Latent Space: The AI Engineer Podcast

Boris Churny, Lead Engineer for Claude Code, and Kat Wu, PM at Anthropic, dive into the cutting-edge world of AI developer tools. They discuss the evolution of Claude Code as a Unix utility that embraces simplicity and user feedback. Listeners learn about its unique command-line functionalities, the balance between AI automation and human coding, and the importance of safety in AI writing tasks. The duo also explores future trends in AI development, highlighting the pressure on developers to adapt to new tech landscapes.

Jo Kristian Bergum, a seasoned search infrastructure expert with two decades at Yahoo and Fast Search & Transfer, dives deep into the evolution of vector databases. He discusses the surge in vector database popularity post-ChatGPT and the misconceptions surrounding embedding-based similarity search. The conversation explores the dynamic interplay between traditional search methods and embedding techniques. Additionally, Joe sheds light on the future of retrieval-augmented generation and the importance of knowledge graphs in AI development.

Vasek Mlejnsky, a visionary from E2B, joins to share insights on building secure cloud sandboxes for AI agents. He discusses the rapid growth of E2B and its adoption by major companies. The conversation dives into the unique challenges posed by early LLMs and the advantages of cloud environments for AI. Vasek highlights practical use cases like code execution and data analysis, while also addressing the shifting landscape of AI frameworks and billing models. His thoughts on future advancements and multi-modality in AI are particularly intriguing.

Michelle Pokrass and Josh McGrath from OpenAI dive into the exciting updates of GPT 4.1. They discuss its enhanced coding capabilities and instruction-following features, making it a developer's new best friend. The conversation touches on the innovative Nano model designed for low latency, and they share the fun of naming projects. With insights into pricing and user interaction, they emphasize the significance of community feedback in evolving AI technology. Plus, get ready for the intriguing benefits of multimodal tasks and cutting-edge reasoning enhancements!

Evan Conrad shares the riveting journey of SF Compute, revealing how they turned financial struggles into opportunities by selling GPU clusters. The discussion dives into the intriguing dynamics of the GPU market, highlighting the unexpected parallels between GPU finances and real estate models. They'll explore the implications of increasing GPU commoditization, customer pricing sensitivity, and the role of long-term contracts in profitability. Additionally, learn about the innovative branding strategies aimed at promoting calmness in tech, alongside the complexities of email innovation.

In this discussion, David Soria Parra and Justin Spahr-Summers, creators of Anthropic’s Model Context Protocol (MCP), reveal how MCP has swiftly emerged as a leading standard in AI integration, overtaking established protocols in popularity. They share the origin story of MCP, the innovative challenges faced during its development, and the profound impact it has on enhancing communication between AI models. Listeners can also explore exciting prospects of open-source governance, the shift from stateful to stateless server models, and the future of AI functionalities through MCP.

Dive into the rapid evolution of AI as experts reflect on the past year's surprises and the race between open-source and closed-source models. Explore the impact of AI builders and the rise of low-code platforms. Delve into the significance of product-market fit and customer support in AI applications. Discover the challenges of innovation and the importance of defensibility in app development. Plus, hear insights on emerging trends and the critical role of community engagement in shaping the future of technology.

Dharmesh Shah, co-founder of HubSpot and creator of Agent.ai, shares his insights on the evolving role of AI in workplaces. He introduces the concept of hybrid teams, where humans and AI collaborate as equal members. The conversation also dives into the nuances of AI business models, particularly the difference between Work as a Service (WaaS) and Results as a Service (RaaS), highlighting the complexities of measuring success. Additionally, Dharmesh discusses the technical challenges of implementing AI agents and the innovative future of user interfaces and professional networks for AI.

Kevin Smith, Co-founder and CEO of Snipd, shares his journey transitioning from quant finance to AI, discusses their innovative podcast app aimed at improving learning and knowledge retention. The conversation dives into the unique AI features of Snipd, such as transcript searching, interactive note-taking, and speaker identification. Kevin highlights the challenges of competing against industry giants and the potential of AI-driven tools to enhance the podcasting experience. Tune in for insights about the future of digital learning through podcasts!

OpenAI is making strides toward 2025 with exciting new tools for developers. The Responses API offers enhanced flexibility and built-in functionalities for complex tasks. A groundbreaking Web Search Tool allows real-time data access with inline citations, making searches more effective. Improvements in the OpenAI Agents SDK introduce vital features like type support and guardrailing for better performance. Plus, the discussion on evolving online language models provides insight into the future of integrated AI capabilities.