Igor Jablokov: From a cave to IBM to Amazon/Alexa, then $160m+ at Pryon

Triangle Tweener Talks

If you ask Alexa who invented Alexa, she'll tell you it was Amazon.com. While that's kinda true, the Alexa foundation was developed by Igor Jablokov and his team at Yap, which was acquired by Amazon in 2011.

Today, we talk to Igor and get the entire story - from a childhood in a Greek cave to pioneering AI advancements that shape the way we interact with technology today. As the founder of Pryon and an early force behind Amazon Alexa, Igor has been at the forefront of AI for over two decades. That's right, two decades in AI.

In this episode, we hear about Igor's journey, the origins and vision for Pryon, the AI revolution, and his predictions for the next wave of technology.

Tune in to hear:

• Igor’s Unique Origins – Growing up in a cave in Greece and how his early encounters with nature shaped his interest in AI and communication.
• The IBM Years – Leading early AI teams at IBM and laying the groundwork for what would become Watson.
• Yap & The Birth of Alexa – How his startup, Yap, was acquired by Amazon and quietly became the foundation for Alexa.
• The Rise of Pryon – Why he started Pryon, what it’s solving, and how it’s different from mainstream AI players.
• The Future of AI – His bold predictions on AI’s role in business, national security, and even understanding dolphins.
• Navigating AI Hype vs. Reality – What’s real, what’s not, and where AI is actually headed.
• Lessons for Founders – Hard-earned wisdom on building a company, securing funding, and surviving the startup rollercoaster.

Where to Find Igor Jablokov:

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ijablokov/
• Pryon: https://www.pryon.com/

Where to Find Scot Wingo:

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thescotwingo/
• Tweener Times: https://www.tweenertimes.com/
• X: https://x.com/scotwingo

In this episode:

(00:03:00) From a Cave in Greece to AI Pioneer – How Igor’s early years shaped his curiosity about language and intelligence.
(00:10:21) Discovering Computers & Engineering – Learning to code on a Tandy Color Computer and choosing a career in tech.
(00:17:55) IBM & Early AI – Leading IBM’s AI team in the early 2000s and the technology that laid the groundwork for Watson.
(00:27:42) The Yap Story – Founding the first voice-to-text AI startup and working secretly with Apple on Siri.
(00:39:58) Amazon’s Surprise Acquisition – How Yap became the foundation for Alexa and why the deal almost didn’t happen.
(00:50:26) The Dream That Led to Pryon – The moment of inspiration that led Igor to start his next company.
(01:00:01) Raising $100M+ for Pyion – The challenges and wins in building a leading AI company in the Triangle.
(01:14:03) The Future of AI & AGI – Igor’s take on artificial general intelligence, AI risks, and ethical dilemmas.
(01:24:43) Why the Triangle is an AI Hub – The unique advantages of building AI startups in North Carolina.

In the news:

• Amazon Snaps Up Yap And Its Voice-Recognition Technology: https://techcrunch.com/2011/11/09/amazon-snaps-up-yap-and-its-voice-recognition-technology/
• Entrepreneur behind Amazon's Alexa shares why he chose the Southeast to launch his startup: https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2024/05/23/ibm-amazon-alexa-igor-jablokov-ai-raleigh-pryon.html
• Raleigh CEO wants to work with every Fortune 500 firm. And he just raised $100 million: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article279533049.html
• The founder who sold the startup that would become Amazon’s Alexa called Big Tech 'apex predators' and says that’s why everyone is scared of AI: https://fortune.com/2023/10/03/amazon-alexa-founder-big-tech-apex-predators-ai-regulation/

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Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented by Triangle Tweener Fund, and produced by Earfluence.

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Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/