The UPStarts Podcast

By Zain Raza

Plato once said the purpose of life is to gain knowledge. But what will happen when we give it? Join Zain Raza, a Computer Science undergrad, as he follows up with the latest news, debates, and vision behind the artificial intelligence that is rapidly changing society as we know it.

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First Impression of San Francisco: The UPStarts Podcast

The UPStarts Podcast Aug 19, 2019

00:00

13:05

10 Toxic Types to Avoid - Robert Greene's "Laws of Human Nature"

RESOURCES:

Sexual Abuse Hotline: https://www.rainn.org/

The Laws of Human Nature on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Laws-Human-Nature-Robert-Greene/dp/0525428143

"10 Types of Toxic Character Types to Avoid Hiring at All Costs" by Robert Greene (on Medium): https://medium.com/the-mission/10-toxic-character-types-to-avoid-hiring-at-all-costs-7a777e461b6a

Robert Greene's Talk at Google: https://youtu.be/KcaVhMt71qE

Robert Greene's Interview on Valuetainment: https://youtu.be/dpXXTzId7LM

Robert Greene's Interview on The School of Greatness: https://youtu.be/0yGF_97WX4k

Robert Greene's Interview with Ryan Holiday: https://youtu.be/XcL_D7500Y0

May 25, 202059:50

Thomas Suarez: XR Apps, Learning to Code, and Spatial Computing

What happens when you learn to code? In this episode of In the Making, Zain Raza interviews Thomas Suarez, the passionately driven cofounder and CTO of Teleportal, a startup paving the way for developers to make immersive AR/VR apps like never before.
Listen to this episode to get Tom's thoughts on the different forms of education. In this interview I was blown away at Tom's wide breadth of experience, spanning from teaching himself to code at age 7, all the way up to Georgia Tech, where he spent his first term pulling all-nighters just to work both on his CS classes as well as his startup.
To learn more about Thomas and Teleportal's services: please check out the links below:
Tom's Twitter Handle: @tomthecarrot
Teleportal website: teleportal.app/
Article by Tom about Teleportal: medium.com/teleportal/announcing-teleportal-the-xr-telepresence-platform-350a710c4c0a
TV interview with Tom on Cheddar (back when Teleportal was named WiTag): www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUYMrI0N_Zw
Teleportal Instagram: 0xteleportal
Teleportal Twitter: @0xTELEPORTAL

Dec 16, 201901:05:01

The Sun Looks Bright: The UPstarts Podcast

An interview with Edwin Smith, a systems engineer at Google, and how he manages work life balance at one of the most ambitious companies in history. *Recommended for college students!*

Oct 15, 201909:51

Maintaining Strong Ties Through Voice (feat. Will Nigri of Audlist): The UPStarts Podcast

Audlist is a voice first social networking app, which that aims at making your most inspired communication tool - your voice - come out in maintaining your closest relationships. I invited Will Nigri, the cofounder and CEO of Audlist, to call in from Brazil to share his thoughts on how technology affects our interpersonal relationships, as well as share what most excites him in front of the upcoming app release. This was not a sponsored episode, I just really wanted to speak to someone like Will so I could listen to his unique background story. Enjoy!
RESOURCES:
Link to signup for Audlist's first product release: audlist.com/en/
Will's LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/willnigri/
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION:
Send me a voice message, to have your thoughts featured on the The UPStarts Podcast!
Twitter: @ZainRaz14,
Instagram: zraza_theupstart,
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zain-raza-989817143/,
If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review about The UPStarts Podcast on Apple Podcasts, it really does help out:)

Sep 02, 201921:40

Being Solution Minded: The UPStarts Podcast

Going over a talk given by Jeremy Rossman, cofounder of my computer science college, during Make School’s orientation.

Aug 22, 201910:52

First Impression of San Francisco: The UPStarts Podcast

If you are looking for an honest answer for your problems, I believe you need to begin by looking in the mirror.Everywhere I look, the epicenter of all my problems is myself. "I have met the enemy, and he is I," once said Alexander the Great, and I truly believe he was on to something. Whether in Massachusetts or my new college dorm in California, I am going to try and be grateful for the people around me, and I believe it my responsibility to improve myself before I ask anything of them. In this episode I talk about my recent move to San Francisco for college, to study at the innovative computer science college known as Make School. I go over my thoughts of home, my first impressions of the city, including the conversations I've been having with my classmates!

CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION:
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If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review about The UPStarts Podcast on Apple Podcasts, it really does help out:)

Aug 19, 201913:05

Controlling Time: The UPStarts Podcast

DESCRIPTION:
In this episode I share why I believe in taking responsibility for everything, and share stories from the Holocaust (and other sources) for your inspiration.

RESOURCES:

Man's Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl
Night by Elie Wiesel
Getting Things Done by David Allen
Elon Musk at SXSW 2018: youtu.be/kzlUyrccbos

CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION:
Send me a voice message, to have your thoughts featured on the The UPStarts Podcast!
Twitter: @ZainRaz14,
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If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review about The UPStarts Podcast on Apple Podcasts, it really does help out:)

Aug 18, 201937:53

Opportunity All Around You (feat. André Williams): The UPStarts Podcast

Have you ever wondered what it takes to learn to code? André Williams never did, at least not until fate intervened. In this episode Williams shares his remarkable story: from overcoming an injury that ended his dreams of becoming a professional soccer player; to cofounding the vegan tech startup Acumeal during high school; then representing the state of Texas in the House of Representatives, while he pitched his mobile app Ending Intelligence; and beyond with Williams' aspirations to contribute to the growing A.I. field, in Make School's accelerated Bachelor's degree program in Applied Computer Science. It was a joy to pick Williams' brain about self-guided learning (among other things), and I hope you get a lot out of this episode! RESOURCES: André Williams' LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andre-williams-6a9044153 Eric Schidmt's Interview on The Artificial Intelligence Podcast (mentioned in the episode): https://youtu.be/hIC9FQpxVwQ CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION: Send me a voice message, to have your thoughts featured on the The UPStarts Podcast! Twitter: @ZainRaz14, Instagram: zraza_theupstart, Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zain-raza-989817143/, If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review about The UPStarts Podcast on Apple Podcasts, it really does help out:)

Aug 14, 201926:20

Putting Bills on Autopilot: The UPStarts Podcast

"Don't quit your day dream" as we say at Viv, the tech company I have recently joined as a salesperson for a day job. I want to share with you our products as a chance to educate, and I hope this episode becomes an opportunity to you to witness the power of technology in advancing our dreams and easing our troubles.
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION:
Send me a voice message, to have your thoughts featured on the The UPStarts Podcast!
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Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zain-raza-989817143/,
If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review about The UPStarts Podcast on Apple Podcasts, it really does help out:)

Aug 05, 201914:32

Overcoming Yourself, Service, and VR Marketing (feat. Mark Metry): The UPStarts Podcast

Growing up in the projects of western Mass., Mark Metry dealt with social anxiety and never had a clear vision for his future. However, by overcoming himself and chasing his interests in technology, he was able to make six figures to help out his parents while still in high school, overcome his anxieties in college, and is now leading a VR/AR marketing agency in Boston. He also helps others do through the same personal development process with his podcast Humans 2.0, a Global Top 100 Podcast alongside the likes of Lewis Howes, NPR, and Gary Vaynerchuk. He was kind enough to come share his backstory with me (during a raging lightning storm in Boston)in this episode.
RESOURCES:
Mark Metry's personal website: www.markmetry.com
Humans 2.0 Podcast: www.markmetry.com/humans-2-0-podcast
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION:
Send me a voice message, to have your thoughts featured on the The UPStarts Podcast!
Twitter: @ZainRaz14, Instagram: zraza_theupstart,
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zain-raza-989817143/,
If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review about The UPStarts Podcast on Apple Podcasts, it really does help out:)

Aug 03, 201930:33

Overengineering: The UPStarts Podcast

This episode will save you tons of headache and wasted time, if you're a software developer trying to increase your workflow efficiency.
The curse of over engineering: what it is, my mistakes with it, and how you can avoid this from happening to your programs.

CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION:
Send me a voice message, to have your thoughts featured on the The UPStarts Podcast!
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Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zain-raza-989817143/,
If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review about The UPStarts Podcast on Apple Podcasts, it really does help out:)

Aug 03, 201915:55

Why Does the World Need Designers? (feat. Gabriel Lee): The UPStarts Podcast

*****DESCRIPTION******
In this episode I talk with Gabriel Lee, a college student currently living in Shanghai. Although a San Francisco native, Lee has spent a lot of time in and out of the U.S. and Asia, having spent parts of his childhood in the countries of Taiwan and China. As a Computer Science undergraduate student (and a classmate of mine), who is currently preparing for Make School's innovative 2-year Bachelor's Degree program, I talk with Lee about his autodidactic approach to programming; his philosophies around his interest and hobby, which is graphic design and sketch artistry; and we also delve into what life is like in China, so that you and I can have more context about the country's integration of technology alongside culture.
*****RESOURCES*****
Connect with Gabriel Lee on LinkedIn:
********CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION*******
Send me a voice message, to have your thoughts featured on the The UPStarts Podcast!
Twitter: @ZainRaz14, Instagram: zraza_theupstart,
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zain-raza-989817143/,
If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review about The UPStarts Podcast on Apple Podcasts, it really does help out:)

Jul 29, 201942:56

Sales: an AI-Proof Career? The UPStarts Podcast

*****DESCRIPTION******
In this episode I talk about my new jobs, recommend the perennial classic How to Win Friends and Influence People (1936), and reveal new research from MIT Tech Review's email newsletter "The Algorithm" which talks about the current difficulties of A.I. trying to read human emotions. Listen in to hear the reasons I believe persuasion of humans is currently beyond the reach of A.I. technology!

*****RESOURCES*****
Subscribe for free to MIT Tech Review's "The Algorithm", for more awesome A.I. news delivered for free to your inbox every Friday: https://go.technologyreview.com/newsletters/the-algorithm/

********CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION*******
Send me a voice message, to have your thoughts featured on the The UPStarts Podcast!
Twitter: @ZainRaz14,
Instagram: zraza_theupstart,
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zain-raza-989817143/,
If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review about The UPStarts Podcast on Apple Podcasts, it really does help out:)

Jul 26, 201913:41

Blind Engineers and Cybersecurity (feat. Gabriel Mendez-Francis): The UPStarts Podcast

*********DESCRIPTION**********
The first time I met Gabriel Mendez-Francis this past April, I knew he was an expert of tech. A successful freelance web designer, well read in multiple areas of Computer Science, he wowed me when we were both attending Preview Weekend at Make School in San Francisco. Now the valedictorian of his high school, Mendez-Francis now plans to take his dreams and talent to the University of Alabama in Huntsville, to study Computer Science and Cybersecurity. In this episode we take a deep dive into Gabriel's upbringing, his struggles as both a blind man and albino, and his travels to conferences around the country, which deal with realities of differently-abled software engineers, and the future of Internet privacy.

******RESOURCES******
Find Gabriel on LinkedIn
********CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION*******
Send me a voice message, to have your thoughts featured on the The UPStarts Podcast!
Twitter: @ZainRaz14,
Instagram: zraza_theupstart,
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zain-raza-989817143/,
If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review about The UPStarts Podcast on Apple Podcasts, it really does help out:)

Jul 25, 201933:47

Alexa and STEM Education (feat. Awesome Aariv): The UPStarts Podcast

*****DESCRIPTION***** In this episode Zain Raza meets Aariv Modi, the maker of several Amazon Alexa skills ranging broadly from his Wheel of Fun gaming experience, to his newest educational skill, STEM Party. In this episode listen in as Aariv discusses the importance of seeking out help when you need it, his personal journey as a chess lover, Alexa developer, the star of his own blog and YouTube channel “Awesome Aariv”, Harry Potter fan, and more. Listen in this jam packed episode, and I am certain you will walk away inspired and enlightened by Aariv’s story! Special thanks to Aariv’s father Praveen Modi, none of this could be possible without him and (and I appreciate his patience as we dealt with the technical issues in the recording). Enjoy!

Jul 23, 201915:23

Where AI Doesn't Work: The UPStarts Podcast

********DESCRIPTION************
In this episode, I share the types of tasks which A.I. is not well suited for, as well as dive into the psychology of causal reasoning which, if acquired by A.I. systems, could make it possible in the future for them to do these tasks.

********RESOURCES************
Siraj Raval's "3 Limits of Artificial Intelligence" (video on YouTube)

Jul 19, 201912:60

Kai-Fu Lee on AI Superpowers: The UPStarts Podcast

****DESCRIPTION****
In this episode I append my thoughts on A.I> in China, based on new information and perspectives I have learned from absorbing Kai-Fu Lee's content. Lee is Chairman and CEO of Sinovation Ventures, a leading venture capital firm in the technology sector. Lee has a unique global perspective on A.I., which I guarantee you will find both enlightening and uplifting if you listen in on this episode. That said, please keep in mind this episode is merely my take on Dr. Lee and his ideas - I do not claim to speak on his behalf, nor for any other humanitarian issues that may be happening in China as a result of their technology.

******RESOURCES:*******
Dr. Lee's biography and TED Talk
Listen to Lee on the Artificial Intelligence Podcast

********CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION*******
Send me a voice message, to have your thoughts featured on the The UPStarts Podcast!
Twitter: @ZainRaz14 Instagram: zraza_theupstart.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zain-raza-989817143/.
If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review about The UPStarts Podcast on Apple Podcasts, it really does help out:)

Jul 17, 201914:39

AI in the Grid: The UPStarts Podcast

***EPISODE DESCRIPTION*****
In this episode, I give you a quick tour of contemporary ideas on using machine learning to improve the efficiency and reliability of the current electric grid. The phrase you need to look up after this episode to learn more has got to be: predictive maintenance.

***NOTES***:
0:00 - Intro,
0:17 - Disclaimer,
1:17 - Theory of Supply and Demand in the Grid & how machine learning can help,
4:50 - 4 Areas to Implement AI in the Grid

****RESOURCES******
Ethan Woodbury's GitHub Project, which I reference multiple times: https://github.com/ewoodbury/dss-electrical-grid

********CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION******* Send me a voice message, to have your thoughts featured on the The UPStarts Podcast! Twitter: @ZainRaz14 Instagram: zraza_theupstart Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zain-raza-989817143/ If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review about The UPStarts Podcast on Apple Podcasts, it really does help out:)

Jul 15, 201918:28

Internal Drive (feat. Kevin Duong): The UPStarts Podcast

********DESCRIPTION************
Life is too short to spend judging yourself or others too harshly. In this episode I bring on an old friend, who's at a young stage in his journey - his name's Kevin Duong, Computer Science major of the Class of 2023, at Stony Brook University of New York. The son of Vietnamese parents, listen in as Kevin and I discuss growing up as immigrants, stories of dealing with high school drama, the impact of self-driving cars, and more!
*Correction: in the recording, I accidentally call this episode 11 of season 2 - it's actually episode 12:)
********CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION*******
Send me a voice message, to have your thoughts featured on the The UPStarts Podcast! Twitter: @ZainRaz14 Instagram: zraza_theupstart Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/zain-raza-989817143/ If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review about The UPStarts Podcast on Apple Podcasts, it really does help out:)

Jul 12, 201929:27

Following Your Streak (feat. Aryan Mangalik): The UPStarts Podcast

******DESCRIPTION******
Say Hello to Aryan! • Flipboard • Music, Climate Change, and Education • Aryan Mangalik is currently an undergraduate student trying to look for ways computers can help us better manage our energy resources. As two high school friends, I invited him into this episode to talk all his varied pursuits in music, in government lobbyists’ shenanigans, and the future climate change has in store for our planet. Enjoy!

*******CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION*******
Send me a voice message, to have your thoughts featured on the The UPStarts Podcast!
Twitter: @ZainRaz14
Instagram: zraza_theupstart
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zain-raza-989817143/
If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review about The UPStarts Podcast on Apple Podcasts, it really does help out:)

Jul 10, 201919:19

Dr. AI and His Patients: The UPStarts Podcast

****DESCRIPTION****
In this episode, Zain Raza explores the use of GANs in helping create better deep learning algorithms for medical imaging, and the use of mobile apps to personalize and streamline healthcare services for both patients, physicians, and pharmacists.
****SHOW NOTES****
• Artificial intelligence Health (intro) - 0:00
• Ad - 0:06
• GANs in Medical Imaging - 1:15
• Balti (interlude) - 8:49
• Mobile Health Personalization - 9:00
• Grey Grey Joe (interlude) - 15:55

******USEFUL LINKS:************
" Healthcare Transformed: Innovation in Practice. Ran Balicer at Exponential Medicine":
"The Algorithm", free email newsletter by MIT Tech Review
*******CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION*******
Send me a voice message, to have your thoughts featured on the The UPStarts Podcast!
Twitter: @ZainRaz14
Instagram: zraza_theupstart
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zain-raza-989817143/
If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review about The UPStarts Podcast on Apple Podcasts, it really does help out:)

Jul 08, 201914:57

Technology Doesn't Cause Evil: The UPStarts Podcast

There are plenty of good people who are living in countries whose way of life we label is evil. The Chinese people are not evil: they have adopted a system of Orwellian-degree surveillance by the state, so that can have increased security, and the benefits to encourage the creation of a responsible, strong society. None of that is evil. It's their choice and it's helping China become one of the most competitive nations on Earth.

However, the fact is the surveillance system is also being used by the China to oppress and discriminate against many other groups of peace-loving, and whom I would consider, good people. This is the poison that China's digital dictatorship has brought upon the Uighur Muslims living under their rule. Join me in listening to the plight of these people, because just like the Jews sent to the death camps within Nazi Germany, there's no telling what damage China's "re-education camps" will cause, until it's already ran its course.
******USEFUL LINKS:************
ABC Video on China's Digital Dictatorship: https://youtu.be/eViswN602_k
CBS News article on Uighurs: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/china-puts-uighurs-uyghyrs-muslim-children-in-prison-re-education-internment-camps-vice-news/

****Contine the Conversation:******** **** Send me a voice message, to have your thoughts featured on the The UPStarts Podcast! Twitter: @ZainRaz14 Instagram: zraza_theupstart Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zain-raza-989817143/ If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review about The UPStarts Podcast on Apple Podcasts, it really does help out:)

Jul 05, 201916:54

A Fragmented Web: The UPStarts Podcast

Often technological progress is afefected by politics, and the U.S.-China trade war could start affecting the globalization of the Internet. Recently Boston Consulting Group, the venture capitalist group Sinovation Ventures, and several other experts have warned that if tensions between the two world powers continues to rise, it could escalate into a "splinternet", where one side of the world supports a web that runs only Chinese and China-backed apps, and U.S. made and U.S.-supported apps on the other. In this episode you will hear my thoughts on this, additional sources to find more information such as CNBC, and possible solutions I believe could be used as a workaround to this fragmentation of the Internet.

****USEFUL LINKS:*****

CNBC news article: https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/01/bcg-us-china-tech-war-could-create-two-separate-technology-worlds.html

Guide to Making Decentralized Apps: https://youtu.be/gSQXq2_j-mw
****Continue the Conversation!*************************

Jul 03, 201911:51

Robots as a Service: The UPStarts Podcast 🤖

RaaS • Flipboard • Bill Gates on AI Reading • Reading is Here, Comprehension Isn’t • RaaS, and ATP of Labor • Bill Gates said if he were to drop out of school today, he’d go start an AI company that teaches computers how to read. I disagree, because today specifically the timing is better for robots to do low level jobs for a subscription fee, or RaaS. Put on your thinking cap for this episode, because there’s a few news sources I jump between! ****Contine the Conversation:******** **** Send me a voice message, to have your thoughts featured on the The UPStarts Podcast! Twitter: @ZainRaz14 Instagram: zraza_theupstart Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zain-raza-989817143/ If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review about The UPStarts Podcast on Apple Podcasts, it really does help out:)

Jul 01, 201916:26

Make a Name for Voice (feat. Voice First AI) - The UPStarts Podcast

This episode contains an interview I recorded on February 10, 2019 with Ray "RJ" Pikus, Business Advisor at VoiceDryCleaner.com (called Voice First at the time of this recording), a startup which focuses on creating innovative applications for businesses looking to expand their user experience into the voice interface world. A recent college graduate now working on a startup, listen to RJ for insights on what it is to make connections, make companies, and how to make opportunities for yourself in this dynamic space.

****Contine the Conversation:******** **** Send me a voice message, to have your thoughts featured on the The UPStarts Podcast! Twitter: @ZainRaz14 Instagram: zraza_theupstart Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zain-raza-989817143/

If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review about The UPStarts Podcast on Apple Podcasts, it really does help out:)

Jun 29, 201920:17

AI in Perspective: The UPStarts Podcast

From Microsoft interns helping care for the AIDS population of Africa, to how your credit score may be impacted by new algorithm, listen in to this episode for 5 informative news stories in AI development!

If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review about The UPStarts Podcast on Apple Podcasts, it really does help out:)

Jun 29, 201914:49

Government and Crypto: The UPStarts Podcast

Yang on Cryptocurrency • Flipboard • In a recent interview with the Young Turks, Democratic presidential candidate for 2020 called for increased regulation of data collection by tech companies, as well as introducing federal standards for the exchange of cryptocurrencies in our economy. In this episode, Zain Raza weighs the pros and cons of regulatory actions against Big Tech and crytocurrency. This episode will take you down quite the rabbit hole, as Zain attempts to explore the technical implications of actually trying to enforce such laws on these massive enterprises and exchanges of data.

If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review about The UPStarts Podcast on Apple Podcasts, it really does help out:)

Jun 25, 201913:25

Immigration Stories: The UPStarts Podcast

First and foremost, this episode is NOT a statement of my political beliefs. I apologize but if you're looking for those, then this is not the episode for that. This episode is simply my origin story: how I came to America, and what my first days in New York City and Pennsylvania were like. I want to give a huge thanks to my parents for the sacrifices they made to bring me to this amazing country of the United States of America, and I hope you can find this episode entertaining and maybe even somewhat insightful into what shapes my world view.

STORY BEGINS: skip ahead to 0:46.

****CONNECT WITH ZAIN RAZA:******** **** Send me a voice message, to have your thoughts featured on the The UPStarts Podcast! Twitter: @ZainRaz14 Instagram: zraza_theupstart Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/zain-raza-989817143/

Jun 21, 201915:03

Decentralized Currencies, Decentralized Power: The UPStarts Podcast

In this episode: listen to Zain Raza share his thoughts on the pros and cons and possible use of Facebook's new cryptocurrency Libra, and an the implications of a U.S. malware program planted in Russia which *may* signal the escalations of a new cyber cold war between the two countries. The intention of this show is not to alarm you; however I want you to be informed so please listen carefully to how these issues could affect you!
***Notes for this episode:*******
1:20 - Thoughts on Facebook's new cryptocurrency, Libra. Source: www.cnbc.com/2019/06/18/facebook-led-libra-association-posts-white-paper-for-cryptocurrency.html
12:46 - Thoughts on U.S. planting malware in Russian power grid. Source: www.nytimes.com/2019/06/15/us/politics/trump-cyber-russia-grid.html

****CONNECT WITH ZAIN RAZA:******** **** Send me a voice message, to have your thoughts featured on the The UPStarts Podcast! Twitter: @ZainRaz14 Instagram: zraza_theupstart Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/zain-raza-989817143/

Jun 19, 201919:15

AI from Asia: The UPStarts Podcast

As engineers perfect machine learning AI is poised will spread around the globe. Already this movement has spheres of influence around the world, and these issues affect us on an international scale. This show is all about serving you the best commentary on AI news to fuel your technological endeavors, so on this episode I share with you assorted details of what I believe to be the most pressing international AI issues of the moment. Thank you for your time and for listening, and remember take this information to serve the best of your futures!
**********SHOW NOTES**************
0:17 - Beijing steps into the field of AI Ethics, releases a document called the Beijing AI Principles
4:03 - Facial recognition technology, and the robotic police force of Dubai
6:14 - "Deepfakes" and how two researchers proved we can fake UN General Assembly speeches
9:58 - How competition for AI professionals is forcing Japan to SHIFT norms for paying employees
12:27 - Sources of info ( https://go.technologyreview.com/newsletters/the-algorithm/) + where to give feedback
****CONNECT WITH ZAIN RAZA:******** ****
Send me a voice message, to have your thoughts featured on the The UPStarts Podcast!
Twitter: @ZainRaz14
Instagram: zraza_theupstart
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/zain-raza-989817143/

Jun 17, 201914:35

Product Design Talk (ft. Head of Design and UX at ASH): The UPStarts Podcast Episode 164

What makes for great design? How do we improve the design we implement to make better products? Listen in on Episode 164 of The UPStarts Podcast, where Zain Raza interviews design expert and intrapreneurial executive Ali Hussain. Mr. Hussain was an engineer at AOL during the early 2000s, a key moment in history where web development was handled like the Wild West - no systems, no managers, and most of all no context for the end user. This experience, as well as Hussain's connection to several intellectuals and authors, led to his modern-day approach to design. Today, Hussain comes to the show to explain why as designers we need to have context for who we're building for, and how creating solid processes around that vision boosts that enormously.
Bonus: stick around to the end of the episode to hear Hussain's thoughts on the future of design, as I ask him how the rise of IoT (and voice services in particular) will both borrow from, and change, the core beliefs around design that have so far helped developers build for the Web 2.0 landscape.
I found this a particularly insightful conversation to record, not least of all because Mr. Hussain now has always two decades of experience working in the tech business. Now a VP and Head of Design and UX at American Specialty Health, Hussain is a practitioner who actually deals with these issues on a regular basis. How do we connect to our users? Only time will tell but if you're like me, you believe can always learn how best to build for future from studying the lessons of what worked in the past. Enjoy, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear advice on designing great products!
**************CONNECT WITH ALI HUSSAIN*****************
www.linkedin.com/in/alishussain/
****CONNECT WITH ZAIN RAZA:******** Twitter: @ZainRaz14 Instagram: zraza_theupstart Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/zain-raza-989817143/

Jun 16, 201919:03

#KeepHerClean, with Kevin and Jeff: The UPStarts Podcast Episode 163

Last summer I attended Dell EMC's Student Star Program, because I believe in power of business (just like technology) to amplify the impact that an individual can have, when that person is going out there to genuinely provide value to the lives of others. Therefore, in this episode I invited Kevin Scannell(another program attendee) and Jeff Serowitz, the cofounders of Falmouth Boat Cleaning, which provides top-quality boat cleaning services at affordable pricing in Cape Cod, MA. Kevin and Jeff, who are both still in high school, have found a way to turn a chore into an business; and in the process have learned many lessons early on what it means to hustle, to organize together, and compete in a market that serves everyone from the average fisherman, to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (I'm not kidding, just take a look at their Instagram picture: www.instagram.com/p/Bl5k8p7gB6d/ ). Listen in to learn more about their backgrounds, their strategy for standing out, and other successes on the boat cleaning scene. ****HELPFUL LINKS****If you plan on going out on the water in Cape Cod, MA this summer, I highly recommend you check these guys out as well at www.falmouthboatcleaning.com/ . ****CONNECT WITH ZAIN RAZA:******** Twitter: @ZainRaz14 Instagram: zraza_theupstart Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/zain-raza-989817143/

Jun 11, 201914:11

What Can Never Be Automated: The UPStarts Podcast Episode 162

In this episode, Zain Raza shares what he has learned from studying the ideas of Stephen Wolfram, the brilliant physicist and entrepreneur behind Wolfram Research, an institution that has made an impact second to none in the realm of mathematical computing software. Preparing for the Wolfram Summer School, Zain has also enjoyed listening to Wolfram's thoughts (linked below) on the overall future of automation, and what role we as human beings will be able to play in it. This is going to be a psychological episode, and I hope you walk away being more willing to ask yourself candidly questions such as these: how am I determining the objectives I want to pursue? What are the goals I'm creating from that? Only then are in the best place to start using technology to start automating the process of reaching your desired outcomes. Please listen to this episode carefully, as this is Jungian psychology (based off the work of Carl Jung), so if it doesn't make sense at first, don't blame yourself. Stick with it, do more of your own background research. To help your understanding, I included a personal story of how a recent relationship quagmire with a close relative forced me to reexamine my goals, and how I went about doing it. As well, I included a link below to a video interview of Stephen Fry, a famous British actor, comedian, and writer, who uses the Greek myth about Prometheus and fire to discuss how our fears of one another can be the source of our weakness, among other things (based on my interpretation). Take a deep look into this episode folks, I am confident it'll help take you closer to your best success path today!

****CONNECT WITH ZAIN RAZA:******** Twitter: @ZainRaz14 Instagram: zraza_theupstart Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zain-raza-989817143/ *****HELPFUL LINKS:****
Stephen Wolfram video on The Daily Dot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mQqpDNTw8M

Stephen Fry on Giving AI Fire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HdmXFXp6yU

Jun 10, 201918:42

Visionaries Never Go Out of Style - The UPStarts Podcast Episode 161

Hey UPStarts! It's Zain and I'm glad to be back on the air, today I wanted to share with you this short flow of consciousness I recorded a few weeks ago in April. I was on the way to San Francisco for the weekend, so that I could attend Preview Weekend at Make School, a revolutionary startup college for computer science undergrads (check out their website: https://www.makeschool.com/ ).

Jun 07, 201908:07

AI Hype: The UPStarts Podcast Episode 160

Flipboard • Job Market • How to Interpret AI News • Three Reasons Not to Fear AI, keep working out your career, and get ready for innovation in the job market.• If you have been following the show for some time now, you probably have guessed I am not a fan of taking information at face value. Those of us in the space of creating artificial intelligence, have to first sorting the information we are working with in the first place, before we can expect to engineer new technologies and applications to do so for us. Part of what that means is knowing how to take information as we encounter it, which is that of a commodity, of a product (from the various media outlets, social networks, and maybe even day to day conversations with those around us) and turn it into a service. That is what intelligence is all about: taking information and interpreting it in some way to create new knowledge, new insights, innovative truths to use in improving our actions and engineering. That is what I want to do today on the show, with a recent article that came out in MIT Technology Review titled "Experts Predict When Artificial Intelligence Will Exceed Human Performance." Listen in to the episode to hear the 3 Reasons I Believe the Disruption won't be as drastic as some may claim, as well as what engineers (as I myself aspire to be) can do to make such disruption a net positive for the economy. Enjoy!

****CONNECT WITH ZAIN RAZA:******** Twitter: @ZainRaz14 Instagram: zraza_theupstart Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zain-raza-989817143/ *****HELPFUL LINKS:**** Link to MIT Technology Review, for the article: https://www.technologyreview.com/s/607970/experts-predict-when-artificial-intelligence-will-exceed-human-performance/

Jun 07, 201915:12

Keeping AI Safe: The UPStarts Podcast Episode 159

There are plenty of reasons to be scared of AI: automation of labor displacing workers, a self aware robot becoming an existential threat to humanity, etc. Most of these are fears that live in the world of science fiction, at least for now. Nonetheless, today on episode 160 of The UPStarts Podcast, Zain Raza discusses one fear that is all too real: the risks of hackers taking over our AI systems and machines. It's a problem that is all too common to not be an issue. Just as hackers have gone after WhatsApp, banks, and other institutions, what is to stop them from going after our AI systems, once we have become all too dependent upon them as well, making decisions with our data that put our lives at risk (i.e. on the road, in business, or in the operating room)? As such, today Zain Raza discusses a major flaw in deep learning algorithms which can currently be exploited by hackers, how it is exploited, and new research from MIT that discusses a possible path to protecting against this weakness. As always, enjoy the episode!
****CONNECT WITH ZAIN RAZA:********
Twitter: @ZainRaz14
Instagram: zraza_theupstart
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/zain-raza-989817143/
*****HELPFUL LINKS:****
Link to MIT Technology Review, for the article: www.technologyreview.com/s/613555/how-we-might-protect-ourselves-from-malicious-ai/

Jun 06, 201916:41

The UPStarts Podcast

By Zain Raza

Available on

First Impression of San Francisco: The UPStarts Podcast

The UPStarts Podcast Aug 19, 2019

10 Toxic Types to Avoid - Robert Greene's "Laws of Human Nature"

Thomas Suarez: XR Apps, Learning to Code, and Spatial Computing

The Sun Looks Bright: The UPstarts Podcast

Maintaining Strong Ties Through Voice (feat. Will Nigri of Audlist): The UPStarts Podcast

Being Solution Minded: The UPStarts Podcast

First Impression of San Francisco: The UPStarts Podcast

Controlling Time: The UPStarts Podcast

Opportunity All Around You (feat. André Williams): The UPStarts Podcast

Putting Bills on Autopilot: The UPStarts Podcast

Overcoming Yourself, Service, and VR Marketing (feat. Mark Metry): The UPStarts Podcast

Overengineering: The UPStarts Podcast

Why Does the World Need Designers? (feat. Gabriel Lee): The UPStarts Podcast

Sales: an AI-Proof Career? The UPStarts Podcast

Blind Engineers and Cybersecurity (feat. Gabriel Mendez-Francis): The UPStarts Podcast

Alexa and STEM Education (feat. Awesome Aariv): The UPStarts Podcast

Where AI Doesn't Work: The UPStarts Podcast

Kai-Fu Lee on AI Superpowers: The UPStarts Podcast

AI in the Grid: The UPStarts Podcast

Internal Drive (feat. Kevin Duong): The UPStarts Podcast

Following Your Streak (feat. Aryan Mangalik): The UPStarts Podcast

Dr. AI and His Patients: The UPStarts Podcast

Technology Doesn't Cause Evil: The UPStarts Podcast

A Fragmented Web: The UPStarts Podcast

Robots as a Service: The UPStarts Podcast 🤖

Make a Name for Voice (feat. Voice First AI) - The UPStarts Podcast

AI in Perspective: The UPStarts Podcast

Government and Crypto: The UPStarts Podcast

Immigration Stories: The UPStarts Podcast

Decentralized Currencies, Decentralized Power: The UPStarts Podcast

AI from Asia: The UPStarts Podcast

Product Design Talk (ft. Head of Design and UX at ASH): The UPStarts Podcast Episode 164

#KeepHerClean, with Kevin and Jeff: The UPStarts Podcast Episode 163

What Can Never Be Automated: The UPStarts Podcast Episode 162

Visionaries Never Go Out of Style - The UPStarts Podcast Episode 161

AI Hype: The UPStarts Podcast Episode 160

Keeping AI Safe: The UPStarts Podcast Episode 159

How AI Became Mainstream: The UPStarts Podcast Episode 158

GRADUATION 🎓 TIME: The UPStarts Podcast Episode 157

Gmail Shenanigans- The UPStarts Podcast Episode 156

Build It Yourself - The UPStarts Podcast Episode 155

Follow the Money: The UPStarts Podcast Episode 154

Vision = Sight + Focus: The UPStarts Podcast Episode 153

Where the Opportunity Goes: The UPStarts Podcast Episode 152

Are You Smarter than a Robot? 🤖 The UPStarts Podcast Episode 151

AI Awareness - The UPStarts Podcast Episode 150

How to Use Problem Steps Recorder: The UPStarts Podcast Episode 149

Start with Big Questions: The UPStarts Podcast Episode 148

All to do About Software - The UPStarts Podcast Episode 147

How to Wake Up - The UPStarts Podcast Episode 146

How do I optimize storage? - The UPStarts Podcast Episode 145