Not Another AI Podcast

Piyanka Jain

Real-world insights on AI, data, and decision-making for business leaders who want results, not noise.

piyankajain.substack.com

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9 episodes
monthly
Avg 37 min
English

Episodes 9

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#9
September 10 · 39 min
Ep. 09: The 10x Number Anthropic Showed Us (And Why They Told Us Not to Switch)
In this episode of Not Another AI Podcast, Shanti Greene, Sandeep Dhamale, and I talk about a trend I’ve been thinking about a lot lately: how AI is changing the way we build, use, and think about software. We talk about collapsing application stacks, smaller teams, micro-apps, and what happens when AI can connect directly to the systems and data we already use. We also get into the economics of AI, and a surprising conversation Shanti had with Anthropic, where their own usage data showed a 10x difference between subscription and consumption-based pricing. The bigger question isn’t “How powerful is the model?” It’s “What is the right model and architecture for the job?” If you’re building AI products, enterprise systems, or thinking about where software and AI are headed, this conversation gets into some of the changes we’re already starting to see. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit piyankajain.substack.com
#8
August 18 · 33 min
Ep. 08: Here's When You Actually Need an Agent (And When You Don't)
In this episode of Not Another AI Podcast, Shanti Greene, Anshul Chawla, and I unpack what makes a system truly agentic, when a deterministic workflow is the better choice, and why adding an agent can sometimes make a system more expensive, less reliable, and harder to control. We explore the difference between AI-powered workflows and true agentic architectures, how agents use orchestration and evaluation loops, and why some tasks are better handled by traditional machine learning or fixed pipelines. We also get into the hidden cost of LLMs, token optimization, model selection, eval harnesses, and the growing case for open-source and on-premise AI. The bigger question isn’t “Can we use an agent?” It’s “Do we actually need one?” If you’re building AI products, enterprise AI systems, LLM applications, or agentic workflows, this episode offers a practical framework for deciding where agents create real value and where simpler systems win. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit piyankajain.substack.com
S1 · E7
July 30 · 35 min
Ep. 07: Most of your workflow isn't agentic, and why that's fine.
AI is changing how enterprises think about automation, but simply adding AI to an existing process rarely delivers the results companies expect. In this episode of Not Another AI Podcast, I am joined by Shanti Greene, and Aarthi Srinivasan to discuss why successful AI workflows begin with rethinking the process itself, not just replacing human tasks with AI. We explore the difference between traditional workflows, agentic workflows, and autonomous agents, along with why optimizing existing processes should come before automating them. We also discuss how organizations can identify the right opportunities for AI, why business outcomes should guide every implementation, and how company culture, data quality, and human oversight continue to shape successful AI adoption. If you’re leading AI, operations, or digital transformation initiatives, this conversation offers practical guidance on redesigning enterprise workflows, identifying where AI creates real value, and building systems that improve business outcomes instead of simply making old processes run faster. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit piyankajain.substack.com
#6
July 2 · 32 min
Ep. 06: The AI Value Problem: Tools Everywhere, Outcomes Nowhere
AI adoption is accelerating, but for many organizations, real business outcomes are still lagging behind. In this episode of Not Another AI Podcast, I am joined by Shanti Greene and Saharsh Sikaria to explore why success with AI depends on much more than choosing the latest models or tools. We discuss why data readiness remains the biggest challenge, how semantic layers provide the business context AI needs to deliver accurate insights, and why purposefully built systems generally outperform one-size-fits-all solutions. We also dive into the build-versus-buy debate and share practical guidance for executives looking to move AI from pilot projects to production. If you're leading AI, data, or digital transformation initiatives, this conversation offers practical insights on building a strong foundation for AI that delivers measurable business value, not just impressive demos. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit piyankajain.substack.com
June 18 · 36 min
Ep. 05: Is Your Favorite AI Incentivized to Cost You More?
Everyone wants their teams to adopt AI. But what happens when usage skyrockets and so do the bills? Jake Mendlovic and Shanti Greene join Piyanka Jain in the latest episode of Not Another AI Podcast to talk about what happens after you get your whole company hooked on AI, and the tricks that keep the bill from eating your budget. In this episode, Piyanka Jain, Shanti Greene, and Jake Mendlovic dive into the often-overlooked challenge of AI efficiency. From token optimization and context rot to MCP overload and skill-based workflows, they explore how organizations can get better results without endlessly increasing costs. The conversation goes beyond saving tokens—it’s about building AI systems that are more accurate, scalable, and sustainable. Along the way, they share real-world lessons on measuring impact, reducing hallucinations, and designing workflows that work smarter, not harder. If you’re building, managing, or scaling AI in your organization, this episode offers practical insights you can start applying today. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit piyankajain.substack.com
May 28 · 44 min
Ep. 04: The Great Dashboard Extinction
“80% of our company stopped going to dashboards.” That line alone made this one of my favorite conversations we’ve had on Not Another AI Podcast so far. In this episode, Paras Doshi, Head of Data at Opendoor, breaks down what it actually takes to move an organization toward AI-native decision-making with Shanti Greene and me. Among various other things, we talked about: * Why most companies still struggle with trust in AI analytics * How verification loops became necessary after a rollout * Why AI increased a data team’s workload instead of reducing it * The shift from dashboards to conversational analytics * Why “deterministic enough” may be the future of enterprise AI If you work in AI, analytics, data engineering, or enterprise tech, this episode will feel very real. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit piyankajain.substack.com
May 7 · 46 min
Ep. 03: Decoding the AI Trust Problem
AI has a public perception problem. More than half of the general public says they don’t trust it. In this episode, Piyanka, Shanti, and Ant dig into why that skepticism exists and what builders and buyers can actually do about it. The conversation covers the gap between demos and production, why confident AI outputs can be more dangerous than uncertain ones, and what real due diligence looks like before signing a contract. There is also a candid look at vibe coding, black-box development, and the security vulnerabilities that tend to show up nine months after you thought the product was done. The episode ends where the harder questions live: AI bias, explainability, and whether the industry is asking the right things about the training data underneath all of it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit piyankajain.substack.com
April 9 · 40 min
Ep. 02: Making AI Practical, Profitable, and Powerful
AI pricing feels simple on the surface. $20 here, $50 there, and $200 every once in a while. Underneath, it is messy and still settling. In this episode, Piyanka, Shanti, and Andrew unpack what you are really paying for with AI. The conversation moves from subscription tiers and tool sprawl to a harder question. Where does actual value come from? They talk about why most AI products struggle to justify their pricing, why effort-based models are breaking, and why outcome-based or gain-sharing models may take their place. There is also a candid look at how easy it is to mistake a polished demo for a real product. The episode ends on a more important shift: AI that stops at insights is not enough. The real value shows up when it drives action. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit piyankajain.substack.com
March 12 · 32 min
Ep. 01: Why most agents experiments fail before the first decision?
AI agents are everywhere in conversation right now. Few people agree on what the term actually means. In this episode of Not Another AI Podcast, Piyanka, Shanti, and Andrew unpack the idea of agency in AI, how it differs from using LLMs, and why outcomes matter more than the technology itself. They also tackle where companies should start, when agents actually make sense, and why most organizations chase AI before fixing their data foundations. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit piyankajain.substack.com

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