Harnessing Newsletters and Automation

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

LinkedIn Jobs. A business is only as strong as its people, and every hire matters. Go to https://www.linkedin.com/twist to post your first job for free. Terms and conditions apply

Beehiiv. Power your newsletters with AI tools, referral programs, and ad network features—all in one platform. Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at ⁠https://www.beehiiv.com/twist

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Databricks’ Naveen Rao joins Alex Wilhelm

(8:54) Regulatory challenges and open-source AI

(10:02) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

(13:57) Meta's Llama models and reinforcement learning

(19:46) LinkedIn Ads -  Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(20:55) Open vs. closed source AI models and advances

(28:09) Precision in AI and enterprise applications

(30:20) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.com/twist

(52:08) Tech incumbents' evolution and AI competition

(54:55) AI model sizes and synthetic data quality

(57:29) AI inspiration from biology and future innovation

(1:03:06) Databricks' growth trajectory and potential IPO

(1:04:25) Elliot Easterling of bonbon joins TWIST for a Jam with JCal.

(1:05:16) Bonbon.tech and the rewards platform overview

(1:14:44) Gamification strategies and user engagement

(1:22:18) Exploring growth opportunities and market expansion *

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

Check out the TWIST500: twist500.com

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Check out Databricks: https://www.databricks.com/

Check out Bonbon: https://bonbon.tech

Link to Newsom vetoes SB 1047 article: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj9jwyr3kgeo

The short guide to understanding data intelligence from Databricks: https://www.databricks.com/blog/short-guide-understanding-data-intelligence

Mosaic AI Agent Framework post: https://www.databricks.com/blog/announcing-mosaic-ai-agent-framework-and-agent-evaluation

Data Intelligence Platform product tour: https://www.databricks.com/resources/demos/tours/horizontal/introducing-databricks-intelligence-platform?itm_data=demo_center

Mosaic AI new features and demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acIBdCOj88E

Unity Catalog GitHub: https://github.com/unitycatalog/unitycatalog

“Thinking Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman summary on Medium - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/89308/thinking-fast-and-slow-by-daniel-kahneman/9780385676533

*

Follow Naveen:

X: https://x.com/naveengrao

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naveen-rao-bba5b01/

*

Follow Elliot:

X: https://x.com/e_easterling

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliotteasterling

*

Follow Alex:

X: https://x.com/alex

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm

*

Follow Jason:

X: https://twitter.com/Jason

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(10:02) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

(19:46) LinkedIn Ads -  Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(30:20) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at ⁠https://www.beehiiv.com/twist

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups

Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com