The Case Against AI | Ep 993

In one of his most contrarian episodes yet, Alex Hormozi reveals that after asking his wealthiest, oldest friends how much they actually use AI every day, he got the same uncomfortable answer: "Dude, I'm not using AI." Their teams use it. They've hired people to train on it. But the founders themselves? Almost none. This admission sets up Hormozi's central argument: the belief that AI has canceled every other form of leverage is a dangerous misconception, and most people who are "token maxing" and "vibe coding" are not making more money as a result.

The Multiplicity of Leverage

Hormozi defines leverage simply as the difference between what you put in and what you get out. AI introduces high leverage, but it does not erase other forms. Capital still has tremendous leverage. Media—one video reaching millions of people—still has tremendous leverage. Teams still create leverage for other people. Hormozi points out the irony that the frontier labs with all the AI still employ thousands of people.

The real problem is that many business owners treat AI as if it replaces the need to understand how leverage works across the business. They assume that because they have an infinite tool, they can throw away fundamentals. Hormozi counters with a simple test: "Has implementing AI in my business made me more money?" If the answer is no, you are using it in the wrong place.