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?
