Today, Will Summerlin hosts a conversation with Manu Sharma, founder and CEO of Labelbox, a privately held data curation and artificial intelligence (AI) company. In the episode, Manu unpacks the role of AI in powering real-world solutions, discusses why he believes the AI paradigm shift is really all about data, and what motivates him to create a product suite to orchestrate AI activities. We also dive into the rapid AI driven transformations that enterprises are facing today, how they navigated solutions for data engines before Labelbox, and what the impact of unsupervised learning is on the need for labeling. You’ll hear why Manu believes AI is more accessible than ever before, and how John Deere is implementing artificial intelligence in their daily work. Additionally, you’ll hear about the role of the government, and about remote and in-person culture.

• How Labelbox tries to improve mission-critical AI systems across industries by building software products.
• Manu’s experience working in satellite imaging at Planet Labs before starting Labelbox.
• What it was like to see AI applications powering real-world solutions for the first time.
• Why the Manu believes the AI paradigm is really all about data.
• How the need to create a product suite to orchestrate AI activities motivated Manu to create Labelbox.
• The rapid AI driven transformations that enterprises using Labelbox experience today.
• How enterprises navigated solutions for data engines before Labelbox.
• How Tesla has built a data engine to create a closed loop system.
• What AI labeling actually is.
• The impact of unsupervised learning on the need for labeling.
• Three layers of AI capabilities.
• Why AI is accessible to everyone today.
• How AI powers John Deere’s tractors through See & Spray technology.
• The biggest challenge that AI adopters are facing today.
• Manu’s prediction for the rate of progress in AI technology.
• Government progress in AI and digital warfare.
• The importance of finding people who are on board with the values of the company.
• Why Labelbox has embraced remote culture.
• Working together in person and building a team culture at Labelbox.