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Eugene Cheah: Open-Source AI and the Future of Work - E686

EPISODE · Apr 12, 2026 · 52 MIN

Eugene Cheah: Open-Source AI and the Future of Work - E686

from BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech: Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand & Malaysia Startups, Founders & Venture Capital VC (English)

Is open source the true future of Artificial Intelligence? In this episode of the BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech Podcast, Jeremy Au sits down with Eugene Cheah, CEO and Co-Founder of Featherless AI. They dive deep into the architecture of the RWKV model, the intense global competition between open source and closed source AI, and how China is aggressively pushing an open source strategy to bypass chip constraints. Recorded with a focus on the Southeast Asian tech ecosystem, this episode breaks down the immediate impact of AI on the global south, specifically highlighting the vulnerability of the BPO and call center industries in the Philippines. Eugene also shares his extraordinary journey from building UIlicious to securing a $1M investment in San Francisco with no pitch deck, and his ongoing work with the Linux Foundation and the World Trade Organization to bridge the global AI language divide. Discover tactical insights into startup bootstrapping, macroeconomics, and the entrepreneurial mindset required to navigate the hyper-competitive deep tech space. Tune in to learn how to future-proof your business and stay ahead of the AI curve in Southeast Asia. 00:00 - Introduction & Featherless AI 02:59 - From UIlicious to AI Research 05:45 - RWKV & the Transformer Alternative 07:13 - Spinning Out Featherless as a New Company 09:10 - Fundraising in San Francisco 16:15 - Open Source vs. Closed Source AI 21:52 - China's Open Source AI Strategy 23:57 - Advantages & Disadvantages of Open Source 28:06 - Inference as a Service & Model Variety 32:13 - The Future of AI: Reliability & Specialization 36:35 - Personal Growth & Navigating AI Politics 39:01 - Policy Advice for Southeast Asia & Global AI Impact 43:39 - Multilingual AI & Closing the Global Divide 48:44 - Being Brave: Founding Story & Closing Reflections Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/eugene-cheah-featherless-ai-open-source-ai Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at https://www.bravesea.com WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter X : https://x.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea English: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Bahasa Indonesia: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Chinese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts #Singapore #China #Philippines #AI #ArtificalIntelligence #MachineLearning #Technology #TechNews #VentureCapital #Startup #Podcast #southeastasia #techpodcast

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Eugene Cheah: Open-Source AI and the Future of Work - E686

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