In this episode, Nathan Baschez offers a refreshing perspective on AI writing tools. He explains we're still at "the very bottom of the S-curve of adoption" for writers embracing AI. Meanwhile, programmers have rapidly integrated these tools into their workflows. This gap represents both challenge and opportunity.
Instead of getting stuck in the typical AI debate ("Is it a threat to writers or just a shortcut?"), Nathan has a different take. He argues that neither outright rejection of AI nor complete surrender to it serves writers well. Instead, he shares a compelling framework: think of AI as a personal trainer for your writing process rather than a replacement.
About Our Guest: Nathan Baschez
Nathan Baschez is the founder and CEO of Lex, a tool that reimagines writing for the AI era. His unique perspective comes from a career spent in content, media, and tech. He was previously VP of Product at Substack, Head of Product at Gimlet Media, and co-founder/president of Every, a business and technology publication bundle.
About This Season of the Animalz Podcast: AI & Content
"Hello... is there anybody out there creating real value with AI?" The AI conversation in content marketing has become deafening — skeptics shouting from one side, shallow tips from enthusiasts on the other. But somewhere in this noise, there must be pioneers who've actually figured something out, right?
We've gone on a search for the real pioneers — the ones who've ventured beyond the hype to succeed (or fail) spectacularly. Through their hard-won insights, we'll discover if there's actually something of value hiding in the noise, or if we're all just shouting into the void.
Timestamps
00:00 "We're at the bottom of the AI adoption curve"
01:16 "Pioneers in AI content creation"
02:04 "What content have you been consuming?"
04:02 "Lex: AI-enhanced writing for better results"
06:14 "Lessons from Gimlet, Substack and beyond"
08:38 "The birth of Lex as a side project"
11:00 "From 25,000 signups to company spinout"
15:05 "Why don't more writers use AI?"
17:23 "AI as a collaborator, not a replacement"
19:37 "The fear of being judged for using AI"
24:00 "The masochism in writing culture"
26:39 "Nathan's AI writing workflow"
28:00 "Reverse outlining and canvas features"
30:00 "The ABCD feedback framework"
33:00 "Proving reading still matters today"
34:38 "AI can't lead - that's what people do"
35:25 "Where to follow Nathan and Lex"
36:40 "The visual rhythm of good writing"
Mentioned Links & Resources
- Art of Accomplishment (00:02:04): A podcast/newsletter by Joe Hudson, former venture capitalist turned coach, mentioned by Nathan as content he's been consuming lately.
- Lex.page (00:35:03): Nathan's AI writing tool that looks like Google Docs "but on steroids and cleaner."
- Cursor (00:08:30): An AI-powered code editor that Nathan mentions using instead of VS Code.
- Nathan's career journey (00:06:14-00:09:00): Before founding Lex, Nathan was president and co-founder of Every (a publication bundle), VP of Product at Substack, and Head of Product at Gimlet Media.
- Alex Blumberg's media projects (00:06:14-00:07:00): Nathan mentions Blumberg's work at This American Life, Planet Money, and especially the Startup podcast at Gimlet as some of his favorite media and influences.
- Zapier, GitHub, Linear, and Notion (00:14:00): Companies Nathan mentions as models for sustainable growth.
- Lex’s Annual Letter (00:14:39): Nathan's thoughtful exploration of the AI adoption gap between writers and programmers. MUST READ if you enjoyed the episode.
- Follow Nathan and Lex: @nbashaw , @lexdotpage, or email hello@lex.page
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