William Welser IV’s conversation with Todd Gagne spotlights a human-centered approach to AI and product building. His non-linear path—military, engineering, RAND, and founding LOTIC—centers on helping people. LOTIC flips the data model: it uses spoken stories as rich, owned-by-user data, secured with advanced encryption, and analyzed by the “Wisdom Engine” for personalized insights. Key takeaways for founders: design to enhance lives, not just speed tasks; “show your work” to build transparency and learning; form interdisciplinary teams (behavioral scientists first); practice humility and assume you might be wrong; and address cofounder misalignment early. Welser warns against offloading thinking to AI—friction drives learning. LOTIC’s privacy-first, ethical design shows trust can be a durable business advantage.
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