I was ready to quit on AI coworking until I changed how I looked at it. In this post, I explain the simple change that helped our team work better and get more done.
The Reality Nobody Talks About
A lot of the advice on AI coworking rests on assumptions that made sense five years ago. The world has moved on.
The first thing to understand is that the market doesn't care about your roadmap. I've seen this play out across dozens of companies. The pattern is unmistakable.
Many teams spend months on the wrong path before realizing that simplicity beats complexity every time. Once they make the switch, everything changes.
What I've Learned From 31 Companies
A few patterns in AI coworking come up again and again.
The founders who handle AI coworking well understand that you need to move fast and break things.
Real Talk: What Actually Matters
Here is what actually matters in AI coworking.
First, execution speed beats perfection. Every time. Companies rarely fail because they moved too fast on AI coworking. Many fail because they moved too slowly.
Second, measure everything. If you can't measure it, you can't improve it. Set up tracking from day one, even if it's basic.
Third, talk to your users. It sounds obvious, but many founders make decisions about AI coworking in a vacuum. Get out of the building. Talk to real people.
This connects to broader themes around async communication AI, AI coworking, digital nomad AI tools that I've been thinking about a lot lately.
Final Thoughts
There are no shortcuts in AI coworking, but there are smarter paths.
The strongest teams treat AI coworking 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 AI coworking, 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:What experience informs this perspective?
This perspective comes from over a decade of building companies in Silicon Valley, two successful exits (RemoteTeam to Gusto, MovieLaLa to Gfycat), and investing in 234 startups including Anthropic, OpenAI, and Scale AI. I write about what I've lived.
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.
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.