A Conversation with RightBrain AI's Liang Jian: A Peking University Graduate Leaping Into the AI Era

April 17, 2024

This episode features Liang Jian, founder & CEO of RightBrain AI. Born in 1998, he proposed the NÜWA model during his 2021 internship at Microsoft, making him one of China's earliest researchers in generative AI. After NÜWA garnered significant attention, Liang solidified his entrepreneurial ambitions and co-founded RightBrain AI with his roommates Zhou Chenghua and Shi Jie, focusing on AI image and video generation.

In conversation, Liang shares his journey as a student founder. Facing a pivotal moment in history, how did he choose his path at the graduation crossroads? As a technical founder, how did he "shatter and reassemble" himself over the past year and a half of entrepreneurship, leading his team to "turn imagination into tangible reality"?

In 2023, ZhenFund launched the "Post-00s Hustlers Program," committing 100 million RMB to support Gen Z entrepreneurs. Of course, we know that at 20, you may not yet have a fully formed business idea. So we've invited mentors just a few years older than you to share their confusions and choices at age 20. The video version of this episode is available on ZhenFund's official WeChat video channel; this is the complete audio version — welcome to listen. If you have more questions, leave a comment and our guest may drop into the discussion.

Guest: Liang Jian, Founder & CEO of RightBrain AI

Episode Highlights

The Starting Point of Entrepreneurship

01:48 The Microsoft intern who proposed a new model: "I just wanted to do innovative things"

04:12 The pre-graduation choice: Leaping into the era during the AI window

Building RightBrain

09:35 The first product, built from 0 to 1 in one week

12:18 From image to video generation, making "customized delivery" the goal

17:51 AI shouldn't force users to learn cumbersome new interactions — it should enhance efficiency within existing workflows

Opportunities for Startups: Doing What Giants Likely Won't

19:53 Early-stage startups don't necessarily need to compete on underlying foundation models; the key is genuine user need insight

21:58 Standing on giants' technical capabilities, doing the "last mile" work

28:05 The technical founder's trap: Don't blindly pursue cool technology; find the real match between tech and user scenarios

30:09 Anxiety is inevitable; only do what you're currently capable of solving

31:33 Even in failure, the growth from entrepreneurship is greater

33:09 Entrepreneurship has no work-life balance; you pour all your energy into it

34:05 Young people must seize this AI window of opportunity

36:03 RightBrain's goal: Let more people naturally use AI to create valuable content

As a Young Founder

39:08 The most important founder traits: Execution ability, tolerance for solitude

40:38 Looking back on a year and a half of entrepreneurship: Constantly breaking apart, then reassembling to set out again

43:38 "I'm just doing something I'm genuinely passionate about"

Further Reading