エピソード

  • Technical advances in document understanding
    2025/12/02

    Chris and Daniel unpack how AI-driven document processing has rapidly evolved well beyond traditional OCR with many technical advances that fly under the radar. They explore the progression from document structure models to language-vision models, all the way to the newest innovations like Deepseek-OCR. The discussion highlights the pros and cons of these various approaches focusing on practical implementation and usage.

    Featuring:

    • Chris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, X
    • Daniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, X

    Sponsors:

    • Shopify – The commerce platform trusted by millions. From idea to checkout, Shopify gives you everything you need to launch and scale your business—no matter your level of experience. Build beautiful storefronts, market with built-in AI tools, and tap into the platform powering 10% of all U.S. eCommerce. Start your one-dollar trial at shopify.com/practicalai
    • Fabi.ai - The all-in-one data analysis platform for modern teams. From ad hoc queries to advanced analytics, Fabi lets you explore data wherever it lives—spreadsheets, Postgres, Snowflake, Airtable and more. Built-in Python and AI assistance help you move fast, then publish interactive dashboards or automate insights delivered straight to Slack, email, spreadsheets or wherever you need to share it. Learn more and get started for free at fabi.ai
    • Framer – Design and publish without limits with Framer, the free all-in-one design platform. Unlimited projects, no tool switching, and professional sites—no Figma imports or HTML hassles required. Start creating for free at framer.com/design with code `PRACTICALAI` for a free month of Framer Pro.

    Upcoming Events:

    • Register for upcoming webinars here!
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    49 分
  • Chris on AI, autonomous swarming, home automation and Rust!
    2025/11/26
    This episode is a special crossover between the Practical AI podcast and The Changelog podcast. Chris was recently invited by longtime friends Jerod Santo and Adam Stacoviak, cohosts of The Changelog, to join them on the show. They discuss AI, drones, robotics, swarming technology, and the rise of high-performance edge computing with Rust. Chris points out that open source software, small AI models, and affordable hardware are making home automation and local AI accessible to everyone. From automating household functions to experimenting with drones and single-board computers, Chris describes how hands-on maker projects are shaping a bright future for physical AI, on small budgets and right from the comfort of your own home.Featuring: Jerod Santo – LinkedInAdam Stacoviak – LinkedInChris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, XSponsors: Miro – Get the right things done faster with Miro's Innovation Workspace. AI Sidekicks, instant insights, and rapid prototyping—transform weeks of work into days. No more scattered docs or endless meetings. Help your teams get great done at Miro.com.Shopify – The commerce platform trusted by millions. From idea to checkout, Shopify gives you everything you need to launch and scale your business—no matter your level of experience. Build beautiful storefronts, market with built-in AI tools, and tap into the platform powering 10% of all U.S. eCommerce. Start your one-dollar trial at shopify.com/practicalaiUpcoming Events: Register for upcoming webinars here!This week we have extended show notes below from Chris!Swarming & Fully Autonomous Multi-Agent UxV SystemsChris’s Definition of Swarming (anchor link in show notes)Chris’s definition of Swarming“Swarming occurs when numerous independent fully-autonomous multi-agentic platforms exhibit highly-coordinated locomotive and emergent behaviors with agency and self-governance in any domain (air, ground, sea, undersea, space), functioning as a single independent logical distributed decentralized decisioning entity for purposes of C3 (command, control, communications) with human operators on-the-loop, to implement actions that achieve strategic, tactical, or operational effects in the furtherance of a mission.”© 2025 Chris BensonConceptual FoundationsSwarm Robotics – WikipediaHigh-level overview of swarm robotics as decentralized robot collectives.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swarm_roboticsSwarm Robotic Platforms – WikipediaSurvey of hardware platforms used in swarm robotics research.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swarm_robotic_platformsSwarm Intelligence – WikipediaBroader algorithms and theory behind collective intelligence (beyond robots).https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swarm_intelligenceAnt Robotics – WikipediaNature-inspired “ant-like” robotics as a special case of swarm robotics.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant_roboticsOpen Research & Multi-Robot Resources (Stepping-Stones Toward True Swarms)Programming Multiple Robots with ROS 2 (online book)Free book on multi-robot systems, ROS 2, and the Robot Middleware Framework (RMF).https://osrf.github.io/ros2multirobotbookSimulation with ROS 2 & Gazebo (ROS 2 Humble tutorial)Official tutorial on connecting ROS 2 to Gazebo simulation.https://docs.ros.org/en/humble/Tutorials/Advanced/Simulators/Gazebo/Gazebo.htmlSpawning Multiple Robots in Gazebo with ROS 2Hands-on tutorial to launch N robots in Gazebo, each with its own namespace.https://www.theconstruct.ai/spawning-multiple-robots-in-gazebo-with-ros2ROS 2 Multi-Robot Simulation Best Practices (Discourse thread)Discussion of patterns for multi-robot systems (domains, namespaces, Nav2, etc.).https://discourse.openrobotics.org/t/multi-robot-simulation-best-practices/38987Getting Hands-On: Consumer Robotics, ROS 2 & GazeboROS 2 (Robot Operating System 2)Official ROS 2 Documentation – Humble (LTS)Main docs for ROS 2 Humble (recommended distro) with tutorials and APIs.https://docs.ros.org/en/humbleROS 2 Installation Guide (Humble)Step-by-step install on supported platforms.https://docs.ros.org/en/humble/Installation.html“From Zero to Robotics Hero: A Beginner’s Guide to ROS 2” (article)Beginner-friendly overview with ideas for where to go next (MoveIt, Nav2, multi-robot, etc.).https://riyagoja.medium.com/from-zero-to-robotics-hero-a-beginners-guide-to-ros-2-90ac9c3b87baROS 2 Tutorial for Beginners (2025 guide)Up-to-date intro that walks you from install to simulating your first robot in 2025.https://www.timesofexplore.com/2025/10/ros2-tutorial-beginners-build-first-robot-2025.htmlGazebo SimulationGazebo Sim – Official SiteModern Gazebo (Ignition) simulator; models, worlds, and docs.https://gazebosim.orgGetting Started with Gazebo (Docs)Official “start here” guide for using Gazebo and Gazebo Fuel assets.https://gazebosim.org/docs/latest/getstartedClassic Gazebo Tutorials (still useful for fundamentals)https://classic.gazebosim.org/tutorialsmicro-ROS (ROS 2 on Microcontrollers)...
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    1 時間 37 分
  • Beyond note-taking with Fireflies
    2025/11/19

    Fireflies CEO, Krish Ramineni shares how the company is transforming AI-powered note-taking into a deeper layer of knowledge automation. He breaks down the technology behind real-time functionality like Live Assist, the user behavior patterns driving product evolution, and how Fireflies is innovating far beyond meetings. Krish also shares insights on future trends in AI and the potential for hardware integration, emphasizing the ongoing evolution of AI in knowledge work.

    Featuring:

    • Krish Ramineni – LinkedIn
    • Chris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, X
    • Daniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, X

    Links:

    • Fireflies AI

    Sponsors:

    • Miro – Get the right things done faster with Miro's Innovation Workspace. AI Sidekicks, instant insights, and rapid prototyping—transform weeks of work into days. No more scattered docs or endless meetings. Help your teams get great done at [Miro](https://miro.com).
    • Framer – Design and publish without limits with Framer, the free all-in-one design platform. Unlimited projects, no tool switching, and professional sites—no Figma imports or HTML hassles required. Start creating for free at [framer.com/design](https://www.framer.com/design/) with code `PRACTICALAI` for a free month of Framer Pro.

    Upcoming Events:

    • Register for upcoming webinars here!
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    49 分
  • Autonomous Vehicle Research at Waymo
    2025/11/13

    Waymo’s VP of Research, Drago Anguelov, joins Practical AI to explore how advances in autonomy, vision models, and large-scale testing are shaping the future of driverless technology. The conversation dives into the dual challenges of building an onboard driver and testing that driver (via large scale simulation). Drago also gives us an update on what Waymo is doing to achieve intelligent, real-time performance while ensuring proven safety and reliability.

    Featuring:

    • Drago Anguelov – LinkedIn
    • Chris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, X
    • Daniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, X

    Links:

    • Waymo Research
    • New Insights for Scaling Laws in Autonomous Driving
    • AI in Motion

    Sponsors:

    • Outshift by Cisco - The open source collective building the Internet of Agents. Backed by Outshift by Cisco, AGNTCY gives developers the tools to build and deploy multi-agent software at scale. Identity, communication protocols, and modular workflows—all in one global collaboration layer. Start building at AGNTCY.org.
    • Shopify – The commerce platform trusted by millions. From idea to checkout, Shopify gives you everything you need to launch and scale your business—no matter your level of experience. Build beautiful storefronts, market with built-in AI tools, and tap into the platform powering 10% of all U.S. eCommerce. Start your one-dollar trial at shopify.com/practicalai
    • Fabi.ai - The all-in-one data analysis platform for modern teams. From ad hoc queries to advanced analytics, Fabi lets you explore data wherever it lives—spreadsheets, Postgres, Snowflake, Airtable and more. Built-in Python and AI assistance help you move fast, then publish interactive dashboards or automate insights delivered straight to Slack, email, spreadsheets or wherever you need to share it. Learn more and get started for free at fabi.ai

    Upcoming Events:

    • Register for upcoming webinars here!
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    52 分
  • Are we in an AI bubble?
    2025/11/10

    Dan and Chris unpack whether today’s surge in AI deployment across enterprise workflows, manufacturing, healthcare, and scientific research signals a lasting transformation or an overhyped bubble. Drawing parallels to the dot-com era, they explore how technology integration is reshaping industries, affecting jobs, and even influencing human cognition, ultimately asking: is this a bubble, or just a fizzy new phase of innovation?

    Featuring:

    • Chris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, X
    • Daniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, X

    Links:

    • Powell says that, unlike the dotcom boom, AI spending isn’t a bubble: ‘I won’t go into particular names, but they actually have earnings’

    Sponsors:

    • Outshift by Cisco - The open source collective building the Internet of Agents. Backed by Outshift by Cisco, AGNTCY gives developers the tools to build and deploy multi-agent software at scale. Identity, communication protocols, and modular workflows—all in one global collaboration layer. Start building at AGNTCY.org.
    • Shopify – The commerce platform trusted by millions. From idea to checkout, Shopify gives you everything you need to launch and scale your business—no matter your level of experience. Build beautiful storefronts, market with built-in AI tools, and tap into the platform powering 10% of all U.S. eCommerce. Start your one-dollar trial at shopify.com/practicalai
    • Fabi.ai - The all-in-one data analysis platform for modern teams. From ad hoc queries to advanced analytics, Fabi lets you explore data wherever it lives—spreadsheets, Postgres, Snowflake, Airtable and more. Built-in Python and AI assistance help you move fast, then publish interactive dashboards or automate insights delivered straight to Slack, email, spreadsheets or wherever you need to share it. Learn more and get started for free at fabi.ai

    Upcoming Events:

    • Join us at the Midwest AI Summit on November 13 in Indianapolis to hear world-class speakers share how they’ve scaled AI solutions. Don’t miss the AI Engineering Lounge, where you can sit down with experts for hands-on guidance. Reserve your spot today!
    • Register for upcoming webinars here!
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    50 分
  • While loops with tool calls
    2025/10/30

    Dan and Chris sit down (again) with Jared Zoneraich, co-founder and CEO of PromptLayer, to discuss how prompt engineering has evolved into context engineering (and while loops with tool calls). Jared shares insights on building flexible AI applications, managing tool calls, testing and versioning prompts, and empowering both technical and non-technical users in AI development. Along the way, they dive into coding agents and the “crawl-walk-run” approach to AI deployment.

    Featuring:

    • Jared Zoneraich – LinkedIn
    • Chris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, X
    • Daniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, X

    Links:

    • PromptLayer

    Upcoming Events:

    • Join us at the Midwest AI Summit on November 13 in Indianapolis to hear world-class speakers share how they’ve scaled AI solutions. Don’t miss the AI Engineering Lounge, where you can sit down with experts for hands-on guidance. Reserve your spot today!
    • Register for upcoming webinars here!
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    45 分
  • Tiny Recursive Networks
    2025/10/24

    In this fully connected episode, Daniel and Chris explore the emerging concept of tiny recursive networks introduced by Samsung AI, contrasting them with large transformer based models. They explore how these small models tackle reasoning tasks with fewer parameters, less data, and iterative refinement, matching the giants on specific problems. They also discuss the ethical challenges of emotional manipulation in chatbots.

    Featuring:

    • Chris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, X
    • Daniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, X

    Links:

    • Less is More: Recursive Reasoning with Tiny Networks
    • Researchers detail 6 ways chatbots seek to prolong ‘emotionally sensitive events’

    Sponsors:

    • Outshift by Cisco - The open source collective building the Internet of Agents. Backed by Outshift by Cisco, AGNTCY gives developers the tools to build and deploy multi-agent software at scale. Identity, communication protocols, and modular workflows—all in one global collaboration layer. Start building at AGNTCY.org.
    • Fabi.ai - The all-in-one data analysis platform for modern teams. From ad hoc queries to advanced analytics, Fabi lets you explore data wherever it lives—spreadsheets, Postgres, Snowflake, Airtable and more. Built-in Python and AI assistance help you move fast, then publish interactive dashboards or automate insights delivered straight to Slack, email, spreadsheets or wherever you need to share it. Learn more and get started for free at fabi.ai
    • Miro – The innovation workspace for the age of AI. Built for modern teams, Miro helps you turn unstructured ideas into structured outcomes—fast. Diagramming, product design, and AI-powered collaboration, all in one shared space. Start building at miro.com

    Upcoming Events:

    • Join us at the Midwest AI Summit on November 13 in Indianapolis to hear world-class speakers share how they’ve scaled AI solutions. Don’t miss the AI Engineering Lounge, where you can sit down with experts for hands-on guidance. Reserve your spot today!
    • Register for upcoming webinars here!
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    48 分
  • Dealing with increasingly complicated agents
    2025/10/16

    As AI systems move from simple chatbots to complex agentic workflows, new security risks emerge. In this episode, Donato Capitella unpacks how increasingly complicated architectures are making agents fragile and vulnerable. These agents can be exploited through prompt injection, data exfiltration, and tool misuse. Donato shares stories from real-world penetration tests, the design patterns for building LLM agents and explains how his open-source toolkit Spikee (Simple Prompt Injection Kit for Evaluation and Exploitation) is helping red teams probe AI systems.

    Featuring:

    • Donato Capitella – LinkedIn, X
    • Chris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, X
    • Daniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, X

    Links:

    • Reversec

    Sponsors:

    • Outshift by Cisco - The open source collective building the Internet of Agents. Backed by Outshift by Cisco, AGNTCY gives developers the tools to build and deploy multi-agent software at scale. Identity, communication protocols, and modular workflows—all in one global collaboration layer. Start building at AGNTCY.org.
    • Shopify – The commerce platform trusted by millions. From idea to checkout, Shopify gives you everything you need to launch and scale your business—no matter your level of experience. Build beautiful storefronts, market with built-in AI tools, and tap into the platform powering 10% of all U.S. eCommerce. Start your one-dollar trial at shopify.com/practicalai
    • Fabi.ai - The all-in-one data analysis platform for modern teams. From ad hoc queries to advanced analytics, Fabi lets you explore data wherever it lives—spreadsheets, Postgres, Snowflake, Airtable and more. Built-in Python and AI assistance help you move fast, then publish interactive dashboards or automate insights delivered straight to Slack, email, spreadsheets or wherever you need to share it. Learn more and get started for free at fabi.ai

    Upcoming Events:

    • Join us at the Midwest AI Summit on November 13 in Indianapolis to hear world-class speakers share how they’ve scaled AI solutions. Don’t miss the AI Engineering Lounge, where you can sit down with experts for hands-on guidance. Reserve your spot today!
    • Register for upcoming webinars here!
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    55 分