

"The Cognitive Revolution" | AI Builders, Researchers, and Live Player Analysis
Erik Torenberg, Nathan Labenz
A biweekly podcast where hosts Nathan Labenz and Erik Torenberg interview the builders on the edge of AI and explore the dramatic shift it will unlock in the coming years.The Cognitive Revolution is part of the Turpentine podcast network. To learn more: turpentine.co
Episodes
Mentioned books

9 snips
Jul 27, 2024 • 1h 32min
Zooming Out on AI, from the Nick Halaris Show
Nathan Labenz, an AI expert and host of The Nick Halaris Show, dives into the dynamic landscape of artificial intelligence. He examines the transformative effects of AI on healthcare, law, and business efficiency, while urging a cautious approach to innovation. The conversation highlights the critical balance between excitement for AI advancements and the ethical considerations of safety and control. Labenz also discusses the potential for Universal Basic Income in response to job displacement and the geopolitical ramifications of AI development.

29 snips
Jul 24, 2024 • 1h 25min
From Poetry to Programming: The Evolution of Prompt Engineering with Riley Goodside of Scale AI
Riley Goodside, the world's first staff prompt engineer at Scale AI, shares his insights on the evolution of prompt engineering, revealing its shift from creative prompts to structured methodologies. He discusses the impact of language models like GPT-4 on AI applications and the need for effective integration and self-awareness in chatbot functionality. Riley also delves into weight Frankensteining, task-specific optimization, and the future of AI, highlighting career opportunities in prompt engineering and the economic benefits of automation in the industry.

25 snips
Jul 19, 2024 • 1h 21min
Long-Term Memory for LLMs, with HippoRAG author Bernal Jiménez Gutierrez
Bernal Jiménez Gutiérrez, a PhD candidate at Ohio State University and lead author of HippoRAG, delves into his innovative approach to retrieval-augmented generation inspired by the human hippocampus. He discusses how HippoRAG enhances memory processing in AI, particularly in complex queries requiring multi-hop reasoning. The conversation also touches on the parallels between brain mechanisms and AI systems, challenges in biomedical NLP, and how modular AI can improve cognitive abilities. Gutiérrez provides insights into the future of AI memory systems and their potential.

5 snips
Jul 17, 2024 • 1h 43min
Guaranteed Safe AI? World Models, Safety Specs, & Verifiers, with Nora Ammann & Ben Goldhaber
Nora Ammann, co-author of the Guaranteed Safe AI framework, and Ben Goldhaber dive deep into AI safety. They discuss a groundbreaking three-part system for ensuring robust AI behavior. Highlights include the necessity for quantitative safety metrics and collaborative, interdisciplinary approaches to mitigate risks. They tackle ethical dilemmas like the trolley problem in real-world AI applications and advocate for building resilient safety standards. The duo emphasizes the importance of innovative governance structures to foster responsible AI development.

Jul 13, 2024 • 1h 56min
The ARC Prize: Efficiency, Intuition, and AGI, with Mike Knoop, co-founder of Zapier
In a riveting chat, Mike Knoop, co-founder of Zapier and the ARC Prize, dives into groundbreaking concepts of AI efficiency and general intelligence. He explains the ARC benchmark's pivotal role in evaluating AI's problem-solving capacity and its implications for safety. The conversation highlights the necessity of intuitive frameworks in AI, the challenges of generalization, and innovative strategies for AGI development. Knoop emphasizes open collaboration through initiatives like the ARC Prize, aiming to push the boundaries of AI architectures toward human-level capabilities.

Jul 11, 2024 • 1h 16min
A Foundation Model for Food, with Chef Robotics CEO Rajat Bhageria
In a fascinating conversation, Rajat Bhageria, founder and CEO of Chef Robotics, shares insights into how AI and robotics are set to transform food production. They discuss the potential of robots in enhancing food assembly efficiency while improving labor conditions in kitchens. Bhageria dives into topics like imitation learning and data flywheels, highlighting how customizable meals can be produced by robotic kitchens. He envisions a future where high-quality meals become accessible to everyone, ultimately reshaping the industry.

70 snips
Jul 9, 2024 • 1h 16min
Delving into The Prompt Report, with Sander Schulhoff of LearnPrompting.org
Sander Schulhoff, creator of LearnPrompting.org and author of the Prompt Report, dives deep into innovative prompting techniques for AI. He discusses best practices and the challenges faced in ensuring effective prompts. The conversation highlights new developments in generative AI courses and automated systems, along with insights into advanced methods like few-shot prompting. Schulhoff also addresses misconceptions in prompt optimization and the critical role of training methodologies, revealing how these elements shape the future of AI performance and collaboration.

16 snips
Jul 6, 2024 • 1h 12min
Building an Intelligent Business OS, with Runway CEO Siqi Chen
Siqi Chen, CEO of Runway, is reshaping business finance with AI. He discusses creating an intelligent operating system that simplifies financial scenarios for both finance and non-finance professionals. Siqi explores how AI enhances decision-making and democratizes financial knowledge, while sharing insights on the integration of advanced language models. He also addresses the importance of infrastructure in maximizing AI potential and the challenges of applying AI in real-world contexts, emphasizing the importance of human creativity as tech evolves.

38 snips
Jul 4, 2024 • 1h 42min
The State Space Model Revolution, with Albert Gu
Albert Gu, an assistant professor at CMU and co-founder of Cartesia AI, delves into the innovative Mamba architecture and the state space model revolution. He highlights the groundbreaking shift toward biologically inspired memory models, contrasting traditional approaches with new methods that enhance information processing. The conversation also touches on the advancements from Mamba 1 to Mamba 2, optimizing performance through improved state management and model efficiency. Gu's insights paint a thrilling picture of AI's future, emphasizing curiosity and breakthroughs in research.

38 snips
Jun 28, 2024 • 1h 48min
AI Safety Regulations: Prudent or Paranoid? with a16z's Martin Casado
Join Martin Casado, General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz, as he navigates the complex landscape of AI and its future. He discusses the intricate challenges of regulating AI amidst rapid advancements, the balance between innovation and safety, and the ethical implications of AI technologies. Casado also explores the evolution of AI, highlighting the dichotomy between generative AI systems and human cognition. Dive into the tensions between corporate autonomy and regulatory demands, and gain insights into the practical outcomes of informed AI policies.