Learn more about AssemblyAI here.In this episode of Superhuman AI: Decoding the Future, Zain and Hassan sit down with Elias Torres, co-founder and CEO of Agency AI, to learn about his remarkable career and vision for AI’s transformative role in customer success.Elias discusses the motivations behind his entrepreneurial endeavors (founding Performable and co-founding Drift) and the challenges he faced while building innovative companies. He explains why recruiting top talent, fostering strong company culture, and maintaining a customer-centric approach are so important when it comes to scaling, and he explores the potential of AI and large language models (LLMs) in revolutionizing customer success. Plus, Elias offers his insights on private equity and M&A and gives us his practical advice for founders, stressing the value of transparency, decisiveness, and direct customer interaction. We’ll also hear about Elias’ podcast The American Dream and he shares his aspirations for Agency AI to redefine customer engagement with small, agile teams. What we talk about:2:24 – Why is Elias creating another company?3:52 – What was Elias’ dream before becoming an entrepreneur?5:30 – What were some of the key moments on Elias’ journey to becoming an entrepreneur?8:05 – What is it about “The Valley” that lends itself to startup success?8:48 – What was it that drove Elias to keep pushing after selling Performable?10:16 – What are the top three lessons learned from HubSpot?12:01 – What makes software suck?12:56 – What makes a company special?15:27 – Lessons learned from M&A.19:10 – How hard is it to build a big company?21:53 – What problems does Agency AI aim to solve?24:14 – How does the AI wave differ from the other technology waves from the last 20 years?26:44 – Where would Elias be today if Drift had failed?30:51 – What does Agency AI mean for businesses?See more from Elias here:American Dream on YouTubeAmerican Dream on AppleAmerican Dream on Spotify
Learn more about AssemblyAI here.In this episode of Superhuman AI: Decoding the Future, Zain and Hassan sit down with Mike Murchison, co-founder and CEO of Ada, an AI-powered customer service platform. Mike takes us through the journey of Ada’s creation, detailing its early roots and the experiences that shaped its mission to revolutionize customer service through AI. He discusses the transformative impact of AI on customer service roles and how it’s reshaping the industry.Drawing from his firsthand experience as a contact center representative, Mike explains how Ada’s development was deeply informed by the challenges he faced in the field. Plus, he explains how this hands-on insight helped Ada secure its first clients, who quickly became advocates for the platform.Mike also shares key moments in Ada's development, including a strategic pivot to focus solely on customer service and the re-architecture of their platform around language models. He highlights the rapid advancements in AI, particularly in language and voice technology, and underscores the importance of staying agile and continuously learning to remain at the cutting edge of AI applications in customer service.What we talk about:1:24 – What is Ada?4:01 – What does AI mean for the future of customer service?6:53 – How did Mike build Ada and find his audience?9:50 – What does Ada get right when it comes to customer service?11:20 – What were some of the make-or-break points for Ada?17:41 – Is Ada going to utilize voice models?19:53 – What gives Ada its unfair advantage over the competition?22:55 – What are Mike’s thoughts on Perplexity AI?24:47 – How else is Mike using Ada in the office?26:35 – How is the Ada team tackling AI hallucinations?28:20 – What is the market like right now for AI entrepreneurs?32:14 – Which industries will become the first to bring in wider adoption of AI tools?34:04 – What should first-time founders be thinking about?
Learn More about AssemblyAI here.In this episode of Superhuman AI: Decoding the Future, Zain and Hassan speak with Luke Kim, co-founder and CEO of Liner, to explore the journey of building a successful AI search tool. Luke recounts Liner’s beginnings as a simple highlighter extension and its evolution into a specialized AI-powered search tool. Plus, Luke gives us a look into the strategic choices behind developing an AI-driven academic tool and the lessons learned along the way.We hear about the company’s relocation to Silicon Valley and how the team fuelled Liner’s early growth. And Luke shares his experience of angel investments and a Series A round led by Korean venture capitalists, drawn to Liner’s strong international user base. We also learn about Liner’s technical and competitive strategies, focusing on providing verified, reliable sources perfect for higher education users and setting it apart in a crowded AI space. Luke also shares his insights on utilizing a blend of large language models—such as Lama, GPT, and Claude—to ensures both cost efficiency and superior search capabilities. What we talk about:What we talk about:(1:14) - Who is Luke and what is Liner?(4:15) - How did Liner secure its first (of 10 million) customers?(6:37) - How did the move to Silicon Valley improve Liner?(7:30) - How did Luke develop his network when he arrived in Silicon Valley?(8:22) - How was Liner funded in the early days?(11:56) - What did the journey from 1,000 to 10 million users look like?(15:05) - How is Liner utilizing different LLMs?(17:40) - How does Liner fact-check in order to deliver reliable results?(20:23) - How does Liner rank results for its users?(21:43) - What is the 10-year vision for Liner?(24:58) - What advice does Luke have for entrepreneurs starting out in the AI space?(27:01) - What are investors looking for in applied companies?(29:16) - What is Luke most excited about in the AI space in the next 12 months?
To find out more about today’s sponsor, Assembly AI, follow the link: https://www.assemblyai.com/?utm_source=superhuman&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=linkIn this episode of Superhuman AI: Decoding the Future, Zain and Hassan are joined by Steve Woods, Partner and CTO of iNovia Capital. Steve shares his unique path from academia to founding startups and scaling Google Canada from a small team of 10 to 2,000 employees. Steve reflects on his early work with Quack.com in the late 90s, and shares the importance of adding a human touch to technology.Steve also discusses his years at Google, where he focused on nurturing internal talent over external hires, fostering a team-oriented culture and identifying key drivers within the organization, which he believes was essential for scalable growth and innovation, underscoring the value of team investment in building strong company foundations.We also learn about Steve’s venture capital work and his investments in foundational AI models like Cohere and applications like Spellbook. Plus, Steve offers his advice to founders, encouraging openness, adaptability, and focus on team dynamics. What we talk about:(1:28) – What’s it like working with Nobel Prize winner, Geoff Hinton?(3:20) – What made Steve swap academia for entrepreneurship?(5:22) – How did Steve develop the idea for Quack.com?(9:12) – What have been some similarities between the dot com, cloud and AI waves?(11:44) – Why Steve hired a Hollywood director.(14:08) – The importance of intensity.(17:55) – Why did Steve swap working on startups for working at Google?(21:18) – What are some tips Steve has for founders looking to scale aggressively?(24:48) – How does Steve manage working with different founders with different approaches?(27:46) – Can the app layer retain value, or will model builders dominate instead?(30:26) – Has product lost value to brand and distribution in app growth?(32:12) – What advice does Steve have for new founders and what industries is he excited by?
In this episode of Superhuman AI: Decoding the Future, Zain and Hassan sit down with Riley Brown, content creation expert and founder of Create.Inc. Riley discusses the transformative impact of AI tools like Claude Artifacts in democratizing content creation and app development, enabling non-coders to build applications and generate content more easily. With over half a million followers as an AI influencer, Riley reflects on his journey from marketing analytics to using AI and no-code platforms for app creation. Riley highlights the growing importance of authentic content creation and the strategic use of social media to fuel business-growth and he explains how the intersection of content and product development presents massive opportunities for creators and entrepreneurs alike. We also learn how AI interactions will play a significant role in shaping user experiences, further transforming how we engage with technology. And we learn why creators need to continue to adapt to emerging trends in AI to stay ahead, and why combining creativity with innovative tech will enable creators to seize the opportunities of tomorrow.What we talk about:(1:17) – Who is Riley Brown?(2:30) – What are ‘composer creators’?(5:20) – The difficulties of content creation.(9:29) – Where does content creation start?(11:06) – What is the no-code AI revolution?(13:47) – The importance of curiosity and consistency.(14:47) – How do you go from zero coding experience to entering the app space?(16:07) – The challenges of creating new apps.(18:11) – Building apps for enterprise-level users.(20:32) – What are Riley’s favourite platforms for building audiences?(23:36) – What advice does Riley have for content creators just starting out?(28:02) – What are the distribution strategies Riley recommends?(30:27) – What are Riley’s predictions for the content creation space in the next year?
In this episode of Superhuman AI: Decoding the Future, Zain and Hassan are joined by Alec Nguyen, founder of the AI-powered reference manager Afforai. Alec reveals how he turned a college project into a thriving startup generating $700,000 in just three months. Discover the highs and lows of integrating AI into academic tools and learn why balancing innovation with smart distribution is the key to product success.Alec shares insider growth-hacking strategies, ethical considerations for AI, and his experience launching on major platforms like AppSumo and Product Hunt. Get actionable tips for responsible AI usage in academia and hear his take on why raising venture capital is crucial for international student entrepreneurs.Tune in as Alec opens up about the support he received from Sputnik ATX VC and the lessons learned on his entrepreneurial journey—perfect for anyone looking to build, scale, and innovate with AI.What we talk about:(0:49) – What was Alec doing before Afforai?(2:38) – When did Alec realize the opportunity to solve the challenges of citations and references?(4:19) – What else did Alec create on the road to Afforai?(6:59) – How did Alec secure his first users?(8:13) – How do you overcome the challenge of distribution?(10:33) – How does Afforai remain predictable and dependable?(12:34) – What was the process of $0 to $700,000 like?(13:56) – What makes for a successful launch on AppSumo?(16:12) – How to pick distribution platforms and when to use them.(17:50) – How can you make the best out of your own product launch?(19:51) – How did Alec approach refinement in the early days of the launch?(21:44) – How is Alec ensuring the ethical use of Afforai?(23:07) – What are some exciting Afforai features we should be on the lookout for?(24:25) – How big is the Afforai team and is the business still bootstrapped?(28:11) – What trends should we watch out for in the AI academia space?(29:51) – What advice does Alec have for students on the responsible use of AI in their studies?(31:25) – Why did Alec insist on incorporating a nap room in his offices?
In this episode of Superhuman AI: Decoding the Future, Zain and Hassan are joined by Chip Hazard, a venture capitalist with over two decades of experience. From his early days at Greylock to founding Flybridge Capital Partners, Chip has seen it all — dot-com bubbles, the rise of cloud computing, and now the AI revolution. He shares his unique perspective on the evolving landscape of AI, venture capital, and what it takes to build a successful company in a competitive and fast-changing environment.Chip delves into the parallels between past technological waves and the current AI surge, offering valuable insights into how companies today can navigate rapidly shifting landscapes. He also explores why AI will soon be embedded in every business, and how founders must balance technical expertise with deep domain knowledge to gain a competitive edge.Tune in to hear Chip's thoughts on AI’s future, advice for founders, and what he looks for when investing in startups.What we talk about: (1:32) – Chip’s perspective on how AI will permeate every company (4:26) – The parallels between the AI wave and the dot-com era(7:09) – Challenges founders face in today’s rapidly evolving AI landscape(10:15) – Why AI's fast adoption in the Fortune 500 is unprecedented(13:44) – The importance of combining technical expertise with domain knowledge(18:15) – The future of AI in enterprise and production use cases(21:04) – Chip’s thoughts on data, synthetic data, and the opportunities in AI(25:28) – Advice for founders seeking investment in the AI space(30:00) – Chip’s outlook on the future of AI and AGI development
In this episode of Superhuman AI: Decoding the Future, Zain and Hassan are joined by Sherry Jiang, co-founder and CEO of Peek. Sherry takes us on a journey from her days at Google and Amazon to launching her own fintech startup. We hear why she left behind her high-flying tech career to follow her passion for financial innovation, driven by a desire to build something truly impactful.Sherry dives deep into the game-changing potential of AI, sharing how Peek is making personal finance smarter, easier, and more accessible to everyone. Plus, we discover how platforms like Cursor are enabling non-tech-savvy users to create powerful applications, leveling the playing field for all.Listen in for Sherry’s insights into Singapore’s thriving startup scene and her personal philosophy on entrepreneurship. Whether it’s harnessing AI for financial freedom or embracing curiosity and resilience in the face of challenges, Sherry’s story is packed with valuable lessons for innovators and dreamers alike.What we talk about:(1:32) – Who is Sherry Jiang?(4:26) – Tips for people new to Cursor(7:09) – What do people need to know before they start developing an app?(10:15) – What qualities do people need to have when developing apps with little experience?(13:44) – Examples of successful apps developed on Sherry’s AI course(18:15) – What is Peek?(21:04) – What inspired Sherry to build Peek?(23:28) – What is Sherry’s approach to building wealth?(27:28) – What was the journey like going from employee to founder?(33:16) – What is the startup scene like in Singapore?
In this episode of Superhuman AI: Decoding the Future, the Zain and Hassan discuss the potential risks AI poses to humanity with Judd Rosenblatt, an AI researcher known for his work on AI safety and alignment. The conversation delves into why many top AI experts are concerned about AI disempowering humanity and examines various approaches to solving AI alignment issues.Judd also shares insights from his entrepreneurial journey and discusses the development of brain-computer interface technologies aimed at increasing human intelligence to address AI-related risks. They also touch on the roles of major AI companies, the impact of regulation, and the intersection of AI development between the US and China.What We Talk about:(00:35) - Meet Judd Rosenblatt: AI Researcher(01:21) - Understanding AI Alignment(05:05) - The Portfolio Approach to AI Safety(07:32) - Expert Opinions on AI Threats(18:08) - China's Stance on AI Regulation(20:42) - AI in Enterprises: Opportunities and Challenges(25:44) - Future of AI: Excitement and Concerns(28:09) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts
In this episode of Superhuman AI: Decoding the Future, Zain and Hassan are joined by Haroon Choudery, CEO of Autoblocks AI, a company dedicated to improving AI reliability and safety for companies across various industries. Haroon shares his journey through AI, from his work with top teams in Silicon Valley to co-founding the nonprofit "AI for Anyone," which has educated over 70,000 people on AI fundamentals.They discuss the major shifts in the AI landscape, particularly with the introduction of LLMs (Large Language Models) and diffusion models, and how these technologies are augmenting human capabilities in unexpected ways. Haroon sheds light on the complexities of model evaluation, the nuances of ensuring AI safety and reliability, and how smaller, nimble teams can outpace larger incumbents in the AI race.Whether you're a startup founder, an AI enthusiast, or someone interested in the future of AI, this episode offers valuable insights into the cutting-edge of AI technology and its impact on the world.What we talk about:(01:55) Haroon’s journey in AI and the origins of Autoblocks AI(03:17) The surprising shifts in AI: LLMs, creativity, and human augmentation(05:59) The tools and strategies needed to keep up with an evolving AI space(08:38) Ensuring reliability in AI applications(12:19) Techniques for AI safety and the future of prompting(16:27) The benefits of small AI teams vs. large incumbents(18:53) How AI is reshaping workflows and creating new business opportunities(23:25) Haroon’s experience interviewing top AI leaders(28:03) Why we’re still in the early days of AI and what the future holds
In this episode of Superhuman AI, Hassan and Zain are joined by Grant Lee, co-founder of Gamma, one of the most successful generative AI startups in the market today. Grant shares the story of building Gamma from the ground up and how integrating AI into the product created a massive inflection point, helping it grow to over 20 million users.Grant offers deep insights into Gamma’s unique approach to AI, how it differs from other AI-first startups, and how understanding users’ pain points led to the creation of a product that’s sticky, viral, and profitable. With a focus on modernizing the presentation format, Grant discusses the challenges of building horizontal products, making decisions around monetization, and why being scrappy and focused helped Gamma succeed where others struggled.What we talk about:(01:05) - How Grant grew Gamma from idea to 20 million users(03:40) - Why Gamma’s AI-native approach led to success(06:12) - How Gamma reimagines presentations for the modern workplace(08:54) - Lessons from internal testing(10:49) - The counterintuitive lessons learned from users (13:17) - Building a scalable AI stack for the future(16:06) - Organic growth through word-of-mouth and virality(19:18) - Deciding when to charge users and how to monetize AI(21:16) - Grant’s journey from finance to founding Gamma(23:41) - How Gamma became profitable while continuing to grow(25:54) - The hardest moments on the path to success(28:35) - What’s next for Gamma and the AI-driven future of content creation?
In this episode of Superhuman AI: Decoding the Future, Hassan and Zain are joined by Jesse Middleton, former WeWork executive, early-stage tech investor, and hacker extraordinaire. Jesse shares how his journey from playing with early Apple computers to helping WeWork scale from a small team to a global phenomenon has influenced his unique approach to startup investing and the future of work.Jesse provides insights into the wild early days of WeWork, how culture and focus built the company, and the lessons learned from its downturn. Jesse also dives into his investment philosophy, the explosive growth of AI, and why he believes the next decade will see AI transforming industries in ways we can hardly imagine.We also learn about the role of culture in startups and hear Jesse’s predictions for AI’s impact on the regulation space.What we talk about:(01:05) Jesse’s journey from hacker to WeWork and beyond03:42) How Jesse’s love for breaking things led him to the tech world(05:48) The moment Jesse met Adam Neumann and joined WeWork(07:06) WeWork Labs: Building a space for tech entrepreneurs(09:58) How WeWork grew(12:00) The rise and fall of WeWork from an insider’s perspective(13:14) Key takeaways from WeWork: Focus and culture(15:12) Jesse’s philosophy on startup investing and AI’s future(19:12) AI’s impact on regulated industries and the creative fields(21:33) The rise of Small Language Models (SLMs) and agentic AI(25:51) AGI: Will it happen and how it could change everything?(28:35) How AI is already making a difference in Jesse’s life?
How does someone with zero software experience build multiple successful apps using AI? In this episode of Superhuman AI: Decoding the Future, Zain and Hassan sit down with Blake Anderson, a serial entrepreneur who has built apps generating millions in revenue—all with the help of ChatGPT.Blake shares his journey, from discovering AI to building Umax, a looks-maxing mobile application, and PlugAI, an AI dating assistant, both of which have disrupted their respective markets.Blake delves into how he leveraged ChatGPT to learn coding and develop his apps, despite having minimal technical background. The conversation covers the challenges of scaling a startup, the importance of rapid iteration in marketing, and the bold risks Blake took to ensure his apps' success. We learn what it takes to build and scale AI-driven consumer apps, the importance of finding and exploiting market niches, and the power of AI as both a tool and a tutor. What we talk about:(00:18) Who is Blake Anderson?(01:13) Overview of Umax and PlugAI(02:04) Blake’s entrepreneurial journey from childhood(03:31) Discovering the potential of AI in app development(05:23) The origin of RizGPT and its evolution to PlugAI(06:39) ChatGPT's role in app development(07:23) The power of rapid iteration in marketing(09:18) Overcoming initial struggles and finding success on TikTok(10:40) The importance of constant iteration in marketing(11:24) Step-by-step process of building an app with ChatGPT(13:26) Deciding on partnerships and team dynamics(14:47) The inception and development of Umax(19:08) Scaling Umax amid competition and market challenges(21:46) Managing risks and motivating a team(24:23) Introduction to Blake’s new venture, CalAI(26:23) Opportunities in AI with GPT-4.0(29:36) Advice for aspiring AI entrepreneursLearn more about Blake and his work here:INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/blakeandersonwTWITTER: x.com/blakeandersonwCALAI: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cal-ai-calorie-tracking/id6480417616UMAX: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/umax-become-hot/id6471026798PLUGAI: https://apps.apple.com/bg/app/plug-ai-texting-assistant/id6449750416
How does an entrepreneur turn struggling startups to a multimillion-dollar AI business? In this episode of Superhuman AI: Decoding the Future, Zain sits down with David Park, CEO of Jenni AI, to explore his remarkable journey from a struggling entrepreneur to leading a successful AI writing app.David reveals how he leveraged AI technology to create Jenni AI, a tool used by millions of academics, all while navigating personal challenges, including a cancer diagnosis, while growing his startup.David shares his experiences of building Jenni AI, from his early experiments with GPT-2 to the breakthrough moment with GPT-3. They also discuss the importance of user feedback, the impact of viral social media content on growth, and the strategic decisions that propelled Jenni AI to success. We’ll learn about the practical aspects of scaling an AI startup, the significance of product-market fit, and the role of effective marketing strategies. David and Zain also touch on the broader implications of AI integration across industries and offer advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. What we talk about:(00:37) Who is David Park?(01:18) David’s background and Jenny AI(02:04) Revenue growth and team size(03:03) David’s entrepreneurial backstory(04:20) The path to Jenni AI(04:40) Idea inception and AI integration(06:19) Early experiments with Chat GPT(07:38) The pivotal moment with GPT-3(09:35) The technical co-founder’s role(10:20) Pivoting to an educational tool(12:07) Viral growth and its impact(14:22) Sustaining growth through social media(17:11) Marketing strategies post-virality(20:35) Overcoming personal health challenges(24:02) Lessons learned in AI development(27:05) Responding to critics and future outlook
Ever wondered why some AI startups succeed while others falter despite having groundbreaking technology?In this episode of Superhuman AI: Decoding the Future Zain and Hassan dive deep into the intricate balance of product development, market timing, and strategic sales.Through his own entrepreneurial journey, Hassan Bhatti shares invaluable insights on navigating the complexities of the AI landscape, from initial idea generation to securing the right team and finally, executing a profitable exit strategy.Hassan, who has built and sold two AI startups, joins the conversation to unpack his experiences. From his academic background to his pivotal roles at companies like Snowflake, Hassan outlines his journey into the AI world. He’ll discuss the importance of timing in achieving product-market fit, the critical role of distribution and customer acquisition, and the evolving landscape of AI development post-LLM wave.We’ll learn practical advice on building and scaling AI startups and we’ll hear about the nuanced decision-making process behind selling a startup. Plus, Zain and Hassan talk about the increasing integration of AI across industries and the transformative potential of AIassistants.What we talk about:(00:28) Introduction of Hassan Bhatti(01:14) Hassan’s background and journey(02:01) Overview of AI startups(03:37) Origins of the first company(04:03) Deciding on the right opportunity(05:47) Building the first product(06:53) Validating product-market fit(07:44) Lessons on timing in startups(09:13) Importance of budget allocation(10:54) Strength of go-to-market muscle(12:38) Building effective B2B strategies(14:41) Finding design customers(16:27) Selling your startup(20:26) Strategies for acquisition(21:27) Frameworks for building AI companies(24:45) Predictions for AI in the next year
Welcome to Superhuman AI: Decoding the Future, your go-to podcast for all things artificial intelligence, machine learning, and tech innovation. Hosted by Superhuman AI CEO, Zain Kahn, and co-host, tech entrepreneur Hassan Behati, we bring you two new episodes weekly to share the future of AI, through AI tools, startups, expert insights and news.Tune in every Tuesday for the latest AI news, industry trends, breakthroughs, and emerging technologies. We keep you in the loop with all the biggest stories and developments on AI ethics, AI marketing, and more. Then, join us every Thursday for a video episode of in-depth conversations with top AI founders and entrepreneurs, sharing their stories, strategies, and expert advice on leveraging AI technology. You’ll learn how you can benefit from these advances.Whether you're an AI expert or want to learn how new AI tools can transform your productivity and automation, this is the podcast for you. We cut through the noise of the AI era to keep you informed without feeling overwhelmed. So stay connected and join us as we decode the future of AI.