In today’s rapidly evolving startup landscape, it’s not only what you do—it’s how quickly and smartly you scale that counts. According to HBR, ambitious founders are turning to artificial intelligence to supercharge growth, punch above their weight, and compete with much larger players. 

Key Insights

  • AI Levels the Playing Field: Even small, lean teams can compete with tech giants when they use AI tools effectively. A startup named Cursor, for example, launched by a team of developers in 2022, used AI to build a coding assistant that quickly challenged established tools from OpenAI and GitHub.
  • Focus on Strategic AI Use: It’s not about piling up every AI solution on the market; it’s about choosing the right ones—automating repetitive tasks, analyzing customer feedback, optimizing operations, and freeing up human talent for high-value work.
  • Build with Scalability in Mind: Planning for scale involves data architecture, culture, and processes. Companies that embed AI into their workflows—rather than bolt it on—are more resilient and capable of rapid growth without chaos. 

What Entrepreneurs Should Do Now

  • Identify specific pain points or bottlenecks in your startup that AI could help solve (e.g. customer support, code generation, product iteration).
  • Invest in the right infrastructure—data collection, cloud tools, security—so that AI features can be safely and efficiently deployed.
  • Build a team (or partner) that understands both business strategy and AI technology, so decisions are grounded in real opportunity, not hype.
  • Measure progress not just in revenue or user numbers, but also in efficiency gains, speed of iteration, and customer satisfaction.

Why It Matters

Startups that thoughtfully integrate AI into their strategy can enhance efficiency, accelerate growth, and deliver greater value to customers. By building with scalability in mind and adopting the right tools, even young companies with limited resources can stay agile and competitive. In today’s dynamic environment, AI offers an important opportunity to strengthen resilience and unlock new possibilities for innovation.

Source: How Ambitious Entrepreneurs Can Use AI to Scale Their Startups, by Jeffrey P. Shay, Donna Kelley, Mahdi Majbouri & Thomas H. Davenport, Harvard Business Review, August 7 2025.