AI in the Real World! How AI Predicts Human Behavior | Galvin Widjaja
In this episode of An Hour of Innovation podcast, host Vit Lyoshin welcomes Galvin Widjaja, founder and CEO of Lauretta.io, to explore how AI in the real world is moving far beyond simple people-counting. Galvin explains how his company uses computer vision AI and non-biometric tracking to understand human behavior in physical spaces like malls, airports, and casinos, not by recognizing faces, but by interpreting context and intent.
He shares striking examples of how AI can infer suspicious behavior even without directly observing it, such as identifying someone planting a bomb based on patterns of movement. We also dive into retail applications, where AI uncovers hidden customer demand, and security use cases, where AI serves as an “extra pair of eyes” for human guards in high-risk areas.
Galvin pulls back the curtain on casino surveillance, describing why casinos are the most heavily monitored spaces in the world and how AI helps detect subtle cheating behaviors. He also looks ahead to the rise of embodied AI, including robot dogs in homes, which raises urgent questions about privacy and ethics. Importantly, Galvin explains why Lauretta.io was designed to “forget who you are” by default, ensuring that identity is never stored unless legally required or consent is given.
Beyond technology, Galvin introduces his thin vs thick AI framework, a lens for understanding why most AI startups will fail if they depend too heavily on a single public model. Instead, success comes from building layered systems that can scale, differentiate, and remain relevant as AI evolves.
This conversation highlights the promise and challenges of predictive AI, AI ethics, and the future of surveillance. Whether you’re interested in security, retail analytics, or the entrepreneurial side of AI innovation, Galvin’s insights reveal what it really takes to build responsible, future-proof technology.
Galvin Widjaja is the founder and CEO of Lauretta.io, an AI company that focuses on understanding human experiences in physical spaces through computer vision and non-biometric tracking. His background spans finance, consulting, and data optimization, which led him to spot early opportunities in AI surveillance and intent-based analytics. With a deep focus on AI ethics and privacy, Galvin is helping shape how predictive AI will be adopted in industries from retail to security. He also shares his advice for AI founders, thin vs thick AI, and why most AI startups will fail if they don’t choose wisely.
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Takeaways
- AI in the real world is shifting from counting people to predicting human intent.
- Context matters: the same action means different things in different places.
- The AI technology can infer behavior, like spotting someone planting a bomb, even if the act isn’t seen.
- Retail use cases: understanding shopping behavior, hidden demand, and improving mall analytics.
- Security use cases: airports, public spaces, and casinos with thousands of surveillance cameras.
- AI acts as an assistant to human security guards, extending their attention span.
- Lauretta.io is built to forget identities by design, prioritizing privacy and ethics.
- Consent is key: identity is only linked when explicitly given or under legal security boundaries.
- Embodied AI is coming, think robot dogs in homes that track movement and behavior.
- Future AI will make intent detection more precise, but it raises ethical questions about preventive security.
- Galvin stresses the importance of responsible AI design to avoid privacy abuses.
- Galvin introduces the Thin vs Thick AI concepts: startups built on single models vs layered systems.
- Most AI startups will fail if they rely too heavily on one public model.
- Successful AI companies must focus on fundamental technology and long-term differentiation.
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
01:04 Galvin’s Journey into AI
06:52 Ads
08:06 AI in the Real World: Understanding Human Experience
14:23 Lauretta.io Technology: Computer Vision & Non-Biometric Tracking
18:06 Context Matters: How AI Predicts Human Intent
22:53 AI for Retail vs Security: Business Insights & Threat Detection
27:32 Casino Surveillance: The Ocean’s Eleven of AI
33:11 Robot Dogs, Embodied AI & The Future of Surveillance
39:06 Ethics and Privacy: Why Lauretta.io Forgets Who You Are
43:25 The Future of Predictive AI & Security
48:00 Advice for AI Founders & Innovators
Connect with Galvin
- Website: https://lauretta.io/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/galvinw/
- X: https://x.com/galvinw
Connect with Vit
- Website: https://vitlyoshin.com/contact/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vit-lyoshin/
- X: https://x.com/vitlyoshin
Vit’s Other Project
- Podcast: https://www.anhourofinnovation.com/
