In TechSurge’s Season 1 Finale episode, we explore an important debate: should AI development be open source or closed?
AI technology leader and UN Senior Fellow Senthil Kumar joins Michael Marks for a deep dive into one of the most consequential debates in artificial intelligence, exploring the fundamental tensions between democratizing AI access and maintaining safety controls.
Sparked by DeepSeek's recent model release that delivered GPT-4 class performance at a fraction of the cost and compute, the discussion spans the economics of AI development, trust and transparency concerns, regulatory approaches across different countries, and the unique opportunities AI presents for developing nations.
From Meta's shift from closed to open and OpenAI's evolution from open to closed, to practical examples of guardrails and the geopolitical implications of AI governance, this episode provides essential insights into how the future of artificial intelligence will be shaped not just by technological breakthroughs, but by the choices we make as a global community.
If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe and leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform. Sign up for our newsletter at techsurgepodcast.com for updates on upcoming TechSurge Live Summits and news about Season 2 of the TechSurge podcast. Thanks for listening!
Links:
Slate.ai - AI-powered construction technology: https://slate.ai/
World Economic Forum on open-source AI: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/02/open-source-ai-innovation-deepseek/
EU AI Act overview: https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/european-approach-artificial-intelligence
What is TechSurge: Deep Tech VC Podcast?
The TechSurge: Deep Tech VC Podcast explores the frontiers of emerging tech, venture capital, and business trends, with conversations tailored for entrepreneurs, technologists, and investment professionals. Presented by Celesta Capital, and hosted by Founding Partners Nic Brathwaite, Michael Marks, and Sriram Viswanathan. Send feedback and show ideas to techsurge@celesta.vc.
Each discussion delves into the intersection of technology advancement, market dynamics, and the founder journey, offering insights into the vast opportunities and complex challenges ahead. Episode topics include AI, data center transformation, blockchain, cyber security, healthcare innovation, VC investment trends, tips for first-time founders, and more.
Tune in to hear directly from Silicon Valley leaders, daring new founders, and visionary thinkers. Past guests include investor Vinod Khosla, former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, the Global Head of McKinsey, and executive leaders from Microsoft, OpenAI, and other leading tech companies.
New episodes release every two weeks. Visit techsurgepodcast.com for more details and to sign up for our newsletter and other content!