52 - Financial Clarity in an AI-First World with Kunal Agarwal

In this episode, Matt sits down with Kunal Agarwal, co-founder and CEO of Unravel Data, to unpack the often-overlooked costs lurking beneath the surface of enterprise AI investments. Kunal breaks down why the real story isn't the model costs everyone talks about, but the pipeline inefficiencies, zombie jobs, and idle compute that quietly drain budgets. The conversation digs into the critical difference between cost cutting and cost optimization, and why getting that distinction right is what separates companies that innovate sustainably from those that stall out. Kunal also shares practical advice for leaders on how to build AI-ready teams, govern AI spend responsibly, and frame these investments in a way that earns board confidence.