Artificial intelligence has long been framed as a disruptive force for jobs. Emir Tumen sees it differently. “AI isn’t coming for your job, it’s coming for your assumptions,” says Tumen, who helps early stage companies navigate fast-moving markets. This has given him a clear view of how AI is transforming not only business tactics but long-term strategy.
The true power of AI is in its ability to reshape how early stage companies and established enterprises alike innovate, grow, and compete. As a business development manager at Hub 21, a venture studio that helps early stage companies scale through funding, mentorship, and access to emerging technology ecosystems, he works closely with founders and executives to translate cutting-edge innovation into measurable outcomes. Hub21 helps students excel in GCSE, A-Level, and IB subjects. It combines one-to-one tutoring with AI-powered mock exams, structured revision, and university entry guidance. One of the most profound shifts Tumen sees happening is the collapse of traditional business timelines. “Speed is the new strategy,” he says. Where entrepreneurs once needed weeks to validate a concept through market research, content development, or product design, AI now reduces that cycle to mere hours.
The implications are significant. Startups can rapidly test new features or pivot business models, while larger companies can bring offerings to market faster than ever before. In industries where timing can determine success or failure, AI gives builders a decisive edge. “Entrepreneurs are using AI tools to iterate faster, test faster, and launch smarter,” Tumen says. This acceleration is not simply about efficiency—it changes the very nature of strategic planning.
From Broad Reach to Precision Connection
Tumen also sees AI transforming how businesses connect with customers. The days of mass-market campaigns are fading as AI makes personalization not only possible but scalable. By drawing on real-time data, companies can tailor products, services, and even communications to individual needs and preferences. “Forget one size fits all,” Tumen says. “AI allows you to meet people exactly where they are with what they actually want.” Whether applied to a SaaS platform fine-tuning its onboarding flow or a retail brand delivering dynamic offers, personalization at this level was once a costly and complex challenge. Now, AI makes it attainable, opening the door to what Tumen calls “precision business building.”
Doing Less, Achieving More
In Tumen’s own work, AI creates space for deeper thinking and more impactful action. AI is rebalancing human effort, with automation handling repetitive tasks such as lead generation, outreach, and trend analysis. The payoff is greater focus. “AI isn’t replacing human insight, it’s amplifying it,” he says. Freed from low-value activities, leaders can devote more energy to strategic partnerships, customer relationships, and creative problem-solving. “It’s about shifting from doing more to doing what matters,” he says. This reframing is especially vital for early stage companies, where resource constraints often stretch teams thin. AI enables them to direct limited bandwidth toward areas that truly drive growth.
A New Lens for Innovation
AI is not merely another software layer; it represents a new way of seeing opportunities. “AI isn’t just a tool,” he emphasizes. “It’s a new lens for how we think, build, and grow.” For leaders, this means more than adoption. It requires a shift in mindset—understanding that AI is not optional but essential for competing in fast-moving markets. By collapsing timelines, enabling personalization, and refocusing human energy, AI is redefining the very foundations of business building. The question is no longer whether companies should use AI but how quickly they can embrace its potential. Those who do will not only keep pace with change but shape its direction. “If you’re in the business of innovation, this isn’t optional. It’s essential.”
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