AI in NYC Show

EP41: You Can’t Market to an Algorithm: Marina Petrova | How AI Reads, Speaks, & Queries Your Brand

AI now sits between brands and their customers in nearly every channel, and if your brand isn’t structured for it, AI will shape your brand equity without you. In this episode of AI in NYC, Rob May and Lauren Slyman sit down with Marina Petrova, CEO and Co-Founder of Intentful, to talk about where the hype around AI agents breaks from reality. Marina shares how she got into OpenAI’s closed beta in 2021, a year before ChatGPT, after COVID wiped out her online travel business. She explains why her first experience with Davinci convinced her that brands would never be the same. The conversation covers the three ways AI reads, speaks as, and queries a brand. It also covers why brand guidelines matter more than ever, even though many companies don’t actually know what theirs are, and why “marketing to agents” misunderstands what agents really are. In the news segment, the crew breaks down three stories: The PHP security patch that attackers began exploiting within minutes Niall Ferguson and Eric Schmidt’s Foreign Affairs essay on AI and a new world order How AI-driven commit volume pushed Anthropic to build its own source control system Learn more about Intentful: https://intentful.ai GUEST Marina Petrova – CEO & Co-Founder, Intentful HOSTS Rob May – Co-Founder & CEO, Neurometric Lauren Slyman – User Researcher, Microsoft Subscribe to Rob’s Investing in AI newsletter on Substack: https://investinginai.substack.com Get Rob’s book, Investing in AI: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HDTXLY9G Sign up for the AI in NYC newsletters: aiinnyc.org

EP40: Beyond Content: How AI Is Rewiring Marketing, with Marc Ferrentino of Quotient

What happens when AI moves beyond content creation and starts transforming how marketing actually works? In this episode of AI in NYC, we sit down with Marc Ferrentino from Quotient to explore how AI is reshaping the marketing industry, from automating repetitive tasks to helping teams work smarter and scale their output. Connect with Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcferrentino Subscribe to our newsletter and stay in the loop @ aiinnyc.org Check out the Investing in AI podcast with our host, Rob! : ⁨@InvestingInAIRob⁩ #AIinNYC #ArtificialIntelligence #AIMarketing #MarketingTechnology #AIAgents #FutureOfMarketing #DigitalMarketing

EP39: Marketing to the Machines: AI Agents and the Future of E-Commerce with Mary Palmieri

EP38: Why AI Alone Won’t Give Investors an Edge | George Kailas of Prospero AI

In this episode of AI in NYC, Rob May and Lauren Slyman sit down with George Kailas, founder of Prospero AI, to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming financial markets, algorithmic trading, and the way investors think about data. George shares his perspective on why data engineering and human insight still matter in AI-driven trading, how hedge funds are increasingly using AI and algorithms, and why simply having access to the same AI tools doesn’t necessarily create an advantage. Subscribe to AI in NYC for more conversations with entrepreneurs, AI builders, investors, and innovators shaping the future of technology. Subscribe to our newsletter: aiinnyc.org Rob's book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HDV7Y4LH?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback

EP37: TECH EVENT NYC: Conversations with Founders, Investors & Builders @ Madison Sq. Park

What happens when you step into New York’s tech scene and start asking the people building the future about AI? In this episode, at the 5th annual NYC Tech Event @ in Madison Sq. Park (hosted by Charlie O'Donnell) Lauren and Rob meet entrepreneurs, founders, and investors from across NYC’s tech ecosystem and hear their perspectives on AI, startups, innovation, and building in the ever-changing world of technology. Guests Featured in This Episode: Howard Morgan - B Capital Chairman Scott Hartley — Everywhere Ventures Kris Sandor — Readyly Vivek Sharma — Moveable Ink Sofia Laurell — Tiny Organics Jesse Middleton — VC at Flybridge Richard Odior — VC at Cherryrock Capital Subscribe to AI in NYC for more conversations with entrepreneurs, AI builders, investors, and innovators across New York City. #AIinNYC #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #NYCTech #Startups #Entrepreneurs #VentureCapital #Tech #AIStartup #NewYork

EP36: The Jagged Frontier of Enterprise AI | Why AI Adoption Is Failing with Satish Viswanathan

Is AI moving faster than businesses can actually absorb it? In this episode of the AI NYC Show, Hosts Rob May, Lauren Slyman, and Anna Kirk sit down with Satish Viswanathan, author of The Weight of Intelligence, to discuss the “Jagged Frontier of Enterprise AI” and why better AI models don’t always translate into better business outcomes. They explore AI ROI, enterprise adoption, AGI vs. AEI, AI architecture, the future of consulting, and how businesses can truly integrate AI into the way they work. 🎙️ Guest: Satish Viswanathan 📖 Get his book: The Weight of Intelligence 👉 https://www.amazon.com/s?k=The+Weight+of+Intelligence+Satish+Viswanathan The views expressed on the AI in NYC Show are the personal views of the hosts and guests and do not represent those of their employers or affiliated organizations. #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #EnterpriseAI #AIROI #AGI #AIAdoption #AINYC

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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/

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/

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/

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/

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.