AI at Work

Elijah Szasz, Kevin Williams
  • 5.0 (20)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP

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. Is Your Organization Ready or Just Excited?

    3D AGO

    Is Your Organization Ready or Just Excited?

    What does AI implementation actually look like when you move beyond the hype? Aaron Wilt, CEO of 40-person Pulse V Holdings, shares the unfiltered reality of deploying AI in a mid-market business where technical sophistication meets organizational complexity. This conversation reveals why even leaders who deeply understand AI struggle with organizational deployment, and what it really takes to bridge the gap between AI demos and business transformation. Aaron breaks down the "trust calibration" problem, the three-way intersection most companies lack, and why winners use AI to win harder while others get left behind. Key topics covered: ✅ The implementation bottleneck - why technical knowledge isn't enough ✅ Trust calibration - when 85% AI accuracy is acceptable vs. dangerous ✅ Building AI teams - pairing skeptics with dreamers for maximum impact ✅ Control vs. scale - centralized innovation vs. distributed adoption ✅ The SaaSpocalypse - how AI enables internal capability building ✅ Risk management - deterministic vs. probabilistic AI applications ✅ Team dynamics - getting non-technical staff to adopt AI tools ✅ Future-proofing - what to tell kids about AI and careers Get practical AI guidance: https://assessment.ascendlabs.ai/ Book a conversation with Kevin: tidycal.com/kevinwilliams TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 — Introduction and Aaron's background 03:00 — AI evolution: Chat bot to context to orchestration eras 08:00 — The probabilistic nature problem and trust calibration 15:00 — Current AI stack and team adoption at Pulse V 22:00 — Risk management and process controls 28:00 — The SaaSpocalypse and internal capability building 31:00 — Organizational challenges and people dynamics 38:00 — Developer resistance and team composition 42:00 — Future education and closing thoughts 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/

    43 min
  2. The Microsoft-Claude Connection That Actually Works

    MAY 13

    The Microsoft-Claude Connection That Actually Works

    Kevin Williams breaks down the Microsoft-Claude integration that's transforming productivity workflows, plus the legal risks and model competition shaping AI adoption decisions. The Claude add-on for Microsoft Office enables something most people haven't seen yet: lateral document communication. Your email can talk to Word, Word can talk to Excel, Excel can talk to PowerPoint—all seamlessly connected. Kevin explains why this integration matters more than having the smartest AI model, and how it's changing his perspective on Microsoft's productivity suite. The conversation also covers the current state of AI model competition, why different models excel at specific tasks, and the emerging legal liabilities around AI agents making autonomous decisions in organizations. How the Microsoft-Claude integration actually works Why document integration beats AI intelligence for most businesses Current state of GPT vs Claude vs Gemini capabilities Legal risks of AI transcripts and agent decisions Shadow AI use and corporate policy implications The "dead internet" problem with AI-generated content Why boring AI integration creates competitive advantage Practical next steps for Microsoft Office users APPROXIMATE TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 — Intro and Microsoft-Claude revelation 03:00 — How lateral document communication works 08:00 — Current AI model comparison and capabilities 15:00 — GPT agents vs Claude computer use 20:00 — Team plans and organizational AI adoption 25:00 — Risk tolerance for AI agent deployment 30:00 — The "dead internet" and content authenticity 35:00 — Legal liabilities and AI policy implications 40:00 — Wrap-up and next episode preview → Get practical AI guidance: https://assessment.ascendlabs.ai/ → Book a strategy conversation: tidycal.com/kevinwilliams 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/

    38 min
  3. When Your Team Says Claude But Means GPT

    MAY 5

    When Your Team Says Claude But Means GPT

    The AI industry loves throwing around the word 'agents,' but most teams are still stuck in basic prompting mode. Kevin and Eli cut through the semantic noise to reveal what actually matters: sophisticated automation is now accessible through natural language, not technical configuration. In this episode, they explore the practical reality of moving from one-off prompts to systematic workflows, why the 'agent' versus 'automation' debate misses the point, and how natural language interfaces are removing technical barriers that used to require specialized workflow knowledge. Key topics covered: ✅ Why most people are still just prompting instead of building workflows ✅ How natural language makes complex automation accessible ✅ The practical difference between projects, automations, and agents ✅ Real examples of workflow automation without technical expertise ✅ Why focusing on results beats debating terminology ✅ Moving from ChatGPT tabs to systematic AI integration This isn't about the latest AI hype – it's about practical transformation that works Monday morning. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 — Future of AI and robotics discussion 08:16 — Current state of enterprise AI adoption 16:30 — Job displacement and economic impact 25:40 — Moving beyond basic prompting 35:20 — Context and platform lock-in 42:30 — Agents vs automations semantics 52:00 — OpenAI agents vs Claude workflows 58:30 — Real-world automation examples 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 2m
  4. When Your AI Budget Hits Your Salary

    APR 29

    When Your AI Budget Hits Your Salary

    The "token maxing" phenomenon is reshaping how organizations think about AI budgets, but most companies are asking the wrong questions about AI spending. In this episode, Kevin and Eli explore the reality behind engineers burning through massive token budgets - sometimes exceeding their own salaries - and what it means for practical AI adoption in mid-market companies. From Stockholm engineers outspending their paychecks on Claude to Jensen Huang's $250K token requirements, we break down why most organizations need output-focused spending strategies, not ego-driven token consumption. Key topics covered: ✅ The token maxing phenomenon and what's driving it ✅ Why most mid-market companies don't need massive AI budgets ✅ The difference between productive AI spending and token burning ✅ How to build sustainable AI strategies that survive subsidy endings ✅ Real-world examples of agents running amok overnight ✅ Microsoft's new agentic capabilities in Office suite ✅ Platform comparison: OpenAI vs Anthropic vs Google for different use cases TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 — Intro and token maxing overview 02:30 — What token maxing actually means 05:45 — Jensen Huang's $250K token requirement 08:15 — Mid-market reality vs Silicon Valley hype 12:00 — Agent sprawl and overnight token burns 18:30 — Microsoft's new agentic Office features 25:40 — AI subsidy era and pricing reality 32:45 — Platform wars: choosing your AI stack 42:00 — Practical token budgeting strategies 48:50 — Future of AI pricing models 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
  5. Why Your Chief of Staff Dreams About You

    APR 21

    Why Your Chief of Staff Dreams About You

    What if you could run your entire workday through one AI conversation? Kevin and Eli explore the emerging 'monothread' format that's revolutionizing how teams operate - plus the hidden security risks that amateur AI builders are creating. In this episode, we dive deep into how the monothread approach eliminates app switching by connecting your email, calendar, tasks, and CRM into one continuous AI conversation. But we also cover the reality: it's still janky to set up, the security vulnerabilities are real, and most organizations aren't ready. We also discuss Claude Design's launch that sent Figma's stock tumbling, why Canva is positioned to survive the AI design revolution, and the critical security practices every AI experimenter needs to know. ✅ Key Topics Covered: ✅ The monothread revolution and how to build your AI chief of staff ✅ Why Claude Design might end Figma (and what that means for designers) ✅ Security nightmares: API key protection and the amateur builder problem ✅ Platform comparison: Claude vs GPT vs Gemini for business use ✅ The hidden costs of AI tool proliferation ✅ Voice-first AI workflows and their psychological impact Timestamps: 00:00 — Intro and sleep tracking with AI 05:15 — Main quest vs side quest in AI adoption 12:40 — The monothread format explained 20:30 — Voice-first AI and dream psychology 25:15 — Claude Design launch and Figma's response 35:45 — Platform comparison and subscription costs 45:20 — Security vulnerabilities in amateur AI apps 55:00 — API protection and credential rotation 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. When Your Entire AI Team Calls in Sick at 6 AM

    APR 16

    When Your Entire AI Team Calls in Sick at 6 AM

    When Anthropic's Claude went down at 6:15 AM on tax day, it exposed a critical blind spot that most AI-adopting organizations haven't considered: vendor dependency risk. In this episode, Kevin and Eli dive deep into what happened when their entire AI-powered workflow ecosystem crashed simultaneously, revealing the hidden dangers of building business operations around single AI providers without backup plans. This conversation goes beyond the surface frustration of a service outage to explore the fundamental readiness gap that exists when organizations treat experimental AI services like established infrastructure. You'll discover why this isn't just a technology problem, but an organizational planning problem that requires immediate attention. Key topics covered: ✅ The "heroin dealer problem" - what happens when AI dependency meets reality ✅ Hidden costs of API pricing vs subscription models and recent Anthropic changes ✅ Why AI subsidies are ending and what it means for your budget ✅ Building redundancy into AI-powered business operations ✅ The Mythos model leak and cybersecurity implications for all businesses ✅ Practical security steps every organization must take now Approximate timestamps (verify against recording): 00:00 — Introduction and the morning Claude went down 02:49 — The heroin dealer analogy and dependency realization 07:15 — Understanding AI subscription vs API pricing models 15:19 — Anthropic's April 4th changes and the end of workarounds 28:11 — Real cost examples: $200/month to $7000/month overnight 40:05 — Content creation, AI slop, and the attention economy 52:32 — Mythos model leak and cybersecurity implications 57:37 — Practical security steps: passwords, 2FA, and analog safeguards 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/

    58 min
  7. The First Day You Stop Opening Apps.

    APR 8

    The First Day You Stop Opening Apps.

    Kevin Williams & Elijah Szasz demonstrates the end of interface friction by consolidating his entire workflow into a single Claude conversation. No more jumping between ClickUp, HubSpot, and Slack - everything happens through natural conversation with AI connectors pulling and pushing data to the right systems. This episode explores a fundamental shift happening right now: your SaaS tools are becoming expensive databases with unnecessary user interfaces. The real productivity breakthrough isn't better tools - it's eliminating the need to context-switch between tools entirely. Kevin shares his six-day experiment of running his entire business through one chat window, including project management, CRM updates, team coordination, and strategic planning. The result? Massive time savings and the elimination of what he calls "administrative fiddliness." ✅ Key Topics Covered: ✅ How to build Claude connectors for seamless workflow management ✅ Why most productivity problems are actually interface problems ✅ The coming SaaS revolution and what it means for business software ✅ Practical strategies for consolidating multiple tools into single conversations ✅ The psychology of context-switching and why it kills momentum ✅ Future predictions for AI-powered workflow consolidation TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 — Intro 04:49 — The SaaS apocalypse conversation 18:15 — Creative industry disruption 24:49 — The end of fiddliness breakthrough 35:07 — Building the single-interface workflow 41:09 — Platform connectors and automations 53:33 — The future of business software interfaces 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/

    54 min
  8. The Best Productivity Hack Right Now? Dictation

    APR 1

    The Best Productivity Hack Right Now? Dictation

    Kevin and Eli dive deep into the productivity unlock everyone's missing: dictation. Kevin reveals he's crossed one million words dictated and shares why voice input isn't just faster - it generates 3-5x more context-rich data that dramatically improves AI responses. This episode explores the gap between AI hype and practical implementation, covering computer use capabilities in Claude, the challenges of brittle workflows, and why the best AI adoption strategies focus on reducing input friction rather than upgrading models. The conversation touches on platform friction, the emerging agent economy, and why successful AI implementations meet people where they already communicate best - through speech. ✅ Key topics covered: ✅ Why dictation beats typing for AI adoption ✅ Computer use vs browser use capabilities ✅ Data density as the real AI productivity unlock ✅ Platform friction and workflow brittleness ✅ Voice interfaces for reluctant AI users ✅ The knowledge graph beyond the office ✅ Practical tips for Claude Cowork and automation Timestamps: 00:00 — Intro and Anthropic leak discussion 03:00 — Platform evolution and agent capabilities 07:00 — Computer use experiments and failures 15:00 — Beehive platform friction story 25:00 — Dictation productivity breakthrough 35:00 — Voice input and data density insights 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/

    47 min
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5
out of 5
20 Ratings

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
    27
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Elijah Szasz, Kevin Williams
  • Show Website
    AI at Work

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