What's Next Barney Hussey-Yeo | Building AI with an attitude | Cleo
Oct 22, 2025
Barney Hussey-Yeo, Founder and CEO of Cleo, discusses his journey from a data scientist to leading a consumer fintech company. He explores the evolution of AI assistants and the unique ways Cleo engages users with humor instead of traditional dashboards. Barney highlights the importance of balancing rapid iteration with structure and critiques why VCs are underinvesting in consumer AI. He envisions a future where AI agents autonomously manage personal data, addressing societal issues like wage stagnation and financial accessibility.
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Choosing Entrepreneur First Over A PhD
- Barney chose Entrepreneur First over a PhD after a persuasive conversation with Matt Clifford and a beer in Bermondsey.
- That decision put him in a pressure-cooker of talented peers that launched his startup journey.
Poker Paid For His Studies
- Barney funded his university and master's lifestyle by playing online poker successfully.
- That non-traditional route gave him the freedom to pursue machine learning and entrepreneurship.
Why Finance Suits AI Assistants
- Barney identified consumer finance as a strong application because income stagnation made money management a real pain point.
- He also saw AI assistants as the next human interface and believed research trends supported that shift.