Should Together prioritize expanding its model offerings or enhancing existing models' capabilities in its AI platform?

Introduction

The trade-off question at hand is whether Together should prioritize expanding its model offerings or enhancing existing models' capabilities in its AI platform. This scenario involves balancing the breadth of AI solutions against the depth of functionality within current models. My response will analyze this trade-off through multiple lenses, considering business impact, user needs, technical feasibility, and strategic alignment.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Context: I'm thinking about Together's current market position. Could you share where we stand in terms of market share and competition in the AI platform space?

Why it matters: Helps gauge whether breadth or depth is more critical for competitive advantage. Expected answer: Mid-tier player with growing market share. Impact on approach: If leading, might focus on enhancing; if trailing, might expand offerings.

• Business Context: Based on our revenue model, I'm assuming we charge per API call or compute time. Is this correct, and are there any other significant revenue streams?

Why it matters: Determines if expanding models or enhancing capabilities would have a more direct impact on revenue. Expected answer: Primarily usage-based pricing with some enterprise contracts. Impact on approach: Would influence whether to focus on increasing usage or attracting larger clients.

• User Impact: I'm thinking about our user base diversity. Can you tell me about our primary user segments and their typical use cases?

Why it matters: Helps understand if different segments need different models or improved capabilities. Expected answer: Mix of developers, researchers, and enterprises across various industries. Impact on approach: Diverse user base might lean towards expansion; specialized needs towards enhancement.

• Technical: Considering our current infrastructure, I'm curious about our capacity for model training and deployment. What are our current limitations?

Why it matters: Assesses feasibility of rapid expansion vs. intensive enhancement. Expected answer: Robust infrastructure with some scalability challenges. Impact on approach: Limited capacity might favor enhancing existing models over expanding.

• Resource: Looking at our team structure, I'm wondering about our AI research capabilities versus our product development capacity. How are we positioned in these areas?

Why it matters: Determines our ability to effectively pursue either strategy. Expected answer: Strong in both, with slightly more emphasis on research. Impact on approach: Strong research team might favor enhancement, while strong product team could support expansion.