Practical AI: Machine Learning, Data Science

Chris on AI, autonomous swarming, home automation and Rust!This episode is a special crossover between the Practical AI podcast and The Changelog podcast. Chris was recently invited by longtime friends Jerod Santo and Adam Stacoviak, cohosts of The Changelog, to join them on the show. They discuss AI, drones, robotics, swarming technology, and the rise of high-performance edge computing with Rust. Chris points out that open source software, small AI models, and affordable hardware are making home automation and local AI accessible to everyone. From automating household functions to experimenting with drones and single-board computers, Chris describes how hands-on maker projects are shaping a bright future for physical AI, on small budgets and right from the comfort of your own home. Featuring: • Jerod Santo – LinkedIn • Adam Stacoviak – LinkedIn • Chris Benson – Website • , LinkedIn • , Bluesky • , GitHub • , X Sponsors: • Miro – Get the right things done faster with Miro's Innovation Workspace. AI Sidekicks, instant insights, and rapid prototyping—transform weeks of work into days. No more scattered docs or endless meetings. Help your teams get great done at Miro.com • . • Shopify – The commerce platform trusted by millions. From idea to checkout, Shopify gives you everything you need to launch and scale your business—no matter your level of experience. Build beautiful storefronts, market with built-in AI tools, and tap into the platform powering 10% of all U.S. eCommerce. Start your one-dollar trial at shopify.com/practicalai Upcoming Events: • Register for upcoming webinars here • ! This week we have extended show notes below from Chris! Swarming & Fully Autonomous Multi-Agent UxV Systems Chris’s Definition of Swarming (anchor link in show notes) Chris’s definition of Swarming “Swarming occurs when numerous independent fully-autonomous multi-agentic platforms exhibit highly-coordinated locomotive and emergent behaviors with agency and self-governance in any domain (air, ground, sea, undersea, space), functioning as a single independent logical distributed decentralized decisioning entity for purposes of C3 (command, control, communications) with human operators on-the-loop, to implement actions that achieve strategic, tactical, or operational effects in the furtherance of a mission.” © 2025 Chris Benson Conceptual Foundations Swarm Robotics – Wikipedia • High-level overview of swarm robotics as decentralized robot collectives. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swarm_roboticsSwarm Robotic Platforms – Wikipedia • Survey of hardware platforms used in swarm robotics research. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swarm_robotic_platformsSwarm Intelligence – Wikipedia • Broader algorithms and theory behind collective intelligence (beyond robots). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swarm_intelligenceAnt Robotics – Wikipedia • Nature-inspired “ant-like” robotics as a special case of swarm robotics. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant_robotics Open Research & Multi-Robot Resources (Stepping-Stones Toward True Swarms) Programming Multiple Robots with ROS 2 (online book) • Free book on multi-robot systems, ROS 2, and the Robot Middleware Framework (RMF). https://osrf.github.io/ros2multirobotbookSimulation with ROS 2 & Gazebo (ROS 2 Humble tutorial) • Official tutorial on connecting ROS 2 to Gazebo simulation. https://docs.ros.org/en/humble/Tutorials/Advanced/Simulators/Gazebo/Gazebo.htmlSpawning Multiple Robots in Gazebo with ROS 2 • Hands-on tutorial to launch N robots in Gazebo, each with its own namespace. https://www.theconstruct.ai/spawning-multiple-robots-in-gazebo-with-ros2ROS 2 Multi-Robot Simulation Best Practices (Discourse thread) • Discussion of patterns for multi-robot systems (domains, namespaces, Nav2, etc.). https://discourse.openrobotics.org/t/multi-robot-simulation-best-practices/38987 Getting Hands-On: Consumer Robotics, ROS 2 & Gazebo ROS 2 (Robot Operating System 2) Official ROS 2 Documentation – Humble (LTS) • Main docs for ROS 2 Humble (recommended distro) with tutorials and APIs. https://docs.ros.org/en/humbleROS 2 Installation Guide (Humble) • Step-by-step install on supported platforms. https://docs.ros.org/en/humble/Installation.html“From Zero to Robotics Hero: A Beginner’s Guide to ROS 2” (article) • Beginner-friendly overview with ideas for where to go next (MoveIt, Nav2, multi-robot, etc.). https://riyagoja.medium.com/from-zero-to-robotics-hero-a-beginners-guide-to-ros-2-90ac9c3b87baROS 2 Tutorial for Beginners (2025 guide) • Up-to-date intro that walks you from install to simulating your first robot in 2025. https://www.timesofexplore.com/2025/10/ros2-tutorial-beginners-build-first-robot-2025.html Gazebo Simulation Gazebo Sim – Official Site • Modern Gazebo (Ignition) simulator; models, worlds, and docs. https://gazebosim.orgGetting Started with Gazebo (Docs) • Official “start here” guide for using Gazebo and Gazebo Fuel assets. https://gazebosim.org/docs/latest/getstartedClassic Gazebo Tutorials • (still useful for fundamentals) https://classic.gazebosim.org/tutorials micro-ROS (ROS 2 on Microcontrollers) micro-ROS – ROS 2 for Microcontrollers • Official site for running ROS 2 on tiny embedded boards. https://micro.ros.orgmicro-ROS GitHub Organization • Repositories, examples, and tutor...

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Are we in an AI bubble?Dan and Chris unpack whether today’s surge in AI deployment across enterprise workflows, manufacturing, healthcare, and scientific research signals a lasting transformation or an overhyped bubble. Drawing parallels to the dot-com era, they explore how technology integration is reshaping industries, affecting jobs, and even influencing human cognition, ultimately asking: is this a bubble, or just a fizzy new phase of innovation? Featuring: • Chris Benson – Website • , LinkedIn • , Bluesky • , GitHub • , X • Daniel Whitenack – Website • , GitHub • , X Links: Powell says that, unlike the dotcom boom, AI spending isn’t a bubble: ‘I won’t go into particular names, but they actually have earnings’ Sponsors: • Outshift by Cisco - The open source collective building the Internet of Agents. Backed by Outshift by Cisco, AGNTCY gives developers the tools to build and deploy multi-agent software at scale. Identity, communication protocols, and modular workflows—all in one global collaboration layer. Start building at AGNTCY.org • . • Shopify – The commerce platform trusted by millions. From idea to checkout, Shopify gives you everything you need to launch and scale your business—no matter your level of experience. Build beautiful storefronts, market with built-in AI tools, and tap into the platform powering 10% of all U.S. eCommerce. Start your one-dollar trial at shopify.com/practicalaiFabi.ai • - The all-in-one data analysis platform for modern teams. From ad hoc queries to advanced analytics, Fabi lets you explore data wherever it lives—spreadsheets, Postgres, Snowflake, Airtable and more. Built-in Python and AI assistance help you move fast, then publish interactive dashboards or automate insights delivered straight to Slack, email, spreadsheets or wherever you need to share it. Learn more and get started for free at fabi.ai Upcoming Events: • Join us at the Midwest AI Summit • on November 13 in Indianapolis to hear world-class speakers share how they’ve scaled AI solutions. Don’t miss the AI Engineering Lounge • , where you can sit down with experts for hands-on guidance. Reserve your spot today! • Register for upcoming webinars here • !

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