"The Cognitive Revolution" | AI Builders, Researchers, and Live Player Analysis Podcast By Erik Torenberg Nathan Labenz cover art

"The Cognitive Revolution" | AI Builders, Researchers, and Live Player Analysis

"The Cognitive Revolution" | AI Builders, Researchers, and Live Player Analysis

By: Erik Torenberg Nathan Labenz
Listen for free

About this listen

 A biweekly podcast where hosts Nathan Labenz and Erik Torenberg interview the builders on the edge of AI and explore the dramatic shift it will unlock in the coming years. The Cognitive Revolution is part of the Turpentine podcast network. To learn more: turpentine.co2023 Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Social Sciences
Episodes
  • a16z on Protecting Little Tech: The Techno-Optimist AI Policy Agenda with Matt Perault, Head of AI Policy

    a16z on Protecting Little Tech: The Techno-Optimist AI Policy Agenda with Matt Perault, Head of AI Policy
    Jun 9 2025
    In this episode, Matt Perault, Head of AI Policy at a16z, discusses their approach to AI regulation focused on protecting "little tech" startups from regulatory capture that could entrench big tech incumbents. The conversation covers a16z's core principle of regulating harmful AI use rather than the development process, exploring key policy initiatives like the Raise Act and California's SB 813. Perault addresses critical challenges including setting appropriate regulatory thresholds, transparency requirements, and designing dynamic frameworks that balance innovation with safety. The discussion examines both areas of agreement and disagreement within the AI policy landscape, particularly around scaling laws, regulatory timing, and the concentration of AI capabilities. Disclaimer: This information is for general educational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy, hold, or sell any investment or financial product. Turpentine is an acquisition of a16z Holdings, L.L.C., and is not a bank, investment adviser, or broker-dealer. This podcast may include paid promotional advertisements, individuals and companies featured or advertised during this podcast are not endorsing AH Capital or any of its affiliates (including, but not limited to, a16z Perennial Management L.P.). Similarly, Turpentine is not endorsing affiliates, individuals, or any entities featured on this podcast. All investments involve risk, including the possible loss of capital. Past performance is no guarantee of future results and the opinions presented cannot be viewed as an indicator of future performance. Before making decisions with legal, tax, or accounting effects, you should consult appropriate professionals. Information is from sources deemed reliable on the date of publication, but Turpentine does not guarantee its accuracy. SPONSORS: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) is the next-generation cloud platform that delivers better, cheaper, and faster solutions for your infrastructure, database, application development, and AI needs. Experience up to 50% savings on compute, 70% on storage, and 80% on networking with OCI's high-performance environment—try it for free with zero commitment at https://oracle.com/cognitive The AGNTCY: The AGNTCY is an open-source collective dedicated to building the Internet of Agents, enabling AI agents to communicate and collaborate seamlessly across frameworks. Join a community of engineers focused on high-quality multi-agent software and support the initiative at https://agntcy.org/?utm_campaign=fy25q4_agntcy_amer_paid-media_agntcy-cognitiverevolution_podcast&utm_channel=podcast&utm_source=podcast NetSuite by Oracle: NetSuite by Oracle is the AI-powered business management suite trusted by over 41,000 businesses, offering a unified platform for accounting, financial management, inventory, and HR. Gain total visibility and control to make quick decisions and automate everyday tasks—download the free ebook, Navigating Global Trade: Three Insights for Leaders, at https://netsuite.com/cognitive PRODUCED BY: https://aipodcast.ing
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 4 mins
  • Don't Make Mirror Life: Synthetic Biologist Kate Adamala on Risks & Responsibility

    Don't Make Mirror Life: Synthetic Biologist Kate Adamala on Risks & Responsibility
    Jun 7 2025
    In this episode of The Cognitive Revolution, University of Minnesota Professor of Genetics and Synthetic Biologist, Kate Adamala, offers insights into synthetic biology and its potential implications for humanity. The discussion begins with an overview of synthetic biology and its goal to expand the chemical repertoire of life. Adamala delves into 'mirror life'—biological systems made of mirror-image molecules—and the significant risks they pose. She highlights parallels to AI safety concerns and emphasizes the importance of containing groundbreaking technologies to avoid unintended consequences. Adamala recounts her journey from advocating for mirror life to leading an effort to prevent its development, stressing the need for responsible innovation. The episode concludes with reflections on maximizing benefits while minimizing risks in both synthetic biology and AI. SPONSORS: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) is the next-generation cloud platform that delivers better, cheaper, and faster solutions for your infrastructure, database, application development, and AI needs. Experience up to 50% savings on compute, 70% on storage, and 80% on networking with OCI's high-performance environment—try it for free with zero commitment at https://oracle.com/cognitive The AGNTCY: The AGNTCY is an open-source collective dedicated to building the Internet of Agents, enabling AI agents to communicate and collaborate seamlessly across frameworks. Join a community of engineers focused on high-quality multi-agent software and support the initiative at https://agntcy.org/?utm_campaign=fy25q4_agntcy_amer_paid-media_agntcy-cognitiverevolution_podcast&utm_channel=podcast&utm_source=podcast NetSuite by Oracle: NetSuite by Oracle is the AI-powered business management suite trusted by over 41,000 businesses, offering a unified platform for accounting, financial management, inventory, and HR. Gain total visibility and control to make quick decisions and automate everyday tasks—download the free ebook, Navigating Global Trade: Three Insights for Leaders, at https://netsuite.com/cognitive Shopify: Shopify powers millions of businesses worldwide, handling 10% of U.S. e-commerce. With hundreds of templates, AI tools for product descriptions, and seamless marketing campaign creation, it's like having a design studio and marketing team in one. Start your $1/month trial today at https://shopify.com/cognitive PRODUCED BY: https://aipodcast.ing SOCIAL LINKS: Website: https://www.cognitiverevolution.ai Twitter (Podcast): https://x.com/cogrev_podcast Twitter (Nathan): https://x.com/labenz LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/nathanlabenz/ Youtube: https://youtube.com/@CognitiveRevolutionPodcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/the-cognitive-revolution-ai-builders-researchers-and/id1669813431 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6yHyok3M3BjqzR0VB5MSyk
    Show more Show less
    2 hrs and 3 mins
  • What did Google's AI Co-Scientist "Discover"? The Human Scientists' POV, from the Podovirus podcast

    What did Google's AI Co-Scientist "Discover"? The Human Scientists' POV, from the Podovirus podcast
    Jun 4 2025
    We're following up on our recent episode on Google's AI Co-Scientist with a special crossover episode from the Podovirus podcast. Hosts Dr Jessica Sacher and Dr Joe Campbell speak with José Penadés and Tiago Costa, scientists at Imperial College London who made a surprising discovery that Google's AI Co-Scientist later put forward as a hypothesis entirely on its own. The episode explores the fascinating world of bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria) and phage-inducible chromosomal islands (PICIs) - DNA sequences that hijack virus reproduction to spread themselves as a bacterial defense mechanism. The key mystery was how capsid-forming PICIs, which only encode virus heads without tails, managed to spread across different bacteria. The surprising answer, which eluded human scientists for years but which Google's AI Co-Scientist discovered through literature analysis, is that these capsids evolved to connect with various virus tails in the environment. This episode demonstrates how AI can now contribute to frontier scientific research beyond just grunt work - providing unbiased perspectives and key insights that accelerate discovery. It's a vivid example of science fiction becoming reality in our lifetimes. SPONSORS: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) is the next-generation cloud platform that delivers better, cheaper, and faster solutions for your infrastructure, database, application development, and AI needs. Experience up to 50% savings on compute, 70% on storage, and 80% on networking with OCI's high-performance environment—try it for free with zero commitment at https://oracle.com/cognitive NetSuite by Oracle: NetSuite by Oracle is the AI-powered business management suite trusted by over 41,000 businesses, offering a unified platform for accounting, financial management, inventory, and HR. Gain total visibility and control to make quick decisions and automate everyday tasks—download the free ebook, Navigating Global Trade: Three Insights for Leaders, at https://netsuite.com/cognitive Shopify: Shopify powers millions of businesses worldwide, handling 10% of U.S. e-commerce. With hundreds of templates, AI tools for product descriptions, and seamless marketing campaign creation, it's like having a design studio and marketing team in one. Start your $1/month trial today at https://shopify.com/cognitive PRODUCED BY: https://aipodcast.ing CHAPTERS: (00:00) About the Episode (04:37) Welcome to Podovirus Podcast (04:58) Introducing the Special Guests and Topic (06:30) Exploring Mobile Genetic Elements (13:20) The Role of AI in Phage Research (16:48) Mechanisms of Gene Transfer (Part 1) (20:10) Sponsors: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure | NetSuite by Oracle (22:43) Mechanisms of Gene Transfer (Part 2) (23:36) Insights and Discoveries (28:45) Future Directions and Applications (Part 1) (32:35) Sponsors: Shopify (34:32) Future Directions and Applications (Part 2) (41:22) Unbiased Systems and Conjugation (42:35) Google's Excitement and Experimental Evidence (45:39) Benchmarking AI Systems (49:29) Manuscript Revisions and Future Plans (51:53) AI as a Collaborator in Scientific Research (54:52) Challenges and Hypotheses in Phage Biology (57:58) Future of AI in Scientific Research (01:05:52) Concluding Thoughts and Future Collaborations (01:12:07) Outro
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 14 mins
adbl_web_global_use_to_activate_T1_webcro805_stickypopup
No reviews yet