Work with me
Dave Friedman — Strategic Clarity for the AI Economy
What I Do
I help investors and operators see how AI is restructuring markets — before it shows up in financials.
My work sits at the intersection of capital flows, technology architecture, and competitive strategy.
When intelligence becomes an input cost, business models mutate. My job is to map that mutation.
The Problem I Solve
Most investors and founders still reason about AI as a feature.
In reality, it’s a substrate shift: value migrates down-stack to compute and data, and up-stack to distribution and trust.
This leaves two critical blind spots:
Predator risk — building inside the control surface of a model provider.
Leverage blindness — underestimating how data, inference control, or distribution create durable edge.
I provide decision frameworks that make those dynamics legible.
Core Offers
1. Strategic Briefings – Clarity under time constraint
Deliverable: 10–15 page written or slide-format briefing on a chosen theme
(e.g. “LLM vertical integration,” “Compute as collateral,” “AI infra consolidation”)
Who it’s for: fund partners, CIOs, corporate strategists preparing for allocation or board conversations
Outcome: actionable understanding of market structure, key players, and second-order implications
Fee: $2,000–$5,000
2. Diagnostics / Portfolio Audits – Expose hidden dependency and leverage
Deliverable: 2–4 page diagnostic of a company or portfolio segment
Identifies model risk, data moat strength, and distribution optionality
Who it’s for: venture firms, corporate venture units, or operators positioning AI products
Fee: $5,000–$10,000
3. Retained Advisory – Ongoing strategic intelligence
Deliverable: two monthly calls + bespoke written memos or deck reviews
Who it’s for: allocators, founders, or corporate strategy leads seeking continuous perspective
Fee: $7,500–$15,000/month
Why it works: you get a filter on the market that’s independent, contrarian, and evidence-grounded.
4. Executive Presentations / Workshops
Format: 45–60 minute keynote or facilitated session
Examples:
“The Predator Platform: Surviving Vertical Integration in AI”
“Compute, Capital, and Control: The New Market Architecture”
Fee: $3,000–$8,000
What It’s Like to Work With Me
Concise, analytical, zero fluff.
No frameworks-for-frameworks — everything ties to real business dynamics.
I treat every engagement as an investigation: define the uncertainty → model it → deliver clarity.
Proof of Work
Selected essays from my public writing (available on request):
Why Most LLM Startups Are Doomed
Compute as Collateral
When Machines Buy From Machines
Each has been widely circulated among AI founders and investors and used in due-diligence discussions.
Contact
Email: [your address]
LinkedIn: [link]
Location: New York / remote
Availability: accepting up to three concurrent advisory or audit engagements.