Month: August 2026

  • You Ask, I Answer: Is Learning Algorithms Still Essential?

    Summary In today's episode, Sean tackles whether learning data structures and algorithms still matters now that AI can write and refactor code for you. Here's what this means for you. You'll gain the judgment to steer AI tools toward unconventional, high-value outcomes instead of accepting the most probable default answer it hands you. You'll also…

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  • Don’t Put a V8 in Your Prius: How to Safely Choose AI Models for Autonomous Systems

    Be careful what engine you put in your car. GPT-5.6 is unquestionably a very smart model, highly capable, up there as an Opus-class model along with Opus 4.8, Kimi K3, GLM-5.2, etc. What’s more, it’s fast, cheaper than the top models from Anthropic by an order of magnitude according to Artificial Analysis… … but it’s…

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  • You Ask, I Answer: Measuring AI ROI Beyond Time Saved?

    Summary In today's episode, I tackle a listener's question about measuring the organizational ROI of AI when the primary benefit shows up as unquantifiable individual time savings. Here's what this means for you. You'll discover that struggling to measure AI's impact almost always points to a deeper performance measurement problem your organization has not yet…

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  • The AI Hiring Crisis: Why Human Referrals Are Your Only Way In

    Late Friday afternoon thoughts. AI has made recruiting nearly impossible. From a hiring manager’s perspective, every candidate looks identical now, all polished beyond recognition by AI. Every CV reads the same – a stellar candidate on paper. Interviews online are equally impossible with candidates reading aloud what AI tells them to. From a candidate’s perspective,…

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  • You Ask, I Answer: Missing Micro Trends as FOMO?

    Summary In today's episode, I break down whether missing a micro trend actually costs marketers anything meaningful. Here's what this means for you. You'll see that chasing micro trends is really anomaly marketing, a costly attention treadmill that rarely produces durable brand value. You'll also learn these concepts: how your choice of audience and platform…

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  • Almost Timely News: 🗞️ How to Build a Cheap AI Setup (2026-08-09)

    _Almost Timely News: 🗞️ How to Build a Cheap AI Setup (2026-08-09) :: View in Browser_ The Big Plug 👉 New merch! The Trust Insights Deep Research Suite Content Authenticity Statement 100% of this week’s newsletter was made by me, the human. Learn why this kind of disclosure is a good idea and might be…

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  • The Real ROI of AI in Education: Turning Mediocre Students Into Top Performers

    Results oriented. Outcome driven. Proven track record. Do these phrases sound familiar? They should. They top the LinkedIn bios and CVs of millions of people. They’re what we say to communicate our value. They’re how we justify a hiring decision. They’re part and parcel of business culture. Do you believe in them? Take a look…

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  • So What? Theoretical AI Usage

    Summary In today's episode, I walk through Trust Insights' new paper on theoretical AI usage and what jobs AI could actually do. Here's what this means for you. You gain a clearer framework for evaluating AI opportunities in your own organization beyond the panic-inducing headlines about job displacement. You'll also learn these concepts: why Anthropic's…

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  • You Ask, I Answer: Optimizing for Agentic Mode?

    Summary In today's episode, I break down how companies should navigate the gap between optimizing for AI-generated summaries and optimizing for AI agents that act on a user's behalf. Here's what this means for you. You'll discover that making your site fully accessible to machines also lifts the experience for human users with visual impairments,…

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  • Stop AI Slop: 21 Generative AI Use Cases for Marketers

    Are you tired of AI generating slop? I’m certainly tired of getting it, and content creation is arguably one of the least interesting use cases of AI today. In the new Trust Insights book 21 Use Cases of Generative AI For Marketers, derived from workshops I’ve delivered in the last 9 months, you’ll learn 21…

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