Data Renegades

In this engaging conversation, guest Maxime Beauchemin, the creator of Apache Airflow and Superset, shares his journey from building data warehouses at Ubisoft to revolutionizing data tooling. He reveals the inspiration behind Airflow, the challenges of scalable BI, and his mission with Preset to disrupt conventional analytics. Maxime discusses the implications of AI on data practices, the future of data roles, and the importance of open-source governance in fostering healthy data teams. A treasure trove of insights for data enthusiasts!

Simon Willison, a prominent open-source software developer and data journalism advocate, shares his journey from creating Django to building Datasette. He discusses the evolution of data journalism and highlights impactful projects like the Washington Post's opioid investigation. The conversation explores how open-source tools can empower newsrooms, the potential of AI in automating data cleaning, and innovative uses of Datasette for diverse purposes. Simon also predicts a future where AI reshapes data workflows and enriches team capabilities.

In this debut episode of Data Renegades, CL Kao and Dori Wilson dive into the unconventional paths that led them into developer tools, civic tech, and machine learning systems. CL recounts his experience building early open source infrastructure, mobilizing communities through data transparency projects, and now shaping how we design software around LLMs. This episode sets the tone for the show’s mission: celebrating builders who redefine the boundaries of what tools can do.