Behind The Tech with Kevin Scott
Behind the Tech invites listeners to geek out with an amazing line-up of tech heroes, inventors and innovators. Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott takes tech enthusiasts behind-the-scenes to meet AI experts, computer scientists, authors, musicians, digital leaders, bioengineers and neuroscientists who have made discoveries, built tools, and literally helped make our modern world possible.
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Ben Laude, Professor of Music (Piano Literature & Aural Skills) at Utah State University
09/09/2024
Ben Laude, Professor of Music (Piano Literature & Aural Skills) at Utah State University
Ben Laude, a concert pianist and music educator, joins Behind the Tech to discuss his journey from a suburban childhood in Austin, Texas to becoming a world-renowned classical pianist and YouTube creator. Ben shares his early inspirations—including his father's dabbling in piano and his own private obsession with classical music that began in high school—and discusses the importance of having a good teacher and the role of the early Internet in fueling his passion for piano. In this episode, Kevin and Ben explore the impact of AI on art and artists, the significance of classical piano in Ben's life and his efforts to popularize classical piano through educational content. They discuss the challenges and rewards of pursuing a career in music, the magic of bringing encoded scores (musical notations that serve as instructions for how to perform the music) to life, and the importance of community and feedback in achieving success. | Discover and listen to other .
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Sal Khan, Founder and CEO of Khan Academy
07/09/2024
Sal Khan, Founder and CEO of Khan Academy
Sal Khan, founder and CEO of Khan Academy, joins Behind the Tech to discuss his journey from a curious child fascinated by science and technology to a global leader in education innovation. Sal shares his early inspirations that led him to pursue a career in engineering and a degree at MIT, and outlines his lifelong passion for education rooted in the belief that all students have the potential to excel in subjects like math and science with the right tools and encouragement. In this episode, Kevin and Sal explore Sal's vision for Khan Academy, his insights on the intersection of technology and education, and the launch of Khanmigo, Khan Academy’s AI-powered personal tutor. They discuss the challenges of teaching to diverse learning styles and the importance of building confidence and curiosity in students. | | Discover and listen to other .
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Ethan Mollick, Author and Associate Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
06/11/2024
Ethan Mollick, Author and Associate Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
Ethan Mollick is an associate professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he teaches innovation and entrepreneurship. His research focuses on the impact of AI on work and education, and he has published numerous papers and a New York Times-bestselling book on AI, "Co-Intelligence." Ethan is also behind the popular Substack ”,” which explores the implications of AI for work, education, and life. In this episode, Kevin and Ethan discuss Ethan’s background as a long-time technology enthusiast, his academic journey, and his insights on the current AI revolution. Ethan shares his experiences from running a bulletin board in the '80s to co-founding a startup company before entering academia, and the two discuss topics from the transformative potential of AI and its accessibility to a broader audience to the importance of AI as a co-intelligence tool that can enhance human capabilities. | | Discover and listen to other .
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Mike Volpi, Partner at Index Ventures
05/14/2024
Mike Volpi, Partner at Index Ventures
Mike Volpi is a longtime venture capitalist who joined Index Ventures in 2009 to establish the firm's San Francisco office and North American operations. Prior, he was Chief Strategy Officer at Cisco, overseeing a run of acquisitions still studied today as a model for technology merger strategy. Mike invests primarily in artificial intelligence, infrastructure, and open-source companies, and currently serves on the boards of multiple companies including Aurora, ClickHouse, Cockroach Labs, Cohere, Confluent, Covariant.ai, Kong, Scale, Sonos, and Wealthfront. In this episode, Kevin and Mike discuss Mike’s early childhood, how he got interested in the study of engineering, and his career experiences—including what led to Mike’s long career at Cisco and his current Partner position at Index—including his board experiences with multiple companies. | Discover and follow other .
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Mike Schroepfer, Partner, Gigascale Capital
04/02/2024
Mike Schroepfer, Partner, Gigascale Capital
In 2023, after departing his role as CTO of Facebook, Mike Schroepfer launched the climate venture capital investment firm Gigascale Capital with the goal of building climate tech companies. Working alongside co-founders Victoria Beasley and Evaline Tsai, Gigascale’s investments are today driving advancements in clean energy, biotech and computing. In this episode, Kevin and Mike discuss Mike’s early childhood and how he got interested in the study of computer science, career experiences in engineering that shaped him, and what ultimately led to his decision to focus on climate change and philanthropic endeavors through his work at Gigascale and his organization Additional Ventures, respectively. | Discover and listen to other
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Xyla Foxlin, Engineer and YouTube Creator
02/27/2024
Xyla Foxlin, Engineer and YouTube Creator
Xyla Foxlin is an engineer and YouTuber with a passion for making things dating back to her early childhood love of art and creative exploration. What began as a way to entertain herself with whatever materials she could find blossomed into a career as a content creator and maker, showcasing her skills crafting everything from a rocket to a sailboat. In this episode, Xyla and Kevin discuss the challenges she’s faced in the maker space, overcoming imposter syndrome, and the work she’s done to help encourage other women and people of color interested in science, math, and engineering. | Discover and listen to other .
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Lisa Su, Chair and CEO, AMD
01/08/2024
Lisa Su, Chair and CEO, AMD
As Chair and CEO of AMD, Lisa Su leads the transformation of the strategy and product execution of one of the fastest growing semiconductor companies in the world. She’s the recipient of numerous awards, and a recent appointee to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. In this episode, she discusses her upbringing as the daughter of a mathematician, her early interest in engineering and figuring out how things work, and why she thinks this is the most exciting time in hardware in recent decades. | Discover and listen to other .
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Year in Review 2023
12/12/2023
Year in Review 2023
As 2023 comes to an end, we take a look back at some of the year’s most compelling, thought-provoking conversations with guests like Bill Gates, Neil deGrasse Tyson, OpenAI’s Mira Murati, Shopify’s Tobi Lutke, will.i.am, Sci-fi author Adrian Tchaikovsky, and many more. The year’s programs featured a wide range of topics including equity in tech, advocating for science and, of course, the transformative power of AI. Discover and listen to other .
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David Kirtley, Co-Founder and CEO, Helion
11/14/2023
David Kirtley, Co-Founder and CEO, Helion
Helion is building the world’s first fusion power plant, and co-founder and CEO David Kirtley is on a mission to improve access to clean energy for a better future. We’re inspired by the work that they’re doing—in fact, Microsoft recently announced that Helion is going to provide the company fusion power starting in 2028. In this episode, Kevin and David discuss David’s early childhood and how he got interested in science, how he got into the field of fusion, his current role at Helion and how the company is building fusion generators to create zero-carbon electricity. | Discover and listen to other .
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William A. Adams, Software Engineer, DEI Innovator, and Philanthropist
10/24/2023
William A. Adams, Software Engineer, DEI Innovator, and Philanthropist
William A. Adams is a software engineer, DEI innovator, and philanthropist whose contributions to the field have been documented by the Computer History Museum. He spent more than 20 years at Microsoft, where he rolled out critical XML code globally, co-founded the , and served as Kevin’s first technical advisor. In this episode, Kevin and William discuss how William got interested in STEM at a young age, founding a software development company in the 80s, his career at Microsoft and pioneering D&I programing, and the importance of equity and diversity in tech. Discover and listen to other .
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Kevin Roose, Tech Columnist, Podcast Host, and Author
09/19/2023
Kevin Roose, Tech Columnist, Podcast Host, and Author
Kevin Roose is a technology columnist for The New York Times covering technology innovation, including AI. He’s also the author of three books: his latest, Futureproof, is a “guide to surviving the technological future,” including nine rules to help people more confidently navigate a machine-filled world. In this episode, Roose discusses how he developed an interest in technology at a young age, how he became a journalist and an author (and how technology has impacted both industries), what it’s like writing about AI right now, and the importance of media and journalism to hold companies accountable. | Discover and listen to other .
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will.i.am, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Musician, and Producer
08/01/2023
will.i.am, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Musician, and Producer
will.i.am is most well-known as the founder and lead member of the Black Eyed Peas. Simultaneously, he is also an entrepreneur and Founder & CEO of , a Web 3.0 AI messenger, where he spends a lot of his time investing in software and operating systems incorporating AI, natural language understanding, and voice computing. In this episode, Kevin and discuss his upbringing and how he got interested in technology, his optimism around AI and where it’s going (especially in creative fields), how he started his foundation providing STEAM education for disadvantaged youth, and much more. This episode includes strong language and may not be appropriate for all audiences. | will.i.am also co-hosts the Changemakers podcast with Omar Abbosh. Check it out . Discover and listen to other .
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Mira Murati, Chief Technology Officer, OpenAI
07/11/2023
Mira Murati, Chief Technology Officer, OpenAI
Mira Murati is one of the most innovative tech leaders of our time. She has helped to scale OpenAI to the company it is today and lead teams to build innovative technologies and products including ChatGPT, DALL-E, and GPT-4. In this episode, Kevin and Mira discuss how she became interested in the sciences and technology, her innate sense of curiosity which led her to a career in artificial intelligence, and how OpenAI is deploying their technology responsibly for developers and consumers. | Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at .
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Neil deGrasse Tyson, Astrophysicist, Author, and Podcast Host
05/23/2023
Neil deGrasse Tyson, Astrophysicist, Author, and Podcast Host
Neil deGrasse Tyson is one of America’s best-known astrophysicists and a huge advocate for the sciences and scientific thinking. Neil has a great talent for presenting complex concepts in a clear and accessible manner, a critical aspect of his role as an educator and director of the Hayden Planetarium. In this episode, Kevin talks with Neil about his interest in the sciences and innate curiosity, how he stays up to date in pop culture, topics he explores in his book Starry Messenger, and so much more! | Discover and listen to other .
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Adrian Tchaikovsky, Award-winning Science Fiction and Fantasy Writer
05/09/2023
Adrian Tchaikovsky, Award-winning Science Fiction and Fantasy Writer
Adrian Tchaikovsky is an award-winning science fiction and fantasy writer and probably one of our favorite authors right now. He is best known for his series Shadows of the Apt and Children of Time. In this episode, Kevin talks with Adrian about his upbringing and how he got interested in science fiction, his unique storytelling abilities, and how current AI technology such as ChatGPT will impact the future of sci-fi novels. Discover and listen to other .
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Bill Gates, Co-chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
03/21/2023
Bill Gates, Co-chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Today, we have a special guest joining us on the podcast—Bill Gates. With the rapidly evolving AI landscape, including the release of products like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and the new Bing, it was the perfect time to have Bill join to talk about this unique moment in the history of computing. In this episode, Kevin talks with Bill about the latest in AI research, including the release of GPT-4, how past technology revolutions have led us to where we are today, how AI is evolving his philanthropic work, his love of reading, and so much more! | Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at .
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Rana el Kaliouby, Founder of Affectiva, Deputy CEO of Smart Eye, and Emotion AI Pioneer
02/14/2023
Rana el Kaliouby, Founder of Affectiva, Deputy CEO of Smart Eye, and Emotion AI Pioneer
Empathy and emotions are at the center of how we connect and communicate as humans—in fact, 93 percent of how we communicate is accomplished through non-verbal means. Emotion AI (a subset of AI that measures, understands, simulates and reacts to human emotions) pioneer Rana el Kaliouby is on a mission to bring more emotional intelligence to the digital world. In this episode, Kevin talks with Rana about her upbringing and how she got into tech, her experience and challenges co-founding Affectiva and as Deputy CEO of Smart Eye, and the importance of infusing IQ and EQ into technology. | Discover and listen to other .
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Tobi Lütke: CEO and Founder, Shopify
01/03/2023
Tobi Lütke: CEO and Founder, Shopify
Tobi Lütke, CEO and founder of the Canadian multinational e-commerce platform Shopify, is always looking for the tools he can use to build a better company. Since his early days running an online snowboard shop from his carport, Tobi has envisioned himself as fundamentally a craftsman first and a business exec second, a mindset that he has used to solve a wide variety of problems over the course of his career. In this episode, he joins Kevin to talk about applying computer science and engineering techniques to build and scale a company, the idea of bringing an ‘apprentice mindset’ to his work, and how his daily practice of writing code and tinkering in his home lab inspires him to be a more creative leader. | Discover and listen to other .
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Year in Review 2022
12/20/2022
Year in Review 2022
As 2022 winds down, we revisit some of the year’s most inspirational and fascinating conversations with makers, engineers, award-winning sci-fi authors, and tech leaders—discussing topics ranging from building diversity into the ways we do work, to what the metaverse looks like now and far into the future, to imagining robots that know what you need before you do. Discover and listen to other .
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Randall Munroe: XKCD Cartoonist, Author, & Physicist
09/05/2022
Randall Munroe: XKCD Cartoonist, Author, & Physicist
XKCD is one of our favorite webcomics - and it started out as doodles in Randall Munroe's college notebooks. Munroe describes his work as “a webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language.” In this episode, he joins Kevin to talk about how he got started, where his inspiration comes from and his latest book, What If? 2: Additional Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions. Find out why a surprising number of cartoonists are physicists by training, explore the joy of seeking answers to seemingly impossible questions, and much more!
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Sam Schillace: Deputy CTO, Microsoft
08/10/2022
Sam Schillace: Deputy CTO, Microsoft
Have you ever wondered who was behind the creation of Google Docs? Kevin talks with Sam Schillace, one of the people who launched the transformational – and at the time controversial – idea 16 years ago. Today, Sam is an engineering Corporate VP focusing on consumer product culture and next generation productivity who stresses the importance of asking “What if?” questions. Kevin and Sam talk career advice, the fact that there’s always tension in high functioning teams and why we’re on the cusp of a new technological era. Discover and listen to other .
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Simone Giertz: Inventor, entrepreneur & robotics enthusiast
07/05/2022
Simone Giertz: Inventor, entrepreneur & robotics enthusiast
This 31-year old YouTube phenom constantly pushes the envelope with her unique inventions – from her Every Day Calendar or a screwdriver ring to the world’s ‘worst’ jigsaw puzzle. Kevin talks with Simone about how she gets the inspiration to make the things she creates, as well as challenges she faces as a product manufacturer. Learn about her future plans in this exciting episode. Discover and listen to other .
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Phil Spencer: CEO, Microsoft Gaming
06/06/2022
Phil Spencer: CEO, Microsoft Gaming
Producing a blockbuster video game like Halo can be even more complex, creative, - and costly - than making a major motion picture. Kevin talks with Phil Spencer, a 34-year veteran of Microsoft, about video games as an art form, and how critical feedback is to game design. Phil shares some of his favorite games, describes the first program he ever wrote and even divulges his gamer tag! Discover and listen to other .
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David Baszucki: Co-Founder and CEO, Roblox
05/09/2022
David Baszucki: Co-Founder and CEO, Roblox
Imagine what more than 50 million daily users on a gaming platform can create! David Baszucki is an entrepreneur, engineer and inventor who co-founded Roblox. Anyone with kids likely knows that Roblox is an online game creation platform that lets users design their own games, play games created by others, and even get paid for their creations. Roblox has helped millions of up-and-coming game developers learn the basics of their domain and work on their talents. Kevin and David talk about the potential of these real time connection technology platforms – and what’s in store for our future! | Discover and listen to other .
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David Baszucki: Co-Founder and CEO, Roblox
05/09/2022
David Baszucki: Co-Founder and CEO, Roblox
Imagine what more than 50 million daily users on a gaming platform can create! David Baszucki is an entrepreneur, engineer and inventor who co-founded Roblox. Anyone with kids likely knows that Roblox is an online game creation platform that lets users design their own games, play games created by others, and even get paid for their creations. Roblox has helped millions of up-and-coming game developers learn the basics of their domain and work on their talents. Kevin and David talk about the potential of these real time connection technology platforms – and what’s in store for our future! | Discover and listen to other .
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David Baszucki: Co-Founder and CEO, Roblox
05/09/2022
David Baszucki: Co-Founder and CEO, Roblox
Imagine what more than 50 million daily users on a gaming platform can create! David Baszucki is an entrepreneur, engineer and inventor who co-founded Roblox. Anyone with kids likely knows that Roblox is an online game creation platform that lets users design their own games, play games created by others, and even get paid for their creations. Roblox has helped millions of up-and-coming game developers learn the basics of their domain and work on their talents. Kevin and David talk about the potential of these real time connection technology platforms – and what’s in store for our future! | Discover and listen to other .
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Alexis Ohanian: Reddit Co-Founder and CEO of 776
04/11/2022
Alexis Ohanian: Reddit Co-Founder and CEO of 776
In this candid interview Alexis Ohanian, the enigmatic co-founder of Reddit, tells the story of how he created the company and talks with Kevin about his early days with Y-Combinator, how he taps into his ‘flow state’, and his new investment fund 776, which is deploying VC money, funding entrepreneurs, and incubating companies. | Discover and listen to other .
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Irma Olguin: CEO & Co-Founder of Bitwise Industries
03/14/2022
Irma Olguin: CEO & Co-Founder of Bitwise Industries
This inspirational entrepreneur is building economies in underserved communities around the U.S by democratizing opportunities that technology can provide. Olguin raised one of the largest Series A rounds ever for a female, Latinx-led company, and as CEO and co-founder, she oversees Bitwise's operations teams, tech-focused training programs, and software development. Kevin talks with Irma about resilience, what it takes to overcome adversity, and giving back to your community. | Discover and listen to other .
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Neal Stephenson, Award-winning science fiction author
02/08/2022
Neal Stephenson, Award-winning science fiction author
Meet one of Kevin’s favorite sci-fi authors who influenced him as a kid growing up in rural Virginia. Kevin and this award-winning writer talk about metaverse and misinformation, as well as ways to combat climate change - including carbon capture, which Neal believes will be one of the biggest tech projects in human history. Discover and listen to other .
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Dr. Daniela Rus, Director of MIT Computer Science and AI Lab
01/18/2022
Dr. Daniela Rus, Director of MIT Computer Science and AI Lab
Imagine nature inspiring us to create robots of the future! Kevin explores the future with Dr. Daniela Rus, who heads MIT’s CSAIL program. Hear about the latest research on everything from AI & ML to Human-Computer Interaction and Computational Biology.
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