One startup’s pitch to provide more reliable AI answers: crowdsource the chatbots

John Davie, the founder and CEO of Buyers Edge Platform, recognized the need for a more effective approach to artificial intelligence within his hospitality procurement company. Frustrated by the limitations of existing AI solutions, he turned to a promising venture: CollectivIQ, a Boston-based startup born from his own enterprise. This innovative platform aims to enhance the accuracy of AI responses by aggregating data from various models, including ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Grok, and several others, simultaneously. Davie’s enthusiasm for the emerging AI tools quickly waned after realizing that his employees using disparate AI systems risked exposing sensitive company information. "We had a bit of a wake-up call about a year ago when we learned that if our employees are just using any various AI tools, or even their own license, it could be training on our company information," Davie explained. This concern drove him to seek more reliable enterprise AI solutions, but he found them riddled with costly long-term contracts and issues related to inaccuracies and biased responses. "We hated having to decide which employees deserved AI," he admitted, noting that the errors from these tools often found their way into presentations, leading to confusion and frustration among staff. Determined to create a better alternative, Davie tasked his chief technology officer with developing a new tool. The result was CollectivIQ, which leverages multiple large language models to compare information and deliver a more accurate fused answer. The platform prioritizes data security, claiming that all prompts are encrypted and discarded after use to uphold high privacy standards. "As a technology enthusiast, I always strive for the best tools for my employees, but nothing on the market offered a comprehensive solution," Davie said. The internal rollout of CollectivIQ began in early 2026, receiving a positive response from employees. Recognizing that many clients of Buyers Edge Platform faced similar challenges with AI adoption, Davie decided to make the software available to the public. Powered by various AI model enterprise APIs, CollectivIQ operates on a pay-per-usage model, which Davie believes will differentiate it in the competitive enterprise AI landscape. "I’m hoping that this is a breath of fresh air for companies that see that they are not going to have to be committed. They’re only going to pay for the value they get out of it," he shared. Fully funded by Davie, CollectivIQ plans to seek external investment later this year. Reflecting on his journey, Davie expressed excitement about the startup process, stating, "It feels like way back in the day. We are doing it all over again, being scrappy and involved with LLMs and post-training, which I wasn’t trained in. It’s fun and exciting. I sit hand in hand with the software developers building the product—just like I did with my first company."