What’s Inside

• Why I’m taking The Venture Variety Show to the TechEquity Ai Summit

• What could possibly go wrong recording at a crowded conference?

• The kinds of AI stories I hope to report on

Welcome back to In the Viewfinder, where I share a behind-the-scenes look at how my stories and podcasts take shape.

Next month, I’m trading my at-home office setup for a backpack and a conference badge.

I’m going to the TechEquity Ai Summit on November 7–8 at Plug and Play Tech Center in Sunnyvale, an event all about democratizing AI and exploring how it’s changing the way we work, build and think.

The lineup looks solid, with sessions on AI in startups, healthcare and smart cities; workshops on large language models and low-code tools; and an Unconference where the crowd drives the conversation.

It’s part conference, part experiment in community-driven AI discussion, which makes it the perfect setting to test something of my own: taking The Venture Variety Show on the road.

I’ve done my share of virtual interviews, but there’s something different about pulling people aside between panels for quick “on-the-street” chats. I’ve done that before for clients at AGMs and private events, and I know the most honest insights often come from those unscripted moments that never make it into the official agenda.

So, I’ll be setting up short recordings with speakers and attendees to talk about how AI is shaping work and inclusivity. I’m bringing two mics, a couple of cameras and a lot of curiosity.

I’ve done some testing at home and with the dog and cats working as stand-ins, and I’m optimistic so far.

I’m especially interested in how people at TechEquity Ai Summit define “AI for everyone.” Is it about who builds AI tools, who gets access to them or who benefits once they’re deployed? My bet is that I’ll hear a little bit of everything.

If you’re there, come find me. I’ll be the 6’-1” guy in glasses, guy holding a mic and looking for a quiet corner in a busy lobby.

In an upcoming In the Viewfinder, I’ll hopefully share what I learned from those hallway conversations, the candid moments, surprises and maybe a few clips from the road (for paid subscribers).

In the meantime, I’ll be testing mic setups and doing my best to make event lobby conversations sound good. Wish me luck.

Alastair Goldfisher Independent Journalist

I’m an independent journalist and podcaster focused on startup and venture capital trends, as well as storytelling and how AI is reshaping business and work. I host "The Venture Variety Show" and "The AI Cognitive Shift" podcasts, and I write "The Venture Lens" newsletter on Substack and Medium. I’ve spent 30 years in business journalism, covering Silicon Valley and beyond for outlets like Venture Capital Journal, Reuters, PEHub and Silicon Valley Business Journal. Today, I also help founders and investors sharpen their stories through media training and content consulting. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, stay curious about tech and people, and I always welcome a good conversation.