Definition

AI washing

Attributing layoffs or business outcomes to AI for headlines when the real cause is something else, like mismanagement.

From the episode “Agent Memory Is the Next Great Moat”

How founders on the podcast use it

Publicly attributing layoffs or changes to AI to mask ordinary mismanagement.

"We're AI-First!" No You're Not. Here's the Test.

Attributing business decisions like layoffs to AI when the real causes lie elsewhere.

Your AI Agents Are Burning You Out: The Sustainable AI Workflows Founders Actually Need

Hear it on the podcast3 episodes

Learn the language of AI-native founders

Every week: the new terms, tools, and workflows founders are using, straight from the podcast.

Related terms in Finance & Markets

Advance rateThe percentage of the invoice value paid upfront, typically 80 to 95%.Advertising Expense BucketA distinct expense category for paid media spend, separated from fixed and variable costs. Treated as fuel — a deliberate, adjustable lever that generates revenue — rather than a line item to minimize. Isolating it enables clear measurement and intentional scaling.AEDT (Automated Employment Decision Tool)Any software that scores, ranks, or classifies candidates in a way that substantially assists a hiring decision. The legal trigger term in NYC Local Law 144.AI exclusionInsurance policy language that removes coverage for AI-related claims.Algorithmic tradingComputer programs that place trades automatically based on pre-set rules.Alt dataNon-traditional datasets bought by hedge funds and CPG companies for investment and product decisions. SKU-level purchase data is one of the most valuable categories.Alternative InvestmentsAsset classes outside traditional public equities and fixed income. CJ Follini identifies 14 major categories: real estate (with seven commercial subcategories — logistics/warehouse, data centers, healthcare, senior housing, multifamily, retail, office), private equity, early-stage venture capital, secondaries, fine art, farmland/AgTech, infrastructure, hedge funds, commodities, timber, royalties, structured credit, and digital assets. Historically restricted to institutional investors and ultra-high-net-worth families due to due diligence complexity, illiquidity, and accreditation requirements. Platforms like Masterworks (fine art) began democratizing access; CJ's Noyack is building AI-native infrastructure to extend access to all 14 asset classes for individual investors.AppealA request for a higher court to review a lower court's decision.