Generative Now | AI Builders on Creating the Future

Generative AI is making it possible to not only remove the human from the driver seat, but, in the world of trucking and freight, from the vehicle entirely. 

This week on Generative Now, Lightspeed Partner and host Michael Mignano speaks with Chris Urmson, CEO and co-founder of Aurora Innovation, a company that makes software for autonomous vehicles with a focus on the trucking industry. Chris shares his journey from participating in the self-driving vehicle DARPA Grand Challenge early in his career, to leading the autonomous vehicle program at Google. Michael also talks with Chris about why Aurora focuses on the trucking and freight industry, the challenge of designing AI systems for self-driving technology, and how technological advancements in radar and LiDAR have helped make autonomous vehicles possible . Chris discusses his insights about developing AI systems to mimic human driving, and how he sees the future of autonomous vehicles for both trucking and personal cars.

Chris Urmson is the co-founder and CEO of Aurora Innovation. Before co-founding Aurora, Chris led the development of Google’s autonomous vehicle project (later known as Waymo) from 2009 to 2016. As a graduate student, he also led the Carnegie Mellon University team for the DARPA Grand and Urban Challenge as the Director of Technology, winning second and third place in 2005, and first place in 2007. Chris received his BEng in Computer Engineering from the University of Manitoba, and his Ph.D. in robotics from Carnegie Mellon.

Episode Chapters

(00:00) Introduction

(01:44) Chris Urmson’s Early Work

(04:43) Founding Aurora Innovation

(06:25) Aurora’s Focus on Freight and Trucking

(09:32) The Challenges in Trucking

(17:08) Advancements in Autonomous Vehicle Technology

(25:01) Using AI to Enhance Safety in Autonomous Vehicles

(27:06) Handling Complex Driving Scenarios

(31:40) Addressing Maintenance and Fueling for an Autonomous Vehicle

(36:36) Regulatory Considerations

(45:47) Predictions for the Future of Autonomous Vehicles

(48:57) Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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The content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see lsvp.com/legal.

Spotify’s personalized recommendations have set it apart from the pack of music streaming platforms for years. Those curated recommendations have only gotten stronger with the onset of AI, with the ability to power things like your own personal AI DJ. This week on the podcast, we’re revisiting a conversation with Spotify’s Co-President, CPO & CTO, Gustav Söderström. Gustav joins host and Lightspeed Partner Michael Mignano to talk about building UX that can power more efficient AI, the future of AGI, and what the technology could look live over the next few iterations.  

Episode Chapters

(00:00) An introduction to Gustav Söderström

(01:29) How Spotify became one of the first consumer AI companies

(05:57) A philosophical shift: UI that works for AI, not the other way around

(12:52) “Talk is cheap, so do a lot of it”

(15:00) Building for the tech we will have, not the tech we do have

(19:43) What will AI do for media creation?

(25:00) The Wild West of model training

(29:45) How anthropomorphizing AI can help you understand its potential

(37:04) What happens when cognitive labor gets automated?

(40:42) How much more intelligent could AI get?

(47:45) Is AGI on the horizon, or already here?

(53:48) Should we be worried about AGI?

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The content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see lsvp.com/legal.

Captions.AI is taking the world of video creation by storm. With features like AI-corrected eye contact and automatic captions in 28 languages, more creators than ever can bring their ideas to life. This week, we’re revisiting a conversation with Captions.AI Co-Founder and CEO Gaurav Misra. Guarav joined Lightspeed Partner and Host Michael Mignano for a conversation spanning from his days as a design engineer at Snap to finding a surprise $500k in his Apple account. 

Episode Chapters

(00:00) An intro to Gaurav Misra, co-founder and CEO of Captions.AI

(06:03) Gaurav got an early start in startups 

(09:24) Getting a phD in machine learning before it was cool 

(12:04) From Lattice Engines to Microsoft to Localytics

(17:26) Making the leap to Snapchat’s elite engineering team

(20:57) Keeping innovation alive at a huge consumer  company

(26:48) Being on the ground floor of Snapchat’s major feature overhauls

(30:47) Leaving Snapchat to found a top-tier AI company

(33:48) It all started as a social network

(38:10) The happy accident of the original Captions.AI tool

(44:08) They raised a series A for the social network only to find a $500k surprise

(50:00) Building a text-based video editor from the ground up

(58:25) Beyond the editor - launching the AI-powered Lipdub 

(01:04:14) What will video editing look like 5 years from now?

(01:06:52) Is Captions.AI hiring?

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The content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see lsvp.com/legal.

Most of the hype around AI has revolved around its text capabilities, and the powers of LLMs like ChatGPT. But Suno is focusing on the unsung hero of AI - music. Suno is building a future where anyone can make good music - all you need to do is type in a prompt, and out will come a song that’s never existed before. This week, we’re revisiting a conversation with Mikey Shulman, CEO and Co-Founder of Suno. He joined Lightspeed Partner and host Michael Mignano earlier this year to talk through the intricacies of programming for sound, and what this technology could mean for music.

Episode Chapters

(00:00) Introduction to Mikey Shulman and Suno

(04:03) How transcribing S&P earnings calls inspired Suno

(08:41) There’s no Common Crawl for audio - they had to make their own

(12:37) Hacking text-to-speech to make music

(16:25) What’s the product market fit for generative music? 

(21:15) How will AI change the format of music?

(28:44) Suno’s highlight reel so far

(31:39) Designing with the end user in mind

(38:26) Can AI transcend the creativity ceiling? 

(40:48) How does Mikey think regulation and music rights will shake out?

(46:19) Is Suno hiring?

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The content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see lsvp.com/legal.

For many of us, meetings take up a disproportionate amount of our time at work. But with the advent of AI-powered tools, meetings may become more manageable and even productive, all without the sacrifice of control. 

This week on Generative Now, Lightspeed Partner and host Michael Mignano speaks with Chris Pedregal, CEO and co-founder of Granola, an AI-powered notepad and meeting assistant. Chris discusses the unique features that set Granola apart from other AI meeting bots, as well as the challenges of building AI-driven products. Michael also talks with Chris about Granola’s development, user feedback, and the importance of AI-human collaboration. Chris shares his insights about the nuances of effective note-taking, and the future potential of augmented thinking tools.

Chris Pedregal is the co-founder and CEO of Granola, an AI-powered meetings tool designed to to change the way we work, with tools that understand us, anticipate our actions, and augment our abilities. In May 2023 they raised a $4.25m Seed round from Lightspeed Venture Partners, betaworks and FirstMinute. He is based in London. Prior to Granola, Chris studied Computer Science at Stanford before joining Google as a Product Manager, where he worked on Gmail, Search and Maps. In 2013 he quit to launch Socratic, an AI-powered tutor for high school students, which was acquired by Google in 2018.

Episode Chapters

(00:00) Introduction

(00:39) Life in London - from Shoreditch to Street Art

(02:10) Building Startups in London vs. New York

(03:53) The AI Talent Pool in London

(05:03) Deep Dive into Granola's Product Design

(11:33) Granola's Unique Approach to AI Meeting Bots

(18:38) Avoiding the Feature Trap

(20:14) User-Centric Design in Granola

(21:07) Ensuring Accuracy in AI-Generated Notes

(23:43) Collaborative AI Interfaces

(26:23) Future Directions for Granola

(31:43) Insights from User Behavior

(37:20) Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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The content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see lsvp.com/legal.

This week on Generative Now, Lightspeed Partner and host Michael Mignano talks to Mati Staniszewski (co-founder of Eleven Labs) and Demi Guo (co-founder and CEO of Pika). This conversation was part of a special Summer Edition of Generative NYC, a monthly meetup for AI builders hosted by Lightspeed. Demi and Mati discuss the landscape of AI generated content creation, AI foundation models, and perspectives on the future of the industry.

Episode Chapters
(00:00) Introduction

(02:52) The impact of Eleven Labs on AI content creation

(04:54) Demi Guo on the creative applications of Pika

(05:43) Building high-quality AI video generation tools

(10:40) AI models for content creation

(14:20) The research behind AI advancements

(17:17) Future perspectives on AI-driven video creation

(23:16) Overcoming challenges in model development

(26:11) Teams behind Eleven Labs and Pika

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The content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see lsvp.com/legal.

This week on Generative Now, Lightspeed Partner and host Michael Mignano talks to Naveen Rao about big bets in his career, hardware to develop AI, and open source as the key to safety. Naveen Rao is the founder of Nervana Systems and MosaicML, which was acquired by Databricks in 2023. He is currently the VP Generative AI at Databricks and is the former vice president and general manager of the Artificial Intelligence Products Group at Intel.

Episode Chapters

(00:00) Naveen Rao's Background and Career

(01:39) Insights on AI and Neuromorphic Computing

(05:37) Founding Nervana and Acquisition by Intel

(08:54) Transition to MosaicML

(17:07) MosaicML's Mission and Growth

(19:36) Open Source AI and Safety

(23:07) Acquisition by Databricks

(24:57) Cultural Alignment and Acquisition Proposal

(36:24) Databricks' Role in the AI Landscape

(43:50) Closing Thoughts

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The content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see lsvp.com/legal.

Browsers have been with us for nearly as long as the internet, and not too much about them has changed. But with this new wave of products enhanced by generative AI, that may be about to shift.

This week on Generative Now, Lightspeed Partner and host Michael Mignano speaks with Josh Miller, the co-founder and CEO of The Browser Company, about their innovative web browser, Arc, which seeks to transform our experience on the internet. Josh discusses the impact of AI on browsers, as well as the challenges of using AI to summarize web content. Michael and Josh also talk about the pressures and ambitions of tech startups, the challenges of balancing innovation with ethical considerations, and how Josh envisions the future of personal computing. 

Episode Chapters

(00:00) Introduction 

(01:05) The Inspiration Behind Arc

(02:51) Navigating Distractions in Tech

(03:46)The Role of AI in Modern Browsing

(11:05) The Future of Browsing with Arc

(19:17) Competitive Dynamics in AI

(23:50) The Browser as Your Operating System

(25:12) AI-Powered Functionality: Incremental vs. Leapfrog

(28:02) Challenges and Opportunities in AI Summarization

(34:53) Thoughts About Regulating AI

(38:14) Raising Capital and Managing Pressure

(45:06) Josh’s Experience Living in France

(48:34) Conclusion

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The content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see lsvp.com/legal.

Lightspeed Partner and host Michael Mignano speaks with Madhumita Murgia, AI editor of the Financial Times, about her new book ‘Code Dependent’. They discuss the rapid evolution of AI, the balance between technological advancements and human consequences, and the real-life stories from various countries that highlight both the benefits and the harms of AI. Madhu outlines guiding principles for ethical AI development and touches on regulation challenges, the role of big tech, and the positive potential of AI in healthcare.

Episode Chapters

(00:00) Introduction

(03:05) Writing the Book on AI

(05:31) Madhumita’s Career Path

(10:18) Separating the Wheat from the Chaff

(14:32) Stories to watch in AI

(18:58) Closing in on General Intelligence

(22:40) Big Tech vs. Media

(28:32) Code Dependent

(33:34) AI Safety

(38:07) Guiding Principles for AI

(42:37) The Stakeholders in AI Regulation

(46:44) AI’s Positive Impacts

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The content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see ⁠⁠lsvp.com/legal⁠⁠.

We’ve all experienced writer’s block at some point in our lives. But thanks to emerging AI-powered tools, writer’s block may soon become a thing of the past.

In this week’s episode of Generative Now, Lightspeed Partner and host Michael Mignano speaks with Nathan Baschez, Founder and CEO of Lex, an AI-assisted writing tool. Nathan discusses Lex's development from a simple alternative to Google Docs to a sophisticated collaboration tool with AI features, as well as  the challenges of developing AI-integrated writing software. Michael and Nathan also talk about the future possibilities for AI-driven writing tools,  the implications of AI in the creative process, as well as the broader AI landscape, including competition with major companies like Google for dominance in search.

Nathan Baschez is an entrepreneur, programmer, and writer. He is the founder and CEO of Lex, a collaborative word processor with AI editing tools to unlock your best writing. Previously, he co-founded Every, was the first employee at Substack, and led product at Gimlet Media.

Episode Chapters

(00:00) Introduction
(00:43) Early Days of Lex and AI
(04:06) Frustrations with Google Docs
(04:53) The Birth of Lex
(06:18) AI Integration in Lex
(10:06) ChatGPT’s Impact on Lex
(18:41) Future of AI in Creative Tools
(22:29) Improving Team Workflows with AI
(26:47) Enhancing Collaboration in Writing
(31:09) The Evolution of AI Models in Startups
(37:09) Innovations on the Horizon at Lex
(41:15) The Future of Search
(46:55) Closing Thoughts

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The content here does not constitute tax, legal, business or investment advice or an offer to provide such advice, should not be construed as advocating the purchase or sale of any security or investment or a recommendation of any company, and is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer, for the purchase or sale of any security or investment product. For more details please see ⁠lsvp.com/legal⁠.