The Aboard Podcast

How do you build for the future amid ongoing instability? This week, Paul and Rich turn to Lebanon—literally, since that’s where Rich, who was born in the country and still has family there, is calling in from. After they discuss some Lebanese basics (Cedars! Small plates!) they turn to the Lebanese tech scene, discussing everything from investments in the Beirut Digital District to Aboard’s partner agency in Lebanon, Speedlane.  

AI is a great first step, but to really build software, you need humans to get the job done. On last week’s podcast, Paul and Rich talked about how Aboard works by focusing on those AI first steps; this week, they dig into the human work that gets Aboard projects over the line, from classic agency-style client management to the brand-new role of “Solution Engineer.”

Paul and Rich are always talking about building software with AI—but how is Aboard actually building software with AI? This week’s podcast is a peek behind the curtain, walking through how Aboard gets you from a short prompt to real, working software in minutes. From the specific (the “Harvest Manager” app Paul creates for his pumpkin patch) to the broad (what this technology means for the software agency model, and the industry at large). 

Same as it ever was: On this week’s podcast, Paul and Rich take a spin through a 1980 issue of Omni magazine, comparing how computers were being discussed back then with how AI is talked about today. Featuring an essay by Frank Herbert (yes, of Dune), IBM’s early-80s consumer pitch, and a meditation on the question: What does “new technology” even mean?

As the legacy tech giants weave AI functionality through their existing systems, is it all over for AI-first companies like OpenAI and Anthropic? In the wake of this year’s WWDC, Paul and Rich analyze Apple’s AI plans, and contextualize them within broader industry shifts. What’s Apple’s AI endgame—and where can we expect to see a player like OpenAI a few years from now?

When is something “done”—and why is it so hard to define “done” when it comes to AI? On this week’s podcast, Paul and Rich talk about the challenges of the last mile of software development, and why the industry needs a whole new set of processes to actually use AI to ship product. Plus: Paul reveals one neat trick that will make you finish writing something.

OpenAI’s $6.5 billion acquisition of Jony Ive’s startup might be grabbing the headlines, but the real shifts in AI right now are a lot less flashy—and point towards more long-term stability in the industry. On this week’s podcast, Paul walks Rich through some recent Big AI news and they pull out some key trends and takeaways, from the announcements at Google’s I/O 2025 to new capabilities at Anthropic to, in Paul’s words, “Agents, agents, agents, agents, agents.” 

The CEO comes into the office and says, “What are we doing about AI?” What’s wrong with this picture? On the podcast, Paul and Rich offer advice to the CEO whose instinct is to ask that very question. How should business leaders be thinking about these technologies? And when it comes to getting AI into your organization, what’s a better question to ask? Plus: A whole lot of snack-chip talk, including a meditation on the humble Dipsy Doodle.

Last year, the fintech company Klarna announced they were going AI-first—but now, they’re hiring humans again. Is this a sign that the AI pendulum is swinging back in tech? On this week’s podcast, Paul and Rich look back at Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski’s initial pivot, why that strategy probably didn’t get the job done, and what this move signals for the industry on a whole.  

Today’s young people are growing up with generative AI at their fingertips. Should we be worried? On this week’s podcast, Paul (father of 13-year-old twins) and Rich (father of a 12 year old and a 10 year old) discuss the technology world in which their children are coming of age, particularly when it comes to education. If students are bound to turn to these tools no matter the rules, how can we make sure they’re actually learning, rather than just copy/pasting?