---
id: "quote-ai-curiosity"
type: "quote"
source_timestamps: ["§ They Mistake Attention for Traction"]
tags: ["ai-hype", "buyer-intent"]
related: ["concept-attention-vs-traction", "claim-curiosity-intent"]
speaker: "Anonymous Founder"
speakers: ["Anonymous Founder"]
sources: ["commercial"]
sourceVaultSlug: "hbr-seg-commercial"
originDay: 5
articleStem: "hbr-ext-21-founders-new-sales-playbook"
sourceUrl: "https://hbr.org/2026/06/startup-founders-need-a-new-sales-playbook"
sourceTitle: "Startup Founders Need a New Sales Playbook"
---
# AI Curiosity vs. Problem Solving

> "What's tricky is everyone says they want AI, but they don't know what problem they're actually trying to solve. They're intellectually interested, but they don't have the budget for it yet."

**Speaker:** An anonymous founder.

**Context:** Explains the difficulty of selling AI when buyers are interested in the *technology* but lack a defined use case or budget — the firsthand evidence for [[concept-attention-vs-traction]] and [[claim-curiosity-intent]].