Artificial intelligence is going to change everything, except for the way that great companies are conceived and communicated.
Over the last year, we’ve been inundated with “AI for X” pitches and it’s getting tiresome.
Nobody is walking around saying that they want AI. That doesn’t mean that they won’t *use* AI, but no one wants it in a vacuum.
They want greater efficiency, lower costs, better results, more capabilities. They want to get a promotion, not get fired, spend more time with their family, make more money, peace on Earth.
They. Don’t. WANT. Artificial intelligence. Not as an end unto itself.
When you say, “we’re AI for X,” this is what we hear.
* Your previous job or startup wasn’t going well.
* You don’t have deep experience in artificial intelligence.
* You don’t know a lot about whatever X happens to be.
Great leaders talk about the WHY first, the WHAT second and the HOW is a distant third, only to be brought up if someone asks, “how do you do this exciting thing?!?”
If “we’re AI for X” is all you have, please consider not starting your company. Entrepreneurship is way too hard to begin on such flimsy foundations.
And if you have something more, speak to that first. Speak to it second as well. Speak about your mission and values and all the reasons why your company should exist because of the amazing things it’s going to do in the world.
That’s what matters.
Am I wrong here? Have you been blown away by an "AI for X" pitch thus far? This is one of those spaces where I would LOVE to be proven wrong (see my curiosity post last week), so tell me what you've seen!
#startups #AI #artificialintelligence #mission