AI and the Future of Work: Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace, Business, Ethics, HR, and IT for AI Enthusiasts, Leaders and Academics 370: AI Can Build the Company. Only Humans Can Build the Bond | BARK Co-Founder Henrik Werdelin
Jan 5, 2026
Henrik Werdelin, co-founder of BARK and Prehype, shares insights on blending AI with human connection in entrepreneurship. He believes authentic founder-user relationships are crucial as AI reshapes roles in companies. Henrik discusses the evolution from storytelling to 'storylistening' for better product development and cautions against a homogenized approach to AI-driven startups. He emphasizes that while AI can speed up innovation, it should augment human interaction, not replace it, ensuring deeper connections in business.
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Relationship Capital Becomes The New Moat
- AI completes the final democratizing step that makes entrepreneurship accessible to many more people.
- Henrik sees relationship capital as the new moat when everyone can build things cheaply.
Human Nuance Limits AI’s Utility
- Understanding subtle human signals (mood, party energy) is crucial to using AI effectively.
- We risk cognitive laziness and loneliness if we lean on AI without studying human nuance.
Begin With Problem And Authority
- Start ventures by identifying a meaningful problem and who you want to serve rather than starting with an idea.
- Verify you have authenticity or authority to solve that problem before scaling solutions with AI.
