Scaling DevTools The startup behind ChatGPT voice - Russ d'Sa from LiveKit
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Apr 10, 2025 
Russ D’Sa, founder of LiveKit, shares insights from his journey in building a real-time audio and video tool that powers voice chat for ChatGPT. He discusses the science behind lightning and how it parallels startup challenges. Russ reveals his bold decision to turn down a $20M acquisition offer and explains the ups and downs of partnering with OpenAI. The conversation delves into the intricacies of scaling a startup, navigating streaming tech challenges, and the evolving role of AI in human-computer interaction.
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LiveKit's Role in ChatGPT
- LiveKit acts as the infrastructure for real-time audio in ChatGPT's voice mode.
- It handles audio streaming, allowing OpenAI to focus on processing and transcription.
Turning Down $20 Million
- Russ D’Sa was offered $20 million for LiveKit, but he declined.
- After OpenAI contacted him, the offer increased to $200 million, demonstrating the impact of associating with AI.
Hallucination as a Feature
- Hallucination in LLMs, while sometimes inaccurate, can be a positive UX feature.
- It prevents the drop-off seen with tools like Alexa, which fail explicitly when they don't know.