Pioneers of AI

This week, Pioneers of AI is bringing back one of our favorite and first episodes. It’s our conversation with Dr. Joy Buolamwini, founder of Algorithmic Justice League and poet of code. In this episode, we explore how bias in data sets and algorithms, especially in facial recognition, is crucial to AI’s future, how Dr. Buolamwini uncovered the deep roots and impacts of bias in AI, and how to mitig...

One of the biggest debates in the AI revolution is its environmental impact  – especially the vast amounts of energy we need to run AI, and the carbon emissions that could follow. Yet AI is also a super powerful tool for smarter, cleaner energy use around the world. Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn and Inflection AI and friend of our show, joins to share his take. He weighs AI’s potential...

If you’re looking for outside-the-box innovation and boundless energy — look to the youth. Dr. Taniya Mishra and her company SureStart are doing just that as they train the next generation of AI innovators with pie-in-the sky ideas that could solve some of our biggest challenges. SureStart operates under the fundamental ethos that to build safer AI tools that can reach everyone, we need diverse te...

Jonathan Ross and his company Groq are building AI chips focused on fast inference, increasing the speed with which AI models can process new information. But it’s not just about speed. Faster inference means that AI can deliver answers more quickly, and in turn save on energy and compute costs. In this episode of Pioneers of AI, we explore why Groq’s chips are making waves, how AI will create mor...

AI start-ups are shaking up the world of venture funding and changing what investors decide to back. At this year’s Abundance Summit, Dr. Rana el Kaliouby moderated a discussion with leading AI investors Anj Midha, general partner at Andreessen Horowitz, and Dave Blundin, founder of Exponential Ventures. In this special live panel presentation, we dive into how AI start-ups are scaling fast with l...

A great manager can make a person feel more satisfied and included at work, and set them on a great career trajectory. But a bad manager can cost a company lots of time and money, or even drive away valuable talent. Katherine von Jan is building a better manager, powered by AI. As CEO and co-founder of Tough Day, von Jan is building AI management tools based on the best leaders and latest research...

Wearable technology tracking your health has become commonplace, helping us to take charge of our wellness. Alicia Chong Rodriguez, founder and CEO of BloomerTech, is creating specialized wearables in the form of bras that can help women gain insight into their heart health and provide tools to help improve it. In this episode of Pioneers of AI, we’ll learn more about how his technology can help w...

The workforce is changing. With the rise of AI agents, businesses and their employees will work in tandem with these digital assistants. Marc Benioff is at the forefront of this shift. As the CEO of Salesforce, he’s helping his own company fully adopt this technology while providing a suite of agents through Agentforce to companies across the globe. On this episode of Pioneers of AI, we’ll dive in...

Gavin Uberti thinks that his company Etched can be the “biggest company of all time.” His competitive advantage: faster, specialized AI chips that drive down the cost of inference. In this episode, we explore how cheaper chips could democratize AI, the big bet Uberti is making on transformer models, and how Etched is standing up to chip giant Nvidia. Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pi...

Ever wish you could be in two places at the same time? Digital twins are making that dream a reality. These AI-powered clones can sound, look, and think just like us, allowing us to be in two places at once. In this episode, recorded live at On Air Fest in Brooklyn, NY, Rana el Kaliouby and special guest Natalie Monbiot explore AI clones and the process of creating one. They also dive into the too...

We all hit those “now what?” moments in our careers. Logan Currie knows them well. After years of helping people navigate career transitions, she co-founded Careerspan — an AI-powered career companion designed to guide you through what’s next. But can AI really help with career decisions? How does it compare to a human coach? In this episode, we explore AI’s role in career transitions, why self-re...

Love, dating, and AI — what could go wrong? Or right? In this Valentine’s Day special, Rana el Kaliouby and a series of expert guests explore how AI is reshaping romance. First, Will Wu, Chief Technology Officer at Match Group, gives us a peek at how AI is already at work in apps like Tinder and Hinge, helping users choose their best profile pictures and refining match recommendations. Next, the t...

AI isn’t here to take over. It’s here to empower. That’s the vision Kanjun Qiu, co-founder of Imbue, is working to make a reality. In this episode, Qiu challenges the dominant AI narrative and shares why the future shouldn't be about machines running the show, but about humans harnessing AI as a tool for creativity, decision-making, and personal agency. Qiu and host Rana el Kailouby explore how AI...

Feeling a little overwhelmed by AI? You’re not alone. Ethan Mollick, Wharton professor and author of Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI, breaks down the "AI crisis" — and why it’s totally normal. Ethan shares his tips for working with AI as a thought partner, and reveals how AI is already reshaping classrooms, boardrooms, and beyond. From treating AI like your co-worker to rethinking how...

Nvidia, the world’s largest AI chip manufacturer, just made waves by announcing a new cutting-edge superchip as well as a family of models that promise to revolutionize how AI interacts with our physical world. On this episode of Pioneers of AI, Kari Ann Briski, Vice President of AI Models, Software and Services at Nvidia, sits down with us to explore the company’s full-stack approach to AI....

When you’re hungry and you need something in a pinch, a meal kit or pre-made entree is tough to beat. But it turns out that getting them from the factory to your refrigerator is difficult when there aren’t enough people to do the prep. Rajat Bhageria, founder and CEO of Chef Robotics has an answer for that. Chef Robotics utilizes embodied AI, the intersection of AI and robotics, to make unlimited...

Integrating AI into human society means balancing so many uncertainties. The questions we ask as we develop the AI tools of today will shape the reality of tomorrow. As Chief Scientific Officer at Microsoft, Eric Horvitz takes this responsibility to heart. He joins Pioneers of AI as a longtime colleague of host Rana el Kabliouby in the AI space, to talk about the principles that guide him and his...

What does it take to make AI? This is a question Dr. Rana el Kaliouby explored in a moderated discussion at this year’s Fortune Brainstorm AI featuring Daniela Braga, founder and CEO of Defined AI; Benjamin Plummer, CEO of Invisible Technologies; and Jonathan Ross, founder and CEO of Groq. In this special presentation of the live panel, we dive into the nuts and bolts of making artificial int...

Happy holidays from the Pioneers of AI team! Enjoy the premiere episode of the Artful Intelligence miniseries, from our friends at Possible! In this episode, Chris McLeod introduces us to Montreal-based filmmaker Malick Lombion, whose groundbreaking technique, Hyperlapse X AI, is redefining video art. Malick combines hyperlapse cinematography with cutting-edge AI tools like DALL-E to compress time...

The human microbiome plays a large role in our health, but it’s something we don’t yet fully grasp. Understanding microbes and how they affect our health requires a lot of computing power, which is expensive and time-consuming. Kevin Slavin says AI can help. Slavin, an entrepreneur and dynamic thinker in the field of metagenomics, believes understanding microbiomes is key to improving our health a...

As consumers continue to move towards healthier and more sustainable options when shopping for food, new and established food brands are looking to fill that need— with varying success. Riana Lynn thinks AI is the solution. As the CEO and founder of Journey Foods, Lynn has created an AI-powered platform that features a patented recipe generator that can help brands develop new products and source...

Creating and sharing art is a uniquely human experience. With the rise of AI, creative processes are shifting, but Taryn Southern doesn’t think that means art becomes any less human. As a storyteller and technologist, Southern uses AI to push the limits of her creativity. She also works to help fellow artists and everyday people embrace the potential of AI. Southern joins Pioneers of AI to talk ab...

With every cutting-edge technology, it feels like the responsibility to use it safely takes a back seat to the speed of development. When it comes to AI, Navrina Singh wants to change that. As the founder and CEO of Credo AI, Singh introduces companies to AI governance and provides a platform to help those companies make their AI tools less biased, more secure, and more trustworthy. Singh joins Pi...

To deliver excellent customer service, you need excellent service reps — agents who can meet a customer’s needs and accurately answer their questions, all while representing and elevating the company's brand. Bret Taylor thinks that AI agents are the answer. As the co-founder of Sierra, Taylor is partnering with companies like Weight Watchers, Sonos, and SiriusXM to build AI agents that uniquely r...

Modern technology gives us the ability to connect with more people in more places than ever before. Despite this, we are experiencing an epidemic of loneliness and increased isolation. Eugenia Kuyda thinks AI can help. As the co-founder and CEO of Replika, Kuyda has built an app that allows users to create, customize, and talk with their own AI companion. For many users, AI companions are not just...