Braintrust: Interview With Founder & CEO Adam Jackson About The Web3 Talent Network

By Amit Chowdhry • Oct 8, 2024

Braintrust is the first decentralized Web3 talent network that connects tech freelancers with the world’s leading brands. The company recently announced a patented AI job recruiter platform called AIR, which is the largest web3 talent network – which is being used by clients like Nestle, Goldman Sachs, and Guardian Life. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Braintrust founder and CEO Adam Jackson to learn more about the company.

Adam Jackson’s Background

Adam Jackson

What is Adam Jackson’s background? Jackson said:

“I have founded four venture-backed companies and invested in numerous others. My insatiable curiosity drives me to read 3-4 books each month, ensuring I stay current with industry trends. Over the past several years, I have developed a strong interest in artificial intelligence and its potential to enhance efficiency. Launched earlier in May, Braintrust AIR leverages cutting-edge AI, trained with humans and years of proprietary data, to match the right talent with the right opportunities, significantly reducing the time and cost of hiring and improving outcomes for customers and talent alike.”

“My job as CEO is to stay on top of these trends, ensure Braintrust is at the forefront, and keep the network growing. It involves coming up with big ideas and bringing them to life- quickly. Braintrust AIR is a great example of that. I was involved in every step of the process, from mapping out the concept to getting the right team in place to product development to the go-to market. Now that this is out in the world, my primary responsibility is selling it.”

Formation Of Braintrust

How did the idea for Braintrust’s AIR offering come together, and what inspired you to pursue this venture? Jackson shared:

“The economy has been brutal, with companies laying off employees left and right and contending with massively reduced budgets. At the same time, AI has emerged and is revolutionizing everything. Customers who previously hired hundreds of employees at a time through Braintrust were being forced to justify every headcount.”

“We recognized an opportunity to leverage AI to streamline and enhance the recruitment process, addressing the inefficiencies and frustrations experienced by both employers and job seekers. The inspiration to pursue this venture stemmed from a desire to create a more efficient, cost-effective, and high-quality hiring solution.”

Favorite Memory

What has been your favorite memory or experience working on Braintrust so far? Jackson reflected:

“The first time I interviewed with our AI agent (AIR) was totally surreal— unlike anything I have ever done or experienced. The voice is so natural and human-like, and the questions were spot on.”

“It was astonishing to witness our vision come to life, and what made it even more remarkable was realizing that the AI agent performed better than a human interviewer. The precision, consistency, and ability to analyze responses in real time were beyond what I had imagined. This moment not only validated our hard work but also highlighted the incredible potential of AI in revolutionizing the hiring process.” 

Core Products

Can you elaborate on the core products and features of Braintrust’s AIR offering? Jackson explained:

“Braintrust’s AIR offering includes several core products and features designed to enhance the hiring process: 

1.) Job Description Generator: This feature assists in creating detailed and effective job descriptions tailored to attract the right talent, using proprietary platform data it makes recommendations on skills, rates, etc. 

2.) Automated Matching: Our platform uses advanced algorithms to match candidates to job requirements with high accuracy, ensuring quality hires. 

3.) Async Video Screening with Instant Feedback and Scorecard Creation: This tool allows for asynchronous video interviews, providing instant feedback and generating scorecards to streamline the evaluation process. 

4.) Automated Hiring and Onboarding: The platform automates the entire hiring and onboarding process, making it faster and more efficient. 

5.) 6 week hiring process down to 2 days! “

Challenges Faced

What challenges have Jackson and the team faced in building the company? Jackson acknowledged:

“The biggest challenge for us quite honestly, is how quickly we can ramp up to meet the demand. Braintrust’s bread and butter are tech design and marketing roles, but we’re constantly being asked when we can expand our offerings to industries like automotive, pool supplies, and more. We’re expanding category by category and expect to be able to service all knowledge roles by the end of the year.”

Significant Milestones

What have been some of the most significant milestones for Braintrust and the AIR offering specifically? Jackson cited:

“Our match score has reduced the time to hire from 17.5 days to 12, compared to the industry average of approximately three months. We aim to bring this number down to single digits over the next few months. The successful onboarding of thousands of customers, including Fortune 1000 companies, and the completion of tens of thousands of jobs are notable achievements. These milestones reflect the platform’s efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and ability to deliver high-quality matches.”

Differentiation From The Competition

What differentiates Braintrust’s AIR offering from its competition in the market? Jackson affirmed:

“Braintrust’s AIR offering is differentiated by its comprehensive, end-to-end AI-driven approach to hiring. Unlike traditional job boards or recruitment agencies, Braintrust provides an integrated solution with AI-powered job description creation, precision candidate matching, automated screening, and seamless onboarding. The platform’s ability to deliver high-quality matches quickly and cost-effectively, along with its extensive experience and proprietary data, sets it apart from competitors.  This takes the arduous and repetitive process of posting a job + screening and interviewing potential candidates from 6 weeks down to 2 days.”

Future Goals

What are some of Braintrust’s future goals, especially regarding the development and expansion of the AIR offering? Jackson pointed out:

“The next big milestone for Braintrust will be expanding into all fields of skilled work, not just tech.  Later this summer, all companies that need skilled workers (remote or in person) will be able to simply plug Braintrust AIR into their ATS and screen the tens of thousands of candidates that come through their career page, returning just the few best matches, already pre-screened via live video.”

“We aim to create a global hiring platform that breaks down barriers and connects exceptional talent with organizations worldwide. Additionally, Braintrust is focused on supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in recruiting, ensuring that its AI models and processes are fair and unbiased.”

Additional Thoughts

Do you want to discuss any other topics or insights about Braintrust’s AIR offering? Jackson concluded:

“One additional topic of interest is how Braintrust AIR supports DEI in recruiting. The platform’s AI-driven approach enables organizations to screen more candidates at scale, promoting diversity by reducing biases inherent in traditional hiring processes. By leveraging a global talent pool and sophisticated matching algorithms, Braintrust helps companies find diverse candidates who best fit their roles, enhancing both the quality and inclusivity of their hiring practices.”