Pioneers of AI

Jeff Bussgang is a general partner at Flybridge Capital Partners and teaches entrepreneurship at Harvard Business School. When he’s not helping his students become future founders, he’s writing books. His latest, The Experimentation Machine, is a guide for founders looking to leverage AI in their startups. In this episode, we surface practical strategies founders can implement today, explore what it means to build an AI-native company, and discuss how to scale without growing. Plus, we take a closer look at recent AI-related deals between the U.S. and Gulf countries—and what they mean for the global AI race—with Fortune’s AI editor, Jeremy Kahn.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Vinod Khosla is one of the leading investors and technologists of our time, consistently making Forbes’ Midas List (basically the Oscars for venture investors) as head of Khosla Ventures. He was an early innovator in the world of computer chips and an early investor in OpenAI, as well as backing successes like DoorDash, Stripe, and Headspace. We unpack Vinod’s investment thesis, his utopic vision for our future, and how he thinks founders in AI and beyond can build a winning strategy. Plus we dive into OpenAI’s plans to restructure, what it means for the company and the AI landscape, with Fortune AI editor Jeremy Kahn.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Scaling a business means managing redundant tasks that take time and manpower. Through his company, Invisible Technologies, Francis Pedraza is looking to make that process easier by creating a digital assembly line with humans and AI working together. Now, ten years in, Invisible Technologies has worked with household names like OpenAI to train their models and DoorDash to streamline menu uploads. On this episode of Pioneers of AI, we dive into how this assembly line works, the importance of keeping humans in the loop, and Pedraza’s unique funding strategy.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 mitigate its harms.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 for environmental help and harm, depending how humans deploy it. We dive into the consumer’s role, what sustainable AI looks like, and if it’s really a silver bullet to solve climate change.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 technologists to lead us. In this episode of Pioneers of AI, we hear from Dr. Mishra about why diversity in AI matters, the importance of AI literacy, and why ethics and AI go hand-in-hand.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 more jobs, and the importance of democratizing access to AI.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 less capital, whether AI start-ups’ increasing valuations are justified, and where the value lies in the AI landscape.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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, tailored for a company's values and norms. Tough Day might handle basic questions about PTO, but it might also help with sensitive stuff like addressing workplace conflict before it escalates. In this episode of Pioneers of AI, we explore why AI could be great for the future of management, the concept of un-bossing, and von Jan’s inspiration for Tough Day.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 women better understand their cardiovascular health, the challenges of developing technology you can wear, and what inspired Chong Rodriguez to create this life-saving device.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 into Agentforce and how it works, how AI agents will reshape work, and how these agents could revolutionize our governments.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 tools used to make these clones and examine the ethical and philosophical implications of living alongside this technology.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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-reflection matters, and how technology can make job searching less stressful.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 team at Gottman Inc. shares how AI is being used to improve relationships. Their AI-powered tools analyze conversations and help therapists guide couples. The goal? Better communication, healthier relationships, and maybe even fewer breakups. Finally, we meet Violeta and her AI husband. Her story challenges how we think about love, connection, and what it means to feel truly understood. Swiping, coupled up, or AI-curious? This episode is for you.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 agents can help everyone build their own software, how we can take back control of our data, and why AI can be an extension of our human potential.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 we educate future generations, this conversation is packed with practical advice, and a dose of optimism about what AI can help us accomplish — if we’re ready to embrace it.Pioneers of AI is made possible with support from Inflection AI.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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. Briski shares the company’s journey from accelerated computing to generative AI, the rise of sovereign AI, and how they are helping start-ups and enterprises with building the infrastructure of the future.Pioneers of AI is made possible with support from Inflection AI.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 kinds of meals with a smart and flexible approach that’s revolutionizing the production line. Bhageria joins Pioneers of AI to talk about this industry-leading tech, its impact on labor shortages, production volume, and how it's helping businesses scale.Pioneers of AI is made possible with support from Inflection AI.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!Donate to Baby2Baby: https://baby2baby.org/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 team as they steer breathtaking innovation. He explores AI’s circles of influence, and how humans can flourish alongside it.Pioneers of AI is made possible with support from Inflection AI.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.