Opinion2026-03-20

Why "AI-first" is the wrong frame

The best operators don't start with AI. They start with the problem.

Everyone's talking about being "AI-first." But after two years of building AI systems, I've come to believe: AI-first is a trap.

The problem-first alternative

The operators who get results don't ask "how can I use AI?" They ask "what's broken?"

  • Building a chatbot because LLMs are hot
  • Building a lead follow-up system because you're losing 40% of inbound

What works instead

  1. Find the friction.
  2. Measure the cost.
  3. Ask: would AI help?
  4. Build the smallest thing.

AI isn't a strategy. It's a capability that should serve the strategy.

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