I stopped hiring. I’m not sure it’s a strategy yet

The author has not hired full-time employees for two years, transitioning to using AI agents for tasks such as research, drafting, and editing. This shift has been driven by the lower cost and reduced coordination overhead compared to traditional hires. The company has continued to grow without increasing headcount, with AI agents taking on the roles that once required interns, fresh graduates, and junior freelancers.

The author acknowledges that this approach may be a temporary strategy due to the high cost of AI tools, which are not yet profitable. They express uncertainty about the sustainability of this hiring freeze if the price of AI subscription services increases significantly. The author emphasizes the importance of maintaining institutional knowledge and the skills required to oversee AI agents, as these are at risk of being lost when junior roles are eliminated.

They advise founders to view their current AI-driven approach as a temporary solution, rather than a permanent model, and to regularly reassess the roles that could be returned to human oversight if conditions change.