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Discover how to master your executive function and reclaim your schedule with AI. In Episode 71 of Tool Use, Sam Julien (Director of Developer Relations and Experience at Writer) joins Mike Bird to explore how AI acts as the ultimate equalizer for productivity and mental clarity. We dive deep into practical strategies for reducing the time tax of administrative drudgery, using AI voice-to-text for brain dumping, and leveraging models as rubber duck brainstorming partners. Whether you are navigating new parenthood, managing a fast-paced career, or looking to avoid burnout, this conversation covers the micro-skills that lead to massive quality-of-life improvements. From using local Whisper models for privacy to the role of AI in creative work, learn how to stop the brain rot and start using technology to find your flow.
Learn more about Sam Julien:
http://www.samjulien.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/samjulien/
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00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:21 - Validating AI Engineering: Moving from Hype to Reality
00:02:14 - Mastering Executive Function with AI Voice Dictation
00:06:53 - AI as a Brainstorming Partner and Rubber Duck
00:15:36 - Solving the ROI Challenge: Context Engineering vs. Drudgery
00:18:43 - Leveraging AI to Prevent Burnout and Admin Fatigue
00:26:14 - Navigating AI Monoculture and Preserving Human Connection
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Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts.
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Discover the future of front-end development with Cluso, an AI-powered web inspector and browser designed for "vibe coding." In this episode, Jason Kneen returns to demonstrate how to build bespoke AI tools that go beyond simple transcription. We dive deep into implementing voice control with context-aware agents, mastering the Model Context Protocol (MCP) for tool integration, and building fast orchestration layers to route requests between local models and cloud agents like Claude and Gemini. Whether you are interested in Electron app development, context splicing, or multi-view mobile testing, this conversation covers how top builders are creating their own workflows.
Cluso: https://cluso.app/
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00:00:00 - Intro
00:07:54 - Building Voice Control for AI Agents
00:15:20 - Leveraging MCP for Better Tooling
00:19:42 - Fast Orchestration & Model Routing
00:25:06 - Multi-Model Agent Architecture
00:31:13 - Cluso Demo & Workflow
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Discover how non-technical founders are building valid MVPs using vibe coding and Cursor, and why you need to move beyond simple AI wrappers. We sit down with Mike Leslie, CEO of Revela, to discuss the critical strategies for de-risking your business from big AI labs like OpenAI and Anthropic. Learn when to transition to in-house open-source models, how to fine-tune small language models (SLMs) for specific use cases, and the best methods for structured data collection to build a defensible IP moat.
https://revela.io/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-leslie-8b48a9141/
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00:00:00 - Intro
00:04:14 - Advice for Non-Technical Founders: The "Vibe Coding" Revolution
00:13:07 - Hiring Strategy: Agency vs. In-House Tech Team
00:15:22 - Why You Must Move AI In-House: Small Language Models (SLMs) & Control
00:21:20 - How to Build a Data Moat: Structured Collection & Fine-Tuning
00:29:28 - The Trap of Thin Wrappers: The Cursor vs. Anthropic Cautionary Tale
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Building AI agents is the current trend, but are you doing it correctly? Sam Bhagwat, founder of Mastra, joins Tool Use to breakdown the principles of building reliable AI agents. We discuss why you should use a TypeScript agent framework like Mastra, how to engineer production-grade prompts, and the best patterns for tool calling. Sam explains advanced concepts like observational memory, dynamic agents, and the "lethal trifecta" of security risks. Whether you are building coding agents or enterprise workflows, this episode covers the essential primitives for success.
Mastra: https://mastra.ai/
Get the Book: https://mastra.ai/book
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00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:19 - When to use an AI Agent Framework
00:06:05 - Principles for designing Agent Tools
00:11:01 - Human-in-the-loop Architectures
00:17:19 - Working Memory vs Long-term Memory
00:32:03 - The "Lethal Trifecta" of Security Risks
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Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts.
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Turn your Obsidian vault into a fully automated operating system using Claude Code and AI agents. In this episode of Tool Use, physicist and AI explorer Artem Zhutov reveals how to leverage coding agents for non-coding workflows to optimize your productivity.
Discover how to build a dynamic "second brain" that acts as a personal coach, automates daily planning, and streamlines job searches—all while keeping your data local. Artem breaks down his unique setup where Claude Code interacts directly with his Obsidian files, running Python scripts and custom slash commands to create reliable, affordable, and powerful automations. From "just-in-time" context loading to instant voice note transcription with WhisperFlow, this conversation covers the cutting edge of personal knowledge management (PKM) and local AI assistance.
Artem:
Website: https://artemxtech.github.io/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ArtemXTech
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00:00:00 - Intro
00:05:25 - How to Identify & Plan AI Workflows
00:11:36 - Building a "Second Brain" Morning Routine
00:17:48 - Automating Job Searches with Claude Code
00:22:03 - Managing Context with Claude.md Helper Files
00:31:55 - Making AI Agents Reliable with Deterministic Scripts
00:43:27 - How to Start Building Coding Agent Workflows
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Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts.
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AI Agents, RAG hype, and the "Impossible Triangle" of LLM Infrastructure take center stage in this deep dive with Swyx (Shawn Wang). As the co-founder of AI Engineer and a team member at Cognition, Swyx breaks down why vertical agents are the golden opportunity for developers right now. We explore the decline of standalone vector databases, the rise of MCP vs. Computer Use, and why your prompts shouldn't live in your codebase. Whether you are building AI tools or trying to scale them, this conversation covers the essential shift from "vibe coding" to serious engineering using AI Gateways and proper evaluations.
Swyx's Website: https://www.swyx.io/
Read the Impossible Triangle of LLM Infra: https://www.swyx.io/impossible-triangle
Latent Space: https://www.latent.space/
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00:00:00 - Intro
00:04:03 - Why Agentic Browsers Haven't Stuck Yet
00:05:33 - Voice vs Slack: The God Interface
00:11:24 - Why MCP Won & The Reality of Integrations
00:18:27 - The Vector Database Hype Cycle
00:20:37 - Why You Should Build Vertical AI Agents
00:30:03 - Stop Putting Prompts in Your Codebase
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Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts.
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Explore AI risk mitigation, prompt injection dangers, and AI safety in this deep dive with AI engineering consultant Kyle Clark. We discuss the critical role of human-in-the-loop systems, safe AI implementation strategies for businesses, and the hidden dangers of AI web browsers and context rot. Kyle shares expert insights on leveraging AI tools like Claude Code, managing subagents, the pitfalls of MCP servers, and the build vs. buy debate for AI models. Learn how to use AI safely in your personal life and what companies must do to prepare for an AI transformation, including data governance and permissions management.
Keep up with Kyle Clark
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-clark-tech/
Simon Willison's "The Lethal Trifecta"
https://simonwillison.net/2025/Jun/16/the-lethal-trifecta/
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00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:49 - The New Plane of AI Risk & Prompt Injection
00:10:30 - How Businesses Can Implement AI Safely
00:13:21 - Human in the Loop & Claude Code
00:17:18 - Using Subagents as a Mitigation
00:31:03 - The Build vs. Buy Debate for AI Models
00:36:06 - What is Context Rot (And Why It Matters)
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Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts.
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Master n8n workflow automation in this complete guide. If you're tired of manual tasks, n8n (an open-source Zapier alternative) might be the solution. Richardson Dackam, founder and AI builder, joins Mike to explore how developers can save time using n8n. We dive into powerful use cases like email management, social media automation, and prototyping. Learn how to integrate AI models (OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini), run custom code scripts, use webhooks, connect to databases, and implement human-in-the-loop validation. Richardson also shares common pitfalls, observability strategies, and the difference between self-hosting and the cloud.
Learn more from Richardson:
https://richdackam.com
https://www.nshipyard.com
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00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:32 - What is n8n? (Open-Source Automation)
00:02:23 - Common n8n Use Cases (Email, Social Media)
00:03:36 - Automating Email: AI Tone & Human in the Loop
00:07:02 - Observability, Logging, and Error Handling
00:22:00 - Using Custom Code & JavaScript Nodes
00:29:50 - n8n Cloud vs. Self-Hosting (Features & Security)
00:37:01 - How to Get Started with n8n (Beginner's Roadmap)
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Is your RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) pipeline optimized, or is it even necessary? We all know context is king for LLMs, but large context windows might not be the answer. On Episode 63 of Tool Use, we deep dive into RAG with Apurva Misra, founder of Sentick. We explore the entire RAG workflow, from creating and optimizing embeddings to choosing the right vector DB (like Postgres with PG Vector). Apurva explains the critical role of re-rankers , the power of hybrid search (combining semantic and keyword search) , and when to consider agentic RAG. We also cover the essential steps for taking your RAG system to production, including data quality, feedback loops , and safety guardrails.
Connect with Apurva Misra:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/misraapurva/
Consulting: https://www.sentick.com/
Website: https://apurvamisra.com/
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00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:18 - What is RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation)?
00:03:41 - Is RAG Dead? Large Context Windows vs. RAG
00:06:40 - The RAG Workflow: Embeddings, Chunking & Vector DBs
00:28:00 - Do You Need a Re-Ranker?
00:41:24 - Production RAG: Safety, Guardrails & Efficiency
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Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.
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Unlock the power of AI for personalization at scale in your business. While many focus on AI for efficiency, the real game-changer is creating magical, more human digital experiences for your customers. We're joined by Lee Russell, founder of Minimum Viable Launch and an AI expert with over a decade of experience, to discuss how you can leverage AI to be both "high tech and high touch," transforming your marketing, sales, and product delivery.
Discover the concept of "context engines" and learn why gathering qualitative customer data is your new competitive moat in the age of AI. We explore the tools you need to build this infrastructure, from powerful automation platforms like n8n to the magic of vector databases for chatting with your unstructured data. Lee also shares his strategies for avoiding generic "AI slop" and creating truly unique, high-quality outputs that will make your customer experience remarkable.
Learn more from Lee Russell:
https://www.minimalviablelaunch.io/
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00:00 - Intro
01:27 - "High Tech, High Touch": Personalization at Scale Explained
07:55 - The Best Data for AI Personalization
12:03 - How to Avoid Creating "AI Slop"
21:15 - AI Tools for Building Custom Agents (n8n & Vector DBs)
30:37 - How to Start Learning and Escape "Tutorial Hell"
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Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.
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Struggling to cut through the AI hype to find real operational efficiency for your business? In this episode, we're joined by Csongor Barabasi, CEO of Bonsai Labs, an AI value creation partner for private equity firms. Csongor shares his expert framework for deploying AI agents to achieve massive productivity gains.
Learn the practical steps to progress from a simple AI co-pilot to a fully autonomous AI agent , and discover how to create a 'golden data set' and feedback loops to make your systems smarter over time. We cover the critical build vs. buy debate , strategies for process automation , data security considerations , calculating ROI for AI projects , and enabling non-technical teams to build custom workflows. This is your ultimate guide to using AI for tangible business results.
Csongor is the founder/CEO of Bonsai Labs, a specialized AI transformation and value creation firm working with Private Equity portfolio companies. With engineering excellence at it's core, the they deliver AI workflow automations and build custom AI products with tangible impact within weeks.
Bonsai Labs: https://bonsai-labs.com
Csongor: https://linkedin.com/in/barabasicsongor
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00:00:00 - Intro
00:02:40 - The Framework: Co-Pilot to Fully Autonomous Agent
00:11:26 - AI Solutions: The Build vs. Buy Debate
00:16:03 - AI for Non-Technical Teams
00:27:40 - How to Document a Process for Automation
00:31:36 - How to Measure the ROI of AI
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Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.
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Coding agents are revolutionizing software development, but are you getting the most out of them? Many AI coding tools struggle with complex, long-running tasks, often getting lost in the middle of a project. In this episode of Tool Use, we sit down with Kiran, one of the core contributors to Slate, a research-driven coding agent built for the toughest production-level challenges.
Kiran shares a deep dive into how to properly set up your dev environment to maximize the performance of any coding agent. We discuss the critical role of feedback loops, clear development pipelines, and consistent codebase patterns in getting correct, reliable code from LLMs. You'll learn why models are great at following patterns but terrible at creating them, and how to structure your projects for AI success. We also explore what makes Slate different, including its unique approach to context management that keeps it on track during complex tasks, preventing the performance degradation common in other agents.
Find Slate here:
https://randomlabs.ai/
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00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:54 - Setting Up Your Dev Environment for AI
00:15:18 - Is Software Engineering Dead?
00:18:20 - Why Coding Agents? The Origin of Slate
00:21:52 - What Makes Slate Different?
00:33:19 - The Bottleneck: LLMs vs Tooling
00:44:30 - Why LLMs Get "Lost in the Middle"
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Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.
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Unlock the power of AI for your business, even if you're not a tech expert. In this episode, AI strategist Marni Wills reveals how non-technical founders can leverage AI as a new operating system to amplify their intelligence. Learn to build powerful AI workflows, create your own AI operating system, and personalize tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity for massive business growth. Marni breaks down her exact process for using AI agents, developing custom instructions to avoid hallucinations, and building a "second brain" to automate tasks from email marketing to securing podcast interviews. This is your guide to making AI work for you, strategically, not technically.
Connect with Marni Wills:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marnie-wills-entrepreneur
Website: https://businesswithaistrategist.com/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/businesswithai_strategist/
Digital Store: https://stan.store/business_with_ai_strategist
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00:00:00 - Intro
00:02:19 - First Steps for Non-Technical Founders
00:08:13 - How to Avoid AI Hallucinations
00:11:04 - Building a Custom Prompt Library
00:27:17 - AI Agents vs. Automation (Lindy vs. Make)
00:32:48 - Creative AI Workflows You Haven't Thought Of
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Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.
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Are you ready for AI agents to browse the web? We explore the future of AI agent authentication, web security, and API design in this deep dive. As AI agents proliferate, critical questions arise: how do we handle security without giving an agent your password? How can we make websites optimized for agent consumption? We're joined by Bobbie Chen, a product manager at Stytch specializing in bot and AI agent detection, to discuss the risks and opportunities.
We cover how OAuth can provide safer, scoped permissions for agents, and the emerging open standard Web Bot Auth, which allows agents to cryptographically prove their identity. Bobbie breaks down Simon Willison's "lethal trifecta" of AI security risks and discusses strategies for mitigating malicious behavior. We also touch on the future of AI SEO, how API design must evolve for a hybrid human-agent world, and the potential impact of agents on web monetization and advertising.
Learn more from Bobbie Chen:
Stytch supports Web Bot Auth: https://stytch.com/blog/stytch-supports-web-bot-auth
Stytch Connected Apps (OAuth for AI agents): https://stytch.com/connected-apps
Stytch Fraud and Risk Prevention: stytch.com/fraud
AGI Builders Meetup: https://luma.com/agibuilders
IsAgent SDK for agent identification: https://IsAgent.dev
Additional Resources from the episode:
Simon Willison's lethal trifecta: https://simonwillison.net/2025/Jun/16/the-lethal-trifecta
IETF Web Bot Auth: https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/bofreq-nottingham-web-bot-auth/
Jon Postel as "benevolent dictator" of IANA: http://memex.org/meme4-01.html
Freestyle Cloud: https://www.freestyle.sh
Connect with us
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00:00:00 - Intro
00:03:25 - The Risks of AI Agents Browsing the Web
00:07:14 - A Bot Registry vs. Open Protocols
00:18:04 - How AI Will Change Web Monetization & Ads
00:35:03 - The "Lethal Trifecta" of AI Security
00:41:25 - Practical Advice for Website Owners & Agent Devs
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Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.
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Master advanced prompting techniques and meta prompting in this deep dive into AI context engineering. As AI models evolve, the way we interact with them becomes more critical than ever. Prompting is no longer about simple questions; it's a skill that separates mediocre results from magical ones. In Episode 57, we're joined by Michael Tiffany, founder and CEO of Fulcra, and AI consultant Ty Fiero to explore the strategies that unlock an AI's full potential.
Discover why prompts are more important than ever, how to tailor your requests for specific models like GPT-5 and Claude, and why a "high agency" attitude is the key to getting great outputs. We discuss practical methods like iterative prompting, using one AI to critique another's work, and asking the model itself how to create the perfect prompt. Learn how to avoid AI sycophancy, the power of multimodal prompting with images, and how to right-size tasks for complex projects. Whether you're a developer using vibe coding or just want to get better answers from ChatGPT, this conversation will change how you talk to AI.
Guests:
Michael Tiffany, Founder and CEO of Fulcra
https://www.fulcra.ai
https://x.com/kubla
Ty Fiero, AI Consultant
https://x.com/FieroTy
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00:00:00 - Intro
00:06:02 - The High-Agency Prompting Mindset
00:10:36 - Techniques for Reducing AI Bias
00:19:10 - Meta-Prompting: Having AI Write Your Prompts
00:23:12 - How to Build Prompting Intuition
00:30:00 - AI for Spec-Driven Development
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Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.
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Build full-stack apps from a single prompt with Fastable, the revolutionary AI tool from AI consultant Richard Abrich. In this episode, we dive deep into how you can go from an idea to a deployed web application using AI, and learn how Richard built the tool to accelerate his own development workflows.
Richard shares his expert approach to context engineering, hallucination mitigation, and creating a powerful feedback loop by piping logs directly into the AI agent to debug and iterate faster than ever. We explore Fastable's tech stack (FastAPI, Python, React, Postgres) and how it offers a more flexible, vanilla alternative to tools like Lovable, giving developers the control they need. If you're interested in AI-powered development, the future of disposable software, or building your own tools to solve real problems, this is a conversation you can't miss.
Try Fastable for yourself: https://fastable.dev
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00:00:00 - Intro
00:03:57 - Fastable's Tech Stack vs Lovable
00:07:33 - Context Engineering for Non-Technical Users
00:17:32 - Fastable Demo
00:31:08 - Mitigating AI Hallucination
00:45:53 - The Future of Disposable Software
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Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.
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Unlock massive productivity gains with AI and get hours of your life back. In Episode 55, after 10 years as a software developer with the last three focused on AI, I'm sharing the secrets to my personal productivity system. Learn how to leverage multiple LLMs, build a "digital brain" with Obsidian that goes beyond a simple second brain, and create hyper-custom automations to focus on what truly matters.
I'll walk you through my complete setup, from the AI models I use daily (like Claude and local models) to the hardware and software I use to interface with my computer, including powerful voice transcription workflows. We'll cover how to use AI coding assistants to build your own scripts, essential terminal utilities that will speed up your workflow, and the specific media tools I use for tasks outside my expertise. This is the ultimate guide to leveling up your productivity with AI.
Mike's GitHub: https://github.com/MikeBirdTech
Obsidian: https://obsidian.md/
Mike's Stack: https://github.com/MikeBirdTech/stack
Dataview Plugin: https://obsidian.md/plugins?id=dataview
Connect with me
https://x.com/ToolUseAI
https://x.com/MikeBirdTech
00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:52 - Which LLM Should You Use?
00:04:17 - How to Build a "Digital Brain" in Obsidian
00:12:40 - Voice Transcription: The Biggest Productivity Unlock
00:17:59 - Building Custom Automations with AI Coding
00:32:06 - Using AI as a Thought Partner
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Feeling intimidated by AI tooling? This is the perfect place to start. Join us for a deep dive into AI agent fundamentals with expert educator Hai Ngheim. We break down complex topics like context engineering, explaining why it's a more useful term than prompt engineering. Learn the key differences between an AI Agent and a workflow, and discover when to use each for maximum efficiency. We demystify Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG), explaining why it’s fundamentally a search problem, not just a vector database issue.
Explore the future of AI interoperability with the Model Context Protocol (MCP), the "USB-C for agents" , and see how it simplifies building with AI. For those intimidated by the command line, we offer tips on getting started with powerful tools like Claude Code. This episode covers the fundamentals of deep research , browser-use agents , and what makes a "deep agent" capable of producing high-value output. If you've heard these buzzwords online , this is the explanation you've been waiting for to help you integrate these powerful AI tools into your life.
Guest Links: Check out Hai's Agent Engineering Bootcamp: https://maven.com/agent-lab/agent-engineering-bootcamp
Check out AGI Ventures Canada on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/new-beginning-hai-nghiem-swnsc/
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00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:05 - Context Engineering vs Prompt Engineering
00:03:36 - AI Agents vs Workflows
00:20:56 - MCP (Model Context Protocol) Explained
00:29:58 - Getting Started with Claude Code
00:38:49 - The Power of Browser-Based AI Agents
00:48:50 - What Are Deep Agents?
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Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.
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Open Source AI is key to a positive future for humanity, and Alignment Lab AI is building the tools to make it accessible to everyone. In a world where a few big tech companies control the most powerful "black box" AI models, concerns about data privacy, algorithmic transparency, and entrenched power are growing. This episode explores the alternative: a future of decentralized, user-owned AI.
We're joined by Austin Cook, Chris Hardwick, and Jordan Parker from Alignment Lab AI to discuss their mission to democratize AI through radical transparency and distributed ownership. Discover how open source AI empowers you to control your own data, run powerful models locally on your own hardware, and create truly personalized AI assistants. We get into why specialized open source models can outperform giant frontier models for specific tasks, the importance of owning your compute, and how you can get started with your own local AI lab.
Learn more about Alignment Lab AI:
https://www.alignmentlab.ai/
https://discord.gg/r7NaHJZxCR
https://x.com/alignment_lab
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https://x.com/alignment_lab
00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:52 - What is AI Alignment?
00:07:05 - Can Open Source AI Compete with Frontier Models?
00:10:46 - The Dangers of AI and Your Data Privacy
00:25:13 - What You Can Do With a Home AI Lab
00:32:01 - The Future of Personalized AI Assistants
00:35:51 - How to Help the Open Source AI Movement
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Unlock the full potential of Claude Code! Most people are only using a fraction of its capabilities. In this Claude Code masterclass, AI coding experts Ray Fernando (former Apple engineer) and Eric Buess (Anthropic super fan) reveal the secrets to maximizing your productivity with one of the most powerful AI coding tools available. Learn how the pros are using Claude Code, from optimal setup and advanced context management techniques to leveraging powerful features like sub-agents, hooks, and slash commands. Discover the benefits of different thinking modes, how to avoid common pitfalls like context rot, and build reliable workflows that get the job done. Every Claude Code user will learn something new in this video.
Guest: Ray Fernando
Twitter: https://x.com/RayFernando1337
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCq_MHfMX5FBBB3bqnJPAEzA
Website: https://raytranscribes.com/
Guest: Eric Buess
Twitter: https://x.com/EricBuess
Claude Code Docs Repo: https://github.com/ericbuess/claude-code-docs
Connect with us
https://x.com/ToolUseAI
https://x.com/MikeBirdTech
https://x.com/RayFernando1337
https://x.com/EricBuess
00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:37 - Optimal Claude Code Setup
00:05:07 - YOLO Mode: Dangerously Skip Permissions
00:07:07 - Thinking Modes & Context Management
00:15:52 - Hook Workflow
00:23:47 - Hooks vs. Slash Commands
00:30:32 - How the Pros Use Sub-Agents
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Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.