AI NewsBuilding on open source AI? Hugging Face’s policy chief on the costs, risks, and trade-offs

Building on open source AI? Hugging Face’s policy chief on the costs, risks, and trade-offs

12:44 AM IST · November 5, 2026

Open source models are becoming more mainstream as enterprises, governments and startups alike rely on the promise of lower costs, more control, and more flexibility. But as increasingly capable models become more freely available, how do companies capture value? And with Chinese open models gaining ground, can American players keep up? On this episode of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, Rebecca Bellan caught up withIrene Solaiman, Chief Policy Officer and SVP of Strategy at Hugging Face, about what startups need to know before building on open models, from choosing the right tools and infrastructure to navigating the trade-offs shaping the future of open AI. Listen to the full episode to hear about: Subscribe to Equity onYouTube,Apple Podcasts,Overcast,Spotifyand all the casts. You also can follow Equity onXandThreads, at @EquityPod.