The Formant Podcast

The conversation with Matt Gordon covers his journey from early career to founding A3 Analytics, insights from Toyota Research Institute, challenges in implementing machine learning in manufacturing, lessons from early days at Palantir, and the interplay between forward deployed engineers and software engineers. Matt also discusses the challenges in advanced manufacturing and AI adoption, the role...

The conversation explores the impact of AI technology in the field, focusing on productivity enhancement and the importance of data structuring. It delves into customer stories, time savings, quality of data, and the future vision of AI in the physical world, highlighting the adoption of robotics and drones, customer interaction, and the evolution of field operations. Takeaways AI in the field enh...

The conversation covers Formant's services, Caleb's role as a forward deployed engineer, the challenges of operational complexity in manufacturing, and the potential of AI in predictive maintenance. It also explores the collaboration between software and services, as well as the issue of data-rich, action-poor environments in advanced manufacturing. Takeaways The role of a forward deployed enginee...

In this episode, Henrik Bennetsen and Fin Elliott pull back the curtain on the "Data-Rich, Action-Poor" reality of modern manufacturing. While the world hears "automation," the truth on the ground is often a "tsunami of alarms"—sometimes over 9,000 per day—that leave operators drowning in noise. Henrik and Fin discuss how Agentic AI is changing the game by moving beyond simple dashboards to active...

Ready to audit your own automation strategy? Don’t let your next robotics investment collect "robot dust." Visit [Link] to download our Robotics Deployment Checklist —a framework used by Holman and Formant to ensure every machine drives measurable business value from day one. Resources | 👉 Explore the Holman-Formant Partnership: Formant.io Learn how to scale your fleet without scaling your headco...

Are your operations data-rich but action-poor? Most operational teams spend 40% of their time "firefighting" data alerts. In this episode, Henrik Bennetsen and Fin Elliott show you how to hand that work off to AI Agents. The Demo | Watch as we build a "digital brain" for physical AI using Formant Triage. We move away from complex coding and toward "Plain English" instructions, allowing AI to: Anal...

In this conversation, Henrik Bennetsen and Jeff Linnell explore the transformative impact of AI agents on software and robotics. They discuss the evolution of software from traditional models to more dynamic, disposable forms that adapt to user needs. Jeff shares his extensive background in robotics and automation, emphasizing the importance of human factors in technology adoption. The discussion...

In the new podcast episode, Henrik sit down with our Technical Product Manager, Fin Elliott , to unpack what came out of it, including: A prompt-driven robot simulator that lets our team spin up realistic, vertical-specific demos in hours instead of weeks. A compensation review tool built by HR + chief of staff using AI-assisted “vibe coding,” no traditional dev team. Examples of going from “idea...

In this episode, Henrik chats with Richard Anaya, Formant's Head of AI, about his essay, "Physical AI: From Rules to Principles." They explore topics such as why traditional robots often get stuck in a loop with their rigid rules and how we can transform them by using principles rather than just a series of if–then statements. This shift might just be the key to helping machines thrive in the real...