Capitalogix

Making The Intangible ... Tangible

I remember getting excited when my son finally seemed smart enough that I believed he was more intelligent than our dog. For the record, it took longer than I thought it would.

Likewise, human and chimpanzee infants start out remarkably similar in their early development. But here's where it gets interesting - their developmental paths take dramatically different turns once human babies begin acquiring language. This cognitive fork in the road fundamentally shapes their future capabilities.

Language is a big domino. It allows "chunking" and makes learning new things more efficient, effective, and certain.

Language is powerful in and of itself. Using language consciously is a multiplier.

Today, I want to focus on one such use of language – the power of naming things. 

The Power Of Naming Things

“I read in a book once that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but I've never been able to believe it. I don't believe a rose WOULD be as nice if it was called a thistle or a skunk cabbage.” - L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

Before I go into detail, I shot a video on the subject, with a few examples from our business. 

via Capitalogix's YouTube Channel

Having a shared language allows you to communicate, coordinate, and collaborate more efficiently. But it's hard to have a shared language when you're discussing something intangible. 

That's where naming comes in. When you name something, you make the "invisible" visible (for you, your team, and anyone else who might care). 

I've often said the first step is to bring order to chaos. Then, wisdom comes from finer distinctions. Naming is a great way to create a natural taxonomy that helps people understand where they are – and where they are going.

I like thinking of it in comparison to value ladders in marketing. 

Each stage of the value ladder is meant to bring you to the next level. By the time someone gets to the top of the value ladder, they're your ideal customer. In other words, you create a natural pathway for a stranger (meaning someone who doesn't know you well) to follow, to gain value, trust, and momentum onwards ... ultimately, ascending to become someone who believes in, and supports, what you offer and who you are. 

Ultimately, successful collaboration relies on a common language. That is part of the reason naming is so important. The act of naming something makes it real, defines its boundaries and potentialities, and is often the first step toward understanding, adoption, and support. 

Creating "Amplified Intelligence"

There are always answers. We just have to be smart enough. - John Green

Here is an example from our business. When we first started building trading systems, all we had was an idea. Then, we figured out an equation (and more of them). Next, we figured out some methods or techniques ... which became recipes for success. As we progressed, we figured out a growing collection of useful and reliable ways to test, validate, automate, and execute the things we wanted to do (or to filter ... or prevent the things we wanted to avoid or ignore).

It probably seemed chaotic to someone who didn't understand the organizing principles. Fear, uncertainty, and doubt, which inhibit potential customers and stakeholders (such as a business's employees), compound the problem.

Coming up with the right organizing principle (and name) makes it easier to understand, accept, and adopt. For example, many traders and trading firms want to amplify intelligence – meaning they want to make better decisions, take smarter actions, and ultimately perform better (which might mean making and keeping more money). To help firms amplify intelligence, we created the Capitalogix Insight Engine (which is a platform of equations, algorithms, methods, testing tools, automations, and execution capabilities). Within that platform, we have functional components (or modules) that focus on ideas like portfolio construction, sensible diversification, alpha generation, risk management, and allocation strategies. Some of those words may not mean much to you if you're not a trader, but if you are, it creates an order that makes sense and a path from the beginning to the end of the process.

It makes sense. It explains where we are – while informing them about what might come later.

The point is that naming things creates order, structure, and a contextual map of understanding.

It is a compass heading used to navigate and guide in uncertain territory.

On the other hand, beware of the consequences of becoming overly connected to labels. 

Hope that helps.

Are You Ready For The Holidays?

As we near the holidays, you'd think people would be getting cheerier. Jollier, you might say. 

Instead, the holidays tend to bring out the worst in people. 

Why is it often easier to be nice to a stranger (or a dog) than someone you deal with regularly? Emotional baggage is likely the answer. Things like anger, resentment, pain, fear, uncertainty, and doubt are inhibitors that can affect how we interact with others. Frustratingly, our challenges often stem directly from what we bring to each situation ourselves.

It reminded me of one of the earliest videos I shot almost 10 years ago. It highlights the importance of allowing energy to flow freely, enabling individuals to remain focused and resilient in the face of challenges. It doesn't matter what happens ... what matters is what you choose to focus on, make it mean, and choose to do.

 

Sometimes, things don't seem to go well. Despite the annoying evidence to the contrary, it's probably not them ... Which means it is probably you (or at least what you focus on). 

The antidote to negative situations is simple – focus on your progress and the reasons behind your efforts.

The recipe for success (and happiness this holiday season) isn't eggnog ... it is to choose to let energy flow and to have an unrelenting focus on your bigger future.

Bring on 2025!

Thoughts From a New Beginning

My son Zach got married this weekend. 

Watching how thoughtfully and carefully they planned the wedding to keep it intimate and meaningful was heartwarming.

The wedding was for them, with parents and siblings as the only guests. They did it at the location of their first date, had their favorite desserts, and wore non-traditional outfits. I believe they will have a party in the spring.

A wedding is a significant life event. So, I’m sharing a few of the thoughts it triggered.

Since they were born, I have been struck by how similar and different my two sons have been. My older son, Ben, is very analytical and yet surprisingly heart-centered, while Zach is very emotionally-centered and yet very intelligent. That slight difference in their center of gravity has been impactful. Ben has always been a “less is more” kind of guy, while Zach has always been a “more is more” kind of guy.

Nature is funny ... and I believe that how you do something is how you tend to do almost everything. For example, Ben always had a plan — yet, Zach was different ... until he fell in love with rugby, and everything changed. I saw him approach fitness, health, schedules, time, and almost everything differently. That exposes an interesting truth - You don’t tend to win races you don’t want to win. Something deeper has to inspire the effort. When you find something deeper, the rest becomes easier. Even in his 30s, rugby is still his passion. 

As a parent, a small part of me wished that Zach’s focus on rugby had gone to school or business or something ... But that’s not how I really felt. As a father, I knew that once I saw that he knew how to focus on what he wanted, he could focus on anything he wanted. Because once he knew how to do it for one thing, he could do it for anything.

It was like that for me when I met Jennifer – everything changed. I knew so fast. So, when I saw how everything changed for Zach when he met Sloane, I knew the same thing happened.

Here's how I knew he really loved her. Zach’s favorite food groups are cheese fries, bacon, and extra grease. So, his falling in love with a gluten-free vegan (and not only tolerating it – but defending it) showed me something massively important. For the record, he’s been protective and focused on Sloane ever since. And because of that, I know how this turns out.

I want to say how proud I am of Zachary and how happy I am for both of them as we welcome Sloane to the family.

Her love has brought out the best in Zach, and we can’t wait to see the life they’ll build together.

That reminds me of something I thought about several times during the wedding ... it is that love is both a noun and a verb. It’s a thing (a state, a feeling, or even a target) … but it’s also something that you can choose, commit to, and do. The noun without the verb is frustrating - because you couldn’t move towards it and would have to get lucky to experience it. But the verb without the noun would be exhausting because you’d always be searching without finding or driving toward something that you don’t arrive at. This perspective on love as both a state and an action resonates as a natural truth for me. It is like inhaling and exhaling ... one without the other is futile.

The World Is In $100 Trillion Dollars of Debt ...

The world is swimming in debt ... well, to be more specific ... the world's governments are swimming in debt — $100 Trillion of it. 

via Barrons

To put that in perspective, here's an illustration to give you a sense of the enormity of that number.

via Barrons

The U.S. accounts for just over 34% of that number. Meanwhile, I remember writing about the Republican National Convention marking the moment our national debt crossed the $16 Trillion level in 2012. 

To put the current number in context, if our national debt were divided among individuals, we'd each owe more than $100K ... and if the ten wealthiest people donated their entire fortunes, we'd only have covered about 5%. 

The concept of "Debt" can be confusing to a layman. Most people understand what it means when they take on debt with a local bank, but it can be harder to understand the role debt plays in global economics.

Compounding the confusion, the implications of debt change on a macro level. 

Many worry that our "excessive" government debt levels impact economic stability, the strength of our currency, and unemployment. The national debt can only be reduced through five mechanisms: increased taxation, reduced spending, debt restructuring, monetization of the debt, or default. 

The idea behind our current global debt structure is that if two nations are mutually obligated and dependent on each other, they are less likely to go to war. And that has held relatively true so far. Of course, it's not a perfect system (and it could break down), but it's working better than previous systems (such as the balance of power).

In some ways, it's fake money, so our debts don't seem insurmountable or fatal. Our economy is so reliable that we're allowed to continue borrowing. Debt is an integral part of the economic machine - it can be argued that we wouldn't have money without debt. 

Ray Dalio created a simple (but not simplistic) and relatively easy-to-follow 30-minute animated video that answers the question, "How does the economy really work?"  Click to watch.

via Ray Dalio

The global economy has grown enormously during the last 50 years as developing nations prosper. The average global GDP per capita has gone from ~$1000 to over $10,000 in my lifetime.

So, it makes sense that the amount of debt is also increasing with the size of the money supply required to conduct all the transactions in the global economy.

But, even though you may not need to be immediately worried about that number, I still think it's worth trying to put it in context. 

Humans are notoriously bad at large numbers. It's hard to wrap our minds around something of that scale. We're wired to think locally and linearly, not exponentially (it's one of the reasons I love AI so much). Here are a couple of ways to help you understand a trillion dollars. 

via AskOpinion

First, let's look at spending over time. If you were to spend a dollar every second for an entire day, you would spend $86,400 per day. If you have a million dollars, you can do that for approximately twelve days. With a billion dollars, you can do that for over 31 years. With a trillion dollars, you can do that for 31,000+ years. That means it would take over 300 thousand years to spend the global public debt at that rate. 

I'm sure many of you make over six figures a year. But, it would still take you 10 million years - if you spent none of it - to make $1 trillion, let alone $100 trillion. 

Let's try explaining it through time. Fifty thousand seconds is just under 14 hours. A million seconds was 11 days ago. A billion seconds ago from today? 1992. One trillion seconds is slightly over 31,688 years. That would have been around 29,679 B.C., which is roughly 24,000 years before the earliest civilizations began to take shape. Pretty crazy. 

Here's a video from the 1970s that helps you understand scale through the power of tens and an exploration of our universe. 

Eames Office via BetterExplained

Hopefully, that was disturbing and helpful!

Part 2: Using ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Capabilities to Draft a Blog Post on Exponential Technologies

In part 1 of this post, I played around with ChatGPT’s new Advanced Voice Mode. I used it to create an article with essentially no editing, showing how quick and easy using the tool was. This time, I’ll redo that process, emphasizing the prompts used to interact with the AI. Then, I will add some additional prompts to refine the writing. Creating an article this way was dramatically quicker and easier than our typical process. And it’s pretty surprising to see the level of quality content that you can produce with the current state of the technology and relatively minimal effort.

This image was created using X’s Grok AI to pair with this article.

What follows is the transcript from my chat with Advanced Voice Mode, with only light editing and formatting to provide better insight into the process and its outputs.

 

“I want to write an article about how exponential technology will change life and business. Can you ask me questions until you have enough information to create an outline? And then I’ll give you some other topics, and you can ask me more questions until you have enough time to write the article.”

00:22

Great, let’s dive in! First, for the article on exponential technology, could you share what specific areas of life and business you want to focus on? Are there any particular technologies or industries you find most intriguing? This will help shape the direction of the outline.

“Yeah, I am the CEO of an AI platform company, and I tend to communicate with entrepreneurs, senior executives, and investors, and I’m primarily talking about AI.”

00:15

Great, focusing on AI makes a lot of sense given your background. Let’s narrow it down further. Are you interested in exploring how AI impacts specific industries, like finance or digital media? Or would you rather discuss broader themes, such as AI’s role in transforming business operations, customer experiences, or decision-making processes?

“It started in areas like finance and digital media, but it will impact broader areas.”

00:12

Great point! We can explore how AI began transforming finance and digital media and is now set to revolutionize various other sectors. We could highlight emerging trends and future possibilities in healthcare, education, retail, and more. How does that sound for the article’s direction?

“Sounds fine, but I also want to discuss how it will change everything. AI isn’t just another technological advancement; it’s a fundamental shift transforming the very fabric of our lives. It’s something different ... because it’s no longer just about the technology itself, but the adoption and what it creates and makes possible.”

00:16

Absolutely, AI’s impact hinges on how it’s adopted across industries and societies. It’s this integration into daily life and business that will truly redefine our future. Should we explore examples of this adoption and its potential to change everything?

“Yeah, and I think we ought to talk about how fast OpenAI got ChatGPT to a million users, and then to a hundred million users ... and the fact that it’s not only that the users are playing with the technology, it’s that the companies now have data about what people are trying to do and what they’re having challenges doing, and it’s literally giving them a roadmap of how to eliminate constraints faster and create what comes next at unprecedented speed and rates of change.”

00:21

The rapid adoption of ChatGPT highlights not just public interest, but also the potential for businesses to harness user data. This provides invaluable insights into user needs and pain points, effectively offering a roadmap for innovation. Shall we delve into how this data-driven approach is reshaping business strategies?

“Yes, and let’s do that at a high level and then pose a challenge to the user saying, you don’t have to figure out how to use the current state of technology today ... It’s more important for you to build the muscle about thinking about how tools like this are going to help you build what you want to create for tomorrow.”

00:22

That’s a powerful perspective. Let’s summarize the high-level implications of AI adoption and then challenge readers to think beyond current capabilities. By building a mindset geared towards leveraging AI for future opportunities, they’ll be better positioned to innovate and stay ahead in a rapidly changing landscape.

“I think that’s great. On a separate note, not related to the article, can you speed your voice up by like 0.25?”

00:10

Sure, I can do that. How does this sound?

“I also need you to increase the delay when you’re waiting for me to talk, because I’m someone who thinks and then talks. But I want you to talk a little bit faster like that, and that will seem much more natural for me when brainstorming.”

00:18

Got it! I’ll speak a bit faster and give you more time to think before jumping in. Let’s keep the brainstorming going. What other topics are on your mind for articles?

“I think that agentic processes are poised for the next big wave of innovation. And as much as everybody’s going to start to hear about it, it’s going to follow Gartner’s hype cycle, where we’re going to create inflated expectations and excitement ... but then have a trough of disillusionment as people find that it’s harder to do than they expected. As a practical aside, my company has created an autonomous trading system. In the beginning, we thought it was about trading better ... but it’s really about figuring out the myriad of ways that life gets in the way – from power failures, internet outages, fires in the server room, and geopolitical events. But the real issue is figuring out how to make something work reliably even in the face of errors, competition, mistakes, and bad luck.”

00:50

That’s a fascinating shift in perspective. It really underscores the importance of resilience and adaptability in AI systems. Do you think exploring these real-world challenges in an article could offer valuable insights for others in the tech industry? It seems like it could be a great way to share your expertise.

“Yeah, I just think we have to do that somewhat superficially, so that they think about some of the challenges but then realize that the right thing to do is partner with somebody who’s already figured it out.”

00:14

That’s a smart approach. You can introduce the complexities of implementing AI, just enough to highlight the challenges, and then pivot to the value of partnering with experts who have navigated these obstacles. This could position your company as a trusted guide in the AI landscape. How does that sound as a direction for your article?

“It sounds good. However, you’ve gone back to speaking slowly again. I don’t know if some human is reading the transcript, but you were doing great, and now you’re back to your original pace.”

00:19

I’ll keep the pace up. It sounds like you’re all set. What else would you like to cover?

“That Natural Language Processing has become a key component of AI innovation. It’s amazing how it’s changing how humans interact with computers or access AI capabilities. It used to be that you needed to be good at prompt engineering, but companies like OpenAI have figured out how to interpret simple requests and build a more detailed prompt behind the scenes, so you’re still getting the benefit of prompt engineering without having to become an expert at it yourself. A simple example is the difference between the response to a prompt simply consisting of the word “Improve – and (then a sentence)” six months ago, versus what you’ll get today. And the same is true for a simple image prompt. The result you would have gotten six months ago is vastly different than what you’ll get today because the tools and technologies and multimodal capabilities are working together beneath the surface to create a much more robust and resilient and capable answer engine.”

01:06

That’s a great observation. The evolution of AI is making it more accessible, allowing users to focus on their needs rather than the technicalities. This progress opens up new opportunities for innovation and creativity, as users can leverage AI’s capabilities more efficiently, effectively, and easily.

“OK, do you have enough information to create a basic outline?”

00:04

Absolutely! Here’s a basic outline for your article:

 

Title: Navigating the AI Revolution: From Exponential Technology to Practical Applications

I. Introduction

• The rapid growth of AI and its transformative impact on life and business.
• Brief overview of AI’s origins in industries like finance and digital media.

II. Exponential Technology in Business

• How AI is revolutionizing various sectors, including healthcare, education, and retail.
• AI’s role in reshaping business operations, customer experiences, and decision-making.

III. The Role of Natural Language Processing (NLP)

• The evolution of NLP in making AI more user-friendly.
• How companies like OpenAI simplify complex requests, enhancing user experience.

IV. Real-World Challenges and Resilience in AI

• Introduction to the challenges of implementing AI systems, using autonomous trading as an example.
• The importance of resilience and adaptability in AI, focusing on overcoming real-world obstacles.

V. Data-Driven Innovation

• How user data from AI applications provides insights for

 

“Your outline is fine. Please generate a rough draft. Please use some quotes, headlines, subheads, and bullets. I like structure in the article. And please end with a conclusion.”

00:17

Absolutely. Here’s a rough draft with the structure and formatting you requested.

 

Note: The entire conversation with ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode occurred during a casual neighborhood walk lasting 10-15 minutes. I made no effort to rush the process - it was simply a natural dialogue with my handphone that concluded before I returned home. At this point, ChatGPT generated a draft of the article that was okay, but similar to last time. It didn’t really reflect our style to the level that would make us happy. So, I asked ChatGPT to rewrite the draft using my voice, tone, and style. To accomplish this, I provided five examples of previous articles and instructed it to analyze the voice, tone, and style ... and to generate a prompt that mimics those characteristics. I then returned to the original conversation where ChatGPT had provided its draft and requested it to rewrite the content with those instructions. Here is the output.

 

Navigating the AI Revolution: Bridging Exponential Technology with Practical Application

Imagine a world where artificial intelligence, once the stuff of sci-fi dreams, shapes the foundations of our daily lives and businesses. What began as a tool in niche sectors like finance and digital media now pulses through healthcare, education, and retail, each industry redefining its approach to productivity, decision-making, and even creativity. Yet, while AI’s exponential growth makes headlines, the real story often lies in the complex journey of making these systems resilient and truly reliable on a large scale.

This image was created using X’s Grok AI to pair with this article.

AI’s potential doesn’t just come from its incredible computational speed; it’s about adaptability—learning as it goes. Think of the impact it’s having in healthcare, where AI diagnoses diseases earlier and personalizes treatments, or in retail, where it sharpens customer experiences with laser-focused recommendations. But here’s the catch: many businesses hit roadblocks when trying to bring this transformative technology into their workflows. Moving from promise to practice takes more than powerful algorithms. It takes a strategy that integrates AI into every part of an organization, backed by a collaborative culture and a solid tech infrastructure to handle the unique demands AI brings.

Natural Language Processing: A Giant Leap Forward

One of the most accessible advancements in AI is natural language processing (NLP). You no longer need a deep technical background to generate impactful results. Companies like OpenAI have unlocked the potential for anyone to leverage complex technology without getting bogged down in the intricacies of prompt engineering. By transforming simple requests into nuanced responses, NLP democratizes technology—empowering business users, entrepreneurs, and consumers alike to harness AI for content creation, strategic analysis, and decision-making.

Real-World Resilience: AI’s Practical Challenges

Despite its transformative promise, deploying AI in the real world is not yet a plug-and-play endeavor. Take autonomous trading systems as an example. While initially focused on optimizing trading strategies, it became clear that the real mission was building resilience against the unpredictable: power outages, unstable internet, server issues, and even geopolitical shifts that could halt operations in an instant. Making AI that doesn’t just perform but thrives in an unpredictable world calls for a fundamental shift in thinking—from optimizing a single outcome to building systems that can handle whatever comes their way.

At its core, AI transforms raw data into actionable insights. For companies, this translates into deeper customer insights, trend forecasting, and optimizing operations on a grand scale. But here’s the challenge: it’s not just about amassing data but about pulling the right insights while respecting user privacy and regulatory requirements.

Those companies that can weave AI seamlessly into their processes—and keep the trust of their users—will lead the charge in this data-driven revolution.

Conclusion: Moving from Exponential to Essential

As AI advances from a cutting-edge tool to an essential part of business strategy, success will hinge not on speed but on the quality of execution. It’s about embedding resilience, enhancing user experience, and remaining ethically grounded. Companies that bring a clear vision and long-term adaptability to AI adoption will find themselves ahead, not just capitalizing on its transformative potential but building a future where AI becomes a natural, reliable partner in progress.

 

At that point, ChatGPT said:

Let me know if you’d like any adjustments! This draft keeps the original article’s structure and depth while incorporating your reflective, future-oriented tone and approachable insights.

 

Breaking The Fourth Wall

Hopefully, it wasn’t too confusing to read the transcripts and the article. In this section, I’ll discuss the experience and what I want to improve.

Ultimately, even after asking ChatGPT to rewrite the article, it doesn’t feel exactly like something I wrote. Yes, it was objectively better - cleaner, more structured, more polished. Yet it wasn’t quite “me.”

Better isn’t always good enough.

But here’s the real insight: This “almost but not quite” result might be what we need in the age of AI-assisted content creation. Think of it as a high-quality first draft that gives you a massive head start. Instead of staring at a blank page, you’re starting with something substantial that just needs your unique touch.

To be fair, I could have easily gotten closer to the intended target with just a few more prompts.

In addition, I could easily train an AI in-depth on my voice and writing style. Frankly, I should do that.

In the old days, we relied on style guides. With today’s level of AI, you can create custom AI prompts to transform base content into audience-specific communications. This opens up an intriguing possibility for businesses. The implications for scaling high-quality, consistent content are significant.

Or, I could practice what I preach and use this as the base primer to write something better. This article demonstrates the power of that hybrid approach. Some parts detail the AI’s contribution, while others share strategic insights and personal perspectives. Together, they create something more valuable than humans or machines can produce alone.

If you genuinely enjoy writing, AI shouldn’t be your replacement - it should be your amplifier, enhancing and multiplying what makes your writing uniquely yours.

As much as that’s true, sometimes you just have to produce decent-quality output. This process certainly did that, and there are plenty of simple add-ons that can elevate the quality from merely acceptable to genuinely good.

Even though I didn’t want to use another tool (because of the premise of this article), I pasted the article into a tool called Type (which is similar to Lex). Both are AI document editors that speed up and simplify the writing process. Type gave me these options, each of which would have improved the article.

• Improve: Remove clichés, fix errors, and improve transitions.

• Fix Errors: Fix grammar and spelling errors.

• Shorten: Remove fluff and simplify lengthy phrases.

• Enhance Structure and Formatting: Make things easier to skim and read.

Additionally, Type has a cool feature that analyzes your document and suggests things to incorporate at specific points. It can generate sentences, lists, and paragraphs directly at your cursor as you write. It also can help you find the perfect idea with real-time suggestions. Type analyzes your writing to identify opportunities to expand or improve it. When you like a suggestion, Type’s writing AI can write it out and insert it into your document.

Here are some of the suggestions it had for the “Navigating the AI Revolution” article.

• Highlight successful case studies of companies that have effectively integrated AI.

• Include specific metrics and ROl examples from Al implementations.

• Outline the necessary steps for businesses to begin their Al transformation journey.

• Describe the role of human oversight and the balance between automation and human judgment.

• Explore the future implications of Al on workforce development and job markets.

• Discuss the importance of cross-functional teams in Al implementations.

• Address cybersecurity concerns and protective measures when deploying Al systems.

It’s like having a team of grammar, style, story, and industry-specific knowledge specialists. You can brainstorm and examine issues from multiple angles to incrementally improve your base product and transform it into something worth saving and sharing.

In conclusion, I spent more time crafting the intro and conclusion than writing the base article with ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode.

When I first started playing with AI tools, I hoped they could improve my writing. Now, I realize they’re already so capable and powerful that they are changing how I write and even how I think about writing.

In business, I often say you don’t want to be the bottleneck or limit of how good things can be. With tools like these, that’s true with writing as well. The limits of your initial thinking or knowledge no longer constrain the upper limit of what you can produce.

For executives and teams looking to stay ahead, the question isn’t whether to use AI in content creation - it’s how to use it most effectively while maintaining your authentic voice. The leaders who crack this code first will have a significant competitive advantage.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this article or how you are using AI.

How do U.S. States Compare to Entire Countries?

With Trump's election win, the economy will likely be center stage. 

Crypto boomed post-election, and the S&P and the Nasdaq reached new highs as the Fed cut rates. 

Amidst all the political turmoil, it's easy to overlook how well-positioned we are as a country – compared to the rest of the world. 

VisualCapitalist created a chart comparing countries' GDPs to those of U.S. states. 

 

via visualcapitalist 

At the top of the list, California would be the world's fifth-largest country (replacing India) with its $3.9 Trillion GDP. 

In second place on the list, my home state, Texas, had a $2.6 Trillion GDP. For a little more context:

• If Texas were a country, its GDP would fall just behind France ($3.1 Trillion) and above Brazil and Italy ($2.3 Trillion).
• The Texas GDP is also higher than Canada's $2.24 Trillion GDP.

For a bit of contrast (and extra perspective), Vermont has the lowest GDP in America, comparable to Nepal, which is the world's 101st-largest economy. Yet, Nepal has 29 times more people than Vermont. 

Not too shabby for a place where dairy, forestry, and maple syrup drive the economy.

Why I'm Still Excited About The Future of GPTs as a 20+ Year AI CEO

Last week, I explained how to create content by simply talking to your computer using ChatGPT's new voice interface. In that post, I multi-tasked in a whole new way by writing the article by merely talking with ChatGPT while walking around my neighborhood to get some fresh air and "exercise."

In that article, I shared my conversation along with the end result - a quick and dirty article about the applications of AI voice agents. I didn't edit the article the way I usually would, but that was intentional to demonstrate what it could create on its own. My evaluation was that it produced content that met the minimum standard and provided a great starting point for me to enhance.

Next week, I'll redo that process, emphasizing the prompts used to interact with the AI. I also used some additional prompts to refine the writing.

As I find new tools, prompts, and applications, I can't help but share them with the people around me. Technology has always excited me and given me energy.

Meanwhile, as I share these tools and prompts with my son, Zach, it's clear he's not as excited as I am about them. For context, Zach and I work on these articles together. So, when I find a new writing tool that I think will make our lives easier, I'm quick to share it.

This past week, I shared some prompts with him that I thought were profound (because they were simple – but produced useful productive output). Through simple prompts and appropriate context settings, we can now get ChatGPT (or other tools like Gemini, Claude, or Perplexity) to perform functions a small business may not have internally. For example, a company could use AI as a comptroller or product manager. It can also help create reports and summarize meetings better than my assistant or I would.

 

Zach acknowledged the utility of capabilities like these ... but described them as 'pedestrian.' He was unimpressed because, in his eyes, these were capabilities that were already possible early into the public release of ChatGPT.

He does appreciate more specific use cases for generative AI – but focuses more heavily on apps with a singular utility. For example, he likes a writing app called Lex, which works more like a standard Word Processor (but with several nicely done AI assists) ... or the Hemmingway Editor app, which helps make your writing concise and correct (by suggesting fixes for lengthy, complex sentences, and common errors).

Instead of focusing on the new generality & ubiquity - and automating tasks outside his wheelhouse - he gets excited about supplementing his ability or improving his efficiency.

His lack of excitement helped me understand more why I'm excited.

Since the '90s, I've been fascinated by AI. For much of that time, two types of people shared my excitement. The first was Hollywood executives, who created cliché dystopian depictions to perpetuate a false human vs AI dichotomy (think The Terminator, I, Robot, or 2001: A Space Odyssey). The other were other people like me. Entrepreneurs or academics looking to leverage exponential technologies.

The average person had very little practical exposure to AI outside of the hidden-in-plain-sight applications that were often glorified decision logic. Eventually, you got tools like Siri or Alexa that put it into everyone's home.

My son takes for granted that even when ChatGPT grew popular, using it well took expertise. You had to be clever, deliberate, and patient to get results that weren't verbose garbage.

AI is genuinely becoming not just available but accessible.

Three great examples are Letterly, Talktastic, and Rosebud Journal.

Letterly is an application that allows me to dictate whatever I'm thinking. It runs a process behind the scenes to organize and clean up disorganized text. Then it gives me dozens of rewrite options that allow me to choose the tone (Business, Casual, Friendly, Clear and Concise, etc.), the purpose (Email, Social Post, Journal Entry, etc.), and the type of output (Structured, 2X Shorter, Meeting Takeaways, Detailed Summary, Outline, etc.). It sounds much more complicated than it really is. The primary reason that I like it is that it's so simple that I take it for granted. 

Another tool like that is Talktastic. For short burst dictation, TalkTastic is better than speech recognition tools (like ChatGPT, OpenAI Whisper, Google Speech-to-Text, or Apple Dictation). It is a game changer because it interprets what you're saying based on what it sees on your computer screen, regardless of the app or website. That means when you trigger it to run, TalkTastic analyzes a snapshot of your chosen app and automatically understands your conversation's tone, style, and substance while accurately spelling people's names and easily confused words. So you can turn your rough ideas into thoughtful and articulate language everywhere. I use it dozens of times every day to create short messages, emails, and even some of the sentences in an article like this. Currently, Taltastic only works on macOS devices (and is totally free while in beta).

Rosebud is a journalling app reimagined to incorporate AI in many subtle and clever ways. I've been tempted to journal many times throughout my career, but always found reasons to abandon the practice. That's not true anymore. Rosebud's AI journal has fundamentally changed how I look at and use tools like this. Chatting with AI tools is one thing (I wrote about that in a post called Conversing With AI), but Rosebud is a level beyond even that. It has all the benefits of a traditional journal, but it adds intelligent responses, subtle prompts, and reminders to think about certain things. It's interactive and collaborative. It challenges you to re-examine certain beliefs, set goals, or measure success in different ways. Try it!

Each of these tools is a great example of something you quickly take for granted because it's easy to get used to nice things.

Expect a lot more things like that.

Isn't that exciting?

The NFL's Halftime Hack

When you think of food meant to help athletes, you might think back to when parents would give orange slices or Gatorade to kids during soccer games. Now, fast forward your thinking to the best options available to fuel today's performance athletes. What do you imagine they would use before or during a game? 

I quickly went to protein bars or energy gels (like GU) ... But, I was wrong.

According to research from The Athletic, The NFL's favorite halftime energy booster is now the uncrustable.

What is that? An "uncrustable" is a crustless sandwich consisting of a filling between two layers of crimp-sealed bread. They are convenient, portable, and they tend to come in homey flavors like PB&J. While you can theoretically make one at home, Uncrustables, in this context, are made by Smuckers. 

The Athletic via X 

Based on this math, it's reasonable to assume that NFL teams go through ~4000 Uncrustables a week (on top of however many PB&Js or other sandwiches they consume). Regardless, it is a lot. 

Why the sudden surge in popularity? It's a combination of factors:

• Nostalgia and Comfort: The uncrustable taps into a sense of childhood nostalgia, offering a comforting and familiar taste.
• Nutritional Balance: It provides a balanced blend of carbohydrates for quick energy, fats for sustained power, and protein for recovery.
• Convenience: Pre-packaged and mess-free, uncrustables are perfect for a half-time snack when you have very little time to eat. 

If you think about it, it makes sense. PB&Js are universal. Regardless of geographic region, socioeconomic status, etc. – it's a staple. 

They're easy to digest, convenient, and comforting. Hitting all the marks a professional athlete might be looking for. 

Even in a high-tech world, people still crave simplicity and effectiveness.

I've never had one ... but now I kind of want to try. On the other hand, I'm pretty sure they used to call this a Pop-Tart. But I guess that just makes me seem old.

The Human Experience Is An Endurance Sport ...

Life can be hard. For most of our existence, even 'living' was difficult. But humans survived and multiplied not because of their speed or their ferocity ... nor their comparatively flabby bodies or bipedal motion.

It was endurance.

In history, it wasn't the strongest that survived but the most adaptable and the most enduring. 

Some take that to impossible heights. 

That's where Ultrarunner Nedd Brockman comes in. 

You might have heard of Ultramarathons. Ned took it a bit further. He managed to run 1000 miles in 12 days ... and he did it around a single track. Since he's Australian, we'll call it 1600 kilometers. 

 

via 7NEWS Australia 

Nedd is an electrician turned ultrarunner in Australia who raises funds for good causes. In this case, he raised funds to support homeless Australians. 

While he was originally trying to beat a world record in his attempt to run 1000 miles, even when he missed that mark, he kept running. Through swollen feet, hip issues, injured toes, and more ... he kept running. 

As a result, he raised over $600,000. He ran for 12 days, 13 hours, 16 minutes, and 45 seconds. He averaged 79 miles of running a day. 

Over the course of Nedd's Uncomfortable Challenge series, he's raised over $1.9M for charity.

Though this may teeter on the "stupid" side of endurance, this is clearly a testament to the indomitable human spirit and challenging our limits. 

“I just never could have imagined it to be this bad. And I’m forever grateful for it all. Wouldn’t change a ... thing. Post traumatic growth coming right up.”

How are you challenging yourself today?!

 

Multi-Tasking with ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Interface 'or' Unlocking the Power of Voice Agents: A New Frontier in Content Creation

This article was created using a unique process compared to our usual approach. To test ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice capabilities, I decided to talk with it while walking around my neighborhood. I wanted to explore if it could help me be productive while getting fresh air and exercise.

 

What follows is the transcript, with only some light editing and formatting to better provide insight into the process and its outputs.

The embedded mini-article that ChatGPT produced isn’t the main takeaway here. What interests me is the quality of the article, considering how little effort went into creating it. It was so painless and quick that I found myself contemplating how easily I could use this process for other types of productive output. In fact, that concept is a key focus of the mini-article below.

That said, this is just a snapshot of AI’s current capabilities. If I were to repeat this experiment in six months or a year, I’m confident the results would be even more impressive. I'm also confident that if I'd asked it to flesh out the article, I would have been more impressed as well.

I’d probably consider this article “good enough” if I weren’t someone who takes pride in my writing and thinking. Nonetheless, I believe it’s a solid starting point. For the record, my son (who helps write these weekly commentaries) disagrees. He liked our article and its premise – but "hated" what ChatGPT produced.

Sure, some additional work and deeper reflection could make it meaningfully better ... but it’s impressive how quickly and easily we came up with something valuable (that could become even more valuable with a little extra effort).

In conclusion, these content creation capabilities represent a key shift: the content bar will rise, and the minimum standard for what’s acceptable will get higher. But as the bar for “acceptable” rises, I think fewer people will strive for greatness. That’s where you can extend your edge ... if you’re willing to do the extra work.

 

Here is the Chat.

“Hello.”

00:00

Hey there! How’s it going?

“Going pretty well. Today, I want to work on a blog post.”

00:06

That sounds great! What topic are you thinking about for your blog post?

“How voice agents like you can help to create articles in a new way.”

00:07

That’s a fascinating topic! Exploring how voice agents can revolutionize content creation could really capture readers’ imaginations. You could delve into how it streamlines the writing process, adds a conversational tone, and even opens up new possibilities for interactive or personalized content. What angle are you thinking of taking?

“Everything you just said, but I also want to add a piece on instant feedback.”

00:01

Fantastic! So, you could structure the blog post around how voice agents enhance the writing process by making brainstorming more dynamic, offering immediate feedback, and allowing for a more fluid, conversational tone. Is there anything else you want to explore in the post?

“An example where I’m walking around the neighborhood, but instead of simply walking, I talk to the AI agent and have it even ask me questions.”

00:16

So, while strolling through the neighborhood, you engage in a productive dialogue with the AI agent instead of just walking. It can prompt you with questions ...

“And help me consider and refine the post; yes.”

00:020

So, while strolling through the neighborhood, instead of just walking, you engage in a productive dialogue with the AI agent. It can prompt you with questions, helping you refine your ideas and shape your article, all while you’re getting some fresh air and exercise. It’s a great way to maximize productivity in otherwise idle moments. Want to include anything else?

“Yes, a couple of other examples and challenges for the reader to think about other uses of this technology that open up AI and exponential progress in ways that they haven’t thought of before.”

00:21

Great idea! You could include examples like using voice agents for language learning, where they act as conversation partners, or for project management, where they help organize tasks and deadlines through natural conversation. For challenges, invite readers to think about how voice agents might transform areas like mental health support, creative collaborations, or even scientific research. This approach could really spark some innovative thinking!

“Great. Please come up with a detailed outline for what you’re thinking.”

00:08

1. Introduction
   • Brief overview of how voice agents are changing content creation.
   • Mention of the growing role of AI in everyday life.
2. Voice Agents: A New Way to Write
   • How voice agents can turn walking time into productive writing sessions.
   • The ease of having a conversation with an AI to generate content.
3. Benefits of Voice Agents in Content Creation
   • Brainstorming: How voice agents can help generate ideas.
   • Instant Feedback: Getting immediate responses to refine ideas.
   • Conversational Tone: How speaking thoughts out loud can create a more natural writing flow.
4. Examples of Voice Agent Applications
   • Language Learning: Acting as a conversation partner.
   • Project Management: Organizing tasks through dialogue.
   • Mindfulness and Mental Health Support: Providing an outlet for expression and guidance.
   • Creative Collaborations: Assisting in the co-creation of stories or projects.
5. Challenges for the Reader
   • Encourage readers to think of other areas where voice agents could be transformative.
   • Provoke thought on the broader implications of AI in accelerating exponential progress.
6. Conclusion
   • Summarize the key points discussed.

 

“Okay, please write that blog post for an executive or entrepreneur audience, making it simple, engaging, and relevant to their interests.”

00:15

...Got it. Here’s the blog post:

 

Unlocking the Power of Voice Agents: A New Frontier in Content Creation

In today’s fast-paced world, efficiency and innovation are essential, especially for executives and entrepreneurs. One of the most exciting developments in this arena is the rise of voice agents — AI-powered assistants that are transforming how we create content. Imagine turning a simple walk around the neighborhood into a dynamic brainstorming session or a full-fledged article creation process. Let’s explore how voice agents can open up new horizons for you.

 

This image was created using X’s Grok AI to pair with this article.

Voice Agents: A New Way to Write

Picture this: you’re out for your morning walk, and instead of just enjoying the scenery, you’re also creating content. With a voice agent, you can do just that. Engage in a conversation with your AI assistant, and the spoken ideas seamlessly transform into written words.

Benefits of Voice Agents in Content Creation

• Brainstorming

Voice agents excel at helping you brainstorm. Throw ideas at them, and they’ll help you explore different angles, often sparking new thoughts in the process.

• Instant Feedback

Gone are the days of waiting for feedback. With a voice agent, you get instant responses. As you articulate your thoughts, the AI provides real-time feedback, helping you refine your ideas on the fly. It’s like having an editor by your side, 24/7.

• Conversational Tone

Speaking your thoughts can lead to a more natural, conversational tone in your writing. This style is increasingly popular, as it engages readers and makes complex topics more accessible.

Examples of Voice Agent Applications

• Language Learning

Voice agents can act as conversation partners, helping you practice new languages in a low-pressure environment. They can introduce vocabulary, correct pronunciation, and even engage in dialogue, making language learning more interactive and fun.

• Project Management

Organizing tasks and deadlines through natural conversation is another strength of voice agents. Discuss your project needs, and let the AI help you prioritize tasks, set reminders, and keep you on track.

• Mindfulness and Mental Health Support

Voice agents can offer a safe space for expression and reflection. They can guide you through mindfulness exercises, provide mood trackers, or simply lend an empathetic ear, offering support whenever you need it.

• Creative Collaborations

Imagine co-writing a story or developing a project with your AI assistant. Voice agents can contribute ideas, help you overcome creative blocks, and add a new dimension to collaborative efforts.

Some Challenges to Consider

As you consider these applications, think about other areas where voice agents could revolutionize your work or personal life. Could they streamline your decision-making processes? Might they open up new avenues for customer engagement? The potential is vast, limited only by our imagination.

Conclusion

Voice agents are changing how we create content, offering benefits beyond simple convenience. From brainstorming to project management, and from language learning to mental health support, the possibilities are endless. As we continue to integrate AI into our daily lives, voice agents will evolve into increasingly powerful tools for innovation and growth. So, the next time you head out for a walk, consider inviting your AI assistant along — you might just discover your next big idea.

 

“Okay, thanks.”

00:01

You’re welcome! If you need any more help, just let me know.

 

I’d love your feedback on this ... and I’m curious to learn how you’re using AI or want to use AI.

As I’ve said before – we live in interesting times.

Onwards!