Summary

In this episode of AI Speed, Evan Cholfin interviews Peter Byrnes, CEO of Fundraise Up, about how AI is transforming nonprofit fundraising. They discuss the origins of Fundraise Up, its unique approach to donor experience, and the future of AI in payments and nonprofit tech.

Takeaways

AI-driven personalization
Conversion rate optimization
Data-driven donor modeling

Soundbites

"This is a billion dollar operation."
"We've been using AI for eight years."
"In 12 months, we want a big splash."

Chapters

00:03 Introduction to AI Speed and Fundraise Up
02:09 The Birth of Fundraise Up: A Personal Journey
05:20 Unique Approach: E-commerce Optimization in Nonprofits
08:51 Operationalizing AI for Nonprofit Success
09:43 Understanding the Ideal Customer Profile
11:34 Value Proposition: Increasing Nonprofit Revenue
13:32 Challenges in Growth: Hiring the Right Talent
16:03 The Impact of Fundraise Up on Nonprofits
16:59 Marketing Challenges and Strategies
18:40 Trends in AI and Payments for Nonprofits
20:58 Future Goals: Expanding into Europe

Video

https://youtu.be/2HShCZqUX18

Summary

In this episode, Evan Cholfin interviews Mike Hideo, VP of Software Engineering at Tiny, about building scalable developer tools, the impact of AI on content management, and the future of web development. They explore Tiny's API-first approach, challenges in scaling engineering, and trends in AI-assisted software development.

Takeaways

Tiny's API-first approach
Challenges in scaling engineering
AI's impact on content management

Soundbites

"Business moves at AI speed, not internet speed."
"Seamless integration reduces hesitation."
"Success is delivering the right AI tools."

Chapters

00:00
Introduction to AI Speed and TinyMCE
02:30
Tiny's Unique API-First Approach
04:56
Engineering Challenges and Team Dynamics
07:00
Prioritization Challenges in Software Development
08:01
Skepticism in Tool Adoption
09:05
Defining Success in Product Development
10:21
Trends in Software Development
11:53
Opportunities in Developer Tools
12:51
Risks and Challenges in Software Engineering
13:49
Looking Ahead: Future Conversations

Video

https://youtu.be/yQTd5DUThNc

Summary

In this episode of AI Speed, Evan Cholfin interviews Paresh Ashara, VP of Data Analytics at Quinte Financial Technologies, about how AI is transforming financial services. They discuss AI adoption challenges, innovative use cases like document discovery and automation, and the future of AI in banking.

Takeaways

Financial institutions are risk-takers in tech adoption but need a clear ROI to scale AI.
AI can automate mundane tasks like document processing, saving days of manual work.
High-quality data and transparency are critical for AI success in finance.

Soundbites

"Business moves at AI speed, not internet speed."
"AI can reduce days of manual work to minutes."
"Transparency and trust are key for AI models."

Chapters

00:00
Introduction to AI Speed and Guest
00:28
Evan introduces Paresh Ashara and Quint Financial
01:19
Why Paresh was drawn to AI in finance
02:29
AI adoption trends in financial services
04:08
Quinte Financial’s approach to deploying AI
07:57
Core problems for financial institutions with AI
09:41
Paresh’s current focus and solutions
13:28
Document discovery and compliance automation
17:04
Automating loan application validation
17:46
The biggest challenges in AI adoption in finance
22:06
Trends in AI: Hype vs Reality
26:28
Vision for AI in 12 months
28:21
Closing Remarks and Future Outlook

Video

https://youtu.be/3tuuz0b8bns

Summary

Fred Laluyaux, CEO of Aera Technology, explores the rise of decision intelligence and the concept of the “self-driving enterprise.” Fred breaks down why traditional enterprise systems are no longer equipped to handle the speed, scale, and complexity of modern business—and how AI is evolving from a tool for insights into a system that can make and execute decisions autonomously.

Takeaways

AI is shifting from insights to action
The future is decision-making at scale
Traditional enterprise workflows are too slow and siloed
The “self-driving enterprise” is becoming a reality
Speed is now a competitive advantage
The enterprise software playbook is being rewritten
AI is changing how decisions happen—not just who makes them
New roles like “decision architects” are emerging

Soundbites

“AI shouldn’t just give you insights—it should take action.”
“We’re moving from people making decisions to machines executing them.”
“The real shift is from dashboards to decisions.”

Chapters

01:29 The Birth of Decision Intelligence
05:02 Aera's Unique Approach to AI and Decision Making
05:52 Aero's Unique Approach to AI in Enterprises
08:17 Current Focus and Market Positioning
11:04 Ideal Client Profile and Market Expansion
13:50 Challenges in Growth and Scaling
16:21 Shifting Dynamics in Technology Adoption
17:49 The Acceleration of Deployment and Implementation
20:53 Interdepartmental Collaboration and Agility
22:01 Scaling Challenges and Unique Value Proposition
26:36 Growth Targets and Strategic Focus
31:42 Trends in AI and Decision Intelligence
34:54 Looking Ahead: Success Metrics for the Future

Video

https://youtu.be/Ub9RmvLGToM

Summary

Discover how PixForce transforms industrial inspections with AI, turning visual data into actionable insights that enhance safety and efficiency. Founder Daniel Moura shares how PixForce evolved from manual tree counting to serving giants like Petrobras with AI-powered cameras that detect issues in real time. Learn about the challenges of scaling AI in complex industries and how PixForce's PlataPix platform simplifies deployment. This episode reveals the steps to demonstrate clear ROI and leverage AI for competitive advantage, making it essential for engineers, CTOs, and innovation executives looking to revolutionize asset management.

Takeaways

Validation over novelty
Scaling complexity
Context-aware AI
Adoption hurdles
Platform universality
Market maturity
Strategic growth

Soundbites

"We moved from manual processes to using deep learning for efficiency."
"Our next step is US expansion, with a presence in Houston."
"Large language models are making us more efficient in programming and training."

Chapters

00:02 Introduction - Evan introduces the show and Daniel Moura.
00:33 PixForce's Mission - Applying computer vision to industry.
01:27 Founding Story - How PixForce began.
03:27 AI Transformation - AI's impact on PixForce.
06:23 Current Focus (6:23) - Solving industry problems.
18:10 Growth Plans (18:10) - US expansion and goals.
21:41 AI Trends (21:41) - Exciting developments in AI.
25:14 Future Goals (25:14) - Vision for success next year.

Video

https://youtu.be/nhuebPdqeso

Summary

Dima Geyzersky, CTO and founder of Click–Ins, shares insights on how AI and computer vision are transforming automotive damage assessment, insurance claims, and vehicle condition evaluation. Discover the challenges, innovations, and future trends in AI-driven automotive insurance technology.

Takeaways

AI-driven damage assessment
Synthetic data for training models
Overcoming AI hallucinations with ontology and engineering
Expanding AI solutions in US and global markets
Balancing AI automation with human expertise

Soundbites

"We bring inspectors to Superman with our AI."
"Humans must be in the loop to build trust."
"Adversarial attacks are a major threat to AI."

Chapters

01:14 The Origin of Clickins: Fighting Insurance Fraud
02:19 How AI Enhances Damage Detection in Vehicles
03:00 Core Problems Addressed by Clickins
03:47 Use Cases in Insurance and Automotive Sectors
05:47 Dima’s Focus as CTO: Synthetic Data and Deep Tech
07:19 Overcoming AI Hallucinations with Ontology and Engineering
09:32 Combining Knowledge and Prediction in AI Models
09:54 Ideal Partners for Clickins’ Solutions
12:15 Main Challenges in Growing Clickins
14:01 Avoiding AI Hype and Building Trust
17:58 Growth Targets and Market Expansion
20:02 Training on Synthetic Data for Privacy and Trust
21:25 Emerging Trends in AI and Computer Vision
27:01 Future Outlook and Industry Impact

Video

https://youtu.be/E2BZ7RvhDjc

Summary

Vadim Peskov, CEO of Diffco, shares insights on AI development, focusing on practical applications, innovation, and navigating rapid technological changes. Discover how Diffco translates client needs into cutting-edge AI solutions and the future of AI interfaces.

Takeaways

AI development philosophy
Client-centric AI solutions
Innovation and rapid iteration in AI
Future of AI interfaces and tools
Challenges in AI growth and adoption

Soundbites

"We experiment with new AI tools to stay at the forefront."
"Avoiding hype and focusing on ROI is essential in AI services."
"Agentic AI is the most exciting trend right now."

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to AI Speed and Vadim Peskov
01:10 Diffco's Core Philosophy in AI Development
02:03 Evolving AI Products and Innovation
02:43 Translating Client Needs into Practical AI Applications
03:58 Focus Areas for Diffco as CEO
04:53 Ideal Client Profile and Scaling AI Solutions
06:02 Challenges in Growing Diffco
07:38 Adapting to Rapid AI Advancements
08:54 Avoiding AI Hype and Focusing on ROI
11:01 Raising Awareness and Business Development
12:21 Addressing Challenges and Future Plans
14:00 Expansion and Growth Targets
14:49 Exciting Trends in AI and Software Engineering
16:15 The Future of AI Coding and Development
16:21 Vision for the Next 12 Months
17:18 Closing Remarks and Key Takeaways

Video

https://youtu.be/JYS8YlpfwhI

Summary
In this episode of AI Speed, Evan Cholfin interviews John Daniels, a senior enterprise account executive at Directus, about how their flexible, SQL-based headless CMS platform is empowering enterprises to leverage AI effectively. They discuss the core philosophy of democratizing data, unique positioning in the market, strategies for enterprise sales, and future trends in AI and digital transformation.

Takeaways
Core philosophy of Directus: democratizing data
Unique positioning of Directus as a flexible SQL-based CMS
Challenges in enterprise AI sales and market noise
Strategies for building AI-powered solutions quickly
Future trends in AI, headless CMS, and digital transformation

Soundbites
"Creating a UI with AI is extremely quick"
"Built six projects in 30 minutes with AI"
"Creating a UI is not that hard anymore"

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to AI Speed and Directus
01:16 Democratizing Data with Directus
03:10 Unique Positioning in the Headless CMS Market
06:07 Challenges in Enterprise Sales and AI Integration
08:28 Marketing Strategies and Campaigns
11:18 Growth Targets and Client Acquisition Strategies
14:14 Trends in AI and Digital Transformation
16:13 Future Success Metrics for Directus

Video

https://youtu.be/vUPimCJDanA