Applied Intelligence

Keith Richman

The go-to show for business leaders navigating AI adoption in the real world. Host Keith Richman talks with operators, founders, and business leaders who are actually deploying AI—exploring what works, what doesn't, and how to bridge the gap between AI's capability and practical implementation. Smart, grounded, actionable.

Épisodes

  1. -5 J

    Processing Trillions of Real-World Data Points with AI

    In this episode of Applied Intelligence, Keith Richman sits down with Praveen Murugesan, VP of Engineering at Samsara, to explore how AI is transforming physical world operations. Praveen reveals how Samsara leverages massive IoT sensor data to solve complex real-world problems—from catching fleet fuel theft to building smart commercial navigation that dynamically reroutes drivers based on dashcam insights. They discuss the game-changing potential of AI-driven "computer use," how to safely implement internal AI coding tools without breaking production, and why AI is finally democratizing data analysis for non-technical operators. If you want a grounded, actionable look at bridging the gap between AI hype and enterprise-scale deployment, this conversation delivers. Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: AI at Scale with Samsara 00:00:45 Computer Use: The Most Contrarian AI Take 00:04:52 Empowering Engineers: AI Tools and Guardrails 00:07:49 The Wins: Speed, Prototyping, and Quality 00:10:05 Customer Co-Creation: Solving Fuel Theft with AI 00:15:10 From Sensors to Intelligence: The Fuel Theft Solution 00:16:59 LLMs as Judges: Accelerating Data Labeling 00:19:36 Commercial Navigation: Waze for Enterprise 00:23:24 Predictive Operations: The Future of Strategic Planning 00:26:51 Democratizing Expertise: From Specialists to Superhumans 00:29:36 The New Reality: PMs Shipping Code, Designers in Production 00:30:30 The AI Stack: Blessed Models and Cost Management 00:32:42 The Hidden Value: Physical World Data at Scale 00:35:38 What's Overhyped: Security Fears and the Positive Lens #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #MachineLearning #IoT #EnterpriseAI #DataScience #Engineering #TechPodcast #Innovation #SoftwareDevelopment

    38 min
  2. 20 AVR.

    The AI Testing Framework Every Business Needs (But Few Use)

    Keith Richman sits down with Hamel Husain, machine learning engineer and founder of Parlance Labs, to demystify AI evaluations (evals). Hamel breaks down why generic AI testing metrics fall short and how businesses can actually measure, debug, and improve their AI applications in the real world. They explore the pitfalls of simply slapping a chatbot on an existing product, the importance of iterative error analysis, and why starting simple with the most powerful models beats reaching for immediate complexity. Whether you're an executive fielding AI mandates or a developer building the stack, Hamel shares actionable advice on how to stop building the wrong things faster and start deploying AI that truly moves the needle. Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: Why AI Testing Matters More Than You Think 00:01:52 What Are AI Evals and Why Every Business Needs Them 00:04:03 The Generic Metrics Trap: Why Off-the-Shelf Testing Fails 00:11:57 The Two Biggest Failure Modes in AI Implementation 00:13:37 Moving Fast vs Being Deliberate 00:15:04 The Slop Problem 00:21:24 Guardrails Done Right 00:23:45 Model Selection Strategy 00:27:25 Build vs Buy: When to Use Consulting vs Internal Teams 00:29:40 The Bootcamp Approach 00:31:19 The Million Lines of Code Myth 00:32:46 Embracing Mistakes and the Experimental Mindset 00:34:33 Personal Tech Stack and the OpenClaw Reality Check #ArtificialIntelligence #MachineLearning #AITesting #TechLeadership #SoftwareEngineering #DataScience #OpenAI #ProductManagement #GenerativeAI #AIEvals

    40 min
  3. 27 MARS

    The 6-Layer Framework for Scaling AI That Actually Works

    Keith Richman sits down with Jeff McMillan, former Head of AI at Morgan Stanley, to unpack the realities of deploying enterprise AI. Jeff shares his journey of partnering with OpenAI in early 2022 and breaks down his six-layer framework for scaling AI effectively—emphasizing why models alone aren't enough. They explore the critical importance of data quality, governance, and the emerging "agentic orchestration" layer that will define the future of corporate AI. Jeff also explains why he believes the "Head of AI" title should be a temporary role and why giving every employee access to AI tools is the best way to drive adoption and reduce risk. If you're a business leader navigating AI integration, this episode delivers practical, battle-tested strategies. Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: From Morgan Stanley to AI Transformation 00:00:41 The Unlikely Path: From Army Lieutenant to AI Leader 00:03:33 The OpenAI Partnership: First Enterprise Customer 00:06:47 The Six-Layer Enterprise AI Stack 00:08:45 Why Data Quality Still Matters More Than Models 00:09:58 The Agentic Orchestration Layer: The Future of Enterprise AI 00:14:56 MCP Protocol: The Railway Gauge for AI 00:17:22 Build vs Buy: Strategic Decisions for Different Company Sizes 00:23:44 The Ferrari in the Walmart Parking Lot Problem 00:28:13 Measuring AI Success: From Contact Velocity to Revenue 00:32:34 The Three-Year Timeline: Realistic Expectations for AI Transformation 00:36:32 Shadow AI and Enterprise Tool Strategy #ArtificialIntelligence #EnterpriseAI #BusinessLeadership #MachineLearning #TechInnovation #DataAnalytics #GenerativeAI #FutureOfWork #AIStrategy #AgenticAI

    43 min
  4. 4 FÉVR.

    How AI Helped Double Our Revenue with Half the Staff

    Voi CEO Fredrik Hjelm joins Keith Richman to reveal how the European micro-mobility giant is transitioning into an AI-native organization. Fredrik breaks down his aggressive "build vs. buy" strategy, explaining how Voi reduced legacy SaaS spend by nearly 40% by replacing software with custom LLM tools. The conversation covers the evolution from basic chatbots to autonomous agents, the reality of "Shadow AI," and why AI curiosity is now a hiring requirement. From automating tender bids to replacing junior engineering tasks, this is a masterclass in practical, high-impact AI deployment for operators. #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #BusinessStrategy #CEO #TechTrends #SaaS #Voi #Automation #Leadership #MachineLearning Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: Hiring for AI Readiness 00:00:30 Voice's Journey: From Hypergrowth to AI-First 00:01:14 The Klarna Moment: Early AI Inspiration 00:05:10 Phase One: The Year of the Chatbot (2023) 00:05:43 Organizational Change Management for AI 00:09:04 Shadow AI and the White-Listing Process 00:11:12 Phase Two: Coding Assistants and Vertical AI Tools 00:13:36 Buy vs Build: Rethinking the SaaS Stack 00:16:47 Mapping Software Products for AI Replacement 00:18:02 Removing Human from the Loop 00:19:01 Top-Down Cross-Functional AI Implementation 00:21:24 The New Software Sales Reality 00:23:50 Cost Savings vs Revenue Growth with AI 00:27:38 The Rise of 100x Engineers 00:30:01 Hiring for AI Aptitude Across All Roles 00:31:13 Domain-Specific AI Tool Stacks 00:32:28 Structured vs Unstructured Data: The AI Challenge 00:35:22 Understanding LLMs in Enterprise Settings 00:37:07 Case Study: Liquidize Marketing Automation 00:38:50 LLM Orchestration and Model Selection 00:40:34 Becoming the World's First AI-Native Micromobility Platform 00:42:13 Constraints: The Key to Safe AI Automation 00:44:05 Organizational Response: From Resistance to Enthusiasm 00:46:54 Creating the Head of AI Role 00:50:42 The Results: Double Revenue, Half the Staff 00:51:41 Frederik's Personal AI Tech Stack 00:56:22 The Biggest Win: Company-Wide AI Adoption

    57 min
  5. How We Are Deploying AI: 10x Functionality at 20% the Cost

    26 JANV.

    How We Are Deploying AI: 10x Functionality at 20% the Cost

    Anthony Soohoo, CEO of MoneyGram, joins host Keith Richman to discuss how he is transforming an 80-year-old legacy payments company into an AI-first organization. Anthony shares his practical philosophy on AI adoption: start with a clear problem statement rather than the technology itself, and manually validate workflows before automating them. He explains why enterprise-wide goals must supersede departmental silos and predicts a massive disruption in the enterprise software market where costs drop by 80% while functionality increases tenfold. This episode is a masterclass for leaders looking to navigate the gap between AI hype and real-world operational implementation #AI #BusinessStrategy #DigitalTransformation #FinTech #Leadership #ArtificialIntelligence #TechTrends #CEO #MoneyGram #AppliedIntelligence Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: AI Transformation at MoneyGram 00:00:40 MoneyGram's Legacy Business and Digital Transformation 00:03:58 Building an AI-First Culture 00:05:56 Starting with Problem Statements, Not Functions 00:09:48 Communicating AI to Employees 00:11:30 Outcome-Based AI Strategy vs Functional Automation 00:14:27 The Future of Enterprise Software 00:15:44 Vetting AI Vendors and Partners 00:21:06 Enterprise Goals vs Departmental Goals 00:25:10 Data Strategy and Infrastructure 00:32:35 Early Wins and Productivity Gains 00:34:25 Hiring for AI Success: Enterprise Mindset 00:36:00 Data Labeling and Training Approaches 00:39:54 Personal AI Tech Stack 00:41:29 Advice for 100M Revenue Companies 00:42:24 The Transformation Opportunity

    45 min

À propos

The go-to show for business leaders navigating AI adoption in the real world. Host Keith Richman talks with operators, founders, and business leaders who are actually deploying AI—exploring what works, what doesn't, and how to bridge the gap between AI's capability and practical implementation. Smart, grounded, actionable.