LEVEL ONE: The Tech Wunderkind Putting Ads Inside AI Chats

Send us Fan MailLEVEL 1: $0 – $1M STARTUP & SURVIVAL STAGEIn today’s episode of The Business Game, we’re sitting down with Andrea Tortella, Founder and CEO of Thrad – the company building advertising infrastructure for AI, placing ads directly inside conversations with large language models.After working at Perplexity and becoming obsessed with the shift from browsing to answers, Andrea realised the internet was changing fast — and that traditional advertising models might not survive the AI era. Now, Thrad is already serving millions of ads globally, working with everyone from startups to Fortune 500 brands.Building from the centre of Silicon Valley’s AI boom, Andrea shares why advertising inside AI conversations is inevitable, how conversational AI is completely changing the internet, and what it’s really like building a startup in one of the fastest-moving industries on earth.If you’re building in AI, marketing, SaaS, or trying to understand where the internet is heading next… This episode is for you.Let’s dive in, with Andrea Tortella:• why the internet is shifting from browsing to AI answers• the real reason AI products will need advertising to survive• what ads inside ChatGPT-style conversations actually look like• why “bad ads” ruined advertising’s reputation• how conversational AI could completely change marketing• building a startup at the centre of Silicon Valley’s AI boom• the challenge of creating a category that doesn’t fully exist yet• why speed is becoming one of the biggest advantages in marketing• the unconventional marketing stunt that helped put Thrad on the map• how AI could change the relationship between brands and customers foreverSupport the showThank you for listening to The Business Game, where real founders break down the real levels of business.Whether you're building at Level 1 ($0–$1M) or scaling through Level 6 and beyond, this show is designed to help you understand exactly where you are, and what it takes to level up.If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, follow and leave a review. It helps more founders find the roadmap.For full episodes, level breakdowns and behind-the-scenes content, follow us on YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.Want to identify your level or learn more about The Business Game framework?Visit www.thebusinessgamegroup.comIt's time to Level Up!We’ll see you at the next level.