DeepSeek vs. OpenAI: What This Means for AI Startups with Ryan Henry

Most AI startups today are just wrappers around existing tech. So how do you build something that lasts? In this episode, we break down how AI really works, where the real moats are, and how founders can win in a rapidly evolving landscape.

DeepSeek vs. OpenAI: What This Means for AI Startups with Ryan Henry
DeepSeek vs. Open AI - fight!

AI is moving fast, but do you really understand how it works, how to think of relevant business models, and what the heck just happened with DeepSeek last week? What the heck is an AI startup anyway?

In this episode, I sit down with Ryan Henry, a venture capitalist with deep AI expertise and who actively invests almost exclusively in AI startups, to go beyond the headlines and get into the real mechanics of AI. We discuss how these models actually work, the business models shaping them, and most importantly, how startups can win in this new, rapidly changing AI-driven world.

We cover:
✅ How AI really “thinks” and what that means for businesses
✅ If AI startups were just "wrappers" for the core 🥇winning🥇 business model of the models themselves, did the models just get ... wrappered? Is that a word?
✅ The real economic moats in AI (hint: it’s not just GPUs)
✅ Where DeepSeek fits into the AI wars and why it matters
✅ How entrepreneurs can leverage AI without being wiped out by incumbents

If you’re building, investing, or even just thinking about AI (or AI is thinking about you), this episode will give you the frameworks and insights you won’t get from a superficial news story.

❓ Would love to hear your thoughts! Did we capture your perspective? Were we entirely wrong? Let me know!

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February 13: Koru's - OTPP's venture studio - 5th anniversary party.

March 7-12: We'll be at the SXSW, so be there or be square.