RAG is everywhere. But will it last forever? Startups are leading the charge in adopting and operationalizing large language models. As the Head of AI for Microsoft for Startups and former CTO, Rob Ferguson has worked with hundreds of top startup founders in Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) to uncover future directions in AI development and what comes after the RAG of today.
This talk will explore how the best startups are building AI right now, the changing landscape of LLM operations, and what lies beyond RAG. We’ll dive into insights from industry leaders and examine the next wave of AI innovation, offering a glimpse into the future of AI technologies and their transformative potential for the startup ecosystem, so you can stay ahead of the curve.
Rob is the Head of AI, Microsoft for Startups, where he helps the world's best startups leverage AI to grow their businesses.
A cloud veteran and tech exec with over 20 years of AI/ML experience, Rob has served as CTO and VPE for two Y Combinator startups, raising more than $150M+ and achieving two exits.
Notably, as CTO of Automatic Labs, he built 4.5+ star products available at Apple and Best Buy Stores, which led to a top 10 Y Combinator exit to SiriusXM.
Before joining Microsoft, Rob held the position of Global Head of AI/ML for AWS Startups and Venture Capital, leading a worldwide team of industry experts and developing Generative AI strategy.