Work Less: AI at Work

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Work Less

13 episodes

1 week ago

This week on Work Less, we’re talking about $180 million in fresh funding for n8n and what it means for the automation wars - can they really take on Zapier, Make, and the old-school RPA giants? Then we test drive OpenAI’s brand new browser “Atlas by ChatGPT” (spoiler: it’s… not great), and unpack what makes AI browsers like Daya and Perplexity different, or at least less terrifying for your passwords. Finally, we get philosophical (and a little doomsday-y) about “AI slop” — the growing mess ...

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Episodes (13/13)

Work Less: AI at Work

$180M for Automation: n8n’s Big Raise, OpenAI’s Atlas Browser & The Rise of AI Slop

1 week ago

32 minutes

Work Less: AI at Work

Did OpenAI Just Kill Zapier? (Spoiler: Not Even Close)

This week, Justin and Tom unpack the chaos around OpenAI’s new Agent Builder, the so-called “Zapier killer.” Spoiler: it’s not killing anything yet (except maybe developer patience). We break down what Agent Builder actually does, how it leans on the MCP protocol, and why it’s nowhere near replacing tools like Zapier, Make, or Lindi for real-world, multi-user automations. Then, we shift gears to talk about Retool’s quiet domination of the agent-building space, their slick new AI + workflow fe...

3 weeks ago

20 minutes

Work Less: AI at Work

Gen Z UX, Oracle’s $1 Trillion Glow-Up, and Microsoft’s Most Vague Press Release Ever

This week we get into the weeds of AI hype vs. reality: Justin brings up Higgs Field, an AI-first marketing platform with the most Gen Z-coded UX imaginable. Messy, loud, and -surprisingly- brilliant for marketers.Tom unpacks how Oracle added a casual $1 trillion to its market cap by shifting from ERP giant to AI infrastructure heavyweight (plus why some companies are still running the other way).We break down the bizarre three-sentence “joint statement” from Microsoft + OpenAI that somehow m...

1 month ago

20 minutes

Work Less: AI at Work

AI That Works for Workers? Plus Atlassian Buys a Browser & the Orchestration Buzzword

This week we dig into a new survey on AI and workers from Kyla Scanlon that asks the big question: do employees actually trust their employers to use AI in their favor? Spoiler: real estate agents and Hollywood don’t. Healthcare somehow does. We also unpack the messy state of AI training at work (hint: most people aren’t getting any) and why “upskilling” is the thing employees want most, even if it means learning the tools that could replace them. Then we shift gears into tech drama: Atlassia...

2 months ago

25 minutes

Work Less: AI at Work

Voice AI, Nano Banana & the 95% Failure Rate of AI Projects

Is voice the real future of AI? Tom and Justin dig into Assembly AI, Whisper Flow, and why typing might already be outdated. We also get into the banana-shaped elephant in the room: Google’s new Nano Banana model, a tiny but scary-good image editor that could replace half of Photoshop. But here’s the kicker: MIT says 95% of AI projects fail. We break down why, which departments actually should automate, and which ones you should absolutely keep away from AI (spoiler: don’t trust it with your ...

2 months ago

31 minutes

Work Less: AI at Work

From Executive Hackathons to Shadow IT: Making AI Normal at Work + Is Notion Mail replacing Superhuman?

Justin and Tom dig into the growing exec–team AI gap, and what actually works to close it. From exec hackathons (yes, that's a thing now) and weekly “show your prompts” rituals, to putting bumpers on shadow IT before someone wires a weekend AI toy to your codebase, it’s a playbook for making AI normal at work. We also side‑eye Apple’s latest Siri/Gemini rumor, explain why Notion Mail finally pried Justin off Superhuman, and kick the tires on Airbook, aka “cursor for analytics.” W...

2 months ago

27 minutes

Work Less: AI at Work

GPT-5: What we think of the “S” Model of AI (And Why People Want Their Old Bots Back)

This week, we unpack the drama around GPT-5, a release so incremental that some folks are mourning GPT-4 like it’s a lost pet. We dig into why OpenAI quietly pulled the old models, the emotional attachments people have to LLM quirks, and why the thinking mode might be the only real upgrade worth caring about. We also get into: The hidden superpower of GPT-5’s massive context window (and why it matters more for devs than casual chatters)Pricing drops that could make Nano-powered AI features th...

2 months ago

31 minutes

Work Less: AI at Work

Slack's AI Fail, Arc vs Dia Browser & Google's AI SEO Salvation?

In this week's episode, we break down: Why Slack’s AI summaries are hilariously ineffective • Our hands-on review of Dia, the new AI-first browser • Early impressions of Arc Browser's controversial pivot to an AI browser, Dia • Google's strategy to compete with the new "Web Guide" AI search and SEO's uphill battle • Thoughts on Meta’s AI (uninspiring) ambitions with personalized AI glasses ___________________________ Follow Tom: • XRay: https://xray.tech/ • LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/...

3 months ago

28 minutes

Work Less: AI at Work

Building AI Agents That Actually Work. Plus Grok 3 & Microsoft's Quantum Leap

In this episode, we cut through the AI agent hype flooding LinkedIn feeds to reveal what's actually working for small and mid-market businesses today. We talk about: • Current AI agent capabilities versus marketing promises (00:00) • How reasoning models have changed the agent landscape (03:13) • Code vs. no-code approaches for different team structures (07:15) • Model flexibility in agent workflows (10:36) • Practical security considerations for implementation (17:39) • Top agent-building ...

8 months ago

40 minutes

Work Less: AI at Work

Building Business Tools in the AI Age: Lessons from Boardy

This week we're exploring how AI is reshaping business interactions through Boardy's innovative approach to networking. We also chat about OpenAI's Deep Research and Google Gemini 2.0's release. Learn about: • How Boardy raised $8M using its own AI networking tool • Converting conversations into structured business data • Internal vs. external uses of conversational AI • Building tools that meet users where they are • The latest capabilities of Google's Gemini 2.0 • Real-world cost compariso...

9 months ago

33 minutes

Work Less: AI at Work

How to Figure Out Your Team's AI Readiness + DeepSeek's Automation Impacts for Teams

This week we're diving into the "levels of readiness" for AI in your business and how to know where to start. Learn why team-based automation delivers exponentially higher ROI, plus get an insider look at DeepSeek and how it's performing and going to effect how teams build AI automations. We break down: • The crucial differences between personal and team AI automation • How to assess where to start with AI Automation for your team • DeepSeek's capabilities and potential in business Fo...

9 months ago

29 minutes

Work Less: AI at Work

Replit AI vs Lovable AI, Zapier Agents Are Here, and Why RPA is Toast

This week we're diving into the AI dev tool showdown. Tom and Justin put Replit and Lovable.dev to the test. Tom rebuilt a year-long project in 3 hours. Justin built a deployable Applicant Tracking System in 5 hours. Learn why this changes everything about how internal teams build custom software.Real-world build comparison: • Replit vs Lovable.dev• Why traditional RPA tools are getting left behind• The truth about Zapier's new AI agents• Cost breakdown and ROI of AI development tools• What t...

9 months ago

49 minutes

Work Less: AI at Work

2025 AI Predictions

2025 AI Predictions 2025: Agents, Adoption, and Energy This week we dive into our top AI predictions for 2025. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and Weekly AI Discussions 00:58 Deep Dive into AI Agents 15:17 The Role of IT in AI Adoption 22:54 Power Consumption and AI 30:25 Honorable Mentions and Final Thoughts 35:21 Palate Cleansers and Wrap-Up Follow Tom: XRay TechLinkedInFollow Justin: SwitchboardLinkedInTwitter Tools mentioned: Exa AI

9 months ago

38 minutes