The Aboard Podcast

AI Versus…Talking to People?

Problems with your boss? Why not fire up Claude and hit HR with a lengthy legalistic complaint? On this week’s episode, Paul and Rich look at the erosion of human-to-huma

Josh Tyrangiel: Media, Moats, and Middle School

All the investors are flocking to the Silicon Valley giants, but where is AI really making a difference on the ground? On this week’s episode, Paul and Rich welcome back

It’s Fun to Ship Software

It’s unrestrained summer fun, Paul Ford-style: Using AI tools to actually ship some software. On this week’s podcast, Paul shows Rich his recent vibe-coded project, Stell

Kate Lee: Can AI Replace Editors Like Me?

What would you do if your boss said he wanted your help to automate away your job? On this week’s episode, Paul and Rich are joined by Kate Lee, the editor in chief of th

Why Is It So Hard To Ship With AI?

AI has radically changed the way software is built—so why aren’t we seeing a glut of cool new products as a result? On this week’s episode, Paul and Rich browse recent ap

Tricia Wang: Verification and Trust in the AI Era

“Verification cannot belong to the verified.” On this week’s episode, Paul is solo in the host chair as he sits down with longtime tech researcher Tricia Wang, the co-fou

Karp Carping: Decoding Palantir's Whole Deal

It might sound like he’s ranting, but the Palantir chief is zeroing in on the truth of our AI moment. On this week’s episode, Paul and Rich break down Alex Karp’s recent

Father Brendan McGuire: Bringing AI to Church

How is Silicon Valley engaging with ethics and religion today—and how is the Catholic Church responding to AI? On this week’s episode, Paul and Rich welcome on Father Bre

AI Unicorns Don’t Exist

Silicon Valley “disruption” is at odds with the way software creation actually works—and that’s a problem. On this week’s podcast, Paul and Rich discuss Rich’s recent Abo

John Herrman: The Declawing of OpenClaw

OpenClaw sprung up overnight—and seemed to fade just as quickly. What does that suggest about AI more broadly? On this week’s podcast, Paul and Rich are joined in the stu

Traci Donnelly: Using AI to Make an Impact

How should nonprofits actually be using AI? On this week’s episode, Paul and Rich are joined in the studio by Traci Donnelly, the CEO of The Child Center of NY and the fo

LevAIthan? A Hobbesian Look at AI

Is the AI era destined to make our software lives nasty, brutish, and short? On this week’s podcast, Rich brings Paul the framing of “Hobbesian AI,” specifically from 17t

Eric Ries: Lean Startup to Tech Ethicist

Is it possible to build an incorruptible company in our current system? On this week’s podcast, Paul and Rich are joined in the studio by Eric Ries, the author of the 201

Challenge: Don’t Mention AI

Can two people who host a podcast subtitled “software in the age of AI” go half an hour without bringing up the term? On this week’s episode, Paul and Rich attempt to tal

Craig Mod: Vibe Coding Towards the Apocalypse

Sure, AI might bring on the end times—but you can use it to build your own tax software! On this week’s podcast, Paul and Rich are joined in the studio by Craig Mod, a wr

Kamal Menghrajani: The Limits of AI Healthcare

Doctors might be using AI to cut down on paperwork, but can these tools really be employed in clinical settings? On this week’s podcast, Paul and Rich sit down in the stu

Why AI Makes Things Worse for Enterprise Teams

Why are so few engineering teams reaping the benefits of AI? On this week’s episode, Paul presents Rich with the findings from a recent report from CircleCI and Thoughtwo

Andrew Marantz: What’s Wrong With Sam Altman?

What’s wrong with Sam Altman? Ask the guy who spent 18 months reporting on him. On this week’s podcast, Paul and Rich are joined by New Yorker staff writer Andrew Marantz

Breaking: Software Work Still Difficult

What does it take to make a really good product with AI tools? On this week’s podcast, Paul walks Rich through his recent adventures building a robust aggregated newslett

Andrew Leland: Hacking Disability with AI

“The blind vibe-coding revolution is upon us.” On this week’s podcast, Paul and Rich are joined by Andrew Leland, the author of the Pulitzer-finalist The Country of the B