Great stuff sharing examples of how to use AI & automations for actual business use cases. I know that at the start of 2024 I didn't use much AI cause I didn't thought I had a proper use case for it.
The "content 2nd brain" is something I believe everyone should have.
And I agree that 2026 is going to be even more "groundbreaking". I'm having a blast setting up agents to build many of the projects I put on pause cause I didn't have the time before to build.
Awesome! I know how you feel. Building and learning AI agents for personalized, actual use cases is a blast. What’s your favorite AI agent you’ve built so far? 😆 Mine is my expense tracker and coach.
I have to be careful and not go overboard and building a ton of stuff just because I can without a clear objective and then end up with a big LLM bill hahaha.
And spreadsheets are the best way to manage those, simple to use but pretty powerful.
Thanks James, this is a really important post. I think the first point that you make is the most insightful as one of the ways I'm most excited about using AI over the next year is to help build a bridge between my imagination and my coding skills. The first thing I'm doing is just basically taking a massive sheet of paper and working out all the things that I would love to build and then trying to make them happen.
Thank you, Sam! I love that. That's exactly what I do for my projects, too 😂 I believe in your mission and would love to do whatever I can to contribute. If you have anything specific, feel free to hit me up, if it's something within my capability, I would love to help you develop it without cost.
Indeed, the living second brain is my use case, with Obsidian, building one article at a time (both input and output). But not so easy to leverage, only recently with claude code, is it starting to make sense and be useful..
This article comes at the perfect time, truly. "You’re short on imagination... because the examples you’re seeing don’t translate to your world" hit me hard. It’s so spot on! We see all this hype, but whats actually useful? Really makes me wonder what five systems you'll reveal. Amazing insight.
That gauntlet has one too many fingers.
Just means it can hold more
Cool piece - what stood out was the push beyond ‘just use AI’ to actually build systems that reflect what you uniquely do.
Too often people chase the next shiny model without thinking if that actually deepens their edge or just automates noise.
Thank you -- that was my intention. AI is powerful, but only if we know how it can actually help us. Most advice out there don't really do that.
The sharp distinction is automation that compresses time versus automation that encodes identity. Only the later compounds into defensibility
Everybody can save time — only few can encode identity.
5 guardrails to prevent chaos would be another title. Definitely moats you can build around your fortress. Thank you James
Thank you for your words, Juan! I know I’m on the right track when you say this 😏
Now I am blushing! Cheers pal
Oh wow! I look forward for the follow-up post! This is good! :)
Thank you! There will be many more :D
Thankfully someone has found some moats to share ! Thanks mate 🤓
Hah 😄 thanks for the continual support, friend
Great stuff sharing examples of how to use AI & automations for actual business use cases. I know that at the start of 2024 I didn't use much AI cause I didn't thought I had a proper use case for it.
The "content 2nd brain" is something I believe everyone should have.
And I agree that 2026 is going to be even more "groundbreaking". I'm having a blast setting up agents to build many of the projects I put on pause cause I didn't have the time before to build.
Awesome! I know how you feel. Building and learning AI agents for personalized, actual use cases is a blast. What’s your favorite AI agent you’ve built so far? 😆 Mine is my expense tracker and coach.
Niceeee. That's an actually useful use case. I remember in 2019 I had a whole spreadsheet of expenses.
My favorite one so far is an agent that tracks progress across my projects (like a project manager of sorts).
Last weekend I spent quite some time taking old projects from my "when I have time" list and setting them up locally.
Very cool!!! I can just imagine all the projects youll accomplish.
Also, funny you mentioned spreadsheets, because Google sheets is exactly where my finances live rn
I have to be careful and not go overboard and building a ton of stuff just because I can without a clear objective and then end up with a big LLM bill hahaha.
And spreadsheets are the best way to manage those, simple to use but pretty powerful.
All is fun until you see those bills hahaha
I love the system building mindset. The second brain is specifically really compelling. Thanks for sharing!
I have a version of it I'm currently developing! Will write something on it if anyone's interested :)
Oh for sure would be interesting!
Cool 😎😎😎😎😎
True AI moats come not from speed, but systems that encode your unique strategy, mission, and assets.
Exactly. Thank you, Micheal. The systems translate your strategy and mission into reality.
Most AI talk focuses on speed and efficiency, but real advantage comes from systems that reflect your business, your strategy, and your unique assets.
Infuse your business with every unique part of yourself!
This frames automation in a much more grounded way.
Thank you, John!
Thanks James, this is a really important post. I think the first point that you make is the most insightful as one of the ways I'm most excited about using AI over the next year is to help build a bridge between my imagination and my coding skills. The first thing I'm doing is just basically taking a massive sheet of paper and working out all the things that I would love to build and then trying to make them happen.
Thank you, Sam! I love that. That's exactly what I do for my projects, too 😂 I believe in your mission and would love to do whatever I can to contribute. If you have anything specific, feel free to hit me up, if it's something within my capability, I would love to help you develop it without cost.
Thanks so much James. I will almost certainly take you up on that offer 🙏
Looking forward to it :)
Indeed, the living second brain is my use case, with Obsidian, building one article at a time (both input and output). But not so easy to leverage, only recently with claude code, is it starting to make sense and be useful..
This article comes at the perfect time, truly. "You’re short on imagination... because the examples you’re seeing don’t translate to your world" hit me hard. It’s so spot on! We see all this hype, but whats actually useful? Really makes me wonder what five systems you'll reveal. Amazing insight.