Mark Abbott sits down with Ninety’s head of product, Audra Stanton to discuss how founders should think about AI in their products and operations.

As AI becomes part of nearly every business conversation, founders are facing real pressure from investors, customers, and competitors to incorporate it. The question is not whether AI matters. The question is how to approach it thoughtfully without losing focus on what actually makes a company strong.

This episode explores the tension between innovation and discipline. It is a conversation about judgment, timing, change management, and keeping humans at the center of the company.

They reference examples including Netflix and Blockbuster, Intercom’s decision to lean heavily into AI despite short term pain, and Amazon’s “Just Walk Out” technology as a reminder that innovation does not always equal product market fit.

In this episode:

• How founders should think about AI in product versus operations
• The fear of being left behind and how to evaluate that risk
• Why most companies using AI are not yet seeing meaningful ROI
• How to navigate change without losing your core customer

If you are building a company meant to endure, this conversation will help you think more clearly about how and when to evolve.

Resources
→ Subscribe to Mark’s Founder’s Framework Newsletter: https://bit.ly/3JiAaXT
→ Subscribe to Ninety’s EOS Newsletter: https://www.ninety.io/impact-moments
→ Try Ninety free: https://www.ninety.io/?utm_source=you…

Connect:
→ Follow Mark on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MarkAbbott
→ Follow Audra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/audra-stanton/

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