The Startup Ideas Podcast
The best businesses are built at the intersection of emerging technology, community, and real human needs.
Boring physical service businesses will be more defensible against AI disruption than sexy tech startups
The Reasoning
Physical services require human presence, local knowledge, and manual work that robots cannot easily replicate, while digital services are vulnerable to AI automation
What Needs to Be True
- AGI development continues at current pace
- Robotics lags behind software AI capabilities
- Local service demand remains human-centric
- Physical world complexity remains high
Counterargument
Robotics and autonomous systems may advance faster than expected, making physical services automatable too
What Would Change This View
Rapid advancement in robotics, successful automation of complex physical services, or dramatic changes in how people consume local services
Implications for Builders
Consider portfolio diversification into physical businesses
Partner with operators in boring industries
Use AI to optimize rather than replace physical services
Build barbell strategies hedging digital risk
Example Application
“SaaS entrepreneur partnering with truck mechanic to build mobile repair service, using AI for marketing while mechanics handle repairs”
Related Knowledge
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