Give Over to AI
The one thing I don't hand over to AI is my thinking. On using AI to sharpen judgment, not skip it, and why cognitive debt is the real cost of shortcuts.
What I'm seeing, what I'm thinking about, and what I think matters.
My insights live in two series. Worth Knowing is where I share what I'm seeing in the AI community and the broader business landscape... the developments and shifts I think matter. My Margin Notes is more personal. Observations and honest takeaways from building, creating, and implementing AI tools in my own business and for my clients. Think of it as my running notebook on what's working, what's not, and what's changed the way I think.
The one thing I don't hand over to AI is my thinking. On using AI to sharpen judgment, not skip it, and why cognitive debt is the real cost of shortcuts.
Anthropic opened its Microsoft 365 integration to every Claude tier, including the free one. For small businesses, it's the lowest-stakes way yet to try a real AI assistant on your own real work.
OpenAI laid out a sweeping vision for the AI economy this week. Meanwhile, the conversation at the kitchen table is much smaller, much quieter, and much more useful.
When someone asks what AI tool they should use, that's rarely the real question. The real question is usually closer to "I don't know where to start."
Oracle cut 30,000 jobs to fund AI data centers. Big companies are making billion-dollar bets. Small businesses don't have to. You're solving for Tuesday.
AI returns lag. So did cloud computing. The investment is needed now, but only if you start with clarity, not just spending.
76% of small businesses use AI, but only 14% have fully integrated it. The gap isn't tools. It's the conversation before the build.
Portfolio companies now need 10–12% EBITDA growth, up from 5%. AI can help, but not without understanding where the friction actually lives.
88% of companies are using AI. Only 39% say it's working. The problem isn't money. It's knowing where to point it.
A company long associated with safety-first AI development recently shifted its approach. The reaction was quick. But the surface read may be too simple.
I'm not an engineer. No CS degree. Six months ago, I couldn't define a virtual environment. Since then, I've built more than 30 tools with Claude Code. Here's what happens when AI goes beyond answering questions.
OpenAI acquired OpenClaw, and it signals something bigger than a headline. The AI race is shifting from smartest model to most useful agent.
Most business owners' first meaningful AI moment isn't a dashboard or automation. It's a real conversation about a real decision.
We keep asking "Are you using AI?" Nearly 80% of small businesses already are, without realizing it. The better question changes everything.
The SBA just approved AI education at 900+ Small Business Development Centers. Why this is the practical starting point small businesses have been waiting for.