An expert overview of post-training techniques for language models, covering the entire workflow from data generation and curation to advanced algorithms like Supervised Fine-Tuning (SFT), Direct Preference Optimization (DPO), and Reinforcement Learning (RL), along with practical advice on evaluation and iteration.
This talk introduces Anaximander, a system designed to bridge the gap between traditional, GUI-driven Geographic Information System (GIS) workflows and modern, code-heavy machine learning practices. Anaximander integrates geospatial foundation models directly into QGIS, allowing experts to interactively orchestrate, run, and evaluate models for tasks like semantic segmentation and object detection on satellite imagery.
At Applied Compute, efficient Reinforcement Learning is critical for delivering business value. This talk explores the transition from inefficient synchronous RL to a high-throughput asynchronous 'Pipeline RL' system. The core challenge is managing 'staleness'—a side effect of in-flight weight updates that can destabilize training. The speakers detail their first-principles systems model, based on the Roofline model, used to simulate and find the optimal allocation of GPU resources between sampling and training, balancing throughput with algorithmic stability and achieving significant speedups.
This talk introduces 'structured dissent,' a multi-agent orchestration pattern where believer, skeptic, and neutral agents debate decisions to overcome the 'confidently wrong' failure mode of single-agent LLM systems, improving reliability for high-stakes tasks like cybersecurity analysis.
A deep dive into the security vulnerabilities of Multi-Context Protocol (MCP) for AI agents. The talk explores how identity loss, "all-or-nothing" permissions, and disappearing audit trails create significant attack surfaces, and presents solutions like identity chain tracking, context-aware permissions, and intelligent auditing to secure agent-to-tool communication.
A detailed overview of a modular, five-agent system designed to combat the entire lifecycle of digital misinformation. Based on an ICWSM research paper, this practitioner's guide details the roles of the Classifier, Indexer, Extractor, Corrector, and Verifier agents. The system emphasizes scalability, explainability, and high precision, moving beyond the limitations of single-LLM solutions. The talk covers the complete blueprint, from agent coordination and MLOps to holistic evaluation and optimization strategies for production environments.
Nikesh Arora, CEO of Palo Alto Networks, shares his unconventional journey and leadership philosophy. He provides a masterclass in building a multi-platform company through strategic M&A, explains why founders should sometimes ignore customers, and reveals how to lead with conviction while managing imposter syndrome.
Stewart Butterfield, co-founder of Slack and Flickr, shares the product frameworks and leadership principles that guided his success. He delves into concepts like "utility curves" for feature investment, the "owner's delusion" in product design, and why focusing on "comprehension" is often more important than reducing friction. He also introduces powerful mental models for organizational effectiveness, such as combating "hyper-realistic work-like activities" and applying Parkinson's Law to team growth.
Intuit CEO Sasan Goodarzi discusses the operational playbook for reinventing a 40-year-old company, from its slow transition to SaaS to its early adoption of AI. He shares insights on winning the SMB market by treating small businesses like consumers, building effective channel partnerships, and developing a platform strategy. Goodarzi also details his leadership philosophy, emphasizing that grit and curiosity are more critical than raw talent.
Experts discuss the significant gap in patching rates between IT and OT systems, the rise of cyberattacks with physical consequences like cargo theft, the novel threat of time-delayed logic bombs, the sensationalism surrounding AI-powered malware, and the critical need for fundamental cybersecurity hygiene.
Andy Pernsteiner, Field CTO of VAST Data, discusses the immense challenges of transitioning AI projects from prototype to production. He highlights the critical role of data infrastructure, the high cost of GPU downtime, and the necessity of building resilient, scalable platforms that can withstand real-world failures like power outages in massive data centers. The conversation emphasizes a shift in mindset towards empathy, better requirement gathering, and closer collaboration between data scientists and platform engineers to bridge the gap between development and operations.
Prabira Acharya explains that managing data storage without observability is like driving a car without a dashboard. The talk outlines the seven pillars of storage observability, the critical role of AI in analyzing vast amounts of data for anomaly detection and predictive analytics, and the evolution toward agentic AIOps for creating self-healing and self-managing storage infrastructures.
Grant Lee, co-founder of Gamma, shares the journey of building a presentation tool to 100 million users and $100M ARR. He discusses the strategy of being 'different, not just better' than incumbents like Microsoft and Google, the importance of starting with a strong product thesis before integrating AI, and the disciplined 'hire painfully slowly' approach that allowed a small team to achieve massive organic growth.
Nicole Brichtova and Hansa Srinivasan, the leads behind Google's Nano Banana image model, detail the technical breakthroughs in character consistency. They discuss how a focus on high-quality data, Gemini's multimodal architecture, and rigorous human evaluation enabled the model to realistically represent individuals from a single photo. The conversation covers the future of visual AI, moving beyond text prompts to specialized UIs, and the ultimate goal of a single, powerful model that can transform any modality into another, unlocking new applications in personalized education, professional design, and creative storytelling.
Michael Truell, CEO of Cursor, discusses the company's rapid growth, emphasizing a strategy of deliberate focus on power users over broad democratization. He shares insights into their unique two-day work trials that test for agency, the technical and relational challenges of out-scaling cloud and API providers, and a talent-first approach to M&A, all while navigating a market poised for its next 'iPhone moment'.
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