Complex Systems with Patrick McKenzie (patio11) 2025 in review, with Sammy Cottrell
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Jan 3, 2026 Join Sammy Cottrell, a savvy producer and the mastermind behind the Lighthaven podcast studio, as he reflects on the highlights of 2025. Sammy and Patrick McKenzie dive into the creative process of video podcasting, the ethical implications of AI, and the excitement of AI-assisted hobbies. They also chat about the most impactful episodes of the year, including the fascinating salary negotiation reading. Sammy shares his experiences with running a podcast and the logistics of studio setup, making it a lively discussion for aspiring podcasters and tech enthusiasts alike!
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Episode notes
Use Video When It Adds Empathy
- Do prefer video when topic benefits from facial and vocal cues, especially for philosophical AI discussions.
- Use video selectively because it complicates scheduling and limits guest pool.
AI-Assisted Coding Is Transformative
- Multimodal and coding AIs are a clear next evolution, not a fad, changing how people build software and creative hobbies.
- The current tools are the worst AIs we'll ever use, implying future iterations will be far more powerful.
AI Helped Paint Miniatures And Cook Dinner
- Patrick used multimodal models to generate photorealistic painting references for his miniature models and got useful adjustments by prompting the model.
- He also used Claude to iteratively improve Christmas cooking via photos and specific feedback.
