This podcast episode was published on 5/14/24. You can listen to it here.
In this episode of the Inflection podcast, Anebi had the pleasure of hosting Jaeden Schafer, the creator of the AI Chat podcast. Jaeden's podcast has seen a meteoric rise with over two million downloads, and he shares his journey with us, from its inception as a marketing tool for his software startup to becoming a cornerstone in the AI podcasting space.
Jaeden's Start
Jaeden's background in marketing and his venture into software development with his wife led to the creation of SelfPause, an AI life coach app. The launch of ChatGPT inspired them to start AI Box, a no-code AI app builder and marketplace. The podcast was initially a channel to build an audience for AI Box, but it quickly gained traction, amassing 100,000 monthly listeners.
Funding
The podcast's success translated into significant funding for AI Box, with Jaeden raising $600,000 through a combination of pre-seed funding and a crowdfunding campaign, largely supported by his podcast audience. He emphasizes the power of podcasting as a medium for audience building and fundraising.
The Importance of Tech
Jaeden also discusses the importance of having a technical co-founder when starting a software company, especially if you're not a coder yourself. He shares the challenges and learnings from his first software company, SelfPause, including the need to rebuild the app with a US-based CTO after initially outsourcing the development to India.
The Future of AI
Anebi and Jaeden wrap up the conversation discussing the future of media in the age of AI. Jaeden believes that while AI-generated content can attract listeners, the real value lies in human connection and authenticity. He predicts that as AI continues to proliferate, there will be a greater demand for curated content and human interaction.
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