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

• (00:00) - The Debate on AI Development: Open vs Closed
• (05:51) - Understanding Open Source vs Closed Source AI
• (11:55) - The Economics of AI Models
• (17:47) - Trust and Transparency in AI
• (23:43) - The Future of AI Governance and Global Impact

Will AI displace more jobs than it creates? How can the U.S. win the AI race? How can AI benefits be evenly distributed across businesses and society?

We explore these questions and more as Sriram Viswanathan sits down with Ronnie Chatterji, Chief Economist at OpenAI, for an in-depth exploration of AI's economic impact and policy implications. Ronnie brings a unique perspective, having served as an economic advisor in both the Obama and Biden administrations as a senior economist, supply chain advisor, and architect of the CHIPS Act.

The conversation dives into the economic opportunities and challenges of AI adoption, from productivity gains and job market transformation to the critical need for workforce retraining and AI upskilling in schools. Ronnie also delves into America's competitive position in the global AI race, the critical need for infrastructure investment in order to continue scaling this emerging technology, and the lessons learned from implementing major industrial policy like the CHIPS Act.

Links:

Learn more about OpenAI's economic research and policy work - OpenAI

Read OpenAI's Economic Blueprint for the US - OpenAI’s Economic Blueprint

Explore the CHIPS and Science Act - CHIPS.gov

Ronnie Chatterji's academic work at Duke University - Duke Fuqua School of Business

• (00:00) - The Expanding Role of AI in Human Agency
• (02:36) - Economic Implications of AI and Job Market Dynamics
• (08:43) - Opportunities and Challenges in Labor with AI
• (13:49) - Preparing Future Generations for an AI-Driven World
• (19:15) - Ensuring Equitable Access to AI Technology
• (23:07) - Infrastructure Development for AI Growth
• (25:25) - Geopolitical Considerations in AI Development
• (28:05) - Global Collaboration in AI Development
• (31:07) - The EU's AI Regulatory Framework
• (35:04) - The Chips Act: Vision and Implementation
• (39:02) - AI Investment Landscape
• (42:04) - Global Perspectives on AI: Insights from India and China
• (45:36) - Misconceptions and Future of AI Education