In the second part of my interview with the incredibly talented Carmen Amo Alonso we discuss her fascinating work at the intersection of AI and control, examining topics such as:

Using tools from control theory to analyse and design AI systems

Controlling large language models to guarantee a particular sentiment for their output

Using vision-language-action models to control robots using language

and a whole lot more!

You can find the transcript for this episode at: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ph1yaQuV_ybRM8h9rU5Uvmz9eB5Ar4HVhcBnc7b7zJ8/edit?usp=sharing

Follow the podcast on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/coffee-and-control-podcast/

Or connect with me directly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-hodgins-733a30175/

References

The architecture of language: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApC0AWWTajU

Diffusion models: https://the-principles-of-diffusion-models.github.io/

Skip connection paper: https://arxiv.org/abs/2410.10609

Review of state-space models in AI: https://arxiv.org/abs/2403.16899

3 Blue 1 Brown video on transformers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjZofJX0v4M

Dynamical systems framework paper: https://arxiv.org/abs/2405.15731

Designing sequence models: https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.09389v1

Controlling LLM output: https://arxiv.org/abs/2405.15454v3

Controllability of LLMs: https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.05637v1

Vision-language-action model paper: https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.05487v1

NARRATE: https://arxiv.org/abs/2403.10762

DEMONSTRATE: https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.12855v1

Domitilla Del Vecchio: https://meche.mit.edu/people/faculty/[email protected]

Biomolecular feedback systems book: https://www.fbswiki.org/wiki/index.php/Biomolecular_Feedback_Systems

Mathias Foo episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1G3vhRoeenTWRrEwauT0ne

inControl episodes: Mario di Bernardo: https://www.incontrolpodcast.com/1632769/episodes/19167890-ep44-mario-di-bernardo-from-circuits-to-cells-and-swarms-control-meets-complexity

Mustafa Khammash: https://www.incontrolpodcast.com/1632769/episodes/12648716-ep11-mustafa-khammash-cybergenetics

John Doyle: https://ieeecss.org/contact/john-doyle

InControl episode: https://www.incontrolpodcast.com/1632769/episodes/12841020-ep12-john-doyle-part-i-a-pioneer-s-guide-to-robust-control-the-past-present-and-future

Jerome Sieber: https://jerome.sieber.io/