Large language models have exhausted the public internet as a data source and now require specialized, high-quality data from domain experts for further improvement. Handshake has positioned itself as a key supplier of this 'post-training' data by activating its network of PhDs and master's students.
Handshake successfully pivoted its core asset—a vast network of university students and alumni—to serve a completely new, high-margin market: AI data services. This strategic move unlocks significant new revenue streams without needing to build a user base from scratch.
The speakers emphasize that AI tools are creating unprecedented efficiency gains, enabling smaller teams to achieve what previously required much larger ones. This is fundamentally changing company-building, with one speaker citing that a Series A company can now do with 20 engineers what would have taken 80 just a few years ago.
AI is creating a dual effect on the job market. While some entry-level roles may be automated, there is a surge in demand for employees who are skilled at using AI tools to become hyper-productive, effectively acting as '8x or 10x' contributors.
Keep pulling the thread on Garrett Lord & Mamoon Hamid.