Life Coaching Guru Tony Robbins Tells Us Why He's Investing in an AI Company
Robbins has spent his career helping business leaders make decisions. Now, he's investing in technology designed to do the same.
By Lydia Belanger •
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Serial entrepreneur and author Tony Robbins has seen the future of business, and it's one where artificial intelligence powers decisions.
"In today's changing world of consumer preference, AI is the fundamental building block for how future businesses will run, interact with customers and implement new systems and innovations," Robbins said in a statement provided to Entrepreneur. "AI is the key to making every business decision both more informed and intelligent. It would be foolish to not capitalize on an opportunity to help create the future and drive even better business decisions through this technology."
Related: 9 Powerful Tony Robbins Quotes That Will Redefine Your Quest for Success
Putting his immense wealth where his mouth is, today, a new artificial intelligence startup called HyperGiant is emerging from stealth, and Robbins is among the company's first investors, through his partnership with Beringer Capital. The exact amount of his investment was not disclosed.
Robbins is betting on HyperGiant's customized AI solutions for brands, which Ben Lamm, one of the company's co-founders and its executive chairman, says will solve the "the over-promise and under-deliver problem in AI."
"There is a lot of hype right now about the promise of AI and the impact it will have on business," Robbins said. "I've seen a lot of those promises go unfulfilled, and business has suffered from betting on AI strategies that were either too slow to get off the ground or were a one-size-fits-all solution that didn't actually fit."
The guru has expanded his life coaching and business strategy in recent years, lately focusing on doling out financial and investment tips as he continues to expand his own portfolio.
Robbins's last two books, Unshakeable: Your Financial Freedom Playbook and Money: Master the Game, summarize tips from Peter Mallouk, Warren Buffett, Ray Dalio, Carl Icahn and other prominent investors and financial advisors on everything from retirement savings to the importance of diversifying. His own business ventures are diverse, ranging from virtual reality to sports to hospitality.
This is not Robbins's first time publicly expressing interest in the potential benefits of AI. He's previously tweeted about the promise of AI for investors.
AI and machine learning on social media data is giving hedge funds a competitive edge https://t.co/IJFTytR8ek
— Tony Robbins (@TonyRobbins) July 22, 2016
The co-founders of the Austin, Texas-based HyperGiant -- Lamm, John Frémont and Will Womble -- have split their company into three operating divisions. The first is Hypergiant Space Age Solutions, which is focused on providing Fortune 500 companies with AI that will "upgrade systems and workforces." The second is Hypergiant Applied Sciences, focused on AI product research and development, and the third is a venture arm.
Related video: Tony Robbins: Want Success? Rewire Your Mind.
