Demis Hassabis at Google IO: direction matters more than speed

At Google IO, Demis Hassabis delivered a quote that cuts to the heart of AI-native strategy: "Running 100 miles an hour in the wrong direction is worse than standing still." He did emphasize speed, but the point is that speed without direction is actively destructive. You can't just run fast for the sake of running fast, and you can't chase speed for its own sake. Speed has to be in service of your customer, and you have to know exactly what you're running toward. When you combine genuine velocity with a clear signal about what you're building and who you're building it for — supported by an AI-native system — you can deliver incredible value and build a competitive moat that becomes very hard to overcome.