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.
A panel of university students from LSE, Princeton, Berkeley, and ASU discuss the real-world impact of AI on campus life. They cover how AI is used as both a powerful learning tool and a crutch, the innovative projects students are building, how universities are adapting, and the challenges of navigating cheating, job applications, and 'AI slop' in a rapidly changing educational landscape.
Explore how Temporal, a durable execution framework, brings resilience and scalability to AI agents built with the OpenAI Agents SDK. This summary covers Temporal's core concepts of Workflows and Activities, the official integration that makes OpenAI agents durable, and patterns for orchestrating multiple micro-agents.
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.
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.
In this discussion, experts Sridhar Muppidi and Cris Thomas explore the security implications of emerging AI technologies. They analyze new attack vectors using malicious AI agents, the critical gap in AI governance, the evolution of malware to mimic human behavior, and a novel smishing scheme designed to manipulate stock markets. The conversation also covers the current state and future of bug bounty programs in an AI-driven world.
The OpenAI Sora team discusses the technology behind their video generation model, from the Diffusion Transformers and space-time tokens that enable object permanence to their vision for Sora as a world simulator for scientific discovery. They also cover the intentional product design of the Sora app, which optimizes for creative inspiration over mindless consumption, and their strategy for building a new creator economy with IP holders.
Legacy code isn't just old; it's a treasure trove of lost business knowledge. Alessandro Colla and Alberto Acerbis, authors of 'Domain-Driven Refactoring,' argue for a business-first approach to modernization. They explain how to rediscover the 'why' behind your system using Domain-Driven Design, treating the monolith not as something to be destroyed, but as a block of marble from which a well-structured solution can be carefully carved.
Marc Dupuis, CEO of fabi.ai, argues that AI tools will elevate, not eliminate, data scientists by automating routine coding and enabling a focus on higher-value tasks. He advocates for building automated workflows that meet stakeholders in their native tools like Slack, delivering far greater ROI than traditional dashboards, and shares core principles for designing effective AI-first products.
Mati Staniszewski, CEO of ElevenLabs, discusses the company's strategy for rapidly shipping research-grade AI. He covers their organizational structure of small, autonomous teams, a global and remote-first hiring philosophy, the transition from a creator-focused product to an enterprise platform, and the lessons learned in navigating complex licensing and scaling a go-to-market team.
A deep dive into how fine-tuned Small Language Models (SLMs) and RAG systems can be combined to create personalized AI agents that learn user-specific workflows, emulate decision-making, and collaborate with humans, moving beyond conversational interfaces to direct action within enterprise environments.
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