In the seventh episode of Gen.T's Crazy Smart Asia podcast, data scientist and Thinking Machines founder Stephanie Sy talks AI, VCs and "being awkward in the body"
Depending on your point of view, big data and AI will either save the world or be the end of us.
Stephanie Sy’s data science consultancy, Thinking Machines, builds machine learning models for organisations including the World Bank and Unicef, using data to tackle the biggest issues facing the planet today, including poverty alleviation, the climate crisis and, of course, the fight against Covid-19.
But while Sy's company is a shining example of how AI can be harnessed to make the world a better place, she’s far from blind of the perils of the misuse of data. In her conversation with Gen.T editor Lee Williamson, former Googler Sy covers everything from the privacy paradox to fake news, weighing in on the issue of regulation along the way.
A self-described “basement nerd”, Sy also talks about the struggles she’s faced shouldering the responsibility as the company’s public-facing CEO, why she’s never accepted VC money, and why, despite appearances, 2020 might be the best year to start a company.
Here are a few excerpts from the conversation. Click the audio player below to listen to the episode or subscribe via Apple, Spotify, Google or wherever you get your podcasts.
On AI saving the world
“AI doesn’t save the world on its own; it saves the world by making humans superpowered. Think of AI as an Iron Man suit. It enhances our capabilities, but the driving force behind it is still a human heart and mind.”