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January 24, 2025 • 1hr 7min
I run a $180M+ company...here's how I'm using AI on a daily basis
My First Million
In this episode, Sam Parr and Shaan Puri talk with Andrew Wilkinson about how AI is rapidly transforming business operations and where he sees opportunities and risks. Andrew shares his firsthand experience implementing AI tools to replace administrative work and discusses the broader implications for business models and investment strategies.
I run a $180M+ company...here's how I'm using AI on a daily basis
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Key Takeaways
- AI is rapidly evolving from basic admin automation to potentially replacing knowledge workers within 2-3 years
- The future will be "K-shaped" - those who embrace and learn to use AI tools will accelerate while those who resist will fall behind
- Software businesses may become less valuable as AI makes it easier to build and replicate basic software functionality
- AI agents and digital employees are already starting to replace tasks traditionally done by human assistants
- Key AI tools mentioned: Lindy (AI automation), Howie (meeting scheduling), Fyxer (email management), Claude (general AI assistant)
- Investment implications include looking for AI infrastructure plays like data centers rather than just software companies
Introduction
In this episode, Sam Parr and Shaan Puri talk with Andrew Wilkinson about how AI is rapidly transforming business operations and where he sees opportunities and risks. Andrew shares his firsthand experience implementing AI tools to replace administrative work and discusses the broader implications for business models and investment strategies.
Topics Discussed
Current State of AI Implementation (0:00)
Andrew describes how he's currently using AI tools to automate various administrative tasks in his business operations:
- Meeting prep automation - AI agent reviews calendar and prepares briefing notes 30 minutes before meetings
- Email management through Fyxer which sorts and drafts responses
- Restaurant reservations handled by AI voice agents
- Basic admin tasks that would typically require human assistance
"This is like somebody just invented a new Internet or something... No, no, no - someone just invented fire," shares Andrew about the transformative potential of AI.
The K-Shaped Future (7:37)
Shaan introduces the concept of a "K-shaped" future where adoption of AI tools will create diverging outcomes:
- Upward trajectory for those who learn to leverage AI tools effectively
- Downward trajectory for those who resist adoption
- Regular evaluation needed to assess which tasks can be automated
- Importance of staying current with AI capabilities and implementation
24/7 AI Agents in Business (16:29)
Andrew discusses the evolution toward having AI agents as full-time digital employees:
- Current capabilities include text-based interactions and basic task automation
- Near-future prediction of AI coworkers in Slack within 12 months
- 2-3 year outlook for photorealistic video AI agents indistinguishable from humans
- Impact on workforce - replacing roles rather than firing current employees
"Within 24 to 36 months, these will be 4K video people that are indistinguishable from a human that you'll talk to on Zoom," predicts Andrew.
Software as a Commodity (25:46)
Andrew explains why he believes software businesses may become less valuable:
- Easier replication of basic software functionality using AI tools
- Increased competition as barrier to entry lowers
- Vertical market advantage may erode as niche software becomes easier to build
- Focus shifting to communities and social networks instead
"With tools like Replit, you can literally go in and reproduce basic software very, very easily," explains Andrew.
Andrew's AI Infrastructure Investment Strategy (38:40)
Discussion of investment opportunities in AI infrastructure:
- Data center investments through companies like Iris Energy
- Focus on physical infrastructure rather than just software
- Looking for misunderstood opportunities in public markets
- Importance of renewable energy proximity for compute facilities
Buy, Sell, or Hold Discussion (50:56)
The group reflects on investment decisions and lessons learned:
- Avoiding overthinking investment decisions
- Value of "forced savings" through illiquid investments
- Importance of staying with obvious choices rather than trying to be clever
- Learning from missed opportunities and failed attempts at outsmarting the market
"I want to be more... I just want to do the thing that makes sense and is obvious and then forget about it and stop trying to be clever," reflects Andrew.
Conclusion
The episode highlights the transformative potential of AI in business operations while emphasizing the importance of thoughtful implementation and investment strategies. Key themes include:
- Rapid evolution of AI capabilities and applications
- Need for strategic adaptation to maintain competitive advantage
- Investment implications for both software and infrastructure plays
- Importance of balanced approach between innovation and practical implementation
The discussion suggests we are at an inflection point where AI adoption will increasingly separate winners from losers in the business world, while also creating new opportunities for those who position themselves correctly.