The Internet Isn't Dead

Welcome back to Founder Mode!

Jason and I covered a lot in this episode.

We talked about AI-generated content, founder thought leadership, token usage, and why getting millions of views doesn't matter if the right customers never see you.

The common thread was trust.

As AI creates more content than ever before, founders have to work harder to build credibility instead of just producing more posts.

One comment from the episode summed it up well:

AI Is Creating More Content Than Ever

The idea of the "Dead Internet Theory" suggests that AI-generated content will eventually outnumber content written by people.

Whether or not that happens, one thing is already true.

It's becoming much harder to know what information you can trust.

Years ago, you judged a source by the website.

Today, AI often summarizes information from dozens of places, and not all of those sources are reliable.

That's why I spend more time verifying information than simply collecting it.

One source is no longer enough.

More Content Doesn't Mean More Customers

Founders often feel pressure to become content creators.

Post every day.

Grow a following.

Go viral.

But I think that's the wrong goal.

Thought leadership only matters if it reaches people who might actually become customers.

During the episode, we talked about founders like Jason Cohen, who openly shares years of experience without turning everything into a product or course.

That's a very different approach from creating content just to chase views.

Real expertise compounds over time.

Fish Where Your Customers Actually Are

One lesson we've learned repeatedly is that every customer is different.

For one of my companies, many customers are physicians.

They're not scrolling LinkedIn all afternoon.

They're seeing patients, performing surgeries, or moving between exam rooms.

That means conferences, referrals, and in-person conversations often matter far more than social media.

As Jason put it during our conversation, you have to:

The best marketing channel is wherever your customers already spend their time.

AI Is Worth Paying For

We also talked about something simple that gets overlooked.

Many people still use the free version of AI tools.

The paid versions are dramatically better.

For most founders, spending $20 to $200 per month on AI is tiny compared to the value it creates.

I don't think about AI as software anymore.

I think about it as hiring another teammate.

If a better model saves hours every week, it's an easy investment.

Don't Chase Vanity Metrics

One thing that concerns me is how easy it has become to mistake attention for progress.

Bots comment on bots.

AI writes responses to AI.

Posts go viral among people who will never buy your product.

That's why I care far more about meaningful conversations than impressions.

Business still comes from solving real problems for real customers.

Everything else is just noise.

5 Key Takeaways

• Verify important information instead of trusting the first AI response.
• Build thought leadership by sharing real experience, not chasing engagement.
• Find your customers where they actually spend time.
• Invest in paid AI tools if they help you make better decisions faster.
• Don't confuse social media attention with business growth.

Final Thoughts

AI is making it easier than ever to create content.

That means trust becomes even more valuable.

Founders who consistently share real experience, solve real customer problems, and focus on meaningful relationships will continue to stand out.

The internet may be filling with AI-generated content, but credibility is still earned one conversation at a time.

🎧 Listen to Episode 70 here:

The Internet Isn't Dead Aug 20 · Founder Mode 26:40   ​

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-kevin

2810 N Church St #87205, Wilmington, DE 19802
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