>> Ai Sarah: Al right, so we're diving deep into AI today.
>> Ai Sarah: This sounds like a plan.
>> Ai Sarah: You seem really interested in figuring out where it's all headed, what it all
means.
>> Ai Sarah: Yeah, exactly. It's moving so fast.
>> Ai Sarah: You've got a ton of material here.
>> Ai Sarah: Right.
>> Ai Sarah: And it looks like our main focus is gonna be this interview
with Said De Rie.
>> Ai Sarah: Okay. Yeah. A data scientist and AI
strategist.
>> Ai Sarah: Right. From the about that Wallet podcast. And
she's had, like, the most interesting career path.
Finance, the Central bank of India, then a
Master'in AI at NYU.
>> Ai Sarah: Oh, wow. And she even worked with Dr. Jan Leiun.
Talk about being in the right place at the right time. He's like the godfather
of convolutional neural nets.
>> Ai Sarah: Right. Which for anyone who doesn't know, are like
a huge E deal in deep learning and
computer vision.
>> Ai Sarah: But what I think is so cool is that her career path, it really shows
how AI is impacting, like, every industry.
It's not just this tech thing anymore.
>> Ai Sarah: Totally. And she's not just thinking about it. She's actually building things.
>> Ai Sarah: Yeah, she's got her hands dirty. Uh, developing fraud
detection models for fintech companies. And then she's also
working with NYU's Langbone Medical School on
this super cutting edge research using AI
in, get this, neurosurgery, marrowurgery.
>> Ai Sarah: That's wild. I read that they're using something called
Large language models, or LLMs.
>> Ai Sarah: Yeah, LLMs are like these powerful AI systems
that can, you know, process and generate human
language. It's the tech behind chat,
GPT, and all those other tools that are blowing
everyone's minds.
>> Ai Sarah: So they can actually understand medical records and stuff?
>> Ai Sarah: Exactly. And like, assist surgeons during super
complex procedures or even help personalize treatment
plans based on a patient's medical history.
Crazy, right?
>> Ai Sarah: It sounds kind of terrifying, honestly. Like, how do we know these AI
systems are being trained on data that's, you
know, accurate and unbiased? Especially
in medicine, we're talking about life or death decisions.
>> Ai Sarah: Right. And that's a huge point that Sumeta makes. She
stresses that, like, even with the best AI, humans
still need to be in the loop. It's not about replacing doctors,
it's about giving them better tools and making sure those tools are
used responsibly.
>> Ai Sarah: Okay, so it's like, AI can help, but it's not taking
over completely.
>> Ai Sarah: Yeah, more like AI as a partner, not a
replacement. And she talks about using, like,
quantifiable measures of fairness to make sure
AI systems aren't, you know, accidentally discriminating
against Certain groups, like, say, an AI model used for loan
approvals. If it was trained on biased
data, it could end up denying loans to qualified
applicants just because of their background, which would be a
huge problem.
>> Ai Sarah: Totally.
>> Ai Sarah: Yeah.
>> Ai Sarah: Okay, so what about this whole thing about AI
taking, uh, our jobs? I mean, I know people are freaking.
>> Ai Sarah: Out about it, right? It's a common fear, for sure. And
somania actually addresses it head on. She thinks, like, instead of
being scared, we need to embrace AI, learn how to use
it, because that's going to be key to success
in the future job market.
>> Ai Sarah: So instead of being replaced, it's more like our jobs are going to change.
>> Ai Sarah: Yeah, exactly. Some jobs might be automated, sure.
But AI will also create new opportunities, and it'll
free up people to do more creative, more fulfilling work. Like,
imagine if AI could handle all those boring data
entry tasks. We could focus on solving problems,
innovating, you know, actually using our brains.
>> Ai Sarah: That would be amazing. So she's not saying, like, run for the
hills?
>> Ai Sarah: Not at all. She actually gave some really practical advice for people
who want to get into the field.
>> Ai Sarah: Oh, like what kind of advice? I'm always curious about that.
>> Ai Sarah: Well, she said first you need a solid foundation.
Math, statistics, computer science, those are
your building blocks. And then she recommended
some great resources, like Andrew Negags
courses on Coursera.
>> Ai Sarah: Oh, yeah, I've heard of those. They're supposed to be good.
>> Ai Sarah: They are. And then there's Professor Cananciani. He has all
this amazing free stuff online. It's really great
for anyone who wants to start learning about AI.
>> Ai Sarah: So it's not just about being like, a tech
genius. Anyone can learn this stuff.
>> Ai Sarah: That's what she says. It's about being curious, being
willing to learn, and understanding how AI can be a
powerful tool for solving problems and creating new
things.
>> Ai Sarah: That's awesome. But okay, we've talked about all the potential.
What about the downsides? Like, what about the use of
copyrighted material to train these AI
models? That seems like a legal nightmare waiting to
happen.
>> Ai Sarah: Yeah, you're hitting on a major issue there. There are, like,
actual lawsuits happening right now over whether it's
legal for companies to train AI models
on copyrighted books, articles, whatever, without
permission. Some authors are even suing
OpenAI, the company behind Chat TPT.
>> Ai Sarah: Wow. So it's not just a theoretical debate. It's getting
real.
>> Ai Sarah: Totally. And it raises a big question.
How do we balance the need for
massive amounts of data to train these AI
models with the rights of content creators? It's
messy.
>> Ai Sarah: It sounds like it okay, and then there's the whole privacy
issue. How do we protect people's personal information
in a world where AI is constantly
collecting and analyzing data?
>> Ai Sarah: Yeah, privacy is a big one. And Simeta pointed
to the EU's General Data Protection Regulation, the
GDPR, as a good example of how to protect data privacy. It
gives people more control over their personal data and
requires companies to be transparent about how they're using it.
>> Ai Sarah: That makes sense. But she also mentioned that the US doesn't have any federal
data privacy laws.
>> Ai Sarah: Right, right. And that's creating problems, especially
for companies that operate in multiple states.
Every state has its own rules. It's a mess.
>> Ai Sarah: So what's being done about that? Is anyone trying to fix it?
>> Ai Sarah: Well, there's this new executive order on AI
from the White House. It could be a step
towards establishing clear national guidelines,
but it's still early days. We'll have to see how it all shakes out.
>> Ai Sarah: So, basically, there's a lot of uncertainty about how AI will be
regulated here.
>> Ai Sarah: In the U.S. exactly. And that uncertainty
just adds another layer of complexity to
an already incredibly complex field.
But one thing's for sure, the
conversation around AI is just getting started, and
we all need to be part of it.
>> Ai Sarah: I like that.
So, before we move on, I wanted to touch on some of the research
Saita has done herself. Like, she worked on something called keyword
spotting.
>> Ai Sarah: Oh, right. Which is super important for voice assistants like
Alexa or Siri. You know how they recognize when you say, hey, Siri,
or whatever?
>> Ai Sarah: Exactly. Imagine trying to talk to your phone and it can't even figure out
what you're saying.
>> Ai Sarah: It wouldn't be very useful. So she actually used deep
learning to improve the accuracy of
keyword spotting, even with all the background noise and stuff.
>> Ai Sarah: That's really cool. It's amazing how much AI is already
impacting our lives, even in ways we don't really
think about. And it sounds like Sumeta's
work is pushing the boundaries of what's possible, from
finance to healthare to how we interact with
technology. It's all changing.
>> Ai Sarah: And what I find really impressive is that she's not just focused on
the technical stuff. She's really thinking about the ethical and
social implications of AI, too.
>> Ai Sarah: That's crucial.
>> Ai Sarah: Yeah. She's not just building cool tech. She's thinking about
how it will affect people's lives and trying to make sure it's used for
good, which is something we should all be thinking about.
>> Ai Sarah: Absolutely.
>> Ai Sarah: And it's really inspiring to see how Sueda, uh,
embodies that Idea of lifelong learning.
Even with all her knowledge and experience, she'always
looking for new perspectives, pushing herself to learn
more.
>> Ai Sarah: Yeah, I noticed that she mentioned in the podcast how much she loves going
to conferences, meetups, things like that. Not just to
present her own work, but, uh, you know, so get
all in.
>> Ai Sarah: She said she really gets a lot out of those academic
research conferences. She feels like they give her
like a more holistic view of the
AI landscape. You know, how all the different areas of
AI, like natural language processing,
knowledge, graphs, all that stuff, how it all fits together.
>> Ai Sarah: Right. It's like seeing the big picture, how all the pieces connect.
M Did she have any tips for making the most of
those events? Cause they can be overwhelming sometimes.
>> Ai Sarah: Oh, absolutely. She said the key is to
actually engage. Like have conversations,
ask questions. She thinks that's where the
real learning happens, through dialogue, bouncing ideas
off each other, challenging your own assumptions, all that good
stuff.
>> Ai Sarah: That makes sense. It's easy to just passively listen to
presentations. But those side conversations, that's
where you really get the insights.
>> Ai Sarah: Exactly. And she had some great advice for anyone who's, you
know, maybe a little shy about asking questions.
>> Ai Sarah: Oh yeah, a lot of people are, including me.
>> Ai Sarah: Sometimes she said, just do it, don't be
afraid, because it shows you're engaged, you're
genuinely interested.
>> Ai Sarah: It's like you're showing initiative.
>> Ai Sarah: Exactly. And she even said that, like, even in job
interviews, when they ask, uh, do you have any questions? For
us, it's not just about impressing them.
>> Ai Sarah: Oh, I never thought of it that way.
>> Ai Sarah: It's a chance for you to learn more about the company, the
team, the work environment. She encourages
people to ask specific questions. You know, about
the projects they'd be working on, the challenges, even the day
to day stuff.
>> Ai Sarah: It's like you're interviewing them right back. I love that.
>> Ai Sarah: Totally. And she also said don't be afraid to
think outside the box when it comes to job opportunities. You
know, don't just focus on the big tech M companies or the trendy
startups.
>> Ai Sarah: Right. Because AI is everywhere now.
>> Ai Sarah: It is. So look at startups, research positions,
nonprofits, even government jobs. You never know where
you'll find the perfect fit.
>> Ai Sarah: So keep an open mind. And she also had some
specific advice for those just starting out. Right?
>> Ai Sarah: Yeah. She said mastery, at least one programming language is
crucial. Python or R, those are
the big ones.
>> Ai Sarah: I'vefordd Python is kind of the go to for AI and data
science.
>> Ai Sarah: It is. And that's what they use in NYU's Data Science.
Program. But the key is to really become fluent in
whichever language you choose. Like build a solid
foundation so you.
>> Ai Sarah: Can actually build things, not just like copy and paste
code from online.
>> Ai Sarah: Exactly. And she encouraged people to go beyond just
using pre built libraries and tools, like
really understand the principles of AI and machine
learning the math and stats behind it
all.
>> Ai Sarah: So it's not just about being a coder, it's about understanding how
it all works under the hood.
>> Ai Sarah: Exactly. And that part about understanding the
fundamentals, it really stuck with me. It's a reminder that
AI isn't just black boxes and magic
algorithms. It's based on scientific
principles, math, and a deep understanding of
how data can be used to solve problems. And Suera's
own journey really shows that she didn't shy away from the
hard work, mastering those foundational concepts. And you can see how
it's paid off for her in this fast moving field.
>> Ai Sarah: Yeah, it's like she built her career on a solid foundation and
now she can adapt to whatever comes next.
>> Ai Sarah: Exactly. And it's not just about her technical skills,
it's her passion for the ethical and social side of
AI too.
>> Ai Sarah: Yeah, we've talked a lot about the technical stuff, but AI is going
to have a huge impact on society. We can't forget about
that.
>> Ai Sarah: Absolutely. It's not just about building smarter machines. It's
about using those machines to make our lives
better, to solve the big problems, make the world a
more fair and just place. And Zida
totally gets that.
>> Ai Sarah: She doesn't just see AI as a tool, she sees it as
this force that can shape society for good or for
bad.
>> Ai Sarah: And she's committed to using her knowledge and influence to make
sure it'used for good, which is really
admirable.
>> Ai Sarah: It is.
So I guess the question is, how do we prepare for this
future where AI is like everywhere.
>> Ai Sarah: Well, Saita had some interesting thoughts on that. She said we need to
embrace lifelong learning, get comfortable with the fact that technology
is always changing. It's not about fearing the
unknown, it's about being curious, being willing to
explore, and, you know, step outside our comfort zones.
>> Ai Sarah: Yeah, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by all this new stuff coming
at us all the time. But it sounds like she's saying, like,
lean into it, be open to it.
>> Ai Sarah: Exactly. And sheiv even talked about how she's trying to improve her own
life and career by focusing on those deeper
connections, having meaningful conversations, you know,
connecting with people from different backgrounds, different
industries, just getting those different perspectives.
>> Ai Sarah: It's like in this world of constant
Information overload. She's making a conscious
effort to focus on the things that matter,
the things that spark new ideas.
>> Ai Sarah: And she specifically mentioned being really interested
in how AI is intersecting with other fields
like journalism, economics, even the
arts. It's about recognizing that AI isn't just
this isolated thing, it's changing everything. And
she's actively looking for those connections, those places where AI
can spark new creativity, new collaborations, new
innovations.
>> Ai Sarah: That's really cool. It's like the possibilities are endless. AI
helping to create new art forms, tell stories in new ways,
connect people across cultures.
>> Ai Sarah: It's exciting and it reminds us that the future
of AI isn't just about, like, building
smarter machines. It's about how we use those machines
to enhance our lives, to solve
problems, to make the world a better place.
>> Ai Sarah: And speaking of solving problems, Samea's work in
fraud detection is especially relevant in the
financial world. You know, with fintech and all that.
>> Ai Sarah: Oh, absolutely. Fintech has been all over AI from the very
beginning, using it to automate stuff, uh, analyze
data, make better decisions. And Suta is right
there in the thick of it, leading AI initiatives at
a micro investmentments firm and always looking for new ways
to use AI to get better financial app.
>> Ai Sarah: But she's also realistic about it, Right?
>> Ai Sarah: Right.
>> Ai Sarah: Like, not every AI solution is actually a good solution.
>> Ai Sarah: Totally. She warned against falling into that trap. You know, the
shiny object syndrome, um, chasing after the latest buzzwords without
really thinking it through, like, what's the actual need,
what's the cost? Are there any unintended
consequences? She really encourages businesses to ask
tough questions, understand what's going on under the
hood, make sure the data is being handled responsibly.
>> Ai Sarah: It's like, don't just buy the hype, do your
homework.
>> Ai Sarah: Exactly. And she even said that sometimes
the simplest solution is the best. Even in the
world of finance, which can get super
complex, it's about using AI strategically
to help humans do their jobs better, not to
completely replace them.
>> Ai Sarah: Makes sense.
And speaking of helping humans, her work in natural
language processing, or nlp, is really fascinating.
We touched on it earlier, but it' such a big area with so much
potential.
>> Ai Sarah: She's super passionate about how NLP can be used to
understand human language, extract meaning from text,
even create new forms of creative expression.
She's working on a ton of different applications, from
analyzing financial documents and social media data to
automating tasks and providing personalized
recommendations. Like, it's mind blowing.
>> Ai Sarah: It is. And I think NLP is going to be even more important as we
generate more and more data like we, we need AI to help
us make sense of it all, especially when it comes to language, which
is how we communicate, how we understand the world.
>> Ai Sarah: Totally. And Satha sees NLP as one of the
biggest drivers of AI innovation in the years
to come. But she's also aware of the
potential downsides, like bias. We
talked about that earlier with the loan applications.
>> Ai Sarah: Right. Because if these language models are trained on biased data,
they'll just perpetuate those biases.
>> Ai Sarah: Exactly. And that can have real consequences in all
sorts of areas. Credit scoring, hiring,
even criminal justice. Its a big deal.
>> Ai Sarah: So how do we fix that? Is it even possible to create
AI systems that are truly fair and
unbiased?
>> Ai Sarah: Well, Cmenta is a big advocate for building bias
detection and mitigation into the development process from the
very beginning. She thinks we need to be able to measure
fairness, have clear metrics for evaluating bias,
and constantly monitor these models to make sure they'making fair
decisions. Its about responsibility and
accountability, building systems that reflect our values.
>> Ai Sarah: So its'not enough to just build cool tech, you have to build it the right
way.
>> Ai Sarah: Uh, exactly. And she'putting those principles
into practice. And her own work, especially in
Healthare, where she'exploring how these large
language models, the LLMs, can actually
revolutionize how we care for patients.
>> Ai Sarah: Yeah, she mentioned being really interested in how they can be used to
analyze medical records, help with diagnoses,
even personalized treatment plans. Which is
incredible.
>> Ai Sarah: It is. Imagine if AI could help doctors make
faster, more accurate diagnoses, or
even predict and prevent diseases before they develop.
>> Ai Sarah: That would be amazing. But you know, there are obviously concerns
about privacy and security when it comes to AI and healthare.
>> Ai Sarah: Oh, for sure. And Sumeeda gets that. She totally
recognizes how sensitive medical data is and how
important it is to keep it safe. She believes AI
can transform healthare, but it has to be done
thoughtfully, ethically, with the patient's wellbe being
at the forefront.
>> Ai Sarah: Okay, that's reassuring. It sounds like she's approaching this with a lot of
care. And her research at NYU Langone,
especially her work on AI and neurosurgery, that's like
the cutting edge.
>> Ai Sarah: It is. It's a field with really high stakes. And AI has
the potential to make a huge difference.
>> Ai Sarah: It's amazing to think about. And it just reinforces the idea
that AI isn't just about building smarter
machines. It'about using technology to make
people's lives better.
>> Ai Sarah: Exactly. And you can see that in Saidas'work it's all about
the human impact she.
>> Ai Sarah: Seems driven by a real sense of purpose, like
she wants to use her skills to actually make a difference in
the world.
>> Ai Sarah: Totally. And it comes through in her passion for using
AI to address those big societal challenges,
like improving healthare and underserved communities,
making sure everyone has access to quality education,
creating AI systems that are fair and
inclusive.
>> Ai Sarah: Yeah, we haven't talked much about that yet. How AI can be
used to make the world a more equitable place.
>> Ai Sarah: Well, she'a big believer in responsible
AI development, making sure these technologies are empowering
people, not making things worse. She sees
AI as a way to level the playing field, to create
opportunities for people who'been left behind.
>> Ai Sarah: Right. Because technology can either reinforce existing
inequalities or help to break them down. It depends on how we use
it.
>> Ai Sarah: Exactly. And shes working with organizations
that are using AI for social good,
showing that it can be a powerful force for positive change.
>> Ai Sarah: Its inspiring to see how shes using her platform to
advocate for a more just world, a
world where AI is used to lift people up, not
hold them back.
>> Ai Sarah: Its about aligning AI with social impact
goals, using technology to tackle the
biggest challenges we face as a society. And
Saeda is leading by example, showing that innovation
and social responsibility can go hand in hand.
>> Ai Sarah: And shes also a big advocate for getting more women into
A.I. uh, and Tecac, right?
>> Ai Sarah: No, absolutely. She'very vocal about that. It'a field that's
been dominated by men for way too long, and
she'working to change that. Mentoring other women, speaking
at conferences, sharing her story to inspire the next
generation.
>> Ai Sarah: Its so important to have those different voices, those different perspectives,
especially as AI becomes more and more powerful, total.
>> Ai Sarah: And her success is a testament to what women can achieve in this
field. They're pushing boundaries, innovating,
shaping the future.
>> Ai Sarah: Of AI So as we're wrapping up this part of the
discussion, what would you say are the key takeaways for
our listener?
>> Ai Sarah: I think the biggest takeaway is that AI isn't
something that's going to happen in the future. It's here,
now, it's evolving super fast,
and it's already having a huge impact on our lives.
>> Ai Sarah: And it's not just about the tech. It's about how we use
it, the values we build into it, the kind of future
we want to create.
>> Ai Sarah: SUA s journey shows us that we all have a role to play
in shaping that future. Whether you're a tech
expert, a business leader, or just someone who's curious
about the world, you can be part of this AI
revolution.
>> Ai Sarah: So Be curious, be informed, get involved.
Because the future of AI is being written right now
and we all have a chance to be part of the story. You know, it's really
inspiring to see how Saida has taken her passion
for social good and like woven
it into her AI work.
>> Ai Sarah: It is. Yeah, it's like a reminder that this tech, it can be a force
for good, you know, if it's guided by the right people.
>> Ai Sarah: And it's not just talk. She's out there actually doing things.
>> Ai Sarah: Oh yeah, like she mentioned working with organizations that
are using AI to bring
healthcare to rural areas.
>> Ai Sarah: Oh, that's huge.
>> Ai Sarah: Right. And places that don't have a lot of
doctors, specialists, all that.
Imagine an AI that could like
diagnose basic stuff or even just give
advice.
>> Ai Sarah: It would change so many lives. Sometimes we get so caught up in the
cool AI stuff like self driving cars. But it's these
basic needs that's where the real impact is.
>> Ai Sarah: Absolutely. And she's also working on projects using AI
for education.
>> Ai Sarah: Okay, yeah, that's a big one.
>> Ai Sarah: Like imagine AI tutors that can tailor
lessons to each student. You know, everyone learns differently.
>> Ai Sarah: Oh, that's amazing. Especially as, like, everything becomes
more and more tech driven.
>> Ai Sarah: Right. We need to make sure everyone has a chance to learn no matter what
their background is.
>> Ai Sarah: So true. And she also talked about making AI systems
more inclusive.
>> Ai Sarah: Right. So they benefit everyone, not just a
select few. And one of the keys to that is having
diverse teams building these systems.
>> Ai Sarah: Yeah, that makes total sense. If the people creating the
AI don't represent the whole world, then the AI won't
either.
>> Ai Sarah: Exactly. And she also talked about needing more
transparency.
>> Ai Sarah: Okay, what does that mean?
>> Ai Sarah: Basically, we need to be able to understand how these AI
systems are making decisions, hold them
accountable.
>> Ai Sarah: So it's not enough to just build cool tech, you got to build it
responsibly.
>> Ai Sarah: Right. And Sada's work really embodies that. Ah, she's
not just an AI expert, she's like a leader, an
advocate, someone who's using her skills for
good.
>> Ai Sarah: It's pretty inspiring, honestly, to see someone who's so
passionate about both the tech and the human side of it.
>> Ai Sarah: Absolutely. And her story shows that we all have a part
to play in shaping the future of AI. It's not just up to the
big tech companies.
>> Ai Sarah: So what can our listeners do? Where can they learn more, get
involved?
>> Ai Sarah: Well, she actually encouraged people to reach out to her.
>> Ai Sarah: Really?
>> Ai Sarah: How? Through her website, LinkedIn,
even her NYU email. It's E
Raiu Edu.
She seems really open to connecting with people who are
passionate about AI and, you know, using it to make a
difference.
>> Ai Sarah: I love that. Uh, and of course, everyone should go back and listen to that full
interview on the about that Wallet podcast, episode
286.
>> Ai Sarah: Yeah, we'll definitely put a link in the show notes. And if you're
enjoying these deep dives and want to support Anthony Weaver
in his mission, be sure to like and subscribe to the
channel on YouTube, your favorite podcast app,
wherever you're listening.
>> Ai Sarah: Yeah, we really appreciate the support and you can also sign up for
their newsletter@aboutthatwallet.com do
newsletter to stay up to date on all things personal
finance.
So as we wrap up this whole AI deep dive,
what are like, the big takeaways here?
>> Ai Sarah: I think the main thing is AI isn't something
that's coming in the future. It's already here. It's changing
things fast, and it's affecting all of us.
>> Ai Sarah: And it's not just about the tech. It's about the choices we
make, the values we instill in these
systems, the kind of world we want to create.
>> Ai Sarah: SoA'sTory shows that we all have a say in
that. We can choose to be passive or we can step
up and help shape the future of AI.
>> Ai Sarah: It's like the future is being written right now.
>> Ai Sarah: Exactly. So let's make sure it's a good one.