Finches, zebras, Darwin... and AI? 🧠🌍

Two centuries after Darwin explored the Galápagos, artificial intelligence is transforming how we study and protect the natural world, rapidly expanding what’s possible in biodiversity and ecology research. In this episode, MIT CSAIL Assistant Professor Sara Beery explains how AI is unlocking new possibilities in conservation, from identifying endangered species to analyzing ecosystem health at scale. AI can help biologists collect, process, and interpret enormous volumes of data, unlocking patterns and offering insights that were simply not possible without modern technology.
Beery shares her journey, from tagging snow leopards in college to leading global research at the intersection of computer vision and ecology. But she sounds a note of caution: AI has no values of its own and must be paired with human values to tackle the complex tradeoffs behind biodiversity decisions. As these tools become more powerful, it’s up to us to decide how they’re used, and what (or who) we prioritize.

🎧 Topics include:
Using AI to analyze millions of wildlife images
Why computer vision is revolutionizing species identification
The ethical dilemmas behind conservation decisions
How researchers are using AI to inform policy and protect ecosystems


🔗Learn more about Professor Beery:

🌐 Website: https://beerys.github.io/ or her CSAIL page https://www.csail.mit.edu/person/sara-beery

Connect with CSAIL Alliances:
On our site: https://cap.csail.mit.edu/about-us/meet-our-team
On X: https://x.com/csail_alliances
On LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/mit-csail

#MITCSAIL #AI #Conservation #Biology #Technology #CSAILPodcast

How AI Can Help Save the Natural World, with MIT CSAIL Assistant Professor Sara Beery

Can your phone make you a safer driver? Or is it part of the problem?

MIT CSAIL Professor Sam Madden shares the origin story of Cambridge Mobile Telematics, a CSAIL spinout using smartphones and AI to prevent car crashes and save lives. In this episode, Professor Madden joins host Kara Miller to explore how accelerometers, algorithms, and well-timed incentives are transforming how we understand and improve driver behavior.
Professor Madden reflects on surprising data trends, like why crash rates haven’t fallen despite better car tech, and how the ubiquitous smartphone became a key tool for reducing risk on the road. He also dives into how generative AI is reshaping software development, what it means for education and programming skills, and why trust and privacy remain top concerns when deploying AI across sensitive industries.

Covering distracted driving, autonomous vehicles, behavioral nudges, and business infrastructure, Professor Madden reveals what’s working and where the road ahead leads.

Topics include:
The history of Cambridge Mobile Telematics
The realities of traffic accidents
How your phone can track your driving safety
Turning your data into a narrative
The corrosive effects of phones

Learn more about Professor Madden on his website: https://db.csail.mit.edu/madden/ 
Or his CSAIL page: https://www.csail.mit.edu/person/sam-madden 
Read our case study on Cambridge Mobile Telematics: https://cap.csail.mit.edu/sites/default/files/2023-05/CMT_Case%20Study%20Template_2022.pdf 

Connect with CSAIL Alliances:
On our site: https://cap.csail.mit.edu/about-us/meet-our-team
On X: https://x.com/csail_alliances
On LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/mit-csail

Driving Behavior by Design: MIT CSAIL Professor Sam Madden on the Science of Safer Roads with AI

Cybersecurity expert and venture capitalist Andy Ellis breaks down why the smartest organizations are using AI to augment their workers, not replace them. Today’s AI systems are best used when they serve as “semi-pro” tools—fast, scalable, surprisingly effective, but still guided by some human oversight. In this conversation, he shares cautionary tales about hallucinations, prompt injections, unintended consequences, and outlines the common pitfalls he already sees companies falling into.

You’ll hear:
- How to minimize resistance and bring the workforce onboard when deploying AI tools.

- Why AI agents should be limited in scope and the advantage of stacking specialized agents which, acting together, enhance productivity and capacity.

- Why AI is good for generating content for specific purposes but not good at creating writing, art, or materials which will have lasting impact.

- How productivity “nag bots” can help workers get more done. 

Ellis sees this moment as the next SaaS-level transformation, arguing that the winners of today’s AI arms race will become the trillionaires of tomorrow. Fundamentally, he believes the best way to implement this transformative new technology is to let humans decide and the AIs act.

Connect with CSAIL Alliances:
On our site: cap.csail.mit.edu/about-us/meet-our-team
On X: x.com/csail_alliances
On LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/mit-csail


Beyond the Hype: How AI is Actually Reshaping Business with Andy Ellis

Chris Miller, Tufts Professor and author,  explains how semiconductors—those tiny chips inside your phone, car, and coffee maker—have become the most critical technology in the world. Today’s global economy, military power, and AI breakthroughs all hinge on who makes the chips and where.
 
In this episode, Dr. Miller explores how the chip industry evolved from independent manufacturing giants to specialized global supply chains and why that’s both a strength and a vulnerability. He breaks down the growing competition between the U.S. and China, the geopolitical risk of relying on Taiwan, and why the future of AI depends not just on better software but on smarter, faster hardware.
 
💡 Topics Covered:
Why semiconductors are the backbone of modern technology
 
The shift from integrated chip companies to design vs. manufacturing specialization
 
How legacy companies like Intel lost ground and what it means for the U.S.
 
The U.S./China tech rivalry and supply chain vulnerabilities
 
AI’s explosive growth and the chip race driving it
 
The surprising role of immigration in America’s tech dominance
 
Why even automakers and retailers are becoming chip-aware
Learn more in Dr. Miller’s book, Chip War: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology: https://www.christophermiller.net/books

Connect with CSAIL Alliances: 
On our site: https://cap.csail.mit.edu/about-us/meet-our-team 
On LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/mit-csail #MITCSAIL #AI #GenerativeAI #Leadership #Technology #CSAILPodcast


The Promise and Peril of Computer Chips with Tufts Professor Chris Miller

In this special crossover episode, we're bringing you a conversation from our friends at Me, Myself, and AI, a podcast by MIT Sloan Management Review and Boston Consulting Group.
Walter Sun, Senior VP and Global Head of AI at SAP, joins hosts Shervin Khodabandeh and Sam Ransbotham for a deep dive into how SAP is deploying AI at scale across its platforms, from building a generative AI hub with access to over 30 large language models to developing specialized AI agents that reduce hallucinations. 
 
You’ll hear insights into:
The real-world use of small vs. large language models
 
How SAP is empowering employees through “AI Days”
 
What AI agents can teach us about specialization and collaboration
 
How to avoid hallucinations with fine-tuned, task-specific agents
 
Building trust and transparency into enterprise AI systems
 
Whether you're an AI enthusiast, enterprise leader, or just curious about how cutting-edge AI is transforming business, hear how AI is shaping industry strategy and transforming the market.
  
For more episodes from Me, Myself, and AI: https://sloanreview.mit.edu/audio-series/me-myself-and-ai/ 
 
Connect with CSAIL Alliances:
On our site: https://cap.csail.mit.edu/ 
On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mit-csail/ 


Me, Myself, and AI: Building Better Answers With AI Agents, featuring SAP’s Walter Sun (Bonus Episode!)

AI is transforming radiology, but not at the expense of skilled technicians. In the same way that personal computers and spreadsheets didn’t eliminate accountants, AI is not going to replace radiologists but will instead transform the way they work. 
 
MIT CSAIL Professor Polina Golland’s research sits at the intersection of machine learning and healthcare, specifically medical imaging. In this episode, she discusses her team’s groundbreaking work on algorithms that analyze subtle patterns in x-rays, helping detect diseases earlier and understand them more deeply.
 
This conversation covers:
 
2:00 - How do doctors diagnose heart failure?
5:27 - Converting medical imagery to numbers
8:20 - Code generation for radiologists
9:25 - Weaknesses in the medical system that computing can strengthen
16:48 - The choreography of treating a patient
20:31 -  Turning an algorithm into a product
24:26 - Will radiologists be replaced by AI?
30:21 - How will AI change medical imagery?
 
Connect with CSAIL Alliances:
On our site: cap.csail.mit.edu/about-us/meet-our-team
On LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/mit-csail #MITCSAIL #AI #GenerativeAI #Leadership #Technology #CSAILPodcast

How AI is Reshaping Medical Imagery with MIT CSAIL Professor Polina Golland

From sports drinks to self-driving cars, some of the most transformative innovations have emerged when universities and businesses join forces. In this episode, host Kara Miller talks with Lori Glover, author of Innovation Alchemy and Managing Director of Global Strategic Alliances at MIT CSAIL, about the surprising ways academic research and industry collaboration shape technology, talent, and the global economy.
 
Together, they explore stories from the invention of Gatorade to modern AI research, the challenges of aligning two very different cultures, and how partnerships can spark unexpected breakthroughs, sometimes changing entire industries.
 
Whether you’re curious about how new ideas move from the lab to the marketplace or want to learn why companies and universities need each other more than ever, this episode offers a deep look into the evolving innovation ecosystem at the juncture of academia and industry.
Episodes, listener discounts, meet the host, and more can be found here: https://csail.mit.edu/podcast
 
Connect with CSAIL Alliances: 
On our site: cap.csail.mit.edu/about-us/meet-our-team  
On LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/mit-csail 
 
#MITCSAIL #AI #Education #MIT #GenerativeAI #Leadership #Technology #csailpodcast


Innovation Alchemy: Industry and Academia with Lori Glover

How will AI reshape the future of deep tech, industry, and investment?
 
In this episode of the MIT CSAIL Alliances Podcast, host Kara Miller speaks with Bilal Zuberi, founder and managing partner of Red Glass Capital. A longtime venture capitalist, Zuberi explains why AI isn’t just changing apps and SaaS tools—it’s unlocking massive sectors like manufacturing, healthcare, energy, and defense. He shares why he sees AI as the new “cost of intelligence,” what deep tech really means, and how breakthrough innovations could create trillions of dollars in value while tackling humanity’s toughest challenges, from climate change to healthcare.
 
Tune in for a conversation on the future of innovation, the shifting role of academia, and why Zuberi believes we’re moving from being AI consumers to becoming AI creators.
 
Topics Include:
02:39 - Introduction to Bilal Zuberi
04:43 - What is Deep Tech?
06:16 - Using technology to solve important problems
10:45 - AI granting access to old dreams and new jobs
12:56 - How helpful is AI as a tool?
14:52 - How AI is changing the world
19:04 - Academia’s role in AI
26:09 - The value of venture capital
30:12 - How AI will influences jobs
33:46 - What will be mainstream in five years?
36:13 - Outro
 
Episodes, listener discounts, meet the host, and more can be found here: https://csail.mit.edu/podcast
 
For Danny Weitzner’s episode:
https://soundcloud.com/csail-alliances/how-companies-can-rebuild-trust-around-data-with-danny-weitzner
 
Connect with CSAIL Alliances: 
On our site: cap.csail.mit.edu/about-us/meet-our-team
On LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/mit-csail 
 
#MITCSAIL #AI #Education #MIT #GenerativeAI #Leadership #Technology #csailpodcast


Investing in the Age of AI: Deep Tech, Risk, and Reward with Bilal Zuberi

In this episode of MIT CSAIL Alliances, host Kara Miller sits down with Professor Manya Ghobadi, a researcher and entrepreneur bridging the gap between academia and industry. Ghobadi, who has worked at Microsoft Research, Google, and now leads her own startup Systalyze, explores why so many companies struggle to efficiently deploy AI — and how her team is creating the “AI doctor” enterprises didn’t know they needed.
 
From hospitals sitting on mountains of private data to banks seeking smarter fraud detection, Ghobadi explains how better infrastructure and smarter tools can finally unlock AI’s full potential. Tune in for an inside look at how innovation moves from lab to launchpad — and what it takes to make AI work in the real world.
 
Topics Include:
00:07 - Origins of Systalze
01:40 - AI systems are difficult to build
02:53 - Systalyze is like an AI doctor
03:38 - How AI can transform the health care industry
04:41 - When companies unlock their AI potential
05:13 - Academia as an enterprenuer
  
 
Episodes, listener discounts, meet the host, and more can be found here: csail.mit.edu/podcast
 
Connect with CSAIL Alliances:
On our site: cap.csail.mit.edu/about-us/meet-our-team
On LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/mit-csail
 
#MITCSAIL #AI #Education #MIT #GenerativeAI #Leadership #Technology #csailpodcast

Bridging the AI Gap: Inside MIT’s Systalyze Startup with Associate Professor Manya Ghobadi

Host Kara Miller sits down with MIT Professor Russ Tedrake, a leading researcher in robotics and AI at CSAIL to explore the rapidly accelerating world of humanoid and intelligent robots.
 
Tedrake takes us behind the scenes of the robotics revolution—from the cultural resistance and skepticism, to the moment everything shifted. Today, major tech leaders are declaring humanoid robots “the biggest product in human history.” But is that true? Is it hype, or are we on the edge of a real technological turning point?
 
Topics Include:
01:00 - The Ramp Up of Robots
03:00 - Where Will We See Robots?
07:44 - Will Robots Replace Humans Soon?
13:02 - Robots Entering the Workforce
15:32 - Robots and Low Birth Rates
20:06 - Robots and Humans Working in the Same Space
24:57 - AI Changed the Trajectory of Robots
26:42 - The Barriers of a Personal Robot
31:37 - The Relationship between Academia and Companies
35:37 - Will You Have a Robot in the Home in Five Years?

 
They explore why COVID fundamentally changed how the world views automation and robotics, and dive into the hardest technical challenges in robotics, revealing why the real world is nothing like chess or chatbots. We talk about how AI, control theory, and physical dynamics must work together to create true intelligence, and discuss why humanoid robots may soon become as common and transformative as smartphones. Finally, we examine the growing gap between digital intelligence and embodied intelligence in the physical world, and what it will take to bridge it.
  
Episodes, listener discounts, meet the host, and more can be found here: https://csail.mit.edu/podcast 
 
Connect with CSAIL Alliances: 
On our site: cap.csail.mit.edu/about-us/meet-our-team 
On LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/mit-csail 
  
#Robotics #ArtificialIntelligence #HumanoidRobots #FutureOfWork #AIInnovation #TechPodcast #MachineLearning #Automatio

The Future of Robotics: Hype, Breakthroughs, and Challenges with Professor Russ Tedrake

MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) Alliances serves as a gateway into the lab for industry and governmental institutions seeking a closer connection to the work, researchers, and students of CSAIL. Our podcast aims to provide inside access to topics covered by CSAIL and other leaders advancing computer science and AI research.

Innovation Alchemy: Industry and Academia with Lori Glover

MIT CSAIL Alliances

Related tracks