Quote · The MongoDB Podcast
Don't Build Your Own AI (Unless You Have To)
Where this was said
Final Advice for C-Suite and Product Leaders
At 49:56 · chapter starts 49:40
As the conversation approaches its end, Shane asks Akshaya to distil his guidance for the C-suite into a single starting point. The answer is deceptively simple but cuts against a common failure mode: begin with the problem, not the technology. Too many AI initiatives launch because the board or the CEO has mandated that the company 'do something with AI', without first defining what specific problem needs solving or whether AI is genuinely part of the answer. Once a clear problem statement exists, the subsequent questions sequence naturally: is the data in place? What model best serves this particular purpose? Do we have the in-house talent, or do we need to buy? What will it cost, and does the projected outcome justify it? Shane also asks how Akshaya personally keeps up with the relentless pace of AI development — the answer is opportunistic rather than systematic, with Lex Fridman's podcast recommended for philosophical depth and the AI Engineer podcast for technical detail. The episode closes with a pointer to the Zendesk AI Hub for listeners who want to explore Zendesk's AI product updates, demos, and releases.
Don't launch an AI initiative because AI is the thing to do. Start with a problem statement, validate that AI is part of the answer, then work backwards to data, model selection, talent, and cost. Every AI project that skips this step is setting itself up to fail.
