Brad Cooper

Ex-Apple | Ex-MGM Studios | 30k+ followers | AI, robotics, tech, medical, media, and humanitarian. Marketing executive, inventor, builder, STEM, storyteller.

[Brad Cooper @mvhacking]

The disdain coming from VC-funded physical AI and robotics companies towards their own potential customers is breathtaking.

Literally had an engineering co-founder at one of these companies tell me, "customers don't know what they need." Among other tone-deaf comments.

And this was a company that doesn't even have product-market fit yet and is way behind the competition.

Ignore customer research, brand and marketing strategists, and end customers at your own peril.

There is a great reckoning coming for these vaporware companies when their VC-funded runway comes to an end.

Good luck with that.

Better to hire at least a couple of experienced, visionary marketing and brand strategists to save billions going in the wrong direction.

Steve Jobs and maybe Jeff Bezos have these skills. Outside of that, few engineering leaders at these companies really understand these aspects of business.

[Brad Cooper @mvhacking]

@cjaythecreator @pmitu It's not just a landing page. Now they also need flashy videos!

[Brad Cooper @mvhacking]

@pmitu Can confirm I've seen this trend in physical AI and robotics.

Don't need a long-term strategy or product-market fit.

Just flashy videos and websites to get to the next round.

[Brad Cooper @mvhacking]

@jaiyagill If they were all 6'7", this would have been a much more funny post.

[Brad Cooper @mvhacking]

@KenWattana At the same time, Hollywood rejections are even less about business.

They make early VC rejections seem like Nobel prize in economics level decisions.

Unfortunately, I say this from experience.

[Brad Cooper @mvhacking]

Lots of potential for ongoing disruption with AI, robotics, and onshoring the production stack in the space tech industry.

Spent some time talking with builders at @spacetechexpo in Anaheim.

Many of these companies have been around for decades and don't seem to be moving fast enough to integrate physical AI and robotics into everything they do.

Caught a demo from a provider of specialized hardware/software and asked, "Why aren't you running this data through AI? Seems like a natural fit?"

The guy said, "Yeah, I know, we're working on it. We should expect to see it in a year or two."

After picking up my jaw off the floor, I said, "My friend, you and I could probably whip up a decent prototype using Claude Code over the weekend."

He just laughed.

I can see why the newer space companies are growing fast, and startups are garnering all the attention and VC investment.

They are leapfrogging the established companies.

[Brad Cooper @mvhacking]

@gregisenberg As a screenwriter, when I put stuff like this in screenplays based on my 20+ years of experience in tech, Hollywood readers will give me notes like, "You need to take that part out. That would never happen."

🤣🤣🤣

Truth is usually stranger than fiction.

[Brad Cooper @mvhacking]

@gregisenberg As a screenwriter, when I put stuff like this in screenplays based on my 20+ years of experience in tech, Hollywood readers will give me notes like, "You need to take that part out. That would never happen."

🤣🤣🤣

Truth is usually stranger than fiction.

[Brad Cooper @mvhacking]

@GJarrosson GitHub also doesn't matter if its filled with things that no large market of people want to buy.

[Brad Cooper @mvhacking]

@PeterDiamandis LOL, getting an LLC in California alone is $800 per year.

[Brad Cooper @mvhacking]

@maximzhestkov @fun_and_awe I sure hope not.

[Brad Cooper @mvhacking]

And the disconnect between Silicon Valley and Main Street has never been wider.

Telling the story investors want to hear, yes.

Hearing end-customer problems and creating products to solve them, not so much.

Proven track record of shipping reliable, safe, long-term ROI products, not so much.

All of these problems are due to a lack of marketing and product-market fit experience with the founders, and building solutions that are sexy and get investment, but are solutions looking for problems.

Not true of all VC-funded companies, but true of many.

[Brad Cooper @mvhacking]

@R2rule1 @radbackwards Nah, I use "robots" for everything. My drive-assist-powered car, Waze navigation on my phone, and the "A.S." artificial-stupidity robot on my counter, called Alexa.

Yeah, it may be inaccurate and unrefined, but it's a heck of a lot more fun than "washing machines."

[Brad Cooper @mvhacking]

@PeterDiamandis 30 years ago.

[Brad Cooper @mvhacking]

@PeterDiamandis 30 years ago.

[Brad Cooper @mvhacking]

@Yampeleg Backrooms 2 filming location?

[Brad Cooper @mvhacking]

@jendarhy And some think they don't need customer research, branding, or marketing strategy. They've all been proven wrong already.

[Brad Cooper @mvhacking]

Don't forget brand, marketing, and PR. Don't wait until it's too late to have these functions guide product development, provide end-customer input, and prime the pump for public perception/awareness.

TBH, the public perception of AI tools got away from you. Don't let it happen again with robotics.

DM me. I've analyzed the messaging of 200+ physical AI and robotics companies and have learned a few things about this.

[Brad Cooper @mvhacking]

@AdamFrank4 The AI doom hype train knows no bounds.

[Brad Cooper @mvhacking]

Don't forget brand, marketing, and PR. Don't wait until it's too late to have these functions guide the product development, provide end customer input, and prime the pump of public perception/awareness.

TBH, the public perception of AI tools got away from you. Don't let it happen again with robotics.

DM me. I've analyzed the messaging of 200+ physical AI and robotics companies and have learned a few things about this.