Before You Spend on AI: Questions Every CEO Must Ask with Dr. Funk
In this episode of The AI Value Paradox, host Puneet Kalia (Founder & CEO of Kategos) sits down with Dr. Jeffrey Funk (Technology Expert, Author, and Tech Bubble Analyst) to dissect the economic realities of generative AI, cut through the noise, and challenge the prevailing tech hype. With over four decades of experience studying tech growth cycles, Dr. Funk breaks down why today’s AI ecosystem shares striking similarities with the dot-com bubble, why top-down C-suite mandates are failing, and how leaders can build real, profit backed business value. Key Takeaways: • The Dot-Com Parallel: Is the current AI market facing a bigger bubble than 2000? • Subsidized Compute & Circular Finance: Unpacking the true financial health of model providers. • The C-Suite Disconnect: Why leadership's optimism rarely matches the reality of frontline workflows. • Vibe Coding vs. Enterprise Quality: Why standalone app development isn't translating to complex system productivity. • Ground Up AI Strategy: How pragmatic leaders can focus on process engineering rather than chasing AGI myths. About Our Guest: Dr. Jeffrey Funk is a Technology Expert, Author, and former professor with 40+ years of experience studying how new technologies grow, spread, and sometimes get buried under hype. About Our Host: Puneet Kalia is the Founder and CEO of Kategos, helping enterprise leaders navigate data complexity, eliminate tech noise, and turn AI capabilities into measurable business performance. Learn more about Kategos: www.kategos.ai