Tool Use - AI Conversations

Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaXSukh Saini, an exited founder and the creator of Engyne, joins Tool Use to break down the essential strategies for AI product distribution and personal branding. With a track record of 38 products, Sukh shares how he transitioned from a self-proclaimed horrible employee to a successful entrepreneur by mastering the business loop of building, selling, and scaling. This episode covers the vital shift from managing multiple low-revenue apps to focusing on exponential growth through high-conviction projects like Retail, which he sold after finding a unique distribution edge within the Stripe marketplace.Learn why building in public is a massive advantage for establishing trust and why marketplaces like Canva, Stripe, and the ChatGPT store are the next big frontiers for indie developers. Sukh also details his practical framework for validating demand through industry research and hypothesis-driven customer calls, ensuring you solve high-value problems before writing a single line of code. Whether you are interested in B2B SaaS, AI app stores, or building a thought leadership brand on LinkedIn, this conversation provides a tactical playbook for any builder looking to win in the AI era.Engyne: https://engyne.ai/ Sukh's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sssaini/Connect with us https://x.com/ToolUsePodcast https://x.com/MikeBirdTech https://x.com/thisissukh_00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:21 - How to build a winning product loop 00:04:26 - Mastering product distribution and the Stripe marketplace 00:08:12 - Why building a collection of small apps is a mistake 00:14:56 - Validating SaaS demand before writing code 00:21:56 - Tactical framework for finding customer pain points 00:27:59 - The competitive advantage of building in public 00:42:27 - Unlocking distribution through the ChatGPT app storeSubscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and entrepreneurship.Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts.

Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaXMaster your AI career in 2026 with this comprehensive guide on how to get a job in AI as a developer or non-technical professional. Mike Bird, AI and Engineering Lead at BoxOne Ventures, breaks down his personal journey from software developer to AI leader and shares insider secrets on the modern hiring process. Learn why traditional resumes are failing in the age of AI screeners and why you should embrace building in public, networking at AI Tinkerers events, and creating obnoxious resumes to stand out from thousands of bot-driven applications. Whether you are looking to become an AI engineer, a specialized AI consultant, or the AI champion at your current company, this episode provides actionable strategies on leveraging tools like Claude Code, Cursor, and more to proof-of-concept your way into the fastest-growing industry in human history. We dive deep into the technical skills required for 2026, including managing fleets of AI agents and mastering security audits, while also addressing career pivots for those in their 40s or 50s.Connect with us https://x.com/ToolUsePodcast https://x.com/MikeBirdTech00:00:00 - Intro00:01:02 - Career Pivot Strategy: From Dev to AI Lead00:03:35 - Beat AI Screeners: The Case for the "Obnoxious" Resume00:10:43 - 2026 AI Engineer Interview: Technical Screens & Vibe Checks00:16:08 - AI Consulting vs Productizing: Knowledge Arbitrage Tips00:20:08 - Build in Public: How to Increase Your AI Luck Surface Area00:25:30 - Non-Technical Strategy: Becoming an AI Champion00:30:32 - Realistically how long it takes to transition into AI00:36:26 - Is it too late to learn AI if you are 40+ or 50+?Subscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and entrepreneurship.Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts.

Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaXIn this 2025 year-end wrap-up, we dive deep into the massive shifts in the AI landscape, from the surprise release of GPT-5.2 to the rise of open source models like DeepSeek. Mike Bird and Richardson Dackam reflect on a year defined by accelerating iteration cycles, the growing energy bottleneck for data centers, and the emergence of reasoning models that have changed how we approach complex tasks. We also look ahead to 2026, predicting the evolution of browser agents, the integration of AI in physical robotics, and why the next frontier of artificial general intelligence might actually be found in biological simulation. Whether you are interested in fine-tuning open models, the future of AI-generated content, or how programmable payments through crypto will enable the agentic future, this episode covers the essential trends every AI builder needs to know.Check out Richardson's workhttps://www.nshipyard.com/Connect with us https://x.com/ToolUsePodcast https://x.com/MikeBirdTech https://x.com/RichardsonDx00:00:00 - Intro00:00:26 - Frontier Model Race: Gemini 3 vs GPT-5.200:07:27 - Open Source AI and the DeepSeek Market Shock00:12:06 - The Future of AI Interfacing: Voice & Multimodality00:30:39 - Browser Agents and Agentic Tools for 202600:41:58 - Physical AI: The Humanoid Robot Revolution00:48:20 - The Next Frontier: Why Biology is the Bottleneck for AGISubscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and automation.Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts.

Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaXDiscover how to master your executive function and reclaim your schedule with AI. In Episode 71 of Tool Use, Sam Julien (Director of Developer Relations and Experience at Writer) joins Mike Bird to explore how AI acts as the ultimate equalizer for productivity and mental clarity. We dive deep into practical strategies for reducing the time tax of administrative drudgery, using AI voice-to-text for brain dumping, and leveraging models as rubber duck brainstorming partners. Whether you are navigating new parenthood, managing a fast-paced career, or looking to avoid burnout, this conversation covers the micro-skills that lead to massive quality-of-life improvements. From using local Whisper models for privacy to the role of AI in creative work, learn how to stop the brain rot and start using technology to find your flow.Learn more about Sam Julien: http://www.samjulien.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/samjulien/Connect with us https://x.com/ToolUsePodcast https://x.com/MikeBirdTech https://x.com/samjulien00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:21 - Validating AI Engineering: Moving from Hype to Reality 00:02:14 - Mastering Executive Function with AI Voice Dictation 00:06:53 - AI as a Brainstorming Partner and Rubber Duck 00:15:36 - Solving the ROI Challenge: Context Engineering vs. Drudgery 00:18:43 - Leveraging AI to Prevent Burnout and Admin Fatigue 00:26:14 - Navigating AI Monoculture and Preserving Human ConnectionSubscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and executive function.Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts.

Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaXDiscover the future of front-end development with Cluso, an AI-powered web inspector and browser designed for "vibe coding." In this episode, Jason Kneen returns to demonstrate how to build bespoke AI tools that go beyond simple transcription. We dive deep into implementing voice control with context-aware agents, mastering the Model Context Protocol (MCP) for tool integration, and building fast orchestration layers to route requests between local models and cloud agents like Claude and Gemini. Whether you are interested in Electron app development, context splicing, or multi-view mobile testing, this conversation covers how top builders are creating their own workflows.Cluso: https://cluso.app/Connect with ushttps://x.com/ToolUsePodcasthttps://x.com/MikeBirdTechhttps://x.com/jasonkneen00:00:00 - Intro00:07:54 - Building Voice Control for AI Agents00:15:20 - Leveraging MCP for Better Tooling00:19:42 - Fast Orchestration & Model Routing00:25:06 - Multi-Model Agent Architecture00:31:13 - Cluso Demo & WorkflowSubscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and modern software development.