In this special live Web Summit edition from Lisbon, I sit down with Tom Hayworth, founder of D13 AI, to talk about why “good enough” AI might actually be one of the most dangerous places we can get stuck.
And you’ll hear Tom say it’s time for the leaders of vibe coding platforms (e.g. Lovable, Replit, Cursor) to acknowledge that they’re great when you need to “demo not memo”, but not great (today and maybe ever) at delivering production-grade, secure code.
We also make a few detours as we detail a ridiculous week in Lisbon, including:
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Featured voices:
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And if you please…
Hey everyone. I've gotten so much interesting feedback on last week's Halloween episode featuring the anonymous CTO saying spooky things about AI and coding agents that I thought I'd share a quick solo voice memo style episode with you. The feedback ranges from people saying he's spot on about the insidious problems that AI coding agents create while others saying "he's holding it wrong." In other words, he's not using AI properly. Listen to this short episode and you'll also hear reaction to his claim that "adversarial AI" is not really a thing and why context and data are so critical.
And please please please: take five minutes and complete our annual survey. I have big plans for the show and some new things I'm working on. So I really want to hear from you. And for one lucky survey taker, I will make a $100 donation to the charity of your choice.
Here's the survey. Again: it takes just five minutes and these surveys are actually really important to podcasters and sponsors. Thanks so much!
And go to crafted.fm to get the newsletter and see all past episodes, including the Halloween Special with the Anonymous CTO on Spooky AI Things (listen to this first before listening to today's episode)
AI coding assistants promise to write your code, speed up your sprint, and maybe even make engineers obsolete. But what if the people building with them every day see something very different?
In this special Halloween edition of CRAFTED. — which also marks the show’s third anniversary! — a masked CTO shares what he can’t say publicly: that these tools are powerful, but insidious. In his view, coding assistants are great for auto-complete, but they can’t do what a human engineer does. He says they’re terrible at starting from scratch and will often suggest code that “works in vacuum”, but not in context. And because AI can write so much code, so quickly, it’s hard to catch errors. In short, he sees an increase in short term velocity, at the expense of increased defects and an increasing dependency on systems that are untrustworthy.
I want to emphasize that this episode features the experience of one very experienced person. There are obviously others who disagree, who say AI coding agents are incredible, so long as they’re managed well.
However, there are also an increasing number of people questioning the sustainability of coding agents — they're incredibly expensive to run — and also how good they are in the first place.
For example Andrej Karpathy, the guy who literally coined the phrase "vibe coding" and was early at OpenAI and Tesla, just said publicly on Dwarkesh Podcast that the path to AI agents is going to be a lot slower than people in the industry think it will be. He said coding agents are "not that good at writing code that's never been written before" and that there is too much hype right now about where AI really is, with people in the industry, quote "trying to pretend like this is amazing, when it's not."
And he said: "My Claude Code or Codex still feels like this elementary-grade student."
Today's guest agrees with Karpathy on a lot of this. Our guest has worked at startups, scale-ups, and big tech companies you've definitely heard of and today he's at a very AI-forward company and using AI coding tools every day.
Enjoy this special episode of CRAFTED.!
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And pretty please...!
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Key Quotes
Here’s a jaunty debrief from PopTech, a notoriously hard conference to describe, that always features obscenely talented entrepreneurs and changemakers.
In this episode, Kwaku Aning, Sarah Rose Siskind, and I share some of the great stories and great vibes from this year's conference, including:
Featured Voices:
And Pretty Please...
A quick debrief from Climate Week / UN General Assembly week, including:
Joining me from New York are:
And you can join all three of us (hi, I’m your host Dan Blumberg!) from October 7-9th at PopTech in Washington DC. It’s a great conference and I’ll be interviewing many of the technologists and futurists who will be on stage for future episodes of the podcast. If you’d like a discount code, DM me on LinkedIn or email me: dan@modernproductminds.com
What’s up with “the MIT study” that claims 95% of all AI pilots fail? Did anyone actually read it beyond the headline? (Dan did—and he has thoughts.)
Also: the good, the bad, and the quietly dystopian side of putting AI in kids’ classrooms.
And… are robots really the thing Melania should be worrying about?
That’s just some of what Kwaku Aning, return guest and founder of Retrofuturism, and I get into on this very lively, very bubbly, and very uncrafted edition of CRAFTED.
More new episodes—and a major update to the show—are coming soon. Subscribe in your favorite podcast app and get the newsletter at crafted.fm
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Come hang with us at PopTech
Come hang with us and see live recordings of CRAFTED., at PopTech!
PopTech is a “curator of what’s next” and this will be my third time at the conference. I keep going back because I get new ideas, new inspiration, and really get to know the attendees and speakers. This year’s talk’s include “A possibilist’s guide to the future”, “AI: In service to human(ity),” “Vibe coding for human rights” and more.
To see the full list of talks and speakers, see PopTech.org and if you’ve never been before and would like a discount, DM me on LinkedIn or email me: dan@modernproductminds.com
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Referenced in this episode:
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Like this episode?
You’ll also like my conversation with Khan Academy’s Chief Product & Learning Officer on what happens when AI becomes your tutor—and what it means for the future of learning.
Software is eating the world, right? We've all heard this phrase by now, but inventor and investor Pablos Holman has something important to add: “The world can't eat software.”
That’s why Pablos focuses on “deep tech”, i.e. how to invent new solutions to real world problems like energy, water, waste, construction, and sanitation. Pablos says we’re still mostly using version 1.0 technology for these fundamental systems, but recent advances, including AI and the ability to prototype and test in software, are enabling incredible innovation in hardware.
Pablos has worked with Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and more. He's kind of a mad scientist and in this episode we’ll discuss things that sound like science fiction, but that Pablos says are coming soon, such as solar panels in outer space that can beam clean energy down to earth, autonomous cargo ships blown by the wind across the ocean, and tiny nuclear reactors buried a mile underground that power the world above.
At Deep Future, Pablos is on a mission to solve the world's biggest problems, and he's hoping more people will make the jump that he did from software to hardware and into deep tech, because, as he says, “ all the people who've been building software their entire career, those are the ones who are going to save the world.”
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Chapters
02:25 Deep tech and why it’s so important
05:56 How Pablos became an inventor
07:44 Getting Blue Origin off the ground
11:35 Running an invention lab at Intellectual Ventures
13:40 Why solar panels in space will soon power Earth
16:46 Why all problems are energy problems
21:33 Better nuclear reactors are coming
28:25 How rapid iteration in software enables better hardware
31:35 An appeal to software people to get into deep tech — and save the world
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Links:
As AI models grow larger and more powerful, they promise incredible capabilities — but at what cost?
Karen Hao is an AI journalist and her new book, Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman's OpenAI, is a New York Times bestseller.
We discuss whether the largest AI models are worth their hefty footprint: They consume massive amounts of electricity and water and Karen argues that smaller models better balance cost vs. benefit.
Karen, who has reported for The Atlantic, MIT Technology Review, and the Wall Street Journal, will also provide a view of AI from outside — far outside — Silicon Valley. She’s reported on AI from across the Global South and says many there feel that AI is a new form of colonialism.
We’ll hear about the fight over data centers in Chile, how New Zealand’s Maori people are using AI to preserve their indigenous language, and why it’s a problem that AI can speak any language, but can only really be policed in a few.
(Our interview was first broadcast in October, while Karen was still writing the book, so we do not discuss her deeply sourced reporting from inside OpenAI.)
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CRAFTED. is produced by Modern Product Minds, where CRAFTED. host Dan Blumberg and team can help you take a new product from zero to one... and beyond. We specialize in early stage product discovery, growth, and experimentation. Learn more at modernproductminds.com
Subscribe to CRAFTED., follow the show, and sign up for the newsletter 👉 crafted.fm
AI-generated voices aren’t just realistic — they’re changing how brands, creators, and agencies bring ideas to life. In this episode, Wondercraft co-founder Oskar Serrander demonstrates how their “Canva for audio” is unlocking rapid prototyping for high-quality audio ads, content, and storytelling.
You’ll learn:
Oskar also shares his take on where generative AI is heading, why sameness is the enemy of brand, and what this all means for the next generation of creators.
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Subscribe to the CRAFTED. newsletter 👉 crafted.fm
See how Dan can help you discover, prototype, and launch better products 👉 modernproductminds.com
Kevin Smith is building a totally new kind of podcast app.
Snipd is an AI-native podcast app and building it required a few mindset shifts.
First, what even is a podcast? The way Kevin sees it, podcasts are knowledge. So where most podcast players are, as Kevin calls them, "repurposed music players", Snipd is designed to help you learn. As people listen to episodes, they, or an AI, can save “snips” or interesting moments that they want to remember or share. And the app will also help you review what you've heard, so it reinforces what you've learned.
A second mindset shift is how Kevin had to retrain his engineering brain to build with generative AI. He no longer thinks in if-then-else statements. Rather, he asks himself: How would an intern do it? And not just one intern, but infinite interns…
I learned a ton from the way Kevin thinks and builds, and you will too.
Plus, we discuss the future of podcasting, which looks pretty… weird. You'll talk back to your podcasts, hosts may be synthetic, and shows may not even be designed (at least initially) for human ears.
Chapters:
CRAFTED. listeners can try Snipd, and get a free month of the premium version, here.
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Subscribe to the CRAFTED. newsletter 👉 crafted.fm
See how Dan and Modern Product Minds can help you build better products and level up your product teams.
What is a good money habit in 2025? And how do you actually help someone build one—without boring them, shaming them, or losing them in the first five seconds?
Chief Product Officer Tim Hong shares how MoneyLion designs for emotion and creates content and products that inspire people to take action.
MoneyLion is a personal finance platform used by millions of mostly younger Americans who are just getting started with their money, so, as Tim says: “It's actually less about bad habits that we fight. It's about having no habits.”
Tim also shares how AI could create a truly personalized (1 of 1) financial advisor, why most financial apps are “like going to the DMV”, and how things like open banking and embedded finance can change that…
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Chapters:
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Looking for your next episode? Here’s another fintech one you might enjoy:
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For all CRAFTED. episodes and to subscribe to the CRAFTED. newsletter 👉crafted.fm
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Oh, and see how Dan and Modern Product Minds can help you build better products.
Fun news! The Webby Awards have honored CRAFTED. for the third year in a row as a top tech podcast. Thank you — yes, you! — for listening!
This episode features the highlight reel we gave the Webbys. It features great moments from 2024 episodes, including (listed in the order mentioned):
The full show archive is at crafted.fm, where I hope you'll also subscribe to the CRAFTED. newsletter.
And please share CRAFTED. with a friend. Just one. Text them right now!
Thanks... and onward!
On a rooftop at SXSW, fellow startup advisor and podcaster Rob Kenedi joins me as we discuss why:
Enjoy this uncrafted CRAFTED.!
And if you enjoy this more casual format, please share your feedback. DM me on LinkedIn or email me: dan@modernproductminds.com
Where to find Rob:
More CRAFTED.:
Linda Liukas is a programmer, children’s book author, and the creator of Hello Ruby, a whimsical series that teaches computing concepts through stories and play. She’s also the force behind a one-of-a-kind playground in Helsinki—designed to teach kids how computers work without them ever touching a screen.
In this episode, Linda shares why, especially with the rise of AI and code-writing copilots, we need to rethink the way we teach tech.
Linda, a.k.a. the “Mary Poppins of Computing”, is on a mission to bring more whimsy, creativity, and fearlessness to kids and grown-ups alike. Enjoy this very fun episode!
You’ll learn:
Chapters
Links & Resources
More on Dan and CRAFTED.
Educator, innovator, super-connector, and conference champion Kwaku Aning and I have coffee and discuss a few things that stuck us at SXSW, including:
Where to find Kwaku:
Where to find Dan and get more CRAFTED.:
How do you build a system for turning wild ideas into world-changing innovations? Astro Teller, Captain of Moonshots at X, The Moonshot Factory, has spent over 15 years leading Google’s audacious innovation lab—the birthplace of Waymo, Google Brain, and other breakthrough projects.
In this special episode, recorded live in Austin at SXSW, Astro shares the playbook to create a moonshot factory.
You’ll Learn:
🐵 The “Train the Monkey First” approach to innovation
🚀 Why audacity, humility, and intellectual honesty are key to moonshots
💡 How your org can get more 10x (not +10%) outcomes — and how to avoid the “innovator’s dilemma”
🔴 Why you should “greenlight everything” and then redlight most projects quickly, following kill criteria you’ve agreed to in advance
🌍 Where X is placing bets today, including climate-tech, modernizing the electric grid and bioengineering
Support CRAFTED.
What if we could deliver supplies anywhere, no roads or runways needed?
Elroy Air has built a really big drone. One that can carry 300 pounds of stuff 300 miles or more. And it takes off like a helicopter, but flies like a plane, meaning it can get in and out of all sorts of hard to reach places.
In this episode, we sit down with David Merrill, co-founder, executive chairman, and former CEO of Elroy Air, to explore how these hybrid-electric, vertical takeoff and landing aircraft are set to transform express delivery, humanitarian aid, and military logistics.
David shares the lean prototyping and rapid iteration strategies that helped bring Elroy Air’s vision to life, the biggest technical challenges they’ve tackled, and what the future of autonomous aerial logistics could look like.
Plus, we dive into the Jetsons-inspired origins of Elroy Air and whether flying taxis are still on the horizon.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
🚀 How Elroy Air’s Chaparral drone could redefine logistics
🔋 Why hybrid-electric propulsion is key to making cargo drones viable
🛠️ The power of physical prototypes and rapid iteration in hardware development
🌍 How autonomous air delivery could impact e-commerce, disaster relief, and defense
💡 What it takes to push the envelope—literally—in aviation innovation
Episode Highlights:
00:00 – Introduction
01:25 – The game-changing potential of autonomous cargo drones
04:30 – How David went from building digital games to big drones
07:30 – From concept to takeoff: Prototyping Elroy Air’s Chaparral
13:40 – Why hybrid-electric systems beat battery-powered drones for long-haul delivery
15:30 – Rapid prototyping of sub-systems
19:30 – Why David loves the intersection of hardware and software
20:44 – Flying cars, when!?
📩 Subscribe to the CRAFTED. newsletter! crafted.fm
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share with a friend who loves innovation! 🚁✨
CRAFTED. host Dan Blumberg will be at SXSW this year. Will you? If so, please reach out! DM me on LinkedIn or go to crafted.fm where you can email me. Let's get a taco!
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Software, hardware, and biotechnology are playing an increasingly transformative role in our mental health and wellness. On this episode of CRAFTED., recorded live on the “Next” stage at SXSW 2024, we discuss what investors look for in these new companies and how they separate what’s real — and what’s near-term — from what’s hype.
On stage with host Dan Blumberg are:
We’ll explore AI-powered tools for mental health, the new area of “enerceuticals” (energy replacing the “pharma”), psychedelics, and why what’s in your gut is so important to your mental state. Hear from investment experts who have a wide view of this growing startup landscape and better understand which new ventures are likely to succeed.
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Key Moments:
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CRAFTED. is produced by Modern Product Minds, where my team and I can help you take a new product from zero to one... and beyond. We specialize in early stage product discovery, growth, and experimentation. Learn more at modernproductminds.com
Subscribe to CRAFTED., follow the show, and sign up for the newsletter 👉 CRAFTED.fm
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Check out Tech Now, the free "podcast mixtape" that host Dan Blumberg curates on Hark. Each week, Dan selects and introduces great moments from other podcasts that speak to the latest on artificial intelligence and its implications, new product innovations, the relationship between the Trump administration and Big Tech, and much more.
Software is eating the world, right? We've all heard this phrase by now, but inventor and investor Pablos Holman has something important to add: “The world can't eat software.”
That’s why Pablos focuses on “deep tech”, i.e. how to invent new solutions to real world problems like energy, water, waste, construction, and sanitation. Pablos says we’re still mostly using version 1.0 technology for these fundamental systems, but recent advances, including AI and the ability to prototype and test in software, are enabling incredible innovation in hardware.
Pablos has worked with Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and more. He's kind of a mad scientist and in this episode we’ll discuss things that sound like science fiction, but that Pablos says are coming soon, such as solar panels in outer space that can beam clean energy down to earth, autonomous cargo ships blown by the wind across the ocean, and tiny nuclear reactors buried a mile underground that power the world above.
At Deep Future, Pablos is on a mission to solve the world's biggest problems, and he's hoping more people will make the jump that he did from software to hardware and into deep tech, because, as he says, “ all the people who've been building software their entire career, those are the ones who are going to save the world.”
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More on Pablos:
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Support CRAFTED.:
Deepfakes are getting easier and easier to make. So, how will we be able to believe that what we see and what we hear is real? And what can software makers do to help?
Sam Gregory is an expert on deepfakes, AI, and trust. He advises governments and tech companies on how they can protect human rights and how we can preserve our shared reality.
Sam is the executive director of WITNESS, an organization that helps citizens use video to foster social change. WITNESS has trained and supported citizen-journalists since the days of the camcorder through the smartphone era and now into the world of AI.
We discuss:
Chapters:
Links:
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Support CRAFTED.: