Tool Use - AI Conversations

Mike Bird

The latest AI tools and strategies, featuring top builders, entrepreneurs, and researchers. Every Tuesday, get actionable knowledge about AI services that you can use today. - Conversations with AI builders and founders - Practical tips for applying AI immediately - Live demos of cutting-edge AI products - Deep dives into open-source projects Join us as we explore the rapidly evolving AI landscape and discover tools that transform productivity, creativity, and business. Subscribe now and stay ahead of the AI curve

  1. How To Make Your A.I. Product Go Viral (ft Mano Tsiris)

    6 DGN GELEDEN

    How To Make Your A.I. Product Go Viral (ft Mano Tsiris)

    Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX In 2026, building an AI product is easier than ever, but getting traction and finding customers is the real challenge. In episode 82 of Tool Use, we sit down with Mano Tsiris, a serial exited founder and head of growth at Optimal AI, to break down the ultimate go-to-market strategy for technical founders and builders. Discover how to validate your startup ideas and talk to users before writing a single line of code. Mano shares his proven marketing playbook, including how to build in public on LinkedIn, repurpose content using AI tools like Gemini and Claude Code, and leverage IRL events to grow your network. Whether you are bootstrapping a side project or trying to get your first hundred users, this conversation is packed with actionable advice on distribution, audience building, and standing out in a crowded market. Mano Tsiris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emanueltsiris Optimal AI: https://getoptimal.ai Connect with us https://x.com/ToolUsePodcast https://x.com/MikeBirdTech 00:00:00 - Intro 00:03:53 - Mindset Shift: From AI Builder to SaaS Seller 00:09:21 - Building in Public & Thought Leadership Strategies 00:11:21 - Repurposing Content & SEO with AI Tools 00:22:12 - A/B Testing & Finding Viral Hooks with Gemini 00:26:56 - Startup Ideation: How to Validate SaaS Ideas Before Building 00:37:02 - The Ultimate AI Marketing Tech Stack for Founders Subscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and startup growth. Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts.

    47 min
  2. How To Build a Hybrid AI System with Any-LLM (ft Nathan Brake)

    3 MRT

    How To Build a Hybrid AI System with Any-LLM (ft Nathan Brake)

    Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX Are you looking to optimize your AI applications with the best open source Large Language Models? This week, we explore open source AI, rapid model switching, and local self-hosting with Nathan Break, a Machine Learning Engineer at Mozilla AI and the creator of Any-LLM. Any-LLM is an open-source Python SDK that allows developers to seamlessly talk to any LLM provider through a single, unified interface. Nathan demonstrates how developers can instantly swap between cloud-hosted AI providers and local models like Llamafile by changing just a single line of code. We dive into the growing capabilities of smaller, cost-effective models, how to reduce your API expenses, and the security benefits of running local AI on your own hardware. Nathan also introduces the Any-LLM Platform, a secure vault for managing API keys that tracks your token usage and enforces budget limits without ever accessing your prompt data. Finally, we check out Porch Songs, Nathan's open-source application that leverages LLMs to rewrite the lyrics of popular songs while maintaining their original rhyme schemes and chord charts. Check out the projects mentioned in this episode: Any-LLM GitHub: https://github.com/mozilla-ai/any-llm Any-LLM Platform: https://any-llm.ai Mozilla AI Blog Post: https://blog.mozilla.ai/introducing-any-llm-a-unified-api-to-access-any-llm-provider Porch Songs GitHub: https://github.com/njbrake/porchsongs Connect with us https://x.com/ToolUsePodcast https://x.com/MikeBirdTech 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:25 - What is Any-LLM? Unified API for Open Source AI 00:05:32 - Benefits of Rapid Model Switching & Open Weight Models 00:11:06 - Any-LLM Python SDK Demo: Mistral Image Recognition 00:19:51 - Best Local AI Models: Llamafile, LM Studio & Local LLMs 00:24:38 - Any-LLM Platform Vault & Porch Songs App Demo 00:34:45 - AI Coding Agents, Claude Code & LLM Evaluations Subscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and open source development. Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts.

    44 min
  3. AI Sovereignty - Control Your Entire AI architecture (ft Max McCrea)

    24 FEB

    AI Sovereignty - Control Your Entire AI architecture (ft Max McCrea)

    Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX Are you putting your business at risk by relying on big AI companies? In this episode of the Tool Use podcast, we dive deep into Sovereign AI with Max McCrea, founder of Greyhaven. We explore how businesses can maintain control of their private data while still benefiting from AI. Max breaks down the importance of self-hosting and building architectures that abstract away the model provider so you can easily swap them out. We also discuss practical AI architecture decisions, the dangers of un-sandboxed AI agents, and how to set up software-defined sandbox environments to reduce the attack surface. Whether you are curious about running open source models or replacing proprietary tools, this episode provides a guide to taking back control of your systems. Guest Links: https://greyhaven.co https://maxmccrea.com https://github.com/GreyhavenHQ Connect with us https://x.com/ToolUsePodcast https://x.com/MikeBirdTech 00:00:00 - Intro 00:12:17 - AI Context Management & Personal Data Indexing 00:20:40 - Open Source Replacements vs Proprietary SaaS Tools 00:29:14 - Corporate AI Data Harvesting & Vendor Lock-in 00:49:18 - LLM Orchestration & AI System Architecture 00:53:24 - Best Open Source AI Models for Self-Hosting Subscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and data sovereignty. Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts.

    1u 6m
  4. Fine-Tune Your Own A.I. Video Model (ft. Greg Schoeninger)

    10 FEB

    Fine-Tune Your Own A.I. Video Model (ft. Greg Schoeninger)

    Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX Unlock the power of AI fine-tuning for image and video models with Greg Schoeninger, CEO of Oxen.ai. In this episode, we explore how to move beyond simple prompt engineering to training custom open-source models for as little as $1. Discover the technical strategies for building high-quality datasets, the trade-offs between LoRAs and full fine-tunes, and how to achieve consistent characters and styles in generative video. We dive into real-world examples, including how to generate massive product catalogs for a fraction of the cost of enterprise APIs and the story behind the viral "Isometric NYC" project built with Claude Code. Greg breaks down the entire AI lifecycle—from data curation and labeling with Vision Language Models (VLMs) like Qwen and Gemini to deploying efficient, specialized models that outperform general-purpose giants. Whether you are looking to optimize GPU costs, automate video workflows, or build your own AI tools, this conversation provides the blueprint for scaling your AI capabilities. Links from the episode: Oxen AI: https://www.oxen.ai/ Fine Tuning Fridays: https://luma.com/oxen Isometric NYC Project: https://cannoneyed.com/projects/isometric-nyc Connect with us  https://x.com/ToolUsePodcast https://x.com/MikeBirdTech  https://x.com/gregschoeninger 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:47 - When to Switch from Prompt Engineering to Fine-Tuning 00:11:05 - How to Build a Dataset for AI Fine-Tuning 00:21:52 - LoRA vs. Full Fine-Tuning Explained 00:27:53 - Case Study: Fine-Tuned Qwen 3 VL vs. Google Gemini 00:36:33 - Case Study: Isometric NYC with Claude Code Subscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and fine-tuning. Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts.

    43 min
  5. Ryan Carson Explains The Ralph Wiggum Loop

    27 JAN

    Ryan Carson Explains The Ralph Wiggum Loop

    Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX Discover the power of the Ralph Wiggum Loop with Ryan Carson as we explore the future of AI coding agents, autonomous workflows, and building one-person companies. In this episode, we break down how to implement Jeff Huntley’s simplified bash script loop using tools like Claude Code and Amp to ship features faster than ever. Ryan shares his tactical advice on creating high-quality PRDs, defining clear acceptance criteria for agent browser testing, and moving beyond human-in-the-loop development. We also dive into advanced AI engineering strategies, including self-healing systems, MCP servers like Sentry and Fizzy, and how to use LLMs to automate business operations through CRON job insights and email marketing drips. Whether you are an AI engineer or a founder, learn how to stop writing syntax and start orchestrating a fleet of agents to amplify your delivery speed and creative joy. Follow Ryan's Work: Untangle: https://www.untangle-us.com/ Ralph Loop Repo: https://github.com/snarktank/ralph Ryan on X: https://x.com/ryancarson Connect with us https://x.com/ToolUsePodcast https://x.com/MikeBirdTech https://x.com/ryancarson 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:17 - How the Ralph Wiggum Loop Works 00:02:46 - Fresh Context Windows vs. Context Rot 00:12:15 - Deterministic Harnessing and Agent Hooks 00:17:59 - Agent Browser Testing & Acceptance Criteria 00:28:13 - Automating Business and Marketing Loops 00:39:09 - PR Review Bots and AI Engineering Workflows Subscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and orchestration. Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts.

    50 min
  6. Advanced Claude Code Part 2 (ft Eric Buess)

    20 JAN

    Advanced Claude Code Part 2 (ft Eric Buess)

    Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX Claude Code is evolving from a terminal-based developer tool into the Everything Agent that manages your entire life. In this episode, Eric Buess returns to show us how he built a hands-free, voice-controlled AI system that handles everything from school emails and calendar scheduling to monitoring family text messages. We dive deep into advanced Claude Code strategies, including how to use the hook system to intercept model prompts and the Ralph Wickham loop to enable truly autonomous task completion. Eric explains why he moved away from static claude.md files in favor of programmatic hooks that steer the model with surgical precision. We also explore the power of adversarial sub-agents that fact-check AI claims and the Titus wake word system that lets him command his terminal from a car or Meta Ray-Ban glasses. Whether you are a developer looking to maximize the Anthropic Agent SDK or a productivity enthusiast wanting to reclaim your time, this masterclass in agentic workflows will change how you think about AI automation. Keep up with Eric: https://ericbuess.ai Connect with us https://x.com/ToolUsePodcast https://x.com/MikeBirdTech https://x.com/EricBuess 00:00:00 - Intro 00:02:20 - The Claude Code Hook System & Vertical Stack 00:03:08 - Why Agentic Hooks Matter for Automation 00:11:58 - Replacing claude.md with JSON Rules & Hooks 00:16:43 - Multi-Agent Workflows & Adversarial Validation 00:29:58 - Autonomous Task Loops & Self-Referential Injection 00:41:00 - Hands-Free AI: Voice-Controlled Claude Code Subscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and Agentic Workflows. Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts.

    52 min

Info

The latest AI tools and strategies, featuring top builders, entrepreneurs, and researchers. Every Tuesday, get actionable knowledge about AI services that you can use today. - Conversations with AI builders and founders - Practical tips for applying AI immediately - Live demos of cutting-edge AI products - Deep dives into open-source projects Join us as we explore the rapidly evolving AI landscape and discover tools that transform productivity, creativity, and business. Subscribe now and stay ahead of the AI curve

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