Want 97% AI Adoption? Start By Saying “Not Yet”
Hypebeast withheld access for 10 weeks, teased value, and turned demand into near-universal adoption.
In this episode of Data Matas, Aaron speaks with Sami Rahman, Director of Data & AI at Hypebeast, about what it really takes to embed AI inside a modern business.
Sami shares how his psychology background shapes his approach to adoption, why fear of AI is more about broken safety nets than the technology itself, and why Hypebeast uses AI as a force multiplier — not a replacement for creative teams.
He explains how he deliberately teased AI’s potential for 10 weeks before giving access, using curiosity and scarcity to spark demand. The result? 97% adoption across the company.
Listeners will also hear how Hypebeast prioritises boring but valuable use cases — automating system updates, consolidating research, scanning trends — and why Sami treats AI agents as disposable tools with clear lifecycles, not permanent fixtures.
It’s a grounded, practical conversation about the human side of AI adoption and the discipline it takes to keep hype from overrunning reality.
Watch the full episode on YouTube, or listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
👤 Sami Rahman on LinkedIn
👤 Aaron Phethean on LinkedIn
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