AI Unleashed

Vaikkunth Mugunthan is a true trailblazer in the AI and privacy space. He is the CEO and Co-Founder of Dynamo AI, where they’re helping organizations worldwide navigate the complexities of emerging AI regulations with end-to-end privacy, security, and compliance solutions. With a PhD from MIT under his belt—specializing in federated learning, LLMs, and differential privacy—my guest bridges cutting-edge research and real-world application in a way few can. Vaikkunth has also been through Y Combinator’s prestigious W22 batch and continue to support innovative startups as an angel investor.

Nico Lavarini has over 15 years of experience in Artificial Intelligence—specifically in Natural Language Processing and Generative AI. He’s an accomplished IT manager known for spearheading complex, high-stakes software projects for international clients, leading cutting-edge research and innovation, and shaping the future of text and unstructured data management. His expertise spans everything from Large Language Models and RAG (Retrieval-Aided Generation) to text analytics, search, and cognitive automation.

Today I am honored to have the opportunity to speak to the Co-Founder of NeuraForge AI, Anatol Maier who is at the forefront of developing cutting-edge solutions to combat the challenges posed by generative AI in an era of misinformation. Through innovative AI-driven frameworks, NeuraForge empowers users to distinguish between genuine and manipulated media, enhancing trust and credibility in digital content. Their work contributes significantly to forensic fraud detection and the prevention of disinformation, ensuring a more secure digital landscape. With over four years of experience as a Research Associate Anatol specializes in robust and reliable AI development, particularly focusing on security infrastructures and the intersection of AI with active research processes. My guests technical expertise spans prominent frameworks such as PyTorch and TensorFlow, alongside a wealth of knowledge in related technologies. Earlier in his career, Anatol Maier honed his software development skills at VAIVA contributing to the advancement of driver assistance systems like "Kreuzungsassistent" and "PreCrashSide." His work involved developing ADTF-based measurement techniques, evaluating software performance in real-world and simulated environments, and building Python frameworks for automated resimulation and evaluation of hardware-related components.

Yatin Arora is a seasoned Machine Learning Engineer with over four years of experience delivering impactful AI solutions across various industries. Specializing in Python, machine learning, natural language processing, and computer vision, he has a solid command of tools like Pandas, SciKit, TensorFlow, and PyTorch. With a strong passion for using data to drive business decisions, he has not only developed data-driven solutions but also taken on technical leadership roles, mentoring junior team members and leading cross-functional teams to deliver successful AI solutions. Among his achievements, he pioneered the development of a customer-facing chatbot prototype using Rasa. Additionally, he led substantial improvements to search functionality by identifying key textual data, boosting search speed and relevancy to provide faster, more accurate results.

Michal Pospieszalski is the CEO of MatterFi, a company that’s revolutionizing the crypto space with its chain-agnostic processing system, enabling real-time, secure cryptocurrency transactions without relying on a blockchain. Under his leadership, MatterFi allows banks to securely store digital assets, helps exchanges prevent theft and fraud, and enables companies to launch their own ICOs and STOs while maintaining compliance. The platform also supports seamless atomic swaps, tap-and-pay functionality, and interoperability across different blockchains, all within a user-friendly framework. With a background in computer science from the University of Virginia and a history of contributing to some of the world’s most secure crypto algorithms, he’s making cryptocurrency as accessible as traditional payment systems like PayPal. Additionally, he’s the co-founder of Rune Wallet, an innovative off-chain and on-chain wallet solution providing unmatched security and user autonomy for crypto transactions. Chris Odom is an accomplished innovator in blockchain and financial cryptography, best known as the creator of the Open-Transactions financial crypto library—a foundational tool in the world of secure digital finance. With extensive experience as a C++ developer, software engineering manager, and Agile Scrum Master, he has driven innovation as a startup CTO, particularly in the fields of fintech and blockchain technology. Currently serving as Co-Founder and Director of MatterFi, he’s focused on advancing secure crypto processing and payments. Known for his excellent communication skills, humility, and approachable nature, he’s not just a leader but also a team player with a wealth of public speaking experience. Together, they’re working on groundbreaking solutions that push the boundaries of what's possible in the crypto and fintech space.

Robert Bruckmeier has over 20 years of experience at BMW, where he’s currently serving as General Manager of Computing and AI, my guest is an end-product-driven innovator at the intersection of software, automated driving, and artificial intelligence. His career spans an impressive range—from programming over 9,000 hours in languages like C++ and Python to earning a Ph.D. in laser and quantum physics from Stanford University. He has a global mindset, having lived in the U.S., Beijing, and Shanghai, and has a background in business technology from his time at McKinsey. As a thought leader in electronics and AI, he’s played a pivotal role in driving BMW’s strategy in automated driving and AI development. He also serves on the supervisory board at DFKI and the board of directors at ADRA, further cementing his influence in AI and advanced technologies.

Manuel Dengler is an AI and communications expert who is redefining how businesses leverage artificial intelligence to enhance their communication strategies. As a skilled strategist in both AI and communication, my guest specializes in helping clients communicate more effectively and efficiently while providing tailored guidance on implementing AI-based processes and tools. With a strong background in artificial intelligence and extensive experience in communications, Manuel brings a unique perspective on how AI can be harnessed to transform how organizations connect with their audiences, streamline their operations, and stay ahead in today's rapidly evolving landscape.

Today, My guest is the Technical Co-Founder and Chief AI Officer at Scylla, a cutting-edge company specializing in real-time physical threat detection through AI and computer vision. With a background in Physics, particularly in Optics and Imaging Techniques, he has always been at the intersection of technology and problem-solving. Early in his career, while at National Taiwan University, he tackled the complex challenges of biomedical diagnostics by designing a multi-photon microscopy system. His work went beyond just capturing images; he developed advanced methods to train computers to analyze and differentiate complex image data automatically—achieving accuracy levels that surpassed human capabilities.   At Scylla, his mission is to revolutionize video surveillance with AI-driven technology that provides precision and reliability. Scylla has developed solutions that range from weapon and object detection to behavior anomaly detection, false alarm filtering, perimeter intrusion detection, and facial recognition.

Jean-Luc Chatelain is a true visionary with over 30 years of experience in the high-tech industry, specializing in AI and data-driven transformation. As the Founder and Managing Partner of Verax Capital Advisors, he has been at the forefront of helping companies navigate the complex landscape of AI and digital transformation, providing strategic advisory services to venture capitalists, private equity firms, and executive leaders. His expertise spans corporate strategy, go-to-market execution, and AI technology implementation, making him a trusted advisor to some of the most influential names in the tech industry. Beyond his role at Verax, he also serves as an LP and Executive Fellow at Forté Ventures, a multi-stage venture capital firm that collaborates with corporate strategic partners to drive innovation across various sectors. Today, we're diving deep into some of the most pressing issues in the world of AI. We'll be discussing his latest publication, 'The Journey to Trustworthy AI,' and exploring what inspired him to write it. We’ll delve into the global landscape of AI regulation, the concept of 'Trustworthy AI,' and the challenges of achieving it. We'll also compare the regulatory approaches of the EU and the U.S., address the ethical considerations in AI development, and examine the long-term economic impacts of AI adoption and regulation.

My guest is the founder of a cutting-edge AI startup that is revolutionizing quality inspection processes for manufacturing and aerospace companies. By building an AI visual inspection solution, they are helping businesses reduce quality inspection costs and tackle workforce challenges. With a passion for entrepreneurship and learning on the job, my guest is empowering companies of all sizes to integrate AI practically on their factory floors, driving transformation in processes and revenue. Their company, Loopr, is an AI platform offering pre-built automation solutions specifically designed for the manufacturing industry. Loopr combines proprietary AI software with commodity hardware to automate manual and slow quality inspection processes.

Carina specializes in AI-generated content, from text and images to videos, and AI-generated engagement such as comments. They leverage AI for data processing in lead generation on social media and are well-versed in the realm of AI influencers. With a keen understanding of the potential benefits and threats of AI, they bring a wealth of knowledge to our discussion. As a partner at Difr, they combine the latest technology, particularly automation and AI, with passionate expertise. Difr is known for its AI-based Growth Autopilot, which helps businesses leverage automation and AI efficiently in marketing.

My guest today is the Founder and CEO of ALFA AI Coach and ALFA Swing. At ALFA AI Coach, they are pioneering the visualization of health by merging AI-guided fitness with individual lifestyles, creating personalized fitness experiences. ALFA Swing takes this innovation a step further by combining marker-free AI body tracking, ball data, slow-motion recording, and swing analysis into one mobile solution for golfers. With a passion for integrating AI into everyday activities and improving health and fitness through advanced technology, my guest brings a unique perspective to the world of AI and sports.

Michael Feil g is currently an AI Engineer at Gradient, a company revolutionizing the way we build custom language models. Gradient's platform allows you to combine proprietary domain expert models with your private data, accelerating your AI transformation. Gradient is focused on building open-source models with simplified fine-tuning and inference via a single API call, and you only pay by the token. Before joining Gradient, my guest was a Machine Learning Engineer at Rohde & Schwarz, and worked in Machine Learning Operations at Bosch Rexroth.

Damian Borth is director of the Institute of Computer Science at the University of St.Gallen, where he holds a full professorship in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AIML). Previously, my guest was the founding director of the Deep Learning Competence Center at the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) in Kaiserslautern, where he was also PI of the NVIDIA AI Lab at DFKI.    His research focuses on large-scale machine learning to mine insights from multi-modal data streams for trustworthy utilization of Artificial Intelligence (AI) through accountability of deep neural networks. His work has been awarded by NVIDIA at GTC Europe 2016, the Best Paper Award at ACM ICMR 2012, the McKinsey Business Technology Award in 2011.    Currently, my guest serves as board member of the German Data Science Society, the advisory committee of the Roman Herzog Institute, the board of Sociovestix Labs Ltd, the advisory board of Avobis Data AG, and the advisory board of the HSG Institute of Behavior Science & Technology. Previously, he was in the steering group at the AI program of the VolkswagenStiftung, the review committee at the Baden-Württemberg Stiftung, and several other steering- and program committees of international conferences and workshops.

In this episode of AIUnleashed, we delve into the exciting world of AI and data science with Friedrich Stahl, the AI & Data Science Solutions Lead for Central and Eastern Europe at HP. With over 13 years of experience in the software and IT industry, Friedrich Stahl shares his insights on helping international B2B companies expand in the DACH and European markets. We discuss his role in incubating new business lines within HP, driving opportunities, and fostering collaborations across data science teams in both large enterprises and SMBs. Listen in as we explore strategies for business development, customer relationship management, and leveraging technology to deliver top-tier data science solutions. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of AI, business growth, and technological innovation in Central Europe.

Dr Vladimir Todorov is a Experienced system expert with a history of working in the semiconductors industry. He Pursued a PhD. degree with the Institute of Electronic Design Automation (EDA) at TUM and Intel. Additonally, he is the co-founder of Smart cubes a IoT startup dealing with seamless integration and control of smart devices through a data acquisition and exchange software. Currently, he is a freelancer dealing with Strategy, Digitalization, Artificial Intelligence, Software & Hardware Development.

Dr. Maximilian Miller  holds a PhD in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics from Munich and is the founder of an IT consulting company specializing in AI applications for medical laboratories. With a robust background in applying deep learning techniques to understand genetic variations and their impact on disease predisposition, he is at the forefront of research that aims to solve some of the most pressing health questions of our time. Currently serving as the Head of Engineering at Floy, and previously as the Head of AI, my guest plays a pivotal role in Floy's mission to enhance patient well-being through innovative radiology technologies. Floy is dedicated to advancing precise diagnostics and early health risk detection to ensure optimal patient care, focusing on prevention and individual well-being to make a lasting impact on health and quality of life.

In this episode of "AI Unleashed," host Gianni Samwer explores the innovative use of artificial intelligence in transforming data capture and analysis. The episode covers the journey of AI from early neural network projects to the latest breakthroughs in large language models. It highlights how AI can efficiently extract valuable information from conversations, benefiting fields like finance, law, and healthcare. The discussion also emphasizes a privacy-first approach, ensuring users have full control over their data. Discover how AI is revolutionizing enterprise operations by enhancing accuracy, efficiency, and decision-making processes. Mark Gilbert has a rich background as a Chief Technology Officer and Product Leader, he has a proven track record of driving high-growth enterprise businesses to new heights. My Guest is a expert in Enterprise Platforms, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Go-to-market Strategy, and Mobile Technologies. My guest Holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Waterloo.

Sven Nyholm is  a distinguished Professor of the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence at LMU Munich. With a deep commitment to exploring the ethical dimensions of AI, he serves as the Principal Investigator for Ethics of AI at the Munich Center for Machine Learning and is an Associate Editor for Science and Engineering Ethics. Formerly an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Utrecht University, Sven brings a rich academic background and profound insight into the moral implications of emerging technologies.

Matheus Jacques is an AI, Cloud & Data Consultant and AWS Certified Solutions Architect with a specialization in Machine Learning, boasting extensive experience in cloud technologies and programming. Currently serving as an IT Consultant at Netlight, he guides clients in harnessing the power of cloud computing, particularly on AWS, to optimize their infrastructure and drive digital transformation. Previously, Matheus Jacques excelled as a GenAI Machine Learning Engineer at Netlight, where they pioneered the integration of Generative AI technologies to enhance acquisition process workflows for an insurance company. Additionally, he showcased his expertise as a DevOps/Platform Engineer at a fintech startup, leading the modernization of cloud infrastructure and implementing CI/CD pipelines for multi-cloud environments.