Tech Disruptors

Vikram Taneja, Head of AT&T Ventures, dives into the evolving world of telecom and strategic investments. He discusses his journey to AT&T and the unique, founder-friendly approach of his venture arm. Taneja highlights current trends like physical AI, edge computing, and the promising future of 6G. The conversation touches on how AI optimizes network operations, AT&T's satellite partnerships, and the role of IoT in device management. He also shares insights on emerging investment themes in fintech and network-enabled experiences.

David Lee, CFO of Webtoon and a visionary in digital storytelling, shares insights on the evolution of vertical scrolling comics and the platform's expansion into novels and video content. He discusses the innovative use of AI tools for creator support, ensuring content quality, and combating piracy. Lee highlights partnerships with Disney and Warner Bros., and the unique micropayment model that drives creator earnings. With a focus on Gen Z engagement, he explains how Webtoon aims to democratize storytelling while adapting to global market dynamics.

In a captivating conversation, Rajiv Mehta, Amazon's VP of Conversational Shopping, reveals the future of retail with Rufus, the AI-powered shopping assistant. He shares how Rufus transforms shopping through personalized, natural-language interactions and innovative features like image uploads and price alerts. Mehta discusses the impact of deep personalization on customer loyalty and conversion rates, highlighting that Rufus users are 60% more likely to make a purchase. Expect AI-driven, tailored shopping experiences to redefine how we discover products.

Adam Woodworth, CEO of Wing, Alphabet's drone-delivery subsidiary, shares his insights on the future of drone delivery, emphasizing its potential for consumer packages and groceries. He discusses the evolution of drone technology and regulations, including FAA's proposed rules. Woodworth details the hybrid design of their drones and how they are engineered for suburban deliveries. He also touches on community outreach efforts to address noise concerns and the integration of AI for improved flight safety and efficiency in this transformative delivery service.

Sanjana Parulekar, Senior VP of Product Marketing for AI at Salesforce, dives deep into scaling Agent Force within enterprises. She discusses the importance of preparing unstructured data for AI, emphasizing the role of Data360 and rapid pilot deployments like William-Sonoma's. The conversation explores clever integration through MuleSoft, balancing deterministic workflows with LLM creativity, and overcoming change management hurdles. Sanjana also shares insights on voice agents and how businesses can optimize operations, leading to significant productivity gains.

Join Peter Bailis, Workday's CTO and former Google Cloud leader, as he dives into the exciting evolution of Workday's AI-ready open platform. He highlights how zero-copy data access and API-first design enhance governance and security. Discover the transformative roles of tools like Illuminate and Paradox in streamlining HR and recruiting. Peter emphasizes the importance of connectivity and relevance for enterprise AI, while discussing the competitive landscape for becoming the primary workplace entry point.

Richard Socher, CEO of You.com and a former chief scientist at Salesforce, shares insights on the evolving world of AI-driven search. He explains how You.com differentiates itself through real-time accuracy and privacy-first design while powering search for companies like DuckDuckGo. Socher discusses the challenges of context engineering and the importance of a robust search infrastructure in delivering accurate AI results. He also outlines the competitive landscape and how custom agents are changing productivity dynamics in businesses.

Greg Matson, Senior Vice President at Solidigm, brings 25 years of expertise in memory and storage to the conversation. He discusses how Solidigm is addressing the skyrocketing data demands of AI, with insights on the pivotal shift towards high-capacity SSDs. Greg explains the significant difference between SSD needs for inference and training, while predicting a future with one-petabyte drives. He emphasizes the importance of liquid-cooled SSDs and customer collaboration in staying competitive as demand for flash storage surges.

Rodrigo Liang, Co-founder and CEO of SambaNova Systems, shares insights from his extensive background in semiconductor engineering. He discusses how SambaNova is pioneering air-cooled, energy-efficient AI infrastructure, enabling businesses to scale AI rapidly and sustainably. Liang explains the shift from AI training to inference, emphasizing energy efficiency as a key factor for future AI solutions. He also touches on the increasing demand for sovereign AI deployments and the barriers created by habit and legacy software in the industry.

Saswat Panigrahi, Chief Product Officer at Waymo and autonomous driving expert, joins Mandeep Singh for an engaging dive into the future of self-driving cars. They discuss how Waymo is over 10x safer than human drivers and plans for a significant expansion in 2025 across five cities. Saswat shares insights on leveraging AI for fleet management, the importance of city-specific infrastructure, and the challenges of scaling operations. He invites listeners to reconsider misconceptions about AVs and experience the benefits firsthand.