
The Metis List of Top AI Researchers, High Schoolers Beat AI At Math Olympiad, Apple Might Ditch Camera Bump, GPT-5 Rumors Heating Up | Ryan Petersen, Ty Haney, Antonio García Martínez, Ian Webster, Ori Eldarov, Aaron Tan
🤖 AI Summary
Overview
This episode dives into a range of topics, from the creation of a curated list of top AI researchers to high school students outperforming AI at a prestigious math competition. It also explores the latest iPhone rumors, GPT-5 speculation, and features interviews with entrepreneurs and innovators reshaping industries like logistics, apparel, advertising, AI security, and investment banking.
Notable Quotes
- The smartest AI models just went to the most prestigious competition for young mathematicians—and still got beat by the world's brightest teenagers.
- John Coogan, on the Math Olympiad.
- Winning to me is about longevity and endurance. Success looks like building something that lasts.
- Ty Haney, on her return to Outdoor Voices.
- The blockchain is going to be the biggest marketing database in human history.
- Antonio García Martínez, on the future of on-chain advertising.
🧠 The Metis List: Ranking the Top AI Researchers
- John Coogan and Jordi Hays introduce the Metis List, a curated ranking of the world's top AI researchers, available at metislist.com.
- The list uses metrics like Google Scholar citations and professional achievements to identify leaders in the field.
- Notable inclusions include Alan Turing (#6) and Jeff Dean, with the list already being used by companies like Meta for recruitment.
- The ranking process involved anonymized input from experts to avoid bias, reflecting the competitive and secretive nature of the AI community.
🏆 High Schoolers vs. AI at the Math Olympiad
- AI models from Google DeepMind and OpenAI achieved gold medal scores at the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), but 26 human students outperformed them.
- Problem 6, a combinatorics challenge, stumped both AI and most human competitors, highlighting the limits of current AI reasoning.
- The competition underscores the evolving benchmarks for AI capabilities and the enduring creativity of human problem-solving.
📱 iPhone Rumors: Camera Bump and Foldable Design
- Leaked images suggest Apple may eliminate the camera bump in the next iPhone, a long-standing design critique.
- Apple is also reportedly developing a foldable iPhone, expected to launch in 2026 with Samsung-sourced OLED screens.
- The foldable device aims to capture pent-up demand among Apple loyalists and could redefine the premium smartphone market.
🤖 GPT-5 and the Future of AI Models
- Speculation about GPT-5's imminent release includes features like a million-token context window and advanced reasoning capabilities.
- The discussion highlights the evolving expectations for AI, with OpenAI focusing on integrating tools and systems for practical usability rather than just scaling model size.
- The potential for GPT-5 to unify capabilities across reasoning, coding, and natural language processing could redefine AI applications.
🚀 Innovators Reshaping Industries
- Ryan Petersen (Flexport): Discussed the strategic sale of Convoy's technology to DAT, transforming it into a neutral freight platform and unlocking significant value.
- Ty Haney (Outdoor Voices): Shared her vision for revitalizing the brand by reconnecting with its community and integrating her tech platform, Try Your Best, to enhance loyalty.
- Antonio García Martínez (Spindl): Explained how Spindl's acquisition by Coinbase will enable on-chain advertising, leveraging blockchain transparency for better attribution and monetization.
- Ian Webster (Promptfoo): Highlighted the importance of securing generative AI applications, with Promptfoo's tools offering automated red-teaming and risk mitigation.
- Ori Eldarov (OffDeal): Detailed how OffDeal uses AI to create an investment bank for small businesses, efficiently connecting sellers with buyers in underserved markets.
AI-generated content may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon as a sole source of truth.
📋 Episode Description
- (00:24) - The Metis List of Top AI Researchers
- (06:19) - High-Schoolers Beat Top AI Models
- (34:47) - New iPhone Spotted in the Wild
- (45:18) - GPT-5 Might Arrive Next Week
- (50:14) - Ryan Petersen, founder and CEO of Flexport, discusses the company's acquisition of Convoy's technology in November 2023, its subsequent revitalization, and the recent sale of the enhanced platform to DAT Freight & Analytics. He emphasizes the strategic decision to transform Convoy's assets into a neutral digital freight execution layer, which significantly increased its value and market adoption. Petersen highlights that this move allows Flexport to concentrate on its core mission of facilitating global logistics for importers and exporters.
- (01:03:06) - Ty Haney, founder of Outdoor Voices, discusses her return to the company she established in 2013 after stepping away in 2020. She shares her excitement about revitalizing the brand by reconnecting with its original customer base and appealing to a younger Gen-Z demographic through the "doing things" philosophy. Haney also highlights the integration of her tech platform, Try Your Best, to enhance community engagement and loyalty within Outdoor Voices.
- (01:19:54) - Antonio García Martínez, a former Facebook advertising executive, founded Spindl in 2022 to develop on-chain advertising solutions. In the conversation, he discusses Spindl's recent acquisition by Coinbase and its integration into Base, Coinbase's layer-2 blockchain, aiming to enhance on-chain advertising and support developers in reaching broader audiences.
- (01:41:01) - Ian Webster, CEO and co-founder of Promptfoo, discusses his company's mission to provide security tools for generative AI applications, emphasizing the importance of securing large language models (LLMs) and their integrations to prevent issues like data leaks and unintended behaviors. He highlights Promptfoo's recent $18.4 million Series A funding led by Insight Partners, with participation from Andreessen Horowitz, which will accelerate the development of their AI security testing solutions. Webster also addresses the challenges enterprises face in deploying AI securely, noting that Promptfoo's platform offers automated red-teaming tests and actionable remediation guidance to help organizations mitigate risks associated with AI deployments.
- (01:51:50) - Ori Eldarov, founder and CEO of OffDeal, discusses building an AI-native investment bank that automates traditional banking tasks to serve small businesses often overlooked by major banks. He explains their decision to create a full-service bank rather than selling software to existing institutions, citing the bureaucratic challenges in large banks that hinder technological adoption. Eldarov highlights a recent successful deal involving a Montessori school, illustrating how OffDeal's AI tools efficiently connect sellers with potential buyers, thereb