Technical advances in document understanding

Technical advances in document understanding

Author: Practical AI LLC December 2, 2025 Duration: 49:18

Chris and Daniel unpack how AI-driven document processing has rapidly evolved well beyond traditional OCR with many technical advances that fly under the radar. They explore the progression from document structure models to language-vision models, all the way to the newest innovations like Deepseek-OCR. The discussion highlights the pros and cons of these various approaches focusing on practical implementation and usage.

Featuring:

Sponsors:

  • Shopify – The commerce platform trusted by millions. From idea to checkout, Shopify gives you everything you need to launch and scale your business—no matter your level of experience. Build beautiful storefronts, market with built-in AI tools, and tap into the platform powering 10% of all U.S. eCommerce. Start your one-dollar trial at shopify.com/practicalai
  • Fabi.ai - The all-in-one data analysis platform for modern teams. From ad hoc queries to advanced analytics, Fabi lets you explore data wherever it lives—spreadsheets, Postgres, Snowflake, Airtable and more. Built-in Python and AI assistance help you move fast, then publish interactive dashboards or automate insights delivered straight to Slack, email, spreadsheets or wherever you need to share it. Learn more and get started for free at fabi.ai
  • Framer – Design and publish without limits with Framer, the free all-in-one design platform. Unlimited projects, no tool switching, and professional sites—no Figma imports or HTML hassles required. Start creating for free at framer.com/design with code `PRACTICALAI` for a free month of Framer Pro.

Upcoming Events: 


There's a lot of noise out there about artificial intelligence, but cutting through the hype to find what's genuinely useful can be a challenge. That's the space where Practical AI operates. Hosted by the team at Practical AI LLC, this technology podcast moves beyond abstract theory to explore how AI, machine learning, and large language models are actually being applied right now. Each episode features unscripted conversations with a diverse mix of experts, developers, business leaders, and curious minds. You'll hear tangible discussions about implementing machine learning systems, the realities of MLOps, the evolution of neural networks, and the practical implications of breakthroughs in deep learning and GANs. The dialogue is grounded in real-world scenarios, focusing on how these technologies solve problems, drive productivity, and create value in accessible ways. Whether you're a professional building models, a business person integrating AI tools, or an enthusiast eager to understand the landscape, this podcast offers a clear, conversational entry point. It’s about making sense of a complex field through the lens of practical application, demystifying the concepts that are shaping our world without losing sight of how they work on the ground.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Practical AI
Podcast Episodes
Tiny Recursive Networks [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:23
In this fully connected episode, Daniel and Chris explore the emerging concept of tiny recursive networks introduced by Samsung AI, contrasting them with large transformer based models. They explore how these small model…
Dealing with increasingly complicated agents [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:56
As AI systems move from simple chatbots to complex agentic workflows, new security risks emerge. In this episode, Donato Capitella unpacks how increasingly complicated architectures are making agents fragile and vulnerab…
The impact of AI on the workforce: A state-level case study [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:04
Daniel sits down with Chelsea Linder, VP of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at TechPoint, to explore the what AI innovation and impact look like on the ground. They discuss Chelsea's journey from the VC world into econom…
We've all done RAG, now what? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:35
Longtime friend of the show Rajiv Shah returns to unpack lessons from a year of building retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) pipelines and reasoning models integrations. We dive into why so many AI pilots stumble, why e…
Creating a private AI assistant in Thunderbird [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:08
In this episode, Daniel and Chris are joined by Chris Aquino, software engineer at Thunderbird to hear the story of how they developed a privacy-preserving AI executive assistant. They discuss various design decisions in…
Cracking the code of failed AI pilots [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:44
In this Fully Connected episode, we dig into the recent MIT report revealing that 95% of AI pilots fail before reaching production and explore what it actually takes to succeed with AI solutions. We dive into the importa…
GenAI risks and global adoption [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:20
Daniel and Chris sit with Citadel AI’s Rick Kobayashi and Kenny Song and unpack AI safety and security challenges in the generative AI era. They compare Japan’s approach to AI adoption with the US’s, and explore the impl…
Inside America’s AI Action Plan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:52
Dan and Chris break down Winning the Race: America's AI Action Plan, issued by the White House in July 2025. Structured as three "pillars" — Accelerate AI Innovation, Build American AI Infrastructure, and Lead in Interna…
Confident, strategic AI leadership [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:40
Allegra Guinan of Lumiera helps leaders turn uncertainty about AI into confident, strategic leadership. In this conversation, she brings some actionable insights for navigating the hype and complexity of AI. The discussi…
Educating a data-literate generation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:41
Dan sits down with guests Mark Daniel Ward and Katie Sanders from The Data Mine at Purdue University to explore how higher education is evolving to meet the demands of the AI-driven workforce. They share how their progra…