Insights
60% of AI engineer turnover happens because business people treat them like code monkeys
The companies winning AI deployment put creatives and engineers in the same room from day one
Most AI projects fail at the interface, not the algorithm
Full Recap
Roka Akor was buzzing, but our corner table was having the conversation that's going to save someone a million dollars in burned runway.
A former Spotify engineer who just joined an AI music startup laid out the brutal truth about why tech companies can't keep AI talent. "Everyone wants to hire AI engineers, but they stick them in a corner and expect magic. Then they act shocked when we quit."
The creative director from a major studio leaned forward. She'd been trying to integrate AI into production workflows for six months. "Our engineers keep building tools we can't actually use. They're solving the wrong problems."
That's when the magic happened. The Spotify engineer started asking about her actual workflow. Not the theoretical one. The chaotic, deadline-driven, creative-process one. Within minutes, he was sketching solutions that actually made sense.
A venture partner at the table had seen this movie before. "The successful AI companies don't have better engineers. They have better translation layers between technical and creative."
By dessert, the creative director and engineer were planning a consulting engagement. The venture partner was taking notes for his next investment thesis. The documentary filmmaker was planning a piece about human-AI collaboration.
This is why we put different species in the same room. They stop speaking past each other and start solving real problems.
Your Seat at the Table
These insights came from a single conversation. Imagine the opportunities that emerge when you're in the room.
If you're a leader building at the intersection of culture and capital, we invite you to be considered for a future dinner.