Is Your AI Idea Any Good? A 5‑question Stress Test From a Serial Founder

Trust the problem more than the solution. Listen to customers more than your own excitement. And always, always prioritize human impact over technological complexity.

Here's a litmus test: If a human with enough time and skill could accomplish a task, how much time is your AI tool saving? What can that person do better or faster as a result of your tool?

AI is a powerful lens, not a cure-all. Your job isn't to apply AI everywhere, but only where it creates transformative value.

AI isn't magic. It's a set of tools that needs to dramatically improve an existing process. The most compelling AI startups don't just add a feature: They reimagine entire workflows, remove the need for them, or figure out ways to automate them.

Great AI products emerge from acute pain points. Not theoretical problems, but specific moments of genuine customer frustration.

Innovation makes people’s lives easier by helping them accomplish more in less time, or freeing up their time for creative or leisurely pursuits.

In AI, data isn't just fuel—it's the entire engine. The most promising startups are transforming data in interesting and useful ways that were previously either hard or impossible to do. Plus, ingesting more data entails higher switching costs for customers: The more data and insights a tool has into your workflow, the more time consuming it will b... See more