An Hour of Innovation: AI, Product, Tech and Career Growth

AI that isn’t replacing doctors, it’s helping them save lives, cut costs, and bring humanity back to healthcare.

In this episode of An Hour of Innovation podcast, host Vit Lyoshin sits down with Zach Evans, Chief Technology Officer at Xsolis, a leading AI and data analytics company transforming the way hospitals and insurance providers work together.

Zach and Vit dive into how artificial intelligence is removing friction in healthcare, reducing administrative waste, and improving collaboration between hospitals, payers, and clinicians. They explore how predictive analytics and generative AI are being used to accelerate decisions, prevent costly billing errors, and free up doctors to focus on patient care. Zach also shares how his team built Dragonfly, Xsolis’s AI-powered platform that streamlines clinical workflows, enhances cybersecurity, and helps hospitals save millions every year.

As CTO, Zach Evans leads the engineering and product strategy behind Xsolis’s data-driven solutions. With nearly a decade of experience in healthcare technology and digital transformation, he’s helped scale the company from a small startup to a national leader serving hospitals across the US. Zach is passionate about building human-centered AI systems that empower clinicians, improve patient outcomes, and redefine how healthcare organizations operate.

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* To support our work, please check out our sponsors and get discounts: https://www.anhourofinnovation.com/sponsors/

Takeaways

* AI isn’t replacing doctors, it’s helping them make faster, better decisions.

* US hospitals spend up to 25% of their revenue on administrative tasks.

* Dragonfly, Xsolis’s AI platform, uses data to reduce friction between hospitals and insurance companies.

* Predictive analytics can determine patient status (inpatient vs. observation) with 99% accuracy.

* Generative AI now drafts clinicians’ initial patient reviews, saving hours of manual work.

* Keeping a “human in the loop” ensures AI supports, not replaces, healthcare professionals.

* Hospitals can resolve claim decisions within hours instead of weeks or months.

* Agentic AI is being developed to automate repetitive tasks like medical forms and data entry.

* Healthcare data is among the most valuable information on the black market, making cybersecurity critical.

* Moving from reactive to proactive security helps prevent attacks before they happen.

* AI is helping hospitals save millions by cutting denied claims and reducing administrative waste.

* The next wave of healthcare innovation is ambient AI, enabling doctors to talk to patients instead of screens.

* Every dollar saved on admin costs can be reinvested into patient care and clinical improvements.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction

03:01 Understanding Healthcare Friction and How AI Solves It

05:21 AI-Driven Reimbursement: Streamlining Hospital and Insurance Payments

10:55 Cybersecurity in Healthcare: Protecting Patient Data with AI

17:12 Generative AI in Healthcare: New Innovations Changing Medicine

23:34 Dragonfly by Xsolis: An AI Platform for Healthcare Efficiency

26:36 Optimizing Hospital Workflows with Predictive Analytics and AI

28:19 AI for Length-of-Stay Management: Improving Patient Flow

32:33 Future of Healthcare Technology: From Automation to Intelligence

36:54 Data Symmetry in Healthcare: Aligning Hospitals and Insurers

37:48 Leadership and Innovation: Scaling a Healthcare Tech Team

42:49 AI’s Real Impact on Healthcare Professionals and Clinicians

45:34 Restoring Human Connection: How AI Improves Patient–Doctor Relationships

Connect with Zack

* Website: https://www.xsolis.com/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachevans/

* X: https://x.com/ZachEvans

* Other: https://zachevans.io/

Connect with Vit

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vit-lyoshin/

* X: https://x.com/vitlyoshin

Vit’s Projects

* Podcast: https://www.anhourofinnovation.com/

* AI Assistant to build apps: https://appforgelab.com/

In this episode of An Hour of Innovation podcast, host Vit Lyoshin sits down with Spiros Xanthos, Founder and CEO of Resolve AI, to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming the world of DevOps, observability, and software reliability.

Spiros shares how Resolve AI is building autonomous AI agents that act like site reliability engineers, capable of troubleshooting incidents, detecting root causes, and even generating pull requests to fix issues before they escalate. The conversation delves into how AI automation is redefining what it means to be an engineer, the evolving trust relationship between humans and AI, and the technical challenges of creating systems that are smart enough to operate in complex production environments. Spiros also opens up about his entrepreneurial journey as a serial founder, his lessons from building multiple startups, and why Resolve AI is the hardest and most rewarding company he’s ever built.

Spiros Xanthos is a serial entrepreneur, technologist, and innovator in the observability and AI DevOps space. Before founding Resolve AI, he co-founded Omnition, which was acquired by Splunk, and Log Insight, which was acquired by VMware. He’s also one of the co-creators of OpenTelemetry, the open-source standard for telemetry data that powers modern observability systems. Today, as CEO of Resolve AI, Spiros leads a team that’s pioneering AI-driven reliability engineering, combining deep observability expertise with cutting-edge AI research to build self-healing software systems.

Support This Podcast

* To support our work, please check out our sponsors and get discounts: https://www.anhourofinnovation.com/sponsors/

Takeaways

* AI is moving beyond code generation; it’s now running and maintaining production systems.

* The biggest challenge in AI DevOps isn’t data, it’s reasoning across code, logs, and systems.

* Trust is earned; AI systems must prove reliability through transparency and evidence.

* AI can make safe, reversible changes autonomously, reducing human fatigue and error.

* The hardest part of building Resolve AI was teaching AI to reason like an engineer.

* Spiros believes AI won’t replace engineers; it will create more of them by automating repetitive work.

* The role of engineers will shift from coding to directing and orchestrating AI agents.

* Many current DevOps tools were built for humans; the next generation must be agent-first.

* Founders should practice radical transparency to build trust and alignment in their teams.

* Psychological safety and risk-taking are essential for innovation in AI startups.

* Even without a product, talking to users and showing prototypes accelerates validation.

* The future of software is self-healing, intelligent, and AI-managed systems.

* Every product in the next decade will have an AI-first version or be replaced by one.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction: AI and the Future of Software

05:08 Resolve AI vs Other AI Tools

07:36 Human Oversight in AI Decisions

09:12 Building Trust in AI Systems

10:53 Challenges in AI Development

14:19 Future of Software Engineering with AI

16:53 Unsolved Gaps in AI and DevOps

18:12 Industry Views on AI Automation

19:50 Lessons from Serial Entrepreneurship

23:01 Competing for AI Talent

23:54 Inside Fast-Moving AI Startups

25:52 Customer-Driven AI Product Development

27:46 Engaging Users Without a Product

29:49 Choosing the Right Startup Idea

32:18 Key Lessons for AI Entrepreneurs

34:26 Building Strong AI Teams

36:11 Funding and Growth in AI Startups

37:28 Future of AI in DevOps

39:08 Opportunities in the AI Revolution

41:51 Final Advice for Entrepreneurs

Connect with Spiros

* Website: https://resolve.ai/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spiros/

* X: https://x.com/spirosx

Connect with Vit

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vit-lyoshin/

* X: https://x.com/vitlyoshin

Vit’s Projects

* Podcast: https://www.anhourofinnovation.com/

* AI Assistant to build apps: https://appforgelab.com/

In this episode of An Hour of Innovation podcast, host Vit Lyoshin sits down with Rob LoCascio, founder of LivePerson and creator of Uare.ai (Formerly Eternos), to explore how artificial intelligence can be used not to replace us, but to remember us.

Rob shares the fascinating story behind his company building AI avatars that capture your voice, knowledge, and decision-making patterns to create a deeply personal digital version of you. They discuss the emotional first test case of a terminally ill man who spoke with his AI self, the future of human-centered AI, and what it means to leave a lasting digital legacy. The conversation also dives into Rob’s journey from inventing web chat in 1997 to pioneering conversational AI, his lessons from decades as an entrepreneur, and his vision for ethical, purpose-driven innovation.

Rob LoCascio is a visionary tech entrepreneur best known as the founder and former CEO of LivePerson, the company that introduced real-time web chat to the internet. After nearly three decades leading innovation in customer experience and AI, he launched Uare.ai (Formerly Eternos), an AI platform focused on preserving human stories and memories through personalized AI models.

Support This Podcast

* To support our work, please check out our sponsors and get discounts: https://www.anhourofinnovation.com/sponsors/

Takeaways

* Rob shares the emotional story of a man who recorded his life story and later spoke to his AI self, proving how technology can preserve human connection.

* The core idea behind Uare.ai (formerly Eternos): building human-centered AI that keeps our memories, wisdom, and emotions alive.

* Rob predicts that experts and professionals will soon have AI versions of themselves sharing their knowledge globally.

* Passing down wisdom through personal AI is more powerful than passing down money; it’s a new kind of legacy.

* Rob reflects on nearly 30 years as a founder and reminds entrepreneurs that building something meaningful isn’t easy, but it’s worth it.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction

01:42 From LivePerson to Digital Immortality

08:32 How Personal AI Works: Capturing Your Voice, Memory, and Wisdom

12:09 The Inspiration: AI for Humanity, Not Replacement

15:03 Inside the Human Life Model: The Future of Human-Centered AI

19:49 Use Cases: How AI Serves Families and Experts

21:45 Ethics, Privacy, and Data Ownership in AI Legacy Systems

25:51 Passing Down Wisdom: Generational Knowledge as the New Legacy

34:36 Entrepreneurial Lessons from a 30-Year Journey

38:19 The Hard Truth About Startups and Resilience

40:54 The Future of AI: Building Connection and Community Through Technology

Connect with Rob

* Website: https://www.uare.ai/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rlocascio/

* X: https://x.com/roblocascio

* Other: https://eternos.life/

Connect with Vit

* Website: https://vitlyoshin.com/contact/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vit-lyoshin/

* X: https://x.com/vitlyoshin

Vit’s Projects

* Podcast: https://www.anhourofinnovation.com/

* AI Assistant to build apps: https://appforgelab.com/

In this episode of An Hour of Innovation podcast, host Vit Lyoshin sits down with Henry O’Connell, CEO and Co-Founder of Canary Speech, to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming healthcare through the power of the human voice.

Henry shares the fascinating story of how a simple conversation in a bagel shop led to the creation of a breakthrough technology that analyzes how we speak, not what we say, to detect early signs of neurological and mental health conditions such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, anxiety, and depression. We discuss how AI voice biomarkers work, how Canary Speech can process 15 million data points per minute, and how this innovation enables early disease detection through non-invasive, real-time speech analysis.

Henry also explains how this technology integrates with wearables and clinical tools, allowing doctors to monitor patients through their voice using smartphones, smartwatches, and telemedicine platforms. He reveals how machine learning models can recognize patterns invisible to the human ear, helping medical professionals diagnose faster, more accurately, and with greater empathy.

Beyond the technology, Henry shares his vision for the future of medicine, his passion for accessibility in global healthcare, and his lessons from building a company at the intersection of AI, neuroscience, and digital health innovation.

Henry O’Connell is a healthcare innovator and entrepreneur. As the CEO of Canary Speech, he leads a team pioneering the use of voice biomarkers for early detection of diseases that affect millions worldwide. His work has been published in The Lancet and recognized by global partners including Microsoft, Samsung, and Harvard’s Beth Israel Hospital. Under his leadership, Canary Speech is redefining how AI can listen, understand, and improve human health.

Support This Podcast

* To support our work, please check out our sponsors and get discounts: https://www.anhourofinnovation.com/sponsors/

Takeaways

* AI can now analyze how we speak, not what we say, to detect health conditions.

* The human voice contains over 2,500 measurable biomarkers tied to brain and body function.

* Canary Speech analyzes 15 million data points per minute from spoken language.

* Diseases like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, anxiety, and depression can be detected early through voice.

* The central nervous system controls speech, making it a powerful source of diagnostic data.

* Voice biomarkers are universal; the same disease patterns appear across languages and cultures.

* The technology works through smartphones, telehealth systems, and even Samsung watches.

* Canary Speech partners with leading institutions like Harvard, Hackensack Meridian, and The Lancet.

* AI enables non-invasive, real-time health monitoring during normal conversations.

* The system can even detect stress, fatigue, and aggression, helping prevent hospital incidents.

* Voice-based diagnostics may one day redefine patient-doctor interactions.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction

01:56 The Birth of Canary Speech

07:00 Can AI Hear Illness?

14:25 Inside Voice Biomarkers

22:21 Detecting Anxiety, Depression, and Cognitive Decline Through Speech

25:07 How AI Voice Technology Works in Real Healthcare Settings

26:29 Preventing Aggression and Protecting Care Teams

29:56 Giving Doctors a New Diagnostic Superpower

31:10 What Doctors Say?

32:17 Everyday Applications of Voice AI

34:57 Making AI-Driven Healthcare Accessible Worldwide

36:11 Data Privacy, Ethics, and Trust in AI Healthcare

38:49 Could We Talk to Animals?

42:00 Leadership, Failure, and Building with Purpose

Connect with Henry

* Website: https://canaryspeech.com/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/henryjoconnell/

Connect with Vit

* Website: https://vitlyoshin.com/contact/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vit-lyoshin/

* X: https://x.com/vitlyoshin

Vit’s Projects

* Podcast: https://www.anhourofinnovation.com/

* AI Assistant to build apps: https://appforgelab.com/

In this episode of An Hour of Innovation podcast, host Vit Lyoshin sits down with longevity entrepreneur and author Jon Sabes to explore why healthspan, not just lifespan, is the future we should all be planning for.

We dive into Jon’s powerful framework from his book Healthy, Wealthy, Longevity and unpack how your health, wealth, and purpose must work together to prepare for a longer, more vibrant life. Jon explains the real cost of poor health, the impact of living longer on your financial future, the lessons from Blue Zones, and why your older self will either thank you or regret your choices. He also introduces a new financial product that flips the traditional insurance model: one that rewards you for living longer.

Jon Sabes is a serial entrepreneur and the founder of Longevity Financial Partners, where he’s building innovative tools to help people prepare for longer lifespans. He previously led FOXO Technologies, where he worked on cutting-edge longevity biomarkers and epigenetics. Jon is also the author of Healthy, Wealthy, Longevity, and has spent nearly two decades at the intersection of financial services, molecular health, and aging science.

Support This Podcast

* Please check out our sponsors and get discounts: https://www.anhourofinnovation.com/sponsors/

Takeaways

* Living longer without a plan can become your biggest financial risk.

* Health and wealth are deeply connected; poor health is financially expensive.

* Blue Zones offer a real-world model for how to live longer, healthier, and with purpose.

* Healthy aging depends on four things: eat wisely, move often, live with purpose, and connect with others.

* Your physical environment plays a major role in shaping good habits and reducing temptation.

* The worst-case scenario of aging: being alone and broke. Start preparing early to avoid it.

* You don’t need to be rich to live a long and healthy life; lifestyle matters more than wealth.

* Insurance should evolve to reward longevity.

* Jon’s company, LongevityFP, is building innovative financial products for longer lives.

* Movement doesn’t have to mean gym workouts; walking and small daily actions count.

* Processed food and sugary snacks are the silent killers.

* Purpose isn’t one big life mission; it can be small daily goals and routines.

* Staying connected socially becomes harder with age and remote work; build intentional relationships.

* AI and biotechnology are unlocking new ways to track aging and extend healthspan.

* Investing in self-care is no longer optional; it’s your hedge against an uncertain future.

* Think of your 90-year-old self and make choices they’d thank you for.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction: Why Longevity Is the New Wealth

01:06 Inside “Healthy, Wealthy, Longevity”: Jon Sabes’ Breakthrough Book

03:51 Ads

05:06 How Health, Wealth, and Longevity Intersect, and Why It Matters

08:07 Start Early: Planning Now for a Longer, Healthier Life

11:38 Longevity Financial Partners: Redefining Financial Security for Longer Lifespans

15:44 The Blue Zones Formula: 4 Habits for Healthy Aging

22:58 Movement as Medicine: Simple Ways to Stay Active Without a Gym

25:38 Nutrition That Extends Healthspan: Small Changes, Big Results

29:29 Finding Purpose: The Mental Fitness Behind Longevity

32:00 The Power of Connection: Building Strong Social Networks as You Age

36:26 AI and Technology for Health and Longevity: What’s Coming Next

45:35 Motivation That Lasts: How to Stick to Healthy Habits

48:04 Innovations in Longevity Finance: The Future of “Reverse Insurance”

51:27 Leaving a Legacy: Agency, Control, and Designing Your Future Self

Connect with Jon

* Website: https://longevityfp.com/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-sabes-14368257/

Connect with Vit

* Website: https://vitlyoshin.com/contact/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vit-lyoshin/

* X: https://x.com/vitlyoshin

Vit’s Projects

* Podcast: https://www.anhourofinnovation.com/

* AI Assistant to build apps: https://appforgelab.com/

In this episode of An Hour of Innovation podcast, host Vit Lyoshin sits down with Nesrine Changuel, former product leader at Google, Spotify, and Microsoft, and author of the Product Delight book.

Together, they explore the power of emotional design in product management and why building products people truly love requires more than functionality. The conversation covers how emotional motivators shape user behavior, the story behind Chrome’s inactive tabs feature, and why Nesrine insists on moving beyond B2B vs. B2C to embrace B2H: business to human.

She also shares her Delight Framework, a practical method for balancing functionality with emotion, her 50-40-10 roadmap model, and lessons from Spotify’s hack weeks that sparked major innovations like Discover Weekly. The discussion also touches on UX design, innovation culture, and the future of humanizing AI in product development.

Nesrine Changuel is a seasoned product leader, speaker, and innovation coach. She has shaped global products at companies like Google, Spotify, and Microsoft, where she worked on Chrome, Meet, Skype, and Spotify’s user experiences. Nesrine is the creator of the Delight Framework, helping teams bring emotional connection into product design, and she is the author of Product Delight, a book that makes emotional design actionable for product managers, designers, and innovators worldwide.

Support This Podcast

* To support our work, please check out our sponsors and get discounts: https://www.anhourofinnovation.com/sponsors/

Takeaways

* An emotional connection is just as important as functionality in product design.

* Users remember how a product makes them feel, not just what it does.

* Motivational segmentation goes deeper than demographics or behaviors by focusing on why users engage.

* Spotify users aren’t just there for music; they seek inspiration, connection, and productivity.

* Product management is not B2B or B2C, it’s B2H: business to human.

* The Delight Framework helps teams systematically design for emotional connection.

* Roadmaps should balance features using the 50-40-10 model (functional, deep delight, and surface delight).

* Hack weeks at Spotify produced major features like Discover Weekly and AI DJ.

* Emotionally connected users stay longer, buy more, and refer more than satisfied users.

* Delight can be measured with metrics like NPS, CSAT, and Google’s HaTS survey.

* Emotional design applies even in “unsexy” industries like GitHub and Jira.

* Humanizing AI requires culture and leadership that embrace it, not block it.

* The best products remind users that real humans are behind the experience.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction

01:00 Why Emotional Design Matters

03:43 What Is Emotional Connection in Products?

05:10 Ads

06:26 Chrome Tabs Story: Reducing Stress Through UX Design

10:43 Emotional Motivators: The Real Reason Users Choose Products

13:31 B2B vs B2C vs B2H (Business to Human)

15:27 The Delight Framework: 4 Steps to Build Emotional Products

20:24 How to Identify and Implement Emotional Motivators

21:54 Measuring Emotional Connection: Metrics That Matter

25:37 Balancing Functionality vs Emotion in Roadmaps (50-40-10 Rule)

29:16 Emotional Design in “Unsexy” Industries (GitHub, Jira, Atlassian)

32:40 From PhD Scientist to Product Leader

36:20 How Innovation Happens at Spotify and Google (Hack Weeks)

39:41 The Role of AI in Humanizing Products

45:21 Humanizing Products: Making Users Feel Real Humans Behind the Tech

49:02 Product Delight Book: Making Emotional Design Actionable

Connect with Nesrine

* Website: https://nesrine-changuel.com/product-delight-book/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nesrinechanguel/

* Substuck: https://substack.com/@nesrinechanguel

Connect with Vit

* Website: https://vitlyoshin.com/contact/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vit-lyoshin/

* X: https://x.com/vitlyoshin

Vit’s Projects

* Podcast: https://www.anhourofinnovation.com/

* AI Assistant to build apps: https://appforgelab.com/

In this episode of An Hour of Innovation podcast, host Vit Lyoshin sits down with Eric Müller, an engineering leader and security expert at Work & Co, to explore how AI is reshaping software development and why tools like GitHub Copilot and other AI code assistants must be treated like junior developers: fast, eager, and potentially dangerous without proper oversight.

We dive into the emerging trend of “vibe coding”, the practice of relying heavily on AI to generate code without fully understanding or validating it. Eric unpacks the hidden risks this creates, including hallucinated libraries, security vulnerabilities, and long-term maintainability challenges. He shares actionable insights on how developers and leaders can use AI responsibly, how to grow junior talent in an AI-assisted world, and what engineering managers should be doing to prevent burnout and maintain team health. We also discuss what makes a good manager, the role of psychological safety, and how to lead with trust in high-performing teams.

Eric Müller is an experienced engineering leader and cybersecurity expert. He currently leads product engineering and digital security efforts at Work & Co. Over his 20+ year career, Eric has held leadership roles at companies like Presence, Razorfish, and Edelman, helping teams build secure, high-quality digital products. He is known for his thoughtful approach to engineering culture, developer experience, and security-first product development.

Support This Podcast

To support our work, please check out our sponsors and get discounts: https://www.anhourofinnovation.com/sponsors/

Takeaways

* AI tools act like junior devs, fast but risky without oversight

* Vibe coding skips thinking and leads to bad code

* AI can hallucinate libraries, opening security holes

* Always review, test, and secure AI-generated code

* Great for prototyping, not solving new problems

* Junior devs are still essential, don’t stop hiring them

* Managers should remove blockers, not micromanage

* Burnout signals: too much pressure, no time off

* Watch team health via Slack activity and standups

* Best leaders listen, trust, and protect their teams

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to AI, Developers & Software Innovation

03:36 Ads

04:50 How AI Coding Tools Are Changing Software Development

13:19 AI Limitations, Hallucinations & Common Misconceptions

17:00 Security Risks of AI-Generated Code & Maintenance Challenges

22:58 Why We Still Need Junior Developers in the Age of AI

28:02 What Makes a Great Engineering Manager in Modern Teams

31:48 Building Accountability & Psychological Safety in Dev Teams

36:25 Preventing Burnout & Promoting Work-Life Balance in Tech

41:30 How to Measure Team Health, Performance & Productivity

44:36 Transitioning to Engineering Leadership: Listening & Trust

46:42 The Future of AI in Secure & Scalable Software Development

Connect with Eric

* Website: https://work.co/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericmullersf/

Connect with Vit

* Website: https://vitlyoshin.com/contact/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vit-lyoshin/

* X: https://x.com/vitlyoshin

Vit’s Projects

* Podcast: https://www.anhourofinnovation.com/

* AI Assistant to build apps: https://appforgelab.com/

In this episode of An Hour of Innovation, host Vit Lyoshin sits down with Galvin Widjaja, founder and CEO of Lauretta.io, to explore how AI in the real world is moving beyond counting people to actually predicting human behavior.

They discuss how computer vision AI is reshaping malls, airports, and casinos, why context is everything when it comes to intent detection, and how balancing privacy and ethics is critical for the future of AI surveillance.

Galvin shares how Lauretta.io’s technology can detect suspicious behavior, from identifying someone planting a bomb without ever witnessing the act, to uncovering hidden demand in shopping malls, to supporting casino security systems that resemble something straight out of Ocean’s Eleven. He also explains why Loretta.io is designed to “forget who you are” by default, and why that ethical choice matters as predictive AI expands into the physical world.

Galvin is the founder and CEO of Lauretta.io, an AI company that focuses on understanding human experiences in physical spaces through computer vision and non-biometric tracking. His background spans finance, consulting, and data optimization, which led him to spot early opportunities in AI surveillance and intent-based analytics. With a deep focus on AI ethics and privacy, Galvin is helping shape how predictive AI will be adopted in industries from retail to security. He also shares his advice for AI founders, thin vs thick AI, and why most AI startups will fail if they don’t choose wisely.

Support This Podcast

To support our work, please check out our sponsors and get discounts: https://www.anhourofinnovation.com/sponsors/

Takeaways

* AI in the real world is shifting from counting people to predicting human intent.

* Context matters: the same action means different things in different places.

* The AI technology can infer behavior, like spotting someone planting a bomb, even if the act isn’t seen.

* Retail use cases: understanding shopping behavior, hidden demand, and improving mall analytics.

* Security use cases: airports, public spaces, and casinos with thousands of surveillance cameras.

* AI acts as an assistant to human security guards, extending their attention span.

* Lauretta.io is built to forget identities by design, prioritizing privacy and ethics.

* Consent is key: identity is only linked when explicitly given or under legal security boundaries.

* Embodied AI is coming, think robot dogs in homes that track movement and behavior.

* Future AI will make intent detection more precise, but it raises ethical questions about preventive security.

* Galvin stresses the importance of responsible AI design to avoid privacy abuses.

* Galvin introduces the Thin vs Thick AI concepts: startups built on single models vs layered systems.

* Most AI startups will fail if they rely too heavily on one public model.

* Successful AI companies must focus on fundamental technology and long-term differentiation.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction

01:04 Galvin’s Journey into AI

06:52 Ads

08:06 AI in the Real World: Understanding Human Experience

14:23 Lauretta.io Technology: Computer Vision & Non-Biometric Tracking

18:06 Context Matters: How AI Predicts Human Intent

22:53 AI for Retail vs Security: Business Insights & Threat Detection

27:32 Casino Surveillance: The Ocean’s Eleven of AI

33:11 Robot Dogs, Embodied AI & The Future of Surveillance

39:06 Ethics and Privacy: Why Lauretta.io Forgets Who You Are

43:25 The Future of Predictive AI & Security

48:00 Advice for AI Founders & Innovators

Connect with Galvin

* Website: https://lauretta.io/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/galvinw/

* X: https://x.com/galvinw

Connect with Vit

* Website: https://vitlyoshin.com/contact/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vit-lyoshin/

* X: https://x.com/vitlyoshin

Vit’s Projects

* Podcast: https://www.anhourofinnovation.com/

* AI Assistant to build apps: https://appforgelab.com/

In this episode of An Hour of Innovation podcast, host Vit Lyoshin sits down with Ben Carle, CEO of FullStack Labs, to explore the real-world impact of AI in software development.

Ben is a PhD-trained computer scientist, engineering leader, and the driving force behind FullStack Labs, a software consultancy known for building AI-powered tools for enterprises that want scalable, modern applications.

Together, they unpack whether AI can truly replace engineers, how agentic AI is being used (and misunderstood), and what “code testing with AI” looks like in practice. Ben shares behind-the-scenes insights from FullStack’s internal AI systems, including a tool that now grades 80% of developer interviews, and how enterprise clients are adopting AI responsibly by starting with better data, stronger architecture, and measurable ROI.

Ben also shares practical lessons from the frontlines: how AI is transforming developer workflows, why junior engineers can't just "vibe code" with AI, and what engineering leaders need to know before integrating large language models into production environments.

With nearly a decade of experience scaling FullStack Labs, Ben brings a rare blend of technical depth and business clarity. His approach to AI adoption is grounded, ethical, and results-driven, making this episode a must-listen for engineers, product leaders, and founders navigating the future of software development.

Support This Podcast

To support our work, please check out our sponsors and get discounts: https://www.anhourofinnovation.com/sponsors/

Takeaways

* AI helps senior devs, not replaces them.

* Agentic AI = smarter automation, not magic bots.

* AI testing is harder, so non-deterministic outcomes need new QA methods.

* FullStack's AI grades 80% of developer interviews.

* Enterprise clients focus on data readiness, not flashy tools.

* Proof-of-concept first: no ROI, no build.

* AI audits live phone calls for compliance more accurately than humans.

* Companies forget to capture training data from human workflows.

* AI is improving UX in complex spaces like healthcare.

* Vibe coding doesn’t work at enterprise scale.

* Trust in AI is growing, but slowly in large orgs.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction

04:12 Ads

05:27 Navigating AI in Enterprise Solutions

06:38 Why Aren’t Enterprise Companies Jumping into AI

09:51 What Expertise Enterprises Lack

12:26 Quality Assurance in AI Applications

15:14 Internal AI Tools and Processes

18:08 How to Hire Developers

20:29 AI in Developer Assessment and Certification

21:42 AI is Changing Developers' Behavior

26:25 AI's Role in Software Design and Architecture

28:49 Use Cases and the Future of AI in Development

33:32 The Integration of AI in Software Development

41:12 Identifying Suitable Use Cases for AI

50:01 Navigating Challenges in AI Adoption

54:32 Preparing for the Future of AI

58:24 Agentic AI

Connect with Ben

* Website: https://www.fullstack.com/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bencarle/

Connect with Vit

* Website: https://vitlyoshin.com/contact/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vit-lyoshin/

* X: https://x.com/vitlyoshin

Vit’s Projects

* Podcast: https://www.anhourofinnovation.com/

* AI Assistant to build apps: https://appforgelab.com/

In this episode of An Hour of Innovation podcast, host Vit Lyoshin speaks with Brian Perks, founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Five by Five.

Brian is a seasoned data strategist and entrepreneur with nearly two decades of experience in the data industry. The conversation explores how data co-ops are disrupting the traditional broker model, why “no one’s data is as good as everyone’s data,” and how real-world usage is the most effective way to validate information. The discussion also covers identity verification, fraud prevention, privacy trade-offs, and the role of AI in analyzing data, identifying patterns, and enabling precise targeting. Other highlights include insights into the future of publishing in the AI era, the balance between personalization and privacy, and why efficiency in data activation benefits both businesses and consumers.

Brian Perks has held leadership roles at ZoomInfo, Bombora, and Pipl, where he specialized in data acquisition, licensing, and identity solutions. Today, as co-founder of Five by Five, he is pioneering a cooperative model that democratizes access to high-quality, continuously validated data. His entrepreneurial journey reflects a vision for disrupting outdated systems, building trust in digital ecosystems, and empowering companies of all sizes to innovate with reliable data. Widely regarded as a thought leader, Brian continues to shape conversations around data strategy, privacy, and the evolving role of AI in business.

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To support our work, please check out our sponsors and get discounts: https://www.anhourofinnovation.com/sponsors/

Takeaways

* How 5x5 Data was born out of necessity, turning an informal data exchange into a full cooperative model.

* The surprising truth: “No one’s data is as good as everyone’s data.”

* How billions of daily validation signals (emails, phone numbers, IPs) create a more accurate “identity graph.”

* The most reliable way to validate data is to consume it in real-world use cases.

* A live email address is worth more than your Social Security number on the dark web.

* The trade-off between privacy and personalization, and why 70% of people actually prefer targeted ads.

* Why efficiency in targeting matters: the best data isn’t a big list - it’s knowing who will actually buy.

* How better targeting can reduce marketing waste and even lower product costs for consumers.

* The hidden risk for publishers: AI tools are reducing their traffic by up to 90%, similar to Napster’s effect on music.

* Why publishers may need a new licensing model as AI “answer engines” replace traditional search.

* The limits of AI: it can accelerate data processing, but it can’t synthesize personal identifiers like emails or phone numbers.

* Controlling data through brokerage stifles innovation - democratizing access enables it.

* Data has no intrinsic value - it only matters in how you activate it.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction

02:29 Ads

03:45 The 5x5 Concept and Data Utilization

06:17 Understanding the Work Co-op Model

08:26 Joining the 5x5 Community

11:26 Diverse Use Cases Beyond Marketing

13:58 Ensuring Data Integrity and Privacy

15:51 Navigating Privacy Concerns

18:12 The Trade-offs of Privacy and Personalization

21:59 Efficiency in Marketing and Sales

27:37 The Impact of AI on Product Development

29:37 Challenges in AI and Data Licensing

33:12 Source of Hallucinations and Mistakes in AI

38:00 Utilizing Data for Targeting Audiences

42:47 Social Media

45:38 Application will Do More

49:37 Entrepreneurial Insights and Advice

55:33 Advice from Brian

Connect with Brian

* Website: https://5x5data.com/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briangperks/

Connect with Vit

* Website: https://vitlyoshin.com/contact/

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vit-lyoshin/

* X: https://x.com/vitlyoshin

Vit’s Projects

* Podcast: https://www.anhourofinnovation.com/

* AI Assistant to build apps: https://appforgelab.com/