In this thought-provoking episode, Alec Harrison sits down with Peter Swimm—founder of Toyleville and a veteran in conversational AI—to unpack the real value of AI in today’s business world. From the early days of teaching internet literacy in Chicago libraries to advising enterprises on AI adoption, Peter brings a rare blend of empathy, technical depth, and straight talk.

They discuss why most businesses are still stuck in Excel purgatory, the risk of blindly chasing AI hype, and how true innovation means aligning technology with human strengths—not replacing them. They also explore the messy reality of model upgrades, the danger of centralized AI monopolies, and how smaller companies can outmaneuver giants by embracing context, creativity, and collaboration.

Whether you’re an enterprise leader, startup founder, or just AI-curious, this episode will challenge your assumptions and leave you asking better questions.

🔗 Links:

• peoplemakeitbetter.com – Peter’s consulting agency and info on Toyleville