No Priors: Artificial Intelligence | Technology | Startups
Conviction
At this moment of inflection in technology, co-hosts Elad Gil and Sarah Guo talk to the world's leading AI engineers, researchers and founders about the biggest questions: How far away is AGI? What markets are at risk for disruption? How will commerce, culture, and society change? What’s happening in state-of-the-art in research? “No Priors” is your guide to the AI revolution. Email feedback to show@no-priors.com.Sarah Guo is a startup investor and the founder of Conviction, an investment firm purpose-built to serve intelligent software, or "Software 3.0" companies. She spent nearly a decade incubating and investing at venture firm Greylock Partners.Elad Gil is a serial entrepreneur and a startup investor. He was co-founder of Color Health, Mixer Labs (which was acquired by Twitter). He has invested in over 40 companies now worth $1B or more each, and is also author of the High Growth Handbook.
Episodes
Mentioned books
289 snips
Jul 24, 2025 • 33min
The Power of Quality Human Data with SurgeAI Founder and CEO Edwin Chen
Edwin Chen, Founder and CEO of SurgeAI, emphasizes the critical role of high-quality human data in AI training. He shares why he chose to bootstrap his company instead of pursuing venture capital to maintain authenticity. Discussion includes the challenges of scalable oversight and the importance of human evaluation to ensure data quality. Edwin also speculates on the implications of Meta's investment in Scale AI for SurgeAI and ponders whether an underdog can rival giants like OpenAI and Anthropic in the evolving AI landscape.
187 snips
Jul 17, 2025 • 1h 3min
Asimov: Building An Omniscient RL Oracle with ReflectionAI’s Misha Laskin
Misha Laskin, Co-founder and CEO of ReflectionAI, is a former RL lead for Gemini and a passionate advocate for user-focused AI. He discusses their latest project, Asimov, a code comprehension tool designed around customer needs. Misha dives into the challenges of scaling reinforcement learning and the significance of collaborative memory in product development. He also shares insights on the future of artificial superintelligence and reflects on the implications of Google’s decision regarding Windsurf.
242 snips
Jul 10, 2025 • 45min
Why Platforms Win and Point Solutions Fail with Rippling CEO Parker Conrad
Parker Conrad is a three-time founder and CEO of Rippling, having co-founded Zenefits. He shares valuable lessons from Zenefits' challenges and how building a robust platform is crucial for success in SaaS. Conrad discusses the often misguided advice given to founders and stresses the importance of resilience in entrepreneurship. He highlights that AI won't reduce team sizes significantly and emphasizes the need for true ownership within companies. The conversation also touches on the strategic choices founders face between remaining private or going public.
103 snips
Jul 3, 2025 • 49min
Chai-2: The AI Model Accelerating Drug Discovery with Chai Discovery Co-Founders Jack Dent and Joshua Meier
Jack Dent and Joshua Meier, co-founders of Chai Discovery, share their groundbreaking work on the Chai-2 model, revolutionizing antibody design with a remarkable 20% success rate. They discuss how AI can optimize complex molecular properties, reshaping the landscape of drug discovery. The duo emphasizes the importance of structure prediction and offers insights into how biotech professionals can leverage this innovative technology. Tune in to hear their vision for the future of drug development and the skills bioscientists should embrace to thrive in this evolving field.
405 snips
Jun 26, 2025 • 42min
Meet AlphaEvolve: The Autonomous Agent That Discovers Algorithms Better Than Humans With Google DeepMind’s Pushmeet Kohli and Matej Balog
In this conversation, Pushmeet Kohli, VP at Google DeepMind, and researcher Matej Balog dive into AlphaEvolve, a groundbreaking autonomous coding agent. They discuss how this AI discovers new algorithms more efficiently than humans, tackling optimization of matrix multiplication and illustrating its revolutionary potential in solving complex problems. Kohli and Balog also explore the future of self-improving AI, the interplay between human scientists and AI, and the exciting implications for various fields beyond just computer science.
237 snips
Jun 17, 2025 • 45min
The Operating System for Self Driving Cars (and Tanks, and Trucks...) With Qasar Younis and Peter Ludwig of Applied Intuition
In this engaging discussion, Qasar Younis, CEO of Applied Intuition, and Peter Ludwig, CTO, dive into the exciting world of autonomous vehicles. They believe widespread adoption is imminent, driven by advancements in their in-house operating system. The duo explores how self-driving tech could reshape urban design and re-shore vehicle manufacturing jobs to the U.S. They also tackle safety measures for autonomous systems and the competitive landscape of the automotive industry, making a strong case for the future of mobility.
629 snips
Jun 12, 2025 • 41min
Will we have Superintelligence by 2028? With Anthropic’s Ben Mann
Ben Mann, Co-founder of Anthropic and an early engineer at OpenAI, discusses groundbreaking advancements in AI including Claude 4's development and its transition from 'reward hacking' to task efficiency. He explores the future of general versus specialized AI models and offers insights into the economic Turing test as a metric for superintelligence. The conversation delves into ethical AI training techniques, safety measures, and the innovative Model Context Protocol aimed at enhancing collaboration within the AI industry. Will we attain superintelligence by 2028? Tune in to find out!
299 snips
Jun 5, 2025 • 36min
Teaching AI to Understand the Physical World, with Dr. Fei-Fei Li of World Labs
Dr. Fei-Fei Li, an AI pioneer and co-director of Stanford’s Human-Centered AI Institute, discusses the intersection of embodiment and intelligence at World Labs. She emphasizes the importance of spatial intelligence in AI and explores the critical gaps in current systems. Li reflects on her role in creating ImageNet, the challenges of 3D modeling, and the significance of building diverse, fearless teams. Her vision for future robotics reveals how human-centric approaches can pave the way for transformative advancements in technology.
351 snips
May 29, 2025 • 25min
AI Consolidation, Biotech Opportunities, and World Models with Sarah and Elad
Delve into the rapidly evolving AI market as Sarah and Elad discuss whether it’s consolidating into key players. Discover the exciting opportunities in biotech, including innovative reproductive technologies and anti-aging solutions. They highlight the unique challenges startups face in this competitive landscape and explore the fascinating concept of world models, revealing how AI can enhance human reasoning and problem-solving. Prepare for a thought-provoking conversation on the future of AI and its impact on human identity!
470 snips
May 15, 2025 • 32min
AI is Making Enterprise Search Relevant, with Arvind Jain of Glean
Arvind Jain, Founder and CEO of Glean and former Google engineering leader, dives into the future of enterprise search powered by AI. He reveals how large language models are reshaping search capabilities, moving past outdated keyword methods. Arvind discusses why many search tools have failed and the unique challenges Glean faced in a skeptical market. He also highlights the importance of customization and user behavior insights, while teasing exciting developments on the horizon for Glean.
