Integrating AI into existing products has challenges. The hodgepodge of legacy features and competing priorities makes it difficult for new AI capabilities to gain traction and provide true value according to LukeW. In contrast, startups building from the ground up with AI at the core can create novel AI-driven experiences without being constrained by technical debt or entrenched interests.

Key Learnings:

• Integrating AI into mature products with many legacy features results in the new AI capabilities getting lost amidst the noise

• Incumbent companies face competing internal priorities and revenue drivers tied to their existing feature set

• Startups focused solely on an AI-first approach can build novel experiences unconstrained by technical debt

• If a startup attracts users organically, it demonstrates they are filling a need rather than just promoting AI as a feature

• Building with AI at the core enables creating new paradigms rather than just feature integration