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AI in NYC Show

AI in NYC Team

AI In NYC interviews technical leaders, investors, and business executives about the impact AI is having on the greatest city in the world. If you are a New Yorker, or just love AI and are looking to understand how AI will impact your world, please subscribe.

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#85
August 21 · 35 min
Season 1 Wrap-Up: Behind the AI & NYC Podcast + What’s Next (Live Show, Top Comments & More)
Rob May (Neurometric) and Anna Kirk (Thread AI) close out Season 1 of the AI and NYC podcast with announcements: Ryan Eppley is stepping down as a regular host, Rob’s book on investing in AI releases in September, and producer Madi Donlan joins on camera to interview them as they take a month off to plan next season. They discuss their working dynamic and friendship, surprising personal interests (including Anna’s harp and Rob’s recent deep dive into topology), and memorable or underrated episodes and guests. They review audience comments and clips touching on politics, campaign funding, ethics education for technologists, and AI-driven dilemmas like sex robots, then share favorite NYC hangouts. They tease Season 2 ideas including more audience response, a possible live show with call-ins, and covering topics based on top comments. 00:00 Welcome and Introductions 00:21 Season Updates and Announcements 01:23 Meet Producer Madi 02:19 How Rob and Anna Met 03:12 Three Words to Describe Each Other 04:35 Friendship Dynamics and Age Gap 05:41 Escape Room Adventures 07:04 Lessons Learned and Harp Bet 08:08 Offbeat Hobbies Topology Deep Dive 10:06 Work Styles and Hosting Chemistry 11:41 Surprising Guest Moments 12:37 Underrated Episodes and NYC vs Valley 16:04 Why New York Wins for Applied AI 16:54 Season One Reflections 17:49 Guests And Format Debate 19:00 Spotlighting New Voices 19:48 Reading Audience Comments 20:12 Politics And Pragmatism 22:20 Money Media And Elections 24:36 Can Ethics Be Taught 30:07 Sex Robots And Morality 33:09 Favorite New York Spots 34:02 Season Two Plans And Farewell
#84
August 12 · 28 min
EP:35 Ex-Meta Engineer Turned Founder: Inside ScaleBuild Al with Ujwal Roy
In this episode of AI and NYC, Ryan and Anna sit down with Ujwal Roy, Founder & CEO of ScaleBuild AI and former engineer at Meta, Intel, and Micron, to discuss how AI is reshaping every industry. For more conversations on AI, startups, and the future of technology, subscribe to our newsletter @ Aiinnycshow.com
#85
August 4 · 43 min
EP 34: Rahul Kanodia CEO of Datamatics: What Real AI Transformation Looks Like Inside an Enterprise
AI transformation isn't just about using ChatGPT—it's about changing how businesses think, operate, and innovate. In this episode of AI in NYC, Rob May and Anna Kirk sit down with Rahul Kanodia, CEO of Datamatics, to discuss what it really takes to transform an enterprise with AI. From building an AI-first culture and measuring ROI to agentic AI, automation, and the biggest mistakes companies make, Rahul shares practical insights every business leader should hear. Whether you're a CEO, founder, developer, or simply curious about the future of AI, this conversation offers valuable lessons on adopting AI the right way. Learn more about - https://datamatics.com/ For more conversations on AI, startups, and the future of technology, subscribe to our newsletter @ Aiinnycshow.com
#83
July 16 · 40 min
EP33: Refurbished GPUs, Real Infrastructure: Harris Edelman on Powering the Al Boom
AI isn't just about models like ChatGPT—it runs on an enormous hardware ecosystem that most people never see. In this episode of AI in NYC, Rob May sits down with Harris Edelman, Founder & CEO of Ombligo, to explore the booming world of refurbished data center equipment, AI GPUs, and the hidden infrastructure powering today's AI revolution. Learn more about - https://techmikeny.com/ For more conversations on AI, startups, and the future of technology, subscribe to our newsletter @ Aiinnycshow.com Producer: Madi Donlan #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #GPUs #NVIDIA #DataCenters #AIInfrastructure⁠
#82
July 6 · 36 min
EP32: From Computational Chemistry to AI at Scale: Alexa Griffith on Building Real AI Infrastructure
In this episode, we sit down with Alexa Griffith, Senior Principal Software Engineer at Red Hat, to discuss what’s really happening behind the scenes of modern AI infrastructure. From her journey transitioning from computational chemistry to software engineering, to building AI systems at scale. We also dive into: • How AI systems handle scale, latency, and security • Why AI infrastructure matters more than ever • The engineering challenges behind production AI • OpenAI vs Claude and the current AI model race • Why many companies still struggle with AI adoption Learn more about Alexa at https://alexagriffith.com/ Follow us and Subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated on everything AI and NYC: https://ai-in-nyc.beehiiv.com/ Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more conversations on AI, startups, and the future of technology. Send us guests! Partnerships@aiinnycshow.com #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #MachineLearning #OpenSource #RedHat #TechPodcast #AIInfrastructure #GenerativeAI
#81
July 1 · 52 min
EP31: AI Security, Slack agents, & the Future of Work
In this episode, Boris Berenberg dives deep into the biggest challenges companies face when adopting AI—from security and compliance concerns to poor implementation strategies and organizational resistance. We discuss why nearly 90% of AI projects fail, how enterprise teams struggle with AI adoption, and what businesses need to do to successfully integrate AI into their workflows. Boris also shares insights on AI agents, Slack-based automation, regulated industries, and the future of knowledge work. Check us out at AI in NYC — Aiinnycshow.com Check them at Z0.ai — Z0.a #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #EnterpriseAI #AIAdoption #FutureOfWork #AIInnovation #MachineLearning #AIINYC
#80
June 25 · 50 min
EP30: AI Agents vs SaaS: The Future of Software with Kenneth Auchenberg
In this episode of AI and NYC, we dive into one of the biggest questions in tech today: Will AI agents replace traditional software? Joining us is Kenneth Auchenberg, Partner at Innovation Endeavors, where we unpack the future of software infrastructure, AI-powered workflows, and why the next decade may belong to agent-first systems. In this episode, we discuss: Why AI agents are changing how software is built The shift from developer experience to agent experience Whether traditional SaaS is at risk. The future of AI infrastructure and investing How businesses can prepare for the AI revolution A huge thank you to our sponsor, Lorimer Ventures — a venture fund backed by a network of 100+ operators helping founders scale with real hands-on support. If you’re raising capital, be sure to check them out! Subscribe to our newsletter @ aiinnycshow.com #AI #AIAgents #SaaS #TechPodcast #ArtificialIntelligence #Startups #Innovation #AIInfrastructure
#79
June 18 · 34 min
EP29: Reclaiming the Internet: Ben Guo on Personal AI, Techno-Feudalism, and Building Zo Computer
Ben Guo is a former early Stripe engineer, Brooklyn musician, and now the co-founder and CEO of Zo Computer. In this episode of AI in NYC, Rob May sits down with Ben to explore a refreshing vision for personal AI: how managed cloud computers and autonomous AI agents can give regular, everyday people the power to reclaim the internet from corporate tech giants. We dive deep into the cultural "scaremongering" around AI replacing human potential, why the current attention economy functions like a techno-feudal system making us slaves to algorithms, and the reality of building a company for the pure love of the game rather than just an exit. This episode is proudly brought to you by Lorimer Ventures an early-stage New York City venture fund with a network of 100 operators who know exactly what it looks like to scale! Check them out here: Lorimer Ventures: Check out their hands-on advice at lorimerventures.com Zo Computer: Explore their consumer-grade server experience at https://zo.computer #AI #Startups #ZoComputer #Stripe #Entrepreneurship #SaaS #TechPodcast #NewYorkTech
#78
June 11 · 52 min
EP28: Thick Skin Required: Fundraising, Failure & Comedy with Noah Obstfeld @PitchRoastLive
Noah Obstfeld from Pitch Roast runs a venture capital and entrepreneur pitch session where professional comedians roast you while you pitch your startup. In this episode of AI in NYC, Rob May and guest co-host Stephen Messer dive into the brutal, vulnerable, and hilarious world of fundraising. We discuss why founders willingly subject their confidence to stand-up comics, what happens when a live pitch completely falls apart, and the thick skin required to survive the startup ecosystem. This episode is proudly brought to you by Boon.ai! Looking to automate your sales and marketing workflows without the manual headache? AI agents to handle your core sales and marketing tasks for you. Check them out here: https://boon.ai Check out @PitchRoastLive for more Noah! #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Startups #Entrepreneurship #VentureCapital #PitchRoast #Comedy #NewYorkTech #TechPodcast
#77
June 8 · 46 min
EP 27: The Next AI Battle Isn't Technology—It's Trust | Guy Mounier (Boon AI)
Guy Mounier is a four-time founder, investor, and the CEO of Boon AI. In this episode of AI in NYC, we explore one of the biggest questions facing technology today: how do we build trust in an AI-powered world? Our conversation spans entrepreneurship, AI, business, society, and the ideas behind Guy's newest initiative, The Trust Era Project. We discuss how AI is changing the way organizations make decisions, the opportunities and challenges ahead, and why trust may become one of the most important currencies of the next decade. Learn more: boon.ai trusteraproject.org Subscribe for more conversations with the founders, researchers, investors, and builders shaping the future of artificial intelligence. #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Startups #Entrepreneurship #FutureOfWork #Trust #Technology Connect with Guy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guymounier/
#76
May 29 · 42 min
EP 26: Building the Next Generation of AI Leaders with Dr. Taniya Mishra
Dr. Taniya Mishra shares her remarkable journey from early machine learning research and accessibility-focused AI projects to building SureStart, a company dedicated to bringing AI fluency to students around the world. Together, they explore what it means to prepare the next generation for an AI-driven future—and why responsible AI, mentorship, creativity, and critical thinking matter more than ever. The discussion covers the evolving workforce, the impact of AI on entry-level jobs, the importance of ethics in technology education, and whether today's race toward advanced AI is overlooking the human element. They also examine how AI can be used to empower people, foster innovation, and create opportunities rather than simply automate work. Check out SureStart: thttps://mysurestart.com/ Subscribe to AI IN NYC newsletter: https://magic.beehiiv.com/v1/c2777e42... Join the community: https://aiinnycshow.com/
#75
May 21 · 43 min
EP25: The Future of AI Storytelling, AGI & Creative Worlds with Hilary Mason
In this episode of AI in NYC, Rob and Ryan are joined by Hilary Mason for a wide-ranging conversation on the evolution of AI in New York — from the early data science era to today’s generative AI landscape. The discussion dives into the early days of data science in New York, the rise of AGI hype in Silicon Valley, and why practical AI product design may matter more than chasing artificial general intelligence. The episode also explores the growing importance of small language models, harness engineering, and building AI systems that are actually useful for people instead of relying on chatbot-first experiences. The second half of the episode focuses on the future of AI-powered storytelling and interactive entertainment. The conversation breaks down how immersive narrative engines could allow users to create characters, shape evolving storylines, and participate inside fictional worlds in entirely new ways. Rather than replacing creators, these AI tools are positioned as creative amplifiers designed to help writers, gamers, and storytellers unlock richer and more meaningful experiences. Check out Hidden Door: https://www.hiddendoor.co/ Subscribe to AI IN NYC newsletter: https://magic.beehiiv.com/v1/c2777e42-a25b-4683-bc3e-e47a10dbc291 Check out our website & send us guests / promote your company on our channel: https://aiinnycshow.com/ Thank you to our sponsor: https://www.bepresentapp.com/
#74
May 14 · 39 min
EP 24: Cerebras IPO, Dead Internet & the AI Backlash with Rob May, Ryan Eppley
In this episode of AI in NYC, hosts Rob May (Co-Founder & CEO, Neurometric) and Ryan Eppley (Co-Founder & CEO, RootAccess) go deep on the biggest AI hardware and infrastructure stories of the week — no guest needed, just two hardware-obsessed founders breaking it all down. First up: the Cerebras IPO. Rob and Ryan give a technical but accessible breakdown of what makes the Cerebras wafer-scale chip so different — from its distributed SRAM architecture that eliminates the classic Von Neumann bottleneck, to the sheer audacity of using an entire silicon wafer as a single chip. They discuss why inference workloads are fragmenting beyond GPUs, what the Groq acquisition by Nvidia signals about the market, and whether Cerebras' $50B+ market cap at 100x revenue is justified or dangerously frothy. If you've been wondering whether to invest or just want to understand the AI chip landscape beyond Nvidia, this is a must-listen. Then the conversation shifts to a Washington Post survey finding that 71% of Americans oppose data centers being built in their communities. Rob and Ryan question the methodology, debate whether this NIMBY backlash is rational, and explore what it means for the future of AI infrastructure. Plus: quick updates on the show's growth, the new job board, sponsor transitions, and more topics they planned to cover including dead internet theory, celebrity AI trademarks, and the viral UCF graduation AI backlash. Subscribe to the newsletter and check out the AI in NYC job board at our website! https://magic.beehiiv.com/v1/c2777e42-a25b-4683-bc3e-e47a10dbc291 https://aiinnycshow.com/
#73
April 29 · 48 min
EP 23: Your AI Is Broken Because Your Data Is with Gabi Steele, Preql
In Episode 23 of AI in NYC, hosts Rob May, Anna Kirk, and Ryan Eppley sit down with Gabi Steele, co-founder and CEO of Preql AI, to tackle one of the most overlooked problems in the AI gold rush: your data foundation is probably broken, and that's why your AI agents aren't working. Gabi brings a unique perspective — she went from building data visualizations at the Washington Post during Trump's first term to teaching at Columbia and Parsons, then dove deep into data engineering after watching her co-founder's experience at WeWork, where a 100-person data engineering team still couldn't wrangle the company's spiraling data infrastructure. The episode kicks off with a deep dive into the bombshell WSJ report that OpenAI is missing key revenue and user targets ahead of its IPO. The panel debates whether this signals a real inflection point for the AI industry or just healthy competitive pressure from open-source models, DeepSeek, and a rapidly shifting market where agentic coding has overtaken conversational search as the killer app. Gabi weighs in with a grounded take from the data trenches — she talks to CFOs every day who tell her LLMs are too slow and they still want dashboards, revealing a massive gap between AI hype and enterprise reality. The conversation evolves into a fascinating discussion about what interfaces should look like in an agent-first world. Rob shares his love for the physical Wall Street Journal, the group debates tactile vs. digital experiences, and Ryan introduces the concept of "Harness Experience" — designing not for users, but for agents. Gabi's core message resonates throughout: companies are rushing to deploy AI and automation but skipping the critical data layer that makes any of it actually work. If you're building with AI, buying AI tools, or leading a data team, this episode is essential listening. Preql AI is building the infrastructure layer that reconciles and contextualizes enterprise data from across all your systems so AI agents can actually function. Currently focused on CFO buyers, Preql launched its agent-first product in July 2025. Learn more about Preql and connect with Gabi on LinkedIn.
#72
April 21 · 41 min
EP 22: Edge AI, Privacy & Japan's Different Approach ft. David Justus, VP of Applied AI @ Panasonic
Sponsor: BePresent - https://www.bepresentapp.com/ In this episode of AI in NYC, hosts Rob May, Ryan Eppley, and Anna Kirk sit down with David Justus, VP of Applied AI at Panasonic, to explore one of the most underappreciated frontiers in artificial intelligence: edge AI. David breaks down how Panasonic is deploying AI in internet-constrained environments — from in-flight entertainment systems on transatlantic flights to manufacturing floors and stadium video processing — where sending data to the cloud simply isn't an option. The conversation takes a fascinating geopolitical turn as David contrasts how the US, China, and Japan are each taking radically different approaches to generative AI. While the US doubles down on closed, AGI-focused ecosystems and China pushes open-weight models, Japan is quietly building sovereign, domain-specialized AI — including the recently released Rakuten V3 model that outperforms GPT-4o on Japanese-specific tasks. David argues that the US approach may not be great for edge computing and could be starting to show cracks. David also shares insights from Panasonic's research lab, including new work on using diffusion models for document understanding, and explains why the last six months have been a true inflection point for running meaningful AI on small, resource-constrained devices. Whether you're building products, leading an AI team, or just trying to understand where the industry is heading beyond the data center, this episode is packed with perspective you won't hear anywhere else. David Justus brings a background in applied mathematics and computer science, with experience spanning finance, creative industries, and consulting for companies like Verizon, Nike, and Mayo Clinic before joining Panasonic's global applied AI team two years ago.
#71
April 16 · 33 min
EP 21: Cloud Coding Agents & the Mythos Model Panic with Matthew Mirman, Chat.Dev
In Episode 21 of AI in NYC, Rob and Ryan sit down with Matthew Mirman, founder of Chat.Dev — a cloud hosting platform for coding agents that he describes as 'Heroku for Claude Code.' Matt walks us through how he went from building legal tech AI tools for personal injury lawyers to launching a platform where anyone can spin up a cloud VM, run a coding agent in YOLO mode, and even manage the whole thing via text message. The conversation digs into the pivotal moment last November when Claude Code went from 'okay' to genuinely transformative — enabling people with zero coding experience to build full production applications. Matt shares how showing his early prototype to just 20 friends led to 5 of them using it 5+ hours a day within a week, a product-market fit signal that convinced him to go all in. The episode also covers the latest industry news including Anthropic's Mythos model announcement through Project Glasswing, what it means for the AI safety conversation, and whether competitors like Google or state actors already have comparable capabilities. Plus, the hosts break down Amazon's bombshell $15 billion AI run rate in AWS and Andy Jassy's defense of their massive $200B capex spend — reigniting the debate over whether we're in an AI bubble or just the beginning of an infrastructure supercycle. Whether you're a developer curious about cloud-hosted coding agents, a founder evaluating the AI infrastructure landscape, or just trying to keep up with the breakneck pace of AI news, this episode has something for you. Tune in and don't forget to subscribe. Thank you to our sponsor, BePresent. Check them out: https://www.bepresentapp.com/
#70
April 3 · 54 min
EP 20: What VCs Won't Tell You About Getting Funded with Charlie O'Donnell
In Episode 20 of AI in NYC, we welcome back our original guest — Charlie O'Donnell — to talk about his upcoming book 'Founder Unfriendly: What Investors Won't Tell You About Getting Funded.' Charlie has spent years in the NYC venture ecosystem helping founders navigate the opaque, often misleading world of fundraising, and this book is his attempt to arm the 99% of founders who aren't insiders with the real playbook. Charlie breaks down why the feedback you get from VCs almost never reflects the real reason they passed, how junior associates can inadvertently string you along, and why the fundraising process actually starts way before you ever pitch a deck — possibly as far back as high school. He also shares a fascinating look at how he used AI to organize and structure a 250-page book from a messy list of inside-joke chapter titles. We also discuss the emotional arc of founding a company — including why the day you announce your startup might be the most dangerously misleading day of all. If your network congratulated you but didn't offer a single customer intro, that's a signal worth paying attention to. Whether you're a first-time founder or a repeat entrepreneur, this episode is packed with honest, practical insight you won't hear in a typical VC blog post. Sponsored by BePresent (bepresentapp.com) — the #1 app in its category that uses social media engagement techniques to keep you OFF your phone. Also: join us April 15th at 5:30 PM for our first in-person Cloud Code class for non-technical people in NYC!
#71
March 28 · 48 min
EP 19: Rebuilding the Internet for the AI Era with Zachary Smith, Datum
In this episode of AI in NYC, Rob and Ryan sit down with Zachary Smith, co-founder of Datum, to explore why the foundational infrastructure of the internet needs a radical overhaul for the AI era. Zach — a lifelong New Yorker who traded a classical music career at Juilliard for the wild world of Linux web hosting in 2001 — brings a rare depth of experience spanning multiple companies, acquisitions, and a front-row seat inside Equinix, one of the largest interconnection companies on Earth. Zach introduces his concept of the 'splinternet' — a world where geopolitics, regulation, and the demands of AI workloads are fragmenting the once-unified internet — and explains why Datum is building an open network cloud to serve the next wave of what he calls 'alt clouds': the roughly one thousand (and growing) new cloud providers that don't fit neatly into the old hyperscaler model. From Databricks to GPU startups to niche SaaS platforms, Zach argues these alt clouds need shared infrastructure primitives they can't afford to build alone. The conversation also gets deeply personal. Zach opens up about the emotional toll of selling his first bootstrapped company after 11 years, the therapy and intentional downtime he needed before starting again, and the unique dynamic of building multiple companies with his identical twin brother Jacob. His mentor Bill Luby's advice — 'this is the best time because you have no past' — becomes a throughline for how Datum approaches building for the long term in a world obsessed with speed. Whether you're a founder, an infrastructure nerd, or just curious about how the physical internet actually works, this episode is packed with insights about what's changing beneath the surface of every AI application you use. Tune in for one of the most thoughtful conversations we've had about the invisible plumbing of the internet age. Check out datum: https://datumdata.ai/ Thank you to our sponsor: BePresent - Download their app here: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bepresent-screen-time-control/id1644737181
#71
March 20 · 42 min
EP 18: Can AI Read Your Mind? Neurotech & Privacy with Kristen Mathews, Cooley LLP
What happens when AI meets your brain data? In Episode 18 of AI in NYC, Rob May and Anna Kirk sit down with Kristen Mathews, cyber/data/privacy partner at Cooley LLP with nearly 30 years of experience, who has carved out a fascinating niche at the intersection of privacy law and neurotechnology. Kristen breaks down what neurotech actually is — from invasive brain implants to consumer wearable headbands — and explains how AI has been the key catalyst turning a century of brain signal data into actionable, decoded information. The conversation dives deep into the different categories of neurotech, including how devices can not only read brain activity but also stimulate it — with real applications like predicting seizures 20 minutes before they happen and suppressing them with electrical pulses. Rob shares his firsthand experience from sitting on the board of a neurotech company, while Kristen paints a vivid picture of the current landscape, including New York City's role as a major hub for the neurotech community. Perhaps the most thought-provoking segment explores the ethical frontier: the difference between decoding 'intended speech' (helping ALS patients communicate) and 'inner speech' (your private thoughts). Where's the line? Can AI tell the difference? Kristen is refreshingly honest about what we don't yet know, while emphasizing that every neurotech application she's seen in practice today is being used for good. This episode is essential listening for anyone interested in AI, privacy, the future of brain-computer interfaces, and why the next big privacy debate may be about your thoughts. Relevant links: www.nytimes.com/2003/06/22/magazine/savant-for-a-day.html https://icaot.org/jose-delgado-a-controversial-trailblazer-inneuromodulation/ Kristen Mathews on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristen-mathews-6025257?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_mweb&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile Download BePresent: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bepresent-screen-time-control/id1644737181
#69
February 26 · 57 min
EP 17: Governing AI for Real - With Alayna Kennedy, MasterCard
n Episode 17 of AI in NYC, hosts Rob May, Ryan Eppley, and Anna Kirk sit down with Alayna Kennedy — Director of AI Governance at MasterCard — to talk about what it actually looks like to turn high-minded AI principles into real, operational governance inside one of the world's largest financial companies. Alayna brings a rare combination of hands-on AI model development experience (she built fraud detection models at IBM for a major federal agency) and deep academic credentials in fairness, accountability, and transparency in machine learning. The conversation digs into the gap between publishing a principles document and actually embedding ethics into your data pipeline, product development, and deployment process. Alayna shares insights from her master's thesis research, where she interviewed data scientists and governance teams across companies to find out who's really putting AI ethics into practice — and who's just posting it on a website. The team also explores the biggest concerns facing major enterprises when it comes to frontier models vs. open source, the ethical blind spots most people miss, and where the real resistance to AI adoption comes from inside large organizations. Whether you're building AI products, governing them, or just trying to understand how the biggest companies in the world are navigating this moment, this episode is packed with practical insight. Plus, stick around for the crew's favorite Saturday morning NYC activities Thank you to our sponsor: BePresent https://www.bepresentapp.com/ More of Alayna's work: https://alaynakennedy.github.io/

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