About Sy Choudhury

Sy Choudhury leads AI Partnerships efforts for Meta, including the company’s engagements across Generative AI, AI Research, AI Infrastructure, and open projects like PyTorch and Llama. Prior to this, Sy held Product Management and Partnership roles at Qualcomm and Wind River Systems.

What was most fun about this conversation

Hearing him explain how the Reels algorithm is different from the main feed was really cool. It’s not just about what you like. It also mixes in what’s trending in the world so it feels fresh. His take on WhatsApp groups as “micro-social media” also cracked me up. It’s true though, so much of life now happens inside group chats.

What I was inspired by

Sy’s point about actually learning instead of just memorizing for tests really stuck with me. Because he understands the tech all the way down, from chips to models, he’s respected even in business meetings where most people don’t know those details. His advice for teens was to find what you’re genuinely curious about, go deep, and let that become your superpower. Simple, but powerful.

What many of us Americans can relate with

* Using short videos to learn random stuff (and not feeling bad about it).

* Living in group chats more than on big public platforms.

* Dreaming of moving somewhere sunny (he ditched snowy Syracuse for California).

* Parents pushing us to learn for understanding, not just grades.

What I will think more about

* Social media is just a tool. It can connect or divide depending on how we use it.

* Making powerful tech open, like Llama, means more people can build cool things but it also spreads responsibility.

* Even if your role is “business,” knowing the tech makes people take you seriously.

How this connects to other conversations

* Gagan Biyani talked about not expecting perfection around culture, and instead giving people grace. Sy’s take on group chats and smaller communities fits that. Connection works better when the pressure is lower.

* Dr. Nirav Pandya said embracing who you are instead of hiding it makes everything better. Sy’s version was about learning deeply and letting that confidence show. Both made me think about how being secure in yourself changes everything.

* Dr. Neha Gupta showed how subtle cultural norms shape behavior. Sy explained how algorithms shape our habits in ways we don’t even notice, which is kind of the tech side of the same lesson.

* Dr. Rajni Mandal shared how her mom’s dosa carried identity. Sy’s story about rice and lentils every night in Syracuse had that same vibe. What feels normal at home can feel special to others.

* Prashanthi Raman talked about seva (service). Sy helping open-source Llama so the whole industry can use it is a very real example of that.

* Divya Venn said social media is “just a simulation.” Sy basically pulled back the curtain on how those simulations are built and why they still matter for how we connect.

If I had to sum it up: Sy reminded me that curiosity beats cramming. If you really learn how stuff works, whether it’s tech, sports, or even food, you get to shape it instead of it shaping you.

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