Podcast Title: My First Million
Host/Author: Hubspot Media
Episode: Brainstorming $10M AI Business Ideas w/ the Airtable Founder
Release Date: July 11, 2025

Introduction to AI Business Ideas

In this episode, Howie Liu engages in a deep dive with the founder of Airtable, a company valued at approximately $10 billion, to explore innovative AI-driven business ideas. The conversation centers around seven distinct concepts the Airtable founder would pursue if starting anew in today's AI-rich landscape. The discussion is particularly valuable for entrepreneurs and AI enthusiasts seeking fresh business inspirations.

Live Shopping with AI Avatars

[00:45] Unknown Speaker:
"Live shopping, a massive trend in Asia with over $100 billion GMV, involves influencers promoting products in real-time, often leading to immediate purchases."

Howie Liu and his guest explore the burgeoning trend of live shopping, especially prevalent in Asia through platforms like TikTok and Temu. The concept involves influencers showcasing and endorsing products live, creating an interactive and engaging shopping experience. The guest highlights the potential of integrating AI avatars to enhance this experience further.

[02:29] Unknown Speaker:
"With avatar technology like Heygen, we can create personalized, interactive shopping experiences where customers interact with AI representations of their favorite celebrities or influencers."

The discussion touches on the use of AI-generated avatars to simulate one-on-one interactions with celebrities, making live shopping more personalized and scalable. This approach can revolutionize influencer marketing by automating personalized pitches and interactions without requiring constant human presence.

Personalized Email Pitches Using Airtable and Heygen

[03:38] Unknown Speaker:
"At Airtable, we utilize our own web agents to research target customers and generate customized email pitches, enhancing personalization and efficiency."

The guest explains how Airtable leverages its platform to automate personalized email communications. By integrating Airtable with Heygen's avatar technology, businesses can generate customized video messages, making interactions more engaging and personal. This innovation promises to improve customer engagement and streamline communication processes.

[04:43] Howie Liu:
"Can you implement this personalized video emailing today?"

[04:48] Unknown Speaker:
"Yes, it requires some scripting within Airtable to interact with the Heygen API, allowing for automated video generation and distribution."

This segment illustrates the practical implementation of AI tools to enhance customer communication, showcasing a tangible application of AI in everyday business operations.

AI-Powered News Aggregation and Interactive Agents

[06:05] Unknown Speaker:
"I envision an AI-driven news aggregator that not only curates articles based on user interests but also functions as an interactive agent, allowing users to engage in meaningful discussions about the news."

The conversation shifts to the potential of AI in transforming news consumption. The guest envisions a system where an AI agent not only aggregates relevant news but also interacts with users to provide deeper insights and personalized discussions, akin to having a knowledgeable friend guide their news experience.

[10:10] Sean (Ad Segment)
Skipped as per instructions.

AI in Personal Finance Advisors

[11:04] Howie Liu:
"Are you a personal finance nerd?"

[11:06] Unknown Speaker:
"I've always been interested in personal finance, but the planning aspect isn't my forte. However, AI-driven financial advisors can provide strategic, personalized financial planning akin to having a personal CFO."

The discussion highlights the potential of AI avatars serving as personal finance advisors, offering tailored financial planning and investment strategies. This application democratizes access to high-quality financial advice, making it accessible to a broader audience beyond the ultra-wealthy.

[12:32] Howie Liu:
"Do you use any consumer-facing personal finance apps?"

[13:19] Howie Liu:
"I've been using Kubera to aggregate my financial accounts and integrate them with ChatGPT, creating a personalized financial advisor for my needs."

Howie shares his personal use of AI-integrated finance tools, illustrating the practicality and effectiveness of AI in managing personal finances and providing strategic advice.

AI Call Centers and Customer Support

[17:07] Howie Liu:
"Do you get a lot of AI-powered call center calls?"

[23:24] Unknown Speaker:
"While AI-driven call centers for voice interactions are still maturing, advancements in real-time voice AI like Sesame AI show promising developments for the future."

The conversation touches on the current state and future prospects of AI in customer support. Although AI-powered voice interactions are not yet seamless, ongoing advancements indicate significant improvements, potentially transforming the customer service landscape.

AI Productivity Tools: Cursor for Email

[24:49] Howie Liu:
"What's 'Cursor for email'?"

[24:57] Unknown Speaker:
"Cursor integrates AI into email workflows, offering a blended experience where AI assists in managing and prioritizing emails, akin to an AI-powered IDE for coding."

The guest introduces Cursor, an AI tool designed to enhance email productivity by automating tasks such as prioritizing emails, drafting responses, and providing actionable insights. This tool exemplifies how AI can augment daily workflows, making them more efficient and less time-consuming.

[26:33] Howie Liu:
"If you were to build something like this, would you start from scratch or integrate with existing platforms like Gmail?"

[27:03] Unknown Speaker:
"Starting from scratch might be feasible by leveraging AI to replicate and enhance core functionalities, similar to how Airtable built its proprietary database engine for real-time collaboration."

This segment discusses the challenges and strategies involved in building AI-enhanced productivity tools, emphasizing the importance of leveraging AI to create unique and valuable user experiences.

Future of AI in Consumer Social Apps

[38:44] Howie Liu:
"What's this 'Exotics' question you wrote?"

[38:49] Unknown Speaker:
"It's about exploring unconventional AI ideas, such as AI-native social networks where AI avatars participate alongside humans, fundamentally altering social interactions."

The discussion delves into the innovative concept of AI-native social platforms, where AI entities interact seamlessly with human users. This could lead to entirely new forms of social engagement and content creation, driven by AI-driven personalities and interactions.

[40:11] Howie Liu:
"It's fascinating how platforms like Twitch emerged unexpectedly from the transition to mobile."

[42:05] Unknown Speaker:
"AI experiences could similarly transform consumer behavior in unpredictable ways, creating highly engaging and potentially addictive interactions."

The guest draws parallels between historical shifts in technology and the current AI revolution, suggesting that AI-driven social platforms could redefine how people interact online, much like the unexpected rise of streaming services did.

Conclusion

Throughout the episode, Howie Liu and the Airtable founder explore a diverse array of AI-driven business ideas, from enhancing live shopping experiences with AI avatars to revolutionizing personal finance management and email productivity. The conversation underscores the vast potential of AI to transform traditional business models, create new forms of consumer interaction, and unlock unprecedented efficiencies in various sectors. By leveraging AI's capabilities, entrepreneurs can develop innovative solutions that cater to evolving market demands and user behaviors.

Notable Quotes:

• [00:45] Unknown Speaker:
  "Live shopping, a massive trend in Asia with over $100 billion GMV, involves influencers promoting products in real-time, often leading to immediate purchases."

• [02:29] Unknown Speaker:
  "With avatar technology like Heygen, we can create personalized, interactive shopping experiences where customers interact with AI representations of their favorite celebrities or influencers."

• [06:05] Unknown Speaker:
  "I envision an AI-driven news aggregator that not only curates articles based on user interests but also functions as an interactive agent, allowing users to engage in meaningful discussions about the news."

• [12:32] Howie Liu:
  "Do you use any consumer-facing personal finance apps?"

• [24:57] Unknown Speaker:
  "Cursor integrates AI into email workflows, offering a blended experience where AI assists in managing and prioritizing emails, akin to an AI-powered IDE for coding."

• [38:49] Unknown Speaker:
  "It's about exploring unconventional AI ideas, such as AI-native social networks where AI avatars participate alongside humans, fundamentally altering social interactions."

This comprehensive summary encapsulates the key discussions and insights from the episode, providing a clear overview of the entrepreneurial and AI-driven concepts explored by Howie Liu and the Airtable founder.