Search Captions & Ask AI

Chamath: How the ‘AI Boogeyman’ will cause problems for AI businesses

August 23, 2025 / 00:56

This episode discusses the challenges of implementing AI in businesses, featuring insights on organizational pushback and the future of AI technology. Key topics include the initial success and subsequent firing of a client, the resistance faced as AI technology moves through company hierarchies, and the potential ramifications of AI fears in Fortune 2000 companies.

The speaker reflects on their first year in business, projecting $40 million in bookings. They share an experience where their first customer experienced significant gains but ultimately terminated their services due to internal resistance.

Concerns about the acceptance of AI technology are highlighted, emphasizing the need for decision-makers to navigate their comfort levels with AI. The speaker suggests that the negative perceptions surrounding AI could have lasting effects as the technology becomes more integrated into organizations.

TL;DR

AI technology faces organizational pushback despite initial success, raising concerns about its future in Fortune 2000 companies.

Episode

0:56
00:00:00
This is our first full year of business.
00:00:01
We'll do about $40 million of bookings
00:00:03
in the first year.
00:00:04
Yeah,
00:00:05
that's crazy.
00:00:06
Our first customer where we delivered
00:00:08
enormous gains, we were fired. And the
00:00:10
reason we were fired was not because the
00:00:12
technology wasn't working, but it's
00:00:14
because as it goes lower and lower from
00:00:17
the board and the CEO into the bowels of
00:00:21
the organization, you actually run into
00:00:23
huge push back. And I think that there's
00:00:25
going to be that cycle that we have to
00:00:27
deal with as well, which is in all of
00:00:28
these AI businesses, there's all kinds
00:00:31
of stuff that scare people. And there
00:00:34
are many people in decision-m roles at
00:00:36
many of these companies that will have
00:00:38
to sort out where's their comfort level.
00:00:40
That I think is a cycle that has yet to
00:00:42
play itself out. in all of the Fortune
00:00:44
2000, global 2000, I would not expect
00:00:47
that the AI boogeyman that has been
00:00:51
created doesn't have some negative
00:00:52
ramifications over the next couple of
00:00:54
years as well as this stuff gets sort

Badges

This episode stands out for the following:

  • 60
    Best concept / idea

Episode Highlights

  • Challenges of AI Adoption
    We faced pushback as our technology reached lower levels in organizations.
    “You actually run into huge push back.”
    @ 00m 23s
    August 23, 2025

Episode Quotes

  • That's crazy.
    Chamath: How the ‘AI Boogeyman’ will cause problems for AI businesses
  • The AI boogeyman has negative ramifications.
    Chamath: How the ‘AI Boogeyman’ will cause problems for AI businesses

Key Moments

  • Pushback00:23
  • AI Challenges00:23

Related Episodes

AI Bubble Pops, Zuck Freezes Hiring, Newsom’s 2028 Surge, Russia/Ukraine Endgame
August 22, 2025
Captions not detected. You can watch the video, but not search it. If you think this is an error, contact support.
01:11:45
AI Bubble Pops, Zuck Freezes Hiring, Newsom’s 2028 Surge, Russia/Ukraine Endgame
Is The AI Bubble About To Pop? - Chamath Palihapitiya
August 24, 2025
Captions not detected. You can watch the video, but not search it. If you think this is an error, contact support.
09:37
Is The AI Bubble About To Pop? - Chamath Palihapitiya
Trump's First 100 Days, Tariffs Impact Trade, AI Agents, Amazon Backs Down
May 03, 2025
Captions not detected. You can watch the video, but not search it. If you think this is an error, contact support.
01:35:05
Trump's First 100 Days, Tariffs Impact Trade, AI Agents, Amazon Backs Down
Why AI will dwarf every tech revolution before it: robots, manufacturing, AR glasses from CES 2026
January 14, 2026
Captions not detected. You can watch the video, but not search it. If you think this is an error, contact support.
51:02
Why AI will dwarf every tech revolution before it: robots, manufacturing, AR glasses from CES 2026
1929 vs 2025: Andrew Ross Sorkin on Crashes, Bubbles & Lessons Learned
October 16, 2025
Captions not detected. You can watch the video, but not search it. If you think this is an error, contact support.
50:49
1929 vs 2025: Andrew Ross Sorkin on Crashes, Bubbles & Lessons Learned
Trump verdict, COVID Cover-up, Crypto Corner, Salesforce drops 20%, AI correction?
May 31, 2024
Captions not detected. You can watch the video, but not search it. If you think this is an error, contact support.
01:47:41
Trump verdict, COVID Cover-up, Crypto Corner, Salesforce drops 20%, AI correction?
Iran War, Oil Shock, Off Ramps, AI's Revenue Explosion and PR Nightmare
March 13, 2026
Captions not detected. You can watch the video, but not search it. If you think this is an error, contact support.
01:20:23
Iran War, Oil Shock, Off Ramps, AI's Revenue Explosion and PR Nightmare
E173: Google buying HubSpot? FTX depositors not made whole, AI job fears, Ukraine joining NATO
April 05, 2024
Captions not detected. You can watch the video, but not search it. If you think this is an error, contact support.
01:32:57
E173: Google buying HubSpot? FTX depositors not made whole, AI job fears, Ukraine joining NATO
New SEC Chair, Bitcoin, xAI Supercomputer, UnitedHealth CEO murder, with Gavin Baker & Joe Lonsdale
December 07, 2024
Captions not detected. You can watch the video, but not search it. If you think this is an error, contact support.
01:24:19
New SEC Chair, Bitcoin, xAI Supercomputer, UnitedHealth CEO murder, with Gavin Baker & Joe Lonsdale
AI Doom vs Boom, EA Cult Returns, BBB Upside, US Steel and Golden Votes
May 31, 2025
Captions not detected. You can watch the video, but not search it. If you think this is an error, contact support.
01:29:41
AI Doom vs Boom, EA Cult Returns, BBB Upside, US Steel and Golden Votes
OpenAI's $150B conversion, Meta's AR glasses, Blue-collar boom, Risk of nuclear war
September 27, 2024
Captions not detected. You can watch the video, but not search it. If you think this is an error, contact support.
01:35:49
OpenAI's $150B conversion, Meta's AR glasses, Blue-collar boom, Risk of nuclear war
Ray Dalio: "AI Is Eating Everything - and It Might Eat Itself"
March 03, 2026
Captions not detected. You can watch the video, but not search it. If you think this is an error, contact support.
49:14
Ray Dalio: "AI Is Eating Everything - and It Might Eat Itself"