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AI Snacks With Romy & Roby

AI Snacks With Romy & Roby

By: Dr. Anastassia Lauterbach
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 AI Snacks with Romy&Roby is a podcast that translates AI and robotics technologies from complex scientific concepts into easy-to-understand discussions, making them accessible for teens, parents, teachers, and anyone curious about AI. Through real-world stories and expert interviews, the show is dedicated to democratizing AI knowledge and empowering the general population to understand how AI is developed and applied in everyday life. The podcast is part of the Romy&Roby and AI Edutainment universe.Copyright 2024
Episodes
  • 53: AI to Laugh, Listen, and Collaborate in Creative Industries with Victor Varnado (Part One)

    53: AI to Laugh, Listen, and Collaborate in Creative Industries with Victor Varnado (Part One)
    Dec 16 2025
    Victor and Anastassia discuss gen. AI and its impact on creativity. The episode covers various applications of AI across fields such as fashion and writing, the ethical implications of AI use (including AI for mental health and well-being, the automation of applications, and its (mis)use in professional settings/companies such as CNN), and the importance of domain expertise for leveraging AI effectively. Victor views AI as a utility, like electricity. A customized LLM is not required to deliver a professional AI writing assistant, for example. What is needed is to develop a workflow that provides AI micro-steps for execution. Only professionals with experience in coding and data domains can perform well on it. The conversation concludes with insights on humor and advice for first-time AI users.Victor Varnado is a writer, director, and stand-up comedian whose work sits at the intersection of storytelling, technology, and satire. An African American man with albinism, he grew up in Huntsville, Alabama. He later moved to Minneapolis, where he honed his voice in stand-up comedy before appearing in films such as The Adventures of Pluto Nash and End of Days, and on shows including Conan and VICE. As founder and CEO of Supreme Robot Pictures, Victor has produced and showrun projects such as Comedy Central’s The Awkward Comedy Show—which helped introduce Eric Andre and Hannibal Buress—VH1’s Love & Hip Hop franchise, Leave It to Stevie, and the fantasy debate series for Penguin Random House, The Great Fantasy Debate.Alongside his film and TV work, Victor hosts the comedy interview gameshow podcast Six Unseemly Questions, where he asks guests six probing, often absurd questions and scores them on their answers. At Supreme Robot, Victor develops AI products, including Magic Bookifier—a patent-pending system that turns interviews and transcripts into structured books—and accessibility and literacy tools powered by large language models. As an NSF SBIR grantee, AI software engineer, and author of the primer AI for All of Us, he focuses on making AI understandable and useful for non-experts.Takeaways:AI is a tool, not a replacement for creativity.The role of AI in creative processes is to assist, not replace.AI can help organize thoughts and streamline writing.Creatives should embrace AI to enhance their output.AI can be used for practical applications, such as crime-solving, delivering fashion sketches, and planning processes across any business.The impact of AI on jobs varies by skill level. Not sophisticated creatives can be replaced, while professionals will thrive, as AI is another (and highly usable) paintbrush among their tools.Domain expertise is crucial for effective AI use.AI can aid in mental health, but should not replace therapists.Ethical concerns arise from the misuse of AI in hiring processes, as hiring HR managers don't understand AI and therefore hire so-called AI makers who can't execute.Humor is challenging for AI, but it can be programmed to mimic it.Chapters:00:00 Introduction to AI Snacks03:23 Introducing Victor05:43 The Role of AI in Creativity08:25 AI as a Tool for Creatives11:01 AI in Fashion and Crime Solving13:41 The Impact of AI on Creative Jobs16:38 Magic Bookifier: A Writing Assistant18:49 Technology Behind Magic Bookifier21:26 Organizing Data for AI23:55 AI for Mental Well-being25:56 AI Misuse and Ethical Concerns28:37 AI in Creative Industries31:09 Humor and AI33:03 Advice for First-Time AI Users36:04 Concluding Remarks and OutroHyperlinks:Wikipedia Victor Varnado Company (Supreme Robot Pictures) Magic Bookifier (main site) Six Unseemly Questions (hosted by Victor) Cartoon Caption Contest Podcast – “Episode 203 – Victor Varnado” “AI for All of Us: Using AI in Everyday Life and Business (Even If You Think It’s Dumb)”Anastassia Lauterbach - LinkedIn@romyandroby “Leading Through Disruption”AI EdutainmentThe AI Imperative BookRomy & Roby Book
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    37 mins
  • 52: From Busy to Brilliant: How Small Businesses Win with AI with Olga Topchaya

    52: From Busy to Brilliant: How Small Businesses Win with AI with Olga Topchaya
    Dec 9 2025
    SummaryIn this podcast episode, Olga Topchaya shares her journey into the world of AI, emphasizing the importance of integrating AI into small and mid-sized businesses. She discusses the accessibility of AI tools, the significance of training employees, and the need for a strategic approach to AI implementation. Olga highlights success stories, challenges faced during integration, and the importance of calculating ROI for AI projects. The conversation also touches on overcoming employee resistance and the future of work in the age of AI, encouraging listeners to embrace AI as a valuable tool for their businesses. Anastassia and Olga discuss the reality of productivity gains in SMEs deploying AI.Olga Topchaya is a New York–based AI product strategist and entrepreneur, and the founder and CEO of Lapis AI Consults. She has more than a decade of experience in marketing and product roles across companies like EquityZen, IAC, Adorama, and Copy.ai. Her work emphasizes a business-first approach to AI: she starts from a client’s goals and pain points, then designs AI solutions that measurably reduce costs and busywork—for example, cutting customer support tickets from around 15 dollars to mere cents using conversational AI assistants.​Lapis AI Consults is a boutique AI consulting and product studio that builds “AI that works for you,” specializing in AI integration, custom AI software, and AI strategy for pre-seed to Series A startups and SMBs. TakeawaysAI might be a new career path, even if the industry moves into recession!Generative AI can change how we work and communicate.AI must solve a specific problem for businesses. Therefore, instead of starting with AI-related use cases, businesses must start with problem definition.Training of empoyees is crucial for successful AI adoption.Small businesses can access affordable AI tools.Prompting is key to effectively using AI.AI can automate repetitive tasks and save costs.Employee involvement is essential for AI integration.Change management is critical in AI implementation.Learning to read code can empower business owners.Chapters02:40 Introduction to AI and Small Businesses05:52 Olga's Journey into AI08:47 The Importance of AI Integration11:34 AI Accessibility for Small Businesses14:39 Getting Started with AI Tools15:02 Success Stories in AI Implementation17:42 Challenges in AI Integration23:31 Calculating ROI for AI Projects26:30 Overcoming Employee Resistance to AI29:28 The Future of Work with AI32:40 Addressing AI Vulnerabilities35:25 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsHyperlinksOlga Topchaya – LinkedIn Lapis AI Consults“A New Framework for Building Responsible AI — Part II” (Artificial Intelligence in Plain English )Guest post at AI Edutainment / “The Evolution of AI” blog – Olga Topchaya of Lapis AI Consults (on why most AI consulting fails and how to make it practical)Anastassia Lauterbach - LinkedInFirst Public Reading, Romy, Roby and the Secrets of Sleep (1/3) First Public Reading, Romy, Roby and the Secrets of Sleep (2/3) First Public Reading, Romy, Roby and the Secrets of Sleep (3/3) AI Snacks with Romy and Roby@romyandroby “Leading Through Disruption”AI EdutainmentThe AI Imperative BookRomy & Roby Book
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    39 mins
  • 51: From Engaging Math to Intelligent Machines: How Numbers Shape AI and Robotics with Dave Cole

    51: From Engaging Math to Intelligent Machines: How Numbers Shape AI and Robotics with Dave Cole
    Dec 2 2025
    SummaryIn this conversation, Dave Cole and Anastassia explore the pervasive issue of math anxiety, particularly in the U.S., where a significant portion of the population experiences severe anxiety related to mathematics. They discuss strategies for making math more engaging for learners of all ages, emphasizing the importance of games and storytelling in education. The conversation also touches on gender dynamics in math education, the impact of AI on learning, and the necessity of Math Literacy in today's society.Dave shares insights from his experiences running math camps and writing educational books, highlighting the need for creative approaches to teaching math and the intersection of math with creative writing. Anastassia highlights how math dominates AI and robotic architectures.Dave Cole is a math teacher, author, and lifelong problem solver who has dedicated his career to showing kids that mathematics is a source of wonder, not worry. Fascinated by numbers from an early age, he earned degrees in mathematics and computer science and spent years in highly technical roles—writing missile guidance equations, designing monitoring systems for Facebook data centers, and founding software companies—before turning his focus to education and writing.Today, Dave is best known as the creator of “The Math Kids,” a middle‑grade mystery series in which four friends use patterns, logic, and creative reasoning to crack real‑world puzzles. The books introduce topics like prime numbers, probability, Fibonacci sequences, and Pascal’s triangle through storylines that feel like adventures rather than lessons, helping children see math as a powerful tool for thinking rather than a set of drills.Takeaways64% of Americans experience math anxiety.Math becomes boring as students progress in school.Engaging games can make math fun for kids.Storytelling helps students remember math concepts.Girls often feel discouraged in math due to societal beliefs.Creative problem-solving can lead to unique solutions.AI can personalize math learning experiences.Math literacy is crucial for informed decision-making.Cognitive laziness can result from over-reliance on technology.Creative writing and math are essential skills for the future.Chapters03:58 Understanding Math Anxiety07:04 Making Math Engaging for All Ages09:16 The Role of Games in Learning Math13:06 Gender Dynamics in Math Education16:02 Creative Problem Solving in Math18:01 The Impact of AI on Math Learning21:08 Cognitive Laziness and Reliance on Technology24:01 The Importance of Math Literacy27:01The Intersection of Math and Creative WritingDave’s and Anastassia’s Hyperlinks:Dave Cole BooksDave Cole at Simon and SchusterFirst Public Reading, Romy, Roby and the Secrets of Sleep (1/3)First Public Reading, Romy, Roby and the Secrets of Sleep (2/3)First Public Reading, Romy, Roby and the Secrets of Sleep (3/3)@romyandroby“Leading Through Disruption”AI EdutainmentRomy & Roby Book Books about Math Anastassia is obsessed with:“The Number Devil” by Hans Magnus Enzensberger,“Is Maths Real" by Eugenia Cheng,“Zero. The Biography of a Dangerous Idea” by Charles Seife, “Once Upon a Prime” by Sarah Hart.
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    41 mins
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