I’m an AI-Driven Startup Founder

Riding a Waymo every day to work will not make you an "AI-Driven Founder".

Many founders I know are power-users of AI technologies and early adopters, and while this is extremely important for them to develop conviction and experiment with AI, that alone don't make them AI-Driven Founders.

So, you probably ask yourself, what else should founders do to become AI-first leaders?

- One of the key things founders do is inspire their people to take action and grow. Inspire your team, also to become AI-first, experiment with tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor etc.

- Build the grounds to upskill your people personally and professionally, on the ins and outs of AI. They should be literate in the terms, and understand to ask the right questions about AI in the work and in their lives. Provide online courses, workshops and enable peer-to-peer AI education.

- Have an AI strategy for your company. What is your view about applying AI in your business? build a roadmap where AI could help your business be more productive, efficient and move faster.

- Allocate capital, yes capital. Dedicate an AI Budget that will enable people to put the money where your month is. Many businesses talk the talk but do not spend money to walk the talk.

- In every decision and process you implement across the business, stop and ask "could AI help us make it better, faster and cheaper." When working with your managers, make them think and reflect the same way.

- When you build your organization, you are not longer building a people org, but you have agents to manage. From first principles, you might have a whole Customer service function which is run by AI Agents - you are their CEO too.

(Some of my next posts would help you understand how to change your mindsets to manage agents which is not trivial).