
Eye On A.I.
Eye on A.I. is a biweekly podcast, hosted by longtime New York Times correspondent Craig S. Smith. In each episode, Craig will talk to people making a difference in artificial intelligence. The podcast aims to put incremental advances into a broader context and consider the global implications of the developing technology. AI is about to change your world, so pay attention.
Latest episodes

Jun 22, 2025 • 39min
#264 Amr Awadallah: Vectara’s Mission To Make AI Hallucination-Free & Enterprise Ready
Amr Awadallah, CEO and co-founder of Vectara, is on a mission to make AI accurate and secure. He discusses the challenges of AI hallucinations and how his innovative strategies tackle this issue. Awadallah highlights the importance of data quality, real-time hallucination detection, and the collaborative approach to enhance AI performance. He also delves into the significance of trust and transparency in AI for enterprises. This conversation offers valuable insights for anyone interested in the future of reliable, production-ready AI.

Jun 18, 2025 • 54min
#263 Jarek Kutylowski: How DeepL Is Using AI to Break Language Barriers
Jarek Kutylowski, Founder and CEO of DeepL, shares his journey in revolutionizing language translation using AI. He discusses the importance of seamless communication for businesses operating globally and the balance between accuracy and naturalness in translations. Jarek highlights advancements in real-time speech tools and their integration into corporate workflows. The impact of these technologies on multilingual communication and how they enhance productivity while preserving linguistic diversity are key topics, making this a vital listen for anyone involved in global business.

6 snips
Jun 15, 2025 • 53min
#262 Deepak Chopra: How to Use AI to Expand Human Consciousness
Deepak Chopra, a leading medical doctor and expert in integrative medicine, discusses the intersection of AI and human consciousness. He explores whether AI can truly enhance our spiritual journeys or simply simulate wisdom. Chopra introduces his AI model, DeepakChopra.ai, designed to serve as a digital health guide, and shares insights from his book, 'Digital Dharma.' The conversation delves into innovative AI methodologies for health and spirituality, pondering the potential of AI to help individuals achieve personal growth and greater awareness.

39 snips
Jun 12, 2025 • 53min
#261 Jonathan Frankle: How Databricks is Disrupting AI Model Training
In this engaging discussion, Jonathan Frankle, Chief Scientist at Databricks and co-founder of MosaicML, shares insights into innovative AI training techniques. He introduces TAO (Test-time Adaptive Optimization), a method enabling model tuning without expensive labeled data. Jonathan discusses the advantages of synthetic data and reinforcement learning, and how Databricks' reward model enhances performance while minimizing costs. The conversation highlights the potential for transforming AI deployment in enterprises, making it faster and more efficient.

Jun 9, 2025 • 49min
#260 Ash Anwar: How Molecular You Uses AI for Early Disease Detection
Ash Anwar, co-founder and senior director of scientific research at Molecular You, dives into the groundbreaking role of AI in early disease detection. He shares a powerful story of how stage 1 pancreatic cancer was caught through advanced biomarker tracking, demonstrating the potential to predict health years before symptoms arise. Ash emphasizes the shift from reactive to proactive health management and discusses the limitations of genetic testing. With over 250 biomarkers under surveillance, he reveals how personalized health strategies can empower individuals.

Jun 2, 2025 • 57min
#259 Anjney Midha: a16z’s Strategy to Turn AI Startups into Unicorns
Anjney Midha is a General Partner at a16z, specializing in AI startups and helping researchers monetize their innovations. In this engaging discussion, he uncovers how groundbreaking research evolves into successful AI ventures. Anjney shares his insights on the challenges of evaluating AI models and introduces hybrid architectures that blend different tech. He reflects on his investments in Anthropic and Mistral while highlighting the critical need for AI interpretability and collaboration among agents. A must-listen for anyone interested in the future of AI!

May 29, 2025 • 37min
#258 Brian Peterson: How Dialpad is Building the Future of AI-Powered Communication
In this engaging discussion, Brian Peterson, CTO and Co-Founder of Dialpad, shares his vision for the future of AI in communication. With a rich background from Google Voice, he reveals how Dialpad harnesses 8 billion minutes of voice data to craft a sophisticated AI-driven platform. Topics include real-time sales coaching, predictive analytics to prevent churn, and the importance of owning the full tech stack for superior customer experiences. Brian also touches on overcoming AI adoption challenges and the role of automation in enhancing human interactions.

May 25, 2025 • 59min
#257 Ankur Banerjee: How cheqd.io Is Building Trust for AI Agents with Decentralized Identity
Join Ankur Banerjee, Co-Founder and CTO of cheqd.io, as he delves into the future of AI agents and decentralized identity. Discover why digital passports are key for AI to act reliably on our behalf. Ankur explains privacy-first tools that allow AI to verify its own identity without data-sharing worries. Learn about the evolving role of digital credentials, the limitations of biometric verification, and how new protocols ensure safe interactions for agents. This conversation unveils a promising landscape for AI autonomy and trust.

May 22, 2025 • 54min
#256 Stephen Schmidt: Inside Amazon’s AI-Powered Cybersecurity Strategy
Stephen Schmidt, Chief Security Officer at Amazon and former FBI counterintelligence expert, reveals Amazon's cutting-edge AI-powered cybersecurity strategies. He discusses the innovative MadPot honeypot network that tracks cyber threats in real time and the role of AI in alarm triage and threat detection. The conversation also delves into the security challenges of open-source vs. closed-source models and the implications of the $5M Nova Trusted AI Challenge to combat adversarial code. Schmidt emphasizes the critical importance of data privacy and secure AI deployment.

8 snips
May 18, 2025 • 49min
#255 Eric Topol: Why AI is the Most Powerful Tool in Healthcare Now
Eric Topol, a leading cardiologist and author of 'Super Agers', discusses the revolutionary role of AI in healthcare. He reveals how AI can predict illnesses decades before they manifest, harnessing extensive human data for early detection of diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's. The conversation highlights the importance of personalized medicine and the ethical implications of data privacy. Topol emphasizes the shift from merely extending lifespan to enhancing healthspan, showcasing AI’s potential to transform preventative care and patient empowerment.