In the rush to adopt generative AI, many businesses overlook a crucial truth: the real value lies not in simply integrating the latest technology, but in understanding and addressing specific business challenges. As companies race to implement large language models (LLMs), they often face the hard realities of their unique operational needs, which generic tools may not adequately meet. The journey of building bespoke AI solutions, as experienced by Sansan, highlights the importance of a first-principles approach.