It's Time (For Claude) To Build

Michael Edwards

We have been heavily focused on the imperatives of adoption and building to incorporate AI and automation techniques.  Frustrations around organizational sclerosis and a tendency to wait for an off-the-shelf, buyable solution reveal some of the vulnerabilities and torpor of many corporate cultures.  At both an enterprise, and perhaps a societal, level, this recalls for me Marc Andreessen's early COVID, hortatory essay "It's Time to Build" with COVID-exposed resiliency gaps similar to AI exposing innovation culture gaps.  To that end, and so that form might mirror content, I asked both ChatGPT and Claude to reframe Andreessen’s powerful message from April 2020 to tackle the imperative to build with automation tools in order to prepare for an AI-integrated future.  This essay was produced entirely (with the exception of a single word changed) by generative AI, using just 3 prompts to migrate from the original Andreessen version to this.  Enjoy.  And build!

Every company was unprepared for the rapid advances in artificial intelligence, despite clear warnings. This failure to adapt will echo for years, but it’s not too early to ask why. Some may blame one industry or another, one firm or another. But the harsh reality is all have failed to embrace AI’s potential – none were prepared. Despite hard work by many, fear of change and displacement held companies back. So the problem runs deeper than any one organization.

The issue is not just lack of imagination, but an unwillingness to tolerate disruption. And a failure to build and deploy AI systems, coupled with reluctance to encourage a spirit of enterprise-wide building. We see this in pressing needs going unmet. Firms lack AI talent and implementations. They lack agile processes and automation to boost productivity and creativity. They lack the training programs, the mechanisms, the systems required. As I write this, companies are failing to teach AI at the scale needed to thrive.

Take Walmart – the world’s largest retailer spent over a decade trying to implement basic RFID inventory tracking, despite the clear benefits. Or Microsoft – the tech giant took too long to transition from Windows to cloud and mobile. Why do firms lack these capabilities? AI systems are feasible, even easy relative to companies’ existing technical expertise. They simply failed to build what their businesses require. They failed to build.

This complacency infects organizations broadly, not just regarding AI. It manifests in countless ways:

  • Production still relies on legacy factories while technology enables robotic manufacturing, modular equipment, and flexible automation.
  • Corporate structures stay rigid hierarchies when networked, agile systems often perform better.
  • Most employees get minimal training and support though learning and development unlock potential.

Is it money holding us back? Unlikely given the vast resources spent on less productive activities. Is it capitalism? AI and agility enable better serving customers. Is it competence? Given the complex things companies already build, clearly not! The problem is desire. Leadership must want transformational change. The problem is inertia. They must want it more than they want to prevent it. The problem is entrenched interests. All employees must be empowered to build the future. And the problem is will. We must build.

Adopting AI must be separate from corporate politics. All levels can contribute to building. Executives can fund emerging capabilities. Staff can pilot new processes. It’s time for aggressive investment in AI, automation, and agility. We must demand more of leaders, managers, employees – and each other. We must all contribute to building. Every step, we should ask – what are you building? Helping or teaching others? Or caring for builders? If not, we have failed. All talent must apply to big problems and solutions. Some may resist these ideas. To them I ask – what do you propose we build instead? I will likely agree!

Our firms were built by innovating and building. There is only one way to honor that legacy – to build the AI-powered future we want. We must overcome resistance and build. And we must accept that disruption, even destruction of the old, is healthy and necessary for companies to thrive.

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Important disclosures: Disclosures: This content (the "Insights Page") is provided by Weiss Multi-Strategy Advisers LLC ("Weiss"). The views expressed on the Insights Page are for informational purposes only and are subject to change without notice. Information on the Insights Page has been developed internally and is based on market conditions as of the date of the original post on the Insights Page from sources believed to be reliable. Nothing on the Insights Page should be construed as investment, legal, tax, or other advice and should not be viewed as a recommendation to buy or sell any security or adopt any investment strategy. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Please consult your own advisers regarding business, legal, tax, or other matters concerning investments. Weiss has no control over information at any external site hyperlinked on the Insights Page. Weiss makes no representation concerning and is not responsible for the quality, content, nature, or reliability of any hyperlinked site and has included hyperlinks only as a convenience. The inclusion of any external hyperlink does not imply any endorsement or ongoing monitoring by Weiss of any hyperlinked site. Investing in securities is speculative and involves substantial risk of loss.

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