GeekWire Building an AI-first company: What these two business leaders learned from top experts in the field
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Aug 16, 2025 In this engaging discussion, Adam Brotman, co-author of AI First and former chief digital officer at Starbucks, teams up with Andy Sack, co-author and tech investor, to explore the transformative power of AI in business. They share their 'holy-shit' moment with Sam Altman and reveal how AI can boost customer engagement. The duo emphasizes the necessity of an AI-first mindset for leaders, touching on innovative strategies for integrating AI into company culture and making the technology accessible and enjoyable for employees.
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Start Experimenting With AI Today
- Start using AI now and build a continuous experimentation muscle inside your company.
- Treat AI adoption as a growth mindset, not a one-off technology project.
AI Is An Evolving Intelligence
- AI behaves more like an evolving intelligence than deterministic software, so playbooks must emphasize mindset and learning.
- Expect capabilities to change rapidly and design continuous learning and guardrails accordingly.
Create An AI Council First
- Form an AI council or cross-functional task force with a C-suite sponsor to drive adoption.
- Start part-time with passionate champions and let that leader evolve into a chief AI officer over time.
