Emmanuel Marill: Build AI-Native Companies

Emmanuel Marill, Managing Director Europe, Middle East & Africa at OpenAI, shared insights on building AI-native companies and the burgeoning AI scene in France. He emphasized that developers are not the only ones who can build with AI, and that success hinges on an 'AI-first' approach.

The AI-First Mindset for Startups

Marill highlighted a critical shift in how successful founders are approaching AI. Instead of trying to integrate AI into non-functional products with the hope that it will magically work, the most effective strategy is to first consider what AI can do and then build around that capability. He pointed to the startup Verso as a prime example, noting that they have built their entire business model around AI, designing it as an 'AI native' and highly efficient solution.

The full discussion can be found on OpenAI Youtube's YouTube channel.

"I think they think AI first. They don't try to put some AI in something that is not working and say, 'Oh, hopefully it will work.' They more think okay, what does AI can do initially and then I can build on that," Marill explained. He added, "I think the example of Verso today was pretty obvious. They build the whole business model around AI like they call it a brain and this piece is really AI native and it's very efficient."

Strategic AI Implementation

For leaders strategizing their AI adoption, Marill offered a focused approach. He advised being laser-focused and identifying a select few, perhaps two or three, core problems that the company aims to solve. The key is to go very deep, step-by-step, into the workflow and meticulously analyze where AI can provide improvements at each stage.

"Be laser focused. Identify the things that you really want to fix like what problem are you trying to solve a couple maybe two three and go very deep step by step into the workflow and every step of the way what can AI do to improve it," Marill stated. "So it's really focus and try to fix things that are real problems for your company."

France's Vibrant AI Ecosystem

Marill also expressed pride in the strength and breadth of France's AI ecosystem. He described it not as a niche segment but as an entire, robust ecosystem encompassing strong research institutions, a plethora of amazing startups, and globally recognized large companies. This comprehensive strength, he believes, positions France well in the global AI landscape.

"It's very broad. You have research that is very strong. You have amazing startups. You have very large companies known globally. It's not like a part of the ecosystem. It's an entire ecosystem that is quite strong. Very proud of that. I'm French obviously. So, Vive la France," he concluded.