I Said No To A Chief of A.I. Offer
And it felt good.
For the past 5 years, the wave of companies and entrepreneurs yearning to integrate artificial intelligence into their business models had grown substantially. You can see it to be all over LinkedIn, Twitter, Discord, Substack, and even Instagram. Just this week, I’ve seen a “spiritual leader” introduce the connection between spirituality and AI. I’ve received invitations to consult with global companies to explore ways in adopting A.I. into their systems, but some of them are not quite ready with the resources and commitment needed to truly embrace it.
One company that did reach out to me a while back was a SaaS startup that was clear and strong about its business case of leveraging AI to put its brand at the top of its space. They would have been the top 3 perhaps, based on my research, to have it in their product domain if they had integrated AI into their software. The space they’re in is nascent, and the need is timely. The numbers look promising, and the founding team seemed well-rounded and highly skilled in their areas of expertise. They just needed a Chief of AI in their roster, and the strategy would have been complete.
The founders and I had a few conversations. They asked great questions and seemed to be excited about the timelines and deliverables we agreed on. The goals were going to be challenging, but totally achievable, and I was excited to be part of the milestone they wanted to meet. I was even going to bring on two top-notch software engineers of my choice into the team. The founders were already assuming the first week's happenings after I join the company. The title and delivered results would have looked so good on my CV. It was perfect for my career trajectory.
The problem was, a part of my terms would not be honored. Everything else was to be taken care of, but there was an item that seemed minute to some folks but holds a lot of value to me and the engineers I was going to bring in. I talked to my mentors and advisors about the ordeal who helped me get to a final decision.
I said no to the Chief of A.I. offer.
Even though it would have raked in possibly millions of dollars in the long term.
My logic:
Trustworthy and reliable AI talent is still hard to find. When you find these, it just makes sense to take care of them from the get-go.
Pivoting a product and company brand into an AI-powered one is highly valuable. Even at a time of massive adoption and no-code options.
Putting out an artificially-intelligent system (or software) is as complex as it is easy - it’s a paradox that involved investing in the last 5 years (or more). Therefore the reward for building one has to be long-lasting and transactional exchange symbiotic.
An AI product could whip up millions in earnings and anyone can do it - anyone who’s willing to put in the real work. It doesn’t have to be through a company that hires you or the one company that’s currently offering you a role. You can either build your own AI startup or keep looking for a company that’s a good match to your needs and terms.
It was a tough decision - I wanted that role and to be part of that milestone for the company and possibly more. I already had a game plan on how I’d manage running my existing AI startup and that full-time role. But I stayed with my truth, thinking of the two things I learned from my business mentor Sophia Amoruso when I took her program Business Class. She said:
“You have to be willing to walk away.”
always know what you’re willing to give away
walk away when offers drop below your minimum
In this season of AI flying high across the world and everyone talking about it, it would have been easier to set the bar low and just take what’s on offer without negotiating. That’s the other thing I learned: never not negotiate. Especially in a career track such as AI.
Saying no feels good - even if it means walking away because you’ve kept your standard high. It also means there’s more time to focus on your own AI project and finding the next great AI company to join.