In this episode of Attention Needed, we sit down with Dean Wampler, IBM’s Chief Technical Representative to the AI Alliance — a collaboration led by IBM, Meta, and others to promote open, safe, and responsible AI.

We will explore what "open" means in AI innovation, the role of collaboration in breaking down barriers, and how startups, enterprises, and institutions contribute to an open ecosystem. Dean also dives into the technical challenges of AI, from safety and trust to navigating the complexities of generative AI with the right tools and frameworks.

AI Alliance’s deep expertise in AI safety and trust plays a critical role in shaping the future of open AI. Tune in for an insightful conversation on the responsibilities and challenges of building AI in the open!

In this episode, we interviewed Roland Cloutier, a globally recognized leader in cybersecurity and digital risk management. Roland has served as the Global Chief Security Officer for TikTok and led groundbreaking efforts to safeguard one of the world’s most dynamic digital platforms. With a career spanning over two decades, Roland’s leadership has shaped the security strategies of major organizations like ADP and Dell/EMC..

We explored the ever-evolving challenges and opportunities in securing AI-driven platforms. From building robust cybersecurity frameworks for global tech giants to ensuring trust and transparency in an AI-powered world, Roland brings unparalleled expertise to the conversation.

In this episode of Attention Needed, we’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Rumman Chowdhury. As a leader in responsible technology, she is the CEO and co-founder of Humane Intelligence and was the first U.S. Science Envoy for Artificial Intelligence appointed by the Department of State.

Dr. Chowdhury previously directed the META (ML Ethics, Transparency, and Accountability) team at X (formerly Twitter), founded Parity, an algorithmic audit platform, and was the Global Lead for Responsible AI at Accenture.

In our discussion, we’ll explore the critical intersection of AI, ethics, and governance with Dr. Chowdhury. She will share her insights on the role of government in shaping responsible AI practices and policies as well as her work on ensuring AI systems prioritize human well-being at Humane Intelligence.

In the inaugural episode of the Attention Needed Podcast, we’re thrilled to welcome an esteemed guest who is at the forefront of building and facilitating an open-source community for Generative AI.

Joe Spisak, Director of PM for Generative AI at Meta, where he leads Llama and third-party ecosystem efforts. Joe is the co-founder of the AI Alliance, a new organization co-launched by IBM and Meta that promotes open, safe, and responsible AI. He also chairs the Safety & Security workgroup. He spent the last decade in AI, leading products at PyTorch and working on initiatives that span protein folding and AI math, many of which have spun out for Meta into their own startups.

In this episode, we’ll be discussing a variety of topics including the AI Alliance, the role of open-source, the competition at the state of the art frontier models, as well as the importance of addressing safety & security challenges.