LLMs and the Zen of Espresso Machine Maintenance
Manuals often bury key details, making it hard to find quick answers. A practical solution is using AI to extract relevant information instantly.
For example, instead of searching for the cleaning cycle instructions in an espresso machine manual, uploading the document to an AI assistant provides the answer in seconds.
This method applies to warranties, technical guides, and more, streamlining access to useful information and saving time.
Your brain thinks AI gets you. It doesn’t.
AI doesn’t “understand” you—it mirrors patterns, not thoughts. But our brains, wired to seek meaning, project intelligence onto these responses. This illusion can be powerful, even dangerous. By designing AI that feels intuitive without pretending to be human and prioritizing transparency, we can build tools that help us—without crossing the line into manipulation.
A list of iconic tech
Imagine sifting through a lineup of technology’s greatest hits—artificial intelligence, virtual worlds, blockchain—and discovering the ultimate champion isn’t some cutting-edge marvel, but ancient, primal fire. Intrigued? Dive in as we challenge what it means to be truly “innovative,” and spark your own top 10 list of the world’s most influential inventions.
In praise of the crappy jobs
I was once a junior copywriter! And I had to do some crappy jobs. Here I reflect on how those jobs moulded me as a creative advertising agency professional later in my career. And I hope to invoke a sense that not everything should be automated by generative AI.
The hammer in my hand
I’ve always been fascinated by the relationship with the work we make and the tools we use to make it. Now with the rise of AI, how will that impact our work. And also our thinking!