Warning: This is a spoiler—the video hasn’t been published yet. Here’s the Google slides, however, the talking points are in the lower speaker section, which may be difficult to follow. To make it easier, I’m posting the content here in storyboard format so you can grasp the storyline in advance. Once the video is released, I’ll be sure to share it. I put in lots of rehearsals to ensure a strong performance.
Above: SF is the epicenter of AI, but have you ever wondered why?
Above: Surprisingly, the answer is in nature.
The Redwood forest is a connected ecosystem
- There are the giant trees,
- Countless saplings,
- Fertile soil,
- And a coastal breeze,
- …And it can only be found… in this region.
(Redwood image purchased and used within license)
Also, the epicenter of AI can only be found in this region.
It is a connected ecosystem:
Perfectly located in a dense urban area that extends from a narrow peninsula into a valley.
Home to towering giants:
- Universities
- Government institutions
- Big tech companies
- AI labs like Anthropic and OpenAI
- Surrounded by countless sapling startups rising up
- Nurtured by investors providing fertile soil
- Energized like the wind of global talent flying in from every corner of the world
All of this has resulted in a community—one that hasn’t truly been highlighted… until now.
I’ve been so lucky to have a front-row seat since the GenAI movement began.
• In April 2023, I launched Llama Lounge
• A vibrant community of thousands of AI leaders
• Where startups pitch their ideas to peers, investors, and corporate buyers, I kick it off with the sounding the conch shell!
• We’ve hosted over 20 events, with many more to come
Now one might think that the builders of automation would isolate themselves in the basement…
But no — that’s NOT what we’re doing.
- We want to learn
- Exchange resources.
- We we want AI to do the laborious work – so we can be more human –so we can be together
It’s not just about Llama Lounge.
According to my friends from the Cerebral Valley website, The SF Bay leads the world and has hosted 4000+ AI events in just three years –and the frequency is climbing!
DATA SOURCE
https://cerebralvalley.ai/sheet
Above: This thriving community has birthed unique cultures –and I’m excited to show my research, I’ve found Five AI Cultures
Above:
At the bottom are the AI Resisters
—they don’t want AI, and may even try to slow or stop it.
Then there are the AI Followers
— waiting for best practices and proven ROI before adopting, maybe they are in regulated industries.
Next are the AI Forward organizations
— a term used by CEOs of non-tech companies. They’re integrating AI with humans, they use that term to not scare employees.
Above:
And then here in the SF bay— two bold cultures have emerged.
The AI First companies —
often older and larger tech firms like Salesforce and Box who want to lead with AI
And finally, the AI Natives
young, small startups
that are built with AI since inception.
So what do these two new cultures do differently?
Here’s the secret:
Above:
Let me introduced you to The AI First Method.
If you have a problem or a goal:
1) First, see if an AI tool already exists and adopt it,
2) If it doesn’t exist, build it. Even if you’re not technical — vibe-code it,
3) If, and only if, that doesn’t work — then hire a human.
Then repeat that process over and over and over till your organization becomes:
Lean and Productive.
Above Slide: There’s three builds for each column.
So how do you measure lean and productive?
A key metric is: Revenue Per Employee (RPE) over a year
Here’s what’s happening:
BAR GRAPHIC 1: TRAD SAAS RPE
I analyzed earnings reports, and found that:
- Thousands of traditional SaaS companies
- Over the past few decades
- Who are likely AI Followers and AI Forwards
- Their average revenue per employee is $240K
BAR GRAPHIC 2: TOP 10 TRAD SAAS RPE
- Now lets take the top ten SaaS companies by gross revenues from that same list— Adobe, Atlassian, Shopify, Salesforce —
- they nearly double that, at $524K RPE
BAR GRAPHIC 3: TOP SF BAY AI NATIVES RPE
- Now, let’s look at the AI natives just from SF, data from the website: Lean…. AI-Native Leaderboard:
- It features companies that are:
- less than five years old,
- fewer than 50 employees,
- and generating over 5 million in revenue.
- Their average revenue per employee is …. $2.2 million
That’s 10x more (big hands) than traditional SaaS.
This means the new AI cultures are changing company performance.
But here’s the good news —we can be excited about this because:
- Even if you work at a big company — your small team can 10x.
- If you work at a nonprofit — you can 10x your impact.
- Even your family can get a 10X boost with AI.
- Data from LeanAILeaderboard: The original data set is over 40 companies and includes global companies
- I segmented data to SF lean startups only to derive this number.
Above: The Closing Slide
So what’s the big insight?
Yes, The SF Bay is the epicenter of AI
But its not just because of tech — it’s also community and the resulting cultures.
Ya’ know, culture is the way creatures live together.
And in the Redwoods, a connected ecosystem grows the boldest trees.
In the connected AI ecosystem, Each of YOU play a key role.
And together, we will build the boldest AI solutions for the benefit of the world —and you are all invited.
Thank you.
End speech.
Stay tuned for when the video goes live. I’d love to speak at your event.
Thank you Sightbox for the slide design. Thank you TED AI team for the opportunity, coaching, guidance and the platform.
