I have to imagine it’s very tough to be in a Series-B/C stage start-up at the moment.
You made it through the pandemic and probably even raised a really nice round because money was just sloshing around like crazy. Then all of a sudden, growth dies up, the money dries up, you probably had to do some layoffs, and your product roadmap is packed. You have a lot of tech/product people who have worked really hard to rationalize all the features they’re working on, doing more with less. And in the process, they’ve all become very committed to the path forward, so they aren’t interested in changing the plan.
Then, almost out of nowhere, this rush of AI happens, stunning everyone. You know that if you had your head around the technology, you could probably operate more efficiently/faster. Your developers definitely start using co-pilot, which just proves the point of how powerful this could be. But it was so hard to hire people over the last few years, you really don’t have any depth to go run after AI-based features. More than this, you’re not sure yet what would move the needle with your customers. And your team is emotionally committed to very gradual product improvements.
It reminds me of the beginning of Raiders of the Lost Arc when Indiana Jones has just rescued this idol that he’s been searching for and researching forever. (The idol, in this case, is your valuation/funding/reputation/prestige.) And you can’t get out of the cave and escape the boulder rolling after you because you left your bullwhip at the entrance of the cave. The only person (or in this case, AI) who could help you get out of your predicament is holding your bullwhip just on the other side of a large pit you need to jump over. “Throw me the idol, and I give you the whip”, he says. Do you give up all your fame in order to fight on, or are you so in love with your idol you stand there in a daze and get crushed by the boulder?
Easy to decide when you’re watching the movie, but the decision isn’t as obvious when you’re playing the role.