Gokul Rajaram, a renowned product leader and investor—shares his insights on the evolving AI landscape, startup success strategies, and the future of product management. Hosted by Amit Fulay, VP of Product at Microsoft, this conversation covers how AI is shifting from model training to enterprise adoption, why founders must master hiring and fundraising, and the key ingredients to building a scalable company.

Gokul dives deep into what makes a startup’s AI moat defensible, how to articulate risk to investors, and the importance of product-led growth in today’s market. Whether you're a founder, investor, or product leader, this episode is packed with tactical advice on navigating AI disruption, hiring top talent, and leveraging storytelling for startup success.

What You Will Learn:

✅ The biggest shifts in AI and startup funding

✅ How to build a defensible moat in AI

✅ Why hiring and team credibility matter more than ever

✅ The role of narrative in securing funding

✅ How AI startups should focus on enterprise adoption over model training

✅ The evolving role of product managers in the AI era

Episode Highlights:

[04:12] – Scale vs. efficiency: How DeepSeek reshaped AI

[08:45] – AI startups don’t need massive capital, they need better tools

[12:00] – The real moat in AI: Private data & complex workflows

[19:02] – Why great founders deeply understand customer pain points

[21:53] – If you’re not aiming for 10x growth, you’re already behind

[30:06] – Founders must spend 20-30% of their time hiring

[26:54] – The evolution of product managers: Why prototyping is essential

[35:54] – "Get on the rocket ship—figure out your seat later."

💡 Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe to The Wize Ones on your favorite podcast platform for more insights from top knowledge professionals. If you would like to continue the conversation with either of our guests, you can chat with their Wizly Knowledge Twins.

Gokul Rajaram- https://askwizly.ai/gokul-rajaram

Amit Fulay-https://askwizly.ai/amit-fulay

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