Maaike Doyer | AI’s Role in the Business Model Shift from Physical to Digital

As companies seek to integrate AI and other advancing technologies, disruption is happening at a faster and more affordable rate around the world. In this episode of the Absolute AI podcast, Melody welcomes entrepreneur, educator, and executive Maaike Doyer. Maaike is a regular speaker on management and innovation events, delivering keynote speeches and workshops about “Business Model Innovation,” as well as the founder of Epic Angels, an investor network of female executives and operators who have built and expanded companies in all parts of the world. Together they discuss the role that AI can play at the core of the business model shift from physical to digital as well as how companies can determine if AI is the solution that they need. Maaike also identifies which companies and technologies are ripe for disruption, from lab-grown meat to quantum computing, and the work that Maaike is doing with the Epic Angels investor network.

“DISRUPT BEFORE SOMEONE DISRUPTS YOU”

Startups are all about disrupting others, but corporations are often stuck in the way things have always been done. Unfortunately, being married to a stale old idea is often the worst idea possible. Some industries are ripe for disruption, but as Maaike says, if we have the potential to kill our current business, that means someone else can do it as well. The companies that thrive are the ones that are willing to innovate and disrupt their current business first.

DETERMINING WHEN AI CAN SERVE AS AN ENABLER

Companies are often eager to implement AI as the solution to their problems without a solid understanding of what AI actually offers. Companies need to understand the value proposition, the problem that they want to solve for their customers, and the best way to actually bring that into action before considering AI as the answer.

AI’S ROLE IN THE BUSINESS MODEL SHIFT FROM PHYSICAL TO DIGITAL

Patterns have been identified in the standard business model shift from physical to digital, and even companies who are not yet making that shift can benefit from comparing the shift to their company and exploring how it would impact their efforts. Tech has the potential to add to any company’s value proposition, and with AI at the core, each customer interaction can be made to feel as personal as they are when they’re offline. And with AI at the core, company scalability has the potential to go much faster.

FINDING AND SUPPORTING EPIC ANGEL FOUNDERS

The mission at Epic Angels is to democratize angel investing by making angel investing accessible and giving women the confidence to invest. Research shows that investors tend to back those they perceive as similar to them, and instead of trying to convince male investors to invest in women, Maaike is working to focus on increasing the percentage of female investors to close the financial gender gap.