Artificial intelligence is evolving at an unprecedented pace—what does that mean for the future of technology, venture capital, business, and even our understanding of ourselves? Award-winning journalist and writer Anil Ananthaswamy joins us for our latest episode to discuss his latest book Why Machines Learn: The Elegant Math Behind Modern AI . Anil helps us explore the journey and many breakthroughs that have propelled machine learning from simple perceptrons to the sophisticated algorithms shaping today’s AI revolution, powering GPT and other models. The discussion aims to demystify some of the underlying mathematical concepts that power modern machine learning, to help everyone grasp this technology impacting our lives–even if your last math class was in high school. Anil walks us through the power of scaling laws, the shift from training to inference optimization, and the debate among AI’s pioneers about the road to AGI—should we be concerned, or are we still missing key pieces of the puzzle? The conversation also delves into AI’s philosophical implications—could understanding how machines learn help us better understand ourselves? And what challenges remain before AI systems can truly operate with agency? If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe and leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform. Sign up for our newsletter at techsurgepodcast.com for exclusive insights and updates on upcoming TechSurge Live Summits. Links: Read Why Machines Learn, Anil’s latest book on the math behind AI https://www.amazon.com/Why-Machines-Learn-Elegant-Behind/dp/0593185749 Learn more about Anil Ananthaswamy’s work and writing https://anilananthaswamy.com/ Watch Anil Ananthaswamy’s TED Talk on AI and intelligence https://www.ted.com/speakers/anil_ananthaswamy Discover the MIT Knight Science Journalism Fellowship that shaped Anil’s AI research https://ksj.mit.edu/ Understand the Perceptron, the foundation of neural networks https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perceptron Read about the Perceptron Convergence Theorem and its significance https://www.nature.com/articles/323533a0…
Join high school counselors, Kevin Patton and Eric Bringardner, as they interview former students about how their lives have played out since going off on their own. Find out what fresh perspective they would bring if they had the chance to go back in time and do high school all over again. Being a teenager can be tough. Our goal is to share stories that can benefit teens or anyone who has a vested interest in helping them get the most out of these formative years!
Join high school counselors, Kevin Patton and Eric Bringardner, as they interview former students about how their lives have played out since going off on their own. Find out what fresh perspective they would bring if they had the chance to go back in time and do high school all over again. Being a teenager can be tough. Our goal is to share stories that can benefit teens or anyone who has a vested interest in helping them get the most out of these formative years!
Muzz Ahmed is a 2014 HS grad who currently works for one of the premier players in the tech industry. He was recently part of a team that created a new Virtual Reality headset that will revolutionize our ability to connect with one another online!Muzz was initially on a pre-med track after high school, mostly due to well-intentioned advice from family and friends; however, he was always drawn to technology's ability to create change on such a massive scale and eventually the excitement of tho...…
Quinn Eberhard is a 2017 HS grad and is currently a PhD student in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology at UNC. Quinn was an International Baccalaureate Diploma Student while in high school where she developed disciplined habits and experienced success in and out of the classroom. When deciding on a college, Quinn placed a strong emphasis on being able to graduate with as little debt as possible while seeking a program that would provide her with a strong foundation, knowing tha...…
Kwabena Amponsah is a 2014 HS grad who is now a Principal Consultant at PayPal, where he has become an expert on e-commerce and the systems used to help businesses create a seamless buying experience for their customers. Bena's path to success has involved multiple twists and turns but his desire to help others has always been at the core of his personal mission. This episode title is a tribute to a program that Bena and his friends started at our high school called Black Brothers United...…
Brennan Whitis is a 2014 HS grad who is currently the Ohio University Men’s Golf head coach. Brennan graduated with a degree in business marketing and a minor in sports management and had aspirations to work in the social media/digital marketing field after college. However, after winning 4 conference championships and the 2017 NCAA Championship with his team at Wittenberg University, changing his path from business to the golf course presented itself due to the help from some key mentors in ...…
Thomas Solomon is a 2014 HS grad who is now a Clinical Scientist for Bristol Myers Squibb, a global biopharmaceutical company. Thomas graduated high school with the intention of becoming an engineer but ended up switching gears after a summer bridge program at The University of Cincinnati, where he ended up going to school and studying to become a pharmacist instead. Learn about how his path as a pharmacy student led to specializing in finding cures for deadly diseases.We also discuss why Tho...…
Adam Striker is a 2014 HS grad who is currently working as a digital content producer for Professional Bull Riders. Adam began college as an exercise physiology major, but his passion for producing film became too strong to ignore. Tune in to hear how three key internships with The OSU Wexner Medical Center, USA Football, and The Columbus Crew impacted his career path and contributed to the success he has found today. Hear what Adam has done to live life to the fullest, develop his skills, an...…
Sammy Edwards is a 2014 HS grad who is now a Senior Compliance Analyst at Matic Insurance. Sammy was a stand-out soccer player at Ohio State and originally thought she would either pursue a soccer career after college or something in the field of criminal justice. Learn how a spin-move gone wrong led her down a different path and how she has managed to maintain a positive outlook ever since. We also discuss an impactful internship that Sammy had with the OSU Police Dept., the strategies ...…
Cam Justice is a 2015 HS grad who is currently in his second year at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. After beginning his career in social work, Cam changed his focus after realizing that he could have a greater impact on the lives of others by focusing on public policy. Cam is the vice president of the Black Law Students Association, serves on the Law and Leadership Advisory, is a Mortitz Peer mentor, and is a member of the Student Bar Association. He also volunteers for the ...…
Julie Pochodylo is a 2014 HS grad who went on to study at the University of Dayton and now works for an organization called Olive Ventures that focuses on creating innovative solutions in the healthcare industry using Artificial Intelligence and other forms of technology. Julie was hired as employee number 100 (there are now over 1,500 employees!) and describes what inspired her to join a start-up instead of going with a more stable corporate position elsewhere. After creating multiple roles ...…
Rylee Axner is a 2013 HS grad who is currently working in the film and media industry in Los Angeles, California as a post production coordinator. Hear how a decision to take a “fun elective” during her senior year had a monumental impact on her career trajectory. Rylee shares the path she took to make it in the film industry, the advice she would give her high school self, and the self-care routines that she utilizes to handle a stressful work environment. For those of you who always sneak c...…
Kyle Vandeveer is a 2014 HS grad who earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering from The Ohio State University. He started his career working as an engineer for Tesla and now works full time as the founder and President of a company called Intrism, where he and a team of creative professionals design, produce, and sell intricate 3D puzzle mazes. This episode title was inspired by the side project that Kyle began working on in his 9th grade engineering design class that developed into the compa...…
Rachel LaPointe is a 2015 HS grad who, as long as we have known her, has been an advocate for others. As a passionate and dedicated IB diploma student, Rachel describes the ups and downs she encountered in high school, how she made the most of her experiences, and how her path has led her to a successful career with a historic womens’ advocacy group in NYC. Tune in to hear Rachel’s story, and what she would tell herself if she had the opportunity to do high school again.…
Frank Ruiz is a 2016 HS grad who is living in NYC . After graduating from AMDA after only two years, Frank started out as a professional actor and now works as a full-time theater teacher for school aged students through an organization called Count Basie Center for the Arts.This episode title was inspired by Frank’s role in an international tour of The Wizard of Oz and his philosophy that we have to be open to allowing ourselves to be redirected when it feels right, even if that means choosi...…
Clay Raterman is a 2014 HS grad who has had a fascinating journey. Clay is the founder of Piggy Banker, raises capital for hedge funds, and has built several startups. Encountering numerous failures and setbacks along the way, Clay’s ability to respond, along with his intellectual curiosity have led to some incredible successes. Want to hear about walking on to The OSU football team, running 100 miles, the benefits of mindfulness and meditation, and what Clay would do differently if he return...…
Claire Edwards is a 2014 HS grad who earned a degree from Miami University in Supply Chain Management. She resides in Columbus, OH and is putting her degree to work as a Master Scheduler for T. Marzetti Co. in their frozen pasta department, hence the episode title ;). In her spare time, Claire is passionate about creating healthy habits around self-care. Learn how she overcame imposter syndrome and developed the courage to share her strategies in public as a wellness content creator! After ge...…
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