Scale & Strategy
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Alright, before we get into it, quick note.
Apologies for the delay, travel turned into a bit of chaos. More importantly, we need to address something head-on.
One of our partners, Delve, has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. Yesterday was the final day of that partnership, and we’re not renewing.
We originally signed the deal months ago, and once issues surfaced, we were locked into the contract longer than we would’ve liked. That meant we couldn’t just pull it immediately or speak on it the way we normally would.
Still, that’s on us.
We take what we put in front of you seriously. That’s why you don’t see us running sketchy “invest now” offers or the usual low-quality sponsorships floating around other newsletters. The goal has always been to bring partners we actually stand behind, not just monetize attention.
In this case, we fell short.
So this is us owning it. The partnership is over, and we’re moving forward with a higher bar.
If you follow other newsletters, you’ve probably seen Delve pop up, without anyone addressing it. That’s not how we operate. This community actually matters to us, and we’re not going to pretend otherwise.
Not saying we’re saints for doing this, but we’re definitely a bit more real than most of the space. This community actually matters to us, and we’re not trying to mess that up.
Alright, accountability box checked. Let’s get into it.
This is Scale & Strategy, the newsletter that delivers “aha” moments every damn day.
Here’s what we’ve got for you today:
- Gen Z Doesn’t Trust AI — But They Know They Can’t Ignore It
- The “Optimize for AI” Playbook Is Just… Don’t Suck for Humans
Gen Z Doesn’t Trust AI — But They Know They Can’t Ignore It
AI is supposed to be the future. The people inheriting that future aren’t exactly thrilled.
A new Gallup survey of 14–29 year olds shows enthusiasm is sliding fast, while anxiety is climbing just as quickly. Excitement is down to 22%. Hope dropped to 18%. Meanwhile, anxiety sits at 42% and anger at 31%.
That’s not curiosity. That’s tension.
What’s interesting is the split mindset.
On one hand, nearly half of respondents think AI’s risks in the workforce outweigh the benefits. Confidence that it actually makes work better is also dropping.
On the other hand, they’re still leaning in.
- 52% of students say AI skills are necessary for education
- 48% say it’s essential for their careers
So you get this weird dynamic: they don’t trust it, but they’re preparing for it anyway.
The job anxiety isn’t abstract either.
In a separate poll, nearly half of respondents said they’re worried about AI-driven job loss. And that concern isn’t coming out of nowhere.
Executives are under pressure to justify massive AI spend. The easiest lever is headcount.
One recent survey showed 60% of companies plan to cut employees who don’t adopt AI.
Not exactly a “learn this exciting new tool” message. More like “adapt or get replaced.”
That’s where things get tricky.
You can force adoption. You can’t force buy-in.
If people feel like they’re being pushed into AI just to stay employed, they’ll use it. But they’ll resent it. Minimum effort, no real integration, zero upside beyond survival.
That’s a terrible outcome for everyone.
The narrative is already slipping.
AI isn’t being framed as leverage. It’s being framed as pressure.
And once that perception sets in, it’s hard to reverse.
The smarter move is obvious, but rarely executed.
Be transparent about the tradeoffs. Show where AI actually helps. Give people a reason to want to use it, not just a reason to avoid getting cut.
Because if the next generation sees AI as a threat first and a tool second, adoption will happen.
Just not in the way anyone building this stuff is hoping.
Risk and regulations are ramping up, and customers expect proof of security just to do business. That’s why Vanta is a game changer.
Vanta automates your compliance and security processes in one AI-powered platform.
Whether you’re prepping for SOC 2, or running an enterprise GRC program, Vanta keeps you secure and your deals moving.
Companies like Ramp and Writer spend 82% less time on audits with Vanta. Faster compliance—and more time for growth.
Check out the on-demand demo to learn more. – trusted by top startups like Cursor, Linear, and Replit.
The “Optimize for AI” Playbook Is Just… Don’t Suck for Humans
Everyone’s overthinking this.
You don’t need a brand-new CRO strategy for AI. You need a better version of the one you should’ve already had.
Here is the quiet part out loud: AI systems reward content that works for humans.
That’s it. That’s the trick.
Start with structure.
Walls of text don’t work. Not for people, not for machines.
Break things up. Clear sections. Logical flow. Real hierarchy.
There’s no magic word count. Just enough to explain what you do, why it matters, and why you’re different.
If it’s complex, go deeper. Just don’t make it painful to read.
And if your content is hard to parse for a human, AI isn’t magically going to figure it out better than they can.
Next is clarity.
Most companies hide behind jargon like it’s a personality trait.
Cut it.
Say what you do in plain language. Make it obvious who it’s for and why it matters.
If you need a sanity check, run your copy through an AI tool and ask it to simplify it. If the output is better than what you wrote, that’s your sign.
Also, basic accessibility stuff actually matters. Clean design, readable fonts, proper contrast.
Not sexy. Still wins.
Then, the part everyone buries.
What do you actually want the user to do?
Buy. Book. Request. Whatever it is, make it painfully obvious.
No one wants to solve a puzzle just to give you money.
And if you’re running lead gen, instant actions beat dragging people through a five-step funnel that exists mostly to make your dashboard look impressive.
Technical stuff still matters. Just not in the way people think.
Fix the obvious issues.
Pages jumping around while loading. Aggressive pop-ups. Ad clutter that kills trust.
Use tools like Microsoft Clarity or Bing Webmaster Tools to see where users actually struggle.
But none of that saves you if the core experience is bad.
That’s the punchline.
AI optimization isn’t some new discipline.
It’s just good product and good content, consistently executed.
Which, apparently, is still rare enough to be an edge.
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