STAY Sustainable

Hosted by Alec Crawford

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Apr 2024

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STAY sustainable. A podcast about Sustainability, Technology, Artificial Intelligence, and how it affects you and your world. I am discussing these issues with high-profile guests in these fields to give you important information that goes deeper than other sources. Let's find out answers to questions like "Can AI save the planet?" and "How does environmental, social, and governance investing impact me?" We can build a better, sustainable future together.

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22 recent

April 24, 202454 min

ESG Investing Rebound! A Discussion with Jonathan Treussard and Olivia Albrecht

In the STAY Sustainable podcast, our host, Alec Crawford, Founder and CEO of Artificial Intelligence Risk, Inc. (aicrisk.com), interviews guests about Sustainability, Technology, Artificial Intelligence and relates that to You.Podcast production and sound engineering by Troutman Street Audio. You can find them on LinkedIn and at troutmanstreetaudio.comOlivia Albrecht (ex-PIMCO) and Jonathan Treussard (Finance PhD) discuss ESG investing and its impact on the financial industry. They address common misconceptions about ESG investing and the challenges of evaluating companies' ESG performance. They also explore the role of institutional investors in influencing companies' behavior and practices. The conversation touches on the intersection of AI and sustainability, highlighting the increasing power consumption of data centers and the need for balance in addressing environmental concerns. Overall, the discussion provides insights into the complexities and opportunities of sustainable finance. Olivia and Jonathan discuss the need for cheaper and more effective energy sources, the challenges of implementing sustainable technologies, and the importance of grid efficiency. They also share advice for individuals looking to help the planet and discuss the benefits and challenges of starting a business. TakeawaysESG investing is not a monolithic strategy, and there are different approaches and factors to consider when evaluating companies' ESG performance.Institutional investors have the potential to influence companies' behavior and practices through engagement and divestment strategies.The intersection of AI and sustainability presents challenges in terms of increasing power consumption, but also opportunities for innovation and solutions.There is a need for a balanced approach to address environmental concerns while harnessing the potential of AI and data centers. The need for cheaper and more effective energy sources is crucial for addressing the climate crisis.State regulations and grid inefficiencies can hinder the adoption of sustainable technologies.Reducing consumption and focusing on good governance are important steps individuals can take to help the planet.Linkshttps://www.treussard.com/about Books/Movies MentionedHow to Avoid a Climate Disaster by Bill GatesSpeed and Scale by John DoerrFootloose

February 11, 202442 min

AI, Blockchain, and the Law with Tobias Jensen

In the STAY Sustainable podcast, our host, Alec Crawford, Founder and CEO of Artificial Intelligence Risk, Inc. (https://www.aicrisk.com), interviews guests about Sustainability, Technology, Artificial Intelligence and relates that to You. Podcast production and sound engineering by Troutman Street Audio. You can find them on LinkedIn and at https://www.troutmanstreetaudio.comIn this episode, Tobias Mark Jensen, head of legal at the Nordic Blockchain Association and blog author of The Futuristic Lawyer, discusses his journey in the legal field and his fascination with AI. He shares insights on the impact of AI on the job market and the ethical questions surrounding its use. Tobias also talks about his role at the Nordic Blockchain Association and his plans for the future. The conversation covers topics such as Copenhagen as a foodie destination, the power of now, the book Homo Sapiens, and the potential of AI for good.TakeawaysAI has the potential to disrupt the job market, and lawyers should experiment with AI tools while being cautious of their limitations.Humans using AI ("centaurs") used to win chess matches. Now, humans just make AI worse.The intersection of technology and law is an exciting space to explore, and understanding the ethical implications of AI is crucial.Copenhagen has become an epicenter for gourmet dining with world-renowned restaurants like Noma and Geranium.Links/Referenceshttps://futuristiclawyer.com https://www.nordicblockchain.com/https://www.smk.dk/en/Daniel Schmachtenberger at https://civilizationemerging.com/https://noma.dk/https://www.geranium.dk/en/https://openai.com/blogBooks/MoviesThe Power of Now by Eckhart TolleHomo Sapiens by Yuval Noah HarariThe Shining (1980)Coypright (c) 2024 All Rights Reserved, Owl Peak Management, LLC.

January 14, 202435 min

Ethical AI Now! Aco Momcilovic, President of the Global AI Ethics Institute

In this episode, our host, Alec Crawford, Founder and CEO of Artificial Intelligence Risk, Inc. interviews Aco Momcilovic, Future HR owner and the co-founder and President of the Global AI Ethics Institute. Aco shares his insights on various topics, including his career in human resources, his interest in artificial intelligence, and the AI Art Singularity project. He also discusses the threats and dangers of AI, the need for global cooperation in AI governance, and the importance of using AI for good.This episode was produced and engineered by Troutman Street Audio. You can find them on LinkedIn.TakeawaysA career in human resources provides opportunities to work with people and be creative.Artificial intelligence has the potential to significantly impact society and the global economy.Global cooperation and ethical considerations are crucial in the development and regulation of AI.Using AI for good can lead to innovation and positive societal outcomes.Resourceshttps://artexpo.ai/https://www.aicrisk.com/https://globalethics.ai/https://www.linkedin.com/in/acomomcilovic/?originalSubdomain=hrCrouching Tiger, Hidden DragonKurzweil, Ray. The Singularity.

January 5, 202432 min

Verifiable ESG with Doug Parker, CEO of Ecolumix and Former EPA Head of Enforcement

Our host, Alec Crawford interviews high profile guests at the intersection of sustainability, technology and AI for you in the STAY Sustainable podcast. In this episode, he interviews Doug Parker, founder and CEO of Ecolumix, a company providing verified ESG data on their platform, shares his career journey from being a history major to working in environmental law enforcement and eventually founding his own company. He discusses the mission of Ecolumix, which focuses on using data analytics to help companies identify and manage environmental risks. Parker also provides insights into the enforcement priorities of the EPA and the future plans for Ecolumix. He offers advice for entrepreneurs and discusses the importance of transparency and involvement of corporate boards in environmental management.TakeawaysData analytics can be a powerful tool for identifying and managing environmental risks.Benchmarking against peers is an effective way for companies to assess their environmental performance.The EPA's enforcement priorities for 2024 include climate change and PFAS.Building a culture of transparency and providing a relief valve for employees to speak up is crucial for effective environmental management.Links/ReferencesDoug Parker, CEO, EcolumixDoug is the Co-Founder and CEO of Ecolumix, an ESG data intelligence and advisory company that measures corporate environmental, health, and safety (EHS) performance. At Ecolumix, Doug leads the team in the development and deployment facility-level EHS data insights for clients related to benchmarking, supply chain evaluation, and due diligence. The Ecolumix team also works with corporate clients and law firms to advise them on EHS compliance and ESG strategy. Doug formerly served as the Director of the EPA's Criminal Investigation Division overseeing a nationwide team of criminal investigators and matters related to the Deepwater Horizon disaster, the Volkswagen emissions cheating scandal, and the agency’s analytics-driven criminal enforcement initiatives. He has also advised dozens of companies on complex enforcement matters and served as an independent compliance monitor. He received his B.A. from Colby College and M.A. in Public Policy from Georgetown University. https://ecolumix.com/https://ecolumix.com/linking-environmental-compliance-and-esg-understanding-the-necis/https://ecolumix.com/doug-parker-ecolumix-co-founder-ceonamed-to-2022-environmentenergy-leader-50-honoree-list/https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-announces-federal-enforcement-priorities-protect-communities-pollution#:~:text=WASHINGTON%20%E2%80%93%20Today%2C%20the%20U.S.%20Environmental,from%20cancer%2Dcausing%20coal%20ash.Books, MoviesColl, Steve Ghost Wars (2004)This is Spinal Tap (1984)NotePlease note that Alec Crawford has a financial interest in Ecolumix and sits on their advisory board.

December 18, 202343 min

AI for Good: Amazon Alumna and Linguist Karin Golde

In this episode, our host, Alec Crawford, interviews Karin Golde, an Amazon alumna, linguistics expert and AI professional. They discuss various topics related to AI and language models. She shares her background in linguistics and the contributions of linguists like Barbara Partee. Karin explains the concerns and risks associated with large language models (LLMs) and the challenges of training data. She discusses different approaches to improve the accuracy of LLMs and the ethical considerations of their use. Karin also highlights the issue of "ghost workers" in AI and the need for fair labor practices. She provides insights into the future of AI, the role of regulation, and the importance of using AI for good. Karin concludes with advice for those interested in AI and the importance of building diverse data teams.Key TakeawaysLarge language models (LLMs) have the potential to amplify existing societal problems and biases, making it crucial to address issues of fairness and equity in their development and deployment.Training data for LLMs often contains biases and undesirable content, which can lead to inaccurate or biased outputs. Careful data curation and fine-tuning techniques are necessary to mitigate these risks.The ethical use of AI requires ongoing monitoring, risk management, and a deep understanding of the impact on individuals and society. It is important to involve diverse stakeholders and subject matter experts in the development and regulation of AI systems.Building a data team with diverse skill sets (rather than titles), including expertise in statistics, machine learning, engineering, linguistics, sociology, and domain knowledge, is essential for successful AI projects.To use AI for good, it is crucial to understand the real needs of the target audience and the potential impact of AI systems. Collaboration, education, and a focus on specific use cases can help ensure positive outcomes.References in the show:Karin Golde's startup: https://www.westvalley.ai/ Ghost Work book: https://ghostwork.info/The letter from Senator Markey to big tech companies regarding ghost work: https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sen-markey-rep-jayapal-lead-colleagues-in-demanding-answers-from-ai-companies-on-use-of-underpaid-overworked-data-workers"Mystery Hype Theater 3000" from the DAIR institute: https://peertube.dair-institute.org/"Human-in-the-Loop Machine Learning" by Robert Monarch: https://www.manning.com/books/human-in-the-loop-machine-learning

December 4, 202341 min

AI for CFOs! An interview with Ashok Manthena, Founder & CEO of ChatFin

Our host, Alec Crawford, interviews Ashok Manthena, CEO & Founder of ChatFin, and a Google and Gap alumni. Ashok founded Chatfin in April of 2023 to help CFOs and their teams automate their processes using AI, including natural language processing tools, similar to Chat GPT for finance!They cover everything from Ashok’s MBA, to his roles at Con Edison, Google and the Gap, all the way to his new startup venture. See the recommended books, movies and links from the episode listed below! BooksGandhi, Mahatma. (2020) The Story of My Experiments with Truth.MoviesGandhi (1982), starting Ben KingsleyInterstellar (2014), starring Matthew McConaugheyLinkshttps://chatfin.ai   

November 21, 202334 min

Don't Lose Your Job to AI! Listen to Christian Perry, CEO of Undetectable AI

Our host, Alec Crawford, interviews Christian Perry, the former CEO of ChatterQuant and current CEO of Undetectable AI. They discuss his journey from being an Eagle Scout to a successful entrepreneur.Christian's venture with ChatterQuant, which grew into a highly successful B2C platform and was recently acquired, highlights his entrepreneurial journey and the innovative use of AI technology. He shares the challenges faced in this venture, such as AI manipulation, and the importance of keeping pace with the rapidly changing AI landscape.Transitioning to his brand new venture, Undetectable AI, Christian focuses on removing AI watermarks from AI-generated text, which aims to help people use AI more effectively and without negative consequences at work. He concludes with advice for aspiring AI professionals, underscoring the value of internships, staying abreast of new AI tools, and recognizing the disruptive potential of AI across various industries. Book MentionedAlgebra of Happiness by Scott GallowayLinkshttps://www.chatterquant.com/https://undetectable.ai/https://www.scouting.org/  

November 6, 202333 min

A.I. & Arguments: a Conversation with Brian Potts, Legal Innovator and Perkins Coie Partner

Alec Crawford interviews Brian Potts about law school, his career, being a founder, and the new AI tools you can use for writing as well as the specialized AI tools for lawyers available today. Brian is a legal innovator, Partner at Perkins Coie, founder x 4, including Founder of the Legal Mentor Network.AI is creating efficiencies today for lawyers! If you are in law school, Brian has plenty of great advice, including joining the non-profit legal mentor network to find your next job. The lighting round includes surprising answers about Madison, Wisconsin and cheese curds!ResourcesAI writing resource:https://www.jasper.aiLegal resources:https://www.legalmentornetwork.org/https://casetext.com/https://clearbrief.com/Book:The Firm, by John Grisham

October 23, 202342 min

Reveal Smarter "Decision Options" with AI: Insight from CEO Gill Eapen

Our host, Alec Crawford, interviews Gill Eapen, CEO of Decision Options and Board Member at the American Society for Artificial Intelligence.Gil Eapen cherished his time at Hewlett-Packard in the 90s, highlighting a unique, egalitarian culture and his inspiring interactions, including a chance meeting with the CEO.He contrasts this with later roles, noting the transient nature of management consulting and the challenge of fostering a collaborative, innovative environment in a fast-growing pharmaceutical company, where he innovated with early machine learning applications.Eapen encountered resistance to new technology among traditional roles, emphasizing the need to convince stakeholders of its benefits.Post-corporate life, Eapen founded Decision Options, shifting from consulting to creating AI systems for diverse industries. His book "Decision Options" focuses on innovative valuation methods for projects, applying financial principles to non-market-based company decisions.Eapen's firm developed an autonomous investment advisory system for managing portfolios, reducing human error and maintaining optimal risk-return balances per client preferences.Shifting gears, Gill spoke about how the American Society for AI aims to gather a select group of academics, entrepreneurs, and AI experts to discuss AI's future impacts and societal implications without a policy agenda.Eapen emphasizes that while forms of AI like machine learning and deep learning aren't new, advancements in computing power and data processing are driving AI's current effectiveness in decision-making.In addition, the definition of AI keeps changing to move with technology. For example, in the 1950’s, a calculator might have been AI, now advanced chatbots are AI.Gill opines that AI's use of historical data could limit innovation, but it won't overshadow human creativity. One risk is that AI’s reliance on historical data creates an “AI loop” that limits its creativity.AI will automate repetitive tasks, changing job landscapes and necessitating social policy reforms.Embracing AI is crucial for corporate success, and future professionals should focus on entrepreneurship over traditional career paths.Here are some of the links from the show:https://www.decisionoptions.comhttps://www.asfai.orghttps://www.scientificsense.comEnjoy!

October 9, 202336 min

Cyberattack! Identity Theft! Data Breach! Protect yourself with advice from Jane Carpenter

Alec Crawford welcomes Jane Carpenter, identity theft and data breach expert to the show. Jane talks about her career, including senior positions at Wang Laboratories, Digital Equipment Corporation, and the Maine Attorney General's office, where she focused on identity theft before starting her own company. There, she helped train police departments and participated occasionally helping lawmakers as they considered new laws. She explains the recent shift towards stealing email credentials and corporate hacks and how to protect yourself. The weak link is still the human...and reusing your bad passwords!Book from the showRed Team: How to Succeed by Thinking Like the Enemy by Micah ZenkoLinks from the showThe FBI's InfraGard program:https://www.infragard.org/ Letter from Connecticut AG to Anthem after data breach:https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/AG/Press_Releases/2015/20150210AnthemBreachpdf.pdf