Pioneers of AI

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<p>Pioneers of AI is your guide to the latest technological frontier. Each week, host Rana el Kaliouby (AI scientist, investor, author, co-founder of Affectiva) is joined by the leading creators, critics, and thinkers behind mind-blowing technology and asks the important questions about how artificial intelligence is changing the way we live. As we venture together into the unknown, Pioneers is your tool to understanding and anticipating what comes next.</p>

  • 36 minutes 28 seconds
    How to network in a ‘non-icky way’

    Anthropologists theorize that the human brain is only wired to maintain around 150 relationships and remember 1,500 people. But AI can help expand our natural capacity through ‘relationship intelligence.’ Caroline Dell — co-founder and CEO of Goodword — is building a tool to do just that. By cataloging conversations and connections across platforms, these AI tools can help us make the most of our networks and understand their real scope. Dell joins Pioneers of AI to talk about how relationship intelligence works, tips for good networking, and why human connections matter more than ever in the age of AI. 

    Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/

    Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofai

    At the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    28 January 2026, 10:00 am
  • 30 minutes 52 seconds
    Meet the robots and drones working in warehouses

    Advances in robotics have lagged strides in software for many years. So far, only a few companies seem to have cracked the code to get robots working in the world, at scale. Raffaello D’Andrea is behind several success stories in that vein. His Kiva Systems was acquired by Amazon to move inventory around warehouses, and his newest firm, Verity, uses AI drones to improve warehouse efficiency and safety. An artist, technologist, and entrepreneur, D’Andrea has also built robots that play soccer and drones that perform alongside some of the biggest musicians in the world. He joins Pioneers of AI to talk about why it’s so hard to build good robots and how AI has opened up so many new possibilities.

    Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/

    Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofai

    At the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    21 January 2026, 10:00 am
  • 40 minutes 53 seconds
    How SaaS can survive the AI revolution, with Aaron Levie

    SaaS companies made work easier by revolutionizing enterprise software. But AI is starting to actually do the work for us. So what role do legacy SaaS platforms have in the AI era? Pioneers of AI sat down with Box CEO and co-founder Aaron Levie to discuss how his 20-year-old, 4 billion dollar company is back in startup mode to keep up with AI. Levie refers to the current moment as the third wave in Silicon Valley disruption following the dot com and app booms. He describes how Box is adapting to the rapidly evolving landscape, how AI is disrupting labor and software markets, and why SaaS still has value in this next chapter. 

    Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/

    Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofai

    At the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    14 January 2026, 10:00 am
  • 33 minutes 16 seconds
    Can AI cure doctor burnout?

    Dr. Shiv Rao wears many hats. When he’s not pulling a clinical shift as a cardiologist or obsessing over the latest Rick Rubin album, he’s running his $5.3 billion company, Abridge. It’s an AI company that summarizes medical conversations, freeing up clinicians from clerical work and allowing them to focus on their patients instead. It’s a novel idea: humanize healthcare by outsourcing busy work to AI. On this Pioneers of AI episode, we dig into the future of healthcare, how AI can be the antidote to doctor burnout, and why vanity matters when building a business.

    Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/

    Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofai

    At the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail or texting us at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    7 January 2026, 10:00 am
  • 32 minutes 57 seconds
    Rapid Response: Rana’s AI forecast for 2026, with Bob Safian

    How should leaders prepare for AI’s accelerating impact on work and everyday life? AI scientist, entrepreneur, and Pioneers of AI host Dr. Rana El Kaliouby returns to Rapid Response to share her predictions for the year ahead — from physical AI entering the real world to what it means to onboard AI into your org chart. El Kaliouby also cuts through today’s biggest AI headlines, including the chatbot arms race, Instacart’s dynamic pricing controversy, and whether we’re really living through an AI bubble.

    Visit the Rapid Response website here: https://www.rapidresponseshow.com/

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    31 December 2025, 10:00 am
  • 25 minutes 18 seconds
    AI’s journey from the lab to the marketplace

    The AI boom wouldn’t have been possible without decades of academic research. And now that huge sums of money are flowing into R&D, it’s companies – not just universities – on the cutting edge of AI innovation. What does that mean for the future of AI research and the relationship between industry and academia? Rana sat down with a panel of experts who have a foot in both worlds, in another standout session from the stage of Fortune Brainstorm AI in San Francisco. Anima Anandkumar (Caltech, formerly Nvidia), Daphne Koller (Stanford, founder/CEO of insitro), and Raquel Urtasun (University of Toronto, founder/CEO of Waabi) share how research expertise goes hand in hand with business innovation, especially around AI’s ability to more accurately model the physical world. 

    Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/

    Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofai

    At the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    24 December 2025, 10:00 am
  • 21 minutes 27 seconds
    ‘Like Disneyland when it just opened’: Arm CEO Rene Haas on the AI revolution

    Chances are, you’ve used computer chips from the company Arm. The UK firm’s CPUs are in almost every smartphone, plus a ton of laptops, cars, even refrigerators – not to mention their integral role around AI infrastructure in data centers. Pioneers of AI host Rana el Kaliouby sat down with Arm CEO Rene Haas recently, live on stage at Fortune Brainstorm AI in San Francisco. He shared insights on the growing shift from training to inference, the rise of AI on edge devices, and how Arm is helping power AI from the megawatt to the milliwatt scale. His bold prediction? No one will be talking about an AI bubble a year from now.

    Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/

    Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofai

    At the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    17 December 2025, 10:00 am
  • 42 minutes 14 seconds
    Visualizing the AI boom (or bubble), with Carta’s Peter Walker

    We’ve all heard the hype, but what does the data say about the AI gold rush? According to Peter Walker, Head of Insights for Carta, around 40 percent of the money they see being raised goes to AI companies. A master of data visualization, Walker takes investment information from the over 55,000 start-ups on Carta and turns it into digestible figures. He joins Pioneers of AI to break down where private money is actually flowing, whether we’re in an AI bubble, and what emerging investment patterns tell us about the future of the sector. Hear what the numbers reveal about the AI economy as investors continue to chase unicorns.

    Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/

    Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofai

    At the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    10 December 2025, 10:00 am
  • 33 minutes 14 seconds
    Walmart, AI, and the future of shopping, with Walmart CTO Suresh Kumar

    Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, is starting an AI-driven transformation that it says will impact every aspect of shopping and operations. Suresh Kumar, Walmart's Chief Technology Officer and Chief Development Officer, leads that effort. Kumar joins Pioneers of AI to take us inside Walmart’s adoption of robotics and AI in its warehouses, stores, and beyond, plus the company’s partnership with OpenAI to create an AI-first shopping experience. He shares what it means to implement AI as core to the business, not just a fad or feature, and how he believes Walmart can keep its competitive edge.

    Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/

    Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofai

    At the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    3 December 2025, 10:00 am
  • 23 minutes 41 seconds
    Andrew Ng on winning the AI race, with DJ Patil

    Andrew Ng has been a leading voice in AI for over a decade. As Managing General Partner at AI Fund, and co-founder of Coursera and DeepLearning, among other roles, Ng has shaped the modern AI landscape and spread AI education to the masses. Onstage at this year’s Masters of Scale Summit, he sat down with former US Chief Data Scientist and now General Partner at GreatPoint Ventures, DJ Patil, to discuss the state of AI today and the true potential of everything placed under the “agentic” umbrella. Together, they unpack what it will take for America to stay competitive in the global AI race and why it’s still important to know how to code.

    Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/

    Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofai

    At the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    26 November 2025, 10:00 am
  • 40 minutes 9 seconds
    Mark Cuban’s investment strategy in the world of AI

    Mark Cuban has spent decades as a serial entrepreneur and investor, with one of the best track records on the planet (including celebrity status on ABC’s Shark Tank). His success stems in part from an ability to spot opportunity early — and now he’s bringing that approach to AI. Cuban is backing AI companies that he sees taking bold swings and reimagining how we live. He joins Pioneers of AI for a wide-ranging conversation about whether we are in an AI bubble, how he’s applying his investment philosophy to AI, and why the AI world is tending to excite him less and less each day.

    Learn more about Pioneers of AI: http://pioneersof.ai/

    Follow Pioneers of AI on all channels: https://linktr.ee/pioneersofai

    At the center of AI is people, so we want to hear from you! Share your experiences with AI — or ask us a burning question — by leaving a voicemail at 601-633-2424. Your voice could be featured in a future episode!

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    19 November 2025, 10:00 am
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