Cut through the AI hype! Duri Chitayat, a CTO who has scaled global engineering teams across 27 countries, reveals what it *really* takes to build high-performing, AI-powered solutions while keeping humanity and trust intact.

From building a homegrown ERP to leading AI transformations in AdTech, MedTech, and Finance, Duri shares battle-tested strategies for navigating the "messy middle" where culture, strategy, and technology collide. Discover his secrets to achieving 90%+ team retention, fostering purpose-driven work, and making data a first-class citizen. Learn how to identify truly AI-native solutions, understand underrated technologies, and effectively communicate technical trade-offs to non-technical executives.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

· Duri's journey from a homegrown ERP to leading global tech transformations.

· The most critical process for maintaining code quality and alignment in distributed teams (it's not technical!).

· What an "AI-native" solution truly looks like beyond the hype, with real-world examples.

· Underhyped AI technologies poised to be game-changers in the next 2-3 years (beyond LLMs).

· Navigating the "messy middle" where culture, strategy, and technology collide.

· Duri's first move as CTO when facing organizational collisions: empathize and shadow.

· Secrets to 90%+ team retention: purpose, flexibility, and autonomy beyond compensation.

· The unique architectural challenge of treating data as a product (Data Mesh).

· How to effectively communicate technical trade-offs to executives and investors.

· Duri's personal definition of innovation: challenging basic assumptions.

This is a must-listen for founders, executives, engineers, and anyone building products in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

Connect With Duri Chitayat:

· LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/durichitayat/

· Blog: https://durichitayat.net/

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome Duri Chitayat: AI, Global Teams & Scaling with Humanity

01:06 Journey from Homegrown ERP: Learning People & Process Over Tech

04:38 Critical Process for Global Team Quality: Hiring the Right People

06:18 AI Beyond Hype: Technical Architecture of AI-Native Solutions

09:49 Underhyped AI Tech & Game Changers for Next 2-3 Years

12:04 Navigating the "Messy Middle": Culture, Strategy & Tech Collisions

16:31 90%+ Team Retention Secrets: Purpose, Flexibility & Autonomy

20:22 Architectural Problem Unique to Domains: Data as a Product (Data Mesh)

24:02 Communicating Technical Trade-Offs to Non-Technical Executives

27:01 Innovation Defined: Unsetting Basic Assumptions & New Tools

29:26 Connect with Duri Chitayat