Rabbit Hole Research

Narrative is code for the human brain.

That's not a metaphor. That's Neal Stephenson's argument — and he's spent

40 years writing at that intersection.

Before writing, before the internet, humans were already building a shared

memory around a fire. The ability to take a near-death experience and hand

it to someone else — so they don't have to live it themselves — is the most

powerful evolutionary advantage a species could ever have.

We also got into:

→ Why archetypes might be the eigenvectors of human experience

→ The parallel between writing code and writing fiction

→ Why AI can't replicate the feeling of seeing brushstroke marks on a painting

→ What happens when you remove telos from an AI interaction

→ WhenAir — and what it feels like when an NPC makes you feel embarrassed

This… is Rabbit Hole Research.

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpZzTXghqw4

Welcome to this engaging conversation between Christopher and Christian, where we dive deep into the challenges and opportunities faced by businesses and leaders today. Christopher shares his journey in leadership, corporate culture, and transformation, shedding light on how companies can tackle the "art of the impossible." From unlearning old habits to embracing new ways of thinking, this episode offers valuable insights on leadership, coaching, and the critical role of culture in driving innovation and success.

In this video, you'll learn:

- How corporate culture impacts business success

- The importance of understanding your "why" in business

- Strategies for leaders to let go of ego and foster innovation

- How empathy plays a crucial role in conflict resolution

- The process of unlearning to grow both personally and professionally

Don't miss this thought-provoking discussion on transformation, leadership, and the future of work!

Find me at [email protected]

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About the Guest:

Christopher Canet is a highly motivated professional who strives to learn something new from every experience and make the most of each day.

He is deeply committed to developing innovative solutions that support individuals in their professional and personal growth.

Throughout his career in human resources, he has worked his way up the ladder, taking on responsibilities ranging from HR strategy and talent acquisition to employer branding and internal communications, as well as training and development, compensation and benefits, and talent management.

Set-Up:

- Camera: https://amzn.to/3PZVscb (don't laugh)

- Microphone: https://amzn.to/46f3pB5

- Teleprompter Stand: https://amzn.to/3tgS98y

- Telepromter App: https://amzn.to/46jdH31

- Teleprompter Screen: https://amzn.to/3PNfKFI (yup)

- Headphones: https://amzn.to/46gMSwo

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction and Welcoming Christopher

00:58 Christopher's Role and Passion

02:47 Understanding the Impossible

06:15 Navigating Company Culture

09:00 Cultural Differences: US vs. Latin America

13:59 Defining and Changing Company Culture

19:47 Coaching and Mentoring for Change

29:52 Realizing Unfulfilled Potential

31:42 The Journey of Self-Discovery

32:23 Facing Career Challenges

34:09 Balancing Work and Personal Life

40:10 The Role of Mentorship

41:17 HR's Strategic Importance

49:04 Navigating Organizational Change

51:43 Embracing Empathy and Conflict Resolution

56:34 Personal Growth and Letting Go of Ego

01:00:59 Final Thoughts and Reflections

#Leadership #CorporateCulture #BusinessTransformation #Coaching #Innovation #BusinessStrategy #Entrepreneurship #OrganizationalChange #ProfessionalGrowth #Mentorship #LeadershipDevelopment #HRTransformation #CompanyCulture #PersonalGrowth #EmpathyInBusiness

In this episode, I sit down with Andrew to discuss everything from tech bootcamps, breaking into the tech industry, to the power of community and culture in learning. Andrew shares his journey of helping others succeed in tech, and we dive deep into the importance of solving high-leverage problems, building meaningful communities, and the value of hands-on, immersive learning. We also touch on balancing personal growth with professional ambitions and how fatherhood has transformed Andrew’s perspective on life and work. This is an insightful conversation for anyone interested in tech, education, or personal development!

Find me at [email protected]

PRE-ORDER TRACES: A PSY-FI NOVEL NOW (https://ccblife.gumroad.com/l/traces)

Also, who are you? Get a draft of TRACES if you fill out this form (https://forms.gle/rFnVFrCNUAJz7Fvn7)

About the Guest:

-

Set-Up:

- Camera: https://amzn.to/3PZVscb (don't laugh)

- Microphone: https://amzn.to/46f3pB5

- Teleprompter Stand: https://amzn.to/3tgS98y

- Telepromter App: https://amzn.to/46jdH31

- Teleprompter Screen: https://amzn.to/3PNfKFI (yup)

- Headphones: https://amzn.to/46gMSwo

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

00:26 Andrew's Role and Mission

01:01 Challenges in Tech Education

03:25 The Value of Tech Skills

05:14 Bootcamp Experience and Philosophy

08:54 Importance of Practical Learning

20:55 Software Engineering vs. Computer Science

24:03 Tools and Technologies in Teaching

30:48 Creating a Productive Learning Environment

36:51 Cultural Norms and Self-Enforcement

37:16 Teaching Computer Science: Physical and Fun

38:18 Course Structure and Student Requirements

39:59 Full Stack Development in the First Week

42:03 Game Development and Functional Programming

45:38 Advanced Topics: CICD and Scripting

50:05 Capstone Projects and Internships

51:21 Building a Community and Teaching Philosophy

01:07:02 Parenting and Personal Growth

01:15:00 Final Thoughts and Reflections

#TechIndustry #CommunityBuilding #BootcampExperience #SoftwareDevelopment #PersonalGrowth #CodingJourney #LearningToCode #AgileMethodology #ImmersiveLearning #ProblemSolving #TechEducation #TechCareer #ProgrammingLife #FatherhoodJourney #BuildingCommunities

In this insightful episode, Shane returns to the show to discuss the delicate balance AI must strike between personalization and universal values. The conversation explores how social media platforms like TikTok and Facebook handle personalization, the implications for AI, and the challenges of maintaining transparency and accountability.

The discussion also delves into the significance of the robots.txt file for web consent, changes in data availability for AI, and the consequences for academic and research purposes.

Join us for a philosophical yet pragmatic analysis of AI, data consent, and the evolving digital landscape.

Find me at [email protected]

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About the Guest:

Shayne Longpre is a PhD Candidate at MIT, where he works on training language models, and understanding their broader social challenges. In particular he investigates their risks, access and transparency, with an emphasis on training data. He leads the Data Provenance Initiative, and co-organized the AI safe harbor open letter (co-signed by 350+ researchers and journalists), advocating for better independent research access to closed models. His work has been covered by the New York Times, the Washington Post, and VentureBeat.

Set-Up:

- Camera: https://amzn.to/3PZVscb (don't laugh)

- Microphone: https://amzn.to/46f3pB5

- Teleprompter Stand: https://amzn.to/3tgS98y

- Telepromter App: https://amzn.to/46jdH31

- Teleprompter Screen: https://amzn.to/3PNfKFI (yup)

- Headphones: https://amzn.to/46gMSwo

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction and Welcome Back

00:36 Balancing Personalization and Universality in AI

01:42 Social Media as a Blueprint for AI Personalization

03:14 Challenges in Content Moderation and Transparency

05:21 Introduction to Web Consent and Robots.txt

06:16 The Role and Evolution of Robots.txt

11:02 The Impact of AI on Web Consent

18:24 Nuances and Future of Web Consent

26:50 Concluding Thoughts and Farewell

Hashtags

#AI #Personalization #UniversalValues #SocialMedia #TikTok #Facebook #Transparency #Accountability #RobotsTxt #WebConsent #DataAvailability #AcademicResearch #PhilosophicalDiscussion #PragmaticAnalysis #DigitalLandscape

Zack Swafford, founder of Dart, delves into the transformative power of AI in project management and the promising future of AI-driven tools. Dart is a cutting-edge project management platform that leverages AI to automate repetitive tasks and enhance project workflows.

In this insightful conversation, Zack discusses the concept of agency in AI, the challenges posed by chat-based user interfaces, and the critical role of productivity tools. They highlight Dart's unique features and its potential to revolutionize the project management industry.

The discussion also covers the vital role of product managers and the potential for AI to assist in tasks such as code translation and document editing. Cristian and Zack explore the future of AI, the challenges of prompt engineering, and the significant role AI plays in project management.

They examine the potential applications of AI in education, gaming, and communication, emphasizing the importance of addressing bias in AI and the necessity for reliable AI tools. Zack shares insights on how his team utilizes AI to augment their workload and enhance productivity.

Find me at [email protected]

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Also, who are you? Get a draft of TRACES if you fill out this form (https://forms.gle/rFnVFrCNUAJz7Fvn7)

About the Guest:

---

Set-Up:

- Camera: https://amzn.to/3PZVscb (don't laugh)

- Microphone: https://amzn.to/46f3pB5

- Teleprompter Stand: https://amzn.to/3tgS98y

- Telepromter App: https://amzn.to/46jdH31

- Teleprompter Screen: https://amzn.to/3PNfKFI (yup)

- Headphones: https://amzn.to/46gMSwo

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction and Background

02:39 The Power of AI in Project Management

06:26 Challenges of Chat-Based UIs

10:54 The Future of AI: An Agentic Model

19:27 Key Differentiators of Dart

22:00 AI-Powered Tools: Revolutionizing Industries

44:30 Exploring the Future of AI

49:10 Addressing Bias in AI

55:55 Shifting Expectations in Software

57:37 Building Dart as a Platform

01:02:34 Building a Project Management Agent

01:08:29 Blending Vision and Day-to-Day Improvements

01:15:27 Using AI to Augment Workloads

Hashtags

#AI #ProjectManagement #AIPoweredTools #DartPlatform #AutomateTasks #StreamlineWorkflows #AgencyInAI #ChatBasedUIs #ProductivityTools #ProjectManagementIndustry #ProductManagers #CodeTranslation #DocumentEditing #FutureOfAI #PromptEngineering #AIInEducation #AIInGaming #AIInCommunication #AddressingBiasInAI #ReliableAITools #EnhanceProductivity #AIWorkload #AIConversations #AIInsights #TechInnovation #AIApplications

In this engaging conversation, Eugene and Cristian delve into the world of open-source AI models. They explore the intricate challenges of training and operating large language models, highlighting the delicate balance between regulation and innovation in the AI industry. The discussion offers insights into the complexities of AI development, emphasizing the need for thoughtful dialogue and collaboration to navigate the potential risks and benefits.

The conversation also addresses the potential dangers of deepfake technology and underscores the importance of good faith efforts in the regulation of AI. Eugene and Cristian discuss various critical topics, such as the necessity of supporting multiple languages in AI models, the limitations of current benchmarks, and the impressive performance enhancements of RWKV compared to traditional Transformers.

Furthermore, the role of humor in language models is examined, shedding light on how AI can be both a technical marvel and a tool for creativity. Join Eugene and Cristian as they provide a comprehensive overview of the current landscape and future directions of AI technology, offering valuable perspectives for anyone interested in the field.

Find me at [email protected]

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About the Guest:

Eugene is a repeat founder with multiple successful exits. Before his entrepreneurial ventures, he developed enterprise software solutions for all major banks and insurance companies throughout Singapore.

For the past decade, Eugene has been actively contributing to the open-source community across various domains. His work spans from infrastructure projects like Kubernetes and Rancher to GPU coding with gpu.js, and more recently, advancements in the AI field with rwkv.

Currently, Eugene is focused on making AI accessible to everyone, in every language.

Set-Up:

- Camera: https://amzn.to/3PZVscb (don't laugh)

- Microphone: https://amzn.to/46f3pB5

- Teleprompter Stand: https://amzn.to/3tgS98y

- Telepromter App: https://amzn.to/46jdH31

- Teleprompter Screen: https://amzn.to/3PNfKFI (yup)

- Headphones: https://amzn.to/46gMSwo

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction and Background

03:16 The AI Race and Different Approaches

06:50 Pruning Giant Models and Delegating Solutions

20:54 Forming Alliances and Building Talent Pools

27:59 The Interplay Between Big Tech and Regulation

34:53 Balancing Regulation and Innovation in AI

44:00 Regulation of Language Models

45:02 Including Multiple Languages

51:44 Limitations of Benchmarks

01:20:23 The Difficulty of Mastering Humor

Hashtags

#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #OpenSourceAI #LanguageModels #Deepfake #AIRegulation #AIInnovation #RWKV #TransformersAI #MultipleLanguages #AIDevelopment #AIChallenges #AITraining #AIConversation #TechDialogue #AIInsights #AIrisks #DeepfakeTechnology #AIRegulationDialogue #BenchmarksAI #PerformanceImprovements #AIHumor #AIandCreativity #AIIndustry #AIFuture

In this conversation, Cristian and Shayne discuss the foundational role of data in AI and the challenges associated with data provenance and curation. They explore the organization and sourcing of data sets, the complexities of filtering and balancing data, and the legal and ethical implications of data usage.

They also touch on the importance of transparency, accountability, and independent evaluation in the development of AI models. The conversation highlights the need for responsible data practices and the potential impact of AI on society. The conversation explores the protocols and challenges surrounding AI research and the need for infrastructure in the field.

The discussion delves into the concept of safe harbor for good faith research and the importance of distinguishing between good and bad researchers. The conversation also touches on the changing landscape of the web and the impact on data access and consent.

The enforceability of consent mechanisms and the complexities of copyright in the digital age are also discussed.

Find me at [email protected]

PRE-ORDER TRACES: A PSY-FI NOVEL NOW (https://ccblife.gumroad.com/l/traces)

Also, who are you? Get a draft of TRACES if you fill out this form (https://forms.gle/rFnVFrCNUAJz7Fvn7)

About the Guest:

Shayne Longpre is a PhD Candidate at MIT, where he works on training language models, and understanding their broader social challenges. In particular he investigates their risks, access and transparency, with an emphasis on training data. He leads the Data Provenance Initiative, and co-organized the AI safe harbor open letter (co-signed by 350+ researchers and journalists), advocating for better independent research access to closed models. His work has been covered by the New York Times, the Washington Post, and VentureBeat.

Set-Up:

- Camera: https://amzn.to/3PZVscb (don't laugh)

- Microphone: https://amzn.to/46f3pB5

- Teleprompter Stand: https://amzn.to/3tgS98y

- Telepromter App: https://amzn.to/46jdH31

- Teleprompter Screen: https://amzn.to/3PNfKFI (yup)

- Headphones: https://amzn.to/46gMSwo

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction and Background

02:25 The Foundational Role of Data in AI

08:57 Challenges in Data Provenance and Curation

15:36 Transparency and Accountability in AI Development

21:49 Legal and Ethical Implications of Data Usage

29:56 The Potential of Foundation Models and Best Practices

41:59 Protocols and Infrastructure for AI Research

44:11 Distinguishing Good and Bad Researchers in AI

48:25 The Changing Landscape of the Web and Data Access

01:10:55 Enforceability of Consent Mechanisms and Copyright in the Digital Age

Hashtags

#DataProvenance #DataCuration #AIEthics #AITransparency #DataSets #AIChallenges #DataBalance #LegalImplications #AIResearch #DataUsage #ResponsibleAI #AIModels #DataOrganization #AIRegulations #SafeHarbor #GoodFaithResearch #AIResponsibility #WebEvolution #DataAccess #UserConsent #CopyrightLaws #DigitalEthics #AIImpact #AIAccountability #IndependentEvaluation

A conversation with Descript Customer Success Manager Marcello Farrell about editing, the role of the editor, the art of editing, editing workflows, AI Powered editing and more.

Find me at [email protected]

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About the Guest:

Marcello Farrell is a musician, artist, ex podcaster, and Customer Support Manager at Descript. With over 10 years of experience in audio engineering, live performance, and video production, and another 10 in customer support and educational roles, most recently with 4 years under his belt at Descript, Marcello has done everything from booking promoting and playing tours with numerous bands to enabling new creatives to harness the power of Descript’s seemingly limitless tools, Marcello has led artists and editors alike to develop a strong brand (or band) voice. Marcello is known for his ability to break down complex workflows or concepts to creators at all levels, and you can see him in action in his weekly Descript Office Hours.

Set-Up:

- Camera: https://amzn.to/3PZVscb (don't laugh)

- Microphone: https://amzn.to/46f3pB5

- Teleprompter Stand: https://amzn.to/3tgS98y

- Telepromter App: https://amzn.to/46jdH31

- Teleprompter Screen: https://amzn.to/3PNfKFI (yup)

- Headphones: https://amzn.to/46gMSwo

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction and Marcelo's Job at Descript

01:43 The Role of the Editor

05:47 The Artistic Value of Editing

09:07 The Evolution of Editing and the Editing Process

15:19 The Emotional Resilience and Bravery of Creative Work

25:43 Marcelo's Adventures in Podcasting

32:57 Embracing Discomfort and Taking Risks in Creative Endeavors

42:26 Navigating Emotions and Overcoming Creative Ruts

45:41 The Power and Limitations of AI in Creative Tools

58:53 The Potential of AI-Generated Music

01:09:04 Art in the Age of AI: Preserving Human Connection and Creativity

Hashtags

#Editing #Descript #AIEditing #CreativeProcess #AudioEditing #VideoEditing #CustomerSupport #Podcasting #TechInnovation #DigitalCreativity #ContentCreation #EditingTools #AIFeatures #MediaProduction #Transcription #EditingSoftware #StudioSound #VideoContent #AudioTools #CreativeJourney #TechTalk #EditingTech #DigitalArt #ContentMarketing #CreativeIndustry #TechPodcast

The conversation follows Prakash, aka Mr. @8teAPi, who shifts from a pseudonymous Twitter identity to his real one. It covers online identity, the AGI race, viral tweet strategies, techno-optimism, AI's potential, and post-COVID economic trends. Prakash discusses AI development challenges, job displacement, and the financial system's resilience, emphasizing the importance of open-source AI and transparency. He concludes by sharing his positive experience after revealing his true identity.

Find me at [email protected]

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Also, who are you? Get a draft of TRACES if you fill out this form (https://forms.gle/rFnVFrCNUAJz7Fvn7)

About the Guest:

Ate-A-Pi (https://twitter.com/8teAPi) - is a Twitter persona (@8teapi) for the self described self-aware neuron. A long time machine learning and artificial intelligence enthusiast, Ate loves looking for technologies that “spark joy”, learning about them, and spreading the good word. 

Prakash “Prak” Narayanan (https://www.linkedin.com/in/praknarayanan/) - is an engineer, financier, private equity executive, and founder in the machine learning space. He holds an B.Sc in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University (2003) and was once a CFA. Ate’

s Twitter account, newsletter, and podcast are run by Prakash Narayanan.

Set-Up:

- Camera: https://amzn.to/3PZVscb (don't laugh)

- Microphone: https://amzn.to/46f3pB5

- Teleprompter Stand: https://amzn.to/3tgS98y

- Telepromter App: https://amzn.to/46jdH31

- Teleprompter Screen: https://amzn.to/3PNfKFI (yup)

- Headphones: https://amzn.to/46gMSwo

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction and Background

03:00 Adopting a Pseudonymous Identity

07:46 Crafting Viral Tweets

23:40 Exploring Speculative Fiction

27:22 The Viral Success of Prakash's Tweets

31:06 Reorganizing Randomness with AI

36:40 Challenges and Opportunities in AI Development

47:43 The Future of AI in Everyday Life

51:14 The Geopolitical Landscape and AI Governance

56:31 Addressing Job Displacement and Societal Issues

01:01:02 The Resilience of the Financial System and the Limitations of AI Trading

01:09:10 The Shift in Labor Roles and the Rise of Decision-Making Positions

01:16:53 The Importance of Open Source AI Models and Transparency

01:21:40 Revealing Identity: Adding Gravitas and Sparking Conversations

Hashtags

#Prakash #Mr8aPie #PseudonymousIdentity #Twitter #OnlineIdentity #AGIRace #InfluenceOfTwitter #BalajiSrinivasan #CodeMiko #ViralTweets #TechnoOptimism #PostCovidBoom #LK99Saga #SpeculativeFiction #AIinEverydayLife #AIdevelopment #JobDisplacement #FinancialSystem #OpenSourceAI #Transparency

A conversation with composer and traveling musician Ben Cosgrove about music, composition, traveling, creative careers, landscapes, portraits, and more.

Find me at [email protected]

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About the Guest:

Ben Cosgrove is a traveling composer-performer whose music explores themes of landscape, place, and environment. Described by the Boston Globe as “a sonic plein-air painter” who “uses his piano as a paintbrush,” Ben has performed in every U.S. state except for Delaware, collaborated with groups ranging from rock bands to research scientists, contributed music to several radio and film projects (including the recent Ken Burns documentary The American Buffalo), and held residencies and fellowships with institutions including NASA, the National Park Service, the National Forest Service, Harvard University, Middlebury College, the Schmidt Ocean Institute, and the Sitka Center for Art & Ecology.

Ben’s music has been called "beautiful and fascinating" (The Maine Edge), "deeply impressive" (Independent Clauses), and "immediately evocative and fully arresting... brim[ming] with technical mastery and emotional capital" (Seven Days). His newest record, Bearings, a collection of improvisation-based music that reflects upon the relationship between movement and place, was released in 2023. You can read more about Bearings here, stream it on all platforms here, and order the album in CD, vinyl, or digital formats here.

For more about Ben and his work, please visit bencosgrove.com

Set-Up:

- Camera: https://amzn.to/3PZVscb (don't laugh)

- Microphone: https://amzn.to/46f3pB5

- Teleprompter Stand: https://amzn.to/3tgS98y

- Telepromter App: https://amzn.to/46jdH31

- Teleprompter Screen: https://amzn.to/3PNfKFI (yup)

- Headphones: https://amzn.to/46gMSwo

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to Ben Cosgrove and his work

03:02 The Intersection of Music and Geography

11:12 The Power of Metaphor in Music

28:04 Capturing the Essence of a Place Through Sound

39:20 Navigating the Challenges of Social Media

45:28 Exploring the Elements of Music: Texture and Dynamic Range

53:36 Embracing a Creative Life: Courage and Passion

01:00:14 The Importance of Human Experience in Art

01:06:46 The Potential Impact of Generative AI Music Tools

01:11:16 Preserving Humanity in the Age of AI.

Hashtags

#traces #cristiancibils #podcast #BenCosgrove #travelingcomposer #instrumentalmusic #landscapemusic #geographymusic #musicalinspiration #creativeprocess #musicandgeography #soundscapes #musicalmetaphor #dynamicrange #creativecourage #humanexperienceinart #generativeAImusic #AIandart #preservehumanity #TikTokmusic #musicaltexture