Advanced technology from Star Trek has inspired fans and scifi enthusiasts for decades. After more than 50 years since its inception, how close to reality are some of its futuristic technology?

Samir Kumar, co-founder and general partner at Touring Capital (and Star Trek enthusiast!), shares how some Star Trek tech is starting to become possible.


Chapters

Intro
Warp drive, universal translator and Star Trek technology
Quanting computing
The holodeck and its feasability
Pioneering spirit and exploration, cultures
Investing perspective from a technology enthusiast
Star Trek IV and material science
Questions for viewers


More about Samir Kumar
https://touringcapital.com/samir-kumar/

Link:
https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/a69663990/scientists-say-physical-warp-drive-now-possible/

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David Lam and Steve Ispas on Silicon Valley Front Row (SVFR)
Is STAR TREK Technology Possible?
#startrek #warpdrive #scifi

A shocking 2024 cybersecurity study revealed that 51% of internet traffic is now bot-generated, not human. That's right. More than half of all clicks, posts, and engagement online comes from AI and bots, not real people. Both Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian and OpenAI's Sam Altman have raised alarms about this phenomenon.

What We Cover:

The 2024 Imperva study showing 51% of internet traffic is bots
The viral ""Pound Cake"" story: An obese cat's weight loss journey that devastated thousands of followers - only to be revealed as completely AI-generated
Why Sam Altman (creator of ChatGPT) is concerned about AI-generated content taking over
How AI bots farm engagement on social media platforms
Swiss researchers confirm people can't tell the difference between human and AI content anymore
46% of young Australians get their news primarily from social media. What if it's all fake?
The vicious cycle: AI bots creating content, other AI bots reposting it, with no humans involved
Cyber attackers using AI tools to deploy malicious bots at unprecedented scale

The Scary Reality:
Social media has shifted from connecting humans to simply consuming AI-generated content designed to trigger dopamine hits. As one study from the University of Melbourne found: we're witnessing a cycle of artificial engagement that no longer involves humans.

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David Lam and Steve Ispas on Silicon Valley Front Row (SVFR) podcast
#aicontent #deadinternettheory #ai

We test out the ElevenLabs AI voice technology by recreating our own podcast intro and exploring what this means for actors, filmmakers, and content creators. With celebrities like Michael Caine, Matthew McConaughey, Liza Minnelli, and Dr. Maya Angelou signing deals to have their voices used by AI, we ask the big question: Why are they doing this?

Topics covered:

Live demo of ElevenLabs AI voice generator
Why celebrities like Michael Caine and Matthew McConaughey are licensing their voices
The cost and convenience of AI voices vs hiring real actors
SAG-AFTRA concerns about AI in the entertainment industry
Potential use cases: audiobooks, manuals, translations, and accessibility
The ethical debate: Is an AI voice still ""real"" even if it sounds perfect?

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David Lam and Steve Ispas on Silicon Valley Front Row (SVFR) podcast
#elevenlabs #Aivoice #michaelcaine

Silicon Valley Front Row. Join us as we talk tech from a dialectical lens. You will hear about innovations, developments, and the other side too: addictions and potential problems.

You’ll also join the conversation as we bring in experts, look at trends, and solutions to issues that shape how we live.

MIT found that most generative AI projects didn't succeed as intended. This is due to zero return on investment, and resistance to 'friction.'

Chapters
Intro and haircuts
AI hairstylist and barber?
MIT study on GenAI pilot failure
Verification tax
Psychiatrist testimony on LLM's
Friction, time, and effort
David's wooden board and 'barriers to entry'
Comments from viewers
Questions for viewers

Link:
https://mlq.ai/media/quarterly_decks/v0.1_State_of_AI_in_Business_2025_Report.pdf

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David Lam and Steve Ispas on Silicon Valley Front Row (SVFR) podcast
#MIT #artificialintelligence #genai

The Great Pyramid of Giza is one of the seven wonders of the world. Its dimensions are mind-blowing and mysterious. Do we know how it was built exactly? Where was the tech? Does the math add up?

Chapters

Intro
Four points of the Great Pyramid of Giza
Perimeter and π (pi)
Location and speed of light
432 Hz healing frequency
Mystery of pyramid age and Pharaoh Khufu
Peru's Nazca lines and the golden ratio
Questions


Links:
https://youtu.be/RyDi31IK5N4?si=e8cRpmxFN0WZ8HHy

https://archive.org/details/booksonfiredestr0000pola/page/n9/mode/2up


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Steve Ispas and David Lam on Silicon Valley Front Row (SVFR) podcast

#pyramid #egyptians #mathematics

A tech and human rights abuse case against Cisco from 2011 is brought back into the light.

Lawmakers ask the Trump administration to support the case, holding the tech company liable for its Golden Shield project. It's alleged that Cisco's tool allows the Chinese Communist Party to monitor people, specifically Falun Gong practitioners.

Timestamps

00:00 Intro
01:39 CCP persecutes Falun Gong community
02:16 Why Falun Gong practitioners sued Cisco
03:25 The return of the lawsuit, and Cisco's claims
04:54 Cisco presentation to the CCP
06:19 The Golden Shield project
08:33 Pattern of spies stealing proprietary tech
09:39 Questions


Links:
https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/lawmakers-urge-trump-admin-to-back-falun-gong-lawsuit-against-cisco-5938083

https://hrlf.net/direct-litigation/our-cases/doe-vs-cisco-systems/


Steve Ispas and David Lam on Silicon Valley Front Row (SVFR)
#Cisco #CCP #surveillance

Billionaires invested millions against Zohran Mamdani when he ran in the NYC mayoral race. The 34-year-old is now the mayor-elect of New York city. He has experience as a state assemblyman and wants to run the city, but will the city thrive from the promises of free buses, childcare, and rent freeze?

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

01:05 Billionaires spent millions in mayoral race

01:49 Promises from Zohran Mamdani

02:29 Democratic socialist vs. communist

03:05 Steve's experience with communism

06:30 Free stuff and appeal?

09:01 Mamdani's thoughts on billionaires (Meet The Press)

09:46 Discussion on young generation

11:48 Questions

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This is a new channel—Silicon Valley Front Row—where we talk tech from a dialectical lens. You’ll hear both sides: the innovations that inspire us, and the challenges we must confront—addiction, dependency, and the loss of human touch. Subscribe to learn about AI trends, Silicon Valley startups, and the future of technology from those inside the world’s innovation capital.

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Steve Ispas and David Lam on Silicon Valley Front Row podcast

#Mamdani #nycmayor #socialism

ChatGPT controls more than 81% of the market of artificial intelligence chatbots, currently putting it ahead of the competition.

Ahmed Banafa, the top tech voice on LinkedIn, joins us on Silicon Valley Front Row to discuss Sam Altman, AI, and how a chatbot got pushed to frustration while arguing with professor Banafa.

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Source:
https://gs.statcounter.com/ai-chatbot-market-share

#chatgpt #chatbot #artificialintelligence