ScaleUp:AI

Is the traditional "build vs. buy" debate missing the point? This was the key question at Insight Partners ScaleUp AI event last week, where A.Team's CEO Raphael Ouzan joined tech leaders from Dell Technologies and Salesforce to discuss the future of enterprise AI implementation with 300+ AI luminaries in NYC. We’re seeing a growing trend: the majority of companies are building custom AI applications for every major use case. Why? Pure off-the-shelf solutions have become table stakes. As Bain's research shows, companies succeeding with AI are taking hybrid approaches - combining off-the-shelf tools with custom development to create real competitive advantages. While 68% of enterprise AI projects don't make it past pilot phase, the organizations breaking through are taking a more nuanced approach by: ? Adopting flexible models that combine custom development with existing tools ? Focusing on augmentation over full automation ? Bringing in specialized talent to bridge the expertise gap As Dell's Chris Bennett noted, "GenAI success isn't an IT problem, it's a company problem.” The most successful organizations are thinking beyond traditional build vs buy paradigms to create flexible approaches that drive real business value. Thanks again to Gené Teare for moderating and Phil Mui, Chris Bennett, and Raphael Ouzan for the excellent insights. How are you balancing custom development with off-the-shelf tools in your AI initiatives? What's working and what isn't?

It was a huge honor to host General Jim Rainey in NYC at Insight’s ScaleUp:AI conference this week! GEN Rainey and his teammates at Army Futures Command are tirelessly working to ensure the Army and its Soldiers remain at the forefront of technological innovation.

“AI is the flour, not the icing” - Allie Miller, keynote, ScaleUp:AI Allie noted in her prior role at Amazon talking to leading AI startups that “Everyone was focused on what AI products, or AI models they were releasing into the world. When you actually spoke to these companies, the thing that stood out so so obviously, is that they were actually using AI in everything they were doing. They were using AI as part of their job description creation. They were using AI in their strategic decision making. They were using AI to test out product ideas, to QA code. It was in everything, not just the external part. The analogy that is that AI was thought to be this like frosting at the end of the cake, when, in fact, AI is the flour that is baked into the cake of these startups.” #ScaleUp

Thrilled to connect with Adena Friedman CEO of Nasdaq at Insight Partners ScaleUp:AI 2024! It's inspiring to find another powerful woman on the same wavelength about embracing AI in financial services. #ScaleUp:AI 2024 highlights: - Agentic AI is evolving gradually (Andrew Ng) - Autonomous enterprises in 3-5 years (Allie K. Miller) - 2025 will be the year of agents (Ruchir Puri, Chief Scientist at IBM Research) - We want to beat what humans are able to do (May Habib, CEO of Writer) - We're ushering in an era of Legos. We're all becoming builders. (Raphael A. Ouzan, A.Team) #ScaleUpAI2024 #AIInFinance #WomenInTech #FutureOfTech T200 Lazard Insight Partners Vidya Nallasivan William Blackwell Ash Tutika Praveen Akkiraju Ganesh Bell George Mathew Alberto Padilla

Great week in New York City attending Insight Partners ScaleUp:AI event. We're a proud portfolio company and were excited to partner on this opportunity that brought leaders like the fantastic Allie K. Miller from across the technology landscape together to discuss the impact AI is having on their businesses. Our CEO Dan Rogers sat down with Praveen Akkiraju to discuss ways we are seeing our customers leverage GenAI and using LaunchDarkly to get the control needed to move confidently at the speed the AI industry is moving. Check out the interview here: https://lnkd.in/e4nRzN6x

Nothing like seeing an incredible vision come to life! Massive s/o to my fellow MC techie Jennifer Jordan and the incredible team at Insight Partners for curating a fantastic lineup and fostering an innovative environment for builders. Glad I got to experience ScaleUp:AI in person this year, and left with the right charge to automate the future. Let’s do it again next year! ????

?? Got the chance to attend ScaleUp:AI, by Insight Partners, and the message was clear: AI is here to stay—and successful businesses are becoming AI-First at all levels. Shout out to Allie K. Miller for an amazing opening keynote.?? ??The organizations leading the way aren’t just dabbling in AI; they’re embedding it across all functions to handle mundane tasks, allowing their teams to dive into the critical, high-impact work that humans do best. By leveraging AI, these companies are not only staying competitive but also empowering their people to innovate and problem-solve at a higher level. How is your company embracing AI? #AI #ScaleUpAI #Innovation #BusinessTransformation #

I had a chance to attend the Scale Up AI conference in NYC, powered by Insight Partners, where the energy around AI's future was electric! The halls were buzzing with breakthrough ideas and practical applications. A special thanks to Allie K. Miller for delivering a thought-provoking keynote that set the perfect tone for deep discussions. Here are my key takeaways: 1?? Agentic AI: The Evolution of Machine Intelligence We're witnessing a fundamental shift from passive AI tools to proactive AI partners. These systems aren't just processing data – they're reasoning, learning, and making nuanced decisions. In healthcare, they're helping diagnose conditions and suggest treatment plans. In legal tech, they're transforming document analysis and case research. The implications? AI is becoming less of a tool and more of a collaborative partner in decision-making. 2?? The Innovation Sprint: Embracing Rapid Evolution The keynote highlighted a striking reality: what was cutting-edge six months ago is now table stakes. Generative AI is achieving capabilities that seemed impossible last year, from human-level reasoning to creative problem-solving. Organizations can no longer rely on annual AI strategies. The new playbook? Regular strategy sprints, rapid prototyping, and continuous adaptation to stay ahead of the curve. 3?? Beyond the AI Hype Cycle: Focusing on Impact A refreshing focus on practical applications emerged. Leaders shared how they're moving past flashy demos to build AI solutions that deliver measurable ROI. The most compelling examples came from companies using AI to solve specific industry challenges – from supply chain optimization to personalized healthcare. Success metrics are shifting from technical benchmarks to business outcomes. 4?? Ethics as Innovation Driver: The Trust Imperative Perhaps the most crucial discussion centered on responsible AI deployment. Industry leaders emphasized that ethical considerations shouldn't constrain innovation – they should drive it. This means building explainable models, implementing robust bias detection, and maintaining clear accountability frameworks. The consensus? Tomorrow's AI leaders will win on trust as much as technology. At Direct Agents, these insights are shaping our vision for next-generation digital marketing AI. We're focused on developing solutions that don't just push technical boundaries but create meaningful value for our clients. . . #AI #DigitalTransformation #ScaleUpAI #TechInnovation #FutureOfWork . .

?? Thrilled to attend yesterday's ScaleUp: AI conference powered by Insight Partners. The ideas on where AI is headed and how to make sense of it all were truly inspiring. Here are my top 5 takeaways: ?????????????? ????: ?????? ???????? ?????????????????? Agentic AI redefines automation by empowering systems to think, adapt, and iterate like humans. From healthcare to legal, this shift to AI “agents” is changing the game from passive assistant to active, intelligent partner. ???????????????????? ???? ????????????: ???? ?????? ?????????????? General Jim Rainey’s insights on AI in defense highlighted a critical lesson: resilience is everything. The Army’s approach is a model for responsible, real-world deployment, proving that AI can be powerful, strategic, and responsibly managed—even under the toughest conditions. ?????? ?????????? ???? ????????????: ?????????????? ???? ?????????????????? Allie K. Miller’s opening keynote was a wake-up call on the rapid pace of AI. With generative AI now achieving superhuman results, organizations must rethink their timelines. Agility and constant adaptation are the new must-haves—5-year plans simply don’t cut it anymore. ????????????????????????-?????????? ????????????: ???????????????? ???????? ???? ???????? ???????? ???????????????? We heard a lot about balancing big promises with real impact. While hype can drive initial excitement, true leaders are creating steady, meaningful progress that will shape AI’s long-term success. Focus on building, iterating, and moving the needle one real-world solution at a time. ?????????????????????? ????: ?????????????? ???????? ?????????? ?????? ???????????????????????? The emphasis on responsible AI was powerful and timely. AI must be explainable and ethically sound in finance, healthcare, or customer experience. The consensus? To lead in AI, businesses need to balance inn ovation with trust and transparency—it will set the leaders apart. I left ScaleUp: AI energized and ready for what’s next, both the immediate opportunities and the long-term potential. Onward! ?? #ScaleUpAI #InsightPartners #AgenticAI #ResponsibleAI #Innovation #FutureOfWork #TechForGood #ArtificialIntelligence

? Still buzzing from yesterday's experience at Insight Partners' flagship AI event, ScaleUp:AI, in #NewYork! (where temp is cold but sun is shininig; hence > the sun)? From inspiring insights to a few laugh-out-loud moments, the event delivered beyond expectations, with over 40 speakers sharing top-tier content that was both eye-opening and game-changing. Kudos to the incredible Insight Partners team, led by Nikki Parker, Jennifer Jordan, Kristen Zeck and Christina Nanfeldt, for pulling off such a phenomenal event! ?? Now, here's a pro-tip that came to mind during my panel with Tanya Dua and Jenny Podewils – and I’m giving it away for free: ?? The "Killer Question" for anyone on the job hunt (or even for those of us happily employed) to raise is: “What's your AI strategy?” I may not be on the interview circuit these days, but I can imagine a few responses that might come your way: 1?? "We're carefully evaluating different applications" — Translation: "We're keeping IT and Legal busy, but they keep saying "Computer says NO"." 2?? "We're very innovative! Of couse AI is core to our strategy!" — Translation: "It's a BYOAI policy: Bring Your Own AI...and keep it quiet." 3?? "We just wrapped a long discussion with top leaders on this topic." — Translation: "We don't know yet what to do...but we're figuring out with ChatGTP" Safe to say, if you hear any of these answers, maybe not getting that offer is a blessing in disguise! ?? The reality check: AI isn’t just “coming.” It’s pounding on the door, and companies that don’t enable AI at scale risk leaving their teams with depreciated skills in less than 2-3 years. So, if you’re not seeing a real AI commitment from your employer, it might be time to ask some hard questions – and, if needed, make a change. Let me know your thoughts! ??