ABCs for Building The Future
ABCs for Building The Future
Podcast Description
If we don't fully understand ourselves, then how can AI understand us?
Bootstrapping epistemicme.ai to solve this in the open, and giving you the nitty gritty behind-the-scenes details of startup life.
We feature founders, entrepreneurs, researchers, scientists, and builders interested in building a better future together. People doing big things with big stories to tell, from the frontlines. And we share our own story in real-time with radical transparency, of building this global open source venture in public.
Join. abcsforbuildingthefuture.substack.com
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast explores themes such as AI personalization, belief modeling, and human values in technology, with episodes delving into topics like hyper-personalization in health AI, the philosophical foundations of AI alignment, and the intersection of technology and personal growth.
If we don’t fully understand ourselves, then how can AI understand us?
Bootstrapping epistemicme.ai to solve this in the open, and giving you the nitty gritty behind-the-scenes details of startup life.
We feature founders, entrepreneurs, researchers, scientists, and builders interested in building a better future together. People doing big things with big stories to tell, from the frontlines. And we share our own story in real-time with radical transparency, of building this global open source venture in public.
Join.
In this episode, Robert and Jonathan recap their recent whirlwind tour through Sidebar (a product leadership conference) and Vitalist Bay (a longevity and biotech forum), where they stress-tested Epistemic Me’s product positioning, and made key partnerships.
This is a big Build In Public update + talk on Consciousness.
Key Takeaways:
* Epistemic Me’s positioning—“cohorts by belief, not by click”—resonated deeply with product leaders. It reframes personalization by focusing on the why behind user actions, not just the what.
* Robert and Jonathan used Sidebar and Vitalist Bay as live learning labs to refine positioning, messaging, and collect real-time feedback. Conferences weren’t just networking—they were epistemic wind tunnels.
* The idea of belief systems as UX primitives bridges deep philosophy with product design. Epistemic Me offers a toolkit for self-modeling, which can be applied to health, AI coaching, product growth, and more.
* Robert shares the powerful origin story of wanting to model his brother’s belief system to help treat his mental illness. This human angle grounds the tech in empathy and urgency.
* If AI is to understand us, we must first understand ourselves. Epistemic Me sees belief mapping as foundational to building aligned, ethical AI—and it’s inviting a community of builders to co-create that future.
Resources and Links
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Von_Neumann%E2%80%93Morgenstern_utility_theorem
Why Epistemic Me Matters
“How can AI understand us if we don’t fully understand ourselves?”
We solve for this by create programmatic models of self, modeling belief systems, which we believe are the basis of defense against existential risk.
In the longevity tech space, we create tools that meet users where they are, helping them make better decisions, form healthier habits, and align with their deepest values.
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Get Involved
Epistemic Me is building the foundational tools to make this vision a reality—and we’re doing it in the open. Here’s how you can join the movement:
* Check out the GitHub repo to explore our open-source SDK and start contributing.
* Subscribe to the podcast for weekly insights on technology, philosophy, and the future.
* Join the community. Whether you’re a developer, researcher, or someone passionate about the intersection of AI and humanity, we want to hear from you. Email me anytime!
FAQs
Q: Why does this matter for AI?A: Because without shared values, we can’t align AI. Belief systems that scale and unify are essential to building tools that serve humanity, not destroy it.
Q: What is Epistemic Me?
A: It’s an open-source SDK designed to model belief systems and make AI more human-aligned.
Q: Who is this podcast for?
A: Entrepreneurs, builders, developers, researchers, and anyone who’s curious about the intersection of technology, philosophy, and personal growth. If you’ve ever wondered how to align AI with human values—or just how to understand yourself better—this is for you.
Q: How can I contribute?
A: Visit epistemicme.ai or check out our GitHub to start contributing today.
Q: Why open source? A: Transparency and collaboration are key to building tools that truly benefit humanity.
Q: Why focus on beliefs in AI?A: Beliefs shape our understanding of the world. Modeling them enables AI to adapt to human nuances and foster shared understanding.
Q: How does Epistemic Me work?
A: Our open-source SDK uses predictive models to help developers create belief-driven, hyper-personalized solutions for applications in health, collaboration, and personal growth. Think of it as a toolkit for understanding how people think and making better tools, apps, or decisions because of it.
Q: How is this different from other AI tools?
A: Most AI tools are about predictions and automation. Epistemic Me is about understanding—building models that reflect the nuances of human thought and behavior. And it’s open source!
Q: How can I get involved?
A: Glad you asked! Check out our GitHub.
Q: Who can join?
A: Developers, philosophers, researchers, scientists and anyone passionate about the underpinnings of human beliefs, and interested in solving for AI Alignment.
Q: How to start?
A: Visit our GitHub repository, explore our documentation, and become part of a project that envisions a new frontier in belief modeling.
Q: Why open-source?
A: It’s about harnessing collective intelligence for innovation, transparency, and global community involvement in shaping belief-driven solutions.
P.S. If you haven’t already checked out my other newsletter, ABCs for Growth—that’s where I have personal reflections on personal growth related to applied emotional intelligence, leadership and influence concepts, etc.
P.S.S. Want reminders on entrepreneurship, growth, leadership, empathy, and product?
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