Episodes

  • 2025-02-01 Saturday Special

    2025-02-01 Saturday Special
    Feb 1 2025
    Each Saturday we take the headlines of daily podcast and ask ChatGPT to create a Sci-Fi story inspired by the news. The outcome for this week is this short story.

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    5 mins
  • AI Updates, Tech Trends, and Market Insights: Good Morning from OWITH.ai

    AI Updates, Tech Trends, and Market Insights: Good Morning from OWITH.ai
    Jan 31 2025
    Good morning from OWITH.ai: the podcast that gives you only what's important to hear in AI and tech world.Nation-state hacking groups are utilizing Google's Gemini chatbot to work more efficiently in cyber operations, though they have not yet used AI to create novel attack methods. The release of Deepseek's R1 and OpenAI's ChatGPT for government use raises concerns about potential misuse of AI in hacking and espionage operations. It is crucial to stay vigilant against emerging threats in the cybersecurity landscape.Customer feedback is essential for companies, and Unwrap, a customer intelligence platform founded in 2022, aims to make feedback actionable by using AI to analyze data from reviews, surveys, and social media. Unwrap's innovative approach has attracted clients like Microsoft and JetBlue. Recent venture deals in technology and startups, including funding rounds and acquisitions, showcase investments in various sectors like energy, grid technology, AI development, and security platforms.Microsoft reported strong quarterly results but a weaker-than-expected outlook, causing shares to fall. Meta exceeded Q4 earnings expectations but predicts a slowdown for the current quarter. Deepseek is facing scrutiny for inaccuracies and lack of safety guardrails in its AI model. Updates on other companies like GM, IBM, Softbank, Comcast, Tesla, Waymo, and startup closures in 2024 are also highlighted.The growing federal deficit, now at $32.2 trillion national debt, raises concerns among investors. CEO Bruce Lee of Keebeck Wealth Management suggests austerity measures to address the deficit. Other news includes Fed Chairman Jerome Powell's decision on interest rate cuts, Audi and Porsche considering U.S. manufacturing sites, and a potential export ban on Nvidia AI chips. Managing the deficit, aviation safety, economic policies like tariffs and interest rates are key challenges.Deepseek's open-source AI model, Deepseek-r1 has outperformed leading models like OpenAI's O1 and Meta's Llama. The success of Deepseek raises questions about the future of AI technology and the balance between open-source and closed-source models. Despite concerns about impact on Western closed-source business models, Deepseek's release has led to increased commoditization in the AI sector. CEO emphasizes enjoying the music and taking breaks in the fast-paced tech industry.

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    2 mins
  • AI Geopolitics, OpenAI Drama, and LA Tech Community: A Recap from OWITH.ai

    AI Geopolitics, OpenAI Drama, and LA Tech Community: A Recap from OWITH.ai
    Jan 30 2025
    Good morning from OWITH.ai: the podcast that gives you only what's important to hear in AI and tech world.In recent AI geopolitics debate, Gary Marcus and China's Victor Gao covered topics like censorship, intelligence, tariffs, and more. Anthropics CEO Dario Amodei's essay on China and DeepSeek was also discussed, with Marcus providing insights. While some of Amodei's points are valid, Marcus believes focusing on innovative technology is key to success in the AI field.OpenAI is facing criticism for potentially breaking terms of service and intellectual property rights. The company is now being threatened by another company, DeepSeek, for similar actions at lower costs. Gary Marcus discusses these issues on CNBC's Squawk on the Street. Subscribe to Marcus on AI for more updates on the OpenAI drama.The LA Tech Community Cares Fund raised over $580,000 to provide emergency relief to Angelenos affected by devastating fires. Leaders like Josh Porter and Dustin Rosen spearheaded this initiative, showcasing the collaborative spirit of the LA tech ecosystem.The U.S. government is responding to DeepSeek's impact on the stock market, while RTX has a billion-dollar backlog in aviation and defense contracts. Block has launched an open-source AI agent called Goose, allowing developers to customize AI agents for various purposes. Other tech news updates include Apple's security vulnerabilities and AT&T's Q4 earnings beating expectations.Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman faces challenges in the housing market due to recent wildfires in Los Angeles. Despite these difficulties, Kelman emphasizes emotional support for employees. Other news includes updates on Fortune 500 companies and insights from top analysts.Experts at the World Economic Forum raised concerns about giving AI models agency and highlighted the risks of using AI agents like Salesforce's automation tasks. Workforce training in using AI tools effectively is crucial, along with international governance to regulate super powerful AI systems. President Trump's executive order on AI and developments in AI technology were also discussed.

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    2 mins
  • Debunking Myths and Understanding Deepseek: A Deep Dive into China's AI Innovation

    Debunking Myths and Understanding Deepseek: A Deep Dive into China's AI Innovation
    Jan 29 2025
    Good morning from OWITH.ai: the podcast that gives you only what's important to hear in AI and tech world.The text debunks 10 popular myths about Deepseek, including claims that it is more lobotomized than US models, can achieve what OpenAI needs billions for with just $5 million, its cheap achievements mean scaling laws don't work, and that Nvidia's crash happened because the stock was overpriced. It clarifies that Deepseek's team is not tiny compared to US AI labs, the app does not take all private data, its models are not open source, and it is not Liang Wenfeng's side project. It also addresses myths about hardware export controls not working and Deepseek being China's "ChatGPT moment."The article discusses five key points about DeepSeek R1 that most people do not seem to understand. Firstly, it is not necessarily smarter than earlier models but rather trained more cheaply. Secondly, it does not completely solve issues like hallucinations or reliability problems. Thirdly, it is still expensive to operate, especially for longer thinking processes like O3. The biggest threat posed by DeepSeek R1 is not to Nvidia, but rather to companies like OpenAI and Anthropic due to potential price wars.DeepSeek's impact on the venture capital world and AI investing has caused disruption in Silicon Valley's AI playbook, leading to uncertainty and questions about industry assumptions. Many VCs are remaining calm and analytical, waiting to see how the situation unfolds. Jenny Xiao views DeepSeek as a triumph of open source over closed source, posing challenges for companies like OpenAI. Despite the frenzy over DeepSeek, its existence since 2023 serves as a reminder to pay attention to Chinese AI innovations.A Chinese AI startup called Deepseek is causing a significant impact on the tech industry, particularly on U.S. companies like Nvidia. Deepseek's low-cost AI technology has led to a stock market rout for tech companies, with Nvidia losing a significant amount of market capitalization. Deepseek's success has also raised concerns about the competitiveness of U.S. firms in the AI sector and has implications for open-source AI models.The release of the Chinese AI model DeepSeek R1 has caused disruption in the tech industry, leading to debates on US vs. China dynamics, closed source vs. open source, and expensive vs. cheap technology development. President Trump has called it a wakeup call for Silicon Valley, while analysts are skeptical about its claims and impact on companies like Nvidia.Deepseek, a Chinese AI startup founded in 2023, has made significant advancements in AI technology, challenging the dominance of US companies like Nvidia. The company's focus on foundational advancements and efficient engineering techniques has raised questions about the future of AI competition between the US and China. The emergence of Deepseek highlights the ingenuity thriving under constraints imposed by US export controls and may attract investment and talent away from other Chinese AI startups.Thank you for listening to OWITH.ai: the podcast that brings you the latest updates in AI and tech world.

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    3 mins
  • Deepseek: The Unexpected Challenger in AI Innovation

    Deepseek: The Unexpected Challenger in AI Innovation
    Jan 28 2025
    Good morning from OWITH.ai: the podcast that gives you only what's important to hear in AI and tech world.Deepseek, a Chinese AI startup, has surpassed American AI companies to become the number one app in the app store, challenging assumptions about AI innovation leadership. This unexpected success prompts speculation about the future of AI innovation and global power dynamics, requiring a collaborative approach towards China. Despite facing challenges like export controls and reliance on Western advances, Deepseek has developed competitive models. However, the company may struggle to keep up without access to advanced chips, potentially driving China to develop its own semiconductor solutions.Transitioning to DeepSeek's technological advancements, they have made significant progress in AI with models like V3, incorporating features like DeepSeekMoE and DeepSeekMLA to reduce training costs and improve efficiency. The development of models like R1 and R1-Zero through distillation and reinforcement learning shows promise in unlocking new levels of intelligence in artificial systems. Despite potential benefits, challenges remain in making models more understandable to humans and ensuring they perform well across different domains. The text also discusses the significance of openness in the AI industry, emphasizing the need for embracing competition and eliminating barriers to innovation to stay competitive in the AI landscape.Moving on to David Haber, a general partner at a16z, his background in finance and fintech influences his approach to investing in enterprise software. His experience at Goldman Sachs shapes his perspective on investing in software that can help businesses solve workflow challenges. Since joining a16z in 2021, he has expanded his portfolio beyond fintech to include AI-powered software that addresses workflow issues. Haber focuses on identifying companies that lead with software solutions for businesses' workflow challenges and leveraging his connections between the startup ecosystem and larger institutions.Shifting gears to Perplexity, a San Francisco AI startup, they have presented a proposal to acquire TikTok's U.S. business, potentially giving the U.S. government up to a 50% stake in the new entity. Meanwhile, Deepseek, a Chinese AI assistant, is gaining attention in Silicon Valley with its cost-effective reasoning model. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced plans to spend $65 billion on AI infrastructure this year. The text also discusses various other topics such as "Tesla shame" in the Netherlands, Siri's declining performance, and Spotify's new licensing agreement with Universal Music Group.Lastly, touching on the trend of retired CEOs returning to the corner office and various news stories including Russia's financial struggles, Elon Musk's criticism of Trump's AI investment plan, President Yoon of South Korea being indicted, Colombia agreeing to take back deported migrants from the U.S., and the CIA's conclusion on COVID-19's origins. Market updates include tech stocks being down due to China's AI model gaining traction and insights on potential future events such as another pandemic.In conclusion, the rise of Deepseek as a potential competitor to DeepMind highlights that AI supremacy is not just about computing power or U.S. leadership but also about making models more efficient and accessible to everyone. The importance of empowering workers and creating a collaborative environment is emphasized, along with the impact of Deepseek's models on the AI industry. The increasing investment in AI infrastructure underscores the relevance of Deepseek's work for the global AI community.

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    3 mins
  • Stay Ahead with OWITH.ai: Your Weekly Update on AI and Tech Trends

    Stay Ahead with OWITH.ai: Your Weekly Update on AI and Tech Trends
    Jan 27 2025
    Good morning from OWITH.ai: the podcast that gives you only what's important to hear in AI and tech world. The current state of the race for AI supremacy is heating up, with Chinese companies challenging American tech giants. As advancements continue, the effectiveness of government policies in maintaining a competitive advantage is being questioned. Large Language Models (LLMs) are at the forefront of this race, but concerns about rushed development cycles, biased outputs, and privacy breaches are arising. True innovation beyond LLMs is needed to secure a lead in Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). Betting solely on LLMs may not be the path to AGI by 2027, given their opacity and unwieldiness. Fostering true innovation will be key to gaining a competitive edge in the global AI landscape.Transitioning to this week's AI developments, OpenAI introduced 'Operator' for task automation, while DeepSeek launched their R1 model as a competitor. Perplexity also made waves with their Android-based assistant and Sonar API. Unitree's G1 bionic humanoid robot showcases advancements in robotics technology, while AI's potential in education is highlighted for personalized learning. The evolving pricing of AI services predicts a decrease in costs as intelligence becomes more commoditized, driving progress in various sectors.CRV-backed startups are navigating remote work policies with a focus on in-person collaboration for quick decision-making and company culture. Recent funding rounds and transactions in the business world are shaping post-pandemic work environments. Startups are balancing remote work benefits with in-person collaboration to meet employee preferences and business needs effectively.President Trump's executive order exploring a national digital asset stockpile could impact cryptocurrencies seized by the government. OpenAI's Operator launch and Trump's actions against the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board are notable news. Other updates include Subaru security flaws, Reliance's data center plans, and HSBC shutting down Zing payments app. Epic adds third-party games to its app store, Twilio's stock surges, and Pakistan passes a social media bill.Moving on to discussions around shortselling, Nike's new CEO, and market situations with stocks hitting all-time highs. The World Economic Forum in Davos is abuzz with talks on climate change and AI deployment's impacts on early careers. XR and AI technologies intersect to shape immersive experiences in virtual environments. Companies like Meta and Apple are investing heavily in AI and XR technologies for enhanced user experiences.The $500 billion data center building spree under the Stargate project signals a trend towards AI infrastructure projects. The Biden administration continues to focus on accelerating AI infrastructure development for economic growth. Tech giants like Microsoft, Google, and Meta are heavily investing in AI infrastructure across the United States, raising environmental concerns and national security implications.Stay curious and engaged with these evolving developments in XR and AI technology to understand their potential impact on our future. Thank you for tuning in to OWITH.ai for your weekly dose of essential AI and tech news.

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    3 mins
  • 2025-01-25 Saturday Special

    2025-01-25 Saturday Special
    Jan 25 2025
    Each Saturday we take the headlines of daily podcast and ask ChatGPT to create a Sci-Fi story inspired by the news. The outcome for this week is this short story.

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    5 mins
  • Navigating the AI and Tech World with OWITH.ai

    Navigating the AI and Tech World with OWITH.ai
    Jan 24 2025
    Good morning from OWITH.ai: the podcast that gives you only what's important to hear in AI and tech world.Netflix's recent success and market value surge can be attributed to their adoption of a "flywheel" approach, similar to Amazon's strategy. This approach focuses on components like subscribers and average revenue per user to drive growth and engagement. The introduction of an ad-supported tier and pursuit of live sports are seen as potential new levers for increasing revenue. In contrast, the Stargate project, a $500 billion plan to build data centers for AI, is seen as a high-stakes gamble with uncertain returns. Microsoft is also making efforts to offset its carbon footprint by purchasing carbon credits from a Brazilian company.Today's CEO Daily covers the events at Davos, with Trump addressing the World Economic Forum via video link and threatening Putin over Ukraine. The markets are performing well, with most major indexes at or approaching all-time highs. Nicolai Tangen, CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management, recommends selling U.S. tech stocks, while Nadella wades into a fight between Musk and Altman. The text also includes analyst notes from Goldman Sachs, Herb Greenberg, Convera, and Apollo.The text covers various topics related to technology, including discussions at the World Economic Forum on AI implementations, governance, and geoengineering to combat climate change. Deepseek's open reasoning model, Deepseek-R1, is highlighted for its transparency and performance in benchmarks. Affordable humanoid robots from Chinese companies like Unitree and EngineAI are discussed, reflecting China's push for global leadership in robotics. The text also touches on the Texas AI law, GenAI for electronics, and the potential benefits of AI-generated chip designs.Project Stargate is a $500 billion initiative aimed at enhancing AI capabilities in the United States, with OpenAI emerging as a key player supported by major tech companies. However, doubts exist about the accuracy of the investment figure. The project is seen as a way for financial elites to control AI development, with concerns about monopoly capitalism and potential displacement of jobs. OpenAI's relationship with Microsoft is strained, and questions linger about the company's funding sources and ability to deliver on promises. Despite Trump aligning with OpenAI, there are concerns about the impact of Project Stargate on the AI industry and global economic systems. Elon Musk has expressed doubts about OpenAI's ability to fund projects like Stargate. The project raises concerns about monopoly control in the AI sector and could have unintended consequences for workers. The concept of a stargate is used metaphorically in discussions about AI emergence and national defense, referencing past projects like the U.S. Army's Stargate Project.Thank you for listening to OWITH.ai: the podcast that keeps you informed on all things AI and tech!

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    3 mins