AI Platform Reshaping Custom Model Development | Michael Ortega from Predibase

Ernesto Quezada: Pathmonk is the intelligent tool for website lead generation. With increasing online competition, over 98% of website visitors don’t convert. The ability to successfully show your value proposition and support visitors in their buying journey separates you from the competition online. Pathmonk qualifies and converts leads on your website by figuring out where they are in the buying journey and influencing them in key decision moments. With relevant micro-experiences like case studies, intro videos, and much more, stay relevant to your visitors and increase conversions by 50%. Add Pathmonk to your website in seconds. Let the AI do all the work and get access to 50% more qualified leads while you keep doing marketing and sales as usual. Check us out on pathmonk.com. Welcome to today’s episode. Let’s talk about today’s guest. We have Michael from Predibase, head of marketing there with them. How are you doing today, Michael?

Michael Ortega: Doing great, thanks for having me.

Ernesto: It’s great to have you on today’s show. You know, we’re talking a little bit that we weren’t going to talk about the names, but let’s jump into the company itself. In your own words, can you tell us a little bit more about what Predibase is all about?

Michael: Yeah, absolutely. So Predibase is an AI platform, a young company startup that’s been around for a few years. We launched our commercial product early last year. What we do and focus on is making it incredibly easy, cost-effective, and efficient for any developer to build and serve custom AI models, specifically large language models, which underpin popular tools like ChatGPT. We’ve been around a few years and are starting to see significant growth, definitely.

Ernesto: Okay, awesome. So that way our listeners can get a good understanding of your company, what problems do you solve for clients?

Michael: There’s been a lot of excitement around large language models—these are the types of AI models that power tools like ChatGPT. Many companies are trying to figure out how they can use these models to innovate their businesses. We make it easy for folks to take some of the best-of-breed open-source models out there and start building and customizing them for their business.

We have customers across every industry doing all kinds of use cases. For example, World Wildlife Fund uses our platform to build an AI model that allows them to analyze thousands of reports they produce annually for reforestation and endangered animal projects. Instead of individually reviewing these reports, their model can answer critical questions like, “What are the top five countries where we had the best reforestation?” This helps decision-makers make better, faster decisions.

Another example is a Rytech startup in Latin America called Enriched AI. They democratize knowledge through chatbots and even created an AI model for a reggaetón artist, enabling fans to interact with the artist via WhatsApp during an album launch. Fans could send voice memos or text messages, and the AI-powered model responded as if it were the artist.

The use cases are endless, spanning industries like fintech, health tech, and traditional sectors using AI for insights, automation, and process improvements.

Ernesto: All right, awesome. And you mentioned case studies like the World Wildlife Fund and the artist. But is there a vertical segment you particularly focus on?

Michael: Honestly, applications for large language models or AI are universal—every industry can benefit from automation and intelligence-driven capabilities. But we see a lot of growth in Rytech startups, small to mid-sized companies that are innovative and eager to use new technology to gain an edge. Fintech and sales Rytech are big spaces for us.

Ernesto: Perfect. Now, how does someone typically find out about Predibase? Is there a top client acquisition channel that works best?

Michael: Great question. As a startup, driving demand is critical. Since launching our commercial product, we’ve run experiments across multiple channels: paid digital programs on LinkedIn and Google, third-party promotions, content syndication, and organic growth. Organic traffic and our website have been especially critical. Building killer content that draws in developers and engineers has been a game changer. Developers need tools and instructions, so we focus on creating tutorials and content that address their needs. Content is king for us.

Ernesto: Perfect. And as I’m on the website, so our listeners can check you out, it’s predibase.com. What role does the website play in client acquisition?

Michael: The website is your mousetrap. When people hear about us, they go to our website to learn more. The key is to engage visitors immediately. Good messaging is essential—visitors need to understand the problem we solve within 30 seconds. We also focus on hooks like free trials, demos, and engaging content. Content is critical not just for the buyer’s journey but also for SEO. For example, a blog we published last year tripled our website traffic.

Ernesto: That’s great. What tools or methods do you recommend for content creation and management?

Michael: As a startup, we rely on tools like Google Analytics and Search Console. These free tools help us track traffic, understand queries, and assess blog performance. SE and Rush are great for deeper insights, but even the basics like Search Console provide a lot of value. Also, talking to customers helps refine content and messaging.

Ernesto: Great tips. Let’s switch gears and talk about you as a leader. As head of marketing, what are some key tasks you focus on daily?

Michael: Every day is different in a startup. Broadly, my tasks fall into four buckets: content creation, demand generation programs, analysis, and team management. Content is king, so I oversee our publishing calendar and content promotion. Demand generation involves planning campaigns, webinars, and product launches. I also review metrics daily—web traffic, search terms, and MQL flow. Finally, I ensure the team has what they need to succeed.

Ernesto: It sounds like you have a full plate! Let’s move to our rapid-fire round. Ready?

Michael: Bring it on.

Ernesto: What’s the last book you read?

Michael: Roald Dahl books with my kids—Matilda, James and the Giant Peach, The BFG.

Ernesto: What’s one thing your company is focused on most right now?

Michael: A big product launch and doubling down on product-market fit.

Ernesto: If there were no boundaries in technology, what’s one thing you’d fix as a marketer?

Michael: Tracking and reporting. Clean, instant data would save so much time.

Ernesto: And what’s one piece of advice you’d give your younger self?

Michael: Stay positive, be resilient, and keep experimenting. The possibilities are endless.

Ernesto: Great advice! Michael, thanks for being on the show. If someone forgets everything else, what’s the one thing they should remember about Predibase?

Michael: AI is changing the world, and we make it easy, cost-effective, and efficient for developers to harness its power. We’re here to level the playing field for smaller organizations.

Ernesto: Awesome. Listeners, check them out at predibase.com. Michael, thanks again for being on the show. Looking forward to the next episode of Pathmonk Presents!

Michael: Thank you! Looking forward to it.