INTHEBLACK November 2026 - Magazine - Page 39
Lim says. “Here, it is more of a drive
to promote entrepreneurship at large
and for SMEs to augment themselves
with AI.”
MORE TIME FOR BUSINESS
The new generation of OPCs solves
an age-old issue for small businesses.
Previously, entrepreneurs simply did not
have the time in each day to do the work
required to achieve significant growth.
Jin says AI, intelligent agents, cloud
infrastructure and software-as-a-service
platforms have forever altered that equation.
“Traditional small firms earn linear
revenue tied to labour input and hit
scaling ceilings as output correlates with
working hours,” he says. “By contrast,
OPCs monetise replicable digital systems
rather than personal time, enjoying falling
marginal costs as sales expand.”
Of course, those implications extend
to the cost base. A conventional growing
business that takes on staff also brings
payroll costs, a need for larger premises,
equipment, training expenses and more.
An AI-powered OPC shifts that expenditure
toward technology, potentially resulting
in unusually lean processes with operational
cost reductions through generative AI.
“Most OPCs start with minimal initial
investment, achieving high gross margins
without raising external funds,” Jin says.
“Their core assets are intangible: prompt
workflows, digital products and proprietary
know-how instead of physical inventory
or equipment.”
HUMAN ABILITIES
It would be a mistake to assume Rubeck uses
technology indiscriminately. He employs it
to make him more productive, particularly in
areas where he previously would have required
the assistance of an expert. However, that does
not mean expertise no longer matters.
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