Doug Turnbull

Join search guru Doug Turnbull, who shaped systems at Reddit and Shopify, and John Berryman, the brain behind GitHub Copilot, as they dive into the future of agentic search. They explore the evolution from traditional search to agentic retrieval, spotlighting John's five-level maturity model for AI adoption. Learn why understanding user intent is paramount and discover practical steps to create your own agentic loops. They also share insights on avoiding common pitfalls in search design, emphasizing the importance of real user feedback.

Doug Turnbull, a search engineer at Reddit and author of "Relevant Search," dives into the transformation of search from keyword basics to advanced methods like semantic search and LLMs. He highlights the ongoing challenges of defining relevance based on user intent and context. Doug also discusses the importance of integrating various search techniques for better results, emphasizing the role of operational concerns in shaping search technology. With insights on the resurgence of underappreciated methods like LambdaMART, he shares how understanding user perspectives can significantly enhance search performance.

This discussion features Bret Victor, an innovator in development, and Rachel (by the bay), a commentator on SRE roles. They delve into the turmoil within the Linux community, sparked by a developer's resignation over tensions with maintainers. Rachel expresses her concerns about the diminishing value of SRE positions. Doug Turnbull advocates for hiring junior developers to invigorate the tech workforce, while Baldur Bjarnason predicts the decline of the LLM honeymoon phase, raising questions about the future of AI.