This week on The Route to Networking podcast, Antonio is joined by Paul Chu, an AI software engineer and Master’s student at ENS Paris-Saclay, whose journey has taken him from France’s competitive engineering system to research labs at Stanford and the heart of the Bay Area tech ecosystem.
At a time when AI is moving faster than ever, it’s refreshing to hear from someone breaking into the industry right now. Paul offers a real-time perspective on what it actually takes to get started, stand out, and build momentum in such a competitive space.
From securing a $15,000 research grant to auditing lectures from Andrew Ng, Paul shares how he positioned himself without a traditional research background and why curiosity and adaptability mattered more than credentials.
He reflects on winning his first major hackathon in San Francisco, joining robotics projects outside his comfort zone, and how high-pressure environments accelerated both his technical ability and confidence. The conversation also explores the differences between the Paris and San Francisco tech scenes, networking as an introvert, documenting his journey on YouTube, and why AI should be seen as an enabler rather than a shortcut.
The episode concludes with a quick-fire round covering large language models, career-defining moments, stepping into uncomfortable rooms, and the mindset required to grow in the AI frontier.
🔗 Connect with Paul on LinkedIn here.
🎥 Find Paul on YouTube here
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