From wild idea to world-changing product—how do today's groundbreaking AI innovations actually happen? Join Mayfield's Vijay Reddy on AI Pathfinders for intimate conversations with the brilliant minds commercializing AI. Each episode takes you behind the scenes with founders, developers, and researchers who've successfully navigated the journey from concept to market, revealing their unexpected challenges, pivotal decisions, and breakthrough moments. Whether you're building your own AI startup or fascinated by emerging technology, these candid discussions offer insider access to the pioneers building the future of AI.
In this episode, Vijay interviews Tengyu Ma, Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Stanford University and Chief Scientist at MongoDB. Tengyu shares insights into his journey from academia to industry, discussing his role following MongoDB's acquisition of Voyage AI and the importance of embedding models and ReRankers in AI-powered search systems. He delves into the differences and applications of fine-tuning, retrieval augmented generation (RAG), and long context windows, providing analogies to human problem-solving. Tengyu also sheds light on the significance of focusing on mathematical reasoning to develop AI models and offers advice for researchers and PhD students looking to commercialize their research. His unique perspective on the rapid progression and impact of AI on various sectors, coupled with his extensive experience in both academic and corporate settings, provides a thorough overview of the current and future landscape of AI technology.
