UNPAK3D Podcast Ep 22: Building Category-Defining AI Companies with Gokul Rajaram
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Jan 22, 2026 
Gokul Rajaram, seasoned operator and investor who led product at Google, Facebook, Square and DoorDash, explains where AI is actually winning. He highlights document processing, browser automation and voice agents as the biggest unlocks. He warns against infrastructure and middleware bets. He urges startups to build a second product fast and focus on retention metrics over top-line growth.
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Defensibility Through Domain RL
- Proprietary reward functions and domain-specific RL are the defensibility path against horizontal model providers.
- Self-improving systems tied to domain evals make it costly for horizontals to replicate deep workflows.
Data Deals Vary By Customer Size
- Large customers can demand private hosting and custom models, while mid-market buyers are harder to guarantee privacy for.
- Open-source models plus on-prem options make regulated industries and big customers viable targets.
Cannibalize To Survive
- Non-AI-native SaaS must build AI-native equivalents and accept a J-curve to survive.
- Boards must support migration even if it reduces near-term revenue, because legacy revenue loses equity value.