Amir Berman on Making Construction Smarter with AI and Analytics
In this episode, host Frank La Vigne is joined by Amir Berman, VP of Industry Transformation at Buildots, to explore how AI, computer vision, and cutting-edge analytics are revolutionizing the construction industry. Forget everything you thought you knew about dusty blueprints and endless delays—Amir shares how technology is helping build smarter, safer, and more efficient job sites. From real-time progress tracking with 360° cameras to predictive analytics that keep billion-dollar projects on schedule, this conversation uncovers how digital transformation is reshaping one of the world’s oldest industries. Whether you’re a tech fanatic, data enthusiast, or just curious about how skyscrapers go from chaos to code, this episode builds a compelling case for the power of AI in construction. Grab your virtual safety goggles—let’s get hands-on with the future of building.Linkshttps://buildots.com/http://thedatadrivenbook.com/Timestamps00:00 Construction's Digital Transformation Insights09:15 Tech Vendors: Respect Contractors' Limits14:23 "Technology Enhances Construction Oversight"17:03 "Rewiring Minds: Tech Enhances Performance"27:25 Predictive Analytics Exposes Construction Delays28:19 Proactive Problem-Solving in Construction38:31 Tech-Enhanced Workforce Retention Strategy40:28 AI for Pipeline Problem Mitigation45:14 "From Flash to Data Analytics"52:24 The Innovator's Dilemma Explained54:56 Embracing AI After Windows Mobile Flop01:00:29 "Smart Construction with Computer Vision"
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The AI Driven Leader: Rethinking Strategy, Decision Making, and Personal Growth
Welcome to the season nine premiere of Data Driven, where we kick things off with a thought-provoking deep dive into the world of AI-powered leadership. In this episode, hosts Frank La Vigne, Andy Leonard, and BAILeY are joined by Geoff Woods, bestselling author of "The AI Driven Leader." Together, they explore how artificial intelligence is quickly evolving from a tactical tool that writes emails and automates tasks to a transformative thought partner that can help leaders navigate high-stakes business decisions, develop innovative strategies, and even challenge their own thinking.Geoff challenges the notion that AI is just another tech buzzword and shares real-world stories of executives using AI as a strategic confidant—literally building virtual AI boards featuring iconic figures like Steve Jobs and Warren Buffett. He breaks down his practical CRIT framework (Context, Role, Interview, Task), offering listeners actionable ways to move beyond surface-level AI use and harness its power for exponential personal and business growth.Whether you’re a seasoned data scientist, a curious executive, or just someone looking to level up your leadership skills, this conversation will inspire you to reconsider how you work with AI—and how much more you can achieve when you use it as your smartest collaborator yet. Get ready to have your assumptions challenged, your creativity sparked, and your sticky notes filled with new ideas. Let’s get data driven!Timestamps00:00 "AI: Your Strategic Cofounder"05:26 Strategic Leadership with AI07:35 "Focusing on 20% High-Impact Tasks"11:07 AI Strategies for Debt Restructuring13:28 AI in Negotiations: Role Play Insights19:01 Mentor in Your Pocket21:52 "Imaginary Advisory Board"25:17 "Starting AI: First Domino Approach"28:33 Coaching Corporate Growth Strategy31:51 Interactive Knowledge Experience35:06 "Becoming an AI-Driven Leader"38:54 "Visionary Super Connector"43:06 Leadership Beyond Technology47:11 Rethinking AI and Strategic Questions49:26 "AI-Powered Strategic Visioning"53:29 "Choosing Growth Over Perfection"56:24 AI Achievements: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
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*Special Announcement* From 386 Computers to AI Leadership: Our Season Nine Kickoff
Andy and I are kicking off Season Nine of Data Driven with a bang: an insightful interview with Jeff Woods, author of “The AI Driven Leader.”Andy, Bailey, and I are thrilled to bring you brand-new conversations, deep dives, and data stories all season long. Stay tuned for the official release, and as always, thank you for being part of our data-driven journey.Listen for the Season Nine kickoff soon!
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Jacob Leverich on Efficiency, Elegance, and the Joy of Not Grepping log files at 2AM
This week, Frank sat down with Dr. Jacob Leverich—Stanford PhD, cofounder of Observe, and a veteran of the Google MapReduce team and Splunk. Jacob’s journey, from tinkering with video game code as a kid, to innovating at the cutting edge of distributed systems and energy efficiency, is as inspiring as it is informative.Key TakeawaysEarly Tech Roots: Hear how curiosity with QBasic and classic PCs (think IBM PCXT and Commodore) put Jacob on a path to high-impact data engineering.MapReduce, Dremel, & the Rise of Big Data: Jacob pulls back the curtain on working with some of the most influential data processing tools at Google and how these systems shifted the entire data landscape (hello, BigQuery!).Building Efficient Systems: It’s not just about scale—energy efficiency and performance optimization are the unsung heroes of today’s data infrastructure. Jacob explains why making things “just work” isn’t enough anymore.The Realities of Ops & Observability: Remember the days of grepping logs at 2AM? There’s a better way. Jacob shares how platforms like Observe help teams consolidate, visualize, and act on operational data—turning chaos into actionable insight.Bridging Data & Ops: The lines between data observability and traditional ops are blurring, and Jacob’s unique experience shows how best practices from data warehousing are finally making ops smoother (and less sleepless).Power Concerns & the Future: As data grows, so does energy consumption in data centers. Find out why optimization isn’t just good for performance—it’s key to sustainability.Timestamps00:00 Interview with Jacob Levrich05:59 Journey into Game Programming06:43 "Pursuing Fast Video Game Code"10:23 Data Processing and Power Efficiency16:11 Snowflake's Transformative Database Approach19:18 Journey to Data Management Industry21:37 Data Products: Solving Core Challenges27:07 Early Web Log Analysis Techniques28:57 Consolidating Data for Efficiency33:23 Specialized Tools and Context Switching35:43 Unique Dual-Expertise in Tech38:58 User-Centric Business Strategies42:13 IP Data Analysis in Cloud47:23 Electricity Transport Upsets Local Farms48:25 Shift to Parallel Computing52:10 Hardware Specialization & Software Optimization57:32 "Stay Data Driven"
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István Mészáros on going From CERN to Startup & The Cat That Launched a Thousand Queries
Welcome to another insightful episode of Data Driven! Today, we're diving into the world of warehouse-native analytics with our special guest, István Mészáros, cofounder of Mitsu. Join us as we explore how Mitsu empowers startups and enterprises with a new approach to data analytics. From his beginnings as a CERN physicist to becoming an open-source evangelist and finally a startup founder, István shares his unique journey through the data industry.We'll discuss the motivation behind Mitsu's distinct branding, reminiscent of Hello Kitty, and why standing out in today's crowded market is crucial. István also reveals the challenges and strategies of building a data company in Europe, and how Mitsu simplifies analytics by offering a self-service solution without the high costs associated with existing market leaders.Timestamps0:00 Introducing István Mészáros05:30 Shifting Open Source to SaaS07:46 Lava-Themed Compliance Solutions Brand10:27 Tech Branding and Hello Kitty Insights13:46 Optimizing Conversion in Data-Heavy Travel16:31 Self-Service Analytics Tool Needed19:17 Automated Product Analytics Tool23:20 "Budget Constraints and DIY Solutions"28:17 Freelancer's Efficient Data Solutions29:08 Open Source Tool Productization Plan33:13 Navigating Freelance and Startup Challenges37:19 Transitioning to Data Engineering42:25 Instant Feedback in Hobbies43:46 Embracing Feedback in Business Transformation49:13 "Hoping AI Takes Over Hiring"51:58 Visit Site for Info & Contact55:22 "Parenting Boys with Earbuds"57:25 "Data Driven: Quantum Podcast Relaunch"
Data Driven: the podcast where we explore the emerging field of Data Science. We bring the best minds in Data, Software Engineering, Machine Learning, and Artificial Intelligence right to you every Tuesday.
The field of data science mashes up the worlds of statistics, database architecture and software engineering. Data Scientist has been labelled by the Harvard Business Review, as "the sexiest job of the 21st century." A quick search of job search sites reveal that this field is in high demand.
In a world where Data is the new Oil, Data Science the new Refineries, consider this Car Talk for the Data Age. Every week we bring the best minds in this emerging field straight to you. Our goal is to educate and inspire our listeners so that they can be prepared to thrive in a Data Driven world.
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