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What does it mean for a company to be AI-native versus just using AI?

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Drawn from Lutz Finger's Forbes column, LinkedIn writing, and Cornell teaching. Sources are cited inline so you can read the originals.

AI-native means AI is the core product, not just an enhancement

An AI-native company means the primary product offering or value is driven by AI, not just enhanced by it. Netflix is a channel for videos that uses AI to suggest movies, but you didn’t need AI for Netflix. LinkedIn is a social network that uses AI to connect people, but you didn’t need AI for LinkedIn. These are not AI-native. Companies like 11 Labs, Midjourney, or Cursor are AI-native because AI is at the heart of what’s being built, what’s being sold, and the people you hire early on.

The Future of AI, with Martin Casado · The Keynote on AI


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