Don’t Adopt AI—Build Your Company Around It (ft. authors Adam Brotman and Andy Sack)

How do you build a business that thrives because of AI—not in spite of it?

In this episode, we’re joined by Adam Brotman, former Chief Digital Officer at Starbucks, and Andy Sack, serial entrepreneur and longtime advisor to Microsoft, to talk about their new book: AI FIRST. Drawing insights from conversations with leaders like Sam Altman, Reid Hoffman, and Bill Gates, Adam and Andy argue that being “AI-aware” isn’t enough—leaders must put AI at the center of how they operate.

They break down their AI First Playbook—from building an AI council to running internal prompt competitions—and offer practical advice for making your team more adaptive, creative, and resilient in the face of rapid change.

If you're leading a team, scaling a company, or just trying to keep up with the pace of innovation, this is your cheat code for the AI-powered era.

Topics Discussed:

• Why “AI First” is a mindset, not just a tech stack
• What Sam Altman, Reid Hoffman, and Bill Gates taught them about the future of work
• Offense vs. defense: how to think about AI strategy
• The centaur vs. cyborg model of human-AI collaboration
• Real-world case studies from Moderna, Suzy, and more
• Why you need an internal AI council—and how to launch one
• The cost of sitting still while your competitors experiment with genAI
• What every C-suite leader should be asking themselves in 2025

Resources:

• AI FIRST: The Playbook for a Future-Proof Business and Brand (Harvard Business Review Press)
• Forum3 website
• Follow Adam Brotman and Andy Sack on LinkedIn