’s mission and discusses generative AI’s potential for boosting employee productivity while improving customer experiences. She also reveals how generative AI is poised to play a key role in transforming the company's future, all while maintaining strict data privacy standards.
Key Points From This Episode:
Jing Wang’s time at Fermilab and the research behind her PhD in high-energy physics.What she misses most about...Sema4 CTO Ram Venkatesh
Key Points From This Episode:
Ram Venkatesh describes his career journey to founding Sema4.ai. The pain points he was trying to ease with Sema4.ai.How our general approach to big data is becoming more streamlined, albeit rather slowly. The ins and outs of Sema4.ai and how it serves its clients. What Ram means by “agent” and “agent agency” when referring to machine learning copilots.The difference between writing a program to execute versus an agent reasoning with it.  Understanding the contextual work training method for agents. The relationship between an LLM and an agent and the risks of t...Unpacking Meta's SAM-2 with Sama Experts Pascal & Yannick
Pascal & Yannick delve into the kind of human involvement SAM-2 needs before discussing the use cases it enables. Hear all about the importance of having realistic expectations of AI, what the cost of SAM-2 looks like, and the the importance of humans in LLMs.
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Introducing Pascal Jauffret and Yannick Donnelly to the show.Our guests explain what the SAM-2 model is. A description of what getting information from video entails.What made our guests interested in researching SAM-2. A few things that stand out about this tool. The level of human inv...Qualcomm Senior Director Siddhika Nevrekar
Today we are joined by Siddhika Nevrekar, an experienced product leader passionate about solving complex problems in ML by bringing people and products together in an environment of trust.  We  unpack the state of free computing, the challenges of training AI models for edge, what Siddhika hopes to achieve in her role at Qualcomm, and her methods for solving common industry problems that developers face.
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Siddhika Nevrekar walks us through her career pivot from cloud to edge computing. Why she’s passionate about overcoming her fears and achieving the impossible. Increasing comput...Block Developer Advocate Rizel Scarlett
Today we are joined by Developer Advocate at Block, Rizel Scarlett, who is here to explain how to bridge the gap between the technical and non-technical aspects of a business. We also learn about AI hallucinations and how Rizel and Block approach this particular pain point, the burdens of responsibility of AI users, why it’s important to make AI tools accessible to all, and the ins and outs of G{Code} House – a learning community for Indigenous and women of color in tech. To end, Rizel explains what needs to be done to break down barriers to entry for...
dbt Labs Co-Founder Drew Banin
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Saidot CEO Meeri Haataja
In this episode, you’ll hear about Meeri's incredible career, insights from the recent AI Pact conference she attended, her company's involvement, and how we can articulate the reality of holding companies accountable to AI governance practices. We discuss how to know if you have an AI problem, what makes third-party generative AI more risky, and so much more! Meeri even shares how she thinks the Use AI Act will impact AI companies and what companies can do to take stock of their risk factors and ensure that they are building responsibly. You don’t want to miss this one...
FICO Chief Analytics Officer Dr. Scott Zoldi
In this episode, Dr. Zoldi offers insight into the transformative potential of blockchain for ensuring transparency in AI development, the critical need for explainability over mere predictive power, and how FICO maintains trust in its AI systems through rigorous model development standards. We also delve into the essential integration of data science and software engineering teams, emphasizing that collaboration from the outset is key to operationalizing AI effectively.Â
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Lemurian Labs CEO Jay Dawani
Jay breaks down the critical role of software optimizations and how they drive performance gains in AI, highlighting the importance of reducing inefficiencies in hardware. He also discusses the long-term vision for Lemurian Labs and the broader future of AI, pointing to the potential breakthroughs that could redefine industries and accelerate innovation, plus a whole lot more.Â
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Jay’s diverse professional background and his attraction to solving unsolvable problems.How his unfinished business in robotics led him to his current work at Lemurian Labs.What he has learned from being CEO and...Intel VP & GM of Strategy & Execution Melissa Evers
Melissa explains the importance of giving developers the choice of working with open source or proprietary options, experimenting with flexible application models, and choosing the size of your model according to the use case you have in mind. Discussing the democratization of technology, we explore common challenges in the context of AI including the potential of generative AI versus the challenge of its implementation, where true innovation lies, and what Melissa is most excited about seeing in the future.
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An introduction to Melissa Evers, Vice President and General Manager of Strategy...Synopsys VP of AI Thomas Andersen
 VP of AI and ML at Synopsys, Thomas Andersen joins us to discuss designing AI chips. Tuning in, you’ll hear all about our guest’s illustrious career, how he became interested in technology, tech in East Germany, what it was like growing up there, and so much more! We delve into his company, Synopsys, and the chips they build before discussing his role in building algorithms.Â
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A warm welcome to today’s guest, Thomas Andersen. How he got into the tech world and his experience growing up in East Germany. The cost o...Xactly SVP Engineering Kandarp Desai
Developing AI and generative AI initiatives demands significant investment, and without delivering on customer satisfaction, these costs can be tough to justify. Today, SVP of Engineering and General Manager of Xactly India, Kandarp Desai joins us to discuss Xactly's AI initiatives and why customer satisfaction remains their top priority.Â
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AI Industry Leader Srujana Kaddevarmuth
 Srujana is Vice President and Group Director at Walmart’s Machine Learning Center of Excellence and is an experienced and respected AI, machine learning, and data science professional. She has a strong background in developing AI and machine learning models, with expertise in natural language processing, deep learning, and data-driven decision-making. Srujana has worked in various capacities in the tech industry, contributing to advancing AI technologies and their applications in solving complex problems. In our conversation, we unpack the trends shaping AI governance, the importance of consumer data protection, and the role of human-centered AI. Explore why upskilling the wor...
UPS Sr. Director & Head of Innovation Sunzay Passari
Our guest goes on to share the different kinds of research they use for machine learning development before explaining why he is more conservative when it comes to driving generative AI use cases. He even shares some examples of generative use cases he feels are worthwhile. We hear about how these changes will benefit all UPS customers and how they avoid sharing private and non-compliant information with chatbots. Finally, Sunzay shares some advice for anyone wanting to become a leader in the tech world.
Key Points From This Episode:
Introducing Sunzay Passari to the show and...Google DeepMind Research Director Dr. Martin Riedmiller
Martin shares what reinforcement learning does differently in executing complex tasks, overcoming feedback loops in reinforcement learning, the pitfalls of typical agent-based learning methods, and how being a robotic soccer champion exposed the value of deep learning. We unpack the advantages of deep learning over modeling agent approaches, how finding a solution can inspire a solution in an unrelated field, and why he is currently focusing on data efficiency. Gain insights into the trade-offs between exploration and exploitation, how Google DeepMind is leveraging large language models for data efficiency, the potential risk of using large language models, and much...
LiveX Chief AI Officer, President, & Co-Founder Jia Li
Jia  shares the kinds of AI courses she teaches at Stanford, how students are receiving machine learning education, and the impact of AI agents, as well as understanding technical boundaries, being realistic about the limitations of AI agents, and the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration. We also delve into how Jia prioritizes latency at LiveX before finding out how machine learning has changed the way people interact with agents; both human and AI.Â
Key Points From This Episode:
The AI courses that Jia teaches at Stanford. Jia’s perspective on the future of AI. What the potential impact...Zapier Lead AI PM Reid Robinson
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Key Points From This Episode:
Reid Robinson's professional background, and how he ended up at Zapier. What he learned during his year as an NFT founder, and how it serves him in his work today.How he gained his diverse array of professional skills.Whether one can differentiate between AI and mere automation. How Reid knew that partnering with OpenAI and ChatGPT would be the perfect fit. The way the Zapier team understands and approaches ML accuracy and generative data.Why real-world data is better as it stands, and whether generative data will one day catch up. ...Leveraging Technology to Preserve Creativity with Justin Kilb
 In this episode of How AI Happens, Justin explains how his project, Wondr Search, injects creativity into AI in a way that doesn’t alienate creators. You’ll learn how this new form of AI uses evolutionary algorithms (EAs) and differential evolution (DE) to generate music without learning from or imitating existing creative work. We also touch on the success of the six songs created by Wondr Search, why AI will never fully replace artists, and so much more. For a fascinating conversation at the intersection of art and AI, be sure to tune in today!
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Gong VP of AI Platform Division Jacob Eckel
Jacob shares how Gong uses AI, how it empowers its customers to build their own models, and how this ease of access for users holds the promise of a brighter future. We also learn more about the inner workings of Gong and how it trains its own models, why it’s not too interested in tracking soft skills right now, what we need to be doing more of to build more trust in chatbots, and our guest’s summation of why technology is advancing like a runaway train.
Key Points From This Episode:
Jacob Eckel walks us t...Brilliant Labs CEO Bobak Tavangar
Bobak further opines on the pros and cons of Perplexity and GPT 4.0, why the technology uses both models, the differences, and the pros and cons. Finally, our guest tells us why Brilliant Labs is open-source and reminds us why public participation is so important.Â
Key Points From This Episode:
Introducing Bobak Tavangar to today’s episode of How AI Happens. Bobak tells us about his background and what led him to start his company, Brilliant Labs. Our guest shares his interesting Lord of the Rings analogy and how it relates to his business. How wearable technology is cre...Dremio Tech Evangelist Andrew Madson
Andrew shares how generative AI is used by academic institutions, why employers and educators need to curb their fear of AI, what we need to consider for using AI responsibly, and the ins and outs of Andrew’s podcast, Insight x Design.Â
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Andrew Madson explains what a tech evangelist is and what his role at Dremio entails. The ins and outs of Dremio. Understanding the pain points that Andrew wanted to alleviate by joining Dremio. How Andrew became a tech evangelist, and why he values this role.Why all tech roles now re...Theory Ventures General Partner Tom Tunguz
Tom shares further thoughts on financing AI tech venture capital and whether or not data centers pose a threat to the relevance of the Cloud, as well as his predictions for the future of GPUs and much more.Â
Key Points From This Episode:
Introducing Tomasz Tunguz, General Partner at Theory Ventures.What he is currently working on including AI research and growing the team at Theory.How he goes about researching the present to predict the future.Why professionals often work in both academia and the field of AI.What stands out to Tom when he i...Teaching Machines to Smell with Theta Diagnostics CTO Kordel France
Kordel is the CTO and Founder of Theta Diagnostics, and today he joins us to discuss the work he is doing to develop a sense of smell in AI. We discuss the current and future use cases they’ve been working on, the advancements they’ve made, and how to answer the question “What is smell?” in the context of AI. Kordel also provides a breakdown of their software program Alchemy, their approach to collecting and interpreting data on scents, and how he plans to help machines recognize the context for different smells. To learn all about the fascinating work tha...
StoneX Group Director of Data Science Elettra Damaggio
After describing the work done at StoneX and her role at the organization, Elettra explains what drew her to neural networks, defines data science and how she overcame the challenges of learning something new on the job, breaks down what a data scientist needs to succeed, and shares her thoughts on why many still don’t fully understand the industry. Our guest also tells us how she identifies an inadequate data set, the recent innovations that are under construction at StoneX, how to ensure that your AI and ML models are compliant, and the importance of understanding AI as a...
AWS Director of Product Management Mike Miller
 Mike Miller is the Director of Project Management at AWS, and he joins us today to share about the inspirational AI-powered products and services that are making waves at Amazon, particularly those with generative prompt engineering capabilities. We discuss how Mike and his team choose which products to bring to market, the ins and outs of PartyRock including the challenges of developing it, AWS’s strategy for generative AI, and how the company aims to serve everyone, even those with very little technical knowledge. Mike also explains how customers are using his products and what he’s learned from their...
Carrier Head of AI Seth Walker
Key Points From This Episode:
Welcoming Seth Walker to the podcast.The importance of being agile in AI.All about Seth’s company, Carrier, and what they do.Seth tells us about his background and how he ended up at Carrier.How Seth goes about unlocking the power of AI.The different levels of success when it comes to AI creation and how to measure them.Seth breaks down the different things Carrier focuses on.The importance of prompt engineering.What makes him excited about the new iterations of machine learning.Quotes:
“In many ways, Carr...
Google Cloud's VP Global AI Business Philip Moyer
 Philip recently had the opportunity to speak with 371 customers from 15 different countries to hear their thoughts, fears, and hopes for AI. Tuning in you’ll hear Philip share his biggest takeaways from these conversations, his opinion on the current state of AI, and his hopes and predictions for the future. Our conversation explores key topics, like government and company attitudes toward AI, why adversarial datasets will need to be audited, and much more. To hear the full scope of our conversation with Philip – and to find out how 2024 resembles 1997 – be sure to tune in today!
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Meta VP of AI Research Joelle Pineau
Joelle further discusses the relationship between her work, AI, and the end users of her products as well as her summation of information modalities, world models versus word models, and the role of responsibility in the current high-stakes of technology development. Â
Key Points From This Episode:
Joelle Pineau's professional background and how she ended up at Meta.The aspects of AI robotics that fascinate her the most.Why elegance is an important element in Joelle's machine learning systems.How asking the right question is the most vital part of research and how to get better at it...Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute Product Owner Mara Cairo
Key Points From This Episode:
Amii’s machine learning project management tool: MLPL.Amii’s ultimate goal of building capacity and how it differs from an agency model. Asking the right questions to ascertain the appropriate use for AI. Instances where AI is not a relevant solution. Common challenges people face when adopting AI strategies. Mara’s perspective on the education necessary to excel in a career in machine learning.Quotes:
“Amii is all about capacity building, so we’re not a traditional agent in that sense. We are trying to educate and inform industry on how to do t...
10 Years of FAIR at Meta with Sama Director of ML Jerome Pasquero
Jerome discusses Meta's Segment Anything Model, Ego Exo 4D, the nature of Self Supervised Learning, and what it would mean to have a non-language based approach to machine teaching.Â
For more, including quotes from Meta Researchers, check out the Sama Blog
RoviSys Director of Industrial AI Bryan DeBois
Bryan discusses what constitutes industrial AI, its applications, and how it differs from standard AI processes. We explore the innovative process of deep reinforcement learning (DRL), replicating human expertise with machines, and the types of AI approaches available. Gain insights into the current trends and the future of generative AI, the existing gaps and opportunities, why  DRL is a game-changer and much more! Join us as we unpack the nuances of industrial AI, its vast potential, and how it is shaping the industries of tomorrow. Tune in now!
Key Points From This Episode:
Bryan’s professional bac...ML Pulse Report with Voxel51 CSO Jason Corso and Sama VP Duncan Curtis
2023 ML Pulse Report
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Joining us today are our panelists, Duncan Curtis, SVP of AI products and technology at Sama, and Jason Corso, a professor of robotics, electrical engineering, and computer science at the University of Michigan. Jason is also the chief science officer at Voxel51, an AI software company specializing in developer tools for machine learning. We use today’s conversation to discuss the findings of the latest Machine Learning (ML) Pulse report, published each year by our friends at Sama. This year’s report focused on the role of generative AI by surveying thousands of pra...
AMD Senior Director of AI Software Ian Ferreira
Sama 2023 ML Pulse Report
ML Pulse Report: How AI Happens Live Webinar
AMD's Advancing AI Event
Our guest today is Ian Ferreira, Â the Chief Product Officer for Artificial Intelligence over at Core Scientific until they were purchased by his current employer Advanced Micro Devices, AMD, where he is now the Senior Director of AI Software. In our conversation, we talk about when in his career he shifted his focus to AI, his thoughts on the nobility of ChatGPT and applications beyond advertising for AI, and he touches on the scary aspect of Large L...
GM for Amazon CodeWhisperer Doug Seven
Generative AI is becoming more common in our lives as the technology grows and evolves. There are now AI companions to help other AI models execute their tasks more efficiently, and Amazon CodeWhisperer (ACW) is among the best in the game. We are joined today by the General Manager of Amazon CodeWhisperer and Director of Software Development at Amazon Web Services (AWS), Doug Seven. We discuss how Doug and his team are able to remain agile in such a huge organization like Amazon before getting a crash course on the two-pizza-team philosophy and everything you need to know about...