Long-term Vision: Bell Labs for AI

Today I sit down with Kevin Zhu — former Citadel quant and Palantir developer, to unpack how he built an unconventional, accelerated career in tech. We break down the systems he used to go from a struggling freshman to landing top-tier quant offers, what Citadel was actually like, why he walked away, and how he’s now pivoting toward meaningful AI research.

We also dive into whether CS is still worth it, the real math needed for quant roles, and how to build a career that’s both competitive and fulfilling. A must-listen for CS students, aspiring quants, and anyone navigating elite tech recruiting.

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I’m Aman Manazir, a career coach and software engineer. I interned at companies like Amazon, Shopify, and HP in college, and the day I graduated I landed a $168,000/year* full-time software engineering job. I help you make it as a computer science student & software engineer and get your dream job offer.

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👉 Kevin’s AI Research Program (Algoverse): https://www.algoverseairesearch.org/?utm_source=Youtube&utm_medium=influencer&utm_campaign=amanmanazir%0A
👉 Kevin’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW00d0U-WhIbyPDdu_gihCA
👉 Kevin’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevinzhu.ai/

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⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction - Kevin's Journey to Citadel
01:44 Mastering High School Math at Age 12
05:01 The Kumon Experience and Future Plans
08:27 Growing Up in Suburban Illinois Schools
10:06 Parents as Professors - Early Lab Experience
12:05 Childhood Research and Lasting Friendships
14:09 Arriving at Berkeley - Culture Shock
18:23 First Semester Struggles and Winter Recovery
20:38 Building Study Systems That Actually Work
22:00 Self-Help Books and Productivity Deep Dive
25:00 Time Blocking Changed Everything
27:00 CS70 Discrete Math Breakthrough Moment
29:36 Breaking Into Competitive Tech Recruiting
31:27 The Startup to Amazon Pipeline
33:29 Landing Multiple Quant Offers
36:26 Goldman Sachs Quant Experience
38:48 Software Engineering Accelerator
42:38 Citadel Interview Process Deep Dive
45:00 Super Day - Multiple Interview Rounds
47:20 DRW Offer and Negotiation Strategy
49:29 $154/Hour at Age 21
50:42 Jane Street and Top Firms
52:40 Ken Griffin Stories and Headphones
54:15 Joining Palantir After Citadel
55:27 Why I Left Palantir Early
57:13 Leaving Quant Entirely - The Decision
59:47 Money Isn't Everything - Finding Meaning
1:02:40 Starting Algorverse AI Research Program
1:05:00 Paper Featured by OpenAI
1:06:20 Bell Labs for AI - The Vision
1:07:15 Mentorship vs Self-Teaching Debate
1:10:00 Math Requirements for Quant Careers
1:15:00 Upper Division Classes Strategy
1:19:06 AGI Timelines and AI Safety
1:23:40 Functioning Despite AI Concerns
1:26:59 Is CS Still Worth It?
1:28:54 The Future of Software Engineering