Episodes

  • Ethan Mollick, Author and Associate Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

    Ethan Mollick, Author and Associate Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
    Jun 11 2024
    Ethan Mollick is an associate professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he teaches innovation and entrepreneurship. His research focuses on the impact of AI on work and education, and he has published numerous papers and a New York Times-bestselling book on AI, "Co-Intelligence." Ethan is also behind the popular Substack ”One Useful Thing,” which explores the implications of AI for work, education, and life. In this episode, Kevin and Ethan discuss Ethan’s background as a long-time technology enthusiast, his academic journey, and his insights on the current AI revolution. Ethan shares his experiences from running a bulletin board in the '80s to co-founding a startup company before entering academia, and the two discuss topics from the transformative potential of AI and its accessibility to a broader audience to the importance of AI as a co-intelligence tool that can enhance human capabilities. Ethan Mollick | Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania | Co-Intelligence Kevin Scott  Behind the Tech with Kevin Scott  Discover and listen to other Microsoft podcasts.  
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    59 mins
  • Mike Volpi, Partner at Index Ventures

    Mike Volpi, Partner at Index Ventures
    May 14 2024
    Mike Volpi is a longtime venture capitalist who joined Index Ventures in 2009 to establish the firm's San Francisco office and North American operations. Prior, he was Chief Strategy Officer at Cisco, overseeing a run of acquisitions still studied today as a model for technology merger strategy. Mike invests primarily in artificial intelligence, infrastructure, and open-source companies, and currently serves on the boards of multiple companies including Aurora, ClickHouse, Cockroach Labs, Cohere, Confluent, Covariant.ai, Kong, Scale, Sonos, and Wealthfront. In this episode, Kevin and Mike discuss Mike’s early childhood, how he got interested in the study of engineering, and his career experiences—including what led to Mike’s long career at Cisco and his current Partner position at Index—including his board experiences with multiple companies.   Mike Volpi | Index Ventures Kevin Scott   Behind the Tech with Kevin Scott   Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts.   
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    1 hr and 12 mins
  • Mike Schroepfer, Partner, Gigascale Capital

    Mike Schroepfer, Partner, Gigascale Capital
    Apr 2 2024

    In 2023, after departing his role as CTO of Facebook, Mike Schroepfer launched the climate venture capital investment firm Gigascale Capital with the goal of building climate tech companies. Working alongside co-founders Victoria Beasley and Evaline Tsai, Gigascale’s investments are today driving advancements in clean energy, biotech and computing. In this episode, Kevin and Mike discuss Mike’s early childhood and how he got interested in the study of computer science, career experiences in engineering that shaped him, and what ultimately led to his decision to focus on climate change and philanthropic endeavors through his work at Gigascale and his organization Additional Ventures, respectively.

    Mike Schroepfer | Gigascale

    Kevin Scott  

    Behind the Tech with Kevin Scott  

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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • Xyla Foxlin, Engineer and YouTube Creator

    Xyla Foxlin, Engineer and YouTube Creator
    Feb 27 2024
    Xyla Foxlin is an engineer and YouTuber with a passion for making things dating back to her early childhood love of art and creative exploration. What began as a way to entertain herself with whatever materials she could find blossomed into a career as a content creator and maker, showcasing her skills crafting everything from a rocket to a sailboat. In this episode, Xyla and Kevin discuss the challenges she’s faced in the maker space, overcoming imposter syndrome, and the work she’s done to help encourage other women and people of color interested in science, math, and engineering. Xyla Foxlin | @xylafoxlin Kevin Scott   Behind the Tech with Kevin Scott   Discover and listen to other Microsoft podcasts.   
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    1 hr and 7 mins
  • Lisa Su, Chair and CEO, AMD

    Lisa Su, Chair and CEO, AMD
    Jan 8 2024

    As Chair and CEO of AMD, Lisa Su leads the transformation of the strategy and product execution of one of the fastest growing semiconductor companies in the world. She’s the recipient of numerous awards, and a recent appointee to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. In this episode, she discusses her upbringing as the daughter of a mathematician, her early interest in engineering and figuring out how things work, and why she thinks this is the most exciting time in hardware in recent decades. 

    Lisa Su | AMD  

    Kevin Scott  

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    1 hr
  • Year in Review 2023

    Year in Review 2023
    Dec 12 2023

    As 2023 comes to an end, we take a look back at some of the year’s most compelling, thought-provoking conversations with guests like Bill Gates, Neil deGrasse Tyson, OpenAI’s Mira Murati, Shopify’s Tobi Lutke, will.i.am, Sci-fi author Adrian Tchaikovsky, and many more. The year’s programs featured a wide range of topics including equity in tech, advocating for science and, of course, the transformative power of AI.  

    Kevin Scott 

    Behind the Tech with Kevin Scott 

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    1 hr and 9 mins
  • David Kirtley, Co-Founder and CEO, Helion

    David Kirtley, Co-Founder and CEO, Helion
    Nov 14 2023

    Helion is building the world’s first fusion power plant, and co-founder and CEO David Kirtley is on a mission to improve access to clean energy for a better future. We’re inspired by the work that they’re doing—in fact, Microsoft recently announced that Helion is going to provide the company fusion power starting in 2028. In this episode, Kevin and David discuss David’s early childhood and how he got interested in science, how he got into the field of fusion, his current role at Helion and how the company is building fusion generators to create zero-carbon electricity. 

    David Kirtley | Helion  

    Kevin Scott  

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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • William A. Adams, Software Engineer, DEI Innovator, and Philanthropist

    William A. Adams, Software Engineer, DEI Innovator, and Philanthropist
    Oct 24 2023

    William A. Adams is a software engineer, DEI innovator, and philanthropist whose contributions to the field have been documented by the Computer History Museum. He spent more than 20 years at Microsoft, where he rolled out critical XML code globally, co-founded the Leap program, and served as Kevin’s first technical advisor. In this episode, Kevin and William discuss how William got interested in STEM at a young age, founding a software development company in the 80s, his career at Microsoft and pioneering D&I programing, and the importance of equity and diversity in tech. 

    William A. Adams 

    Kevin Scott  

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    1 hr and 11 mins