Generative AI 101
Welcome to Generative AI 101, your go-to podcast for learning the basics of generative artificial intelligence in easy-to-understand, bite-sized episodes. Join host Emily Laird, AI Integration Technologist and AI lecturer, to explore key concepts, applications, and ethical considerations, making AI accessible for everyone.
Episodes

Monday Jun 24, 2024
What is a Transformer?
Monday Jun 24, 2024
Monday Jun 24, 2024
In this episode, we discover the fascinating world of Transformers. Imagine it's the early days of AI, with RNNs and LSTMs doing the heavy lifting, but struggling with long-range dependencies like forgetful grandparents. Enter the Transformer model—a revolutionary architecture introduced in 2017 by Google’s "Attention is All You Need" paper. Transformers handle long-range dependencies and process data in parallel, making them incredibly efficient. We'll break down their key components like self-attention, positional encoding, and multi-head attention, showing how they transformed the AI landscape. Tune in to discover why Transformers are the shiny new sports car of AI models.
Connect with Emily Laird on LinkedIn

Friday Jun 21, 2024
Deep Learning Mini Series: What are Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs)?
Friday Jun 21, 2024
Friday Jun 21, 2024
In this episode of our deep learning mini-series, we explore Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs). Imagine reading a mystery novel, keeping track of all the clues and characters—RNNs are like your super-intelligent reading buddy, remembering past events to make sense of the present. Perfect for processing sequences of data like text and speech, RNNs are valuable where context matters. We’ll explore their key components, such as recurrent layers and hidden states, and see real-world applications from language translation to financial forecasting. Connect with Emily Laird on LinkedIn

Thursday Jun 20, 2024
Deep Learning Mini Series: What are Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs)?
Thursday Jun 20, 2024
Thursday Jun 20, 2024
In our latest deep learning mini-series episode, we unravel the mysteries of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs). Imagine you're at an art gallery with a robot that can analyze every brushstroke and tell you what the artist had for breakfast. That’s CNNs for you—the eagle-eyed inspectors of the neural network family, adept at interpreting visual data. We’ll examine their key components, such as convolutional, pooling, and fully connected layers, and explore real-world applications from facial recognition to self-driving cars. Tune in to understand how CNNs transform AI by making sense of the visual world with stunning accuracy.
Connect with Emily Laird on LinkedIn

Wednesday Jun 19, 2024
Deep Learning Mini Series: What is a Neural Network?
Wednesday Jun 19, 2024
Wednesday Jun 19, 2024
In this episode of Generative AI 101, we kick off our deep learning mini-series with Neural Networks 101. Think of neural networks as the brain behind the operation, minus the forgetfulness. We’ll break down the basics, from neurons and layers to weights and biases, and explain how these algorithms mimic the human brain. We’ll also dive into real-world applications like voice assistants, self-driving cars, and spam filters. Join us for an entertaining and insightful journey into the foundational elements of neural networks.Connect with Emily Laird on LinkedIn

Tuesday Jun 18, 2024
Machine Learning Mini Series - What is Reinforcement Learning?
Tuesday Jun 18, 2024
Tuesday Jun 18, 2024
In this episode of our machine learning mini-series, we explore the world of Reinforcement Learning (RL). Think of RL as the rebellious teenager of the machine learning family, eager to learn through trial and error. We’ll break down the basics: from agents and environments to actions, rewards, and policies. Using engaging analogies like training a dog or a game show contestant, we’ll explore real-world applications, including self-driving cars, video games, robotics, and marketing. Plus, we'll discuss the challenges of balancing exploration with exploitation and the hefty data requirements that make RL both fascinating and formidable.
Connect with Emily Laird on LinkedIn

Monday Jun 17, 2024
Machine Learning Mini Series - What is Unsupervised Learning?
Monday Jun 17, 2024
Monday Jun 17, 2024
Join us as we explore unsupervised learning in our Machine Learning mini-series. Imagine being at a lively party, figuring out who’s who without any introductions—that’s unsupervised learning in action. This episode covers how algorithms identify patterns and group data without labeled examples. We’ll dig into key applications like customer segmentation, fraud detection, and more. Tune in to discover how this versatile tool uncovers hidden insights in data, making sense of the chaos in innovative and practical ways.
Connect with Emily Laird on LinkedIn

Friday Jun 14, 2024
Machine Learning Mini Series - What is Supervised Learning?
Friday Jun 14, 2024
Friday Jun 14, 2024
Let's continue our Machine Learning mini series by exploring the fascinating world of supervised learning. Imagine training a puppy—teaching it commands with treats, the really good kind. That's the essence of supervised learning: using labeled data (input-output pairs) to train algorithms to make accurate predictions on new data. Learn key aspects like labeled training data, the learning process, and prediction on new data, drawing analogies to make complex concepts accessible. Explore applications such as fraud detection, spam filtering, recommendation systems, speech recognition, and self-driving cars. Tune in to understand how supervised learning is the secret sauce behind many AI technologies we use every day.
Connect with Emily Laird on LinkedIn

Thursday Jun 13, 2024
Machine Learning Mini Series - What is Machine Learning?
Thursday Jun 13, 2024
Thursday Jun 13, 2024
Let's demystify the captivating world of machine learning - in this first of a mini series on machine learning! Discover the differences between AI and machine learning, explore how algorithms work, and see real-world applications like Netflix recommendations and self-driving cars come to life. Whether you're an AI enthusiast or just curious about the tech revolutionizing our world, this episode is packed with engaging insights and practical examples. Tune in to understand how machine learning learns, improves, and shapes our everyday lives—one data point at a time!
Connect with Emily Laird on LinkedIn

Wednesday Jun 12, 2024
Decoding AI, Machine Learning, and Deep Learning
Wednesday Jun 12, 2024
Wednesday Jun 12, 2024
Have you ever wondered what distinguishes AI from machine learning or deep learning? By the end of this episode, you’ll not only have a clear understanding of these pivotal terms but also be equipped to dazzle your peers with your newfound insights.
Episode Highlights:
Artificial Intelligence (AI): Discover how AI, the master chef of the tech kitchen, orchestrates everything from your smart home devices to sophisticated humanoid robots.
Machine Learning: Delve into how machine learning, the proficient sous-chef, learns from vast datasets to enhance its performance without explicit programming.
Deep Learning: Explore the realm of deep learning, the culinary genius capable of creating intricate and accurate predictions through neural networks.
Connect with Emily Laird on LinkedIn

Monday Jun 10, 2024
A History of Generative AI
Monday Jun 10, 2024
Monday Jun 10, 2024
This week we explore the fascinating evolution of generative AI, from its origins with the Turing Test to the transformative advancements in neural networks, GANs, and transformers. Discover how these breakthroughs have integrated AI into our daily lives, revolutionizing fields like healthcare, education, and entertainment.
I want to hear from you!
Connect with Emily Laird on LinkedIn

Lecturer + Speaker
Transform your business with Emily Laird's captivating presentation on Generative AI. An AI expert and dynamic speaker, Emily breaks down complex concepts with ease and entertainment. Perfect for businesses and organizations eager to discover AI's potential.







