AI startup Mercore's valuation quintupled to $10B by connecting AI labs with domain experts to train models. This reveals that the most critical bottleneck for advanced AI is not just data or compute, but reinforcement learning from highly skilled human feedback, creating a new "RL economy."

Instead of being intimidated by unfamiliar marketing tactics like creating animated GIFs, use AI platforms as on-demand tutors. Ask the AI to provide step-by-step instructions tailored to your specific software stack (e.g., MailChimp, HubSpot) and skill level, eliminating the "how-to" barrier for implementation.

For experienced leaders new to AI, building a custom GPT is an ideal starting point. A simple but high-value project is to feed a conference schedule into a GPT, allowing users to ask "Which sessions should I attend if I'm a senior PM?" This teaches core AI concepts without requiring coding.

Instead of being intimidated by technical tasks like creating animated GIFs, marketers can use AI platforms as an on-demand guide. Simply ask the AI to provide step-by-step instructions for a specific tool (e.g., MailChimp, Klaviyo) to overcome knowledge gaps without feeling inadequate or needing to ask colleagues.

Startups like Cognition Labs find their edge not by competing on pre-training large models, but by mastering post-training. They build specialized reinforcement learning environments that teach models specific, real-world workflows (e.g., using Datadog for debugging), creating a defensible niche that larger players overlook.

The most powerful use of AI for business owners isn't task automation, but leveraging it as an infinitely patient strategic advisor. The most advanced technique is asking AI what questions you should be asking about your business, turning it from a simple tool into a discovery engine for growth.

Coastline Academy frames AI's value around productivity gains, not just expense reduction. Their small engineering team increased output by 80% in one year without new hires by using AI as an augmentation tool. This approach focuses on scaling capabilities rather than simply shrinking teams.

The demand from AI labs for high-skilled professionals (engineers, lawyers, doctors) to create evals and training data created a historic business opportunity. Mercor capitalized on this by creating an expert labor marketplace, becoming the fastest-growing company in history.

Mercore's $500M revenue in 17 months highlights a shift in AI training. The focus is moving from low-paid data labelers to a marketplace of elite experts like doctors and lawyers providing high-quality, nuanced data. This creates a new, lucrative gig economy for top-tier professionals.