Nikola Borisov, CEO and co-founder of Deep Infra, joins the show to unpack the rapid evolution of AI inference, the hardware race powering it, and how startups can actually keep up without burning out. From open source breakthroughs to the business realities of model selection, Nikola shares why speed, efficiency, and strategic focus matter more than ever. If you’re building in AI, this conversation will help you see the road ahead more clearly.
Key Takeaways
• Open source AI models are advancing at a pace that forces founders to choose focus over chasing every release.
• First mover advantage in AI is real but plays out differently than in consumer tech because models are often black boxes to end users.
• Infrastructure and hardware strategy can make or break AI product delivery, especially for startups.
• Efficient inference may become more important than efficient training as AI usage scales.
• Optimizing for specific customer needs can create significant performance and cost advantages.
Timestamped Highlights
[02:12] How far AI has come — and why we’re still under 10% of its future potential
[04:11] The challenge of keeping pace with constant model releases
[08:12] Why differentiation between models still matters for builders
[14:08] The hidden costs and strategies of AI hardware infrastructure
[18:05] Why inference efficiency could eclipse training efficiency
[21:46] Lessons from missed opportunities and unexpected shifts in model innovation
Quote of the Episode
“Being more efficient at inference is going to be way more important than being very efficient at training.” — Nikola Borisov
Resources Mentioned
DeepInfra — https://deepinfra.com
Nikola Borisov on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikolab
Call to Action
If you enjoyed this conversation, share it with someone building in AI and subscribe so you never miss an episode. Your next big idea might just come from the next one.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.