In AI, it’s easy to mistake scale for strength. Bigger models, bigger budgets, bigger teams. But size alone doesn’t win trust, solve real problems, or delight customers. Focus does.

That message came through clearly when Piergiorgio Vittori, CEO of Spitch US & Italy, joined Michele Brissoni on the Forge of Unicorns podcast. Their conversation explored how a global Swiss company that produces a Collaborative Agentic AI Platform and solutions for contact centers consistently outmaneuvers global tech giants—not by chasing hype, but by putting people, ethics, and collaboration at the center of AI.

Putting people before platforms

Technology is a means, not the mission. What matters is whether it improves lives—customers’, employees’, and end users’. Spitch’s edge comes from proximity to the people it serves and the specificity of the problems it chooses to solve.

What that looks like in practice:

• Speech recognition tuned for dialects like Swiss German, because real conversations aren’t textbook-perfect.
• Domain-trained AI models for highly regulated, high-impact sectors such as banking, utilities, and public services, where accuracy and context are non-negotiable.
• Locally adapted solutions that meet real business needs, instead of one-size-fits-all platforms.

The result: systems that feel less like “technology projects” and more like tailored, reliable tools that teams actually want to use.

The Collaborative AI advantage

Spitch calls its approach Collaborative AI—humans and AI working hand in hand. AI brings speed and scale; people bring oversight, empathy, and judgment. That balance reduces bias, boosts transparency, and builds trust both inside the organization and with clients.

As Mr. Vittori puts it: “We don’t just deliver technology – we guide, customize, and grow with our customers.”

This is how automation becomes augmentation—enhancing human capability rather than replacing it. It’s also how you keep AI grounded in reality, compliant with regulations, and aligned with business outcomes.

Ethics and engagement as a competitive edge

Ethics isn’t a policy document. It’s a culture. Spitch operates with shared accountability, open collaboration, and a deliberate absence of silos and bureaucracy. Every voice counts.

Engaged employees build better products and deeper client relationships. That human energy compounds: engaged teams create engaged customers, and engaged customers sustain innovation. In a market where trust is the ultimate currency, ethics and employee satisfaction aren’t nice-to-haves—they’re strategic advantages.

Evolving, step by step

AI adoption shouldn’t be a leap of faith. Spitch advocates starting small, proving ROI, reinvesting, and scaling with confidence. Pilot the right use case, learn quickly, then expand with what works.

“Don’t be afraid of AI,” Mr. Vittori says. “Use it wisely, gradually, and for what truly matters.”

This phased approach reduces risk, accelerates learning, and delivers durable value. It’s also how you avoid the trap of implementing technology for its own sake.

Why focus beats size

Spitch is aiming to be the most relevant, ethical, and trusted player in its niche: Agentic AI for customer service. Apparently, that’s how “David” wins in a market full of “Goliaths”:

• Closer to customers: Local knowledge and domain depth outperform generic solutions.
• Faster to adapt: Focused teams iterate quickly and deliver what matters.
• Ethics by design: Transparency, accountability, and guardrails build long-term trust.
• Human-guided AI: Collaboration balances automation with judgment and empathy.

Swiss precision helps, too. It’s about standards, craftsmanship, and getting the details right—especially the ones that matter to our clients—as reflected in numerous positive customer testimonials.

The key takeaway

AI doesn’t need to be bigger to be better. It needs to be more human, more focused, and more accountable. That’s the Spitch playbook: put people before platforms, build with customers, and evolve step by step. In a crowded market, that clarity of purpose is the real competitive edge.

Listen to the full conversation: EP75 – Are Your Developers Ready for AI? The David vs Goliath Story – YouTube