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.
Thomas Wolf, co-founder of Hugging Face, discusses his journey from physics to AI, the power of open-source models to accelerate innovation, the practical challenges of productionalizing AI demos, and why the biggest opportunities for founders now lie in the application layer on top of powerful foundation models.
Daren Fields, Co-Founder & CEO of Virtual Select, discusses the future of manufacturing, emphasizing the role of AI as a tool for human augmentation, not replacement. He explores how to modernize manufacturing by combining a carbon-based workforce with silicon-based systems to prevent defects, reduce costs, and de-risk execution.
The panel discusses Anthropic's Claude Cowork and the challenge of user trust in AI agents for everyday tasks. They then analyze the Apple-Google partnership to integrate Gemini into Siri, debating its implications for edge AI, privacy, and hardware limitations. Finally, they explore Linus Torvalds' use of AI for "vibe coding," considering its impact on hobbyist programming and entrepreneurship versus the current limitations in producing production-ready software.
Jeff Crume and Patrick Fussell from IBM's X-Force team share a real-world ethical hacking war story, demonstrating an attack from an 'assume breach' perspective. They break down how vulnerabilities in Identity and Access Management (IAM) and legacy systems can lead to a full compromise, starting from an insider threat and escalating to domain administrator privileges through advanced C2 attacks and lateral movement.
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.
Arvind Jain, CEO of Glean, details the company's journey from a pre-LLM enterprise search innovator to a leading AI agent platform. He covers their hybrid model strategy, the critical role of permission-aware RAG for security, and how AI agents are creating 'evergreen' documentation and reshaping enterprise workflows.
Marc Andreessen and Joe Lonsdale discuss how AI and robotics present a pivotal opportunity to re-industrialize the United States, reversing decades of policy choices that led to slower growth and a deep urban-rural divide. They argue for a future focused on advanced manufacturing of robots and AI-powered hardware, tackling the 'cost disease' in healthcare and education, and rethinking policies on immigration and regulation to unlock the country's full potential.
Authors Anne Currie and Sarah Wells discuss the core principles of "The Cloud Native Attitude", defining it not as a specific technology stack but as a cultural mindset focused on removing bottlenecks and enabling rapid, iterative change. The summary covers the primacy of CI/CD, the evolution of orchestrators like Kubernetes, and how a cloud native approach is a critical enabler for building sustainable, green software.
Software developer Akshay Agrawal discusses Marimo, a next-generation reactive notebook for Python designed to solve the reproducibility and workflow issues inherent in traditional notebooks. He explains how Marimo's reactivity, developer-friendly design, and ability to transform into a data app create a seamless environment for exploration and deployment.
Dwarkesh Patel and Noah Smith debate the definition of AGI, its economic implications, and timelines. They contrast an economic definition (automating white-collar work) with a cognitive one, exploring why current models lack economic value despite reasoning abilities due to a failure in 'continual learning'. The discussion covers the potential for explosive economic growth versus a collapse in consumer demand, the substitution vs. complementarity of human labor, and the geopolitical shift from population size to inference capacity as the basis of power.
Jay Fenton discusses the challenges of "big messy data" in the telecommunications industry, highlighting how legacy systems fail to handle the scale and complexity. He presents a suite of modern tools, including Graphistry, IPython, and D3.js, for large-scale data visualization and analysis, advocating for a "human-computer symbiosis" to empower engineers in managing complex networks.
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