Just Curious: Applied AI for Value Creation
Just Curious is the podcast of Pluris, a platform connecting investors and operators with the world’s leading applied AI experts. Each episode turns AI 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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Just Curious: Applied AI for Value Creation
How AI Caught What Bonuses, Training, and Pay Raises Couldn't Fix
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Ryan Kurt, CEO & Founder of The AI Lab, advises middle-market CEOs on how to turn AI from hype into measurable operational advantage. A 13-year veteran of generative AI, he’s helped leaders move beyond “AI strategy decks” to real workflow transformation — including a healthcare network that used computer vision to improve care quality and performance-based pay with 99% accuracy. His perspective is clear: the technology isn’t the hard part — leadership ownership is.
You’ll Learn
• Why most AI initiatives fail because CEOs delegate ownership instead of leading transformation themselves
• How to rebuild workflows from first principles instead of layering AI onto broken processes
• What “total ownership” actually means — and why third-party vendors can’t carry your AI strategy
• How agentic workflows unlock capacity by automating repetitive work before it hits your desk
• A behind-the-scenes case study of using computer vision and human-in-the-loop systems to improve care quality, culture, and compensation
Chapters
00:00 Intro
01:00 Ryan’s path from early AI startup to founding The AI Lab
04:15 Why “AI strategy” is the wrong starting point
08:10 The leadership readiness test most companies fail
12:00 What total ownership actually looks like
18:00 Why agentic workflows change the economics of work
23:00 Case study: Using AI to improve caregiver performance
27:30 Human-in-the-loop systems and hybrid AI architecture
30:00 Cultural and operational impact
31:45 How to sequence AI adoption the right way
34:25 Who The AI Lab works with
Links
- Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/bdSq4S2_PZU
- Connect with Ryan Kurt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryankurt/
- Explore more interviews: https://www.justcurious.io/articles/how-ai-caught-what-bonuses-training-and-pay-raises-couldnt-fix"
Just Curious is the content and podcast brand of Pluris, helping leading operators and investors cut through a noisy AI market and find the right partners — from strategy and assessments to full-stack AI development. Our network of applied AI experts spans generative and agentic AI, workflow automation, and custom AI-powered software, helping teams turn curiosity into measurable value.
Explore more interviews and connect with experts at https://www.checkpluris.com
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