AI And Your HVAC Guy: HBS Founders Reveal Inside Business Strategies

AI startup founders from Cortex and Robbie discussed the real-world deployment of artificial intelligence in traditional sectors like HVAC at the recent Imagination in Action event. The founders emphasized the importance of aligning AI tools with hands-on workflows, building technician trust, and generating immediate business value rather than chasing abstract concepts. Cortex uses an acquisition strategy to integrate AI and speed up hardware design, while Robbie builds software-only agents to optimize field service operations after a smart glasses prototype failed to deliver clear ROI.