Building an AI-first startup – where to start and what to change

AI isn’t just a feature – it’s becoming the foundation of how companies operate, and there’s a lot to learn to stay ahead.

In this session, SeedLegals Co-founder and CEO Anthony Rose  joins Mike Giles, Co-founder of Head of AI, and Fractional Head of AI and Chief AI Officer Paul Forrest to explore what it really means to become an AI-first company. From practical implementation to strategic positioning, they break down how founders can move beyond experimentation and start building with AI at the core.

Many startups are experimenting with AI – but few are truly integrating it into how their business operates. Without a clear strategy, AI becomes a bolt-on feature rather than a competitive advantage. At the same time, the pace of change makes it difficult for founders to know where to focus, what to prioritise, and how to adapt quickly enough.

By rethinking how AI fits into your product, operations, and growth strategy, you can move from using AI to being powered by it. An AI-first approach helps improve efficiency, unlock new capabilities, and create stronger differentiation in a rapidly evolving market.

Read on for the key takeaways – or watch the full webinar to hear the discussion in full.

Key takeaways

AI-first means redesigning workflows – not just adding tools

• Most startups start by layering AI onto existing processes but that limits the upside.
• The real shift comes from rethinking how work gets done end-to-end, with AI embedded from the start.
• This could mean changing how you build product, run marketing, or even structure your team.
• Founders should ask – “If we started today with AI, how would we build this differently?”

Execution speed is now a defining advantage

• AI dramatically reduces the time it takes to build, test, and iterate.
• Founders who embrace rapid experimentation can validate ideas faster and pivot with less risk.
• This creates a widening gap between teams that move quickly and those stuck in traditional workflows.
• Speed is no longer just helpful – it’s becoming a core competitive edge.

AI unlocks leverage – but only if you use it intentionally

• AI can significantly increase output across product, ops, and go-to-market – but only when applied thoughtfully.
• Simply using AI tools isn’t enough, the value comes from integrating them into repeatable workflows.
• Startups that design for leverage early can scale more efficiently without growing headcount at the same pace.
• This changes how founders should think about hiring, resourcing, and growth.

Early adopters are building long-term advantage

• The AI landscape is evolving quickly – and waiting for “perfect clarity” often means falling behind.
• Founders who actively experiment and implement now are better positioned to build defensibility over time.
• Small early advantages compound, especially in product capability and data.
• The biggest risk isn’t getting it wrong, it’s not moving at all.