Stop Buying AI Slop: How Mid-Market Companies Actually Get ROI from AI

Arman Hezarkhani is the Co-founder & Managing Partner of Tenex, an AI transformation firm helping middle-market and growth companies turn AI from hype into real P&L impact. Drawing from experience scaling Google’s cloud AI tools and building venture-backed startups, Arman breaks down how leaders can actually operationalize AI — not just talk about it. This episode is a practical guide for investors and operators who want measurable results, fast.You’ll LearnWhy AI adoption is easy for individuals but structurally hard for organizations — and how to close that gapHow to identify high-ROI AI use cases by starting with business goals, not technologyWhat “AI slop” looks like in practice and how to avoid wasting capital on vaporwareWhy Tenex charges on output (story points) instead of hours — and how incentives unlock 10x productivityHow to get your first AI win inside a company to build momentum and executive buy-inChapters00:00 Intro00:49 Arman’s background and founding Tenex02:30 Why AI is different from past tech waves05:26 What AI changes — and what it doesn’t — in business07:08 How companies should prepare for an AI-native future09:01 How Tenex identifies and executes AI opportunities12:15 Diagnostic process and opportunity mapping15:13 Why CEO-level buy-in is critical16:31 The Tenex output-based business model21:28 Generative AI, agents, and AI-powered software builds23:25 Avoiding “AI slop” and navigating the AI bubble27:00 Build vs. buy decisions in an AI world28:39 Real client example: AI-driven revenue and efficiency gains33:24 Ruthless focus on business goals34:02 Advice for new Heads of AILinksWatch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/xRV_OnkK9eAExplore more interviews: https://www.justcurious.io/Connect with Arman Hezarkhani: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahez/Proof of Work is the podcast of Pluris, a platform connecting investors and operators with the world's leading applied AI experts. Each episode features the builders, operators, and investors who've actually put AI into production, turning it from buzzword to bottom line through sharp case studies and practical conversations. We explore how AI is used to grow revenue, expand margins, improve operations, and create measurable value inside real businesses.Learn more at checkpluris.comExplore more interviews and connect with experts at https://www.checkpluris.com Subscribe to our newsletter at https://proof-of-work-ai.beehiiv.com/