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.
Ben Horowitz of Andreessen Horowitz discusses how AI is reshaping venture capital, detailing the firm's strategy for managing partners, verticalizing teams, and evaluating investments in real-time. He breaks down the current AI cycle, arguing that application design and model orchestration are key, and explains why the current market's growth is driven by real demand, not just hype.
Ashwin Rajeeva, cofounder and CTO of Acceldata, details the architecture and philosophy behind their Agentic Data Management (ADM) platform. He explains how the Xlake reasoning engine provides crucial context for AI agents to operate across petabyte-scale enterprise data, enabling capabilities like self-healing data pipelines and automated data quality assurance, while also discussing strategies for leading technical teams in the age of AI.
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.
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.
Yevgeniy (Jim) Brikman, author and co-founder of Gruntwork, discusses the pragmatic definition of DevOps as a methodology for efficient software delivery, born from his experience with a deployment crisis at LinkedIn. The conversation with Kief Morris explores the modern infrastructure stack, the critical role of frameworks over custom scripts, and emerging paradigms like Infrastructure from Code and interactive runbooks.
Chip Huyen, an AI expert and author of 'AI Engineering', explains the realities of building successful AI applications. She covers the nuances of model training, the critical role of data quality in RAG systems, the mechanics of RLHF, and why the future of AI improvement lies in post-training, system-level thinking, and solving UX problems rather than just chasing the newest models.
Luke Wroblewski of Sutter Hill Ventures discusses AgentDB, a database system designed for AI agents, and a paradigm shift in software development where building precedes designing, driven by the power of large language models.
Explore the distinction between LLMs and AI agents, focusing on how agents leverage reasoning, tool calling, and the ReAct prompting framework for autonomous decision-making and task execution in complex business workflows.
Warp CEO Zach Lloyd discusses the evolution of the developer terminal into an agentic platform, the shift from manual coding to a future of automated development, and the philosophical questions surrounding AI intelligence versus consciousness.
a16z's Anish Acharya and Kevin Rose discuss how AI is fueling a renaissance in consumer technology. They explore the rise of emotional interfaces and AI companions, the importance of backing 'weird and working' founders, and how the modern AI development stack empowers solo creators to build, prototype, and launch products with unprecedented speed and craftsmanship.
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