"Changing that rapidly" Shark Tank investor Mark Cuban remarks on AI usage

When it comes to artificial intelligence, tech mogul and seasoned Shark Tank investor, Mark Cuban, has a message for entrepreneurs: embrace it or risk being left behind. Cuban highlighted the rapid advancements in AI technology during his speech at the SXSW festival in Austin.

"There's so much changing that rapidly," he said, urging today's business leaders to stay ahead of the curve.

Known for his astute investment choices on ABC's popular show Shark Tank and for having owned the Dallas Mavericks in the past, Mark Cuban has amassed a fortune by anticipating technological trends. His focus now is on how AI might revolutionize startups and small enterprises.

In his presentation, Cuban recommended that business owners invest a lot of time learning about these new capabilities, even advising them to spend "every waking minute learning about AI."

His remarks are in line with the rising belief among tech investors that artificial intelligence (AI) signifies a fundamental shift in company operations rather than merely another technological advancement. Cuban's comments draw attention to the opportunities and difficulties that entrepreneurs face as they negotiate this quickly changing environment.

What does Mark Cuban have to say about AI?

Mark Cuban claims that AI has significantly reduced the entrance hurdles for new business owners. It can help entrepreneurs navigate new challenges by acting as a virtual mentor.

"It's so much easier to start," Cuban explained during his SXSW appearance.

Elaborating:

"It went from — way, way back in the day — $5,000 for a PC... to if you just have a laptop and a connection to the internet, you can start anything. Now, you have a mentor, whether you use Perplexity, Anthropic Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini — it doesn't matter. You have experts."

Small company owners now have access to knowledge that formerly needed costly consultants or years of experience thanks to the democratization of expertise. AI technologies can assist business owners with tasks they may not be naturally skilled at, such as email writing and sales call preparation.

Cuban acknowledged that these AI systems aren't perfect. They sometimes make mistakes or "hallucinate" information. But he quickly added that human mentors and experts "don't always get it right, either."

Despite his enthusiasm, Mark Cuban warned against viewing AI as a magic bullet for business challenges. He emphasized that the technology should amplify existing skills rather than replace human judgment.

"AI is never the answer. AI is the tool. Whatever skills you have, you can use AI to amplify them," he told the audience.

This distinction is important in creative fields, where concerns about AI replacement run high. Cuban dismissed the notion that AI would take over creative work like scriptwriting.

"A lot of creative people think, well, AI is gonna write all the scripts," Cuban said.

Explaining:

"AI doesn't know a good story from a bad story. You need to be creative. AI can do the video — trust me, I can create AI-generated videos. They're still gonna suck."

The investor's blunt assessment highlights an important reality: while AI can handle many tasks, human creativity and discernment remain essential.

Investment implications of AI

According to Mark Cuban, the most compelling reason to embrace AI is a competitive advantage. He stressed that business owners who ignore these tools do so at their peril.

"Whatever skills you have, AI can amplify them. But not using it means somebody else is going to be amplifying their skills — and that could be the difference between getting ahead of you or not," Cuban warned.

This message resonated with the entrepreneurship-focused audience at SXSW. Cuban suggested that while many people won't take full advantage of AI's capabilities, "those people who put in the time are going to crush it."

His own social media habits reflect this commitment. Mark Cuban mentioned that his Instagram and TikTok feeds are filled with AI hacks and developments, helping him stay current with the rapid technological changes.

Beyond advice for entrepreneurs, Mark Cuban's remarks hold significance for investors watching the AI space. Being one of the most well-known investors in America, his public excitement shows faith in the industry's potential for expansion.

Businesses worldwide are vying for an edge in this fiercely competitive field as the global AI race heats up. Chinese firms like DeepSeek are becoming more well-known, while academic institutions are creating frameworks that can run on locally made processors instead of only depending on market leader Nvidia.

These developments present opportunities and challenges for investors wishing to learn more about AI technology. The message for those who subscribe to Cuban's philosophy is unmistakable: the AI revolution is only getting started and will have significant financial ramifications.

Mark Cuban's straightforward advice to the next generation of business leaders reinforces this view: learn about AI now, or risk falling behind competitors who do. His perspective suggests that AI adoption isn't just about increasing efficiency—it's becoming table stakes for business success.

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Shark Tank is available to watch in the U.S. on ABC, stream on Hulu, or purchase episodes on platforms like Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.