Hybrid Minds: Unlocking the Power of AI + IQ

Cognaize, Vahe Andonians
  • 5.0 (5)
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Welcome to "Hybrid Minds: Unlocking The Power of AI + IQ," the podcast that explores the groundbreaking concept of combining artificial intelligence with human expertise to achieve unparalleled advancements in various fields. In this era of rapid technological evolution, we delve into the extraordinary potential AND conflict that arises when AI and human intelligence merge, ultimately giving birth to the concept of something we call, “hybrid intelligence”. Join us as we explore the remarkable intersection between AI and human intelligence and dive into the captivating world where AI demonstrates its prowess in surpassing human capabilities. And delve into the controversy of the real dangers and pitfalls of AI. In each episode, we'll bring you fascinating discussions with experts at the forefront of this hybrid intelligence revolution. Discover the transformative impact this collaboration has on various industries, from finance and engineering to education and beyond. Join us for "Hybrid Minds: The Power of AI + IQ", powered by the minds at Cognaize.

  1. AI at Scale: Engineering Intelligence Into Global Finance

    JAN 22

    AI at Scale: Engineering Intelligence Into Global Finance

    In this episode of Hybrid Minds, host Vahe welcomes Chris D’Agostino, Chief Data and AI Officer at FIS, for a wide-ranging conversation on the application of AI in enterprise environments. Chris draws on leadership experience from Databricks, Capital One, and FIS to unpack how large-scale financial platforms are evolving with LLMs, agent frameworks, and real-time decision engines. Chris explains how his teams are deploying AI to refactor legacy systems, automate back-office operations, and develop agentic capabilities across global financial infrastructure. All while navigating compliance and risk. The conversation also explores deeper themes: the future of software as adaptive systems, the ethical limits of AI empathy, and how digital workers may reshape the future of labor itself. This episode is essential listening for enterprise architects, engineering leaders, and AI strategists building intelligent systems at scale. Key Quotes:  “It's more than just a clone, right? It's not just a clone of what its skillset is and what tool it has access to. It's a different worker altogether based on where the agentic workflows are failing or not being done as efficiently as possible. They're trying to scale up that way and say, ‘well, if we have a different worker that has, sort of, along the lines of the mixture of experts, right? Instead of it being really good at eight things, it's really, really good at one thing, and that's gonna increase the throughput for the overall workflow. So, it'll be fascinating to see where it goes.” Chris D’Agostino, on AI specialization and digital worker designTime Stamps: (02:48) Challenges and Benefits of AI in Large Projects(09:51) The Future of AI in Software Development(31:10) Bringing Specialization in AI Models(35:35) Human Connection and Technology(46:22) The Future of AI and Human CreativityLinks: Connect with D’Agostino Visit FIS Connect with Vahe Visit Cognaize Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    50 min
  2. AI's impact on Consumer Finance

    07/10/2025

    AI's impact on Consumer Finance

    In this episode of Hybrid Minds, host Vahe Andonians is joined by Phill Rosen, Global CTO at MoneyLion, to explore the state of AI integration in financial technology. Phill offers a grounded and technical perspective on what it really takes to build, ship, and maintain AI-powered features in production, focused especially in highly regulated spaces like consumer finance. They discuss what it means for a company to be "AI-ready," and why most businesses will still depend on human engineers for the foreseeable future. Phil also shares how MoneyLion leverages modular AI systems, API integrations, and real-time data infrastructures to deliver smarter financial products and personalized content at scale. This episode is a must-listen for engineers, product leaders, and technical decision-makers looking to understand what AI adoption really looks like behind the scenes. Key Quote:  “ If you tell me that 90% of code written will be AI-assisted in some way. That's obviously possible. That's obviously something that's very easily achievable. We can have 100% of our engineers writing in Copilot. They can have some level of AI assistance involved there, and that might make them more efficient. But to take the ENG engineer out of the equation is not something most organizations can do yet.” Phill RosenTime Stamps: (02:15) Hype vs. Reality: What AI Can Actually Do Today(07:45) AI as a Junior Engineer: Gains and Tradeoffs(13:00) Building Hybrid Models for Speed, Performance, and Compliance(15:40) Infrastructure Over Models: The Real Work in AI Deployment(20:10) Vibe Coding and the Evolution of Developer Workflows(30:10) Reimagining Data Infrastructure for AI-Driven Products(38:00) Regulatory Considerations in AI ApplicationsLinks: Connect with Phil Rosen Visit MoneyLion Connect with Vahe Visit Cognaize Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    42 min
  3. The Future Is Spatial: RJ Pittman on AI, Digital Twins, and the Reinvention of Real Estate

    05/22/2025

    The Future Is Spatial: RJ Pittman on AI, Digital Twins, and the Reinvention of Real Estate

    In this episode of Hybrid Minds, host Vahe welcomes RJ Pittman, Chairman and CEO of Matterport, to discuss the convergence of artificial intelligence, spatial computing, and digital infrastructure. RJ shares his vision for a future where buildings are data, real estate is programmable, and AI transforms how we manage the physical world. RJ brings two decades of experience leading at tech giants like Apple, eBay, and Google, and most recently scaled Matterport into a global platform digitizing over 55 billion square feet of physical space. Following Matterport’s acquisition by CoStar, RJ now focuses on expanding data-driven property intelligence at a massive scale. This episode is a must-listen for tech leaders, real estate professionals, and innovators exploring the cutting edge of AI, spatial computing, and enterprise transformation. Key Quotes:  “ This period that we are in of technology, AI, the advancement of data sciences, unlike anything we've ever seen in humanity, not just in the tech industry, not just in any industry, set aside industry as a whole. I think the way that the human race is about to evolve is absolutely extraordinary.” RJ Pittman, on the next evolution of humanity with AI “ What people often think about super intelligent, how do you actually define what that is? And sometimes, the conventional wisdom is it's just an outsized amount of knowledge. But in other cases, it may just be that it has photographic memory on the one hand, but it also can be perfectly memory erased on the other, and, you know, changed and swapped in, and swapped out as well. With no consequence, right? And these types of fundamental aspects of what we have here, I find it to be so compelling and powerful. And then, of course, you're gonna have systems built to manage that as well, right? Is my engine getting smarter or not smarter? Is it plateauing? Do I need more data? Do I need to change, you know, the data? And managing and testing, and evaluating that on a regular basis. So it's sort of an AI-powered, you know, intelligence and health monitor, you know, for the system you've built. “ RJ Pittman, on what defines true super intelligenceTime Stamps: (02:36) Balancing AI Innovation and Safety(09:42) Challenges of Scaling AI Infrastructure(14:03) Small Language Models and Their Potential(23:48) Improving Conversational AI as it Evolves(37:12) Revolutionizing Property Inspections at Matterport(44:42) The Power of Diverse Property Data(50:16) Navigating the Challenges of Hardware and Software IntegrationLinks: Connect with RJ Pittman Visit Matterport Connect with Vahe Visit Cognaize Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    31 min
  4. From Six Patients to Two Billion: AI's Global Mission with Dr. Shez Partovi

    04/30/2025

    From Six Patients to Two Billion: AI's Global Mission with Dr. Shez Partovi

    In this episode of Hybrid Minds, Dr. Shez Partovi, Chief Innovation & Strategy Officer at Philips, takes us on a visionary journey. From a pivotal moment during his time as a practicing neuroradiologist to leading Philips’ global healthcare strategy, Shez shares the story of how one lecture by a nun shifted his perspective—from focusing on six patients a day to aiming to impact billions. His background in both medicine and computer science uniquely positions him to bridge the gap between clinical care and cutting-edge AI, and his mission is clear: scale access to care and give time back to clinicians. Through real-world examples, Shez explains how AI is not just a buzzword but a tool with transformative potential in healthcare. From managing the overwhelming growth in imaging data, to enabling faster, higher-resolution scans with software upgrades to predicting heart arrhythmias days in advance, Philips is pushing the frontier of what’s possible. One standout story involves a wearable patch that can foresee cardiac events before they happen, giving physicians a chance to intervene early and improve outcomes. He also introduces an inspiring project that uses handheld ultrasound and AI to bring maternal care to underserved regions—no sonographer required, just six guided sweeps and an algorithm that does the rest. Shez emphasizes the critical importance of ethical innovation, unbiased data, and co-creating solutions with clinical partners. He shares his belief that AI’s future in medicine lies in automation, augmentation, and agility—but only if implemented with care to avoid adverse events. Whether you’re an AI researcher, healthcare professional, or just someone curious about how data can become a tool for good, this episode will leave you inspired by the intersection of compassion, technology, and scale. Key Quote:  “ The power of AI in creating prediction models is one of the great unlocks in medicine, where quality and cost come together because you can improve quality and reduce costs.” We give the meaning of the data to the clinician data to the clinician.” Time Stamps: (00:41) A Pivotal Moment: From Clinical Practice to AI03:05 Innovations at Philips: Improving Global Healthcare06:54 The Data Deluge: Managing Information Overload in Medicine10:27 AI in Healthcare: Challenges and Opportunities28:36 Future of AI in Medicine: Predictions and GoalsLinks: Connect with Dr. Partovi Learn more about Philips  Connect with Vahe Visit Cognaize Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    35 min
  5. Transforming Legal Practice with AI with Dr.Leif-Nissen Lundbæk

    12/05/2024

    Transforming Legal Practice with AI with Dr.Leif-Nissen Lundbæk

    In this episode of Hybrid Minds,Vahe Andonians is joined by Dr. Leif Nissen-Lundbeck, CEO and co-founder of Xayn, a pioneering GenAI company behind Noxtua, Europe’s first sovereign legal AI.  Dr. Lundbeck shares insights into the complexities of developing a legal language model tailored specifically for law firms, legal departments, and government entities across Europe. He discusses the critical need for privacy and professional secrecy in the legal sector, highlighting how Exsign addresses secure data management to mitigate criminal risks. Gain an understanding of the unique challenges and strategies involved in data collection and model training for specialized legal applications. Dr. Lundbeck contrasts general-purpose models like GPT with Noxtua, explaining how vertical AI models can provide superior performance in specific domains. With also a  look at the synergy between AI and human expertise in legal work and what the future holds for AI-driven advancements in legal practice. -- Key Quotes: “The reasoning side is of course the most important, and we know the bigger you are, the better you actually deliver reasoning. If you are trained on this legal reasoning side in the first place.”“It's always about humans against machines, right? What did the human, what did the machine,right? Instead of comparing it again, okay, we should, we need a third group of humans plus machines, which can be faster and accurate.”Generally, privacy seems to be like a soft term, right? But in the legal industry, it has to be given, right? And this is not only in laws that everybody knows, like GDPR or so. But this actually has a much, much higher value because we have. For example, in Germany, professional secrecy. So professional secrecy is, regulated, under criminal law. And, we have that in Austria, Switzerland, Italy, and  France. And, that actually means that,  if you essentially share legal data involving multiple parties,  and you share this or, publish this somewhere where it should not be that this actually is a criminal act.”-- Time Stamps: (00:00) Developing Legal AI for Privacy Compliance (12:10) Advancements in Legal AI Development (26:10) Optimizing Legal AI for Multilingual Tasks (31:47) Legal AI Trends in Multilingual Translation (46:35) AI Value Delivery in Industry Awakening -- Links: Connect with Dr. Leif Learn more about Xayn Connect with Vahe Visit Cognaize Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    43 min
  6. Gen AI and the Workforce: Adapting to the AI-Driven Future

    11/14/2024

    Gen AI and the Workforce: Adapting to the AI-Driven Future

    In this episode of Hybrid Minds host Vahe Andonians is joined by Cristina Pieretti, General Manager and Head of Digital Credit Research at  Moody's Analytics, who discusses the transformative power of artificial intelligence, particularly the potential of Gen AI to revolutionize industries. She emphasizes the importance of staying on top of innovations and finding the right partners to execute AI solutions. Pieretti also addresses the challenges of implementing AI, such as cost, computational power, and the need to prioritize privacy and trust through robust risk and control frameworks. As AI continues to evolve, Pieretti envisions a future where web interactions are radically different, with AI becoming an integral part of our daily tasks. Gen AI, she explains, has the potential to bring immense efficiencies and insights to financial markets and other sectors. However, she notes that the responsible use of AI is vital, requiring governance frameworks and regulations to ensure trust and safety. Privacy and computational challenges must be managed carefully to make AI solutions feasible and reliable. Pieretti also highlights the broader societal implications of AI, particularly its impact on job security. She stresses the importance of embracing change, developing new talent, and adopting flexible, agile approaches to different AI models. As AI becomes more deeply integrated into everyday life, adaptability and collaboration will be essential for successfully navigating the AI-driven future. Key Quote:  “Here the aspirations of many people that are looking to leverage an AI. They want the machine to think. They want to provide insights. They want to say, okay, what's different? Can you tell me how it has changed? How do I really, again, going to this topic of generating alpha, how do I drive not only efficiencies, but drive also revenue growth.” -Cristina Pieretti Time stamps: (00:48)  Creating Successful AI Products(03:30) Challenges of Cost and Computational Power in AI Implementation(06:18) Privacy and Trust in AI Applications08:59 The Future of Web Interactions with AI(12:21) The Impact of AI on Job Security and Talent Development(18:19) Flexibility and Agility in Adopting AI ModelsLinks: Connect with Cristina  Learn more about Moody’s  Connect with Vahe Visit Cognaize Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    35 min
  7. Inside Walmart's AI-Driven Future for Retail Excellence

    06/20/2024

    Inside Walmart's AI-Driven Future for Retail Excellence

    Join host Vahe Andonians for an engaging discussion with David Glick, Senior Vice President of Enterprise Business Services at Walmart, as we explore the multifaceted role he plays in driving technological innovation within the company. From payment systems to people technology, and even legal tech, David sheds light on the vast responsibilities that fall under his purview. We also discuss Walmart's strategic shift towards building more in-house systems to handle its massive scale better, enhancing both agility and customization. Listen in as David shares his insights on managing a large engineering team and the significance of digital transformation and generative AI under the leadership of CEO Doug McMillan. We delve into the intricate integration of AI and human expertise, particularly through Walmart's innovative platform, Element, which optimizes the selection of AI models for specific tasks. Discover how the challenges of prompt engineering are being addressed and how AI is transforming internal knowledge management. The discussion highlights the importance of achieving accurate, deterministic answers in critical scenarios and the dynamic interplay between AI capabilities and human oversight. This chapter provides a fascinating look at how Walmart is harnessing AI to enhance efficiency and integrate new technologies seamlessly into existing workflows. Finally, we explore the broader impact of AI on large organizations and the retail sector, focusing on Walmart's pioneering efforts. AI's transformative potential is immense, from boosting productivity and improving customer service to revolutionizing e-commerce personalization and inventory management. Hear David's optimistic perspectives on AI and its future, as well as ethical considerations and the importance of precise guidelines to ensure responsible AI use. This episode is a compelling journey through the innovative ways Walmart is leveraging AI to stay at the forefront of technological advancement. Key Quote : "I'm always skeptical of the term guardrails.  These guardrails [are] like we're going to make sure that you don't drive off the cliff into the, into the river or into the ocean, but can we be more precise in guardrails?  I'd rather have lane lines, guardrails are, if you missed the lane lines and you're not paying attention and this and that, we're going to save you, but could we be more precise and say, 'look, you need to be between these lane lines.' And obviously, there's philosophers and the best engineering talent in the world and governance and lawyers and everybody who's trying to weigh in on this." -David Glick Time Stamps: (00:45) What is Enterprise Business Services at Walmart  (01:55) Building vs. Buying: Walmart's In-House Strategy (05:28) Integrating AI with Human Operations (08:15) Challenges and Opportunities in AI Implementation (20:38) AI's Impact on Retail and E-commerce (33:45) Ethical Considerations with AI Implementation Links: Connect with David  Visit Walmart Connect with Vahe Visit Cognaize Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    37 min
  8. Measuring AI Maturity in Global Banking with Alexandra Mousavizadeh

    05/02/2024

    Measuring AI Maturity in Global Banking with Alexandra Mousavizadeh

    On this episode of Hybrid Minds, join host Vahe Andonians and special guest Alexandra Mousavizadeh, CEO of Evident, as they delve into the complexities of the Evident AI Index and its transformative impact on the banking sector. The two explores the pioneering methodology behind the index, its role in assessing AI maturity across global banks, and how North American banks are leading in AI adoption. Gain insights into the strategic moves propelling these banks to industry leadership. Venture further into the dynamic world of banking and AI with a discussion on JP Morgan’s innovative AI strategies, highlighting their approach to achieving excellence in AI integration through dedicated research teams and strategic partnerships. Alexandra and Vahe tackle the responsible use of AI, emphasizing the importance of agility and strategic talent acquisition within the banking industry. Tune in as they analyze the challenges and emerging trends in AI deployment, considering the potential risks and rewards. Alexandra sheds light on environmental concerns and the increasing significance of open-source models, essential for both large banks and smaller entities. Alexandra concludes with a critical look at the societal implications of AI, from debates over Artificial General Intelligence to the pressing need for regulation on social media platforms. Don’t miss this comprehensive exploration of how AI is reshaping not only business landscapes but also societal structures. Key Quotes:  “The way that the large language models are trained on the vast data set, the data labeling aspect there is maybe a bit less pronounced, but data labeling is certainly taking place, to run AI effectively on it. And the data labeling is still needed. So there's that aspect of the labor and we would, you know, talking before about the sort of the war on talent is one thing, sort of, how as a business, are you attracting the best talent and what are the components that you need to have in your business to attract the best talent and that war on talent is only intensifying with the need for Chief AI officers a need for strategic thinking for across the business to find people that are really good technically and also really good strategically and understand the business and the business value of AI and sort of how to invest in AI so it really gives that return on investment that everyone is expecting and the shareholders are expecting.”“The businesses that don't think about and very quickly think about the adoption of AI and the adoption of Gen AI are at the risk of going out of business. The jobs are on the line because The business might close down if it can't keep up and it can't  keep up and stay competitive.”“The banks are testing it all out. They're saying, look, we've got these 500 different types of use cases, and they might just not all need an open AI capability. They might just be absolutely fine with some of the solution that is open source, by the way, right. That you can then fit into your own private data pool. And a lot of banks are experimenting with that. Where it shakes out, you know, we don't quite know, but the experimentation of using the open source ones to fit it onto your own data is, is being tested.”Time Stamps: (02:09) Understanding the Evident AI Index(05:15) Top leading Banks in AI today(20:15) War on Talent and Data Labeling(38:40) Implications of AI for SocietyLinks: Connect with Alexandra  Visit Evident  Connect with Vahe Visit Cognaize Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    44 min
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Welcome to "Hybrid Minds: Unlocking The Power of AI + IQ," the podcast that explores the groundbreaking concept of combining artificial intelligence with human expertise to achieve unparalleled advancements in various fields. In this era of rapid technological evolution, we delve into the extraordinary potential AND conflict that arises when AI and human intelligence merge, ultimately giving birth to the concept of something we call, “hybrid intelligence”. Join us as we explore the remarkable intersection between AI and human intelligence and dive into the captivating world where AI demonstrates its prowess in surpassing human capabilities. And delve into the controversy of the real dangers and pitfalls of AI. In each episode, we'll bring you fascinating discussions with experts at the forefront of this hybrid intelligence revolution. Discover the transformative impact this collaboration has on various industries, from finance and engineering to education and beyond. Join us for "Hybrid Minds: The Power of AI + IQ", powered by the minds at Cognaize.

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