AI, Shipping Faster, and the Future of Distribution
Full Show Notes
https://www.theintelligenceagepodcast.com/841
Mark Smith talks with Steve Mordue about how AI has changed the pace of building, shipping, and distributing software over the last six months. Steve shares what it looks like to move from being a seller and product visionary to building almost everything himself, why the last 5 percent is often the hardest part, and why distribution is now as important as the product itself.
They also get into Microsoft’s role in AI, the rise of open weight models, model routing, enterprise trust, and how sovereign data concerns are reshaping what companies can safely adopt.
Key topics
In this episode, Steve Mordue describes the last six months in AI as a mix of speed, exhaustion, and concentration
He says work is moving so fast that things built just months ago already feel outdated
AI has not reduced the workload so much as multiplied the number of possible ideas
Steve reflects on building Rapid Start CRM and what that taught him about scale
He says the platform reached about 170,000 users
Looking back, he feels it should have reached far more if marketing had been stronger
We discuss the “last 5 percent” problem
Mark raises the challenge of turning a near-finished product into something shippable
Steve admits he is deeply affected by perfectionism and often obsesses over details others do not care about
Steve explains why he now launches before perfection
He says he recently forced himself to ship an AI app at 95 percent complete
His view is that waiting for 100 percent means never launching
We talk about how AI has changed his role from seller to builder
Steve says his core strength has always been selling
He now uses AI to write code, prototype, and build without depending on a large dev team
He says the old dependency on teams and contractors has largely disappeared
Every future Rapid Start product, he says, will be built by him alone
His main limitation is no longer engineering access, but time
They explore the value of domain expertise in the AI era
Steve argues that people with deep knowledge in a narrow business area are best positioned to apply AI well
He believes AI works best when paired with years of real industry experience
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Distribution becomes the central strategic problem
Mark and Steve discuss how social platforms, email, and newsletters are losing effectiveness
Steve says LinkedIn followers are usually peers, not buyers, which limits direct revenue impact
They compare Microsoft’s strengths and weaknesses in AI
Steve acknowledges Microsoft’s global distribution, infrastructure, and governance strengths
If you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.
Thanks for listening 🚀 – Mark Smith
00:00 Intro
00:25 Introduction to AI Journey
01:12 The Rapid Evolution of AI
04:43 Navigating the Last Mile to Launch
07:18 From Visionary to Builder
11:31 The Power of AI in Development
14:29 Changing Landscape of Distribution
18:33 Leveraging Domain Knowledge in AI
19:22 Microsoft's Position in the AI Space
25:55 Navigating the Challenges of Large Corporations
27:26 The Need for Agility in AI Development
28:51 Governance and Data Security in AI
30:59 The Competitive Landscape of AI Solutions
32:42 The Future of AI Models and Their Accessibility
34:53 The Impact of Geopolitics on AI Development
37:37 The Role of Open Source in AI Innovation
39:16 Model Routing and Cost Efficiency in AI