Core Memory

Paul Eremenko, an AI engineer and founder of P-1 AI, talks about his fascinating journey from Ukraine to leading innovation in aerospace. He shares insights on his new AI, Archie, designed to assist in engineering today and revolutionize design for buildings, planes, and rockets in the future. The discussion covers challenges in aviation sustainability, the use of AI in engineering design, and the potential for AI to transform future industries. Plus, his dog Li makes a charming cameo, picking favorites!

Zach Abrams, CEO of Bridge and fintech veteran, dives into the rapidly evolving world of money. He explains stablecoins as stable digital currencies pegged to the dollar, addressing their role in overcoming inefficiencies in traditional finance. The discussion includes the challenges and potential of integrating stablecoins in global payments, especially for B2B transactions. Abrams also reflects on the changing landscape shaped by AI and its implications for financial systems. Expect insights into resilience, innovation, and the future of money in a digital-first world.

Palmer Luckey, founder of Anduril Industries and Oculus VR, dives into groundbreaking tech and personal anecdotes. He discusses the shocking collaboration between Anduril and Meta to create 'Eagle Eye,' a military helmet that integrates VR/AR for soldiers. Luckey reflects on his journey from gaming enthusiasm to military innovation, revealing how his vision blends nostalgia with modern defense. He also touches on the complexities of tech partnerships amid political tensions and offers insights into raising kids in today’s tech-driven world.

Peter Beck, the self-taught founder and CEO of Rocket Lab, shares his incredible journey in the aerospace industry. He discusses the ambitious development of the Neutron rocket and the competitive landscape against giants like SpaceX. Beck reflects on navigating innovation in small towns and cultivating creativity amidst challenges. He also recounts a significant dinner with a key player in space exploration, highlighting the dynamics of the space industry. With community spirit at heart, he invites listeners to his upcoming Rocket Lab event.

Guillaume Verdon, founder of Extropic and known as Beff Jezos, dives into revolutionary concepts of thermodynamic computing and its potential to transform AI. He discusses the significance of transitioning from traditional computing paradigms to probabilistic systems, while advocating for democratizing AI in a landscape dominated by corporate giants. Verdon also reflects on the evolution of open source ideals and critiques the power dynamics in AI, promoting competitive alternatives to ensure innovation and prevent monopolistic control.

Jacob Kimmel, co-founder and president of New Limit, shares insights into revolutionary biotech aimed at reprogramming cellular aging. He discusses their groundbreaking work with transcription factors, which can potentially restore youthful cell functions. Exciting advancements in epigenetic reprogramming are revealed, including successes in rejuvenating old liver cells. Kimmel emphasizes the collaboration between academia and industry driving progress in longevity science, and the challenges faced in gene manipulation as they seek to enhance human health and lifespan.

Earlier this month, Nature published some of the results from a multi-year effort to better understand the visual cortex of mice.The work took place under the MICrONS effort backed by IARPA (Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity), one of the U.S. government’s more exotic research arms. And it represented a ground-breaking attempt to blend cutting-edge techniques in how we analyze brains with artificial intelligence technology.As The New York Times wrote,The researchers zeroed in on a portion of the mouse brain that receives signals from the eyes and reconstructs what the animal sees. In the first stage of the research, the team recorded the activity of neurons in that region as it showed a mouse videos of different landscapes.The researchers then dissected the mouse brain and doused the cubic millimeter with hardening chemicals. Then they shaved off 28,000 slices from the block of tissue, capturing an image of each one. Computers were trained to recognize the outlines of cells in each slice and link the slices together into three-dimensional shapes. All told, the team charted 200,000 neurons and other types of brain cells, along with 523 million neural connections.Andreas Tolias, our guest on today’s podcast, was one of many researchers involved in this effort, and he walked us through MICrONS in detail.Tolias also took us on an exploration of the history and future of brain research and his current passion, which is to represent human brains in digital form. He’s a fascinating man working one of the most fascinating areas of science.This episode was sponsored by the kind people at E1 Ventures. Enjoy! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.corememory.com/subscribe

Coinbase CEO and co-founder Brian Armstrong joins the pod to discuss crypto, crypto, crypto.Well, not really.Everyone asks Armstrong about crypto all the time, so we decided to head in a different direction and focus on his life and his interests around very cutting-edge science. Armstrong, for example, co-founded and backed New Limit, which is working on therapies to reverse the damage of aging. (We’ll have a Core Memory video episode on them soon.)He’s also been on X talking about the Gattaca Stack. This is his vision of the IVF clinic of the future in which people can make eggs from skin cells and do all sorts of gene editing on embryos either to thwart diseases or even give babies some enhancements. And he sees these babies coming to life in artificial wombs.Let’s get weird, y’all. As Coinbase CEO, Armstrong has been to known to generate controversy now and again with some strongly held views on politics in the workplace and on the Feds. The press has not taken kindly to Armstrong at times for said views, and we get into that as well.If you listen to this and need you some more Brian Armstrong, there’s a great documentary on him and Coinbase called Coin.And now on with the show. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.corememory.com/subscribe

Chris Kemp, co-founder and CEO of Astra Space, dives into the highs and lows of rocket manufacturing. He discusses Astra's bold strategy to mass-produce rockets and the recent $80 million investment that has repositioned the company for success. Kemp envisions rapid drone deployments via rockets, revolutionizing military logistics. He humorously reflects on his experiences with media and shares insights on the challenges of transitioning from public to private ownership. The conversation opens a window into the future of space access and innovation.

Dwarkesh Patel, a prominent podcaster and co-author of "The Scaling Era: An Oral History of AI," dives into the world of AI with captivating insights. He discusses the transformative implications of AI advancements on the economy and human society. Sharing experiences from his interviews, he highlights the necessity for balanced perspectives in understanding technology's evolution. Patel also reflects on his upbringing, the transition from computer science to podcasting, and the vital role of mentorship in shaping voices within the podcasting landscape.