Richard (Rich) Crane is the host of Inventing Fire with AI, a podcast that explores the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on innovation, creativity, and modern technology. As Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of MILL5, a Boston-based consulting firm, Rich brings over three decades of experience in software engineering, cloud architecture, and AI-driven solutions.

Before founding MILL5, Rich honed his expertise at Microsoft, where he contributed to advanced technology initiatives. His career includes leading complex projects for major organizations such as Fidelity, eBay, Staples, BP, and State Street, focusing on areas like AI/ ML, IoT, microservices, and cloud-native applications.

Rich is a SQL Server Certified Master and a recipient of the 2024 Microsoft MVP award, recognizing his exceptional technical leadership in the Microsoft community . He is also a published author, frequent public speaker, and former adjunct professor at Drexel University.

Through the Inventing Fire with AI podcast, Rich shares his passion for leveraging AI to drive innovation, offering insights that bridge the gap between emerging technologies and real-world applications.