Podcast
Actually Intelligent
Hosted by BAM · EN
Actually Intelligent showcases how founders, investors, and everyday people are using artificial intelligence. Hosted by Max Thon, a media strategist with a deep passion for making complex technology understandable, the show goes beyond the hype to reveal the human creativity, challenges, and breakthroughs driving AI forward. Each episode unpacks real stories of AI in action, from research to practical tools that change daily life, through conversations that make the complex accessible.
14episodes
Episodes
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Why Sovereign AI Changes Everything | Allan Francis Beechinor
3d ago00:26:00Tap to summarizeIn this episode, host Max Thon sits down with Allan Francis Beechinor, founder and inventor at EmergeGen AI. Drawing on nearly three decades of experience spanning electrical engineering, advanced computing, and AI innovation, Allan shares the journey that led him to build a company focused on secure, sovereign artificial intelligence powered by the convergence of quantum technologies and machine learning. Together, they unpack what it takes to develop trustworthy AI infrastructure, why data sovereignty and security are becoming increasingly critical, and how emerging concepts like space-based data centers could redefine the future of computing. Allan also offers a nuanced perspective on AI's role in the workplace, exploring how organizations can balance automation with human expertise while navigating rapid technological change. Whether you're an AI practitioner, technology leader, founder, or simply curious about where the next wave of innovation is headed, this conversation offers thoughtful insights into the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of intelligent systems.
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From Idea to Millions: Dan Hnatkovskyy's Jome Journey
2w ago00:25:36Tap to summarizeBuying a home remains one of the most complex and consequential decisions people make. In this episode, host Max Thon sits down with Dan Hnatkovskyy, CEO and co-founder of Jome, to explore how artificial intelligence is helping modernize an industry that has long relied on manual processes and fragmented customer experiences. Dan shares how Jome is helping bridge the gap between homebuyers and builders through AI-powered automation, personalized customer engagement, and intelligent conversational agents. The discussion examines how technology can simplify the homebuying process, streamline communications, and guide buyers through every stage of the journey. The conversation also dives into the realities of bringing innovation to a traditionally offline industry. Dan discusses the growing role of voice and agentic AI, the opportunities emerging technologies create for real estate and construction, and how advancements such as spatial intelligence could fundamentally change how homes are built, marketed, and sold.
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AI Is Making Everyone Sound the Same
May 2700:24:59Tap to summarizeWelcome to another episode of "Actually Intelligent," where Beck Bamberger sits down with Peter Purcell, founder and CEO of Poplar, for a conversation about the future of AI-powered marketing, personal branding, and founder-led content. Together, they explore how Poplar is helping executives and founders turn their expertise into authentic, high-signal content across platforms like LinkedIn—without falling into the trap of generic AI-generated "slop." Peter shares how the company builds individualized voice profiles, integrates with a user's broader knowledge base, and approaches content creation as a scalable extension of human insight rather than a replacement for it. The conversation also dives into the evolving role of AI in marketing, the tension between automation and authenticity, preventing content fatigue, and where AI may be overhyped—or deeply underestimated—in today's business landscape. If you're interested in AI, modern marketing strategy, and how founders can better communicate their ideas at scale, don't miss this episode.
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Why Healthcare AI Still Needs Human Validation
May 1300:27:04Tap to summarizeOn today's episode of Actually Intelligent, Max Thon sits down with Dr. Aki Al-Zubaidi, founder and CEO of Eon Health, to discuss how his experiences as an interventional pulmonologist led him to build technology for preventing missed diagnoses and improving lung cancer care through AI and automation. The two also explore the growing challenges facing healthcare systems—from fragmented patient data and missed follow-ups to physician burnout—and why combining human expertise with intelligent systems is one of the most important paths forward in modern medicine.
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Who Decides What AI Does in the Real World?
Apr 3000:19:17Tap to summarizeThis week on Actually Intelligent, Max Thon unpacks three AI stories that all point to the same question: who decides what AI does in the real world? From an AI-run store making hiring decisions, to a new push for international AI governance, to a fresh perspective on what AI can't replace in the labor market, this episode explores where control, responsibility, and trust in AI are being defined.
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How AI is Changing Senior Care (With Inspiren's CTO)
Apr 1500:22:52Tap to summarizeOn this episode of Actually Intelligent, Max Thon sits down with Inspiren CTO, Dominique Simoneau-Ritchie, to explore how AI is being applied in senior care. They discuss how Inspiren uses computer vision and data to help prevent falls, how to design for caregivers in high-pressure environments, and what it takes to build AI systems that actually work in the real world. A grounded look at AI in healthcare, focused on outcomes, trust, and day-to-day impact.
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The AI Trust Crisis: Media, Regulation, and Who Controls the Narrative
Apr 900:15:11Tap to summarizeThis week on Actually Intelligent, Max Thon breaks down three AI stories that all point to the same thing: a growing trust crisis. From The New York Times' AI plagiarism controversy to California setting new rules for AI companies, to OpenAI stepping into media, the lines around authorship, regulation, and influence are starting to blur. Who creates the content, who sets the rules, and who controls the narrative? If you're building with AI or trying to keep up with where it's all headed, this episode connects the dots.
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How AI Is Transforming Insurance Claims
Mar 2500:23:11Tap to summarizeOn this episode of Actually Intelligent, Max Thon sits down with Alex Pezold, CEO and co-founder of Agentech, to explore where AI, cybersecurity, and workflow automation collide—especially inside the insurance industry. Alex brings a unique perspective—coming off a nine-figure exit in cybersecurity and now building in one of the most complex, slow-moving systems out there: claims management. In this conversation, we get into how Agentech got its name, why product cycles are moving faster than ever, and what it really takes to sell AI into traditional industries. Plus—what's overhyped, what's underhyped, and where the real opportunity is right now. If you're thinking about AI beyond the headlines—and how to actually make it work—this one's for you. Let's get into it.
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What Does AI in Accounting Actually Look Like? (With Numeric's CTO)
Mar 1800:28:19Tap to summarizeOn this episode, Max Thon sits down with Andrew Bihl, co-founder and CTO of Numeric—a team building the pipes behind how enterprise finance actually works. This isn't a surface-level AI conversation. It's a real look at what happens when you try to bring intelligence into one of the most complex, trust-driven functions inside a business: accounting. From untangling messy cash flows to the very real friction of getting finance teams to adopt new tools, Andrew shares what most people get wrong—and where the real opportunity is hiding. If you care about where finance is going, how enterprise infrastructure is evolving, or what AI looks like when it leaves the slide deck and hits the real world—this one's worth your time.
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The New AI Security Threats Enterprises Aren't Ready For with the CEO and Founder of Mindgard
Mar 1100:24:36Tap to summarizeOn this episode of Actually Intelligent, host Max Thon sits down with James Brear, CEO of Mindgard, and Peter Garraghan, the company's founder and a leading academic in AI and systems security. Artificial intelligence is quickly becoming part of the core infrastructure of modern enterprises. The problem? Security hasn't kept pace. Most cybersecurity tools were built for traditional software—not for AI systems. That gap is opening the door to a new class of vulnerabilities many organizations are only beginning to understand. James and Peter share how Mindgard emerged from years of academic research into neural network vulnerabilities—long before large language models and AI agents went mainstream. That early work became the foundation for a company focused entirely on securing AI. If you're thinking seriously about the future of AI security—from adversarial threats to safeguarding intelligent systems at scale—this episode is worth your time.
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