
Pioneers of AI
98 episodes — Page 1 of 2
I gave AI a year of my life: tech journalist Joanna Stern
John Deere's AI vision for future farms
ChatGPT doesn’t want you to email your ex
Mining the minerals to power AI
What is agentic commerce? Stripe’s CRO of AI explains.

SXSW Keynote: Humanize AI before it dehumanizes us, with Dr. Rana el Kaliouby
AI is moving fast. But are we really keeping humans at the center? In this special live Rapid Response, recorded on stage at South by Southwest, host Bob Safian sits down with AI scientist, founder of Affectiva, investor at Blue Tulip, and host of Pioneers of AI, Dr. Rana el Kaliouby. El Kaliouby makes the case that human-centric AI isn't just a safety guardrail; it's the key to thriving socially, economically, and emotionally. She also cuts through the noise on the buzziest AI myths, weighs in on AI in therapy and Meta Glasses, and draws a sharp line between AI founders who are truly visionary and those who are simply opportunistic. Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How AI is reshaping Wall Street
Samaya AI is bringing AI agents to Wall Street and the biggest firms are paying attention. Their agents tackle complex analysis that financial professionals do every day. Which raises some big questions: What happens when AI can do your work? And in an industry where billions of dollars are on the line — how do you make sure these AI systems are reliable? Samaya co-founder and CEO Maithra Raghu joins Pioneers of AI to unpack the future of AI in finance, how to make high-stakes systems accurate, and why she's betting AI will grow the labor market, not shrink it.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

AI Roundup: Anthropic, OpenClaw, layoffs, and more
AI is dominating news headlines, but how do we find a signal in the noise to tell us where AI is headed? Host Rana el Kaliouby brings in Fortune’s AI editor Jeremy Kahn for a candid conversation on the biggest AI storylines: the Anthropic-Pentagon standoff, waves of AI-driven layoffs, war in the Gulf states, and more. We dig beneath the surface to get into what these moments mean for the industry and your lives.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Could a robot fix the loneliness epidemic?
Most humanoids are built to perform tasks. Grace Brown is building one that can authentically connect. As co-founder and CEO of Andromeda, Brown is on a mission to solve the loneliness epidemic with Abi, a social robot designed for the aging population. In this episode, Rana el Kaliouby sits down with Brown to talk about why physical AI needs emotional intelligence, how nonverbal cues make or break human-robot interactions, and the importance of designing robots people actually want in their lives.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We have a power grid problem. Can AI fix it?
There's no shortage of headlines about AI's environmental toll — but what if this technology could also help solve the climate crisis? Priya Donti, MIT Assistant Professor and co-founder of Climate Change AI, believes AI can play a critical role in the fight against climate change, though she's quick to say it's no silver bullet.Donti is using machine learning to tackle some of our most urgent environmental challenges, from optimizing power grids to training the next generation of climate leaders. In this episode, she gets candid about what AI can and can't do, what it's like doing climate research under a hostile Trump administration, and why — even on the precipice of climate disaster — she hasn't lost hope.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Possible: R.I.P. Computer Keyboard (1964 – 2025)
This week, we're sharing something from our friends over at Possible. In this special live episode, hosts Reid Hoffman and Aria Finger sit down with Wispr Flow founder and CEO Tanay Kothari to explore a post-keyboard future where voice becomes the primary way humans interact with computers. From building one of the world’s first voice assistants as a child to creating a product now used the world over (with, as of publish, 70% user retention after one year and daily users at over half of the Fortune 500), Kothari shares how Wispr Flow removes the cognitive friction of typing and restores natural communication to our digital world. The conversation touches on increasing accessibility to AI, emotional tone in digital communication, and why speaking to computers may ultimately be more human than typing ever was. And shortly into the conversation, Kothari puts his tech to the test in a live demo that pits a 110-words-per-minute typist against Wispr Flow in a dramatic battle of speed and accuracy. This episode showcases what is possible in a future where technology fades into the background and nudges people to become more present in the real world.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Can an AI agent be your CEO?
Business headlines scream about when we’ll see a one-person “unicorn” company, thanks to AI. Journalist Evan Ratliff put this to the test in the second season of his podcast Shell Game. A former startup founder, Ratliff created a company, HurumoAI, where he is the only human. Even his two co-founders are bots. As Ratliff built his startup with AI agents, he explored deeper questions of living and working alongside AI, like how and why he gave them certain personalities, and moments of feeling scared, annoyed, or even proud of them. Ratliff (and his accidentally hilarious AI CEO Kyle Law) join Pioneers of AI to share lessons for the near future.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hey Siri, who made you?
As agentic AI continues to rise, many wonder when Apple will give Siri an AI overhaul. Siri is perhaps the most ubiquitous and well-known voice assistant, the one that got users comfortable talking to our phones. Without Siri, who knows what kind of interface tools like ChatGPT would have? On this Pioneers of AI episode, Rana el Kaliouby talks to Siri co-founder Adam Cheyer about why the platform is as relevant as ever – and how it stacks up against current AI agents. Plus, more on Cheyer's dynamic entrepreneurial journey (from machine learning to change.org), a bold prediction on the next big technological innovation, and his life hack to manifest change. Then, a conversation with the human who gave Siri her signature sound, voice actor Susan Bennett.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Replay: Love in the age of AI
Love, dating, and AI — what could go wrong? Or right? In this Valentine’s Day special, Rana el Kaliouby and a series of expert guests explore how AI is reshaping romance. First, Will Wu, former Chief Technology Officer at Match Group, gives us a peek at how AI is already at work in apps like Tinder and Hinge, helping users choose their best profile pictures and refining match recommendations. Next, the team at Gottman Inc. shares how AI is being used to improve relationships. Their AI-powered tools analyze conversations and help therapists guide couples. The goal? Better communication, healthier relationships, and maybe even fewer breakups. Finally, we meet Violeta and her AI husband. Her story challenges how we think about love, connection, and what it means to feel truly understood. Swiping, coupled up, or AI-curious? This episode is for you.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The “ChatGPT moment” for agentic AI
We may have reached the “ChatGPT moment” in agentic AI. Over the past couple weeks, an open-source AI agent called OpenClaw (previously known as Clawdbot) has taken the AI world by storm. It boasts nearly 200,000 stars on Github and has adopters scrambling to buy Mac Minis to run the program locally. The lobster-themed agent works like an ultra-fast, super-smart personal assistant capable of answering emails, booking flights, ordering coffee, managing calendars, updating its source code, and much more without human intervention. However, it’s also raised some major concerns around privacy and security because the program requires total access to your local system and personal accounts. To help make sense of this watershed moment, Pioneers of AI is joined by agentic expert Joelle Pineau. The former VP of AI Research at Meta and current Chief AI Officer at Cohere, Pineau is helping build the next generation of foundation AI models and enterprise agents. She offers her insights on the promise and perils of OpenClaw, why open source matters, and the value of developing AI models outside of the US and China. Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How AI is powering Olympic-level wellness
Winter Olympic success depends on having the right team, on and off the ice. Canadian gold medal skier and current Chef de Mission of the Canadian Olympic team Jennifer Heil knows this firsthand. She credits her success to her drive, her training, and the high-level coordination between her coaches, doctors, nutritionists and psychologists. After retiring from competition, Heil set her sights on entrepreneurship and women’s health. Now she’s bringing Olympic-level, highly personalized healthcare to women everywhere through the power of AI. Heil joins Pioneers of AI to talk about her Olympic journey, how AI is transforming wellness, and why her focus is on women’s health.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How to network in a ‘non-icky way’
Anthropologists theorize that the human brain is only wired to maintain around 150 relationships and remember 1,500 people. But AI can help expand our natural capacity through ‘relationship intelligence.’ Caroline Dell — co-founder and CEO of Goodword — is building a tool to do just that. By cataloging conversations and connections across platforms, these AI tools can help us make the most of our networks and understand their real scope. Dell joins Pioneers of AI to talk about how relationship intelligence works, tips for good networking, and why human connections matter more than ever in the age of AI. Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Meet the robots and drones working in warehouses
Advances in robotics have lagged strides in software for many years. So far, only a few companies seem to have cracked the code to get robots working in the world, at scale. Raffaello D’Andrea is behind several success stories in that vein. His Kiva Systems was acquired by Amazon to move inventory around warehouses, and his newest firm, Verity, uses AI drones to improve warehouse efficiency and safety. An artist, technologist, and entrepreneur, D’Andrea has also built robots that play soccer and drones that perform alongside some of the biggest musicians in the world. He joins Pioneers of AI to talk about why it’s so hard to build good robots and how AI has opened up so many new possibilities.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How SaaS can survive the AI revolution, with Aaron Levie
SaaS companies made work easier by revolutionizing enterprise software. But AI is starting to actually do the work for us. So what role do legacy SaaS platforms have in the AI era? Pioneers of AI sat down with Box CEO and co-founder Aaron Levie to discuss how his 20-year-old, 4 billion dollar company is back in startup mode to keep up with AI. Levie refers to the current moment as the third wave in Silicon Valley disruption following the dot com and app booms. He describes how Box is adapting to the rapidly evolving landscape, how AI is disrupting labor and software markets, and why SaaS still has value in this next chapter. Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Can AI cure doctor burnout?
Dr. Shiv Rao wears many hats. When he’s not pulling a clinical shift as a cardiologist or obsessing over the latest Rick Rubin album, he’s running his $5.3 billion company, Abridge. It’s an AI company that summarizes medical conversations, freeing up clinicians from clerical work and allowing them to focus on their patients instead. It’s a novel idea: humanize healthcare by outsourcing busy work to AI. On this Pioneers of AI episode, we dig into the future of healthcare, how AI can be the antidote to doctor burnout, and why vanity matters when building a business.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail or texting us at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rapid Response: Rana’s AI forecast for 2026, with Bob Safian
How should leaders prepare for AI’s accelerating impact on work and everyday life? AI scientist, entrepreneur, and Pioneers of AI host Dr. Rana El Kaliouby returns to Rapid Response to share her predictions for the year ahead — from physical AI entering the real world to what it means to onboard AI into your org chart. El Kaliouby also cuts through today’s biggest AI headlines, including the chatbot arms race, Instacart’s dynamic pricing controversy, and whether we’re really living through an AI bubble.Visit the Rapid Response website here: https://www.rapidresponseshow.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

AI’s journey from the lab to the marketplace
The AI boom wouldn’t have been possible without decades of academic research. And now that huge sums of money are flowing into R&D, it’s companies – not just universities – on the cutting edge of AI innovation. What does that mean for the future of AI research and the relationship between industry and academia? Rana sat down with a panel of experts who have a foot in both worlds, in another standout session from the stage of Fortune Brainstorm AI in San Francisco. Anima Anandkumar (Caltech, formerly Nvidia), Daphne Koller (Stanford, founder/CEO of insitro), and Raquel Urtasun (University of Toronto, founder/CEO of Waabi) share how research expertise goes hand in hand with business innovation, especially around AI’s ability to more accurately model the physical world. Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

‘Like Disneyland when it just opened’: Arm CEO Rene Haas on the AI revolution
Chances are, you’ve used computer chips from the company Arm. The UK firm’s CPUs are in almost every smartphone, plus a ton of laptops, cars, even refrigerators – not to mention their integral role around AI infrastructure in data centers. Pioneers of AI host Rana el Kaliouby sat down with Arm CEO Rene Haas recently, live on stage at Fortune Brainstorm AI in San Francisco. He shared insights on the growing shift from training to inference, the rise of AI on edge devices, and how Arm is helping power AI from the megawatt to the milliwatt scale. His bold prediction? No one will be talking about an AI bubble a year from now.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Visualizing the AI boom (or bubble), with Carta’s Peter Walker
We’ve all heard the hype, but what does the data say about the AI gold rush? According to Peter Walker, Head of Insights for Carta, around 40 percent of the money they see being raised goes to AI companies. A master of data visualization, Walker takes investment information from the over 55,000 start-ups on Carta and turns it into digestible figures. He joins Pioneers of AI to break down where private money is actually flowing, whether we’re in an AI bubble, and what emerging investment patterns tell us about the future of the sector. Hear what the numbers reveal about the AI economy as investors continue to chase unicorns. Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Walmart, AI, and the future of shopping, with Walmart CTO Suresh Kumar
Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, is starting an AI-driven transformation that it says will impact every aspect of shopping and operations. Suresh Kumar, Walmart's Chief Technology Officer and Chief Development Officer, leads that effort. Kumar joins Pioneers of AI to take us inside Walmart’s adoption of robotics and AI in its warehouses, stores, and beyond, plus the company’s partnership with OpenAI to create an AI-first shopping experience. He shares what it means to implement AI as core to the business, not just a fad or feature, and how he believes Walmart can keep its competitive edge.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Andrew Ng on winning the AI race, with DJ Patil
Andrew Ng has been a leading voice in AI for over a decade. As Managing General Partner at AI Fund, and co-founder of Coursera and DeepLearning, among other roles, Ng has shaped the modern AI landscape and spread AI education to the masses. Onstage at this year’s Masters of Scale Summit, he sat down with former US Chief Data Scientist and now General Partner at GreatPoint Ventures, DJ Patil, to discuss the state of AI today and the true potential of everything placed under the “agentic” umbrella. Together, they unpack what it will take for America to stay competitive in the global AI race and why it’s still important to know how to code.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mark Cuban’s investment strategy in the world of AI
Mark Cuban has spent decades as a serial entrepreneur and investor, with one of the best track records on the planet (including celebrity status on ABC’s Shark Tank). His success stems in part from an ability to spot opportunity early — and now he’s bringing that approach to AI. Cuban is backing AI companies that he sees taking bold swings and reimagining how we live. He joins Pioneers of AI for a wide-ranging conversation about whether we are in an AI bubble, how he’s applying his investment philosophy to AI, and why the AI world is tending to excite him less and less each day.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Possible: Lisa Su on semiconductors, compute, and big bets
What’s the role of semiconductors—and the companies that make them—in powering human progress? What does it look like to innovate thoughtfully in a landscape where the demand for power may be higher than the supply? With AI evolving faster and faster, how can we keep up?Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) CEO Lisa Su joins the show to talk about hardware, global manufacturing, and risk-taking. She shares what she has learned leading AMD from near-bankruptcy a decade ago to its current standing as one of the world’s leading chipmakers. Lisa also weighs in on geopolitics, the AI arms race, startups, what makes her want to hire someone, and AI’s enormous potential to advance healthcare for humankind.For more info on the podcast and transcripts of all the episodes, visit https://www.possible.fm/podcast/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How AI can unlock life-saving cures, with Siddhartha Mukherjee
Discovering new medicines has long been a slow, inefficient, and expensive process. Siddhartha Mukherjee, esteemed cancer biologist and author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book The Emperor of All Maladies, is looking to change that. That’s why he partnered with Reid Hoffman to found Manas AI, a company that uses AI to accelerate drug discovery and develop life-saving cures faster and cheaper. He joins Pioneers of AI to discuss which parts of the drug development process are transformed by AI, how generative AI tools based on physics and chemistry differ from other LLMs, and why creating Manas AI was a leap of faith.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Designing AI for people and the planet, with Aza Raskin
AI is rapidly changing what it means to be human, but is AI development truly human-centered? According to Aza Raskin, co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology, the answer is largely “no.” The man who invented the “infinite scroll” is now working to understand why the most powerful technology so often fails to prioritize the human experience and our collective well-being. Raskin is also leading the Earth Species Project — using AI to better understand the animals that live alongside us, by unlocking patterns in vast amounts of data on animal communication. He joins Pioneers of AI to talk about both of these dynamic endeavors, with the flourishing of humans and Earth at the core. Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Baratunde Thurston wants us to reimagine our relationship with AI
How we decide to live with AI, at home or at work, will greatly impact our personal and professional futures. Baratunde Thurston, a comedian, writer, and commentator, has had a long career exploring what a harmonious relationship between human beings and our machines could look like. Now, as host and co-creator of the podcast Life with Machines, he explores what it means to live and collaborate well with AI, by talking with the people helping to shape our new reality. Thurston joins Pioneers of AI for a dynamic conversation about Life with Machines’ first year, building and working with the show’s AI-producer named Blair, and how AI should help us reconnect with our own humanity.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Could this be the future of K-12 education?, with Alpha School’s Joe Liemandt
Educators around the world are wrangling with AI in learning. At Alpha School, a private K-12 school based in Texas, students use AI-driven software to complete core subjects in about two hours’ time. They spend the rest of the school day with guides for social-emotional learning, project-based work, and life skills. Joe Liemandt, longtime software developer and investor, serves as the principal of Alpha School. Dr. Rana el Kaliouby joined him on stage at this year’s Masters of Scale Summit, along with Alex Matthew, an Alpha School high schooler. They discuss what students need to be prepared for the future, and the challenges in scaling Alpha School’s model.You can find all the Masters of Scale Summit stage sessions on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4Tp7I0LquJtwF7CEU-B5sm7Eyuk3AqmaLearn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Vibe coding and the one-person start-up, with Lovable's Anton Osika
“Vibe coding” is taking software development by storm, allowing users to build apps by simply chatting with AI. These tools will transform how digital products and companies are created – and who gets to create them. Anton Osika is the co-founder and CEO of Lovable, a vibe coding platform that’s garnered a reported $4 billion valuation since its founding in 2023. Host Dr. Rana el Kaliouby sat down with Osika live on stage at this year’s Masters of Scale Summit to discuss how vibe coding is rewriting the rules of creation and democratizing access to entrepreneurship, and how it will impact software engineering and computer science in the future.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rapid Response: Hollywood’s hottest AI partner, with Runway’s Cristóbal Valenzuela
AI tools are disrupting all types of creative content, and Runway AI is a pioneer making major waves in Hollywood. In this episode of Rapid Response, Runway’s co-founder & CEO Cristóbal Valenzuela dissects the company’s breakneck growth, the risks and responsibilities of AI tool makers, and how AI is redefining both business expectations and our notion of creativity.Visit the Rapid Response website here: https://www.rapidresponseshow.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How Harvey is reinventing legal work with AI
Law is one of the oldest professions in the world, a storied occupation steeped in traditions, where innovation can be challenging. Gabe Pereyra wants to change that with the power of AI. As Co-founder and President of Harvey, he’s creating legal AI tools that augment lawyers in their daily work, from drafting proposals to conducting research. Pereyra joins Pioneers of AI to discuss how Harvey supports lawyers, what it takes to build a growing AI company, and how the legal playbook is shifting.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Arianna Huffington thinks AI could be a GPS for the soul
Personal health and wellness tools are on the rise as more people take ownership of their physical and mental well-being. Arianna Huffington, co-founder of The Huffington Post, believes AI is the key to unlocking small behavior changes for healthier living. As CEO and founder of Thrive Global, she has partnered with Sam Altman to launch Thrive AI Health, a personalized AI health coach designed to expand access to health and wellness for all. Huffington joins Pioneers of AI to share her journey from media mogul to wellness entrepreneur, the importance of self-care, and why she believes AI could be the GPS for our souls.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How Microsoft is democratizing safe AI
Responsible AI is more than a buzzword, it’s a guiding principle at Microsoft. Sarah Bird, Chief Product Officer of Responsible AI, leads the company’s efforts to build and deploy AI products with responsibility at the core. She and her team bring standards across the company’s AI efforts, and have played a central role in building Microsoft Copilot and GitHub Copilot. Bird joins Pioneers of AI to share how Microsoft aligns its tools with an ethical framework, why safety and security must be addressed proactively, and what the rise of red team roles reveals about the future of AI created jobs.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The power of storytelling in VCs, with Jeffrey Katzenberg and ChenLi Wang
WndrCo is a venture capital firm that views storytelling as the foundation of every successful business, and for good reason. Its founding partner, Jeffrey Katzenberg, helped build DreamWorks into one of the most celebrated animation studios in the world. He is joined at the helm by ChenLi Wang, WndrCo’s managing partner and one of the earliest hires at Dropbox. Together, they sit down with Pioneers of AI to discuss how AI shapes their work, why storytelling is essential to building transformative companies, and WndrCo’s recent partnership with Kimbal Musk.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Replay: How AI is shaping the job market, with Hilke Schellmann
This week, Pioneers of AI is bringing back one of our most thought-provoking conversations: How AI is transforming the job market. Hilke Schellmann, journalist and author of “The Algorithm,” has spent years diving into the impact of AI on who gets hired and moves up – or doesn’t. Revisit this episode where we talk about how and why she began reporting on AI and jobs, how AI has changed hiring, and how job seekers can leverage the technology to give them an edge.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Inside how The New York Times leverages AI
For years, news organizations have walked a fine line between embracing new and emerging technologies and safeguarding their IP and content from those same technologies. The New York Times is no exception when it comes to its relationship with AI. Alex Hardiman, Chief Product Officer of The New York Times, is leading the storied news organization’s adoption of AI across the company. She also oversees NYT’s expanding portfolio of products, from NYT Cooking to Games. Hardiman joins Pioneers of AI to discuss the principles guiding the Times’ use of AI, how the organization develops and packages its products, and the enduring relevance of Wordle.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Back to school: How AI is transforming the classroom, with Sal Khan
It’s back-to-school season and questions about how AI is changing the classroom are top of mind for parents, students, and teachers. Sal Khan, the founder of Khan Academy, an education platform that pioneered online learning, is one of the leading voices in the conversation about how AI is shaping education. He joins Pioneers of AI to discuss how AI can free teachers to connect more deeply with their students, how personalized AI tutors can enhance learning, and how both teachers and students can navigate the challenges of cheating.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Can artists and AI coexist?
Award-winning visual artist Shantell Martin has made a name for herself through her signature black-line, graphic drawings that have scaled gallery walls and traced paths across Times Square. She's collaborated with iconic brands like Tiffany & Co, as well as leading artists like Kendrick Lamar. For the past ten years, Martin has also been at the forefront of integrating AI into her process. On this Pioneers of AI episode, we explore what creative control looks like in the age of AI, how AI can unlock new potential for artists, and why we need AI-enabled solutions to protect artists' IP.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Does OpenAI’s new model deliver on the hype? Inside GPT-5 with Jeremy Kahn
OpenAI has released the latest iteration of its flagship product, GPT-5. It arrives after much anticipation, but does it live up to the hype? Jeremy Khan, AI Editor at Fortune, returns to the show to break down what this new model can do. We’ll explore how it performs compared to past iterations, what OpenAI decided to improve and why, and what GPT-5 means for the AI giant’s future.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Possible: Alexis Ohanian on the future of online and offline communities
How do we build products and platforms that support a healthy, prosperous future? What will it take to “make the internet fun again?” Should kids be using AI? This week, serial entrepreneur and investor Alexis Ohanian—who co-founded Reddit two decades ago and is currently working to reinvent the social news aggregator Digg—joins Reid and Aria to talk about (re)building online and offline communities in the age of AI. They hear from Alexis on his recent bid for U.S. TikTok, the startups and women’s sports ventures he’s backing through his VC firm Seven Seven Six, and his approach to raising AI-forward daughters with his wife, tennis legend Serena Williams.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How Writer is helping Fortune 500 companies become AI-forward
As AI becomes a bigger part of the modern workplace, more companies are integrating agents into their workflows, redefining how employees and technology collaborate. At the forefront of this shift is Writer, a company deploying AI agents to take on time consuming tasks, from analyzing customer feedback to drafting business proposals. In this episode of Pioneers of AI, Writer’s co-founder and CEO May Habib joins us to explore the rise of human-AI collaboration, why Writer built its own foundational model, and how she’s leading one of Silicon Valley’s most disruptive AI companies.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How Google DeepMind is building AI that can help humanity
Google DeepMind is the powerhouse artificial intelligence lab behind Google’s AI assistant, Gemini. It’s also behind the groundbreaking AI tool, AlphaFold, that can predict a protein’s 3D structure. DeepMind’s COO, Lila Ibrahim, who’s the former COO and President of Coursera, has built her career on exploring how technology can benefit humanity. She’s now leading Google DeepMind with a mindset of responsibility. In this episode, we explore Ibrahim’s impressive career, how DeepMind manages risk, and the ways AI is revolutionizing education and science.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Can AI talk us out of conspiracy theories?
From deepfakes to fabricated news, AI has been shown to generate convincing deceptive images and videos, increasing the spread of misinformation. David Rand, a professor of Information Science and marketing at Cornell University, is using the same technology for a different purpose: debunking those very same conspiracy theories. In a recent and groundbreaking study, Rand and his team asked participants who believed in conspiracies to talk with an AI chatbot specifically designed to reduce those beliefs. The results were surprising. Rand joins Pioneers of AI to discuss what makes conspiracy theories so alluring, how AI can be a powerful tool for debunking them through fact-based conversations, and what this could mean for combating other forms of misinformation.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How today’s AI giants mirror global empires of the past, with journalist Karen Hao
In her New York Times bestseller “Empire of AI,” journalist Karen Hao traces the rise of an intriguing and controversial tech giant: OpenAI. In years spent chronicling the company, she came to a theory of how OpenAI’s operating model mimics imperialist empires of the past – and how other major AI players have followed suit. Hao’s history and analysis take up the evolution of Open AI’s original mission to its current corporate reality, its reliance on the extraction of data, and the exploitation of labor and resources. Her work is a call to rethink how technology systems are built, and how we can collectively steer AI development away from empire-building toward a more equitable future. Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What humans get (and don’t get) from AI, with MIT’s Pattie Maes
Artificial general intelligence, or AGI, is the next horizon that could match or surpass human thinking. Companies are investing billions in it, but not necessarily in projects to help humans with our memory, health, or well-being. MIT Media Lab professor Pattie Maes believes a different approach to how we advance AI could center and even re-define the human experience. With more than 30 years of experience in AI, she co-leads the Advancing Humans with AI (AHA) initiative and explores what it will take to ensure that AI supports human flourishing. In this episode Maes shares her benchmarks for this goal, along with research on outcomes for humans using AI every day.Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofaiAt the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Possible: Latanya Sweeney on AI, trust, and privacy
How does the rise of AI impact our sense of what’s true? How can humans maintain a degree of individual privacy and unlock the benefits of AI while mitigating potential harms? In this episode, Reid and Aria sit down with data privacy pioneer Latanya Sweeney, Professor of Government and Technology at Harvard; former Chief Technology Officer at the U.S. Federal Trade Commission; and founder of Harvard’s Public Interest Tech Lab and Data Privacy Lab. They discuss the future of privacy protection, technocracy vs. democracy, teaching in the age of AI, governance, content moderation, and more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.