In The Loop

In this episode of In The Loop, I unpack the most compelling AI research released so far this year—highlighting how generative AI is being used not just as a productivity booster but as a deeply embedded layer in both personal and professional lives. Drawing on new data from Harvard Business Review and KPMG, I explore what the top 10 use cases in 2025 really say about the direction of society, the workplace, and how business leaders need to respond.You'll hear my take on the rise of use cases like organizing life, enhanced learning, and even therapy and companionship—and why these shifts reflect a broader redefinition of how we measure value, capability, and contribution. I’ll also dig into the hidden AI behaviors inside companies, including the 57% of employees who still conceal their AI usage from management. This isn’t just about tools—it’s about trust, talent models, and the next evolution of organizational design.⏭️ Episode Highlights:(00:40) – The top 10 global use cases for AI in 2025—and what’s been displaced since last year.(04:05) – AI in our everyday life: The sharp rise in AI for personal support, therapy, and companionship.(06:30) – Lessons from OpenAI’s recent ChatGPT update, the most sycophantic model out there.(10:00) – AI at the workplace: How AI is augmenting, not replacing, human-centric roles like coaching, education, and wellness.(15:00) – A call to action for leaders: build trust, lead from the top, and reshape how your teams work with AI.🔗 Related LinksHarvard Business Review – "How People Are Really Using Gen AI in 2025?" by Mark SandersKPMG x University of Melbourne – Global AI Trust StudyI, Robot book by Isaac AsimovEP11 - Shopify Memo: No Humans Hired Without AI Approval—Tobias Lütke's Vision📖 Read the written version of this episode on the Mindset AI blog (with all relevant links and resources). Read here.If you enjoyed this episode, rate, follow, and share! It helps others stay ahead of the latest AI trends. 🚀

A viral startup known for promoting an AI tool designed to aid cheating has ignited debates on ethics and societal values. The discussion centers on the clash between dishonesty and technological progress, questioning if this is merely smart strategy or a dangerous mindset. The conversation touches on how education and hiring practices may need to evolve in response to AI influences, advocating for a shift in focus from rote memorization to genuine understanding. It's a provocative take on how innovation might redefine our approach to learning and success.

This discussion delves into Google's groundbreaking Agent2Agent protocol, envisioning a future where AI agents seamlessly manage everyday tasks. Imagine waking up to a perfectly organized day—your fridge stocked and flights rerouted—all done by invisible assistants. The hosts explore the technical challenges and potential benefits of this communication standard, likening it to the evolution of the internet. They also tackle the dark side of such innovations and ponder whether this new system will thrive or ultimately falter.

This week, I’m unpacking one of the boldest corporate moves we’ve seen for a while—a memo from Shopify’s CEO that might just signal the beginning of a new AI-first era in the workplace. Shopify’s Tobias Lütke dropped a bombshell: no new human hires unless it’s been proven first that AI can't do the job. The policy has sparked everything from praise to panic, and we need to talk about what it really means.In this episode of In The Loop, I deep dive into the Shopify AI memo, dissect the reactions it’s stirred online, and explore what this could mean for your job, your future, and the broader workplace. Will other CEOs follow suit? Is this about cutting costs or doubling down on innovation? And what happens to junior workers in an AI-first world? Let’s break it all down.Episode Highlights(00:50) - The Shopify memo from Tobias Lütke: a CEO mandate to justify human hiring - Read the memo on our blog(08:10) - Breaking down the key points Tobias Lütke made in his AI-first message(09:15) - Saying the quiet part out loud(17:00) - How does the next five years look like?(20:00) - My final takeaway: this is either visionary leadership, or the start of a tough reckoningLinks & Resources📖 Read the written version of this episode on the Mindset AI blog (with all relevant links and resources). Read here.If you enjoyed this episode, rate, follow, and share! It helps others stay ahead of the latest AI trends. 🚀

In this episode of In The Loop, I break down one of the most jaw-dropping AI updates we’ve seen for a few years—the new ChatGPT image generator that’s now baked directly into GPT-4. It’s fast, playful, and wildly powerful. You can take any photo and instantly transform it into something that looks straight out of a Studio Ghibli film. It’s fun—until it gets complicated…I dive into how this model actually works, why it’s such a leap forward, and what it means for artists, creatives, and entire industries. From copyright dilemmas and lawsuits to cultural questions and job displacement, this tech is stirring up some big conversations. Whether you’re experimenting with AI art for fun or thinking deeply about its implications, this episode helps you make sense of it all.Episode Timeline: Key Highlights(01:00) – The magic of the ChatGPT image generator and why it’s blowing up(02:40) – What makes GPT-4o’s image generator tool different from DALL·E and diffusion models(06:30) – The cultural and ethical impact – The Ghibli debate: Art homage vs. imitation and cultural appropriation(08:25) – Copyright grey zones: can style be protected by law?(13:10) – The business and workforce impact – How creative careers might shift—and who’s at risk of being replaced(15:30) – Final thoughts: will AI homogenize art, or spark a new wave of creativity?Links & Resources:📖 Read the written version of this episode on the Mindset AI blog (with all relevant links and resources). Read here.If you enjoyed this episode, rate, follow, and share! It helps others stay ahead of the latest AI trends. 🚀

Apple has always been a leader in tech innovation—but what if it’s about to lose its grip? In this episode, I dive deep into why Apple’s AI strategy is falling apart, from the failed launch of Apple Intelligence to the internal chaos that has executives calling their own products "embarrassing." Could Apple really become the next BlackBerry or Nokia? And, more importantly, what can they do to turn things around?Join me as I break down Apple’s biggest AI missteps, how their legendary vertical integration might be their downfall, and what I would do if I were in Tim Cook’s shoes. This is a must-listen if you want to understand the future of Apple and the AI revolution that’s reshaping tech as we know it.Episode Highlights(01:20) Apple Intelligence: An ugly and embarrassing disaster—that resulted in a lawsuit.(04:15) Why we should be worried about Apple: hardware vs. software, vertical integrations, and fast competition.(09:40) Has Apple lost its mojo? Why Steve Jobs' legacy may be fading.(11:20) What Apple needs to do to stay in the AI game. (15:30) Closing thoughts: is Apple the Nokia or BlackBerry of today?Links & Resources🎧 Related episode: What are multi-agent systems?📖 Read the written version of this episode on the Mindset AI blog (with all relevant links and resources). Read here.If you enjoyed this episode, rate, follow, and share! It helps others stay ahead of the latest AI trends. 🚀

The world is buzzing about Model Context Protocol (MCP)—but why does it matter so much? In this episode of In The Loop, I break down what MCP is, why it’s being compared to the protocols that shaped the internet, and why it could be the key to unlocking the next wave of AI agent adoption. If you've ever wondered how AI agents can seamlessly connect to real-world applications—without endless custom integrations—MCP might just be the answer.We’ll dive into the historical parallels between MCP and protocols like HTTP and SMTP, explore the frustrating bottlenecks that have limited AI agent capabilities, and discuss how a standardized framework could lead to an explosion in AI innovation. Whether you're an AI developer, tech enthusiast, or just curious about the future of AI, this episode will give you a clear, no-nonsense breakdown of why MCP could be the game-changer we’ve been waiting for.Episode Highlights(1:10) – What are protocols, and why have they been essential in shaping the internet?(4:30) – Enter MCP: Protocols in the context of AI and LLMs.(7:55) – The definition: What is MCP for AI agents?(12:55) – Closing thoughts: The rapid evolution of AI agent capabilities—what happens when MCP is widely adopted?Links & Resources:📖 Read the written version of this episode on the Mindset AI blog (with all relevant links and resources). Read here.If you enjoyed this episode, rate, follow, and share! It helps others stay ahead of the latest AI trends. 🚀

The way we build software is changing—fast. This week, Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, made a bold prediction: within six months, AI will write 90% of all code. Meanwhile, “vibe coding” has become one of the hottest topics in AI, even surpassing "prompt engineering" in Google searches. And then there’s Cursor, an AI-powered coding startup that has skyrocketed by 9,900% in just a year, hitting $100 million in revenue. But what does all of this mean for developers? Will traditional programming be replaced, or are we witnessing yet another shift in how software is created?In this episode, we dive into Amodei’s claim, the rapid rise of vibe coding, and the broader implications for businesses, developers, and the tech industry as a whole. We’ll also explore historical parallels—how each wave of technological automation has transformed rather than eliminated roles—and discuss what the next generation of software development might look like.Episode Breakdown:(1:10) – Dario Amodei’s bold claim: AI will write 90% of code in six months. ▶️ Watch the YouTube Short here.(5:00) – The explosive rise of vibe coding—what it is and why it's trending.(10:05) – Tim O'Reilly's take on the ever-changing role of programmers.(14:00) – Historical patterns: How automation always changes the trajectory of jobs. 🎧 Listen to the mentioned podcast episode about Satya Nadella's vision for AGI. (16:10) – What’s next? The new frontier of programming and problem-solving. ▶️ ⁠Watch the full YouTube video of children's predictions for the future here.⁠Links & Resources:📖 Read the written version of this episode on the Mindset AI blog (with all relevant links and resources). Read more here. If you enjoyed this episode, rate, follow, and share! It helps others stay ahead of the latest AI trends. 🚀

What if AI agents started making decisions for us—and we didn’t even realize it? In this episode of In The Loop with Jack Houghton, we dive into the viral “gibberlink” moment—when two AI agents seemingly created their own secret language—and why it’s more hype than reality. But beneath the noise, a quiet revolution is happening: multi-agent systems. These specialized AI agents collaborate, communicate, and tackle complex tasks far more efficiently than a single model ever could—and they’re about to reshape business, technology, and culture in ways we’re only beginning to understand.We’ll break down what multi-agent systems really are, how they work, and the opportunities (and challenges) they bring. From autonomous workflows and digital assistants to the rise of business-to-agent (B2A) services, this is the next big leap in AI evolution. Stick around to hear why this quiet revolution is set to explode over the next 18 months—and what it means for your life and work.Episode Highlights:(01:15) — The viral “gibberlink” video: What really happened between two AI agents?(06:20) — What are multi-agent systems and how do they work?(10:10) — The challenges of multi-agent systems: Scalability, security, and coordination(17:35) — Why business-to-agent (B2A) services are the next big tech shift(20:40) — How multi-agent AI could reshape business and our entity society. Links & Resources:📖 Read the written version of this episode on the Mindset AI blog (with all relevant links and resources). Read here.If you enjoyed this episode, rate, follow, and share! It helps others stay ahead of the latest AI trends. 🚀

The world of software and technology is undergoing a massive shift—and AI agents are at the center of this revolution. In this episode of In The Loop, Jack Houghton dives into how vertical AI agents, like OpenAI’s deep research agent and Perplexity, are changing the game by consolidating complex workflows into single, powerful agents. Imagine replacing an entire stack of SaaS tools with one AI-driven system. It’s not just possible—it’s already happening.We explore how these multi-agent systems work, why they’re so disruptive to established players like Google, and how they’re reshaping industries like healthcare, law, and enterprise software. Plus, Jack shares insights on how SaaS companies can adapt (or risk getting left behind). If you want to understand where AI is taking the future of work and tech, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.Episode Highlights:(01:10) — The rise of vertical AI agents and why they threaten traditional SaaS models(04:25) — Why Google’s business model is at risk from AI-driven search tools(08:35) — Why SaaS companies must embrace AI agents or face being left behind(10:00) — How vertical AI solutions could entirely unbundle today’s SaaS landscapeLinks & Resources:📖 Read the written version of this episode on the Mindset AI blog (with all relevant links and resources). Read here.If you enjoyed this episode, rate, follow, and share! It helps others stay ahead of the latest AI trends. 🚀