The Next Big AI A̶g̶e̶n̶c̶y̶-Scam

I was recently interviewed as a prospect to head-up a new AI start-up with two founders; their pitch was "Ai is the future" and their plan was to sell AI services to "streamline business efficiency"... so far, in theory, everything is fine.

In the interview I really only had two questions:

1. Who is this for?

2. What is the actual product?

Their responses:

1. "Everyone really, there's no limit".

   
   

2. They have no actual product, their plan is to consult with prospects, white-label existing AI tools and sell these programs back to clients, for a tasty monthly retainer.

Legitimately, this was their plan… no product, no service, no identifiable market… just a shiny concept advertised in bright, flashing neon lights… "AI IS SO HOT RIGHT NOW"… marketing and sales will take care of the rest.

The discussion took a twist where over the next 10 minutes I proceeded to break down their plan and lay out an actual commercial service for them.

I noted that existing AI tools are either free or cheap — that there's no value in selling customers a solution that requires a dozen new AI plug-ins — and if you're relying on exisiting AI tools, then what you're really selling is the 'AI learning curve'.

You're not a service provider, you're a consultancy specialising in AI expertise so existing staff don't have to learn how to do it — a certain breed of middle-management will eat this up. (This is where I predict a proliferation of AI agencies to prey on the lazy… hell, I may have missed a golden opportunity to get in at the ground level).

I passed on this role because it's a classic fraud being pedalled by the AI hype-circus and sits under the umbrella of all tech innovation scams preached for almost two decades — scams I've debunked in minutes, literally saving organisations millions of dollars of investment, by employing a very simple thought experiment that involves two iPhones.

Imagine if you have an iPhone and I have an iPhone and we compete, who wins?

As you know, Apple releases a new and shiny iPhone every two years.

So you rush out and by the newest model and I rush out and buy the newest model.

Now you have the newest iPhone and I have the newest iPhone and we compete, who wins?

All of a sudden you realise it's not the tool, it's not the iPhone, but whoever can creatively use the tool to leverage a unique competitive edge.

AI is the new iPhone.

It doesn't matter what the program is, what it does, how it looks or what it costs — if you have an AI and I have an AI and we compete, who wins?

Before you agree to a discovery call with any of these AI Experts, understand that if they can sell a solution to you, their livelihood relies on selling the same solution to all of your competitors.

Yes, AI is a powerful tool.

Yes, it will play a role in productivity.

But if you're looking to innovate and lead your industry — if you want deliver significant change, value or a unique point of differentiation — you're going to need something more than the same tools that everyone has access to.

The only differentiator, the only element that cannot be digitally replicated and the only element that is uniquely yours and within your control, is the human ingenuity and creativity of the user... you... the creative skill and intelligence of you and your teams.

Right now you can book a free 15 minute consult and I'll audit any AI service being pitched to you.

If you're ready to work, ask me for workshops and talks to detail the creative skills you need to drive billion dollar innovation.

#ai #creativity #innovation #designthinking #collaboration #disruption #investment #vc #casestudy #venturecapital #validation #ideation

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Christopher S. Sellers is an International Thought Leader, Author and Speaker

on the billion dollar value of creativity