May 18, 2023
In this episode of the podcast, we sit down with Igor Jablokov, an artificial intelligence expert who has had a long and varied career in the industry. We discuss the emerging technology of multimodal interfaces, which allow users to choose from different modes of input and output, and how consumer tech companies have been able to package this technology and make it accessible to the mass market. We delve into the world of entrepreneurship and the stereotypes associated with the industry. Igor talks about his experiences founding and running his own companies, including his latest venture, Pryon. He also shares his thoughts on the importance of education and foresight when looking at the industry.
Throughout the episode, Igor shares his unique perspective on the intersection of art and science, drawing on his childhood in Greece and his teenage years in Philadelphia and Montreal. We discuss his role in creating voice-activated experiences, and how he was inspired to launch his latest venture, Alexa.
We also touch on the importance of accuracy and security in the development of AI technology, particularly in environments like hospitals, where lives may be on the line. Finally, we explore the impact of social media on the spread of information, and the importance of accuracy in the age of Twitter.
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Founder Bio:
Igor is the CEO and Founder of Pryon. Named an “Industry Luminary” by Speech Technology Magazine, he previously founded industry pioneer Yap, the world’s first high-accuracy, fully-automated cloud platform for voice recognition. After its products were deployed by dozens of enterprises, the company became Amazon’s first AI-related acquisition. The firm’s inventions then became the nucleus for follow-on products such as Alexa, Echo, and Fire TV. As a Program Director at IBM, Igor led the team that designed the precursor to Watson and developed the world’s first multimodal Web browser. As an innovator in human language technologies, he believes in fostering career and educational opportunities for others entering STEM fields. As such, he serves as a mentor in the TechStars’ Alexa Accelerator, was a Blackstone NC Entrepreneur-In-Residence (EIR), and founded a chapter of the Global Shapers, a program of the World Economic Forum.
Time Stamps:
02:18 Igor's professional journey and background
04:51 Benefits of multimodal technology for end users
07:42 Intersection of art and science in voice technology
12:41 What is Pryon, what does it do?
18:38 AI-powered document analysis for enterprises
20:22 Benefits of separating duties and leveraging expertise in product development
25:23 Benefits of AI technology for enterprise and cognitive technologies for businesses
31:12 Leveraging AI technologies to achieve growth
33:23 Evolution of AI technologies and their impact on business
35:29 Discussion on generative technologies and responsibilities
38:51 Exploring the impact of generative AI on critical needs and consumer tech companies
41:37 Risks of not advancing ai technology
44:56 Generative technologies and their impact on privacy and commerce
47:27 How to get in contact with the Pryon team
Resources:
Company website: https://pryon.com/
Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/pryoninc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pryon/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/pryon