Notion CEO Ivan Zhao shared insights on the company's transformation and the role of AI in a recent podcast with Sequoia Capital. Zhao, who describes himself as a "Refounder," emphasized the need for companies to adapt to AI's rapid advancements by focusing on taste and agency over traditional technical skills. He highlighted that AI has commoditized technical capabilities, making judgment and determination crucial for progress. Zhao recounted Notion's two major rebuilds, first in 2015 when the company relocated to Kyoto to achieve positive cash flow, and again in 2023 when the company pivoted towards AI after an offsite meeting in Cancún. He stressed the importance of improvisation in organizational structures, likening Notion to a jazz band where flexibility and individual initiative are prioritized over rigid planning. In hiring, Notion now values initiative and judgment over past experience, reflecting a shift towards assessing taste and agency. Zhao also discussed the dissolution of traditional roles like the CMO, as AI takes over coordination tasks, and the restructuring of teams to focus on architectural judgment and directional insight, particularly in engineering roles.