How to Win the AI Distribution Game
"Distribution eats innovation for breakfast." – Alex Rampell
Most marketers are chasing AI features.
But features don’t scale. Distribution does.
Brian Balfour said it best:
“The AI tech shift already happened. The AI distribution shift is just getting started.”
If you’re not betting right, you’re already behind.
The Playbook: 3 Phases of AI Platform Distribution
This isn’t about prompt tricks. It’s platform strategy.
Moats
The edge isn’t the smartest model anymore.
It’s who owns the memory. The context. The behavior data.
The platforms that get the most user signals win.
Open Gates
This is the land grab phase.
Platforms like OpenAI, Google, Meta, and Anthropic want you building now.
It’s cheap. It’s open. And they need your product more than you need them.
Closed Gates
This is when reach dies and paywalls go up.
You lose control. They monetize.
Just ask folks who built early on Facebook.
The Use Case: Cursor vs GitHub Copilot
GitHub Copilot had the edge:
Microsoft money
VS Code baked in
Direct OpenAI pipeline
Still, Cursor took 55% of the market in a year.
How?
Speed.
Better UX.
Real daily use.
Distribution beats big money when you hit the window just right.
What to Do Now
Start building your own wedge.
Prompt to Try:
“Act like a platform strategist. Compare ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini for our product. Look at user engagement, openness, and monetization risk.”
Tool Stack:
ChatGPT or Claude
Zapier for integrations
Clearbit for enrichment
Slack or HubSpot to activate
Action Step:
Pick your platform bet.
Commit to it.
Build the feedback loop.
And move before they close the doors.
Bonus Prompt:
“Act like a B2B CMO. Map our most defensible workflow. Give 2 ways to embed it in an AI platform so we build memory and context.”
One smart move. Done in under 2 minutes.
-Fatmir
PS: Best time to ride the AI wave? Six months ago.
Next best? Right before they lock the gates.