Welcome to (R) emote brief your monthly dose of insights, tools and stories from the heart of your (R)emote community π

This month, weβre challenging what it means to be truly AI-first, not just in tech, but in mindset. From designing strategy with virtual CEOs to exploring how GenAI reshapes the way we build and learn, this issue is your invitation to go beyond the buzz and rethink your approach.
Inside, youβll also meet Fabrice des Mazery, get hands-on with the AI-First Startup Canvas, and catch the replay (and podcast!) of Eduardo Ordaxβs power session on cutting through the AI hype.
In this issue, youβll discover:
π€ The AI-First Mindset : what it takes to design your org and product around intelligent collaboration.
π Meet Fabrice des Mazery : on building better orgs, not just better OKRs.
π§ Eduardo on replay : insights from AWS on turning AI ambition into actionβplus a podcast to go.
β¨ This edition is about clarity, creativity and choosing to design smarterβtogether.

π€ ARE YOU AI-FIRST READY?
Too many organizations still treat AI like an add-on - a smart feature to tack onto a roadmap, a tool to make workflows faster, or a chatbot to modernize support. But what if AI wasnβt a layer? What if it was the lens?
Being AI-first doesnβt mean automating what already exists. It means rethinking how decisions are made, how value is created, and how teams collaborateβfrom the ground up, with AI as an active partner.

More than feature, itβs time to unleash AI potentiality !
In this new paradigm, we donβt just ask βwhere can we plug in a model ?β we ask : βWhat would this look like if it had been designed with AI from day one?β

π§βπΌ CO-DESIGNING STRATEGY WITH AI
In collaboration with Nova School of Business & Economics, weβve been exploring what AI-first really means in 2025βbeyond the buzzwords.
One breakthrough came from a simple yet powerful practice: contextual prompt injection. By structuring information about a team, product, and challenge into a coherent narrative, we transformed ChatGPT into a Virtual CEOβa sparring partner capable of questioning decisions, proposing roadmap alternatives, and exposing blind spots.
The virtual CEO felt more aligned with
our mission than half our mentors
In some teams, synthetic agents even simulated user feedback, enabling user research at scale with high-level personas and behavioral scenarios generated in seconds.
This method wasnβt just novel. It felt strategic... And a bit magical tooβ¨

π PLAYING YOUR WAY TO AI-READINESS
To put these concepts into practice, we brought together a cohort of startup founders and innovators for a live experiment in Lisbon.

Nothing better than Gen AI cards to break the ice about AI
We started with the GenAI Cards from 33Aβs AI Design Sprint, a deck of provocations that invite teams to challenge their assumptions about AIβs role. In minutes, the ice was brokenβand so were old habits.
Then came the real work: designing workflows and MVPs directly in Miro, co-facilitated by both human and virtual agents. The result was a mix of humility, excitement, and practical next steps.
For once, I feel like AI is not replacing me
but working with me
Weβre now integrating resilience prompts into our onboarding, and inviting members to co-create a βZero Day Readinessβ checklistβbecause preparation is not paranoia. Itβs care.

π§© RETHINK YOUR PRODUCT WITH THE AI-FIRST CANVAS
One tool came to embody this shift in mindset: the AI-First Startup Canvas, developed by the R GENERATION community and now available on Miroverse. It helps teams reflect on how AI reshapes not just features, but value propositions, business models, data strategies, and collaboration rituals.
You donβt need to start from scratch,
just from a new point of view.
Whether youβre a founder, team lead, or facilitator, this canvas is an invitation to zoom outβand start again, this time with AI at the core.
π‘ Try it out, remix it, and share your own AI-first remix with us on our community HUB or LinkedIn!
β¨ The AI-First mindset isnβt about building faster. Itβs about thinking better.

π Product Rebel. Org Hacker. Parent on a mission. Fabrice des Mazery isnβt your typical product leader. After launching three startups and steering product at companies like IBM, Deezer, and TripAdvisorβall of which made it to IPOβheβs now building tools for parents to be proud of and rethinking how organizations can actually serve their strategies.

A born entrepreneur with a sharp eye for structure and impact, Fabrice has been stirring up the French product scene for over a decade. Whether heβs mapping org charts, optimizing leverage points, or poking fun at OKRs, he brings the same energy: no BS, all clarity.

The βin progressβ strategic template the R Generation works on with Fabrice π₯
Behind his wit lies a deep commitment: helping teams stop confusing activity with impact. His workshops are designed to shift your mindsetβfrom checking boxes to crafting systems where time is currency and strategy drives structure, not the other way around.
Most OKRs optimize busywork.
Letβs build orgs that move the needle
When heβs not jamming with product teams, Fabrice is raising a family, bootstrapping a new B2C venture, and proudly answering to his wifeβs favorite nickname for him: work-o-holic.

β¨ NEXT EVENT:Β BEYOND STUPID OKRs
π Wednesday, June 12
π 11:00 AM β 12:00 PM GMT+2
Why most orgs fail to focusβand how to redesign yours for strategy.
In this high-energy workshop, Fabrice will help you rethink OKRs, redesign your org chart, and rewire your teamβs focus around what really matters. Youβll leave with fresh insights, tactical exercises, and a new relationship with the way your team spends its time.
What youβll leave with:
Clarity on why most OKRs miss the point
A blueprint to connect your org design with your strategy
Ways to break down silos and align teams around leverage points
A time-value mindset for prioritizing what truly counts
π― This session is for product teams, facilitators, and anyone whoβs ever wondered if their org was secretly working against their mission.
ποΈ Join the Session, spots are limited, so save yours now!

In our latest session, There is an AI for That, Eduardo Ordax, Principal Go-To-Market Lead at AWS, pulled back the curtain on what it really means to adopt GenAI across industries. With clarity, pragmatism, and a dose of real-world experience, Eduardo shared how organizationsβfrom early-stage startups to global giantsβare turning AI ambition into operational strategy.
Generative AI isnβt just a tool. Itβs a mindsetβand it starts with asking better questions
Rather than talking tech for techβs sake, Eduardo grounded the session in how to think AI-first, measure real value, and stay sane in the sea of hype. His central message? You donβt need to become an AI expertβyou need to become an AI-ready thinker.
Key highlights included
Use Whatβs Useful
Eduardo walked us through frameworks to assess AI tools not on their novelty, but their actual usefulness. He urged participants to look beyond the flash and ask: is this helping me do something better, faster, or differently?From Hype to Strategy
He broke down how many businesses get caught up in surface-level AI implementationβand how to shift the conversation from shiny features to long-term impact.Avoiding AI Traps
Eduardo shared classic mistakes he sees companies makeβlike solving the wrong problem, ignoring data hygiene, or overestimating automationβs capabilities.Making the Shift
Perhaps most inspiring was Eduardoβs call to action: shift from reactive exploration to structured, AI-first design. The future belongs to those who donβt just use AIβbut who understand how to build systems that integrate it meaningfully.

Missed the webinar ? The replay is now availableβdonβt miss the chance to recalibrate your GenAI thinking and learn how to future-proof your organization, one prompt at a time.
π§ PREFER TO LISTEN ?
Catch the AI-generated podcast version of Eduardoβs session β 15 minutes of distilled insights, wherever you get your audio.

π¨βπ» Big Desk Energy : Our biggest startup insights & stories
π¦Ύ EverydAI : AI news for Founders & C-Suite Executives
π Thrive Remotely : Lifestyle and Wellness for Remote Workers
π©βπ€ Customer Success Jobs : Our remote high-paying jobs for you
π€ Responsible : Responsible business practices in AI & cybersecurity
π΄ Creator Spotlight : Our favorite inspiration for world class creators journeys
R GENERATION is a dynamic global community where remote professionals, creators, and digital nomads come together to reimagine the future of work. We bridge cultures, time zones, and creative frontiers, uniting around a shared passion for innovation and meaningful connection.
Through engaging events, hands-on workshops, and exclusive access to cutting-edge AI tools, weβre transforming remote work into a space for bold experimentation, open knowledge-sharing, and limitless growth.
Join us in a collaborative and empowering environment where your ideas spark innovation, your curiosity fuels lifelong learning, and your ambition shapes the future of remote collaboration.
Donβt have a good day, have a great day π


Boris Petrovitch Njegosh
Community catalyst for the R Generation
Crafted with β€οΈ in Lisbon






