Jim Gao, a mechanical engineer at Google and co-founder of Phaidra, discusses how reinforcement learning can revolutionize energy efficiency in data centers. He shares insights from his collaboration with DeepMind that achieved a remarkable 40% energy savings. Jim highlights the challenges of integrating AI into legacy systems and the urgent need for self-learning technologies to tackle climate change. The conversation also explores the intersection of AI and entrepreneurship, emphasizing risk-taking and the value of co-founders in innovation.