Just Do It: Why AI Rewards the Bold, Not the Hesitant

“The companies that make the early bets—and work very quickly—are doing much better than the people that are waiting.”
— Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, Snowflake Summit 2025

If there’s one clear takeaway from this year’s Snowflake Summit fireside chat with Sam Altman (OpenAI) and Sridhar Ramaswamy (Snowflake), it’s this: the AI wave isn’t coming—it’s already here. And those who move fast are reaping the rewards.

1. Action Outpaces Perfection

Waiting for the perfect model, clean data or a fully baked use case? You’re already behind. The leaders in AI adoption aren’t chasing perfection—they’re embracing momentum.

“People often wait too long for clarity. It’s better to start with something small and real.”
— Sridhar Ramaswamy

“The cost of experimentation is low. The cost of waiting is high.”
— Sam Altman

Whether you’re a solo consultant or advising clients, early experiments build the muscle you’ll need for bigger moves.

2. Agents Are Already Part of the Team

AI agents are no longer theoretical—they're working in production. From summarizing meetings to generating code, these tools are being used to automate real work and unlock new capacity.

“Right now, it’s very much in the category of automating repetitive cognitive work… but we’re heading toward agents that can discover new knowledge.”
— Sam Altman

Next year’s AI assistant won’t just help—it will solve. The businesses that are ready for that shift today will lead tomorrow.

3. The Technology Is Ready. Are You?

One year ago, many use cases felt out of reach. That’s no longer true. AI usability has hit an inflection point—and enterprise-grade applications are well within reach.

“The technology is mature. You can adapt it now.”
— Sridhar Ramaswamy

“We hit a real inflection point for the usability of these models.”
— Sam Altman

This is no longer about early adoption. It’s about missed opportunity.

4. AI Is a Reasoning Engine, Not Just a Tool

You don’t need perfect data to start. Today’s AI models are increasingly capable of reasoning, synthesizing and problem-solving—even with noisy or partial inputs.

“Use it like a reasoning engine. Throw your hardest problem at it.”
— Sam Altman

It’s not about replacing expertise—it’s about augmenting it with exponential leverage.

Through the Leadership Lens: Adopt a ‘Just Do It’ Mindset

So what’s holding you back?

For many, it’s fear of missteps or wasted effort. But the greater risk is standing still. The most successful leaders in this moment are those who are willing to try, learn and adapt quickly.

Try this:

• Pinpoint one part of your workflow—or your client’s—that could benefit from intelligent automation
• Run a low-risk, 30-day AI pilot using off-the-shelf tools (e.g. research assistants, internal chatbots, document summarizers)
• Share what worked. Iterate. Repeat.

This isn’t about betting big. It’s about building momentum.

Final Thought: Progress Doesn’t Wait

You don’t need to wait for AGI to act. You just need to start. Because the winners in this new era won’t be the ones who waited for clarity—they’ll be the ones who created it through action.

Just do it.