floating questions

Rui
  • 5.0 (3)
  • 商务
  • 一月一更

'floating questions' is a podcast where curiosity guides conversations, venturing into unknown destinations. It's a gateway to inquire and learn more about an array of subjects, including tech, AI, business, investing, and dashes of philosophy, spirituality, and art.  Join thinkers, innovators, and storytellers as they share insights and tales. This podcast is your invitation to share in the joy of spontaneous discovery, wherever that might lead. Subscribe to float along on this journey.  Ideas and collaboration proposals are welcome at floating.questions.podcast@gmail.com.

  1. Timothy Chen: From “Not Good Enough for Microsoft” to Building Trust in Code and Capital

    10月29日

    Timothy Chen: From “Not Good Enough for Microsoft” to Building Trust in Code and Capital

    Timothy Chen’s story isn’t your typical Silicon Valley success arc.  He didn’t start as a hotshot coder - Microsoft once slotted him into the IT track, nothing more. Yet he went on to become a member of the Apache Software Foundation, contribute to open-source projects like Kafka and Mesos (the one-time rival to Kubernetes), and now runs Essence VC, where he backs infrastructure founders with a hands-on approach.  In this episode, we talk about:  The underdog mindset that turned rejection into reinvention. How working in dysfunctional and even toxic environments taught him what builds a great startup.The messy reality of politics and consensus-building in open source - and why, contrary to myth, it’s the trust circle, not the crowd, that makes progress happen. How he’s building the fund he wished existed when he was a founder. A thrilling story of Mesos vs. Kubernetes - and how arrogance, not tech, killed the former. This conversation blends the human and the technical - a reflection on what it means to build trust, whether in code or in capital.

    1 小时 7 分钟
  2. Julia Morton: What AI Changes (and Doesn’t) About Art

    9月24日

    Julia Morton: What AI Changes (and Doesn’t) About Art

    In this episode, we sit down with Julia Morton - a writer, art curator, fashion designer, early YouTuber, and author of a Substack chronicling how artists are experimenting with AI (https://aiplusart.substack.com).  We chatted how Julia views art as a time capsule for a species going from analog to cyber, why AI-aided films can feel more personal (smaller crews, fewer gatekeepers), and how new tools surface new voices the way photography once did.  We also wade into the thorny stuff: ownership and consent, documenting “transformative” use, and why we keep calling AI “them.” Julia shares a story about her husband’s implanted device - and how merging with machines can literally change how we feel.  If you’re tired of doomscroll takes, this conversation sits in the nuance: fear and possibility, creativity and execution, and the old question beneath every new medium - what, exactly, makes art human?

    49 分钟
  3. Joshua Pulsifer: Encountering Life, Death, and Art Through Video Games

    8月6日

    Joshua Pulsifer: Encountering Life, Death, and Art Through Video Games

    In this episode, we are joined by Joshua Pulsifer - narrative designer and co-director at Zipit! Games, an indie studio in New York. Joshua and his partner Ben are building The Wide Open Sky is Running Out of Catfish, a story-driven photography game set on the back of a giant flying catfish. Beneath its playful exterior lies a meditation on memory, friendship, and the impermanence of life.  We dive into a super fun journey exploring: whether video games are a good storytelling medium, what creates powerful emotional arcs, and why we need to take video games seriously as art. Along the way, we also confront death - both as a universal fear and as a source of connection and meaning.  It’s an episode about creativity, mortality, and the stories we play that shape who we are. Socials: @zipit_games

    43 分钟
  4. Chad Sanderson: Fixing Broken Data Culture, One Contract at a Time

    7月30日

    Chad Sanderson: Fixing Broken Data Culture, One Contract at a Time

    Data breaks. AI models go crazy. Downstream teams scramble to put out the fire. In this episode, I talk with Chad Sanderson, CEO and co-founder of Gable - a startup rebuilding data quality and governance from the ground up. We dive into the “shift left” philosophy: why upstream engineers must own their data outputs, how data contracts create accountability in AI systems, and what it takes to drive real cultural change across an organization. We also zoom out into Chad’s journey - from martial arts and journalism to leading data teams at Microsoft and Convoy. Along the way, we unpack why upstream ownership unlocks downstream speed, why the future of AI depends on mapping data flows end to end, and how a mission rooted in truth and transparency ties it all together! A must-listen for anyone navigating the messy intersection of product velocity, data integrity, and organizational scale - the foundation needed to truly unlock AI’s potential. https://www.gable.ai/ https://dataproducts.substack.com/

    1 小时 19 分钟
  5. Stephanie Franklin: The Role of Data in Making Education Policy Count - and the Challenges Behind It

    6月24日

    Stephanie Franklin: The Role of Data in Making Education Policy Count - and the Challenges Behind It

    How do you measure whether an education policy is actually working? In this episode, I talk with Stephanie Franklin, Deputy Associate Commissioner of Strategy and Analytics at one of the largest education agencies in the U.S. We dive into the grounding yet complex role data plays in education - how student outcomes are tracked, how metrics are built to drive accountability, and the delicate balance between actionable insight and student privacy, in a world of emerging tech. From evaluating classroom initiatives to exploring why education is inherently data-driven, this conversation unpacks the challenge of measuring what matters - and why great policy still hinges on effective execution. If you’ve ever wondered how governments gauge success in education - or why it’s so difficult - this episode is for you!

    48 分钟
  6. Sean Chen: From Google to the Streets - Startup Hustler & Content Creator

    5月29日

    Sean Chen: From Google to the Streets - Startup Hustler & Content Creator

    In this episode, we sit down with Sean Chen - a former data scientist at Google and one of the first AI product managers at Walmart/Sam’s Club - to unpack his whirlwind journey through tech and startups.  Sean reveals how VC pressure can steer or stall your vision, and how he and his co-founder built “Shelfer,” a voice-driven inventory app for SMB retailers, in just two days on London’s shop floors. We also break down the most realistic agent-AI use cases (of course, how could we miss the buzzword), dive into authentic content creation (and handle criticism like a game), and explore why scrappiness often trumps perfectionism.  Tune in for a candid conversation about hustling, pivoting, and staying true to yourself in the fast-moving world of entrepreneurship.

    45 分钟
  7. Clarence Chio: Hacking, Risk x AI, Building with Pragmatism, and the Fine Line Between Delusion and Persistence

    4月30日

    Clarence Chio: Hacking, Risk x AI, Building with Pragmatism, and the Fine Line Between Delusion and Persistence

    From a hacker's perspective, what are some of the most overlooked - yet critical - problems in tech? In this episode, Clarence Chio shares his journey from giving DEFCON talks on adversarial AI before it was cool, to building two startups at the intersection of risk management and AI. We dive into his experiences hacking alongside white, red, and black hats in an abandoned warehouse near the Kremlin, to the quiet evolution of vendor management, and how the meaning of "work" is evolving as tech modularizes knowledge and labor. Clarence also reflects on what it takes to scale companies without letting ego lead, why a little delusion might be necessary for persistence, and why letting go can be the hardest - and most essential - leadership lesson. If you've ever wondered where hacking, humility, and the future of work collide, this conversation is for you.

    53 分钟
  8. Ashish Ranjan Jha: Founder of Nativ (a16z Speedrun), Former AI Lead at Revolut - An Unscripted Journey

    3月27日

    Ashish Ranjan Jha: Founder of Nativ (a16z Speedrun), Former AI Lead at Revolut - An Unscripted Journey

    Floating Questions welcomes Ashish Ranjan Jha - former AI lead at Revolut, author of Fight Fraud with Machine Learning, and now founder of Nativ. In this episode, we trace Ashish’s journey across three continents and a range of roles - from customizing LSTMs for interpretability before it was cool, to scaling fraud and identity verification AI systems at Revolut, to founding Nativ, a startup helping businesses go global through seamless localization. You’ll also hear some unexpected gems - from catching fraud rings to validating early product ideas in manga . We also explore immigration challenges, the hurdles of building in agri-tech, and Ashish’s philosophy of making just enough plans while staying tuned in to his inner voice.

    59 分钟
查看全部 15 集

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关于

'floating questions' is a podcast where curiosity guides conversations, venturing into unknown destinations. It's a gateway to inquire and learn more about an array of subjects, including tech, AI, business, investing, and dashes of philosophy, spirituality, and art.  Join thinkers, innovators, and storytellers as they share insights and tales. This podcast is your invitation to share in the joy of spontaneous discovery, wherever that might lead. Subscribe to float along on this journey.  Ideas and collaboration proposals are welcome at floating.questions.podcast@gmail.com.

信息

  • 创作者
    Rui
  • 活跃年份
    2024年 - 2025年
  • 单集
    15
  • 分级
    儿童适宜
  • 版权
    © 2025 floating questions
  • 节目网站
    floating questions