Divot

Ali Ansari is the founder and CEO of Micro1, the human data engine helping AI labs train foundational models and enterprises build better AI agents. With more than 5M people screened, Micro1 provides expert data, frontier evaluations, reinforcement learning environments, and contextual agent evaluations for the next generation of AI systems.
In this episode with Derek Andersen, Ali explains how large language models actually learn, why human judgment still drives AI progress, and why real-world company data may become one of the most valuable assets in the AI economy. He breaks down long-horizon tasks, compounding errors, post-training, AI agents, and the “infinite last mile” of intelligence.
Ali also shares what it feels like to build at the center of the San Francisco AI boom, why AI will create new categories of high-value jobs, and how his journey from immigrating to the U.S. from Iran to building Micro1 shaped his founder mindset. This is a conversation about AI, human expertise, and embracing the chaos of a once-in-a-generation technology wave.
Follow Ali - Instagram: https://x.com/aliansarinik
Follow Derek - X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/derekjandersen
Episode Partners:
Google for Startups
Grab the new Google for Startups Future of AI report at https://goo.gle/futureofgenmedia
Timestamps:
01:32 — Building Micro1 in the Center of the AI Boom
06:57 — A Once-in-a-Lifetime AI Opportunity
08:44 — How Micro1 Helps Train Smarter AI Models
10:43 — Why AI Models Never Stop Learning
14:56 — Why AI Still Needs Human Experts
17:49 — The Model Is Not the Product
21:23 — Who Wins and Loses in the AI Era
27:25 — When AI Agents Become Team Members
29:19 — The Talent War for AI Researchers
33:38 — Why Your Company Data Is Training AI
38:35 — From Iran to the American Dream
44:33 — Why Taking a Unique Path Can Win
48:04 — Embrace the Chaos
49:50 — Why AI Will Create New Jobs
53:02 — How Ali Measures His Life
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/divotdotorg
Hashtags:
#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #FutureOfWork #AIData #AIAgents #MachineLearning #Startups #DivotPodcast

Charlie Rocket believes your dream may already be done; time just has not caught up yet. In Part 2 of this conversation, the Dream Machine Foundation founder explains how the things that light you up can become a signal, a direction, and a reason to move before the world gives you proof.
In this episode with Derek Andersen, Charlie breaks down manifesting backwards, speaking the future before it exists, and building a winning streak in your mind. He shares why he walked away from a $15M business to chase becoming a Nike athlete, how writing things down makes the invisible feel real, and why words can shape the reality you move toward.
The conversation goes deeper into dreams, miracles, faith, identity, and the courage to live inside possibility. Charlie shows that life can change faster than most people think when you stop waiting for certainty and start acting from the future you believe is already on the way.
Follow Charlie - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charlie
Follow Derek - X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/derekjandersen
Episode Partners:
Google for Startups
Grab the new Google for Startups Future of AI report at https://goo.gle/futureofgenmedia
Timestamps:
01:32 — How to Find the Dream That Lights You Up
05:06 — Why Charlie Walked Away From a $15M Business
06:01 — How to Manifest Backwards
11:37 — Speaking the Future Before It Exists
15:53 — Charlie’s Nike Manifestation Story
17:19 — Why Writing Things Down Makes Dreams Real
19:28 — How to Start Seeing Miracles
22:23 — Derek’s Scotty Cameron Miracle Story
27:15 — You Weren’t Derailed, You Were Delivered
28:11 — The Pain That Built Charlie’s Success
36:25 — The Winning Streak That Changed His Life
37:35 — How to Overcome Hard Things
38:57 — Measuring Life in Possibilities
39:53 — What Charlie Hopes God Says
Follow Divot:
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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divotpod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@divotpod
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/divotdotorg
Hashtags:
#charlierocket #delusionaloptimism #manifestingbackwards #winningstreak #impossibledreams #dreammachine #manifestation #mindset #personalgrowth #reinvention #miracles #purpose #possibility #entrepreneurship #divotpodcast

Charlie Rocket helped create major cultural moments in hip hop, working with artists like 2 Chainz, contributing to Grammy-winning campaigns, winning an Emmy, and managing some of the biggest names in music. But after facing obesity, depression, burnout, and a brain tumor, Charlie reinvented everything: he lost 120 pounds, became a Nike athlete, ran across America, and turned Dream Machine Foundation into a global movement for impossible dreams.
In this episode with Derek Andersen, Charlie breaks down his Delusional Optimism Formula: how to turn pain into proof, proof into belief, and belief into action. He explains why the key to changing your life is building a winning streak in your mind, collecting constant proof that you are winning, and training yourself to see setbacks, rejection, and failure as signs that life is still working for you.
The conversation goes deeper into reinvention, identity, manifestation, gratitude, viral content, and the courage to believe your life can change faster than you think. Charlie shows that impossible dreams are not built by avoiding pain. They are built by turning every loss into momentum, every setback into a lesson, and every small win into proof that your dream is already on the way.
Follow Charlie - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charlie
Follow Derek - X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/derekjandersen
Episode Partners:
Google for Startups
Grab the new Google for Startups Future of AI report at https://goo.gle/futureofgenmedia
Timestamps:
00:00 — Charlie Rocket’s Delusional Optimism Formula
00:36 — From Hip Hop Success to a Life-Changing Brain Tumor
00:56 — Losing 120 Pounds and Becoming a Nike Athlete
05:08 — Why You Are Undefeated
09:28 — Turning Every Loss Into a Win
12:37 — What Delusional Optimism Really Means
17:33 — Proof Creates Delusion, Delusion Creates Action
30:02 — How to Become a Delusional Optimist
34:59 — How to Reinvent Yourself
35:33 — Kobe Bryant, Black Mamba, and the Alter Ego Effect
40:57 — Charlie’s Viral Content System
42:16 — 20M Views and 200K Followers in 45 Days
44:43 — How to Build a Winning Streak Every Morning
57:48 — How Fast Your Life Can Change
Follow Divot:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Divotpod
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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divotpod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@divotpod
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/divotdotorg
Hashtags:
#charlierocket #delusionaloptimism #nikeathlete #dreammachine #reinvention #mindset #manifestation #winningstreak #personalgrowth #impossibledreams #brainTumorSurvivor #entrepreneurship #founderjourney #motivation #divotpodcast

James Dumoulin built School of Hard Knocks into a 22M-follower business media empire by turning street interviews into a new form of financial education. By 23, he had interviewed 52 billionaires and major icons like Tom Cruise, Tom Brady, and Shaquille O’Neal, after once posting hundreds of times with almost no audience.
In this episode with Derek Andersen, James breaks down the creator economy, the pivot that changed everything, and how he mastered organic content, watch time, hooks, and distribution. He explains why the first 3 seconds decide whether a video survives, why quantity creates quality, and how founders can use content to build real business leverage.
The conversation goes deeper into rejection, courage, and credibility, from asking Mark Cuban for his first billionaire interview to scaling toward one of the biggest business media networks in the world. James shows what it really takes to earn attention before anyone gives you permission.
Follow James - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realjamesdumoulin
Follow Derek - X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/derekjandersen
Episode Partners:
Google for Startups
Grab the new Google for Startups Future of AI report at https://goo.gle/futureofgenmedia
Timestamps:
01:48 — How School of Hard Knocks Started
03:56 — 400 Posts With Only 50 Followers
04:41 — From $100K Months to $1M Months
06:15 — How Small Teams Can Win With Content
09:24 — The Only Metric That Matters Online
10:20 — Why the First 3 Seconds Decide Everything
13:03 — How Travel Shaped James’ Ambition
14:25 — Turning Rejection Into Fuel
15:41 — Interviewing 52 Billionaires by 23
15:52 — How James Got Mark Cuban
17:30 — Tom Cruise, Brady, Shaq, and Bigger Asks
20:08 — Why Business Takes Courage
20:50 — Building One of the Biggest Business Media Networks
Follow Divot:
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/divotdotorg
Hashtags:
#jamesdumoulin #schoolofhardknocks #contentcreation #goingviral #watchtime #entrepreneurship #businessmedia #founderjourney #creatoreconomy #divotpodcast

Justin Kan helped build Twitch into one of the most influential companies in internet history, changing gaming, streaming, and creator culture forever. After selling the company for nearly $1 billion to Amazon, becoming one of Silicon Valley’s most recognizable entrepreneurs and investors, Justin realized something uncomfortable: achievement alone does not create fulfillment.
In this episode with Derek Andersen, Twitch co-founder Justin Kan breaks down the hidden psychology behind ambition, money, status, comparison, and happiness. He explains why success quickly becomes your new baseline, why social media quietly destroys mental health, how gratitude journaling completely rewired his brain, and why many founders spend their lives chasing goals that never truly satisfy them.
The conversation goes deeper into identity, self-worth, and the emotional cost of ambition, why intrinsic motivation matters more than external validation, the traits Justin looks for in great founders, and why the next generation should build where nobody is looking yet.
Follow Justin - X (Twitter): https://x.com/justinkan
Follow Derek - X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/derekjandersen
Episode Partners:
Google for Startups
Grab the new Google for Startups Future of AI report at https://goo.gle/futureofgenmedia
Timestamps:
01:40 — Justin Kan’s Tattoo About Gratitude
02:46 — Why Success Still Creates Comparison
03:36 — Why Money and Fame Don’t Create Happiness
06:55 — Why Achievement Only Feels Good for a Moment
10:51 — The Habit That Rewired Justin’s Brain
16:39 — AI, Mental Health, and Social Media
18:10 — Why Justin Isn’t Chasing the AI Gold Rush
21:49 — The Founder Trait Justin Looks For Most
23:19 — Why Justin Invested $8 Million After a Cold Plunge
26:20 — Why You Shouldn’t Chase the AI Crowd
26:44 — The Next Big Frontier After AI
Follow Divot:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Divotpod
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/divotdotorg
Hashtags:
#justinkan #twitch #siliconvalley #entrepreneurship #startupfounder #mentalhealth #successmindset #founderjourney #personalgrowth #divotpodcast