How AI alters the economics of time

In a recent CNBC interview, Tenacity Venture Capital founder Ben Narasin shared a perspective that should make every business leader sit up and take notice. According to Narasin, artificial intelligence isn't just another technology evolution — it represents a fundamental shift in how we should value and allocate time within our organizations. This paradigm shift arrives as companies struggle to determine where AI fits into their strategy, with some rushing to implement while others adopt a wait-and-see approach.

Key insights from Narasin's perspective:

• Time value proposition: AI fundamentally changes the economics of time by transforming labor-intensive tasks into near-instantaneous operations, effectively collapsing time constraints that previously defined business processes.

• Market impact: While many investors focus on which AI companies will dominate, Narasin argues the bigger story is how AI transforms the value proposition across all industries by dramatically accelerating productivity.

• Cost structure evolution: The cost of knowledge work will shift as AI handles increasingly complex cognitive tasks, forcing businesses to reconsider how they price services and allocate human resources.

The time compression revolution

The most compelling insight from Narasin's interview is his framing of AI as a "time machine" that fundamentally alters business economics. This isn't merely about efficiency gains — it's about a structural transformation in how we conceptualize the relationship between time, value, and competitive advantage.

Consider what happens when tasks that once took days can be completed in minutes or seconds. The entire basis for pricing services, allocating resources, and measuring productivity becomes obsolete. Companies that fail to recognize this shift risk pricing themselves out of relevance while competitors leverage AI to deliver superior services at lower costs and unprecedented speed.

This perspective matters because most businesses still operate within traditional time frameworks. Quarterly planning cycles, project timelines measured in months, and service delivery expectations based on historical norms all assume certain time constants that AI is rapidly invalidating. The companies that thrive will be those that reimagine their entire business model around these new time economics.

Beyond the obvious applications

While Narasin focuses primarily on the broad economic implications, there are several critical dimensions he doesn't fully explore. First is the psychological impact of time compression on decision-making. When AI can generate multiple high-quality