Proof of Work: AI Value Creation

How Smart AI Guardrails Unlock Faster Growth (Without Killing Innovation)

Stuart Willson

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0:00 | 38:04

Evan Glaser, Founder & CEO of Alongside AI, joins Just Curious to break down how middle-market companies can actually deploy AI, without blowing up risk, compliance, or trust. Drawing on a decade of Fortune 100 experience, Evan explains why governance isn’t a blocker to AI value creation, but the accelerator most operators are missing.

You’ll Learn

Why AI governance is the fastest way to unlock real productivity—not slow it down

How to design practical AI guardrails that let teams innovate safely and move faster

Where middle-market companies typically underestimate their AI risk exposure

How to turn siloed institutional knowledge into a scalable, AI-powered asset

A real-world case study showing how AI reduced onboarding time and unlocked new revenue

Chapters

00:00 Intro
01:24 Why middle-market leaders struggle to start with AI
02:59 Governance as an accelerator, not a brake
04:41 Defining AI guardrails that actually work
06:47 Common governance gaps and blind spots
09:03 What “good” AI governance looks like in practice
14:02 Unlocking trapped institutional knowledge with AI
19:59 Case study: AI-powered onboarding and faster ramp times
30:23 Turning AI questions into a new advisory revenue stream
33:54 The risks of shadow AI
36:13 Lessons from regulated industries that apply everywhere

Links

Proof of Work is the podcast of Pluris, a platform connecting investors and operators with the world's leading applied AI experts. Each episode features the builders, operators, and investors who've actually put AI into production, turning it from buzzword to bottom line through sharp case studies and practical conversations. We explore how AI is used to grow revenue, expand margins, improve operations, and create measurable value inside real businesses.

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