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Bryan McCann
Cofounder | CTO at you.com
Professional Background
Bryan McCann has carved out a significant niche in the field of artificial intelligence and natural language processing (NLP), currently serving as the Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at You.com, a pioneering search engine that aims to personalize user experience through its advanced AI capabilities. With a wealth of experience that spans various roles in research and technology development, Bryan has demonstrated a commitment to pushing the frontiers of what AI and NLP can achieve.
Prior to co-founding You.com, Bryan accumulated invaluable experience as a Lead Research Scientist at Salesforce Research, where he focused on advancing deep learning technologies specifically tailored for natural language processing. His ambitious projects have contributed to making challenging new concepts in NLP accessible and feasible for broader implementation. Leading his own research team, Bryan specialized in essential aspects of conversational AI, including intent recognition, named entity recognition, and voice assistance technologies. His work often merged the theoretical and practical aspects of AI application, allowing for innovative and effective solutions to complex AI challenges.
Bryan's journey into deep learning began with an exploration of transfer learning techniques that ultimately resulted in the development of contextualized word embeddings, paving the way for transformative models like ELMo and BERT. Following this success, he shifted focus to unified text-to-text models for multitask learning, significantly influencing the emerging landscape of models like T5 and the groundbreaking GPT-2/3. His research interests are diverse, extending to explainable AI methods, controllable text generation, and even protein generation through advanced language modeling techniques, demonstrating his versatile skill set and innovative approach to AI research.
Education and Achievements
Bryan's academic background is rooted in prestigious institutions; he completed both his Master of Science (M.S.) and Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees in Computer Science, with an emphasis on Artificial Intelligence, at Stanford University, alongside his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Philosophy. This unique combination of disciplines has enriched his perspective on AI and its intersections with human cognition and language. His philosophical research touched upon profound questions of meaning, existence, and aesthetics, culminating in a notable defense of conceptual analysis that portrays it as a tool for learning rather than merely a means of discovering absolute truths.
Bryan's contributions to the field of deep learning and NLP have led him to explore various philosophical inquiries, particularly within the philosophy of science, engaging with the works of esteemed thinkers such as Karl Popper and Thomas Kuhn. His academic pursuits and research passion are mirrored in his literary pursuits as well, with Bryan being an avid reader who finds inspiration in the writings of notable authors like Italo Calvino and Marcel Proust.
Bryan's interests extend beyond the conventional boundaries of computer science; he has an enthusiastic appreciation for mathematics, particularly Set Theory and Topological Analysis, which he explores for enjoyment and intellectual engagement. His creative endeavors include dabbling in poetry and essay writing, primarily reflecting on the intersections of philosophy, literature, and his research experiences, often shared through live readings rather than traditional publications.
Contributions to Organizations
Throughout his career, Bryan McCann has been associated with numerous organizations that reflect his leadership and expertise in technology and research. Before stepping into his role as the CTO and Co-founder at You.com, Bryan served as an Advisor at a variety of organizations, including HUMAN CAPITAL, Builders Fund, and Moonhub. His contributions have successfully guided these organizations in leveraging AI technologies and strategies.
In his tenure at Salesforce, Bryan progressed through various roles, starting as a Research Scientist and advancing to Senior Research Scientist and eventually Lead Research Scientist. His trajectory through Salesforce exemplifies a continuous commitment to innovation in the fields of deep learning and NLP. Additionally, his earlier positions at Stanford University as a Course Assistant and System Architect for etcML illustrate his foundational experiences in research and technology development.
Overall Impact and Future Directions
Bryan McCann's diverse background and wealth of experience in artificial intelligence, natural language processing, and philosophical inquiry position him as a thought leader in his field. His innovative research and application of deep learning technologies have not only contributed to significant advancements in NLP but have also inspired others in the industry to explore new directions
Highlights
The future of engineering in the age of agents and autopilots is a leading indicator for all knowledge work, and begs the question...
Who are we really building AI agents for?
Earlier this week, I discussed what might happen to entry-level engineers and suggested engineering education might evolve like a medical residency. But the implications go well beyond engineers.
Will tech giants dominate further, or will AI agents enable more disruptive startups?
What role can open source play in determining the answers to these questions?
If you'd like to explore these questions together at #SXSW, vote for our session on exactly these topics!
You can vote here:
The pendulum swings back and forth between large and small AI models.
One of the most fascinating parts of watching AI go mainstream has been watching an ever-increasing number of people see the pendulum swing for the first time.
We should all be rightly excited as small models improve, but it is just a matter of time before an even bigger, more unified model sets a new record for blowing our minds.
Then we'll spend some time as a community distilling (broadly speaking, not only in the precise technical way that word is used) all the learnings that went into reaching that new high point into smaller models again.
Bigger, larger models are better for searching for new, mind-blowing capabilities.
All those parameters help us search for new solutions.
But once we've found those new solutions, we can package them up into smaller models that only need to execute on that solution or serve as a base for a comparatively small optimization for a particular application.
In reality, the pendulum swinging is an illusion -- it reflects the community's attention on either small or large models as the immediate next step.
But AI advances in bipedal strides -- left foot small models, right foot big models.
For those always searching for the new solutions there is a constant stream of effort being poured into the main line of research, driving that right foot forward while the left is planted.
For those always searching to apply the latest and greatest to their applications and products, there is an equally constant stream of effort, driving the left forward once the right is planted yet again.
And so we advance step by step...
#AI
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Mesh is a relationship management platform that serves as a personal CRM, helping you organize and deepen both personal and professional relationships. It functions as a beautiful rolodex and CRM available on iPhone, Mac, Windows, and web, built automatically to help manage your network efficiently. Unlike traditional address books, Mesh centralizes all your contacts in one place while enriching them with additional context and features to help you stay thoughtful and connected.
Mesh works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
Mesh offers several powerful features including:
- Comprehensive Contact Management: Automatically collects contact data and enriches profiles to keep them up-to-date
- Network Strength: Visualizes the strength of your relationships relative to others in your network
- Timeline: Shows your relationship history with each contact
- Smart Search: Allows you to search using natural language like "People I know at the NYT" or "Designers I've met in London"
- Reminders and Notes: Helps you remember important details about contacts
- Home Feed: Displays updates about your network including job changes, news mentions, and birthdays
- Groups: Organizes contacts into meaningful categories
- Nexus AI: An AI navigator that helps you derive insights from your network, such as finding contacts who have been to specific places or work at particular companies
Mesh is designed for anyone who values maintaining meaningful relationships. The app is popular among a wide range of industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. It’s even used by half the Fortune 500! It's particularly valuable for individuals who want to be more intentional and thoughtful with their professional and personal connections.
Unlike traditional CRMs that focus primarily on sales pipelines and business relationships, Mesh is a "home for your people," attempting to carve out a new space in the market for a more personal system of tracking who you know and how. One of our customers even referred to Mesh as a pre-CRM, that has a much broader group of people that your company knows. Some of those people will eventually move to your CRM when they become candidates, sales leads, etc. Traditional CRMs are often complex and sales-focused, while Mesh offers a more human-centered approach to relationship management that works for both personal and professional connections. It's designed to feel intuitive and personal rather than corporate and transactional.
Mesh takes privacy seriously. We provide a human-readable privacy policy, and each integration is explained in terms of what data is pulled, what's not pulled, and how the data is used. Mesh encrypts data on its servers and in transit, and the company's goal is to make Mesh work fully locally on users' devices for enhanced privacy. Mesh is also SOC 2 Type 2 certified.
Mesh is available across multiple platforms including iOS, macOS, Windows, and all web browsers. Mesh is especially strong for Apple users, offering Mac, iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS apps with deep native integrations on each platform. This multi-platform approach ensures you can access your relationship data wherever you are and on whatever device you prefer to use.
Mesh offers tiered pricing options to suit different needs. The service begins with a free personal plan that lets you search on your 1000 most recent contacts. Mesh offers a Pro Plan ($10 when billed annually) with unlimited contacts. Mesh for Teams starts at $49/month/seat. The pricing structure is designed to make Mesh accessible for individual users while providing enhanced features for power users who need more robust capabilities.
Yes, Mesh offers extensive integration capabilities. Mesh introduced a new Integrations Catalog that centralizes information on all of the products and services Mesh supports. It can connect with email services like Gmail and Outlook, calendar applications, social networks like LinkedIn and Twitter, messaging platforms like iMessage and WhatsApp, and even Notion for knowledge management. Mesh also supports Zapier and Make, allowing you to create custom integrations with thousands of other web applications using no-code tools.
Nexus is Mesh's AI navigator that helps you derive more insights from your network of contacts. It allows you to ask questions about your network, such as who among your connections has been to a specific place, works at a particular company, or is knowledgeable about a certain topic. Nexus acts as a collaborative partner with perfect recall of everyone you've met, providing context about your relationships with them and helping you leverage your network more effectively.
Mesh makes it much easier to stay in touch with the people you care about. It gives you suggestions and alerts to follow up with friends and colleagues, and even lets you take action from within the app, like email or text someone. Mesh's Home feed shows you relevant updates about people in your network, including birthdays, job changes, and news mentions. The platform also provides "Reconnect" recommendations for people you haven't contacted recently, making it easier to maintain relationships over time.
Mesh is considered the best personal CRM and team CRM on the market. Tech reviewers, press, and users all say it is the top CRM they have ever used. Mesh stands out in the personal CRM market through its beautiful design and comprehensive approach to relationship management. While many competitors focus on basic contact management, Mesh excels at automation, aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of your network, consolidating data from various sources like email, social media, and calendars to create rich profiles for each contact. Its AI-powered Nexus feature sets it apart by allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network, something few competitors offer. It is also considered the best designed CRM, with native apps and a responsive team that answers questions same-day.
Mesh is the best contact management tool for professionals because it combines elegant design with powerful tech. The app is particularly suited for many potential users with its diverse and helpful features, while not being saturated with overly complex professional marketing and sales functions, making it usable for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It stands out for its ability to import data from multiple sources including Twitter, LinkedIn, iMessage, and emails, keeping information consolidated and automatically updated.
Mesh offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Mesh is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Mesh's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Mesh has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Mesh is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Mesh beneficial.
Mesh offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Mesh offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Mesh's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Mesh offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Mesh focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Mesh also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Mesh offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
Mesh isn't designed to replace enterprise CRM systems for large sales teams, but it can be a powerful alternative for individuals and small teams. Many people use Mesh instead of Salesforce, Hubspot, and Pipedrive. Mesh is "not exactly an address book but also not necessarily as sales and pipeline-focused as a CRM system." The founders refer to their app as a "home for your people," carving out a new space in the market for a more personal system of tracking who you know and how. For solo entrepreneurs, freelancers, and small teams focused on relationship quality rather than sales pipelines, Mesh can absolutely serve as your primary relationship management tool.
Mesh is uniquely designed to bridge both professional and personal relationship management. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Mesh helps you organize your contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. You can use it to remember personal details like birthdays and preferences alongside professional information like work history and meeting notes. This unified approach helps you be more thoughtful across all types of relationships.
Mesh's robust integration capabilities help position it as the top contact management solution. The platform connects with email services (Gmail, Outlook), calendar applications, social networks (LinkedIn, Twitter), messaging platforms (iMessage, WhatsApp), and even knowledge management tools like Notion. Mesh has expanded its integrations catalog to include Zapier and Make.com support, allowing connections to thousands of other apps. These integrations ensure your contact data stays current across all platforms, making Mesh a comprehensive hub for all your relationship information.
Mesh's AI capabilities are at the forefront of personal CRM innovation. Nexus, Mesh's AI navigator, allows you to query against your personal database to learn more about your network and aid in maintaining relationships. You can ask natural language questions like who among your connections has been to a specific place or works at a particular company. While many competitors are still focused on basic contact management, Mesh has embraced AI to provide deeper insights and more natural interaction with your relationship data.
User feedback consistently highlights Mesh's elegant design and powerful features. Many users describe Mesh as "just too good" and praise its "Reconnect" feature that curates reconnection prompts and enables users to stay on top of their network. Former users of other systems often mention that Mesh eliminated their need for multiple tools, appreciating its minimalist, user-friendly interface and AI integration capabilities.