The global economy is undergoing a seismic shift that rivals the Industrial Revolution in scale and impact. In this episode of AI First with Adam and Andy , the hosts dive into the massive recent deals shaping the AI landscape, from Nvidia’s multibillion-dollar investment in OpenAI to OpenAI’s unprecedented infrastructure agreement with Oracle. Far from being financial hype, these moves point to a deeper truth: we are still at the very beginning of the AI era, and the next five years will demand...
Oct 15, 2025•9 min•Ep. 22
In this special three-part episode, AI First with Adam and Andy follows Influence Mobile CEO Dan Todd through a 90-day journey to become an AI-first company. Listeners will hear how a 65-person team with $40–50 million in revenue moved from scattered experimentation to structured adoption. Dan shares how they introduced enterprise ChatGPT and Gemini, tracked usage, and built momentum through Slack contests and creative prompt sharing. The conversation covers measurable wins such as developers cu...
Oct 08, 2025•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 21
In this episode of AI First with Adam and Andy , hosts Adam Brotman and Andy Sack sit down with Jennifer Strickland Fowler, CEO of Destination Pet, a rapidly growing company with over 160 pet care centers across 34 states. Jennifer shares her journey from human healthcare into pet care leadership and how her perspective on AI has shifted dramatically in the last year. She explains how Destination Pet now uses AI to accelerate competitive analysis, streamline recruiting, evaluate vendors, and fre...
Sep 24, 2025•33 min•Ep. 20
In this special mini-episode of AI First with Adam and Andy , Adam Brotman and Andy Sack dig into two of the biggest AI stories making headlines. They start with the recent MIT study that fueled a viral Fortune headline claiming 95% of corporate AI projects fail. Adam explains what the research actually found, from the limitations of wrapper apps to the importance of micro use cases and realistic measures of success. Together, Adam and Andy highlight why leaders should avoid getting distracted b...
Sep 03, 2025•13 min•Ep. 19
In this episode of AI First with Adam and Andy , we’re joined by Henrik Werdelin and Nicholas Thorne, co-founders of Audos and authors of Me, My Customer, and AI . Drawing on decades of entrepreneurial experience, they share how AI is transforming not just the pace of innovation, but the very nature of what it means to build a business. From the rise of small, agile, high-impact companies to the new competitive moats grounded in relationships, community, and trust, Henrik and Nicholas reveal why...
Aug 20, 2025•38 min•Ep. 18
In this episode of AI First with Adam and Andy , we’re joined by Keith Fairclough, CIO of Cabi, a women’s apparel brand with a national network of over 2,000 independent stylists. Keith walks us through how he went from early AI experimentation to spearheading a full-scale transformation at Cabi, turning curiosity into capability across the entire company. Keith breaks down the lessons from their AI bootcamp with Forum3, the structure they built to scale adoption (including org-wide training, AI...
Aug 06, 2025•36 min•Ep. 17
In this special episode of AI First with Adam and Andy , we go global with our first international guest, Shawn Walchef, founder of Cali BBQ and Cali BBQ Media, joining us from Bulgaria. Shawn shares how he’s using AI not just to support operations, but to fuel real innovation across both his restaurant and media businesses. He walks us through a game-changing Father’s Day activation where a voice AI agent, trained on his own podcast content and voice, answered 150+ customer calls, freeing up hi...
Jul 23, 2025•31 min•Ep. 16
In this episode of AI First with Adam and Andy , author and tech thinker Steven Johnson shares the surprising origin story of Google’s NotebookLM. Learn how a writer’s personal obsession with note-taking turned into a viral AI-native product now transforming enterprise workflows.
Jul 09, 2025•45 min•Ep. 15
AI First: A Playbook for Future-Proofing Your Business and Brand in the AI Era is officially out, and the world of AI has moved fast since we submitted the manuscript nine months ago. In this special launch-day episode, Adam Brotman and Andy Sack bring listeners behind the scenes to reflect on what has changed, what didn’t make it into the book, and what leaders need to be thinking about right now. From Sam Altman’s viral blog post The Gentle Singularity to the rapid rise of reasoning models, au...
Jun 25, 2025•17 min•Ep. 14
Fresh from the floor of the Food on Demand Conference in Las Vegas, Adam Brotman and Andy Sack unpack what’s top of mind for today’s restaurant leaders. In this episode, they reflect on the slowdown in digital growth, rising consumer price sensitivity, and the evolving challenges facing operators in 2025. They also explore how AI is transitioning from hype to practical application, powering smarter decisions in areas such as guest feedback, menu optimization, and operational efficiency. With ins...
Jun 11, 2025•7 min•Ep. 13
Commercial Real Estate brokerage is a $100B market, yet still stuck and manual as ever. In this episode, Joe Lee, CEO and founder of Locate.ai , shares how his company is using predictive AI and generative AI to transform the way national enterprises transact and expand into brick-and-mortar. From boosting store sales by 15% and increasing broker throughput by 3x, Joe breaks down what it means to truly be an AI-first company in an antiquated industry....
May 14, 2025•28 min•Ep. 11
In this episode of AI First with Adam and Andy, we sit down with Matt Britton, Founder & CEO of Suzy, to explore how AI is transforming the way businesses operate. Matt shares his personal “aha” moment with AI, how he applied those insights to revolutionize his company, and why he believes CEOs must lead the charge in AI adoption—or risk getting left behind. We dive into Suzy’s AI-driven evolution, the challenges of integrating AI in a fast-moving company, and the mindset shifts executives n...
Apr 30, 2025•37 min•Ep. 10
In this episode of AI First with Adam and Andy, the hosts dive into a dynamic conversation with Nick Soman, CEO of Decent and an AI-first leader. They explore how Nick leverages multiple large language models to act as an "Iron Man suit" for his business, enabling his team to punch above their weight and unlock new levels of efficiency and innovation. The discussion highlights the transformative potential of AI, from revolutionizing industries like healthcare to empowering startups with tools on...
Apr 16, 2025•56 min•Ep. 9
In this episode of AI First with Adam and Andy , we sit down with Andrew Katz, Chief Marketing Officer at Athletic Brewing, to explore how AI is reshaping marketing in the CPG industry. Andrew shares his hands-on approach to integrating AI into daily workflows, the role of GenAI in creative ideation, and the challenges of navigating the attention economy. We dive into: How AI is optimizing marketing decisions and media spend Why consumer sentiment is still hesitant about AI-generated creative Th...
Apr 02, 2025•51 min•Ep. 8
In this episode of AI First with Adam and Andy , Fred Crosetto, founder of AMMEX, reveals how a traditional company became a global AI innovator. From automating HR with a 68% self-service rate to transforming supply chain and marketing processes, Fred offers a masterclass in leadership during technological disruption. Topics include: Breaking down barriers to AI adoption in non-tech companies. The strategic role of data readiness in unlocking AI’s potential. Balancing innovation and cultural al...
Mar 19, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 7
On this episode of AI First with Adam and Andy , the hosts sit down with Jeff Bussgang — Harvard Business School professor, venture capitalist, and author of The Experimentation Machine . Together, they explore how AI is reshaping startup formation, product-market fit, and business strategy. Following the interview, Adam and Andy share their expert commentary, diving deeper into the transformative insights from Jeff and their implications for business leaders. Topics include: How AI tools can ma...
Mar 05, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 6
Join hosts Andy Sack and Adam Brotman as they sit down with Hugh Weber, President of Business Operations at Seattle Sounders FC, to explore how AI is reshaping sports management. Hugh dives into the team’s AI journey, revealing game-changing strategies, cultural shifts, and key lessons from integrating AI into operations. Hear firsthand about the productivity boosts, decision-making insights, and the challenges of embracing innovation in a fast-paced industry. Plus, Andy and Adam’s post-episode ...
Feb 19, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 5
In this episode of AI First with Adam & Andy, our hosts discuss insights from their interview with Neil Patel, focusing on the impact of AI on consumer behavior, the importance of SEO and GEO for business leaders, and strategies for future-proofing businesses through AI. They explore how consumer behavior has shifted with the rise of AI, the need for businesses to adapt their marketing strategies, and the role of AI tools in enhancing brand awareness and product improvement.
Feb 13, 2025•27 min
Marketing visionary Neil Patel, Co-Founder of NP Digital, breaks down how AI is reshaping search, SEO, and brand strategy. As AI-driven platforms like ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, and Instagram Search become the new gatekeepers of information, Neil reveals why businesses must move beyond traditional SEO and embrace "Search Everywhere Optimization." Neil gives a masterclass on how AI is influencing consumer behavior and what it means for Google’s dominance, the role of brand visibility and real ...
Feb 05, 2025•43 min•Ep. 3
In this episode of AI Firs t, hosts Adam Brotman and Andy Sack engage with Brice Challamel, VP of AI Products and Platforms at Moderna, to discuss the transformative impact of generative AI on business operations. Brice shares how Moderna has successfully integrated AI into its culture, enhancing decision-making processes, productivity, and cross-functional collaboration. The discussion highlights actionable strategies for promoting AI adoption, addressing cultural shifts, and overcoming resista...
Jan 22, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 2
Welcome to the inaugural episode of AI First with Adam and Andy ! Kicking off the new year, hosts Andy Sack and Adam Brotman share their bold predictions for AI in 2025. From the rise of AI-powered search and agentic AI to Apple's big move into artificial intelligence, this episode explores the trends set to disrupt businesses, reshape industries, and influence our daily lives. Topics include: Will AI search finally challenge Google’s dominance? Why 2025 is the year of agentic AI and generative ...
Jan 07, 2025•28 min•Ep. 1
