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A Beginner's Guide to AI
The Cluetrain Manifesto predicted today’s AI mess in 1999
In this episode of A Beginner’s Guide to AI, Professor GePhardT takes The Cluetrain Manifesto’s famous idea markets are conversations and stress tests it in the age of generative AI. In 1999, Cluetrain demanded that brands stop sounding like machines and start speaking with a human voice. Today, AI can generate that human sounding voice on demand, which creates a new problem: it becomes easy to sound authentic while becoming less trustworthy.
You will learn why conversational marketing is not about posting more, replying faster, or writing prettier copy. It is about credibility in public. This episode breaks down the difference between tone and truth, why AI customer service chatbots can create brand risk when they guess, and how to use human in the loop design so your AI supports real accountability instead of manufacturing polite noise.
We also unpack a real cautionary case: Moffatt v Air Canada. A website chatbot provided incorrect guidance about bereavement fares, the customer relied on it, and compensation was ordered. It is a sharp reminder that when AI speaks on your website, customers experience it as the company speaking.
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Tune in to get my thoughts and all episodes, don't forget to subscribe to our Newsletter: beginnersguide.nl
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💬 Quotes from the Episode
- “AI makes language cheap, and when language is cheap, trust becomes the scarce ingredient.”
- “Responsiveness can masquerade as empathy.”
- “When AI speaks in your name, its answers become part of your promises, not just part of your tone.”
- “You can talk beautifully about cake while still serving bad cake.”
- “A chatbot is not a neutral tool. It is a brand voice.”
- “In 1999 the challenge was speaking human. Now the challenge is acting human.” 🎧
About Dietmar Fischer:
Dietmar is a podcaster and AI marketer from Berlin. If you want to know how to get your AI or your digital marketing going, just contact him at argoberlin.com
🕒 Chapters
00:00 Why Cluetrain matters again in the AI era
04:10 Markets are conversations and why the human voice cannot be faked
10:05 AI makes language cheap and trust expensive
18:30 The authenticity trap: tone without accountability
27:40 Case study: Air Canada chatbot and the cost of confident wrong answers
36:20 Practical framework: human in the loop and conversation design
✅ Key topics and keywords
- Cluetrain Manifesto and AI
- Markets are conversations AI
- Conversational marketing AI
- AI brand voice authenticity
- AI trust and accountability
- Chatbot hallucinations customer support
- Chatbot legal liability
- Human in the loop chatbot design
Music credit: "Modern Situations" by Unicorn Heads
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20. Why Vibe Coding Enhances Productivity - And Why Naga Santosh Wrote A Whole Book About It.
54:04||Season 12, Ep. 20🚀 In this episode of Beginner’s Guide to AI, Dietmar Fischer speaks with Naga Santhosh Reddy Vootukuri (aka Sunny), a Principal Software Engineering Manager at Microsoft working on Azure SQL deployment infrastructure. Sunny shares his personal journey into AI, from early ChatGPT experiments in late 2022 to using AI tools in production workflows, and what actually changed his day to day work.💡 You’ll hear how he thinks about GitHub Copilot inside Visual Studio, where it saves time, and where engineers still need to slow down and verify outputs. The episode also goes beyond coding into leadership and adoption: how managers can help teams use AI responsibly, and why showing outcomes and numbers matters more than hype. Sunny also connects the dots to the broader industry shift toward AI agents and structured tooling like GitHub Models and Docker’s evolving AI ecosystem.✅ Key takeaways you can use immediatelyPractical AI adoption for engineers and managersGitHub Copilot productivity in real workflows, not demosWhy AI code can look correct and still be wrong, and how to respondThe rise of AI agents and what it means for everyday teamsHow GitHub Models lowers friction for evaluating models and promptsWhy Docker is leaning into agent workflows and developer productivity📧💌📧Tune in to get my thoughts and all episodes, don't forget to subscribe to our Newsletter: beginnersguide.nl📧💌📧About Dietmar Fischer: Dietmar is a podcaster and AI marketer from Berlin. If you want to know how to get your AI or your digital marketing going, just contact him at argoberlin.com🎬 Chapters00:00 Welcome and Sunny’s background at Microsoft and Azure SQL deployment00:53 What pulled him into AI from ChatGPT experiments to real workflows07:50 AI tools and jobs, building websites faster and empowering non devs10:56 GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio, how it changes daily coding19:40 The AI adoption gap, why many still do not use AI and the rise of agents38:45 Docker Captain, GitHub Models, and building agent workflows without heavy setup42:22 Trust, privacy, and the future facing questions to close the episode💬 Quotes from the Episode“I recently wrote an article also on Business Insider… how I can save, like, 60% to 70% of my time doing… repetitive tasks.”“Lead by example and lead with numbers… show the actual data… this is how it really improved my productivity.”“Earlier, AI also doing a lot of hallucination… it was generating all crappy code… you have to go and iterate multiple times.”🔎 Where to find the GuestDocker profile: docker.com/contributors/naga-santhosh-reddy-vootukuri/GitHub: github.com/sunnynagavoSpeaker profile: sessionize.com/naga-santhosh-reddy-vootukuri/Redgate community ambassador profile: red-gate.com/hub/community/ambassadors/ambassador/Naga-Vootukuri/And of course LinkedIn 😉: linkedin.com/in/naga-santhosh-reddy-vootukuri-5a67a133/Music credit: "Modern Situations" by Unicorn Heads
19. Prompting Is 2025. In 2026, We Should Let The AI Prompt.
47:27||Season 12, Ep. 19AI Leadership for the Agent Era: Building Hybrid Organizations with Dominic von ProeckAI is entering its operational phase. In this episode, Dominic von Proeck, Co-Founder of Leaders of AI, breaks down what AI transformation looks like when you stop collecting prompts and start building agent-powered teams.We talk about why owner-led companies and the German Mittelstand can move faster than many expect, and why the most important capability is not technical wizardry but leadership: clear delegation, strong feedback loops, and critical thinking about every AI output. Dominic shares how their organization runs AI assistants with real operational discipline, including onboarding, documentation, and even personality profiles, plus the emerging pattern of AI managers that lead other agents.If you want practical guidance on AI agents in business, hybrid organizations, and adoption that sticks, this conversation delivers an unusually concrete operating model.📧💌📧Tune in to get my thoughts and all episodes, don't forget to subscribe to our Newsletter: beginnersguide.nl📧💌📧About Dietmar Fischer: Dietmar is a podcaster and AI marketer from Berlin. If you want to know how to get your AI or your digital marketing going, just contact him at argoberlin.comChapters00:00 Dominic’s AI origin story and why AI transformation matters now03:10 Mittelstand impact, demographics, and why owner-led firms can move fast06:10 Adoption reality: AI at home vs at work and the companion effect08:10 Leadership as the key skill for managing AI assistants and hybrid teams14:10 The stack and the operating model: agent files, Airtable layer, self-hosting and n8n17:05 Fear, pain points, and the real path to organization-wide AI adoption24:00 2026 and the shift from prompts to agents, plus AI managers leading other agents35:25 Matrix education, flow learning, and what ethical progress looks like40:45 Where to find Dominic and Leaders of AIQuotes from the Episode“Prompting is 2025… in 2026, we should let the AI prompt.”“One of the best antidotes to being afraid of anything is education.”“To be honest, leadership skills.”Where to find the GuestWebsite: leadersofai.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dominicvonproeck/Programs: The MBAI programMusic credit: "Modern Situations" by Unicorn Heads
18. Who Owns The Future?
59:37||Season 12, Ep. 18✨ Unlock a Future Where AI Inspires Leadership—not Replaces ItIn this episode, Dietmar Fischer speaks with Ja-Naé Duane and Steven Fisher, co-authors of the book SuperShifts, about what leadership really looks like in the age of artificial intelligence. Instead of framing AI as just another technology trend, the conversation explores AI leadership as a systemic and human challenge. Drawing on their work with global organizations and executives during and after the pandemic, Ja-Naé and Steven explain why the biggest shifts are not driven by tools, but by how leaders rethink decision-making, responsibility, and organizational design.The episode traces the origins of SuperShifts back to Covid, when existing systems suddenly stopped working. Ja-Naé Duane shares insights from working with CEOs across Europe who were already using machine learning, but struggled to use AI to meaningfully support leadership decisions. Together, the guests unpack why AI-first leadership requires more than efficiency gains. It demands clear governance, ethical accountability, and a shared understanding of who owns outcomes when humans and machines collaborate.A central theme of the conversation is human-AI collaboration and why leaders must move beyond optimizing outdated structures. Steven Fisher introduces a systems-thinking lens, arguing that organizations need new frameworks rather than incremental improvements. The discussion highlights how AI changes leadership roles, why trust and transparency matter more than ever, and how possibility itself becomes a strategic asset in the age of intelligence.Key takeaways include practical insights into AI leadership, the importance of systems thinking, and why SuperShifts offers a roadmap for leading through uncertainty. This episode is for anyone who wants to understand how leadership must evolve as AI becomes embedded in decision-making, work, and organizational culture.📧💌📧Tune in to get my thoughts and all episodes, don't forget to subscribe to our Newsletter!📧💌📧➡️ Key HighlightsUnderstanding AI-First Leadership through the lens of SuperShiftsThe pandemic's role in inspiring new leadership frameworks and agile mindsetsBlending human values with AI-powered decision-makingWhy systems thinking, foresight, and possibility are essential tools for modern leaders🧾 Quotes from the Episode- “The most successful leader won’t be the one who predicts the future—but the one who shapes it.”- “In the Age of Intelligence, possibility itself becomes the most valuable capital.”- “Our role as leaders is to bring humanity into the algorithm, not replace it.”👓 Chapters (experimental)00:00 Introduction – What is SuperShifts?05:12 From Pandemic to Paradigm Shift: How SuperShifts Was Born12:45 AI-First Leadership: Reimagining How We Lead20:30 Human-AI Collaboration: Balancing Ethics and Innovation28:10 Systems Thinking and SuperShifts Framework35:00 Applied Strategies: Leading in the Age of Intelligence🔗 Where to Find Ja-Naé Duane and Steven FisherDr. Ja-Naé Duane: Ja-Nae.IOSteven Fisher — StevenFisher.IOAnd here you'll find:SuperShifts: Transforming How We Live, Learn, and Work in the Age of IntelligenceMusic credit: "Modern Situations" by Unicorn Heads
17. Be curious and get rid of the fear: Bala Muthiah on AI Leadership
47:11||Season 12, Ep. 17AI adoption is not only a technology shift, it is a leadership and culture shift. In this episode, Dietmar Fischer talks with Bala Muthiah about AI leadership, the psychology behind AI resistance in the workplace, and the practical steps leaders can take to turn curiosity into day to day usage.Bala shares why the human aspect still decides outcomes, even when the tools feel magical. You will learn how leaders can reduce fear, build confidence, and guide teams through real AI upskilling strategy instead of one off trainings that never translate into workflows. The conversation also touches on industry differences, including why sensitive domains like healthcare raise the bar for responsible AI adoption, and what the rise of agentic workflows means for the future.📧💌📧Tune in to get my thoughts and all episodes, don't forget to subscribe to our Newsletter: beginnersguide.nl📧💌📧About Dietmar Fischer: Dietmar is a podcaster and AI marketer from Berlin. If you want to know how to get your AI or your digital marketing going, just contact him at argoberlin.com🎧 Chapters00:00 Welcome and why AI is a leadership moment02:12 AI leadership in 2026: pressure, performance, and opportunity04:41 The real barrier: fear, skepticism, and AI resistance at work07:45 Industry realities: healthcare, sensitivity, and responsible adoption17:50 A practical framework: upskilling people and building confidence34:49 The next wave: agentic workflows and what leaders should prepare for41:43 Where to find Bala and closing thoughts💬 Quotes from the Episode- “And to me, it’s still human, meaning us, we are still humans, leaders are still humans. The human aspect still stays.”- “Again, I’m coming back to the people, like, because that’s gonna be the unlock for you. Upskill your people with AI tools.”- “AI being, like, the car, or being the internet, being the electricity.”🌍 Where to find Bala Muthiah:- On his website: balamuthiah.com- His Speaker profile: sessionize.com/bala-muthiah/- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/balaarjunan/Music credit: "Modern Situations" by Unicorn Heads
16. Can You Trust Your AI? Vasant Dhar on Robot Taxis vs. Robot Doctors
54:05||Season 12, Ep. 16🤖🧠 Thinking with Machines with Vasant DharWhat happens when AI stops being a tool and starts becoming a collaborator and an agent? In this episode, NYU Stern professor and AI pioneer Vasant Dhar takes us through the real story behind modern AI, and the practical frameworks we need for AI trust, AI governance, and the coming era of agentic AI.🚀 What you will learn- Why “thinking with machines” is a bigger idea than “thinking machines”- How the automation frontier separates low-risk automation from high-stakes human control- Why healthcare has lots of data but still struggles to make good decisions- Why mental health is a dangerous place to outsource empathy to machines- What edge cases in AI mean and why they matter for self-driving cars- How AI agents change the governance conversation, from obligations to restrictions to rights📌 Key highlights- A practical definition of trust in AI based on error rates and consequences- AI in healthcare data: turning medical trails into usable decision intelligence- The future of work: AI as an amplifier, not a substitute, unless you let it become a crutch- Governance questions that no one gets to avoid once agents can act in the world📧💌📧Tune in to get my thoughts and all episodes, don't forget to subscribe to our Newsletter: beginnersguide.nl📧💌📧About Dietmar Fischer:Dietmar is a podcaster and AI marketer from Berlin. If you want to know how to get your AI or your digital marketing going, just contact him at argoberlin.comQuotes from the Episode 💬“Trust depends on how often a machine makes mistakes and the consequences of those mistakes.”“In physical health, I’m very optimistic. In mental health, not so.”“It’ll likely lead to a bifurcation of humanity… skills get amplified… or people rely on the machine as a crutch.”Chapters ⏱️00:00 Vasant Dhar’s origin story in AI and early expert systems05:08 A Brave New World warning and why optimism still needs guardrails07:26 AI in healthcare vs mental health and why feelings change the rules12:37 The trust heat map and the automation frontier in real life18:21 Edge cases, bounded rationality, and what machines pay attention to26:03 The future of work and why AI amplifies both skill and decline36:23 Governance, AI agents, and how much agency we should allow44:05 AI wow moments and the next frontier: integrated machine senses47:15 Where to find the book, podcast, and newsletterWhere to find Vasant Dhar 🔎- Visit Vasant's Website, also to find all the links to shops with "Thinking with Machines", his book: vasantdhar.com- Listen to his Podcast: bravenewpodcast.com- and get his Newsletter: vasantdhar.substack.comMusic credit: "Modern Situations" by Unicorn Heads`
15. Stop Prompting - Start Context Engineering
21:49||Season 12, Ep. 15Most people think better AI results come from better prompts. This episode proves why that’s wrong.Professor GePhardT introduces Context Engineering, the missing skill that transforms AI from a confused parrot into a capable collaborator. Through relatable metaphors, real business examples, and a deliciously British cake analogy, you’ll learn how shaping an AI’s environment matters more than clever wording.You’ll discover:Why prompt engineering alone failsHow context helps AI understand intentThe difference between guessing and knowingA real telecom case where context fixed customer supportHow to apply context engineering in everyday AI use📧💌📧Tune in to get my thoughts and all episodes, don’t forget to subscribe to our Newsletter: beginnersguide.nl📧💌📧Quotes from the Episode“Prompt engineering is asking nicely. Context engineering is setting the stage.”“Without context, AI is guessing. With context, it understands intent.”“Context turns AI from a parrot into a collaborator.”Chapters00:00 Why Prompts Alone Are Not Enough04:12 What Context Engineering Really Means10:25 Understanding Intent Through Context18:40 Context Engineering vs Prompt Engineering25:10 Telco Case Study35:20 The Cake Example44:00 Final TakeawaysAbout Dietmar FischerDietmar is a podcaster and AI marketer from Berlin. If you want to know how to get your AI or your digital marketing going, just contact him at argoberlin.comMusic credit: “Modern Situations” by Unicorn Heads 🎵
14. AI Doesn't Break It, Bad Leadership Does
51:29||Season 12, Ep. 14🤖🧠 AI is making strategy cheap. Adoption is still expensive.In this episode, Dietmar Fischer sits down with Bud Caddell (NOBL) to unpack what leaders miss when they roll out generative AI and expect instant results. Bud shares how his team thinks about AI change management, why “turning on Copilot” is not an adoption plan, and what happens to consulting when LLMs can produce “firm-grade” recommendations in seconds.You will also hear the story behind ConsultingSlop.com, a strategy generator that models the reasoning styles of major consulting firms and outputs polished advice instantly. What started as a parody quickly became a serious signal about commoditization, incentives, and the real differentiator: execution, trust, and organizational design.Key takeaways you can apply immediately:✅ How to approach Microsoft Copilot adoption strategy like a redesign effort, not a software toggle✅ Why AI literacy and training reduce fear, resistance, and “adoption theater”✅ What the agents wave means in practice, including platforms like Agentforce✅ How “vibe coding” changes prototyping speed and risk for teams📧💌📧Tune in to get my thoughts and all episodes, don't forget to subscribe to our Newsletter: beginnersguide.nl📧💌📧About Dietmar Fischer: Dietmar is a podcaster and AI marketer from Berlin. If you want to know how to get your AI or your digital marketing going, just contact him at argoberlin.comQuotes from the Episode“AI is this incredible wave that I think is gonna fundamentally change individual organizations, but the entire economy, society at large.”“We turned on Copilot, so why aren’t we more productive? … it’s a design process.”“My big prediction is that over the next 18 months, we’re gonna see a lot of backpedaling… and sunk cost fallacy.”Chapters00:00 Bud’s path from software to organizational change and why AI feels different04:20 ConsultingSlop.com, vibe coding, and when AI strategy gets uncomfortably believable06:30 Copilot mandates vs real adoption, why productivity math fails without redesign16:40 AI as a catalyst for deeper issues: brand story, conflict, and culture19:25 The next 18 months: investment traps, backpedaling, and what leaders should do38:00 Agents, Agentforce, and Bud’s personal AI toolkit plus wow moments and wrapWhere to find the GuestBud Caddell: https://budcaddell.com/NOBL: https://nobl.io/Consulting Slop: https://consultingslop.com/LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/budcaddell/Music credit: "Modern Situations" by Unicorn Heads
13. Customer Panel? Too Slow. Here’s the Synthetic Version - with Janet Barker-Evans
50:16||Season 12, Ep. 13🚀 In this episode, Dietmar Fischer talks with Janet Barker-Evans about what happens when AI stops being a novelty and becomes part of a serious creative workflow.Janet breaks down how she uses custom GPTs for marketing as brainstorming partners and how synthetic personas can help teams validate campaigns faster, sometimes in a single day instead of waiting weeks for traditional research cycles.Our topics today include hands-on AI training, multi-model workflows (ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Copilot), and why AI fear often comes down to power and control.📧💌📧Tune in to get my thoughts and all episodes, don't forget to subscribe to our Newsletter: beginnersguide.nl📧💌📧About the Host:Dietmar is a podcaster and AI marketer from Berlin. If you want to know how to get your AI or your digital marketing going, just contact him at argoberlin.com🎯 What you will learn:How synthetic personas in market research and synthetic customers can accelerate concept testingHow custom GPTs for marketing can unlock better creative optionsHow to choose between tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Copilot for real business work🕒 Chapters00:00 Welcome and Janet’s AI origin story01:47 Custom GPTs as brainstorming partners for marketers05:05 Hands-on AI workshops: building confidence across ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Copilot15:23 Synthetic personas and rapid creative validation with “persona panels”20:00 Multi-model workflows: choosing the right tool and making outputs usable35:03 The wow moments and the fear factor: prototyping visuals, power, control, and what’s next💬 Quotes from the Episode“It’s like having a partner who’s not afraid to pitch a crazy idea.”“When we come up with a creative campaign, we will go test it against our synthetic persona panel.”“They’re all synthetic!”“Some of them will poke holes in our thinking, which helps us make it stronger.”“We can gut check it inside of a day.”“So, it’s about power, it’s about control…”🔎 Where to find the GuestJanet's website: janetbarkerevans.comAbelsonTayler's website: AbelsonTaylor GroupOr connect on LinkedIn with Janet: Janet Barker-EvansThanks for listening. If you enjoyed the episode, please follow the show and share it with someone who is trying to ship better work faster.Music credit: "Modern Situations" by Unicorn Heads
12. How Michael Sacca of LeadPages Is Using AI to Transform Landing Pages Forever // NEW AUDIO
46:33||Season 12, Ep. 12Michael Sacca (Leadpages) on AI-powered landing pages, personalization, and the future of search 🚀In this conversation, Michael Sacca shares how Leadpages is weaving AI landing page optimization into real marketing workflows - from personalization that actually moves the needle to what Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) means for search and conversions.📧📧📧Tune in to get my thoughts and all episodes, don't forget to subscribe to our Newsletter!📧📧📧💡 HighlightsHow AI landing page optimization boosts conversion rates with smarter on-page decisions 🤖Practical ways to implement AI-driven personalization without overwhelming your stackWhy AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) matters as search shifts to assistants and LLMs 🔎Navigating privacy & data considerations when deploying AIThe future roadmap for AI inside SaaS marketing tools 🚀⚡Quotes from the Episode"Can AI be an analyzer of customer data, a designer, or even a generator of entire assets? That’s what we’re experimenting with—expanding from just a landing page builder into a conversion optimization platform, with AI at the heart of that story.” - Michael Sacca“If we can get you the answer faster, we can increase conversions.” - Michael Sacca“One exciting use case is syncing ad creative with landing page optimization. Imagine designing a page, having ads produced, and feeding both into a system that constantly optimizes them together. That’s where we’re heading.” - Michael Sacca🧾 Chapters00:00 Introduction – Dietmar Fischer welcomes Michael Sacca from Leadpages05:17 Making AI accessible for SMBs in landing page optimization10:28 Building an AI-first landing page builder15:37 The exciting shift in Martech and AI adoption20:59 Exploring personalization and customer experience challenges26:09 Conversational landing pages and chatbots in Beta31:19 The cusp of transformation: AI’s role in marketing workflows36:39 Lessons from 13 years of Leadpages and the future outlook41:45 Closing remarks and where to find Michael SaccaWhere to find Michael Sacca:🔗 Website: leadpages.com🧑🦰 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michaelsacca🙅 X/Twitter: x.com/michaelsacca🎙️ "On the Record" Podcast: lp.leadpages.com/podcast/📧 Tune in to get my thoughts, and don’t forget to subscribe to our Newsletter: beginnersguide.nlMusic credit: "Modern Situations" by Unicorn Heads