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    Sam Altman: Entrepreneurial prodigy, Y Combinator President and OpenAI CEO

    enAugust 22, 2019

    About this Episode

    Sam started his first company at 19 – and has launched many more since then. From Y Combinator to OpenAI, his insights and determination spark inspiration. Hear Sam’s ideas about career motivation, and why he thinks the human brain may be replicable in silicon. 

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    Xyla Foxlin, Engineer and YouTube Creator

    Xyla Foxlin, Engineer and YouTube Creator

    Xyla Foxlin is an engineer and YouTuber with a passion for making things dating back to her early childhood love of art and creative exploration. What began as a way to entertain herself with whatever materials she could find blossomed into a career as a content creator and maker, showcasing her skills crafting everything from a rocket to a sailboat. In this episode, Xyla and Kevin discuss the challenges she’s faced in the maker space, overcoming imposter syndrome, and the work she’s done to help encourage other women and people of color interested in science, math, and engineering. 

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    Lisa Su, Chair and CEO, AMD

    Lisa Su, Chair and CEO, AMD

    As Chair and CEO of AMD, Lisa Su leads the transformation of the strategy and product execution of one of the fastest growing semiconductor companies in the world. She’s the recipient of numerous awards, and a recent appointee to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. In this episode, she discusses her upbringing as the daughter of a mathematician, her early interest in engineering and figuring out how things work, and why she thinks this is the most exciting time in hardware in recent decades. 

    Lisa Su | AMD  

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    Year in Review 2023

    Year in Review 2023

    As 2023 comes to an end, we take a look back at some of the year’s most compelling, thought-provoking conversations with guests like Bill Gates, Neil deGrasse Tyson, OpenAI’s Mira Murati, Shopify’s Tobi Lutke, will.i.am, Sci-fi author Adrian Tchaikovsky, and many more. The year’s programs featured a wide range of topics including equity in tech, advocating for science and, of course, the transformative power of AI.  

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    David Kirtley, Co-Founder and CEO, Helion

    David Kirtley, Co-Founder and CEO, Helion

    Helion is building the world’s first fusion power plant, and co-founder and CEO David Kirtley is on a mission to improve access to clean energy for a better future. We’re inspired by the work that they’re doing—in fact, Microsoft recently announced that Helion is going to provide the company fusion power starting in 2028. In this episode, Kevin and David discuss David’s early childhood and how he got interested in science, how he got into the field of fusion, his current role at Helion and how the company is building fusion generators to create zero-carbon electricity. 

    David Kirtley | Helion  

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    William A. Adams, Software Engineer, DEI Innovator, and Philanthropist

    William A. Adams, Software Engineer, DEI Innovator, and Philanthropist

    William A. Adams is a software engineer, DEI innovator, and philanthropist whose contributions to the field have been documented by the Computer History Museum. He spent more than 20 years at Microsoft, where he rolled out critical XML code globally, co-founded the Leap program, and served as Kevin’s first technical advisor. In this episode, Kevin and William discuss how William got interested in STEM at a young age, founding a software development company in the 80s, his career at Microsoft and pioneering D&I programing, and the importance of equity and diversity in tech. 

    William A. Adams 

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    Kevin Roose, Tech Columnist, Podcast Host, and Author

    Kevin Roose, Tech Columnist, Podcast Host, and Author

    Kevin Roose is a technology columnist for The New York Times covering technology innovation, including AI. He’s also the author of three books: his latest, Futureproof, is a “guide to surviving the technological future,” including nine rules to help people more confidently navigate a machine-filled world. In this episode, Roose discusses how he developed an interest in technology at a young age, how he became a journalist and an author (and how technology has impacted both industries), what it’s like writing about AI right now, and the importance of media and journalism to hold companies accountable.  

    Kevin Roose | The New York Times

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    will.i.am, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Musician, and Producer

    will.i.am, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Musician, and Producer

    will.i.am is most well-known as the founder and lead member of the Black Eyed Peas. Simultaneously, he is also an entrepreneur and Founder & CEO of FYI.AI, a Web 3.0 AI messenger, where he spends a lot of his time investing in software and operating systems incorporating AI, natural language understanding, and voice computing. In this episode, Kevin and will.i.am discuss his upbringing and how he got interested in technology, his optimism around AI and where it’s going (especially in creative fields), how he started his foundation providing STEAM education for disadvantaged youth, and much more. 

    This episode includes strong language and may not be appropriate for all audiences.

    will.i.am | FYI.AI 

    will.i.am also co-hosts the Changemakers podcast with Omar Abbosh. Check it out here.

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    Mira Murati, Chief Technology Officer, OpenAI

    Mira Murati, Chief Technology Officer, OpenAI

    Mira Murati is one of the most innovative tech leaders of our time. She has helped to scale OpenAI to the company it is today and leateams to build innovative technologies and products including ChatGPT, DALL-E, and GPT-4. In this episode, Kevin and Mira discuss how she became interested in the sciences and technology, her innate sense of curiosity which led her to a career in artificial intelligence, and how OpenAI is deploying their technology responsibly for developers and consumers.  

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    Neil deGrasse Tyson, Astrophysicist, Author, and Podcast Host

    Neil deGrasse Tyson, Astrophysicist, Author, and Podcast Host

    Neil deGrasse Tyson is one of America’s best-known astrophysicists and a huge advocate for the sciences and scientific thinking. Neil has a great talent for presenting complex concepts in a clear and accessible manner, a critical aspect of his role as an educator and director of the Hayden Planetarium. In this episode, Kevin talks with Neil about his interest in the sciences and innate curiosity, how he stays up to date in pop culture, topics he explores in his book Starry Messenger, and so much more! 

    Neil deGrasse Tyson | StarTalk 

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    Adrian Tchaikovsky, Award-winning Science Fiction and Fantasy Writer

    Adrian Tchaikovsky, Award-winning Science Fiction and Fantasy Writer

    Adrian Tchaikovsky is an award-winning science fiction and fantasy writer and probably one of our favorite authors right now. He is best known for his series Shadows of the Apt and Children of Time. In this episode, Kevin talks with Adrian about his upbringing and how he got interested in science fiction, his unique storytelling abilities, and how current AI technology such as ChatGPT will impact the future of sci-fi novels.  

    Adrian Tchaikovsky 

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