Carmen Amo Alonso: Part 2 (AI Architectures and the Dynamics of Intelligence)

In the second part of my interview with the incredibly talented Carmen Amo Alonso we discuss her fascinating work at the intersection of AI and control, examining topics such as:

Using tools from control theory to analyse and design AI systems

Controlling large language models to guarantee a particular sentiment for their output

Using vision-language-action models to control robots using language

and a whole lot more!

You can find the transcript for this episode at: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ph1yaQuV_ybRM8h9rU5Uvmz9eB5Ar4HVhcBnc7b7zJ8/edit?usp=sharing

Follow the podcast on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/coffee-and-control-podcast/

Or connect with me directly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-hodgins-733a30175/

References

The architecture of language: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApC0AWWTajU

Diffusion models: https://the-principles-of-diffusion-models.github.io/

Skip connection paper: https://arxiv.org/abs/2410.10609

Review of state-space models in AI: https://arxiv.org/abs/2403.16899

3 Blue 1 Brown video on transformers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjZofJX0v4M

Dynamical systems framework paper: https://arxiv.org/abs/2405.15731

Designing sequence models: https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.09389v1

Controlling LLM output: https://arxiv.org/abs/2405.15454v3

Controllability of LLMs: https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.05637v1

Vision-language-action model paper: https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.05487v1

NARRATE: https://arxiv.org/abs/2403.10762

DEMONSTRATE: https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.12855v1

Domitilla Del Vecchio: https://meche.mit.edu/people/faculty/ddv@MIT.EDU

Biomolecular feedback systems book: https://www.fbswiki.org/wiki/index.php/Biomolecular_Feedback_Systems

Mathias Foo episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1G3vhRoeenTWRrEwauT0ne

inControl episodes: Mario di Bernardo: https://www.incontrolpodcast.com/1632769/episodes/19167890-ep44-mario-di-bernardo-from-circuits-to-cells-and-swarms-control-meets-complexity

Mustafa Khammash: https://www.incontrolpodcast.com/1632769/episodes/12648716-ep11-mustafa-khammash-cybergenetics

John Doyle: https://ieeecss.org/contact/john-doyle

InControl episode: https://www.incontrolpodcast.com/1632769/episodes/12841020-ep12-john-doyle-part-i-a-pioneer-s-guide-to-robust-control-the-past-present-and-future

Jerome Sieber: https://jerome.sieber.io/