Why Think Small Is The Future of AI: Mozilla.ai Engineer on Building Your Own Timeline

Progress Reimagined

In a digital world dominated by algorithms designed to maximize engagement rather than serve users, Davide Eynard presents a refreshing alternative. This episode explores how "thinking small" with purpose-built AI can transform our social media experience. Discover BYOTA (Build Your Own Timeline Algorithm), a project that lets you create personalized social media timelines without sharing your data. Join Davide, machine learning engineer and researcher at Mozilla.ai, as he explains why smaller, specialized AI running locally on your device can often outperform massive models for specific tasks. Learn how the "think small" philosophy and open source approach offer more privacy, control, and meaningful experiences than corporate algorithms designed to keep you scrolling. This conversation offers essential insights for anyone interested in taking back control of their digital experience or exploring how purpose-built AI can serve individual needs rather than corporate metrics.
Connect with Davide Eynard and Mozilla.ai
Mozilla.ai website: https://mozilla.ai
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mozilla-ai
X: @MozillaAI https://x.com/MozillaAI
Mastodon: @[email protected]
BlueSky: @mozilla.ai https://bsky.app/profile/mozilla.ai
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mozilla.ai1
BYOTA Project
Blog post: https://blog.mozilla.ai/build-your-own-timeline-algorithm-a-blueprint-2/
Live demo: https://huggingface.co/spaces/mozilla-ai/byota
GitHub repo: https://github.com/mozilla-ai/byota
Mastodon thread about BYOTA: https://fosstodon.org/@mala/113967540546211928
More on Mozilla.ai Blueprints: https://mozilla.ai/blueprints
Davide’s talk at FOSDEM: https://fosdem.org/2025/schedule/event/fosdem-2025-5601-build-your-own-timeline-algorithm/
Why open-source matters:
Ada & Zangemann - A Tale of Software, Skateboards, and Raspberry Ice Cream
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ac3ZZ7WUuZM
Progress Reimagined explores innovative ideas, technologies, and emerging economic models that put humanity and our planet first. The show challenges assumptions to reshape how we think about progress and prosperity.
Subscribe to Progress Reimagined
https://substack.com/@progressreimagined
https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressReimagined

Host:
Kathleen Chu, Host of Progress Reimagined
progressreimagined at proton.me
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleeninweb3/

❤️ Thank you for listening! If you know anyone who would benefit from today's episode, please share it and help spread the word.

© 2025 Progress Reimagined. All rights reserved.