Startups Ideas You Can Now Build With AI

Overview

This episode explores how advancements in AI, particularly large language models (LLMs), are unlocking new opportunities for startups. The hosts discuss how AI is reviving previously unviable business models, enabling hyper-personalization, and transforming industries like recruiting, education, and tech-enabled services. They also delve into the evolving startup landscape, emphasizing the importance of curiosity and experimentation in this new era.

Notable Quotes

- The idea maze just moved—all of the walls have shifted around. The only way to find out is to actually be in the maze. – Garry, on the transformative potential of AI for startups.

- You apply the right prompts, the right data set, and a little bit of ingenuity, and you can get magical output. – Garry, on the power of LLMs.

- If you're living at the edge of the future, exploring the latest technology, you're very likely to just bump into a great startup idea. – Jared, on the importance of curiosity in the AI era.

🚀 AI-Enabled Startup Opportunities

- Recruiting Platforms:

- Harj highlights how AI has revolutionized recruiting startups by enabling instant evaluation of candidates using LLMs, eliminating the need for years of data collection.

- Companies like Mercore and Apriora are leveraging AI to streamline technical interviews and expand into broader knowledge work.

- AI allows for nuanced screening, making it feasible to assess senior engineers and other specialized roles.

• Education and Personalized Learning:
  
  • AI is enabling hyper-personalized learning experiences, a long-standing dream of the internet.
    
  • Examples include Revision Dojo, which tailors exam prep for students, and Edexia, which automates grading to reduce teacher burnout.
    
  • Diana notes that private schools are adopting these tools faster than public schools, raising questions about policy changes needed for broader adoption.
    

💡 Revisiting Old Ideas with AI

- Full-Stack Startups:

- The hosts discuss how AI can now make full-stack startups viable by automating operational components, improving gross margins, and scaling faster.

- Examples include Lagora, which uses AI to handle legal work, and virtual assistant marketplaces that can now integrate LLMs for seamless operations.

- Jared notes that AI allows these companies to look like software businesses under the hood, solving past scalability issues.

🛠️ Building AI Infrastructure

- Tooling and Infrastructure:

- Harj emphasizes the need for better AI infrastructure, such as tools for deploying and evaluating models.

- Companies like Replicate and Olama, which persisted through early struggles, are now thriving as demand for AI tooling grows.

- Jared recalls how early MLOps startups struggled due to a lack of customers, but those who stuck it out are now well-positioned.

🌐 Platform Neutrality and Big Tech Dynamics

- Challenges with Big Tech:

- Garry critiques the lack of platform neutrality, arguing that users should be able to choose their AI assistants (e.g., Siri vs. other options).

- The hosts discuss how companies like Google and Meta are underutilizing their AI capabilities due to internal inefficiencies and cultural issues.

- Diana points out that Google’s TPUs could significantly lower the cost of intelligence, but organizational silos are holding them back.

🧭 Navigating the AI Era

- Advice for Founders:

- The hosts encourage founders to follow their curiosity and experiment with cutting-edge AI technologies.

- Jared contrasts the old lean startup approach with today’s environment, where exploring new tech often leads to breakthrough ideas.

- Garry notes that many established companies are slow to adopt AI, creating opportunities for startups to innovate and disrupt.