What an AI Exec Wants to Hear in an Interview | Paul Wachtler, SVP of AI at Exiger

From The Founder`s Code · 01:06:26

Show by Shamil Malachiyev

"I don't even care so much about which tools you're using, as long as you could talk to me about how you're using them."Paul Wachtler is SVP of AI, Data & Strategy at Exiger, the supply chain and third-party risk platform used by almost a third of the Fortune 500. He has spent most of his career in data and business intelligence, and now he decides how AI gets applied to real business decisions, including who gets hired.On The AI Floor, Shamil Malachiyev sits down with Paul to talk about what actually matters when you work with AI today: not the newest model or the flashiest agent, but proof that it worked. Paul argues that AI magnifies every old business problem, from messy data to unmeasured results, and that the same business principles still apply.Expect to learn:- What an AI exec listens for in an interview, and why "I've used ChatGPT" isn't enough- Why "we saved hours" means nothing unless you measure where the time went- Why pointing an LLM at messy data gets you answers that sound right and aren't- His idea-to-prototype workflow: brain dump, let the AI ask you questions, get a build spec- Why most people still don't need agents, and why he gives agents read access, not write- Which AI tools to start with: free plans first, then $20 a month, and monthly instead of annual- Why learning just a little more puts you ahead of 75% of peopleIf you're looking for a job in tech, hiring for one, or trying to figure out which AI tools are worth your time, this conversation is for you.CHAPTERS0:00 Intro0:36 From BI leader to AI: what changed this year1:56 Everyone's a builder now, and the LinkedIn FOMO3:50 What to build, now that building is easy5:27 Your first AI project: automate what you already know7:36 Is your data ready for AI?9:40 How to tell if your data is structured enough10:56 From idea to prototype: let the AI interview you13:59 How long to spend on a build spec15:45 Prototype vs production: the business side17:27 Building AI in heavily regulated industries22:00 How banks and regulated companies adopt AI23:28 Do you need the newest model? Managing model costs25:24 Will every company run its own model?27:55 Small, cheap models for decision-making29:35 Open-source models, China and US companies31:20 What to do with 10x capacity on a small team33:50 At Exiger since 2023: from the Wild West to AI on the P&L35:50 AI burnout, and being the bottleneck37:50 Do you even need agents?40:58 Evals and managing a fleet of agents41:52 The overnight agent that almost emailed clients43:00 Claude ends early, ChatGPT loves everything45:42 Imposter syndrome: not everything needs to ship48:02 What people get wrong building AI products50:20 Getting past security, legal and procurement52:24 What he looks for when hiring now54:05 Bullish or bearish?55:54 Just start: free plans, then $20 a month58:34 AI doom stories, and why AI companies tell them1:00:44 AI as a tutor that never judges1:03:00 Don't chase every new feature, and closing👇 CONNECT WITH PAUL WACHTLERPaul Wachtler ► https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulwachtler/Exiger ► https://www.exiger.com/👇 CONNECT WITH SHAMILShamil Malachiyev ► https://www.linkedin.com/in/shamilmalachiyev/FluidLabs ► https://fluidlabs.com/🎙 LISTEN to The AI Floor (The Founder's Code, Season 2)Spotify ► https://open.spotify.com/show/7v6YOQ77R1xzbOiiHsDawdApple ► https://podcasts.apple.com/sa/podcast/the-founder-s-code/id1797768317🔔 SUBSCRIBE for more unfiltered, ground-level conversations with the people actually building AI inside real companies.ABOUT THIS CHANNELThe AI Floor - honest, ground-level conversations that cut through the AI hype and count what's really happening with automation and AI agents across the industry. No shiny LinkedIn posts, just AI reality from the people doing the work.#AI #AITools #AICareers #AIAgents #DataStrategy #PaulWachtler #Exiger #TheAIFloor #Podcast

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