Episode 15: Selling AI to the Fortune 500 w/ Snorkel AI CEO Alex Ratner
Mar 13, 2024
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Snorkel AI CEO Alex Ratner joins the hosts to discuss selling AI to Fortune 500 companies, data-centric versus model-centric AI, flashy demos versus actual production value. Snorkel Flow helps fine-tune generative models with programmatic approaches to enhance results.
Replacing manual data annotation with programmatic approaches for better AI results.
Structuring design partnerships with a few close collaborators to avoid overfitting and ensure success.
Deep dives
Value of Data in LLM World
The demand for data in the LLM world is evolving towards valuing private and domain-specific data due to its higher value. Data that is heavily correlated with private, domain-specific silos tends to be more valuable, as it distinguishes from standard, public data sources.
Structuring Design Partnerships
In structuring design partnerships, it is advisable to focus on unscalable, close collaborations with a few partners to ensure success. Avoid overfitting to a partner's specific needs or becoming a consultant. Charge non-trivial fees for partnerships to ensure commitment and prioritize the partner's success.
Relationship with Apple and Google
The relationships with Apple and Google originated from collaborative research days in Stanford and UW Labs. Current partnerships with cloud providers like Google Cloud, Azure, and AWS focus on clear, mutually exchanged objectives rather than primarily channel partnerships.
Handling Pressure for Data Annotation Pipelines
There is pressure to incorporate LLMs as a foundation for data annotation pipelines, not only from investors but primarily from users and prospective users. The approach is to view LLMs as jumpstarts that require subsequent tuning and additional processes to address areas where they do not work out of the box.
At this Thursday Nights in AI, hosts Ali Rohde and Kanjun Qiu discussed selling AI to Fortune 500 companies, data-centric versus model-centric AI, flashy demos versus actual production value, and more with Alex Ratner, co-founder and CEO of Snorkel AI.
Snorkel AI believes that AI teams can get better results faster by replacing highly manual data annotation with programmatic approaches that more efficiently capture and apply subject matter expertise. Its data development platform, Snorkel Flow, helps companies fine-tune and align generative models with these programmatic approaches.
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About Outset Capital: Outset Capital is led by Ali Rohde, Kanjun Qiu, and Josh Albrecht — AI practitioners investing in AI, deeptech, and the future of work. We back companies at the outset and love to be the first check in.
About Imbue: Imbue is an AI research company aiming to rekindle the dream of the personal computer—by creating practical AI agents that can accomplish larger goals and safely work for us in the real world. They are hiring! https://imbue.com/careers
About WndrCo: Founded in 2016 by Sujay Jaswa, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and ChenLi Wang, WndrCo builds & invests in companies whose products are revolutionizing how people live and work. WndrCo's investments include 1Password, Aura, Databricks, Figma, Material Security, and Pilot. https://bit.ly/tnai-wndrco
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