# If OpenAI And Anthropic Are Discouraging You, You're Probably A Level 1 Builder.

## Executive summary

The video introduces a five-level framework for AI builders, designed to help entrepreneurs understand their current stage of development and identify growth opportunities. It argues that success in the modern AI landscape requires moving beyond mere product ideas (Level 1) toward developing deep domain expertise, understanding go-to-market distribution, and ultimately forecasting future AI capabilities (Level 5). The core message is that strong builders leverage their unique domain knowledge to gain an unfair advantage over large labs like OpenAI and Anthropic.

## Key takeaways

- Level One: Idea Passion: The Level 1 builder is intensely passionate about a specific idea, viewing it as their entire world. They focus solely on the product concept without considering go-to-market strategy or the wider problem space. This stage often leads to discouragement when faced with new AI model launches.
- Level Two: Customer Insight: The Level 2 builder retains passion but gains openness by interacting with customers. They are able to adjust their idea based on feedback from multiple users (e.g., talking to 10 different customers), leading to profitable side gigs without needing a broad market thesis.
- Level Three: Go-to-Market Focus: At Level 3, the builder understands that distribution and telling a story are critical. The unique AI element is realizing that AI can supercharge these go-to-market efforts (e.g., using custom messaging on LinkedIn, Twilio voice models, or HeyGen for storytelling).
- Level Four: Unfair Domain Thesis: The Level 4 builder has deeply marinated in a specific problem space and possesses a unique thesis on how to attack it. They must articulate an AI-based thesis that is disruptive, such as recognizing 'voice' as the next computing paradigm (e.g., WhisperFlow).
- Level Five: Forecasting the Future: The Level 5 builder doesn't just use current AI; they deeply understand the trends and trajectory of AI within their domain. They build for capabilities (like longer-running agentic sessions or better tool calling) that are not yet possible, allowing them to be first to market.

## Technical details

- AI Building Levels: A structured progression from Level 1 (Idea) $\rightarrow$ Level 2 (Customer Feedback) $\rightarrow$ Level 3 (Go-to-Market Strategy) $\rightarrow$ Level 4 (Unfair Domain Thesis) $\rightarrow$ Level 5 (Future Forecasting).
- AI Supercharging GTM: Level 3 involves using AI not just in the product, but across all business functions. Examples include outbound messaging on LinkedIn or utilizing Twilio and voice models for customer outreach.
- Voice as a Paradigm: The speaker argues that voice is the next computing paradigm, moving beyond traditional research issues (like early Dragon Naturally Speaking) to practical applications like those seen in WhisperFlow.
- Advanced AI Capabilities: Level 5 requires anticipating future capabilities such as longer-running agentic sessions, advanced tool calling, and improved context window management.

## Practical implications

- If you are stuck at Level 1, focus on gathering customer feedback to move toward Level 2.
- To advance from Level 3 to Level 4, develop a deeply researched and unique thesis about your specific problem space that is informed by AI's trajectory.
- The key to reaching Level 5 is developing an accurate forecast of how AI will impact your domain in the next 6-12 months, allowing you to build for capabilities that don't exist today.

## Topics

AI Entrepreneurship, Domain Expertise, Product Strategy, Go-to-Market (GTM), Artificial Intelligence Trends, Newsletter, Spotify Podcast

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lewY_0sJaWg