August 20, 2026
The AI-First CEO Podcast kicks off with CEO Chris Happ and legendary category designer Christopher Lochhead exploring what it really means to lead in an AI-first world.
From practical applications to fundamental mindset shifts, Chris and Lochhead unpack how AI is changing the way leaders make decisions, build companies, and collaborate across organizations. They share lessons on moving beyond AI as a productivity tool and embracing it as a strategic advantage—one that can fundamentally reshape how a business operates.
For CEOs and business leaders navigating the AI transformation, this episode offers a practical look at where to start, what needs to change, and how to build a company designed to thrive in the age of AI.
When you’re building an AI-native company, AI is a co-founder. And when you’re an existing company, you think AI is a bolt-on to the company. That’s a fundamentally different mindset.
Christopher Lochhead is a thirteen-time #1 bestselling co-author, renowned category designer, entrepreneur, and business podcast host. Widely known as the “godfather” of Category Design, he has helped shape how companies create and define new markets.
A former three-time Silicon Valley public-company CMO, Lochhead has advised more than 50 venture-backed startups and is a venture capital limited partner. He is the co-author of Play Bigger, Niche Down, Snow Leopard, and Category Design Toolkit, among other works exploring marketing, innovation, and category creation.
Today, Lochhead is focused on helping entrepreneurs, marketers, and creators design a different future through Category Pirates, while continuing to challenge conventional thinking through his #1-charting business and marketing podcasts.
He joins Chris Happ on The AI-First CEO Podcast to explore what it takes for leaders and companies to think differently—and build for an AI-first future.
Chris Happ is the CEO of VirtuousAI, where he’s pioneering a new era of execution for mid-market businesses with BAIO—the world’s first Business Automation, Intelligence & Outcomes platform. A serial entrepreneur and seasoned technology leader, Chris has spent his career transforming how companies operate, scale, and win with data.
Driven by a deep understanding of the challenges mid-sized businesses face, Chris launched VirtuousAI to close The Execution Gap, the costly distance between a company’s strategic goals and its ability to deliver. Under his leadership, VirtuousAI is redefining how businesses compete in the AI era: not by outspending the giants, but by out-executing them. His mission is to empower mid-market leaders to move faster, work smarter, and achieve measurable outcomes that drive sustainable growth.
Before founding VirtuousAI, Chris built and exited multiple successful ventures at the intersection of finance, supply chain, and enterprise software. His background blends deep operational knowledge with a visionary approach to automation and business intelligence, making him a trusted voice on the future of work, data, and strategic AI.
