The Future of AI: An Interview With Michael Koch

Michael Koch is a top technology entrepreneur and the CEO of HubKonnect. This company uses AI to provide a marketing platform to restaurant franchises which synthesizes consumer data to provide and implement marketing strategies. This is the fifth technology company which Koch has founded and his previous companies have all used technology and AI to deliver intuitive solutions to the problems of some of the world’s biggest companies.

Koch has a deep-seated passion for technology generally and AI in particular. He understands the incredible power and utility which AI offers and seeks to use AI to bring businesses and people forwards. He has won several awards in his career and was recently named the AI Entrepreneur of the Year for Machine Learning by the Business Intelligence Group. 

Copyright: Michael Koch

Interview with Michael Koch

What is your personal style of leadership as the CEO of HubKonnect?

Michael: My personal style of leadership centers around being a visionary in the technology industry and constantly looking into the future. I focus my attention on attracting the best talent that sees that vision. I then engage my team to strategically focus us in the right direction. One of the ways I achieve this is through building a culture that embraces innovation. Another integral aspect of my leadership style is the obsession I have with the products my team and I create. I work tirelessly and selflessly to create opportunities for others to accomplish something people don’t know they need yet. I also highly value transparency and honesty and these are essential elements of operating my businesses. 

What would you say, as of now, has been your greatest achievement as a CEO in the tech industry?

Michael: I would say that my greatest achievement is not the technology which I have created but the opportunities I’ve been able to create for others. Many of my former employees have become wildly successful. Technologically speaking sometimes being early is the same as being wrong. This is why I help other people believe in the possibilities which new technology creates and help them see that anything is possible. 

From a technological perspective I would say that my greatest achievement is helping companies advance themselves technologically. This very often takes the form of building systems which make data driven decisions. These decisions are based on data and which makes them more precise and effective than decisions which could have been made independently. 

How is your work with HubKonnect changing the landscape of AI and machine learning?

Michael: Our technology is advancing the real world applications of AI. The Problem with the AI industry is that often, people do not reveal the real world implications which AI can have. It is frequently far too theoretical and removed from practical use. Artifical Intelligence can’t be led by Academics. It has to be led by visionaries and real world builders of technology. I use AI to help people, drive results and provide a real impact. It is vital that advances in technology drive business results and that new AI technology can answer the question, “How can AI make people’s lives easier?”.

As your fifth company, how have you used your experience to build HubKonnect into the company it is today?

Michael: I have learned how to leverage my industry knowledge to drive technological advancements. I have also learnt the importance of surrounding myself with extremely intelligent people. I am strong enough as a leader to know I want strength around me. In this regard I have also come to learn that talent is global. HubKonnect was using a distributed model before covid because I want the best talent on my team irrespective of their location on the globe. I also think that a domestic office eliminates talent. 

I think anything can be done and nothing is impossible. Over time my Instincts have been honed to the point where they are spot on and my confidence has grown enormously. This allows me to make bold and uncompromising decisions and have the ability to sell these decisions to others. 

As a visionary CEO, are there aspects of the tech industry that you wish to change with your leadership?

Michael: I think the biggest misunderstanding in technology is the supposed necessity of rounds of financing and venture capital investment. People think they need big funding to be successful. This is not the case at all. The true thing about technology is that you can’t be beholden to anyone.

It is more important to maintain independence. Entrepreneurs need to see that it is okay to not have a series A when you can sustain yourself on your own. The technology is more important than securing financing. It is vital for tech entrepreneurs to take pride in ownership and independence. As soon as you take a dollar you’ve got a boss.

The product will ultimately suffer if the vision for the technology is not aligned with the investors vision of how they are going to get their money back. Focusing on the technology allows technologists to build the best tech possible. Leave the commercialization for later. It is far better to keep things in tech pure by keeping money out of it. At the end of the day this makes the product better for the user. 

Final Thoughts 

Michael Koch has developed a range of strong opinions about developing AI technology from his years of experience and success. His leadership style is centered around acquiring the best talent and creating the optimal environment for the technology and his employees to flourish.

This is why his greatest achievement is the success which he has been able to create for others. He believes that AI technology should focus on practical real world applications and not purely on theory. He also believes that the tech industry should move away from the idea that venture capital and commercialization are cornerstones of success. Rather, entrepreneurs should put the product first and worry about the money later.

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