Navigating Innovation and Regulation in AI

If you work in tech, you’re likely in one of two camps: thinking about using AI agents, or already deploying tens of them.

That’s why Emma Burrows cofounded Portia AI, a platform which helps businesses build and use AI agents securely, in-house — and which secured £4.4m in a seed round led by General Catalyst back in April.

Emma's no stranger to a breakneck sector: before founding Portia, she was UK chief technology officer at payments giant Stripe, and previously built out the ecommerce stack at Charlotte Tilbury.

In this week’s episode of the Sifted podcast, Emma joins editor Amy Lewin to talk about what AI agents can and cannot do, the very real risks they pose to junior engineering jobs — and why she doesn’t feel ‘mum guilt’.

Key moments:

0.00: Intro and about Portia AI

3.00: How companies are using AI agents

9.00: Impact of AI agents on junior engineers

15.07: What AI Emma uses to code

16.00: Transition from Stripe to founding a company

19.15: Being a female founder in AI

22.40: On 996 and hustle culture

24.30: Emma's angel investing

25.40: General Catalyst relationship

27.30: The AI Act

33.00: Quick fire questions and outro