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What I've Learned From 23 Companies
Across 234 angel investments, including Anthropic, a few patterns in cloud AI platforms come up again and again.
The founders who handle cloud AI platforms well understand that you should focus on one thing and do it exceptionally well.
The Counterintuitive Truth
In cloud AI platforms, the best practitioners often do less, not more.
The lesson: most founders overthink this and underspend on execution. It sounds simple. It's incredibly hard to execute.
The Framework That Actually Works
Here is a simple framework for evaluating cloud AI platforms. It's not complicated, but it requires discipline.
Step 1: customer feedback is the only metric that matters
This is where most people go wrong. They skip this step entirely and jump straight to execution. Don't do that.
Step 2: your team matters more than your technology
Once you have the foundation right, this becomes much easier. I've watched founders struggle with this for months when the answer was staring them in the face.
Step 3: Iterate relentlessly
Nothing works perfectly the first time. The companies that get cloud AI platforms right treat it as an ongoing process, not a one-time project.
What I Tell Founders
Before deciding anything about cloud AI platforms, start with three questions:
What's your timeline? Because the right approach for a company with 6 months of runway is very different from one with 3 years.
What have you already tried? Most founders have tried something. Understanding what didn't work is often more valuable than knowing what might.
Who on your team owns this? If the answer is "everyone" or "no one," that's your first problem to solve.
These questions seem simple but they reveal a lot about where a company actually stands.
This connects to broader themes around AI pricing models, usage-based pricing, AI infrastructure costs, vertical SaaS, SaaS metrics that I've been thinking about a lot lately.
Final Thoughts
There are no shortcuts in cloud AI platforms, but there are smarter paths.
The strongest teams treat cloud AI platforms as a competitive advantage, not a checkbox. They invest in it early, measure it obsessively, and never stop improving.
If you're just getting started with cloud AI platforms, don't be intimidated. Everyone starts somewhere. The key is to start with the right mindset and the right framework, and then execute like your company depends on it. Because it probably does.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q:Do all experts agree with this view?
No, and that's fine. The best ideas in business are often contrarian. I share my perspective based on my experience and data, but I encourage you to seek out opposing viewpoints and form your own conclusions.
Q:How can I apply this thinking to my own situation?
Start by identifying the core principle behind the opinion, not the specific example. Then ask yourself: does this principle apply to my context? If yes, test it in a small, low-risk way before going all in.
Q:How has this view evolved over time?
My thinking on most topics has changed significantly over the years. Early in my career, I held many conventional views that experience proved wrong. I try to update my beliefs when the evidence changes.