Episode Summary:
In this episode of In the Blink of AI, host Georgie Healy interviews Jeevika Makani, co-founder of TopRoad and Y Combinator alum. Jeevika explains TopRoad’s mission to democratise AI by helping developers monetise custom GPTs in the OpenAI store. She reveals how “apps” (or GPTs) can offer more specialised functionality than ChatGPT alone, enabling end-to-end user experiences, like e-commerce fulfilment or streamlined travel planning. Jeevika also shares her experiences graduating from Y Combinator, discussing what founders need to succeed and why creating tangible value for users is more important than hype. Finally, she dives into the broader potential of AI, dispelling the notion that we’ve reached “peak” AI. According to Jeevika, the true AI revolution has only just begun.
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Chapters:
00:00 AI’s transformative impact: “We’re living through a knowledge revolution.”
00:37 Introduction: Georgie welcomes Jeevika and introduces TopRoad’s AI mission.
01:47 Origin of TopRoad: Pivoting in Jamaica, discovering the GPT store, and first GPT build.
03:32 Early product insights: Niche GPTs, monetisation gaps, and the developer experience.
05:14 The GPT store’s potential: Encouraging developers to build premium AI apps.
06:24 Y Combinator experience: Why authenticity and scrappiness matter for founders.
09:07 YC insights: Founders' resilience, pitching tips, and networking advantages.
11:45 Exploring TopRoad’s technical approach: Custom GPT actions and real-world examples.
18:07 Developer incentives: Monetisation models, compute costs, and app distribution challenges.
24:26 Democratising AI adoption: Personalised apps, vertical use cases, and user-friendly design.
29:03 Jeevika’s background: Building fintech in Nairobi and lessons for diverse founders.
36:02 Rapid Fire: Overhyped MBAs, favorite AI tools, and Microsoft Copilot skepticism.
41:16 Closing thoughts: AI’s untapped potential, staying optimistic, and TopRoad’s beta apps.
