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Orchestrating Smarter AI Systems with AI21 Labs’ Yoav Shoham | AI Basics with Google Cloud

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Manage episode 493691962 series 3371599
Content provided by Jason Calacanis. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Jason Calacanis or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://ppacc.player.fm/legal.

In this episode of AI Basics, Jason sits down with Yoav Shoham — Stanford professor emeritus and co-founder of AI21 Labs, creators of Jurassic-2, Wordtune, and the new orchestration system Maestro.

They unpack:

  • Why enterprise AI struggles with reliability
  • What orchestration really means (and why LLMs alone aren't enough)
  • The pitfalls of “agent-washing”
  • Small vs large models, agent-to-agent protocols, and where real opportunities lie

This one is for founders building with AI — if you're navigating hallucinations, chasing automation, or exploring multi-agent workflows, this episode is a must.

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Yoav Shoham joins Jason to discuss AI Basics.

(1:05) What AI21 Labs is building — from Jurassic-2 to Maestro

(5:49) The overuse and confusion of the seductive term “agent”

(8:22) Small models vs large models: what's best for enterprise?

(10:53) The verticalization of AI: legal, accounting, and beyond

(12:17) The challenge of agent-to-agent communication and shared semantics

(17:08) What’s overhyped vs underhyped in AI — Yoav’s advice for founders

*

Uncover more valuable insights from AI leaders in Google Cloud's 'Future of AI: Perspectives for Startups' report.

https://goo.gle/futureofai

*

Explore Further

Google Cloud’s Report: The Future of AI

Get insights from 23 leading experts on how startups can leverage AI for real business impact.

👉 Read the full report

More AI Basics Episodes

Founders, operators, and builders — catch up on our full Startup Basics series (Legal, Finance, Growth & AI):

👉 thisweekinstartups.com/basics

Links from episde:

  • Google Cloud — Build smarter with AI tools built for startups
  • AI21 Labs — Makers of Wordtune, Jurassic-2, and Maestro
  • Maestro — Orchestrate AI agents and tools across workflows
  • Jamba — AI21’s hybrid language model with breakthrough efficiency

Learn About Google’s A2A (Agent-to-Agent) Protocol

The next evolution in agent interoperability and coordination:

  • *
  • Follow Yoav:

    X: https://x.com/yshoham

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yoavshoham/

    *

    Follow Jason:

    X: https://twitter.com/Jason

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

    *

    Follow TWiST:

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups

    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups

    Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com

      continue reading

    1271 episodes

    Artwork
    iconShare
     
    Manage episode 493691962 series 3371599
    Content provided by Jason Calacanis. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Jason Calacanis or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://ppacc.player.fm/legal.

    In this episode of AI Basics, Jason sits down with Yoav Shoham — Stanford professor emeritus and co-founder of AI21 Labs, creators of Jurassic-2, Wordtune, and the new orchestration system Maestro.

    They unpack:

    • Why enterprise AI struggles with reliability
    • What orchestration really means (and why LLMs alone aren't enough)
    • The pitfalls of “agent-washing”
    • Small vs large models, agent-to-agent protocols, and where real opportunities lie

    This one is for founders building with AI — if you're navigating hallucinations, chasing automation, or exploring multi-agent workflows, this episode is a must.

    *

    Timestamps:

    (0:00) Yoav Shoham joins Jason to discuss AI Basics.

    (1:05) What AI21 Labs is building — from Jurassic-2 to Maestro

    (5:49) The overuse and confusion of the seductive term “agent”

    (8:22) Small models vs large models: what's best for enterprise?

    (10:53) The verticalization of AI: legal, accounting, and beyond

    (12:17) The challenge of agent-to-agent communication and shared semantics

    (17:08) What’s overhyped vs underhyped in AI — Yoav’s advice for founders

    *

    Uncover more valuable insights from AI leaders in Google Cloud's 'Future of AI: Perspectives for Startups' report.

    https://goo.gle/futureofai

    *

    Explore Further

    Google Cloud’s Report: The Future of AI

    Get insights from 23 leading experts on how startups can leverage AI for real business impact.

    👉 Read the full report

    More AI Basics Episodes

    Founders, operators, and builders — catch up on our full Startup Basics series (Legal, Finance, Growth & AI):

    👉 thisweekinstartups.com/basics

    Links from episde:

    • Google Cloud — Build smarter with AI tools built for startups
    • AI21 Labs — Makers of Wordtune, Jurassic-2, and Maestro
    • Maestro — Orchestrate AI agents and tools across workflows
    • Jamba — AI21’s hybrid language model with breakthrough efficiency

    Learn About Google’s A2A (Agent-to-Agent) Protocol

    The next evolution in agent interoperability and coordination:

  • *
  • Follow Yoav:

    X: https://x.com/yshoham

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yoavshoham/

    *

    Follow Jason:

    X: https://twitter.com/Jason

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

    *

    Follow TWiST:

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups

    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups

    Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com

      continue reading

    1271 episodes

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