ABOUT THIS EPISODE
In the inaugural episode of Iris Lens, host Iris sits down with Hassan Khan, co-founder and CEO of Todaq Micro, to unpack what it really means to build in the age of AI agents. Hassan breaks down the difference between AI tools and true autonomous agents, cuts through the hype to identify where real value is being created, and shares what it was like to spend years building machine-native payments infrastructure before the world was ready for it.
They cover everything from how beginners should approach building their first agent, to the security risks of giving AI systems too much access, to why Hassan believes the agentic economy could finally level the playing field for small businesses — no Google, no Stripe, no app store tax required.
Hassan also opens up about lessons learned as a founder: moving too slowly when speed matters most, building in stealth for too long, and why learning sales early might be the single most valuable thing any builder can do.
Whether you're an AI-curious newcomer or a developer deep in the weeds, this episode is a grounded, honest look at where agents are headed — and how to build on them without getting burned.
