
AI-First Scaling: Product & Operations in a Brave New Tech World
From Go Slow to Grow Fast by Mercury Fund
August 19, 2025 · 56 min · Season 1 · Episode 18
About this episode
Experts discuss the operational shifts necessary for scaling in an AI-first world.
What does it really take to scale product and operations in an AI first world? In this episode, three operators and investors at the forefront of this transformation share their insight and expertise: Adrian Fortino at Mercury Fund, Dan Watkins of Mercury Fund and Pelagos Forma, and Roberto Montezuma of Fractal River. Together, they’ll unpack the operational shifts needed to succeed in a world where AI isn't the add on— it's at the center of your strategy. This episode was recorded live at the CXO Summit. Key Insights & Timestamps: [00:00]: Podcast begins [02:42] Where’s the Market Headed? Predicting the rapidly changing AI future [19:53] What About Development? Scaling operations from an AI-curious perspective [36:01] All About Mindset: Realistic expectations from the new world of AI-first tech [46:01] Focus vs Prioritization? Roberto’s advice to leaders embracing AI [50:35] Co-Creation & Customization: Dan helps startups get in on the enterprise ground floor Key Takeaways: What’s Next: Buying vs building is a big discussion for companies and enterprises when integrating AI into their workflows, but perspectives are likely to shift towards a buy and build mindset. Companies will…
People in this episode
Guests: Adrian Fortino, Dan Watkins, Roberto Montezuma
Topics covered
- AI-first strategy
- scaling operations
- market predictions
- mindset shifts
- co-creation
- customization
Keywords
- AI
- scaling
- operations
- market trends
- mindset
- customization
- startups
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Mercury Fund, Pelagos Forma, Fractal River
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