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Chamath: US AI Startups Can Learn A Lot from DeepSeek

February 02, 202500:56
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this is a case where necessity was the
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mother of
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invention these guys were like well how
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am I going to do this reinforcement
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learning thing they invented a totally
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different algorithm it uses a lot less
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computer memory and it's highly
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performant and then the second thing
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that was crazy is everybody is used to
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building models and compiling through
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Cuda which is nvidia's proprietary
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language and these guys worked totally
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around Cuda and they did something
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called PTX which goes right to the bare
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metal we meaning the West with all the
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money that we've had didn't come up with
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these ideas and I think part of why we
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didn't come up is not that we're not
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smart enough to do it but we weren't
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forced to because the constraints didn't
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exist and so I just wonder how we make
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sure we learn this principle meaning
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when the AI company wakes up and rolls
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out of bed and some VC gives them 200
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million maybe that's not the right
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answer for a series A or a seed and
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maybe the right answer is 2 million so
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that they do these deep seek like
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Innovations

Podspun Insights

In this episode, a fascinating discussion unfolds around the innovative breakthroughs in reinforcement learning, driven by necessity rather than abundance. The guests delve into how a group of thinkers, faced with constraints, crafted a new algorithm that not only conserves computer memory but also enhances performance. They highlight the audacious decision to bypass Nvidia's proprietary language, CUDA, opting instead for PTX, which connects directly to the hardware. This episode challenges the status quo of funding in the tech world, suggesting that perhaps less money could lead to more groundbreaking ideas. It’s a thought-provoking exploration of creativity under pressure and the lessons we can glean from those who innovate outside the box.

Badges

This episode stands out for the following:

  • 95
    Best concept / idea
  • 90
    Most quotable
  • 90
    Most creative
  • 85
    Most inspiring

Episode Highlights

  • Revolutionary Reinvention
    A new algorithm drastically reduces computer memory usage while enhancing performance.
    “They invented a totally different algorithm.”
    @ 00m 06s
    February 02, 2025
  • Breaking Away from Cuda
    Innovators bypass Nvidia's Cuda to create a new language called PTX.
    “They worked totally around Cuda.”
    @ 00m 19s
    February 02, 2025
  • Rethinking Funding for AI
    Exploring the idea that smaller initial investments might lead to deeper innovations.
    “Maybe the right answer is 2 million.”
    @ 00m 48s
    February 02, 2025

Episode Quotes

Key Moments

  • New Algorithm00:06
  • PTX Language00:19
  • Funding Rethink00:48