Recent US export controls and the sudden shutdown of a leading Chinese model made Alistair feel the UK has become a technological second-class citizen relative to the US, and this frustration is now driving Cosine's urgency to deliver a UK sovereign model no matter what.
Alistair admits that being cut off from cutting-edge US models makes him feel like a second-class citizen for the first time, and says this frustration is fueling Cosine's determination to deliver the UK sovereign model regardless of the obstacles. ✦ AI generated
Alistair Pullen · Machine Learning Street Talk · 2026-07-13 · original ↗
starts at this moment · 55:16
“How did we not see this coming though because it was such an oh [ __ ] moment for so many people?”
for the first time I feel like a secondass citizen because they are going faster than I am and I really hate that... that boils my blood more than anyone else. Um and I we are going to do everything we can to pull this off... we have no choice but to make it happen.
verbatim transcript · starts at 55:16
55:00sure you've seen as well where that's going to be rolled out. And there there is even for me like a huge part of me being like, "Oh man, that really sucks. I wanted to try that model and I don't know whether I'll be able to now." And that might just be the existence for us now unless like we and others do work to get that level of performance out in
55:16some other way. And that's like our job now I guess. >> Yeah. I mean for the first time I feel like a secondass citizen because those those folks over there in America they've got better AI than I do. >> They are going faster than I am and I really hate that. >> And and and and believe me that boils my blood more than anyone else. Um and I we
55:34are going to do everything we can to pull this off. Um you mentioned like how are you going to do this? It's like we are just going to we're just going to make it happen. Um we have no choice but to make it happen. >> Please do. >> Yes, we are going to do everything we can to make it happen. >> On behalf of everyone in the UK, please
55:48do. >> We'll do our best. Thank you. >> It's been been a pleasure. Thank you so much. >> Thank you very much for having me.
- ·US export controls block access to cutting-edge models
- ·Sudden shutdown of leading Chinese model added to shock
- ·Alistair: 'first time I feel like a second-class citizen'
- ·US labs 'going faster than I am' — infuriating
- ·Anger now drives Cosine's urgency on UK sovereign model
- ·'We are going to do everything we can to pull this off'
- ·No choice but to make it happen, obstacles aside