Episode 1: Prof. Dave Patterson (UC Berkeley) — What Powers the AI Revolution?

Before there are chatbots, before there are models, before there is AI — there are builders. In this episode, Nolan speaks with Professor Dave Patterson of University of California, Berkeley, one of the most influential computer engineers in the world and a pioneer of RISC architecture — the design approach behind most modern computing systems. Patterson explains how hardware quietly powers every AI breakthrough, why compute and energy are becoming the real constraints, and how the structure of machines shapes what AI can and cannot become. This conversation breaks down the invisible layer beneath AI — and why understanding it matters.In this episode:Hardware as the hidden foundation of AIThe RISC revolution and why simplicity wonAI as both a scientific race and an economic gold rushWhere AI lives: cloud vs. edgeCompute and energy as emerging limitsCentralization vs. distribution of AI powerBuilders vs. users — and why expertise still matters