Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots

thoughtbot

4.8 (88)
TECHNOLOGY
UPDATED WEEKLY

A podcast about the design, development, and business of great software. Each week thoughtbot is joined by the people who build and nurture the products we love.

OCT 23

595: Projects in Progress and Nature’s Ultimate Sacrifice

Sami, Chad and Will share the projects they’ve been working on at thoughtbot recently and how they adapt to new systems they’re unfamiliar with. Sami shares his recent horror at the animal kingdom and how he might be getting into crypto, Chad reveals how he invests his time into thoughtbot whilst also managing to stay on top trending tech, and the group discuss best practices for dealing with clients. — Against Chad’s wishes you can watch Sami’s spider video here (https://www.reddit.com/r/natureismetal/comments/1mhrq7z/spiderlings_eat_their_own_mum_parenthood_bbc/), but we don’t recommend it! You can find Chad all over social media as @cpytel and Sami through his website (https://samibirnbaum.com). You can also connect with the trio via their LinkedIn pages - Chad (https://www.linkedin.com/in/cpytel/) - Will (https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-larry/) - Sami (https://www.linkedin.com/in/samibirnbaum/). If you would like to support the show, head over to our GitHub page (https://github.com/sponsors/thoughtbot), or check out our website (https://podcast.thoughtbot.com). Got a question or comment about the show? Why not write to our hosts: hosts@giantrobots.fm This has been a thoughtbot (https://thoughtbot.com/) podcast. Stay up to date by following us on social media - LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/150727/) - Mastodon (https://thoughtbot.social/@thoughtbot) - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/thoughtbotvideo) - Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/thoughtbot.com) © 2025 thoughtbot, inc.

44 min
OCT 9

594: AI is Draining with Pablo Curell

Sami assesses the long term viability of AI with Pablo Curell, software developer at Recovr (https://www.recovr.eu/en), as they break down the hype and logistics that surround the popular tool. The pair examine why it’s still important you learn to code, what AI’s best use cases are now and what they could be in the future, what a successful AI product actually looks like on the back end, as well as the ever growing and unsustainable economics behind AI tokens. — Read the article mentioned in this week’s episode - The Case Against Generative AI (https://www.wheresyoured.at/the-case-against-generative-ai/?ref=ed-zitrons-wheres-your-ed-at-newsletter&attribution_id=68d5b5a4ba9b3e00014d8ab5&attribution_type=post) Check out Pablo’s podcast A Junior, A Senior and I (https://aji.podbean.com/) for similar discussions and perspectives on the world of tech, or follow him on social media - LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/pablocm90/) - Mastodon (https://hostux.social/@pacumo) - Website (https://blog.codemanship.dev) Your host for this episode has been Sami Birnbaum. Sami can be found through his website (https://samibirnbaum.com) or via LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/samibirnbaum/). If you would like to support the show, head over to our GitHub page (https://github.com/sponsors/thoughtbot), or check out our website (https://podcast.thoughtbot.com). Got a question or comment about the show? Why not write to our hosts: hosts@giantrobots.fm This has been a thoughtbot (https://thoughtbot.com/) podcast. Stay up to date by following us on social media - LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/150727/) - Mastodon (https://thoughtbot.social/@thoughtbot) - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/thoughtbotvideo) - Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/thoughtbot.com) © 2025 thoughtbot, inc.

46 min
SEP 25

593: Recent Discoveries: From MCP servers to video game heartbreak

Chad and Sami share some learning moments with one another as they discuss the recent projects they’ve been working on at thoughtbot. The pair question how much time and effort we should be investing into a problem with AI vs the outcome we receive, their work and experimentation with MCP servers, Sami shares his big bid on AI to save some time, while Chad tells the tragic tale of why he stopped playing Diablo IV. — Don’t forget we have a YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@thoughtbot) where you can watch all the streams mentioned in this episode along with video versions of the show. You can find Chad all over social media as @cpytel and Sami through his website (https://samibirnbaum.com). You can also connect with the duo via their LinkedIn pages - Chad (https://www.linkedin.com/in/cpytel/) - Sami (https://www.linkedin.com/in/samibirnbaum/). If you would like to support the show, head over to our GitHub page (https://github.com/sponsors/thoughtbot), or check out our website (https://podcast.thoughtbot.com). Got a question or comment about the show? Why not write to our hosts: hosts@giantrobots.fm This has been a thoughtbot (https://thoughtbot.com/) podcast. Stay up to date by following us on social media - LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/150727/) - Mastodon (https://thoughtbot.social/@thoughtbot) - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/thoughtbotvideo) - Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/thoughtbot.com) © 2025 thoughtbot, inc.

43 min
SEP 18

592: Utopia or Dystopia: Why the Future of AI and XR Is Still Ours to Shape with Don Shin

Sami talks with Don Shin, CEO of CrossComm (https://www.crosscomm.com/), about which direction humanity is heading as the landscape of AI technology continues to shift and evolve. Together they assess the correlation between language and intelligence, the importance of human connection, as well as the growing responsibility we have in managing AI to prevent a potential dystopia. — You can connect with Don on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/donshin1/) or stay up to date with the work his does with CrossComm over on his website (https://www.crosscomm.com/). Your host for this episode has been Sami Birnbaum. Sami can be found through his website (https://samibirnbaum.com) or via LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/samibirnbaum/). If you would like to support the show, head over to our GitHub page (https://github.com/sponsors/thoughtbot), or check out our website (https://podcast.thoughtbot.com). Got a question or comment about the show? Why not write to our hosts: hosts@giantrobots.fm This has been a thoughtbot (https://thoughtbot.com/) podcast. Stay up to date by following us on social media - LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/150727/) - Mastodon (https://thoughtbot.social/@thoughtbot) - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/thoughtbotvideo) - Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/thoughtbot.com) © 2025 thoughtbot, inc.

45 min
SEP 11

591: Redefining Women's Health: Beyond the Traditional View with Amani Bright and Julia Lasater

Will talks with Amani Bright, senior program manager at Springboard (https://sb.co), and Julia Lasater, consulting senior at Accenture (https://www.accenture.com/), about the state of women’s health and their efforts to increase visibility for all women who enter the health care system. They cover their recent work on the state of women’s health report (https://sb.co/state-of-womens-health/), shining a light on the neglected areas within women’s health, the barriers women face when seeking basic medical advice, and the gender bias that persists within medical studies and general healthcare. — Your guests for this episode have been Amani Bright (amani.bright@springboardenterprises.org) and Julia Lasater (julia.lasater@accenture.com). Be sure to check out the other work they do for women across the nation through Springboard (https://sb.co). Your host for this episode has been Will Larry, you can find and connect with Will over on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-larry/). If you would like to support the show, head over to our GitHub page (https://github.com/sponsors/thoughtbot), or check out our website (https://podcast.thoughtbot.com). Got a question or comment about the show? Why not write to our hosts: hosts@giantrobots.fm This has been a thoughtbot (https://thoughtbot.com/) podcast. Stay up to date by following us on social media - LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/150727/) - Mastodon (https://thoughtbot.social/@thoughtbot) - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/thoughtbotvideo) - Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/thoughtbot.com) © 2025 thoughtbot, inc.

36 min
SEP 4

590: Making AI work for users with Louis Gutierrez

Chad talks with Louis Gutierrez, Director of AI at Constant Contact (https://www.constantcontact.com/), about the various challenges of implementing AI into a product or business. Louis discusses his strategy to improve AI integration upon joining Constant Contact, how they address the issue of ethics and AI, as well as providing a technical look at how they evaluate the quality of their products without violating user privacy. — You can connect with Louis over on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lagutierrez99/), or try out Constant Contact’s AI marketing tools (https://www.constantcontact.com/) for yourself to see how they could help you and your business. Your host for this episode has been Chad Pytel. You can find Chad all over social media as @cpytel, or over on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/cpytel/). If you would like to support the show, head over to our GitHub page (https://github.com/sponsors/thoughtbot), or check out our website (https://podcast.thoughtbot.com). Got a question or comment about the show? Why not write to our hosts: hosts@giantrobots.fm This has been a thoughtbot (https://thoughtbot.com/) podcast. Stay up to date by following us on social media - LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/150727/) - Mastodon (https://thoughtbot.social/@thoughtbot) - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/thoughtbotvideo) - Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/thoughtbot.com) © 2025 thoughtbot, inc.

43 min
AUG 28

589: Behind the Scenes at thoughtbot - Our work setups

The Giant Robots trio are back as they sit down at their desks to discuss their home setups for thoughtbot. Together they break down each core aspect of their office environment and why they chose the things they did, why future proofing and getting your setup just right is important, Sami learns all about teleprompters, while Chad spills the beans on a guilty secret he’s kept for far too long. — You can see pictures of each host’s setup here - Chad (https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads-2024/images/1/124f6fb8-c1ce-4784-afd9-daeb5898e044/_BIvUuDJ.jpg) - Chad’s Teleprompter (https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads-2024/images/1/124f6fb8-c1ce-4784-afd9-daeb5898e044/c3AVwEhs.jpeg) - Sami (https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads-2024/images/1/124f6fb8-c1ce-4784-afd9-daeb5898e044/0FQqigIA.jpg) - Will (https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads-2024/images/1/124f6fb8-c1ce-4784-afd9-daeb5898e044/y5uXlLNn.jpeg) - and be sure to check out the YouTube version (https://www.youtube.com/thoughtbotvideo) of this episode to get the full visual experience from today’s episode. You can find Chad all over social media as @cpytel and Sami through his website (https://samibirnbaum.com). You can also connect with the trio via their LinkedIn pages - Chad (https://www.linkedin.com/in/cpytel/) - Will (https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-larry/) - Sami (https://www.linkedin.com/in/samibirnbaum/). If you would like to support the show, head over to our GitHub page (https://github.com/sponsors/thoughtbot), or check out our website (https://podcast.thoughtbot.com). Got a question or comment about the show? Why not write to our hosts: hosts@giantrobots.fm This has been a thoughtbot (https://thoughtbot.com/) podcast. Stay up to date by following us on social media - LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/150727/) - Mastodon (https://thoughtbot.social/@thoughtbot) - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/thoughtbotvideo) - Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/thoughtbot.com) © 2025 thoughtbot, inc.

47 min
AUG 21

588: When a designer meets a developer with Jeremy Blaze

Sami faces his fear of program designers by talking with Jeremy Blaze, Founder & Design Lead at Never Before Seen (https://neverbeforeseen.co). Together they ask the question of whether their roles as developer and designer are slowly become one, how to rediscover the challenge of working on code when AI can do so much heavy lifting, as well as grappling with the idea of a therapeutic AI. — Connect with Jeremy over on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyblaze/) or through his website (https://jeremyblaze.com/) to stay up to date with the projects he’s working on. If you’re interested in trying out his new app you can sign up to the early access program here (https://withblair.com). Your host for this episode has been Sami Birnbaum. Sami can be found through his website (https://samibirnbaum.com) or via LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/samibirnbaum/). If you would like to support the show, head over to our GitHub page (https://github.com/sponsors/thoughtbot), or check out our website (https://podcast.thoughtbot.com). Got a question or comment about the show? Why not write to our hosts: hosts@giantrobots.fm This has been a thoughtbot (https://thoughtbot.com/) podcast. Stay up to date by following us on social media - LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/150727/) - Mastodon (https://thoughtbot.social/@thoughtbot) - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/thoughtbotvideo) - Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/thoughtbot.com) © 2025 thoughtbot, inc.

44 min

See All (607)

4.8

out of 5

88 Ratings

The human side

03/24/2020

Anuj Adhiya

Lindsey is a great host. She keeps the entire conversation moving and ensures that the discussions lead to thought starters for listeners, even when the topics being discussed might be highly technical. You're guaranteed to get something out of every interview. Lindsey's also wickedly funny so you'll never be bored. Give this show a go.
Hit or miss, trending towards miss.

09/29/2023

Nick8090908

This dude really just claimed that his company has artificial general intelligence. Ok.
Worse over time

04/12/2020

Travel Adventurers

I can’t say I’m a fan of the more recent podcast episodes. It’s gone from discussing interesting technical problems to business to solely interviews with clients who hired ThoughtBot. High quality audio, low quality filler content.
Entertaining, insightful and actionable! 🔥

03/13/2020

obacker19

Whether you’re well established as someone who can translate creative energy into the impact you want to have on the world, or just getting started as a catalyst for change - this is a must-listen podcast for you! Chad and Lindsey do an incredible job leading conversations that cover a huge breadth of topics related to the ins and outs of building a thriving career and life you can be proud of as a creator - from leaders who’ve actually walked the path. Highly recommend listening and subscribing!

A podcast about the design, development, and business of great software. Each week thoughtbot is joined by the people who build and nurture the products we love.