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In Conversation With: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Ashe Magalhaes
Conversations about AI, Aesthetics, and Culture
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- Aug 4, 20261h 2m
Kimi K3 and Chinese AI, American AI Researcher Debates, and X Influence with Signüll
In this episode, I sit down with Signull—one of the most recognizable anonymous voices in technology—for a conversation that spans artificial intelligence, open-weight models, entrepreneurship, venture capital, spirituality, and the future of human intelligence.We begin with the story behind Signal’s anonymous Shakespeare persona and how an online pseudonym unexpectedly became one of the most influential voices in the AI ecosystem. From there, we explore what it means to build at the frontier of technology, why incentives shape nearly every public conversation, and how founders, researchers, investors, and policymakers influence the direction of artificial intelligence.We also dive into the rapid rise of open-weight AI models, the implications of Kimi K3, competition between American AI labs and China, whether intelligence becomes commoditized, and what lasting advantages companies like OpenAI and Anthropic can realistically maintain as model performance converges.The conversation then shifts toward creativity, company building, and entrepreneurship: finding leverage, building products people genuinely love, balancing writing with investing, and why uncertainty is an unavoidable part of creating something meaningful.Finally, we venture into spirituality and philosophy—simulation theory, synchronicity, psychedelics, migraines, the Bhagavad Gita, dharma, and the relationship between technology and the search for meaning.Whether you’re an AI researcher, founder, engineer, investor, or simply fascinated by the future of technology, this conversation offers a thoughtful look at where artificial intelligence is heading—and what it means for the people building it.Topics discussed: • Artificial intelligence and large language models • Open-weight AI and Kimi K3 • OpenAI, Anthropic, and the future of frontier models • China and the global AI race • Entrepreneurship and startup building • Venture capital and investing • Incentives, trust, and online discourse • Anonymous internet identities • Creativity and technology • Simulation theory, spirituality, and philosophy • The Bhagavad Gita and finding meaning while buildingIf you enjoy conversations at the intersection of computer science, AI, startups, philosophy, and spirituality, subscribe and follow for future episodes.
- Jul 8, 202640 min
On the Frontier of Ocean Robotics
Will O'Brien, founder of Ulysses, is building underwater robots and autonomous drones to do the important work of the ocean, for industry, researchers, and the U.S. Navy. In this episode we go deep (literally) on ocean tech, underwater autonomy, illegal fishing, mine detection, UFOs in the ocean, faith, growing up Irish, and why he thinks reading is overrated in San Francisco.We cover the frontier of subsea robotics: why only ~2,000 underwater drones are built each year vs. 50 million aerial drones, the unsolved problem of underwater communications (acoustics vs. optical), decoding whale and dolphin song with AI, and the USS Nimitz "Tic Tac" UFO case. Plus: spearfishing invasive lionfish in the Cayman Islands, the Irish language, trad music, Catholicism, and building a company culture that takes the work seriously but not itself.If you're into ocean technology, robotics startups, marine science, defense tech, or founder stories, this one's for you.🌊 Ulysses is hiring across engineering and more.⏱️ CHAPTERS0:00 Cold ocean dips & morning swims01:05 What is Ulysses? Underwater robots for industry, researchers & the Navy03:38 Growing up by the sea in Ireland05:37 Speed-running friendships from Twitter/X07:44 The Irish language10:58: Will's aesthetic inspiration13:22 The state of underwater autonomy (2,000 vs. 50 million drones)15:08 Decoding whale & dolphin acoustics with AI17:23 Hot take: reading is overrated in SF19:34 Faith journey: Catholic → Buddhism in Nepal → back to Catholicism23:14 UFOs, disclosure & non-human intelligence27:01 Illegal fishing, mine detection & the Strait of Hormuz29:38 The frontier: autonomous subsea robotic manipulation31:07 Scuba diving & spearfishing lionfish (closest call underwater)34:37 Ulysses is hiring🔗 LINKSUlysses: https://www.theoceancompany.com/Follow Will on X: https://x.com/Willob📲 CONNECTSubscribe for more founder interviews on ocean tech, robotics & AI: https://www.youtube.com/@ashe_aiInstagram: https://instagram.com/ashebytesX / Twitter: https://x.com/ashebytes#OceanTech #UnderwaterRobots #Robotics #StartupFounder #DefenseTech #MarineTech #AI #Ulysses #UFO #Ireland #DeepTech #Autonomy #Podcast #SanFrancisco
- Jun 25, 20261h 5m
From Math to Mysticism: On AI's Acceleration of Spirituality
What happens to meaning when AI accelerates faster than our nervous systems can handle? In this episode of In Conversation With, I sit down with Nicole, astrologer, writer, and rationalist, to trace the path from math to mysticism: why engineers, physicists, and tech builders are turning to astrology, tarot, psychedelics, and the occult during a moment of profound uncertainty.We get into synchronicity and Jung's scarab, the spiritual vacuum left by the Enlightenment, plant medicine and ego death, Rudolf Steiner's warning about Ahriman and the cold mechanistic intellect of technology, non-duality and the singularity, manifestation vs. the shadow, quantum physics and the observer effect, and what really happens when people have deep spiritual experiences with LLMs like Claude and ChatGPT, including local models and "parasitic AI."If your nervous system feels shot to hell and you're searching for something bigger than yourself to hold onto, this one's for you.🔮 Connect with Nicole: X https://x.com/digitlartifacts & Substack https://substack.com/@digitalartifacts🔮 DM Nicole on X to learn more about her chart readings📩 My weekly newsletter: https://ashe.ai/newsletter🐺 Follow me: X https://x.com/ashebytes • Instagram https://instagram.com/ashebytesRecorded during Edge City, Healdsburg @JoinEdgeCity ⏱️ Chapters00:00 Intro: synchronicity & the spiritual vacuum AI is opening up01:21 Why the Enlightenment left us without shared meaning04:23 Where to start when your nervous system is shot to hell07:27 Plant medicine: the real upside and the real risks09:16 Astrology as a mirror, not a fate sentence11:33 Spiritual emergency & overwhelming synchronicity13:42 Rudolf Steiner predicted AI in 1919 (Ahriman & Lucifer)17:46 The 60s, decentralized truth & the loss of a mainstream18:53 Erik Davis, the occult resurgence & conspiracy going mainstream22:11 Reality glitches: Jung's golden scarab story29:12 Manifestation, the shadow & hyperstition31:54 Quantum physics & the observer effect35:40 Ego death, psychedelics & dying before you die39:25 Escape velocity, longevity & SF's relationship with death42:35 Richard Tarnas: the myth of progress vs the myth of the fall44:44 Approaching reality as a mystery, not a machine46:54 How frontier labs constrained spiritual & creative use48:53 Local models, "parasitic AI" & seed phrases between models50:47 Edge City & why in-real-life community matters52:28 The chart reading & astrology as intimate mirror55:17 Esalen, relationships & you can't heal someone for them1:00:09 Tarot, the hero's journey & the tower before the star1:02:11 Religion, Catholicism & the drive toward self-betterment1:03:16 Gender-war content, psyops & emotional manipulation#AIandSpirituality #Astrology #Synchronicity #Psychedelics #TechAndMeaning #Tarot #Consciousness #NonDuality #Manifestation #SanFrancisco
- May 31, 202637 min
On the Frontier of Peptides in 2026
on the frontier of peptides & community in conversation with Tori Pastore @bonecondor 00:55 an intro to peptides 08:13 on peptides removing food noise: tori’s experience 14:30 dosing and combatting food engineering 16:14 on the verge of shapeshifting 20:30 bending attention, corporate surrealism, and Tori being a fan of Roy Lee29:35 the post-atomic bomb societal shift and the origins of “hipster” 35:17 techno optimism
- May 18, 202647 min
On the Frontier of AI Slop Detection
In conversation with Max Spero and @PangramLabs From the grifters, to auto reply bots, to russian influence campaigns, to the rising cost of trainingDive in:00:36 Max's background & pangram labs05:27 AI slop attack vectors13:19 Is this an intractable problem?18:48 The relational value of content21:36 A surprising learning...29:36 Customer problems we're not talking enough about37:04 Forecasting compute43:52 Pangram Labs is hiring!
- Apr 27, 202640 min
On the Frontier of Consumer Wearables: Building a Private AI Voice Ring
In conversation with Mina Fahmi, CEO of Sandbar00:34 Mina's background01:42 Robotics, neural interfaces, and hardware06:06 Bringing nervous system work into designing AI products10:25 Building with voice12:38 AI extending self-concept19:05 AI sycophancy24:58 Agentic memory30:11 Hardware decisions at Sandbar34:16 Hiring at Sandbar36:04 Bringing AI to more people
- Apr 17, 202637 min
New Branding Playbooks in Tech Media
On the frontier of storytelling In conversation with Erika Lee, leading branding at Corgi, from their new 24/7 SF cafe. The old branding playbooks are being thrown out the window… & something new is taking it’s place. Whatever form it takes, human resonance will always be what sells, and Erika embodies this.Erika has journeyed from local news broadcasting to crypto to AI…and is now bringing some LA energy to SF (woo!)Dive in: 00:22 Who is Erika Lee? 03:46 What is Corgi? 05:43 New branding playbooks 14:52 What are folks getting wrong about branding 21:10 What can AI learn from crypto? 29:10 Working in local news 34:30 Corgi & startup Insurance
- Apr 6, 202647 min
Agent memory, continual learning, & family-building
On agent factories, memory, continual learning & building on the frontier while growing a familyIn conversation withSam Whitmore, engineering at @Cursor I am so excited to share this because I have been inspired by Sam for years...and this joins agentic products+memory with shining a light on pregnancy and raising a young family← we need more conversations on both!Dive in:00:25 Sam’s background01:38 Family building while in frontier tech11:50 Agent factories15:46 Continual learning, agent self-awareness, memory, and user goal alignment23:51 Building a thoughtful product culture at Cursor27:00 Thinking about defensibility in 202630:01 Selling outside of the tech/X bubble35:12 On reading fiction38:32 On pregnancy, hormones, and building42:58 On agent predictions for the next 6 months46:35 Hiring at CursorFollow Sam on X: https://x.com/sjwhitmoreFollow me on X: https://x.com/ashebytes
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