Generative Now | AI Builders on Creating the Future

Latest Episodes:

Mati Staniszewski (Eleven Labs) and Demi Guo (Pika): The Future of Media and Generative AI Aug 15, 2024

Show notes

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

Episode Chapters
(00:00) Introduction

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

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

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

(10:40) AI models for content creation

(14:20) The research behind AI advancements

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

(23:16) Overcoming challenges in model development

(26:11) Teams behind Eleven Labs and Pika

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Naveen Rao: Inside the Legendary Databricks Acquisition of MosaicML Aug 08, 2024

Show notes

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

Episode Chapters

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

(01:39) Insights on AI and Neuromorphic Computing

(05:37) Founding Nervana and Acquisition by Intel

(08:54) Transition to MosaicML

(17:07) MosaicML's Mission and Growth

(19:36) Open Source AI and Safety

(23:07) Acquisition by Databricks

(24:57) Cultural Alignment and Acquisition Proposal

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

(43:50) Closing Thoughts

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Josh Miller: Building a Better Browser with AI Aug 01, 2024

Show notes

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

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

Episode Chapters

(00:00) Introduction

(01:05) The Inspiration Behind Arc

(02:51) Navigating Distractions in Tech

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

(11:05) The Future of Browsing with Arc

(19:17) Competitive Dynamics in AI

(23:50) The Browser as Your Operating System

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

(28:02) Challenges and Opportunities in AI Summarization

(34:53) Thoughts About Regulating AI

(38:14) Raising Capital and Managing Pressure

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

(48:34) Conclusion

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Madhumita Murgia: Exploring AI Safety Jul 25, 2024

Show notes

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

Episode Chapters

(00:00) Introduction

(03:05) Writing the Book on AI

(05:31) Madhumita’s Career Path

(10:18) Separating the Wheat from the Chaff

(14:32) Stories to watch in AI

(18:58) Closing in on General Intelligence

(22:40) Big Tech vs. Media

(28:32) Code Dependent

(33:34) AI Safety

(38:07) Guiding Principles for AI

(42:37) The Stakeholders in AI Regulation

(46:44) AI’s Positive Impacts

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Nathan Baschez: The New Age of AI Writing Tools Jul 18, 2024

Show notes

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

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

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

Episode Chapters

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

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Guillaume Verdon: Exploring the Intersection of Quantum Deep Learning and AI Jul 11, 2024

Show notes

At some point, we’ve all asked ourselves the core questions to the meanings of life and the universe. It should come as no surprise that tech’s most dynamic players have too, and see generative AI-powered technologies as a way to start answering those questions. This week on Generative Now, Lightspeed Partner and host Michael Mignano speaks with Guillaume Verdon, the founder of Extropic, about the fascinating intersections of physics, AI, and computing. Guillaume discusses how his interest in understanding the universe led him to explore theoretical physics, only to transition into AI and deep learning due to the inherent complexity of natural systems. Additionally, Michael and Guillaume talk about the significance of optimism and adaptability in driving societal growth and technological advancements. They also discuss his creation of the e/acc movement, involvement with the Twitter Anon community, and what Guillaume is doing at Extropic to leverage AI for society’s best possible future.

Episode Chapters

(00:00) Introduction

(02:15) Quantum Deep Learning and AI

(05:27) Guillaume’s Career Path

(10:17) Scaling Intelligence and Civilization

(13:53) Adapting to Change and Growth

(17:16) Optimism and Cultural Impact

(20:10) Regulation and Policy

(27:12) Selective Pressure in AI Development

(28:24) The Birth of Based Beff Jezos

(32:09) The Genesis of Extropic

(35:52) Thermodynamic Computing Explained

(41:06) Future of AI and Thermodynamic Computing

(45:27) Current Progress and Future Plans

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Soumith Chintala: Meta’s AI Strategy, PyTorch, and Llama Jun 27, 2024

Show notes

This week on Generative Now, Lightspeed Partner and host Michael Mignano talks to Soumith Chintala at Generative NYC, a monthly meetup for AI builders hosted by Lightspeed. Soumith is a Vice President and Fellow at Meta and he co-created PyTorch, one of the world’s most beloved ML libraries. He’s had a front row seat to the rise of AI over the past few years at Meta and previously as a researcher at New York University. Michael and Soumith discuss Meta's open-source strategy, and the role of AI models such as LLAMA, and the broader strategy behind AI advancements.

Episode Chapters

(00:00) Introduction to Soumith Chintala, VP at Meta and Co-Creator of PyTorch
(01:05) How PyTorch Was Created
(04:08) Building a Community Around PyTorch
(05:32) Explaining PyTorch and Its Impact
(08:40) Meta's Open Source Strategy and LLAMA
(11:03) AI Models and the Future of Generative AI
(14:16) Implications of AI
(19:45) Open Source vs. Closed Source AI
(23:45) Audience Q&A
(35:03) Closing Thoughts

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Semil Shah: Apple Intelligence, “The End of Software,” and Where Technology Won’t Go Jun 20, 2024

Show notes

Semil Shah sits down with Lightspeed Partner and host Michael Mignano for a quarterly conversation about AI and its evolving impact on startups, VCs, and incumbents. They also discuss Chris Paik’s essay “The End of Software,” tech cleanses, Apple’s WWDC, and the difference in thinking between LCs, GPs, and VCs in the landscape of AI. Semil Shah is the Founding General Partner of Haystack and a General Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners.

Episode Chapters

(00:00) Intro to Episode

(4:42) “The End of Software”

(7:30) Computer Science and Philosophy

(11:19) Where Technology Won’t Go

(19:33) Tech Cleanse

(24:07) WWDC24 - Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference

(26:40) ChatGPT & Apple Intelligence

(33:13) Tim Cook

(45:20) Ben Thompson

(48:10) Google

(52:09) VC and AI

(59:11) How LPs think about AI

(01:06:57) How GPs think about AI

(01:12:56) Vinod Khosla, OpenAI, and Square

(01:14:49) Opposite George

(01:25:40) Jerry Seinfeld, Neal Brennan, Rick Rubin, Lex Friedman

(01:28:53) “The Greatest Show on Earth”

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Bill Dally: The Evolution and Revolution of AI and Computing Jun 13, 2024

Show notes

The explosion of generative AI-powered technologies has forever changed the tech landscape. But the path to the current AI revolution was paved by many breakthroughs. Bill Dally had a hand in quite a few of them.

In this week’s episode of Generative Now, Lightspeed Partner and host Michael Mignano speaks with Bill Dally, NVIDIA's Chief Scientist and Senior Vice President for Research, whose nearly four-decade long career spans from experiments with neural networks in the 1980s to leading NVIDIA's groundbreaking research. He discusses the work at NVIDIA in advancing GPU technology, as well as the shift towards generative AI. Michael and Bill also explore the challenges of keeping up with rapid advancements in AI, the future implications for the industry, and advice for aspiring engineers.

Bill Dally joined NVIDIA in January 2009 as chief scientist, after spending 12 years at Stanford University, where he was chairman of the computer science department. He has published over 250 papers, holds over 120 issued patents, and is an author of four textbooks. Bill received a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Tech, a master’s in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from CalTech.

Episode Chapters
(00:00) Introduction
(00:22) Bill Dally's Journey from Neural Networks to NVIDIA
(01:39) The Evolution of AI and Computing: A Personal Account
(05:48) The AI Revolution: Expectations vs. Reality
(07:58) Inside NVIDIA: The Role of Chief Scientist and the Power of Research
(10:29) Exploring the Frontiers of Generative AI and Research
(14:23) AI’s Role in the Future of Autonomous Vehicles
(20:53) The Impact of AI on Chip Design and Efficiency
(25:55) Building NVIDIA's Elite Research Team
(36:00) Anticipating the Future: Advice for the Next Generation
(39:58) Closing Thoughts

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Matthieu Rouif: How Photoroom Creates a Standout AI Product Jun 06, 2024

Show notes

What makes AI truly useful and impactful for users? That’s the question that drives Matthieu Rouif, CEO and co-founder of Photoroom, the AI-first photo editing app for mobile. This week on Generative Now, Lightspeed Partner and host Michael Mignano talks to Matthieu Rouif about what he learned from his previous ventures in app development, how Photoroom found product market fit early, and how Photoroom went from a feature to a product with more than 150 million downloads and 30 million monthly active users.

Matthieu started working on photo apps decades ago while studying at Polytechnique in France and Stanford in the United States. Matthieu created the first mobile apps for ski resorts and co-founded the HeyCrowd app to make surveys more social. He later was a product leader for Replay Video Editor (Awarded ‘Best App of the Year’ by Apple and Google). While working as a Product Manager at GoPro, he became frustrated with the time-consuming process of manually removing backgrounds in Photoshop and realized that there was a demand for a better solution on the App Store. This led Matthieu to study machine learning, and he met with Eliot Andres, a machine learning expert, and together they created the first version of Photoroom in just two weeks.

Episode Chapters

00:00) Introduction to Matthieu Rouif & Photoroom
(01:57) Matthieu Rouif's Entrepreneurial Journey
(04:44) Early Startup Successes and Lessons Learned
(10:30) The Creation of PhotoRoom: Bridging AI and Usability
(16:45) Finding Product-Market Fit & The Power of User Feedback
(19:40) Scaling PhotoRoom Amidst COVID-19
(21:05) Unlocking User-Centric AI with Open Source
(23:30) Evolving Beyond Background Removal
(30:19) Wider Application of the APIs and Success Stories with Barbie and Netflix
(37:12) Building a Remote Team Culture & “No DM” Policy
(40:37) Landscape of AI Innovation in Paris

Stay in touch:

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