AI Knowhow

You’re smart. You know your business cold. But do you know how to build the right AI team? It’s harder than it looks, and the old innovation playbook just won’t cut it. Pete Buer sits down with Ben Hafele, CEO of Lean Startup and host of The Lean AI Podcast, to discuss how to assemble the right AI team. They explore what skill sets are essential, how to balance technical and strategic talent, and why AI teams need a different structure than traditional innovation groups. As always, host Courtney Baker is joined by CEO David DeWolf and Chief Product & Technology Officer Mohan Rao for a panel discussion where they further break down the key differences between AI innovation teams and traditional ones. Plus, we cover a few more burning questions about building the right AI team, like does Amazon’s famous “two-pizza rule” still apply in the AI era?  To kick the episode off, we dive into what might be the most game-changing week in AI since ChatGPT launched. With Producer Will Sherlin stepping in to help, Pete Buer unpacks the frenzy around DeepSeek’s new open-source AI model. How did this Chinese startup manage to train a cutting-edge model at a fraction of the cost of OpenAI and Meta? And why does this mark a "Sputnik moment" for AI development? From business leaders to investors, the ripple effects could be massive. Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/sHmj55qkYR0  Sign up for Knownwell’s beta: www.knownwell.com 

Josh Okun, Chief Innovation Officer at Gravity Global, shares how AI can dismantle organizational silos and enhance collaboration across global teams. He discusses using tools like custom GPTs to transform static brand guidelines into dynamic resources, streamlining decision-making. The conversation dives into creating 'living brands' and the innovative teamwork models AI fosters. Leadership's crucial role in AI adoption and the balance between guidance and grassroots innovation are also explored, as well as the future of AI in reshaping physical intelligence.

What if AI could reduce a three-month project to just three days? In this episode, Knownwell CMO Courtney Baker explores how AI is reshaping professional services with the help of CEO David DeWolf, CPO Mohan Rao, and NordLight CEO Pete Buer. Pete sits down with Matt Pasienski, CEO and co-founder of Pact, to discuss AI's evolution from simple tools to intelligent copilots and the rise of autonomous agents. Matt shares insights from his journey as a services CEO and how Pact is building AI-driven project management copilots. They dive into the implications of AI on management, accountability, and value chain variability, including how copilots can surface risks, identify new opportunities, and transform business operations. Later, the panel dissects Matt’s takeaways, reflecting on the balance between efficiency and effectiveness in AI adoption and the cultural challenges of integrating AI at scale. They also explore how leadership can act as the "agent core" to navigate the mismatches that arise when parts of the organization move 10x faster. In the AI in the Wild segment, Pete and Courtney discuss Ai-Da, the humanoid robot artist whose painting of Alan Turing recently sold for $1.1 million at auction (NYT gift article). The work Ai-Da is capable of producing, and the team it took to create her, challenges our assumptions about creativity and AI’s role in art and innovation. Ready to stop losing clients and surprise churn? Visit Knownwell.com to learn how our tools can help professional service firms transform customer retention.

What does it take to scale a technology services firm to $250 million and beyond in 2025? In this episode of AI Knowhow, Knownwell CEO David DeWolf and NordLight CEO Pete Buer share invaluable insights from their own journeys of scaling firms to exponential growth. They also explain just how AI is rewriting the rules. David and Pete delve into the challenges that tech service leaders face as they move from linear scaling to a steeper revenue curve. From the hunt for "gold-plated unicorn" talent to managing bespoke and complex delivery models, they unpack the unique obstacles and offer solutions rooted in AI. They explain how AI can streamline operations, elevate client relationships, and help leaders focus on strategy—not just survival. This episode also explores four game-changing strategies, including AI-driven commercial intelligence, which enables firms to identify client risks and opportunities earlier than ever. You’ll also hear why top-down AI adoption, combined with value-stream mapping, is critical to achieving transformative, not incremental, change. Watch this full conversation at Knownwell.com/scaling.  

Are you ready for AI that doesn’t need instructions? And if AI shifts from being an order-taker to an order-maker, what does that mean for how we interact with it? Welcome to 2025! In this special New Year kickoff episode, we dive into the transformative power of Agentic AI, launching the year's first themed series on Scaling with AI. This episode features a compelling discussion with Charlene Li, New York Times bestselling author of The Disruption Mindset and Winning with Generative AI: The 90-Day Blueprint for Success. Charlene talks with Pete Buer about why 2025 is set to be the year of Agentic AI and provides powerful examples of its impact across industries—from healthcare to consulting services. She shares how businesses can use AI agents to eliminate bottlenecks, streamline decision-making, and gain a competitive edge. Following this, Knownwell Chief Marketing Officer Courtney Baker is joined by Knownwell CEO David DeWolf and Chief Product and Technology Officer Mohan Rao. Together, they react to Charlene’s insights, comparing the AI revolution to the Industrial Revolution and exploring the leadership challenges in navigating this shift. The panel discusses how Agentic AI will redefine knowledge management, enhance CEO effectiveness, and shape the future of leadership. 2025 can be the year where AI helps you scale your business to the next level. Go to knownwell.com to sign up for our beta.    

Christian Madsbjerg, author and co-founder of the Human Activity Research Laboratory, shares insights on prioritizing human experience in AI strategies for 2025. He emphasizes the importance of placing humans at the center of AI developments. The discussion reveals actionable strategies for fostering human-AI collaboration and leveraging predictive analytics. Madsbjerg reflects on his research in Brazil, highlighting the need to balance innovation with human impact as AI continues to evolve. This approach is critical for businesses aiming for success in the coming years.

Andrew Abela, author of 'Superhabits' and Dean of the Busch School of Business, discusses how AI can enhance human virtues and decision-making. The conversation dives into the transformative potential of agentic AI in the workplace, emphasizing its ability to reshape team dynamics. They also explore predictions for AI advancements by 2025 and the philosophical implications of humanity's relationship with technology. Abela's insights highlight the crucial balance between technological progress and the maintenance of ethical values.

Dive into the fascinating world of large language models (LLMs) and discover how they predict words and synthesize complex information. Explore the mechanics behind neural networks and attention mechanisms that power these AI marvels. Learn about the shift from fine-tuning to retrieval-augmented generation, which enhances model efficiency and response accuracy. Finally, uncover how understanding biases and hallucinations in LLMs can improve organizational communication and adaptability in a rapidly evolving AI landscape.

Implementing AI is not just about tech; it requires effective change management for success. The conversation dives into how AI tools, like those from OpenAI, are revolutionizing disaster management and enhancing productivity. Special guest Andrew DeBerry shares insights on predictive technology for strategic planning. As Thanksgiving approaches, the hosts express gratitude for AI innovations that have transformed their work. Plus, they explore the impact of AI on note-taking and reasoning, highlighting its role in various fields, including healthcare.

In this enlightening discussion, Dom Nicastro, Editor-in-Chief at CMSWire, explores AI's transformative role in customer experience and journalism. He emphasizes the vital differences between explainable AI, focused on technical compliance, and understandable AI, which fosters trust with users. Nicastro also highlights how AI empowers frontline agents and aids journalists, enhancing their work instead of replacing it. Additionally, the episode features a segment on AI's impressive capabilities in fraud detection, showcasing its potential for good in real-world applications.