How the Best AI Products Grow | Brian Balfour (CEO Reforge)

My guest today is Brian Balfour, CEO of Reforge. Brian and I did a deep dive into how 4 of the best AI products grew so fast.

We spoke about:

Why ChatGPT is investing in custom GPTs

How Midjourney grew to $200M ARR despite an interface that relies on Discord

How Perplexity is competing with Google Search

How LinkedIn collaborative articles combine AI and user growth loops

Brian is one of the best growth leaders out there so I hope you enjoy our conversation. Consider subscribing for more great interviews every week.

Timestamps:

[00:00] The decline of Google Search [02:13] Why no one should try to copy ChatGPT's growth [04:33] Many AI products struggle with retention [07:39] Why OpenAI is investing in custom GPTs [13:56] How Midjourney grew to $200M ARR off Discord [21:22] Hardcore AI users vs. casual AI users [21:49] Perplexity's challenge to Google Search [25:12] The SEO industry is a mess [29:22] Growth loops fueling LinkedIn's collaborative articles [35:08] How AI will impact the growth profession

Where to find me:

Newsletter: https://creatoreconomy.so/

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