From Academia to Startup: Navigating Change

In this episode of Hard Software, Upal Saha, co-founder & CTO of bem, dives deep into the unvarnished truths of AI development with Viraj Mehta, co-founder of TensorZero. From navigating the messy realities of deploying LLMs in production to the limits of scaling laws, Viraj unpacks the hard-earned lessons of building robust, resilient AI systems.

We explore why magic solutions are a trap, the fallacy of chasing perfection, and how engineering principles from nuclear fusion and control systems can redefine AI development. Viraj also shares insights on creating systems that thrive in real-world chaos, the untapped potential of robust preference optimization, and what’s next as AI outgrows its own training data.

If you’re tired of the hype and want to hear what it really takes to build AI that works in the wild, this episode is packed with bold insights and fresh perspectives on the future of the field.

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