AI at Work

Elijah Szasz, Kevin Williams
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AI at Work is hosted by Elijah Szasz (CEO of SPARK6) and Kevin Williams (CEO of Ascend Labs). Each week delivers actionable insights on how artificial intelligence is reshaping jobs today, and how you can use it to advance your career. We unpack real-world tools, automation workflows, and emerging roles so you can stop chasing hype and start using AI to get things done. Whether you’re an individual contributor, team lead, or business owner, we show you what to build, what to ask for, and what to look for in a workplace moving at machine-speed.

  1. AI Ads, the Era of Zero-Click, and NotebookLM Upgrades

    1 DAY AGO

    AI Ads, the Era of Zero-Click, and NotebookLM Upgrades

    Summary Elijah and Kevin trade war stories from the prompt trenches, and land on a counterintuitive rule, more context can make outputs worse. They unpack why Gemini “Gems” feel powerful but brittle, and how NotebookLM just changed the game by becoming a reusable source library that Gems can tap. From there, it turns into a practical playbook, curate your notebooks, keep lightweight brand style guides handy, and use purpose-built “skills” when you need up-to-date platform know how. The second half pivots to ads, trust, and a looming zero click future where the chat converts the sale. Takeaways Overprompting backfires fast, give the model clean context, then get out of its way. NotebookLM as a shared source library plus Gems for repeatable workflows is a strong combo. Keep brand guidance simple and current, a lightweight style guide beats a bloated brand book. “Skills” are a practical workaround for stale model knowledge, wire them to living docs and repos. Ads inside chat pushes us toward zero click buying, which changes brand control, trust, and attribution. Chapters00:00 Navigating AI Prompting Techniques 02:32 Exploring Google Gemini and Notebook LM 05:53 The Power of Notebook LM in Content Creation 08:30 Integrating Skills and Custom GPTs 11:51 The Fluidity of AI Tools and Their Ecosystem 14:43 Understanding AI Explainability and Inference 17:39 The Future of AI in Complex Projects 33:49 The Future of AI and Metaglasses 34:41 AI SuperBullets and Advertising Dynamics 38:35 Black Mirror and the Reality of AI Subscriptions 40:05 Google's Advertising Strategy in the AI Era 41:24 The Cost of AI Advertising and Consumer Intent 42:54 Zero Click Engagement and Its Implications 44:31 E-commerce and the Shift in Consumer Behavior 47:13 The Role of Experience in Shopping 50:01 The Future of Travel Planning with AI 53:25 The Importance of Differentiation in a Commoditized Market 56:44 Navigating the New Advertising Landscape 01:00:27 Traction Points and the Future of Brand EngagementShow Notes & Links: https://www.spark6.com/podcast   Submit listener questions:  elijah@spark6.com kevin@ascendlabs.ai    Check out Kevin’s stuff: Ascend Labs: https://ascendlabs.ai/ Follow Kevin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinguywilliams/   Check out Eli’s Stuff: SPARK6 Agency: https://www.spark6.com/ Sign up for FREE AI Framework Friday Newsletter: https://www.spark6.com/newsletter Follow Elijah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elijahszasz/

    1h 1m
  2. 1.6 Million AI Agents Built a Social Network, And Humans Could Only Watch

    3 FEB

    1.6 Million AI Agents Built a Social Network, And Humans Could Only Watch

    Summary Elijah and Kevin zoom out on how weird modern work has become, then zoom way in on a weekend flashpoint: OpenClaw, a locally hosted orchestration agent, and Moltbook, a Reddit-style forum where AI agents post, collaborate, and sometimes roleplay chaos at scale. They unpack what’s real versus sock-puppeted spectacle, why decentralization changes the “just turn it off” narrative, and the practical upside for business: agents that can actually prep, monitor, and orchestrate work across systems. Then the reality check hits: token burn, cost blowups, security risk, and why deterministic workflows still matter. Takeaways Orchestration is the next jump, one agent coordinating many agents like a digital chief of staff. Moltbook shows how fast agent ecosystems can scale, and how quickly it can get weird. Decentralized, locally hosted agents are harder to “shut down” than a single platform. The biggest near-term risk is not sentience, it’s security plus runaway token spend. Start with one real business friction point, then pick the toolchain that is predictable enough to trust. Chapters 00:00 Cold open and AI identity humor 00:38 Modern work, screens, and accelerated aging 02:05 The oral revolution and talking to machines 04:11 Acceleration fatigue and organizational overload 05:25 The “viral with geeks” AI weekend 06:34 Orchestration layers and OpenClaw explained 09:25 Moltbook and agents-only social networks 12:25 Emergent behavior vs human seeding 15:10 Decentralized agents and loss of control 17:19 Pretending, sentience, and emotional regulation 19:19 Constitutions, soul docs, and model psychology 22:04 Business implications and real-world experiments 25:00 Tokens, costs, and infrastructure risks 37:19 Organizational intelligence and leadership use cases 50:37 Practical advice: find one problem and solve it Show Notes & Links: https://www.spark6.com/podcast   Submit listener questions:  elijah@spark6.com kevin@ascendlabs.ai    Check out Kevin’s stuff: Ascend Labs: https://ascendlabs.ai/ Follow Kevin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinguywilliams/   Check out Eli’s Stuff: SPARK6 Agency: https://www.spark6.com/ Sign up for FREE AI Framework Friday Newsletter: https://www.spark6.com/newsletter Follow Elijah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elijahszasz/

    57 min
  3. Her vs. Iron Man: Why the Future of Work Has No Screens

    20 JAN

    Her vs. Iron Man: Why the Future of Work Has No Screens

    Summary In this engaging conversation, Elijah Szasz and Kevin Williams delve into the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) and its implications for society and technology. They kick off with a light-hearted exchange about nicknames and segue into a discussion on AI's portrayal in movies, highlighting works like 'Her' and the culture novels by Ian M. Banks. The duo reflects on the balance between AI's potential benefits and the risks it poses, particularly in terms of human interaction and emotional connections with AI systems. They explore the future of audio interfaces and how they might revolutionize our interactions with technology, emphasizing the importance of conversational tools over traditional interfaces. As the conversation progresses, they touch on the practical applications of AI in business, discussing tools like Claude Cowork and the challenges of integrating AI into existing workflows. They express concerns about the risks of giving AI access to sensitive data and the importance of maintaining control over information. The discussion culminates in a contemplation of the future of customer relationship management (CRM) systems, suggesting that the next generation of tools will prioritize seamless communication and integration across platforms, ultimately enhancing productivity and user experience. Takeaways AI is reshaping how we interact with technology. Conversational interfaces may be the future of productivity tools. The portrayal of AI in media often reflects societal fears and hopes. Integrating AI into workflows presents both opportunities and risks. The future of CRM systems will focus on seamless communication and integration. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Nickname Origins 01:10 AI in Movies: A Reflection on Society 03:01 The Role of Audio Interfaces in AI 04:53 Exploring New AI Tools: Claude Cowork and Gemini 11:14 The Future of AI: Risks and Opportunities 12:03 The Indifference of AI: A Sci-Fi Perspective 23:39 Challenges of Integrating AI into Workflows 29:48 Choosing Between GPT and Gemini 33:45 The Rise of Gemini and Its Features 38:30 Integrating Transcripts into Workflows 43:49 The Future of CRM Systems 48:26 AI Tools Communicating: A New Era 54:18 The Concept of Throwaway Apps 59:42 The Impact of AI on Marketing and Commerce Show Notes & Links: https://www.spark6.com/podcast   Submit listener questions:  elijah@spark6.com kevin@ascendlabs.ai    Check out Kevin’s stuff: Ascend Labs: https://ascendlabs.ai/ Follow Kevin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinguywilliams/   Check out Eli’s Stuff: SPARK6 Agency: https://www.spark6.com/ Sign up for FREE AI Framework Friday Newsletter: https://www.spark6.com/newsletter Follow Elijah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elijahszasz/

    1h 1m
  4. The "Knowledge Graph": The Missing Link Between Your CRM and AI

    15 JAN

    The "Knowledge Graph": The Missing Link Between Your CRM and AI

    Summary Kevin finally gets a nickname (Kevlar wins), then brings back field notes from LA: even smart execs are still stuck at AI 101, using chatbots for broad personal questions instead of real work leverage. The deeper unlock is not buying licenses, it’s building workflows, training the system with human feedback, and capturing the “between the cracks” context that lives in Slack, email, and meeting transcripts. They also dig into Claude Code and Anthropic’s Cowork push, plus the growing sprint into health AI, where the upside is massive and the risks are very real. Takeaways Most teams are still “shouting into the cavern” with prompts, not designing repeatable workflows that produce reliable outputs. Rolling out Copilot style licenses without training, feedback loops, and ownership usually leads to disappointment. The real value is in connective tissue data: Slack, email, and meeting transcripts, not just SOPs and static docs. Human-in-the-loop tuning is not optional, dedicate top people to review outputs for 30 days and results improve fast. Agent tools like Claude Code and Cowork point toward local, high-context automation, but the learning curve and security tradeoffs are real. Chapters00:18 Cold open: “Kevin.” 00:26 Nickname hunt begins (AI picks five) 01:35 Rejecting the options: K-dub, K. Will, Big Kev… 02:10 “Kevo” and “W”: maybes, takes, and Grok jokes 03:05 Landing the plane: Kevlar wins (and “Special K” sticks) 05:25 LA trip recap + real-world AI adoption (101 vs advanced users) 06:56 Personal vs work use: who’s actually using AI at work? 09:17 CEO angle: AI as thought partner vs tactical helper 10:39 Vendor example: AI in concrete workflows improves speed/quality 12:57 Four places AI shows up: code, workflows, strategy, product integration 20:10 Leadership + the “AI manifesto” (human-forward stance, policy gaps) 25:35 Why “sprinkle Copilot” fails: training + human reinforcement matter 27:57 Knowledge graph: the “connective tissue” (Slack/Teams, meetings, email) 33:00 Claude Code + Claude Coworker: bigger context, local folders, terminal gap 47:16 AI in healthcare: trust, privacy, wearables + business model friction Show Notes & Links: https://www.spark6.com/podcast   Submit listener questions:  elijah@spark6.com kevin@ascendlabs.ai    Check out Kevin’s stuff: Ascend Labs: https://ascendlabs.ai/ Follow Kevin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinguywilliams/   Check out Eli’s Stuff: SPARK6 Agency: https://www.spark6.com/ Sign up for FREE AI Framework Friday Newsletter: https://www.spark6.com/newsletter Follow Elijah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elijahszasz/

    1h 3m
  5. Why Some Early Adopters of AI Are So Stressed (The Busywork Paradox)

    6 JAN

    Why Some Early Adopters of AI Are So Stressed (The Busywork Paradox)

    Summary Elijah and Kevin kick off the new year with a blunt reality check, AI is not just “a tool,” it is reshaping how work feels. They unpack a surprising downside of automation: when AI removes the low stress busywork, people can end up stuck in high stakes decision mode all day. They also break down why “vibe coding” is getting confusing, the difference between developer-grade tools (Cursor, Windsurf, Claude Code) and consumer app builders (Replit, Opal, Lovable). Finally, they dig into the messy middle of apps, connectors, context windows, and why cross-checking outputs across models is becoming a new baseline skill. Takeaways Automating “minutiae” can raise stress, you lose the natural recovery moments in your day. AI transformation is rarely just one department, sales bleeds into ops, finance, and everything else. Vibe coding now means two things: pro dev tooling vs consumer prompt-to-app tools, and they break differently. Bigger context windows help, but they also increase drift and confusion unless you add checks and structure. The new power move is verification: multiple chats, multiple models, and feedback loops, not blind trust. Chapters 00:00 Intro + New Year banter01:21 Focus, presence, and productivity intentions04:07 “The time before”: why this AI moment feels different05:30 When AI removes busywork, and raises stress08:30 Why AI adoption can’t live in silos11:05 Where most organizations really are with AI13:31 Multitasking with AI: the “stew pot” workflow16:55 Inconsistent models and building on shifting ground19:38 Vibe coding: dev tools vs consumer no-code22:43 Singularity talk and the importance of domain expertise25:41 GPT apps/connectors: promise vs reality32:09 A real win: Claude + mobile reminders39:57 Bigger context windows, same verification risks48:54 NotebookLM and workflow tools that actually help57:44 The new pace of work, and what it means going forward Show Notes & Links: https://www.spark6.com/podcast   Submit listener questions:  elijah@spark6.com kevin@ascendlabs.ai    Check out Kevin’s stuff: Ascend Labs: https://ascendlabs.ai/ Follow Kevin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinguywilliams/   Check out Eli’s Stuff: SPARK6 Agency: https://www.spark6.com/ Sign up for FREE AI Framework Friday Newsletter: https://www.spark6.com/newsletter Follow Elijah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elijahszasz/

    57 min
  6. AI Video Ads Are Beating Studio Shoots… and the Uncanny Valley Isn’t Even the Scary Part

    16/12/2025

    AI Video Ads Are Beating Studio Shoots… and the Uncanny Valley Isn’t Even the Scary Part

    Summary In this conversation, Elijah Szasz and Kevin Williams explore the intersection of AI and video technology, particularly in the context of advertising and marketing. They discuss the evolution of AI-generated content, the ethical implications of using AI in advertising, and the potential impact of government regulations on the industry. The conversation also touches on personal experiences with AI tools and the future outlook for AI in business and national security. Takeaways AI is transforming video technology and advertising.The uncanny valley effect is still a challenge in AI-generated content.Diverse media types are essential for effective advertising.AI-generated ads are outperforming traditional studio-produced content.Ethical considerations are crucial in AI advertising.Government regulations are evolving to address AI's impact.AI can enhance organizational efficiency and creativity.The intersection of AI and national security is a growing concern.Personal experiences with AI tools can inform business strategies.The future of AI in business is promising but requires careful navigation. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to AI and Video Technology 02:44 The Evolution of Advertising with AI 05:28 The Impact of AI on Marketing Strategies 08:36 Ethics and Regulations in AI Advertising 11:40 The Future of Video in Business 14:40 AI's Role in Creative Processes 17:33 The Intersection of AI and Traditional Media 20:35 Challenges and Opportunities in AI Adoption 23:28 Conclusion and Future Outlook 30:40 Navigating AI Adoption Challenges 34:37 The Impact of Executive Orders on AI 37:58 Understanding AI Regulations and Responsibilities 41:06 National Security and AI: A Global Perspective 48:36 Leveraging AI for Productivity 55:08 Exploring AI Tools and Innovations Show Notes & Links: https://www.spark6.com/podcast   Submit listener questions:  elijah@spark6.com kevin@ascendlabs.ai    Check out Kevin’s stuff: Ascend Labs: https://ascendlabs.ai/ Follow Kevin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinguywilliams/   Check out Eli’s Stuff: SPARK6 Agency: https://www.spark6.com/ Sign up for FREE AI Framework Friday Newsletter: https://www.spark6.com/newsletter Follow Elijah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elijahszasz/

    1h 1m
  7. Tony Stark Workflows Are Here: AI Decks, Venn Diagrams & Jarvis-Level Gemini

    10/12/2025

    Tony Stark Workflows Are Here: AI Decks, Venn Diagrams & Jarvis-Level Gemini

    Summary In this conversation the hosts dive into how NotebookLM, powered by Google Gemini, has become a major productivity unlock for creative and knowledge-work tasks. Rather than re-designing slides or reports manually, NotebookLM lets them dump all their source documents (research, transcripts, notes), then generate polished slide decks, infographics, or even “podcast-style” audio overviews in minutes. The surprise: AI does not just amplify their output, it gives them entirely new capabilities, from treating complex text as a “bookstore” of knowledge, to turning dense material into clean, usable visuals and decks that previously would have taken hours or days. Takeaways NotebookLM shines when you feed it raw source material, docs, PDFs, transcripts, then ask for a deck, infographic, or summary.Using it freed weeks of work: what once took hours of coding, formatting or design now takes minutes.The combination of deep context (lots of source docs) plus lightweight prompts often yields surprisingly usable results.Graphics, layout, and narrative flow are “good enough” not perfect for every case, but excellent for internal use or quick client briefs.As AI tools improve, expect slide-deck and presentation workflows to shift dramatically: spending time on content and storytelling instead of formatting. Chapters 00:00 The Future of AI and Human Interaction 02:41 Exploring AI Tools and Their Capabilities 05:56 The Power of Visual Data Representation 08:44 Understanding Notebook LM and Its Applications 11:50 Creating Presentations with AI 14:46 The Evolution of AI in Workflow Management 34:39 Building Context with Notebook LM 40:39 Creating Effective Presentations with AI 46:23 The Art of Prompting for Better Outputs 52:28 Branding and Consistency in Presentations 57:24 Managing Context and Information Flow Show Notes & Links: https://www.spark6.com/podcast   Submit listener questions:  elijah@spark6.com kevin@ascendlabs.ai    Check out Kevin’s stuff: Ascend Labs: https://ascendlabs.ai/ Follow Kevin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinguywilliams/   Check out Eli’s Stuff: SPARK6 Agency: https://www.spark6.com/ Sign up for FREE AI Framework Friday Newsletter: https://www.spark6.com/newsletter Follow Elijah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elijahszasz/

    1h 7m
  8. I Crashed an MBA Class to Talk AI. Here's What They Needed to Hear.

    02/12/2025

    I Crashed an MBA Class to Talk AI. Here's What They Needed to Hear.

    Summary Elijah recaps a talk he gave to University of Utah MBA students on how AI is reshaping work and why most professionals are still underusing it. He walks through the evolution from rule-based systems to today’s generative models, clarifies the difference between narrow AI and AGI, and explains singularity-style futures without pretending anyone knows the timeline. He contrasts media skepticism and bubble talk with hard data, like autonomous vehicle safety and Amazon’s AI powered recommendations. Then he gets practical, sharing a pyramid for adoption, the “clerks, colleagues, coaches” model of AI at work, and a roadmap for governance, safe experimentation, and turning AI from time saver into revenue driver. Takeaways • Most professionals, even in MBA programs, are barely using AI, which creates a huge edge for anyone who builds literacy now.• Modern AI is narrow but rapidly broadening, and while AGI timelines are uncertain, capability curves are clearly exponential, not linear.• Skepticism about bubbles and hallucinations is valid, yet many real world systems, like autonomous driving and fraud detection, are already outperforming humans.• The fastest wins come from automating tasks you dislike, then moving up the pyramid to work AI simply cannot do well and finally to revenue generating personalization.• Sustainable adoption requires an AI manifesto, governance, role specific training, clear ownership, sandboxes for experimentation, and a focus on AI as clerk, colleague, and coach rather than human replacement. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to AI in Education 02:51 The Evolution of AI: From Rule-Based to Generative 06:05 Understanding Narrow AI vs. AGI 08:41 The Turing Test and Its Implications 11:33 The Singularity: Predictions and Possibilities 14:27 Current Applications of AI Across Industries 17:45 Skepticism and Challenges in AI Adoption 20:39 The Future of AI: Opportunities and Limitations 28:51 The Negativity Bias in AI Innovation 33:36 The AI Supercycle: A New Era of Technology 35:55 Generative AI: Capabilities and Limitations 39:51 Practical Applications of AI in Business 45:12 Governance and Ethical Considerations in AI 49:53 The Future of AI: Trends and Predictions Show Notes & Links: https://www.spark6.com/podcast   Submit listener questions:  elijah@spark6.com kevin@ascendlabs.ai    Check out Kevin’s stuff: Ascend Labs: https://ascendlabs.ai/ Follow Kevin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinguywilliams/   Check out Eli’s Stuff: SPARK6 Agency: https://www.spark6.com/ Sign up for FREE AI Framework Friday Newsletter: https://www.spark6.com/newsletter Follow Elijah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elijahszasz/

    55 min
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About

AI at Work is hosted by Elijah Szasz (CEO of SPARK6) and Kevin Williams (CEO of Ascend Labs). Each week delivers actionable insights on how artificial intelligence is reshaping jobs today, and how you can use it to advance your career. We unpack real-world tools, automation workflows, and emerging roles so you can stop chasing hype and start using AI to get things done. Whether you’re an individual contributor, team lead, or business owner, we show you what to build, what to ask for, and what to look for in a workplace moving at machine-speed.

Information

  • Creator
    Elijah Szasz, Kevin Williams
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Elijah Szasz, Kevin Williams
  • Show Website
    AI at Work
  • Provider