Superhuman AI: Decoding the Future

Learn More about AssemblyAI here.In this episode of Superhuman AI: Decoding the Future, Zain and Hassan speak with Luke Kim, co-founder and CEO of Liner, to explore the journey of building a successful AI search tool. Luke recounts Liner’s beginnings as a simple highlighter extension and its evolution into a specialized AI-powered search tool. Plus, Luke gives us a look into the strategic choices behind developing an AI-driven academic tool and the lessons learned along the way.We hear about the company’s relocation to Silicon Valley and how the team fuelled Liner’s early growth. And Luke shares his experience of angel investments and a Series A round led by Korean venture capitalists, drawn to Liner’s strong international user base. We also learn about Liner’s technical and competitive strategies, focusing on providing verified, reliable sources perfect for higher education users and setting it apart in a crowded AI space. Luke also shares his insights on utilizing a blend of large language models—such as Lama, GPT, and Claude—to ensures both cost efficiency and superior search capabilities. What we talk about:What we talk about:(1:14) - Who is Luke and what is Liner?(4:15) - How did Liner secure its first (of 10 million) customers?(6:37) - How did the move to Silicon Valley improve Liner?(7:30) - How did Luke develop his network when he arrived in Silicon Valley?(8:22) - How was Liner funded in the early days?(11:56) - What did the journey from 1,000 to 10 million users look like?(15:05) - How is Liner utilizing different LLMs?(17:40) - How does Liner fact-check in order to deliver reliable results?(20:23) - How does Liner rank results for its users?(21:43) - What is the 10-year vision for Liner?(24:58) - What advice does Luke have for entrepreneurs starting out in the AI space?(27:01) - What are investors looking for in applied companies?(29:16) - What is Luke most excited about in the AI space in the next 12 months?

To find out more about today’s sponsor, Assembly AI, follow the link: https://www.assemblyai.com/?utm_source=superhuman&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=linkIn this episode of Superhuman AI: Decoding the Future, Zain and Hassan are joined by Steve Woods, Partner and CTO of iNovia Capital. Steve shares his unique path from academia to founding startups and scaling Google Canada from a small team of 10 to 2,000 employees. Steve reflects on his early work with Quack.com in the late 90s, and shares the importance of adding a human touch to technology.Steve also discusses his years at Google, where he focused on nurturing internal talent over external hires, fostering a team-oriented culture and identifying key drivers within the organization, which he believes was essential for scalable growth and innovation, underscoring the value of team investment in building strong company foundations.We also learn about Steve’s venture capital work and his investments in foundational AI models like Cohere and applications like Spellbook. Plus, Steve offers his advice to founders, encouraging openness, adaptability, and focus on team dynamics. What we talk about:(1:28) – What’s it like working with Nobel Prize winner, Geoff Hinton?(3:20) – What made Steve swap academia for entrepreneurship?(5:22) – How did Steve develop the idea for Quack.com?(9:12) – What have been some similarities between the dot com, cloud and AI waves?(11:44) – Why Steve hired a Hollywood director.(14:08) – The importance of intensity.(17:55) – Why did Steve swap working on startups for working at Google?(21:18) – What are some tips Steve has for founders looking to scale aggressively?(24:48) – How does Steve manage working with different founders with different approaches?(27:46) – Can the app layer retain value, or will model builders dominate instead?(30:26) – Has product lost value to brand and distribution in app growth?(32:12) – What advice does Steve have for new founders and what industries is he excited by?

In this episode of Superhuman AI: Decoding the Future, Zain and Hassan sit down with Riley Brown, content creation expert and founder of Create.Inc. Riley discusses the transformative impact of AI tools like Claude Artifacts in democratizing content creation and app development, enabling non-coders to build applications and generate content more easily. With over half a million followers as an AI influencer, Riley reflects on his journey from marketing analytics to using AI and no-code platforms for app creation. Riley highlights the growing importance of authentic content creation and the strategic use of social media to fuel business-growth and he explains how the intersection of content and product development presents massive opportunities for creators and entrepreneurs alike. We also learn how AI interactions will play a significant role in shaping user experiences, further transforming how we engage with technology. And we learn why creators need to continue to adapt to emerging trends in AI to stay ahead, and why combining creativity with innovative tech will enable creators to seize the opportunities of tomorrow.What we talk about:(1:17) – Who is Riley Brown?(2:30) – What are ‘composer creators’?(5:20) – The difficulties of content creation.(9:29) – Where does content creation start?(11:06) – What is the no-code AI revolution?(13:47) – The importance of curiosity and consistency.(14:47) – How do you go from zero coding experience to entering the app space?(16:07) – The challenges of creating new apps.(18:11) – Building apps for enterprise-level users.(20:32) – What are Riley’s favourite platforms for building audiences?(23:36) – What advice does Riley have for content creators just starting out?(28:02) – What are the distribution strategies Riley recommends?(30:27) – What are Riley’s predictions for the content creation space in the next year?

In this episode of Superhuman AI: Decoding the Future, Zain and Hassan are joined by Alec Nguyen, founder of the AI-powered reference manager Afforai. Alec reveals how he turned a college project into a thriving startup generating $700,000 in just three months. Discover the highs and lows of integrating AI into academic tools and learn why balancing innovation with smart distribution is the key to product success.Alec shares insider growth-hacking strategies, ethical considerations for AI, and his experience launching on major platforms like AppSumo and Product Hunt. Get actionable tips for responsible AI usage in academia and hear his take on why raising venture capital is crucial for international student entrepreneurs.Tune in as Alec opens up about the support he received from Sputnik ATX VC and the lessons learned on his entrepreneurial journey—perfect for anyone looking to build, scale, and innovate with AI.What we talk about:(0:49) – What was Alec doing before Afforai?(2:38) – When did Alec realize the opportunity to solve the challenges of citations and references?(4:19) – What else did Alec create on the road to Afforai?(6:59) – How did Alec secure his first users?(8:13) – How do you overcome the challenge of distribution?(10:33) – How does Afforai remain predictable and dependable?(12:34) – What was the process of $0 to $700,000 like?(13:56) – What makes for a successful launch on AppSumo?(16:12) – How to pick distribution platforms and when to use them.(17:50) – How can you make the best out of your own product launch?(19:51) – How did Alec approach refinement in the early days of the launch?(21:44) – How is Alec ensuring the ethical use of Afforai?(23:07) – What are some exciting Afforai features we should be on the lookout for?(24:25) – How big is the Afforai team and is the business still bootstrapped?(28:11) – What trends should we watch out for in the AI academia space?(29:51) – What advice does Alec have for students on the responsible use of AI in their studies?(31:25) – Why did Alec insist on incorporating a nap room in his offices?