AI-First: The Next Tech Revolution

Just as mobile-first companies overtook web-first ones (Instagram vs. Flickr, WhatsApp vs. Skype), a new wave of AI-first startups is moving faster than traditional software that simply adds AI features without making it the core focus.

Adding AI to old software is like adjusting a website for mobile in 2010—it’s not enough. The companies that dominated the mobile era were built for it from the start, and the same will happen with AI.

Big tech companies can’t just insert AI into their existing products. Their systems, teams, and goals were designed for a different time. Some may succeed by fully rebuilding their platforms, but most will be too slow, held back by old code, existing customers, and the need to protect revenue.

Meanwhile, AI-first startups like shieldtext  have a unique advantage: a fresh start to design everything around AI from day one. The playing field hasn’t been this balanced in a decade.