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Tool Use - AI Conversations
Mike Bird
64 episodes
1 week ago
The latest AI tools and strategies, featuring top builders, entrepreneurs, and researchers. Every Tuesday, get actionable knowledge about AI services that you can use today. - Conversations with AI builders and founders - Practical tips for applying AI immediately - Live demos of cutting-edge AI products - Deep dives into open-source projects Join us as we explore the rapidly evolving AI landscape and discover tools that transform productivity, creativity, and business. Subscribe now and stay ahead of the AI curve
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All content for Tool Use - AI Conversations is the property of Mike Bird and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
The latest AI tools and strategies, featuring top builders, entrepreneurs, and researchers. Every Tuesday, get actionable knowledge about AI services that you can use today. - Conversations with AI builders and founders - Practical tips for applying AI immediately - Live demos of cutting-edge AI products - Deep dives into open-source projects Join us as we explore the rapidly evolving AI landscape and discover tools that transform productivity, creativity, and business. Subscribe now and stay ahead of the AI curve
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Technology
Episodes (20/64)
Tool Use - AI Conversations
"This is why you need a RAG system" - Apurva Misra

Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX


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/


Connect with us

https://x.com/ToolUsePodcast

https://x.com/MikeBirdTech


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


Subscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and RAG.


Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.

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1 week ago
45 minutes 11 seconds

Tool Use - AI Conversations
"AI allows you to be high tech and high touch" - Lee Russel

Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX


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/


Connect with us

https://x.com/ToolUsePodcast

https://x.com/MikeBirdTech


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"


Subscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and personalization.


Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.

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2 weeks ago
39 minutes 23 seconds

Tool Use - AI Conversations
How to Become an AI-first Company (ft. Csongor Barabasi)

Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX


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


Connect with us

https://x.com/ToolUsePodcast

https://x.com/MikeBirdTech

https://x.com/barabasicsongor


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


Subscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and process automation.


Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.

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3 weeks ago
41 minutes 11 seconds

Tool Use - AI Conversations
AI Coding Agents Can Do So Much More (ft Kiran)

Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX


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/


Connect with us 

https://x.com/ToolUsePodcast

https://x.com/MikeBirdTech


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"


Subscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and coding agents.


Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.

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4 weeks ago
47 minutes 19 seconds

Tool Use - AI Conversations
A.I. For Non-Technical Founders (ft Marnie Wills)

Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX


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


Connect with us

https://x.com/ToolUsePodcast

https://x.com/MikeBirdTech


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


Subscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and workflows.


Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.

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1 month ago
42 minutes 12 seconds

Tool Use - AI Conversations
Are AI Agents Ready for the Internet? (ft Bobbie Chen)

Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX


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

https://x.com/ToolUsePodcast

https://x.com/MikeBirdTech


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


Subscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and AI security.


Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.

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1 month ago
46 minutes 1 second

Tool Use - AI Conversations
Advanced AI Prompting (ft Michael Tiffany & Ty Fiero)

Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX


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


Connect with us


https://x.com/ToolUsePodcast

https://x.com/MikeBirdTech

https://x.com/kubla

https://x.com/FieroTy


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


Subscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and prompting.


Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.

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1 month ago
49 minutes 46 seconds

Tool Use - AI Conversations
Build A Full Stack App With One Prompt (ft. Richard Abrich)

Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX


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


Connect with us

https://x.com/ToolUsePodcast

https://x.com/MikeBirdTech

https://x.com/abrichr


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


Subscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and AI development.


Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.

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1 month ago
50 minutes 25 seconds

Tool Use - AI Conversations
How I Use AI for REAL Productivity Gains

Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX


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


Subscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and automation.


Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.

Show more...
2 months ago
38 minutes 20 seconds

Tool Use - AI Conversations
Fundamentals of AI Tooling (ft Hai Nghiem)

Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX


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/


Connect with us 

https://x.com/ToolUseAI 

https://x.com/MikeBirdTech

https://x.com/haithehuman


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?


Subscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and AI Agents.


Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.

Show more...
2 months ago
54 minutes 14 seconds

Tool Use - AI Conversations
Why Open Source AI Will Win (ft Alignment Lab)

Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX


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


Connect with us


https://x.com/ToolUseAI

https://x.com/MikeBirdTech

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


Subscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and Open Source AI.


Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.

Show more...
2 months ago
43 minutes 4 seconds

Tool Use - AI Conversations
Advanced Claude Code (ft Ray Fernando and Eric Buess)

Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX


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


Subscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and AI coding.


Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.

Show more...
2 months ago
47 minutes 58 seconds

Tool Use - AI Conversations
How to Build Secure MCP Servers (ft Craig McLuckie)

Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX


Unlock the secrets of secure AI development in this episode of Tool Use! We're joined by Craig McLuckie, the co-creator of Kubernetes and the Co-Founder and CEO of StackLok, to dive deep into the world of MCPs and the future of AI infrastructure. As AI agents and the MCPs become more widespread, ensuring the security and reliability of these systems is paramount. Craig discusses the critical need for hardened and secure MCP servers to prevent risks like data exfiltration and the creation of backdoors.


Discover how ToolHive, developed by StackLok, is solving these challenges by providing a registry of trusted, curated MCP servers. We explore how ToolHive helps developers by offering a standardized toolkit of reliable tools, simplifying integration, and managing security concerns like secret protection and network isolation. Craig shares his insights on best practices for developing secure MCP servers, the importance of community-driven development, and the future of authentication and authorization in agentic systems. Learn about the shift from a platform engineering to a solutions engineering mindset and why you need to embrace an experimental approach to thrive in the new AI age.


StackLok: https://stacklok.com/

ToolHive: https://toolhive.dev/

Stacklok Discord: https://discord.gg/Uhz3VshErv

Craig's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigmcluckie/


Connect with us

https://x.com/ToolUseAI

https://x.com/MikeBirdTech

https://x.com/cmcluck


00:00:00 - Intro

00:03:35 - What is ToolHive?

00:06:21 - How ToolHive Helps Developers in Production

00:13:13 - How the Community Guides the ToolHive Roadmap

00:22:03 - Gaps in Current AI Infrastructure

00:31:26 - Will API Keys Survive the AI Age?

00:47:18 - A New Mindset for Thriving in AI


Subscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and security.


Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by Stacklok

Show more...
3 months ago
55 minutes 20 seconds

Tool Use - AI Conversations
The Best AI Advice for 2025

Unlock the future of AI tools, context engineering, and practical AI development in this special Episode 50 of Tool Use! We celebrate one year of weekly conversations by bringing back two dozen of the brightest minds in the AI space to share their most valuable lessons and predictions. Dive deep into the evolution from prompt engineering to context engineering, and learn how to master large language models (LLMs) and AI agents for maximum productivity and impact.


In this can't-miss episode, we explore the biggest takeaways from a revolutionary year in AI. Discover the power of reasoning models, the rapid advancement of local models, and the rise of multi-agent systems. Our expert guests, including entrepreneurs, researchers, and builders, discuss the critical importance of mindset, staying curious, and the human element in the age of AI. Learn practical strategies for building with AI, from owning your control flow and creating effective feedback loops to leveraging "vibe coding" and knowing when to use deterministic code versus fuzzy LLM functions.


Explore the latest in AI tooling and workflows, from using WhatsApp as a universal interface to the best practices for evals, tracing, and context management. Hear predictions on the future of AI, including the path to zero-cost intelligence, the rise of home robotics, and the solution to model orchestration. Whether you're a developer, entrepreneur, or just passionate about leveraging AI, this episode is packed with insights to help you stay ahead in this rapidly accelerating industry.


Join us as we discuss how to build for the future, augment human capabilities, and democratize the benefits of AI. Find out why the top 1% of builders approach AI differently and how you can apply their principles to your own projects.


Thank you for an incredible year! To support the show and help us bring on more amazing guests, please like, share, and subscribe.


12 Factor Agents - https://github.com/humanlayer/12-factor-agents


00:00:00 Intro

00:01:05 Ty Fiero - Model Advances

00:04:21 Context Engineering

00:05:49 Ryan Carson - Obsess about context

00:06:23 Richard Abrich - Garbage in, garbage out

00:08:23 Michael Tiffany - More Metaprompt

00:09:13 Mindset

00:12:04 Dexter Horthy - Keep doing the hardest thing

00:15:22 Diamond Bishop - Change is the only constant

00:17:53 Dillion Verma - Build around AI

00:19:30 Freddie Vargus - Don't believe the magic

00:20:49 Wolfram Ravenwolf - Curiosity, motivation, and skepticism

00:22:13 Jake Koenig - Most things you learned are obsolete

00:23:19 Sarah Allali - Know the outcome your expecting

00:24:29 Practical Development and Tooling

00:27:12 Francisco Ingham - WhatsApp and leveraging humans with LLMs

00:30:27 Minki Jung - Standardized evals, tracing, context management

00:32:16 Hai Nghiem - Don't be too smart

00:35:02 Jason McGhee - Three camps of AI tool use

00:38:38 Olga Beregovaya - Right model for the job

00:40:01 Orlando Kalossakas - Prompting is vital

00:40:48 The Human Element

00:43:20 CJ Pais - AI to empower creatives

00:45:05 Kirk Marple - Play with vibe coding

00:47:17 David Cross - Think about the people first

00:48:13 Adam Cohen Hillel - Humans are the bottleneck

00:49:22 Aaron Wong-Ellis - Talk to your customers

00:50:34 Ian Pilon - What is agency?

00:51:56 Future Predictions

00:54:41 Thank you


Please follow our incredible guests:

https://x.com/FieroTy

https://x.com/ryancarson

https://x.com/abrichr

https://x.com/kubla

https://x.com/dexhorthy

https://x.com/diamondbishop

https://x.com/dillionverma

https://x.com/freddie_v4

https://x.com/WolframRvnwlf

https://x.com/ja3k_

https://x.com/SarahAllali7

https://x.com/fpingham

https://x.com/JungMinki7

https://x.com/haithehuman

https://x.com/_jason_today

https://x.com/sunglassesface

https://x.com/cj_pais

https://x.com/KirkMarple

https://x.com/adamcohenhillel

https://x.com/aaronwongellis

https://x.com/IanTimotheos


(and me too)

https://x.com/ToolUseAI

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3 months ago
58 minutes 27 seconds

Tool Use - AI Conversations
He's Building a Startup With AI (ft Ryan Carson)

Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX


Unlock massive productivity with AI and learn to code faster than ever. In this episode, 3x exited founder Ryan Carson shares how he's building a one-person startup with AI. Ryan reveals his revolutionary three-part workflow for managing AI developers in Cursor, a system that has supercharged his output. We dive deep into the best AI tools for coding and productivity like Cursor, ChatGPT, and AI agents, and how to use them to go from idea to execution. Ryan also offers invaluable advice for aspiring entrepreneurs on how to leverage AI for business logistics, finance, HR, and even founder therapy. Learn the skills and mindset needed to become a successful solo founder in today's AI-driven world.


Follow Ryan Carson:

https://x.com/ryancarson

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryancarson/


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00:00:00 - Intro

00:03:35 - How to Use Cursor for AI Development

00:10:37 - Ryan's 3-Part AI Agent Workflow

00:15:38 - Managing AI Context Drift & Hallucinations

00:35:52 - How to Build a 1-Person, AI-Powered Company

00:41:57 - Advice For Aspiring Solo Founders


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Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts.

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3 months ago
45 minutes 4 seconds

Tool Use - AI Conversations
The AI Playbook Used By Global Companies (ft Olga Beregovaya)

Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX


Unlock the secrets to scaling your business globally with powerful AI workflows that can slash costs by up to 80%. In this episode, we're joined by Olga Beregovaya, the VP of AI at Smartling, a world leader in AI-powered translation. Olga shares her 25 years of experience in language technology, from the origins of NLP to the omnipresent A.I. 2.0 era we live in today.


Discover Smartling's internal strategies for deploying AI across their entire organization, including how they leverage AI for lead generation, software development, and enhancing translator productivity. Olga dives deep into the "build vs. buy" debate for AI tools, the critical importance of creating a "golden dataset" for benchmarking models, and how to safely deploy AI at an enterprise scale without introducing latency or hallucinations. Learn about the future of work and the skills you need to thrive—like shifting from a translator to a "multilingual prompt engineer"—and how to develop an AI literacy that will be essential in any field.


Keep up with Olga and Smartling:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/olga-beregovaya-04b5/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/smartling/


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Connect with us:

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00:00:00 - Intro

00:05:47 - How Smartling Adopts AI as a Global Company

00:10:50 - The Build vs. Buy AI Tool Debate

00:19:17 - How to Deploy AI Systems at a Global Scale

00:31:26 - How Industries Can Survive The AI Wave

00:34:33 - The Most Valuable Skills For an AI Future


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Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts.

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3 months ago
42 minutes

Tool Use - AI Conversations
How To Make AI Content That Feels Human (ft David Cross)

Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX


David Cross reveals his step-by-step process for generating emotionally resonant AI content that avoids the uncanny valley. Discover the AI tools and strategies to build your own content factory, including using a custom GPT for scripts , ElevenLabs for realistic AI voice generation , and Midjourney for unique, hand-created style artwork. David breaks down his method for iterating on AI output, the importance of a human-in-the-loop to ensure quality , and how to use AI to create multilingual content for a global audience. This is your guide to leveling up your AI content and making something that truly connects with people.


Connect with David Cross:

Website: https://davidcross.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ssorcdivad/

Kids Chatterbox Project: http://kidschatterbox.com/


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00:00:00 - Intro

00:02:38 - The AI Content Creation Workflow

00:15:22 - Cost And Time For An AI Podcast

00:18:38 - How To Take AI Content From Good To Great

00:28:18 - Making Your AI Content Multilingual

00:40:38 - Advice for Marketers in the AI Age


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4 months ago
44 minutes 42 seconds

Tool Use - AI Conversations
How Businesses Can Adopt AI Today (ft Wolfram Ravenwolf)

Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX


Explore the future of business efficiency with AI agents and cutting-edge DevSecOps strategies as Wolfram RavenWolf, AI Evangelist at EllaMind, joins us to demystify practical AI. Wolfram shares invaluable insights on integrating robust, fair, and effective AI systems into your organization. Learn why AI is humanity's most transformative technology, how to navigate common misconceptions, and the critical role of continuous evaluation and a "virtual coworker" mindset in harnessing its full potential. Discover actionable tips for deploying local AI, optimizing models through prompt engineering, and fostering an "AI affinity" culture that empowers your team to unlock unprecedented productivity and innovation.


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pip install tool-use-ai


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00:00:00 - intro

00:03:21 - Common AI Misconceptions for Businesses

00:06:32 - Low-Hanging Fruit for AI Adoption

00:11:24 - How to Evaluate & Select an LLM

00:25:51 - Hardware & Hosting for Local AI Models

00:47:04 - Promoting AI Adoption within Companies


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4 months ago
49 minutes 8 seconds

Tool Use - AI Conversations
The Blueprint For AI Agents That Work (ft Diamond Bishop)

Master the art of building AI agents and powerful AI teammates with Diamond Bishop, Director of Engineering and AI at Datadog. In this deep dive, we explore crucial strategies for creating self-improving agent systems, from establishing robust evaluations (evals) and observability to designing effective human-in-the-loop escape hatches. Learn the secrets to building user trust, deciding between prompt engineering and fine-tuning, and managing data sets for peak performance. Diamond shares his expert insights on architecting agents, using LLM as a judge for quality control, and the future of ambient AI in DevSecOps. If you're looking to build your own AI assistant, this episode provides the essential principles and practical advice you need to get started and create systems that learn and improve over time.


Guest: Diamond Bishop, Director of Engineering and AI at Datadog

Learn more about Bits AI SRE: https://www.datadoghq.com/blog/bits-ai-sre/

Datadog MCP Server for Agents: https://www.datadoghq.com/blog/datadog-remote-mcp-server/


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pip install tool-use-ai


Connect with us

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https://x.com/diamondbishop


00:00:00 - Intro

00:03:55 - When To Use an Agent vs a Script

00:05:44 - How to Architect an AI Agent

00:08:07 - Prompt Engineering vs Fine-Tuning

00:11:29 - Building Your First Eval Suite

00:26:06 - The Unsolved Problem in Agent Building

00:31:10 - The Future of Local AI Models & Privacy


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4 months ago
36 minutes 47 seconds

Tool Use - AI Conversations
The Right Way to Do AI Evals (ft Freddie Vargus)

Are your AI agents unreliable? In this guide, we reveal a professional system for AI evals to help you build and ship better AI products, faster. Learn how to systematically test LLM performance, evaluate complex tool use, and improve multi-turn conversations. We break down the exact process for building a high-quality eval dataset, using milestones and minefields to track agent behaviour, and how to properly use an LLM as a judge without compromising quality. Stop guessing and start making real, measurable improvements to your AI today.


Check out Quotient AI

https://www.quotientai.co/


Sign up for A.I. coaching for professionals at: https://www.anetic.co


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pip install tool-use-ai


Connect with us https://x.com/ToolUseAI

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https://x.com/freddie_v4


00:00:00 - intro

00:02:54 - Why You Need AI Evals

00:06:13 - How to Evaluate AI Agent Tool Use

00:29:24 - The Process for Building Your First Eval Dataset

00:42:44 - Using an LLM as a Judge The Right Way


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Tool Use is a weekly conversation with AI experts brought to you by Anetic.

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4 months ago
55 minutes 15 seconds

Tool Use - AI Conversations
The latest AI tools and strategies, featuring top builders, entrepreneurs, and researchers. Every Tuesday, get actionable knowledge about AI services that you can use today. - Conversations with AI builders and founders - Practical tips for applying AI immediately - Live demos of cutting-edge AI products - Deep dives into open-source projects Join us as we explore the rapidly evolving AI landscape and discover tools that transform productivity, creativity, and business. Subscribe now and stay ahead of the AI curve