Founder Story: Jaspar Carmichael-Jack of Artisan.co
From Surrey to Silicon Valley: The Unconventional Path
Jaspar Carmichael-Jack's entrepreneurial spirit ignited early. Growing up in Surrey, England, he launched his first business venture at the tender age of 7. "I've always been fascinated by the idea of creating something from nothing," Jaspar recalls. "Even as a kid, I was constantly thinking about how to solve problems and make money doing it."
This early drive set the stage for a series of ventures that would eventually lead him to Silicon Valley. By his late teens, Jaspar had already founded an international branding agency, Burst Digital, which he grew to a team of 15 employees working with globally recognized brands. This experience provided him with invaluable insights into operations, management, sales, and marketing – skills that would prove crucial in his future endeavors.
However, it was his next venture that truly set him on the path to disrupting the tech industry. In 2023, at just 21 years old, Jaspar founded Assist, an on-demand services marketplace in London. "I created the business as a solo founder with an outsourced development team," he explained on LinkedIn. "Over 3,000 service professionals signed up to the platform in the six months it was live."
While Assist didn't achieve long-term success, it was a pivotal learning experience for Jaspar. It exposed him to the challenges of building and scaling a tech platform, and more importantly, it highlighted the inefficiencies in traditional service industries – a realization that would later fuel his vision for Artisan AI.
The AI Revolution Begins: Founding Artisan
In July 2023, Jaspar took a leap that would change the course of his career and potentially reshape the future of work. He founded Artisan AI, a company focused on revolutionizing the workplace by automating manual workflows with autonomous AI employees.
To bring his vision to life, Jaspar partnered with Dr. Rupert Dodkins, who holds a PhD in astrophysics from the University of Oxford. Together, they set out to create "Artisans" – human-like digital workers designed to automate job workflows from end to end.
The company quickly gained traction, raising $21.1 million in funding and securing a spot in the prestigious Y Combinator accelerator program. This rapid success allowed Artisan to grow its human workforce to 30 employees and reach $1 million in annual recurring revenue within its first year of operation.
Disrupting the Status Quo: The "Stop Hiring Humans" Campaign
In December 2024, Jaspar launched a marketing campaign that would catapult Artisan into the spotlight and ignite a firestorm of controversy. Billboards appeared across San Francisco with provocative messages like "Stop hiring humans," "Artisans won't complain about work-life balance," and "Artisans are excited to work 70+ hours a week."
The campaign was met with immediate backlash. Critics accused Jaspar of promoting a dystopian future where human workers are replaced by AI. Social media erupted with outrage, and Jaspar reportedly received thousands of death threats.
Yet, the young CEO remained unapologetic. When asked about the controversial nature of the ads, Jaspar told SFGate, "They are somewhat dystopian, but so is AI. The way the world works is changing… we wanted something that would draw eyes — you don't draw eyes with boring messaging."
This bold stance exemplifies Jaspar's approach to business and innovation. He's not afraid to challenge norms or ruffle feathers in pursuit of his vision. "You don't win by doing the same thing as everyone else," he wrote in a blog post reflecting on the campaign.
The Human Side of AI: Ava, the Digital Sales Representative
At the heart of Artisan's offering is Ava, an AI-powered business development representative. Jaspar describes Ava as "an AI BDR (business development rep) on steroids… she's available to hire now."
Ava represents a significant leap forward in AI capabilities. According to Jaspar, "Right now, she automates the full outbound sales cycle, but she will soon be able to automate the entire sales cycle, doing most things herself and acting as a co-pilot to the human when needed."
The development of Ava showcases Jaspar's ability to rapidly turn ideas into reality. He claims that Ava was launched within months of being sketched out on paper, a testament to the fast-paced, execution-focused culture he's built at Artisan.
Crisis and Transformation: Navigating the Backlash
The "Stop Hiring Humans" campaign, while controversial, proved to be a marketing masterstroke. Jaspar revealed that the strategy led to "10s of millions of impressions, 1000s of death threats, 100s of articles and our biggest growth months ever."
The campaign's success demonstrates Jaspar's keen understanding of the power of provocation in marketing. By deliberately courting controversy, he managed to cut through the noise of Silicon Valley's crowded advertising landscape and make Artisan a household name in tech circles.
However, navigating the backlash required careful crisis management. Jaspar had to balance defending his vision with addressing legitimate concerns about the impact of AI on employment. This experience likely shaped his leadership style and crisis management skills, preparing him for the challenges of leading a high-profile tech company.
Innovation Philosophy: Embracing the Uncomfortable
Jaspar's approach to innovation is characterized by a willingness to embrace discomfort and challenge established norms. "We're in a hyper-competitive market," he explains. "You don't win by doing the same thing as everyone else."
This philosophy extends to his product development strategy. Rather than creating tools for humans to use, Artisan aims to develop AI entities that can work alongside humans as true collaborators. "Our vision is to have teams of Artisans working alongside, and integrated within, human teams," Jaspar stated in an interview.
His leadership style appears to prioritize speed and impact over caution. "Constantly apply pressure, be impatient, and strive for speed. This is a race," reads one of Artisan's core values.
Industry Impact: Redefining Work in the AI Era
While it's still early days for Artisan, Jaspar's vision has already begun to reshape conversations about the future of work. The company's rapid growth and high-profile marketing have forced both tech insiders and the general public to confront the realities of AI's potential impact on employment.
Jaspar sees Artisan as leading "the next Industrial Revolution," with plans to expand beyond sales into areas like marketing and financial analysis. If successful, this could fundamentally alter the nature of white-collar work across multiple industries.
Legacy and Future Vision
At just 23, Jaspar Carmichael-Jack has already left an indelible mark on Silicon Valley. His controversial approach and ambitious vision have sparked important debates about the role of AI in the workplace and the future of human labor.
Looking ahead, Jaspar shows no signs of slowing down. He envisions Artisan expanding into numerous industries, potentially reshaping the entire concept of work. "This is only the beginning," he often says, hinting at even more ambitious plans for the future.
Closing Thoughts
Jaspar Carmichael-Jack's journey from a young entrepreneur in Surrey to a controversial tech leader in Silicon Valley embodies the disruptive spirit of the AI revolution. His willingness to challenge norms, court controversy, and push the boundaries of technology has positioned him as a pivotal figure in shaping the future of work.
While the long-term impact of Artisan's AI employees remains to be seen, Jaspar's story serves as a powerful reminder of the transformative potential of bold ideas and unapologetic execution. As he often says, "The era of AI employees is here." Whether this heralds a new age of productivity or raises complex ethical questions, one thing is certain: Jaspar Carmichael-Jack will be at the forefront, driving the conversation and pushing the boundaries of what's possible.
References
- https://businesscloud.co.uk/news/who-is-jaspar-carmichael-jack-briton-launches-stop-hiring-humans-campaign-in-san-francisco/
- https://www.artisan.co/authors/jaspar-carmichael-jack
- https://zawn.substack.com/p/you-can-learn-to-be-a-faster-writer
- https://founders-nation.com/Profile.aspx?id=18776&name=Jaspar+Carmichael-Jack
- https://app.dealroom.co/companies/artisan_ai
- https://lempreintedubois.fr/userfiles/lempreintedubois.fr/file/92212994259.pdf
- https://www.producthunt.com/@jasparcj
- https://www.artisan.co/about
- https://snap.berkeley.edu/project/11166188
- https://www.artisan.co/blog/stop-hiring-humans