"The Cognitive Revolution"

In this episode, Nathan sits down with Replit’s VP of AI, Michele Catasta. Replit is building what CEO Amjad Masad calls "the perfect substrate for AGI." In this discussion, Michele and Nathan discuss Replit's state of AI development report, advantages when it comes to AI development, and the company's custom models. If you're looking for an ERP platform, check out our sponsor, NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/cognitive

We're hiring across the board at Turpentine and for Erik's personal team on other projects he's incubating. He's hiring a Chief of Staff, EA, Head of Special Projects, Investment Associate, and more. For a list of JDs, check out: eriktorenberg.com.

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Episode Preview

(00:00:57) Introduction

(04:44) What is artificial developer intelligence?

(15:05) Sponsors: Netsuite | Omneky

(16:58) Michele's background at Google & decision to join Replit

(19:16) Startups vs incumbents

(24:42) Whether Replit identifies as an e/acc company

(26:37) Staying apolitical on AI while being responsible

(30:36) The rise of LangChain and polarized reactions

(35:14) Estimates on developer productivity gains from AI assistance (2x-10x)

(38:35) Democratizing software development through easy customization

(44:02) AI generating disposable single-use software

(51:33) Optimism about humanity's ability to handle transformative AI

(55:01) The need for nuanced AI safety discussions

(56:14) Replit's data advantage from user code execution

(01:04:31) Replit's approach to training custom AI models

(01:08:51) The value of both open source and commercial models

(01:13:18) Michele’s highlights from being a Google researcher

(01:15:47) World knowledge needs in AI development

(01:20:37) Replit’s approach to AI safety

(01:24:28) The advantage of having a commercial model

(01:25:54) The costs of serving AI features to millions of users

(01:28:49) Modeling cost per user with AI workloads

(01:30:50) Pushing AI inference to the edge

(01:32:18) Ghostwriter integrating more deeply into Replit's IDE

(01:33:37) Replit as a potential "substrate for AGI"

LINKS:

https://replit.com/

Replit's State of AI Development Report: https://blog.replit.com/ai-on-replit

X:

@pirroh (Michele)

@labenz (Nathan)

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@cogrev_podcast

SPONSORS: Shopify | NetSuite | Omneky

- Shopify is the global commerce platform that helps you sell at every stage of your business. Shopify powers 10% of ALL eCommerce in the US. And Shopify's the global force behind Allbirds, Rothy's, and Brooklinen, and 1,000,000s of other entrepreneurs across 175 countries.From their all-in-one e-commerce platform, to their in-person POS system – wherever and whatever you're selling, Shopify's got you covered. With free Shopify Magic, sell more with less effort by whipping up captivating content that converts – from blog posts to product descriptions using AI. Sign up for $1/month trial period: https://shopify.com/cognitive

- NetSuite has 25 years of providing financial software for all your business needs. More than 36,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you’re looking for an ERP platform, head to NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/cognitive and download your own customized KPI checklist.

- Omneky is an omnichannel creative generation platform that lets you launch hundreds of thousands of ad iterations that actually work customized across all platforms, with a click of a button. Omneky combines generative AI and real-time advertising data. Mention "Cog Rev" for 10% off. MUSIC CREDIT: MusicLM

In this episode, Nathan sits down with Tyler Angert, Product Designer at Replit, to discuss the future of software development. Replit is building what CEO Amjad Masad calls "the perfect substrate for AGI." In this discussion, Tyler and Nathan discuss how Replit is leveraging AI to enhance its current product, bot-bot interactions, the design and ethical considerations around AI agents, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform, check out our sponsor, NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/cognitive

We're hiring across the board at Turpentine and for Erik's personal team on other projects he's incubating. He's hiring a Chief of Staff, EA, Head of Special Projects, Investment Associate, and more. For a list of JDs, check out: eriktorenberg.com.

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Episode Preview

(01:10) Nathan’s Intro

(09:24) Tyler's role at Replit

(11:37) Replit as the "perfect substrate for AGI"

(14:55) Sponsor: Netsuite | Omneky

(15:45) Defining AGI

(19:26) How AI agents might interact with Replit

(23:20) Replit's "virtual developer" product

(31:11) Current state of Replit's AI features like Ghostwriter

(41:48) Measuring productivity boost from AI coding tools

(45:29) Potential for massive developer productivity gains from AI

(48:34) Technical gaps still remaining to achieve advanced AI agents

(51:45) Core AI breakthroughs have already occurred

(57:35) Timeline for functional AI agents interacting online

(01:01:20) Safety considerations for powerful AI agents on Replit

(01:08:47) Ethical considerations around AI and consciousness

(01:20:36) What constitutes consciousness in an AI system

(01:26:30) Should AI systems have rights and protections?

(01:30:32) Being polite to AI systems

(01:31:59) Advice for beginners looking to leverage AI

(01:36:58) Using AI with a Neuralink brain implant

(01:43:02) Hopes and fears about AI's impact on society

LINKS:

https://replit.com/

X:

@tylerangert (Tyler)

@labenz (Nathan)

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@cogrev_podcast

SPONSORS: Shopify | NetSuite | Omneky 

Shopify is the global commerce platform that helps you sell at every stage of your business. Shopify powers 10% of ALL eCommerce in the US. And Shopify's the global force behind Allbirds, Rothy's, and Brooklinen, and 1,000,000s of other entrepreneurs across 175 countries.From their all-in-one e-commerce platform, to their in-person POS system – wherever and whatever you're selling, Shopify's got you covered. With free Shopify Magic, sell more with less effort by whipping up captivating content that converts – from blog posts to product descriptions using AI. Sign up for $1/month trial period: https://shopify.com/cognitive

-NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than thirty-six thousand companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you’re looking for an ERP platform: NetSuite (http://netsuite.com/cognitive) and defer payments of a FULL NetSuite implementation for six months. 

-Omneky is an omnichannel creative generation platform that lets you launch hundreds of thousands of ad iterations that actually work customized across all platforms, with a click of a button. Omneky combines generative AI and real-time advertising data. Mention "Cog Rev" for 10% off. MUSIC CREDIT: MusicLM 

This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and culture — all from the perspective of industry insiders and experts. We’re launching new shows every week, and we’re looking for industry-leading sponsors — if you think that might be you and your company, email us at [email protected].

This isn't news, it's analysis! Nathan Labenz sits down for an with Zvi Mowshowitz, the writer behind Don't Worry About the Vase to talk about the major players in AI over the last few months. In this extended conversation, Nathan and Zvi debate if AI has attained the intelligence of a well-read college graduate (per OpenAI's Jan Leike), a live player analysis (who to count/ who not to count), and the role of independent red teaming organizations. If you're looking for an ERP platform, check out our sponsor, NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/cognitive

Definitely also take a moment to subscribe to Zvi's blog Don't Worry About the Vase (https://thezvi.wordpress.com/) - Zvi is an information hyperprocessor who synthesizes vast amounts of new and ever-evolving information into extremely clear summaries that help educated people keep up with the latest news. Highly recommend.

We're hiring across the board at Turpentine and for Erik's personal team on other projects he's incubating. He's hiring a Chief of Staff, EA, Head of Special Projects, Investment Associate, and more. For a list of JDs, check out: eriktorenberg.com.

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Episode preview

(03:15) Is AI as intelligent as a college grad?

(07:45) Memories and context processing

(15:45) Sponsor: NetSuite | Omneky

(17:13) Is AI as intelligent as a college grad? cont'd

(20:47) Strengths and weaknesses of AI vs human

(31:05) OpenAI Superalignment

(37:23) The relationship between OpenAI and Anthropic

(44:31) Anthropic's security recommendations and adversarial attacks

(50:50) Is OpenAI using a constitutional AI approach? 

(01:01:26) Context and stochastic parrots

(01:10) Is more context better?

(01:15:29) Should Nathan work at Anthropic?

(01:21:35) Google DeepMind's RT-2

(01:27:47) Multi-modal Med-PaLM

(01:31:50) Speculating about Gato

(01:35:10) Skepticism about Med-PaLM usage in radiology

(01:41:37) Llama 2 - what is going on at Meta??

(01:51:14) Llama 2 vs other models

(01:55:29) Who are the live players?

(02:01:38) China's AI developments

(02:02:41) Character AI and Inflection

(02:05:26) Replit as the perfect substrate for AGI

(02:10) AI girlfriends

(02:18:53) AI safety: The White House

(02:25:43) Bottlenecks to progress

(02:35:27) Can new players influence AI policy?

(02:39:00) Liabilities

(02:47:54) Independent red teaming organizations

(02:57:18) Mechanistic interpretability

X:

@labenz (Nathan)

@thezvi (Zvi)

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@cogrev_podcast 

SPONSORS: Shopify | NetSuite | Omneky

Shopify is the global commerce platform that helps you sell at every stage of your business. Shopify powers 10% of ALL eCommerce in the US. And Shopify's the global force behind Allbirds, Rothy's, and Brooklinen, and 1,000,000s of other entrepreneurs across 175 countries.From their all-in-one e-commerce platform, to their in-person POS system – wherever and whatever you're selling, Shopify's got you covered. With free Shopify Magic, sell more with less effort by whipping up captivating content that converts – from blog posts to product descriptions using AI. Sign up for $1/month trial period: https://shopify.com/cognitive

-NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than thirty-six thousand companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you’re looking for an ERP platform: NetSuite (http://netsuite.com/cognitive) and defer payments of a FULL NetSuite implementation for six months.

-Omneky is an omnichannel creative generation platform that lets you launch hundreds of thousands of ad iterations that *actually work* customized across all platforms, with a click of a button. Omneky combines generative AI and real-time advertising data. Mention "Cog Rev" for 10% off.

MUSIC CREDIT:

MusicLM

Arthur Conmy sits down with Nathan Labenz for an accessible deep dive into the state of interpretability research online today. They discuss how pioneering researchers have painstakingly worked to isolate the sub-circuits within transformers that are responsible for different aspects of AI capabilities. Arthur also introduces us to a new ACDC approach that he and his co-authors have taken to automating some of the most time-consuming parts of this work. If you’re looking for an ERP platform, check out our sponsor, NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/cognitive

We're hiring across the board at Turpentine and for Erik's personal team on other projects he's incubating. He's hiring a Chief of Staff, EA, Head of Special Projects, Investment Associate, and more. For a list of JDs, check out: eriktorenberg.com.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

The HR industry is at a crossroads. What will it take to construct the next generation of incredible businesses – and where can people leaders have the most business impact? Hosts Nolan Church and Kelli Dragovich have been through it all, the highs and the lows – IPOs, layoffs, executive turnover, board meetings, culture changes, and more. With a lineup of industry vets and experts, Nolan and Kelli break down the nitty-gritty details, trade offs, and dynamics of constructing high performing companies. Through unfiltered conversations that can only happen between seasoned practitioners, Kelli and Nolan dive deep into the kind of leadership-level strategy that often happens behind closed doors. Check out the first episode with the architect of Netflix’s culture deck Patty McCord.

https://link.chtbl.com/hrheretics

The Cognitive Revolution is a part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: Turpentine.co

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Episode Preview

(04:40) What attracted Arthur to mechanistic interpretability?

(07:49) LLM information processing: General Understanding vs Stochastic Parrot Paradigm

(14:00) ACDC paper: https://arxiv.org/abs/2304.14997 

(14:45) Sponsors: NetSuite | Omneky

(24:30) Putting together data sets 

(32:39) How to intervene in LLMs network activity

(36:00) Defining metrics to evaluate the production of correct completions

(44:20) The future of the mechanistic interpretability research 

(50:00) Extracting upstream activations in the ACDC project and evaluating impact on downstream components.

(56:00) Anthropic research findings 

(01:08:00) 3-Step process of the ACDC approach

(01:22:00) Setting a threshold and validation

(01:27:00) Goal of the approach

(01:32:00) Compute requirements

(01:35:30) Scaling laws for mechanistic interpretability

(01:40:00) Accessibility of this research for casual enthusiasts

(01:46:00) Emergence discourse

(01:56:00) Path to AI safety

LINKS:

https://arthurconmy.github.io/

https://arxiv.org/abs/2304.14997 

X:

@labenz (Nathan)

@arthurconmy (Arthur)

@cogrev_podcast

SPONSORS: NetSuite | Omneky

-NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than thirty-six thousand companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you’re looking for an ERP platform: NetSuite (http://netsuite.com/cognitive) and defer payments of a FULL NetSuite implementation for six months.

-Omneky is an omnichannel creative generation platform that lets you launch hundreds of thousands of ad iterations that *actually work* customized across all platforms, with a click of a button. Omneky combines generative AI and real-time advertising data. Mention "Cog Rev" for 10% off.

This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and culture — all from the perspective of industry insiders and experts. We’re launching new shows every week, and we’re looking for industry-leading sponsors — if you think that might be you and your company, email us at [email protected].

Nathan Labenz sits down with Dr. Ronen Dar, CTO and co-founder of Run:ai, an Israel-based company that helps enterprises train and deploy AI models by optimizing GPU usage. The discussion covers how chip makers can meet the soaring demands, geopolitical fears, to the best practices companies can secure compute capacity. If you’re looking for an ERP platform, check out our sponsor, NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/cognitive

We're hiring across the board at Turpentine and for Erik's personal team on other projects he's incubating. He's hiring a Chief of Staff, EA, Head of Special Projects, Investment Associate, and more. For a list of JDs, check out: eriktorenberg.com.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

The HR industry is at a crossroads. What will it take to construct the next generation of incredible businesses – and where can people leaders have the most business impact? Hosts Nolan Church and Kelli Dragovich have been through it all, the highs and the lows – IPOs, layoffs, executive turnover, board meetings, culture changes, and more. With a lineup of industry vets and experts, Nolan and Kelli break down the nitty-gritty details, trade offs, and dynamics of constructing high performing companies. Through unfiltered conversations that can only happen between seasoned practitioners, Kelli and Nolan dive deep into the kind of leadership-level strategy that often happens behind closed doors. Check out the first episode with the architect of Netflix’s culture deck Patty McCord.

https://link.chtbl.com/hrheretics

RECOMMENDATION: The AI Scouting Report

Playlist Parts 1-3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hvtiVQ_LqQ&list=PLVfJCYRuaJIXooK_KWju5djdVmEpH81ee

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Episode Preview

(00:51) Introduction to Dr. Ronen Dar

(03:30) Run:ai's technology and what differentiates it from other solutions

(06:00) Today's market compared to when Dr. Ronen started five years ago

(13:40)Run:ai on market competitors like mosaicML

(14:55) Sponsors: NetSuite | Omneky

(22:00) The process and best practices by which companies secure compute capacity

(25:00) Dr. Ronen explains the GPU shortage

(31:50) GPU solutions

(36:00) Relative pricing across major providers

(41:00) What other chip makers are going to be relevant?

(49:00) Global outlook for chip production

(52:45) Worldview around the US-China AI race

(58:00) Can controls on hardware actually control access to AI?

LINKS:

https://www.run.ai/

SOCIAL MEDIA:

@labenz (Nathan)

@ronen_dar

@runailabs (Run:ai)

@cogrev_podcast

SPONSORS: Shopify | NetSuite | Omneky

Shopify is the global commerce platform that helps you sell at every stage of your business. Shopify powers 10% of ALL eCommerce in the US. And Shopify's the global force behind Allbirds, Rothy's, and Brooklinen, and 1,000,000s of other entrepreneurs across 175 countries.From their all-in-one e-commerce platform, to their in-person POS system – wherever and whatever you're selling, Shopify's got you covered. With free Shopify Magic, sell more with less effort by whipping up captivating content that converts – from blog posts to product descriptions using AI. Sign up for $1/month trial period: https://shopify.com/cognitive

-NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than thirty-six thousand companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you’re looking for an ERP platform -> NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/cognitive and defer payments of a FULL NetSuite implementation for six months.

-Omneky is an omnichannel creative generation platform that lets you launch hundreds of thousands of ad iterations that *actually work* customized across all platforms, with a click of a button. Omneky combines generative AI and real-time advertising data. Mention "Cog Rev" for 10% off.

Head over to YouTube to watch Part 2 of The AI Scouting Report (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovm4MbQ4G9E), supported by slides and visual aides. In Part 2, Nathan Labenz builds on Part 1: AI Fundamental and delves into recent trends and practical applications for AI. Nathan's aim is to impart the equivalent of a high school AP course understanding to listeners in 90-minute installments.

We're hiring across the board at Turpentine and for Erik's personal team on other projects he's incubating. He's hiring a Chief of Staff, EA, Head of Special Projects, Investment Associate, and more. For a list of JDs, check out: eriktorenberg.com.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

The HR industry is at a crossroads. What will it take to construct the next generation of incredible businesses – and where can people leaders have the most business impact? Hosts Nolan Church and Kelli Dragovich have been through it all, the highs and the lows – IPOs, layoffs, executive turnover, board meetings, culture changes, and more. With a lineup of industry vets and experts, Nolan and Kelli break down the nitty-gritty details, trade offs, and dynamics of constructing high performing companies. Through unfiltered conversations that can only happen between seasoned practitioners, Kelli and Nolan dive deep into the kind of leadership-level strategy that often happens behind closed doors. Check out the first episode with the architect of Netflix’s culture deck Patty McCord.

https://link.chtbl.com/hrheretics

Listener comments on Part 1:

"Incredible summary! I’ve watched probably 20 videos like this and I’ve always been left with unanswered questions."

"This is a really excellent overview! Enjoyed going through this and looking forward to episode 2. Thank you for sharing it on here for free!"

"Best 90 minutes this old PhD physicist has spent in a long time!"

LINKS:

Part 1: https://youtu.be/0hvtiVQ_LqQ

Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovm4MbQ4G9E

Part 3 released later this week!

Questions or topics you want us to review on the podcast? Email [email protected]

The Cognitive Revolution is a part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: Turpentine.co

TWITTER:

@CogRev_Podcast

@labenz (Nathan)

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

SPONSOR:

Shopify is the global commerce platform that helps you sell at every stage of your business. Shopify powers 10% of ALL eCommerce in the US. And Shopify's the global force behind Allbirds, Rothy's, and Brooklinen, and 1,000,000s of other entrepreneurs across 175 countries.From their all-in-one e-commerce platform, to their in-person POS system – wherever and whatever you're selling, Shopify's got you covered. With free Shopify Magic, sell more with less effort by whipping up captivating content that converts – from blog posts to product descriptions using AI. Sign up for $1/month trial period: https://shopify.com/cognitive

This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and culture — all from the perspective of industry insiders and experts. We’re launching new shows every week, and we’re looking for industry-leading sponsors — if you think that might be you and your company, email us at [email protected].

Nathan Labenz interviews Div Garg, founder of MULTI·ON, the world's first personal AI agent and life copilot. Div talks about the product strategy and roadmap for the MULTI·ON browser, their natural language approach to skills, and the steps they are taking to ensure user safety. Div explains how the platform uses a critic model to detect the success or failure of tasks, and how it can be used to book flights, order food, and more. Div also talks about the future of memory systems, such as the user profile feature, and how it can be used to improve the user experience.

We're hiring across the board at Turpentine and for Erik's personal team on other projects he's incubating. He's hiring a Chief of Staff, EA, Head of Special Projects, Investment Associate, and more. For a list of JDs, check out: eriktorenberg.com.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

The HR industry is at a crossroads. What will it take to construct the next generation of incredible businesses – and where can people leaders have the most business impact? Hosts Nolan Church and Kelli Dragovich have been through it all, the highs and the lows – IPOs, layoffs, executive turnover, board meetings, culture changes, and more. With a lineup of industry vets and experts, Nolan and Kelli break down the nitty-gritty details, trade offs, and dynamics of constructing high performing companies. Through unfiltered conversations that can only happen between seasoned practitioners, Kelli and Nolan dive deep into the kind of leadership-level strategy that often happens behind closed doors. Check out the first episode with the architect of Netflix’s culture deck Patty McCord.

https://link.chtbl.com/hrheretics

The Cognitive Revolution is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more at turpentine.co

Have your AI questions answered on an episode by emailing [email protected]

Send your friends our 90 min AI Scouting Report with visual aides! The AI Scouting Report Part 1: The Fundamentals is on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hvtiVQ_LqQ . Part II is coming next week.

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Episode preview

(06:42) AI agents applied to everyday life.

(12:03) AI-driven automation with browser extension.

(15:02) Sponsor: Omneky

(18:17) AI-driven automation of web tasks.

(23:57) Task automation and planning.

(29:43) Automate task completion with user validation.

(34:45) Lifelong learning agent with high-level skills

(40:19) Guiding users to create skills safely.

(46:53) AI assistant to simplify lives.

(53:14) Unlock parallelism with AI agents.

LINKS:

MULTI·ON: https://www.multion.ai/

Div Garg; https://divyanshgarg.com/

TWITTER: 

@labenz (Nathan) 

@DivGarg9

@eriktorenberg (Erik) 

@cogrev_podcast

SPONSORS:

Shopify is the global commerce platform that helps you sell at every stage of your business. Shopify powers 10% of ALL eCommerce in the US. And Shopify's the global force behind Allbirds, Rothy's, and Brooklinen, and 1,000,000s of other entrepreneurs across 175 countries.From their all-in-one e-commerce platform, to their in-person POS system – wherever and whatever you're selling, Shopify's got you covered. With free Shopify Magic, sell more with less effort by whipping up captivating content that converts – from blog posts to product descriptions using AI. Sign up for $1/month trial period: https://shopify.com/cognitive

Thank you Omneky (www.omneky.com) for sponsoring The Cognitive Revolution. Omneky is an omnichannel creative generation platform that lets you launch hundreds of thousands of ad iterations that actually work, customized across all platforms, with a click of a button. Omneky combines generative AI and real-time advertising data. Mention "Cog Rev" for 10% off.

Music: GoogleLM

Nathan Labenz sits down with Zvi Mowshowitz, the writer behind Don't Worry About the Vase.

Zvi is an information hyperprocessor who synthesizes vast amounts of new and ever-evolving information into extremely clear summaries that help educated people keep up with the latest news. In this episode, we cover his AI safety worldview, an overview of the AI discourse, and who really matters in the AI debates.

We're hiring across the board at Turpentine and for Erik's personal team on other projects he's incubating. He's hiring a Chief of Staff, EA, Head of Special Projects, Investment Associate, and more. For a list of JDs, check out: eriktorenberg.com.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

The HR industry is at a crossroads. What will it take to construct the next generation of incredible businesses – and where can people leaders have the most business impact? Hosts Nolan Church and Kelli Dragovich have been through it all, the highs and the lows – IPOs, layoffs, executive turnover, board meetings, culture changes, and more. With a lineup of industry vets and experts, Nolan and Kelli break down the nitty-gritty details, trade offs, and dynamics of constructing high performing companies. Through unfiltered conversations that can only happen between seasoned practitioners, Kelli and Nolan dive deep into the kind of leadership-level strategy that often happens behind closed doors. Check out the first episode with the architect of Netflix’s culture deck Patty McCord.

https://link.chtbl.com/hrheretics

Do you have questions you want us to answer, topic requests, or guest suggestions for upcoming episodes? Email us at [email protected]

Also, be sure to check out our recent release on YouTube: The AI Scouting Report Part 1: The Fundamentals

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Episode Preview

(05:00) Zvi’s Introduction to AI

(07:04) Weekly 10,000+ words / Weekly newsletter

(12:34) Language models

(18:25) AI Worldview

(27:30) Probably of Due

(33:10) Inspirations for Content

(39:00) Audience for Writings

(45:25) Impactful figures’ impact

(48:55) Path of the river

(55:39) Different camps in AI discourse

(01:13:55) Acceleration Front Argument

(01:20:08) Large Language Models Today

(01:27:00) Spendings in AI

(01:36:03) Principles / Virtue Ethicism

(01:43:30) Human vs Non-human Universe

(01:47:32) AI Safety & “Doomers”

(02:02:10) Expectations of Human/AI Relationship

(02:10:30) Future of Online Laws and Ethics

(02:19:10) What do we do next?

(02:34:50) Sources for learning

(02:42:08) Conclusion

LINKS:

Don't Worry About the Vase: https://thezvi.substack.com/

TWITTER:

@labenz (Nathan)

@theZvi (Zvi)

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@cogrev_podcast

SPONSORS:

Shopify is the global commerce platform that helps you sell at every stage of your business. Shopify powers 10% of ALL eCommerce in the US. And Shopify's the global force behind Allbirds, Rothy's, and Brooklinen, and 1,000,000s of other entrepreneurs across 175 countries.From their all-in-one e-commerce platform, to their in-person POS system – wherever and whatever you're selling, Shopify's got you covered. With free Shopify Magic, sell more with less effort by whipping up captivating content that converts – from blog posts to product descriptions using AI. Sign up for $1/month trial period: https://shopify.com/cognitive

Thank you Omneky (www.omneky.com) for sponsoring The Cognitive Revolution. Omneky is an omnichannel creative generation platform that lets you launch hundreds of thousands of ad iterations that actually work, customized across all platforms, with a click of a button. Omneky combines generative AI and real-time advertising data. Mention "Cog Rev" for 10% off.

MUSIC CREDIT:

Head to a special YouTube presentation with visual aides (https://youtu.be/0hvtiVQ_LqQ), where Nathan Labenz synthesizes the core fundamentals of AI as simply, clearly, and literally as possible. Nathan's aim is to impart the equivalent of a high school AP course understanding to listeners in 90 minutes. This special episode is in part brought to you by Athena. You can use Nathan’s referral link (http://athenago.me/nathan-labenz) for a free first month of Athena services for qualified customers.

We're hiring across the board at Turpentine and for Erik's personal team on other projects he's incubating. He's hiring a Chief of Staff, EA, Head of Special Projects, Investment Associate, and more. For a list of JDs, check out: eriktorenberg.com.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

The HR industry is at a crossroads. What will it take to construct the next generation of incredible businesses – and where can people leaders have the most business impact? Hosts Nolan Church and Kelli Dragovich have been through it all, the highs and the lows – IPOs, layoffs, executive turnover, board meetings, culture changes, and more. With a lineup of industry vets and experts, Nolan and Kelli break down the nitty-gritty details, trade offs, and dynamics of constructing high performing companies. Through unfiltered conversations that can only happen between seasoned practitioners, Kelli and Nolan dive deep into the kind of leadership-level strategy that often happens behind closed doors. Check out the first episode with the architect of Netflix’s culture deck Patty McCord.

https://link.chtbl.com/hrheretics

Questions or topics you want us to review for Part 2? Email [email protected]

The Cognitive Revolution is a part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: Turpentine.co

TWITTER:

@CogRev_Podcast

@labenz (Nathan)

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

SPONSOR:

Shopify is the global commerce platform that helps you sell at every stage of your business. Shopify powers 10% of ALL eCommerce in the US. And Shopify's the global force behind Allbirds, Rothy's, and Brooklinen, and 1,000,000s of other entrepreneurs across 175 countries.From their all-in-one e-commerce platform, to their in-person POS system – wherever and whatever you're selling, Shopify's got you covered. With free Shopify Magic, sell more with less effort by whipping up captivating content that converts – from blog posts to product descriptions using AI. Sign up for $1/month trial period: https://shopify.com/cognitive

This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and culture — all from the perspective of industry insiders and experts. We’re launching new shows every week, and we’re looking for industry-leading sponsors — if you think that might be you and your company, email us at [email protected].

In this episode, Nathan Labenz sits down with Hayk Martiros, VP of Autonomy at Skydio. Martiros leads the autonomy team, which holds the state of the art in complex autonomous flight. Skydio is the largest drone developer in the US, and recently raised $230M to expand its US manufacturing 10-fold, bringing its valuation to $2.2 billion. In this discussion, Hayk and Nathan discuss why Skydio will not weaponize its drones, Skydio’s systems and AI approach, and the considerations of choosing an autonomous system over a human agent. 

We're hiring across the board at Turpentine and for Erik's personal team on other projects he's incubating. He's hiring a Chief of Staff, EA, Head of Special Projects, Investment Associate, and more. For a list of JDs, check out: eriktorenberg.com.

LINKS:

SymForce: https://github.com/symforce-org/symforce

End-to-End Learning of Geometry and Context for Deep Stereo Regression (Skydio’s 2017 paper): https://arxiv.org/pdf/1703.04309

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Episode Preview

(01:12) Nathan’s episode intro

(07:44) Hayk’s story

(11:21) What is Skydio?

(14:59) Sponsor: Omneky

(16:56) The core driver of Skydio’s business

(20:21) Skydio’s AI approach

(23:56) Updating the voltage 30,000 times per second

(24:52) How is the Skydio system built?

(34:07) The loops in the Skydio system

(36:00) SymForce, Skydio’s open source library and Hayk’s creation

(41:06) Writing symbolic expressions as a roboticist 

(42:14) Writing an expression for a toy race car

(47:58) Skydio neural networks

(51:29) Going from designed systems to end-to-end systems

(58:17) How much does a Skydio drone and dock cost to install?

(01:00:19) The cost savings of using a Skydio drone

(01:02:59) Are $1 drone missions in the consumer’s future?

(01:06:22) Vertical integration vs platform

(01:09:29) The advantages and disadvantages of drones

(01:11:17) Running LLMs on a drone

(01:14:36) Power consumption going to compute vs mechanics

(01:18:26) Hayk’s predictions for consumer autonomous systems

(01:21:51) Standards for choosing autonomous systems over humans

(01:25:23) Skydio’s societal impact

(01:28:34) Universal basic income

(01:30:27) Skydio drone usage in defense

(01:34:34) The Ukraine-Russia conflict

(01:38:02) Hayk’s experience with the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

TWITTER:

@SkydioHQ (Skydio)

@CogRev_Podcast

@labenz (Nathan)

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

SPONSORS:

Shopify is the global commerce platform that helps you sell at every stage of your business. Shopify powers 10% of ALL eCommerce in the US. And Shopify's the global force behind Allbirds, Rothy's, and Brooklinen, and 1,000,000s of other entrepreneurs across 175 countries.From their all-in-one e-commerce platform, to their in-person POS system – wherever and whatever you're selling, Shopify's got you covered. With free Shopify Magic, sell more with less effort by whipping up captivating content that converts – from blog posts to product descriptions using AI. Sign up for $1/month trial period: https://shopify.com/cognitive

Thank you Omneky for sponsoring The Cognitive Revolution. Omneky is an omnichannel creative generation platform that lets you launch hundreds of thousands of ad iterations that actually work, customized across all platforms, with a click of a button. Omneky combines generative AI and real-time advertising data. Mention "Cog Rev" for 10% off.

This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and culture — all from the perspective of industry insiders and experts. We’re launching new shows every week, and we’re looking for industry-leading sponsors — if you think that might be you and your company, email us at [email protected].

MUSIC CREDIT:

MusicLM