The All Turtles Podcast

As technologists continue to build the future, what laws should govern the things they create? Ethical guidelines for technology are essential; Isaac Asmiov presented one version of what they may look like when he introduced the Three Laws of Robotics in his collection of short stories I, Robot. This work of science fiction inspired many, including the three guests on today’s episode: Emily Dean, Peter Eckersley, and Joe Betts-LaCroix.   Show notes Intro with Phil Libin and Brittney Gallagher  Brittney Gallagher hosts Digital Culture LA, a show about future science and technology.  Snow Crash is a novel by Neal Stephenson that takes us into the Metaverse, where a computer virus also has the capacity to harm people in the physical world.   Conversation with Emily Dean Emily is a writer and director whose 2018 film Andromeda portrays an android who gains sentience.   Conversation with Peter Eckersley Peter is the Director of Research at the Partnership on AI.   Conversation with Joe Betts-LaCroix Joe is the inventor of the world’s smallest computer, and his work in biophysics aims to optimize medical research priorities in the U.S.   We want to hear from you. Please send us your comments, suggested topics, and listener questions for future All Turtles Podcast episodes.  Email: hello@all-turtles.com Twitter: @allturtlesco

In the Metaverse, a shared virtual reality space, a character wrestles with a computer-crashing virus that also causes harm in the real world. Thus begins Snow Crash, a Neal Stephenson novel that, when written in 1992, described futuristic systems that eventually became reality. Snow Crash’s impact is so significant that this episode has a record number of guests who wanted to discuss it: Dr. Christine Corbett Moran, Veronica Belmont, Peter Eckersley, Joe Betts-LaCroix, and Sophia Brueckner.   Show notes Intro with Phil Libin and Brittney Gallagher  Brittney Gallagher hosts Digital Culture LA, a show about future science and technology.  Snow Crash is a novel by Neal Stephenson that takes us into the Metaverse, where a computer virus also has the capacity to harm people in the physical world.   Conversation with Dr. Christine Corbett Moran Dr. Moran is a cybersecurity engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab.   Conversation with Veronica Belmont Veronica is a Product Manager at Adobe Spark and host of the Sword and Laser podcast.   Conversation with Peter Eckersley Peter is the Director of Research at the Partnership on AI.   Conversation with Joe Betts-LaCroix Joe is the inventor of the world’s smallest computer, and his work in biophysics aims to optimize medical research priorities in the U.S.   Conversation with Sophia Brueckner Sophia is artist and computer scientist.She is also a professor at the University of Michigan where she teaches Sci-Fi Prototyping, a class on building prototypes inspired by sci-fi and technology ethics.      We want to hear from you. Please send us your comments, suggested topics, and listener questions for future All Turtles Podcast episodes.  Email: hello@all-turtles.com Twitter: @allturtlesco

In 2019, we’re 35 years beyond 1984; at this current juncture, we can see just how predictive George Orwell’s novel turned out to be, and which dystopian elements we’ve managed to avoid (so far). This seminal work of science fiction provided a road map of exactly where not to go when building the future, and on today’s episode, Emily Dean and Dr. Christine Corbett Moran explain how it impacted the work they do today to shape the kind of future they want.   Show notes Intro with Phil Libin and Brittney Gallagher  Brittney Gallagher hosts Digital Culture LA, a show about future science and technology.  1984 is a novel by George Orwell that depicts a dystopian future in which Big Brother monitors citizens’ every move in order to maintain government control.   Conversation with Dr. Christine Corbett Moran Dr. Moran is a cybersecurity engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab.   Conversation with Emily Dean Emily is a writer and director whose 2018 film Andromeda portrays an android who gains sentience. We want to hear from you. Please send us your comments, suggested topics, and listener questions for future All Turtles Podcast episodes.  Email: hello@all-turtles.com Twitter: @allturtlesco 

The impact of the The Matrix on science fiction is difficult to overstate, but beyond the genre itself, it also deeply affected the viewers whose worldviews were made askew. Three of those viewers are featured in today’s episode to talk about their reactions to the film and the ways in which it contributed to the work they do now: writer/director Emily Dean, Partnership on AI research director Peter Eckersley, and MIT Media Lab’s Dan Novy. Show notes Intro with Phil Libin and Brittney Gallagher Brittney Gallagher hosts Digital Culture LA, a show about future science and technology. The Matrix portrays a version of the future in which the main character’s version of reality is revealed to be a computer simulation powered by human bodies.   Conversation with Peter Eckersley Peter is the director of research at the Partnership on AI. Previously, Peter worked at the Electronic Frontier Foundation.   Conversation with with Dan Novy Dan is a postdoctoral associate at the MIT Media Lab.   Conversation with Emily Dean Emily is a writer and director whose 2018 film Andromeda portrays an android who gains sentience.   We want to hear from you. Please send us your comments, suggested topics, and listener questions for future All Turtles Podcast episodes. Email: hello@all-turtles.com Twitter: @allturtlesco

SciFi-preneurship is a new summer series from the All Turtles Podcast that examines how science fiction inspires people to create things that impact our lives today. In SciFi-preneurship, we’re using an expanded definition of entrepreneurship: we don’t just mean Silicon Valley startup founders; we’re talking to people who make things, especially things that are shaping our future. First up, Dan Novy, who earned his PhD from the MIT Media Lab, talks about H.P. Lovecraft and the impact of his writing.   Show notes Intro with Phil Libin and Brittney Gallagher Brittney Gallagher hosts Digital Culture LA, a show about future science and technology. Episode 32 of the All Turtles Podcast, Galaxy Quest, served as the inspiration for the SciFi-preneurship series. Harvard Business School professor Howard Stevenson defines entrepreneurship as “the pursuit of opportunity beyond resources controlled.”   Discussion with Dan Novy on H.P. Lovecraft’s work Dan Novy is a postdoctoral associate at the MIT Media Lab. The writings of H.P. Lovecraft have had a profound impact on science fiction and the way people envision the future. The Call of Cthulhu is one of Lovecraft’s most famous short stories. We want to hear from you. Please send us your comments, suggested topics, and listener questions for future All Turtles Podcast episodes. Email: hello@all-turtles.com Twitter: @allturtlesco

How can good design ensure that a product is as inclusive as possible? Micah Rivera, lead designer for the All Turtles product Spot, has extensive experience in accessible, inclusive product design. From the psychology of color to the use of body language in character illustrations, he draws from a range of tools that he’s eager to share. He emphasizes the importance of checking accessibility as you build a product, and he explains the visual metaphor of the hot air balloon in Spot. Show notes Conversation with Micah Rivera (1:02) Micah is the lead designer for Spot, an AI reporting bot that makes it safer for employees to speak up about harassment and discrimination in the workplace, and makes it easier for HR to follow up, even on anonymous reports. To develop the character illustrations, Micah worked closely with senior visual designer Carlos Rocafort IV.   SciFi-preneurship Our new podcast series, SciFi-preneurship, is all about the ways in which science fiction inspires people to create the kind of future they want. Tune in next week for the first of nine episodes.   We want to hear from you. Please send us your comments, suggested topics, and listener questions for future All Turtles Podcast episodes. Email: hello@all-turtles.com Twitter: @allturtlesco

The exponentially increasing power of AI unleashes new advancements every day, but alongside those developments come new ethical questions about proper implementation. Azeem Azhar covers these technological evolutions in his newsletter Exponential View. By keeping his finger on the pulse of what AI is doing for us today (like improving gene sequencing and better predicting diseases in the IVF processes), he’s able to share the insights he’s gathered for businesses who want to avoid techlash. Show notes Conversation with Azeem Azhar (1:02) Azeem Azhar pens the Exponential View newsletter. Azeem’s podcast covers all kinds of AI- and tech-related topics. Lemonade is a home and renters insurance company.   AI use case (25:20) Autofill, location services, and when these services become creepy   Listener question (28:35) From Niels via email: “What do you think is the potential of Federated Learning systems?”   We want to hear from you Please send us your comments, suggested topics, and listener questions for future All Turtles Podcast episodes. Voicemail: +1 (310) 571-8448 Email: hello@all-turtles.com Twitter: @allturtlesco

Julian Guthrie’s new book Alpha Girls follows the stories of four women who became successful VCs in Silicon Valley firms where they were often the only women in the room. Julian is a former journalist and a New York Times bestselling author, but despite her extensive experience writing about successful people, the Alpha Girls’ stories surprised her. She describes the lessons learned from the women’s extraordinary accomplishments, and shares how VCs and entrepreneurs can apply them today.   Show notes Conversation with Julian Guthrie (1:22) Julian Guthrie is the author of Alpha Girls Julian’s other books include The Billionaire and the Mechanic and How to Make a Spaceship   Eye roll, please (24:20) Why “ignore the haters” is faulty advice for an entrepreneur.   Listener question (26:35) From Niels via Twitter: “Why did you pick Paris over E.g. London or Berlin?”   We want to hear from you Please send us your comments, suggested topics, and listener questions for future All Turtles Podcast episodes. Voicemail: +1 (310) 571-8448 Email: hello@all-turtles.com Twitter: @allturtlesco

Sift, a news therapy app from All Turtles, is looking to solve real problems that lie at the intersection of technology and journalism. Platforms like Facebook and Twitter have become outrage-powered clicking machines that drive media cycles. Sift wants to help its users stay informed without feeling overwhelmed. They took an experimental approach to their product rollout that allowed them to build invaluable feedback into their latest version, an approach that could benefit products of any kind.   Show notes Gabe Campodonico and Kelly Chen of Sift (2:10) Sift is a news therapy app that presents contentious topics in a therapeutic, engaging, and informative way so users can Kelly’s background includes CNN and Huffington Post. Advice to entrepreneurs (24:20) What kind of money is better for funding a business? Investments or revenue   Listener question (26:35) From Michael via Twitter: “Is All Turtles a reference to the probably apocryphal Bertrand Russel story?”   We want to hear from you Please send us your comments, suggested topics, and listener questions for future All Turtles Podcast episodes. Voicemail: +1 (310) 571-8448 Email: hello@all-turtles.com Twitter: @allturtlesco

When Facebook moved into a Menlo Park space that was across the street from one of the lowest income areas of California, Susan Gonzales saw a potential for outreach, so she launched the company’s community engagement program. Her time at Facebook gave her some unique insights into the likes of Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg. She now consults with startups on strategic communications, sharing her expertise on diversity-related issues. Show notes Susan Gonzales, Communications Coach (1:07) Susan’s consulting services help her clients effectively communicate their messaging. Facebook’s summer academy was designed to give low-income students professional learning opportunities. Black in AI, Queer in AI, Latinx in AI, and Women in Machine Learning are all groups Susan wants to help amplify.   The All Turtles origin story (18:00) Jon answers Susan’s question about how All Turtles came to be by telling the story of how the idea for All Turtles first gained traction.   AI use case (21:14) Our first “Anti-AI use case”: the decision to not use AI in the new All Turtles product Sift, a news therapy app   Listener question (26:35) From May via email: “Are there guidelines for technology adoption speed/tipping point? Do you consider this at all when investing? In other words, what % of the population needs to LOVE the product/service so that the other next influenced segment (a bigger audience) will adopt it?” The Unscaled podcast series featured Hemant Taneja’s philosophy that you don’t need to scale in size first in order to have an impact.     We want to hear from you. Please send us your comments, suggested topics, and listener questions for future All Turtles Podcast episodes. Voicemail: +1 (310) 571-8448 Email: hello@all-turtles.com Twitter: @allturtlesco

Knowing how to outpace competition is a difficult yet essential part of entrepreneurship. For a new startup, larger competing companies may have more resources, more employees, or more brand recognition. Yet there are strategies small product teams can employ to effectively take on competition. Matt Schlict, CEO of Octane AI, has developed a methodology that has worked for his team, the cornerstone of which is focusing on a vertical.   Show notes Matt Schlicht, CEO of Octane AI (2:22) Octane AI is an e-commerce chatbot that enables Shopify merchants to communicate directly with their customers through Facebook messenger Phil’s video about dealing with competition Chatbots Magazine is an online publication that has helped establish Octane AI as a voice in the chatbot space Ecommerce Magazine is another publication that gives Octane AI an opportunity to be at the forefront of e-commerce conversations   We want to hear from you Please send us your comments, suggested topics, and listener questions for future All Turtles Podcast episodes. Voicemail: +1 (310) 571-8448 Email: hello@all-turtles.com Twitter: @allturtlesco with hashtag #askAT For more from All Turtles, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to our newsletter on our website.

What does thoughtful and effective product design look like? Sift, a news therapy app, is a prime example—it manages to be both therapeutic and informative because of the thoughtful design choices of its creators. Chris Ploeg and Gabe Campodonico, Sift's cofounders, built this product as a response to the outrage- and anxiety-inducing news cycle, and in this episode they share the details of their design process from ideation to feedback collection.   Show notes Chris Ploeg and Gabe Campodonico, cofounders of Sift (2:22) Sift is a news therapy app that unpacks contentious issues to help reduce headline-induced anxiety. Sift’s Medium post explains their experimental approach to their launch. TechCrunch’s article about Sift digs into the need for an app that covers the news in a way that is not designed to induce outrage.   We want to hear from you. Please send us your comments, suggested topics, and listener questions for future All Turtles Podcast episodes. Voicemail: +1 (310) 571-8448 Email: hello@all-turtles.com Twitter: @allturtlesco

A crash landing in a famous soccer coach’s backyard. A middle-of-the-night bolt of inspiration. An explosion of pink smoke. These memorable moments punctuated Sunflower Labs’ hardware development process as they built their multi-component drone security system. In sharing the story of how they built their hardware product, they share tips—like the importance of fully understanding what problem you’re solving and the need for tireless testing—that apply to any entrepreneurial endeavor. Show notes Alex Pachikov and Chris Eheim, cofounders of Sunflower Labs (1:56) Sunflower Labs builds autonomous home security systems The Verge’s story on Sunflower Labs Sunflower Labs’ coverage in CNET   We want to hear from you Please send us your comments, suggested topics, and listener questions for future All Turtles Podcast episodes. Voicemail: +1 (310) 571-8448 Email: hello@all-turtles.com Twitter: @allturtlesco with hashtag #askAT For more from All Turtles, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to our newsletter on our website.

Product creators who listen to feedback from their customers can gain valuable insight into the needs of people who use their product. Yet people who do not use the product, or have any intention of doing so, may also have thoughts and opinions about it. Sometimes, those comments will be constructive, but not always. Non-customer feedback is a is something that the CEO of Spot deals with regularly, and she’s learned how to make the most of it. Show notes Jessica Coller, CEO of Spot (1:56) Spot’s AI reporting tool makes it safer for employees to speak up and easier for HR to follow up, even on anonymous reports. Spot’s feature in TechCrunch about how their app addresses harassment and discrimination in the workplace The HR Technologist’s coverage of Spot’s features   We want to hear from you Please send us your comments, suggested topics, and listener questions for future All Turtles Podcast episodes. Voicemail: +1 (310) 571-8448 Email: hello@all-turtles.com Twitter: @allturtlesco with hashtag #askAT For more from All Turtles, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to our newsletter on our website.

When it comes to entrepreneurship, are two heads really better than one? Cofounders should have complementary skills, values, and aspirations; a strong partnership will serve as the foundation for building impactful products. But finding someone who has those traits, and learning to work alongside them, is a process. Thankfully, Tania Abedian Coke and Kevin Hsu—the cofounders of Tellus—have some guidance in this episode of the Startup Playbook series.   Show notes Tania Abedian Coke and Kevin Hsu, cofounders of Tellus (1:42) Tellus is working to radically change and improve the standard of elder care with technology Some of the earliest iterations of Tellus were from Tania and Kevin’s time Stanford’s Venture Studio Learn more about Tania, Kevin, and their investors at Tellus’ About page PERS, or Personal Emergency Response Systems, allow for people to call for medical help with the press of a button   We want to hear from you Please send us your comments, suggested topics, and listener questions for future All Turtles Podcast episodes. Voicemail: +1 (310) 571-8448 Email: hello@all-turtles.com Twitter: @allturtlesco with hashtag #askAT For more from All Turtles, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to our newsletter on our website.