How MCP Servers Actually Work
Last week I hosted an MCP workshop. Here’s what you MUST know about MCP. You assume an MCP server lives somewhere out on the internet, and you just connect to it. But most of the time, you launch the server yourself — right on your own machine. Once that clicks, the whole protocol makes sense. […]
How to Get Hired as an AI Engineer
“What’s the difference between a competent AI engineer and one you’d actually hire?” Jackie, one of our members, asked me this question today. Here’s what I told her. Competence is the entry ticket. The real differentiator is demonstrated curiosity. Why? This field changes faster than almost any other. If you’re competent today, I can’t assume […]
Can you actually trust AI with your data?
Yesterday, I saved my friend from AI. We were analyzing a workplace survey. 30+ questions, two groups of people. He was presenting it to 200 people at work the next day. We dropped the data into an LLM, asked it to run the analysis and build a presentation. Minutes later: done. Polished. Convincing. Then we […]
The company that banned AI
A well-known American clothing brand just banned AI. All of it. Over 2,000 employees. One approved tool: Microsoft Copilot chat. No Claude Code, no Claude, no ChatGPT, no Cursor, no agents. Nothing. No AI — for anyone. I heard this from Maya (name changed for privacy), a senior software engineer there. At a recent company […]
Your colleagues hating AI is good news
“I’ve become rather unpopular because of AI.” That’s what Marcus (name changed for privacy) told me recently. He works in credit risk modeling at a large, well-known bank. He joined our challenge, started learning AI, and did what enthusiastic people do: he shared what he was learning and the wins he was having. His department […]
AI won’t replace you. These people will.
I’ve been running the AI Project Challenge for 3 months. Recently we tested Instagram ads to reach new audiences. We filled an entire cohort with 20-year-olds. (No surprise — that’s where they hang out.) When I got on the call with them, I was struck by their drive. These aren’t career-switchers trying to stay relevant. […]
Two myths about LLMs
Today I’m going to bust two myths about LLMs. The first one you’ve probably heard before. The second one — chances are it’s going to surprise you. Myth 1: LLMs think. Ask an LLM what the tallest mountain is. It pauses. Then it responds: “The tallest mountain in the world is Mount Everest…” Looks like […]
Everyone is learning AI Engineering. Are you?
Our AI Project Challenge is growing in popularity. Almost every week I find myself launching a new cohort. And I’m learning a lot about the trajectory of the industry from our participants. If you’re on the fence about learning AI Engineering, here’s something worth seeing. People from all areas of tech are jumping on this […]
Caching with LLMs
One of the first questions I get from new AI builders is always the same. “How much is this going to cost me?” So let me show you something from my own account. Two weeks of building and testing LLMs. Running queries, experimenting with models, and recording tutorials. Total spend: 33 cents. Most days were […]
400 Million Companies
There are 400 million small and mid-size businesses in the world. Four. Hundred. Million. 76% reported they are either actively using or exploring AI. (PayPal research) But don’t let that number mislead you. Here’s what it really means: Trying ChatGPT. Piloting automations. Seeing what’s possible. I.e. dipping their toes in the water. Only about 5% […]