Beyond The Prompt - How to use AI in your company

How Entrepreneurs Can Compete in the Age of AI: Henrik Werdelin & Nicholas Thorne on Their New Book Me, My Customer and AI

In a shift from the usual format, Henrik Werdelin steps into the guest seat—alongside Nicholas Thorne—for a live conversation with Jeremy Utley about their new book Me, My Customer, and AI. They explore what it takes for entrepreneurs to compete in the age of AI — from redefining resourcefulness to thinking like founders, even inside a job.The discussion dives into the book’s central frameworks, including the Five Ps (powers, passions, possessions, positions, and potentials) and the “it sucks that…” approach to identifying real problems worth solving. Along the way, they reflect on how AI is changing the leap from idea to execution, why more people may need to think entrepreneurially, and the shift from operating to orchestrating.They also share lessons from the writing process itself—how they tried to use AI, where it fell short, and why Me, My Customer, and AI ends when it does.This episode isn’t just about launching a book. It’s about rediscovering agency, and the questions we all need to ask when starting something new.Key Takeaways: This isn’t a book about AI—it’s a book about you.Henrik and Nicholas share how the real questions emerging from AI are deeply human ones. The book focuses first on self-understanding, then on the customer, with AI as the third piece—not the center.The Five Ps framework helps you figure out what to build—and why.Powers, passions, possessions, positions, and potentials offer a structured way to explore personal founder-market fit. It’s a tool for generating ideas, but also for stress-testing them.Real problems often hide in plain sight—it just sucks that no one’s solved them.Using the phrase “it sucks that…” makes it easier to spot problems worth solving. It’s simple, emotional, and sharp enough to cut through vague ideas and find what really matters to people.Entrepreneurial thinking isn’t just for founders anymore.In a world shaped by AI agents and fluid roles, more people will need to act like entrepreneurs—taking initiative, connecting dots, and orchestrating rather than operating.Book site: Me, My Customer and AI - The New Rules of EntrepreneurshipBuy the book: Amazon.com: Me, My Customer, and AI: The New Rules of EntrepreneurshipAudos: AudosAudos Instagram: Direct • Instagram Nicholas LinkedIn: Nicholas Thorne | LinkedIn00:00 Intro: The Human Questions Behind AI00:37 Personal Reflections on AI01:26 The Book’s Unique Perspective02:55 AI and Human Resourcefulness05:46 Entrepreneurship in the AI Era13:05 The Five Ps Framework23:53 Identifying Real Problems25:39 Why Identifying and Reframing Problems Matters26:27 The Concept of “It Sucks That”27:23 Historical Context and Practical Applications28:22 The Role of Language in Problem-Solving29:43 AI’s Influence on Writing and Creativity31:47 Challenges and Limitations of AI in Writing35:38 The Future of AI in Creative Processes43:30 Entrepreneurial Skills for the Modern Era48:26 Audience Interaction and Final Thoughts📜 Read the transcript for this episode:  For more prompts, tips, and AI tools. Check out our website: https://www.beyondtheprompt.ai/ or follow Jeremy or Henrik on Linkedin:Henrik: https://www.linkedin.com/in/werdelinJeremy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyutley Show edited by Emma Cecilie Jensen.

Inside Zapier’s Code Red: How CEO Wade Foster Hit Pause to Reinvent for AI

Wade Foster, co-founder and CEO of Zapier, joins Henrik and Jeremy to talk about how AI is changing the company from the inside out. He shares the moment Zapier declared a “code red” on AI and the steps they took to turn urgency into action — encouraging more experiments, removing tolerance for inaction, and celebrating wins along the way.Wade discusses his own AI use cases, the importance of internal examples in driving adoption, and why duplication of efforts can speed up learning. He reflects on the leadership challenge of guiding a 14-year-old company through cultural transformation, balancing productivity gains with employee well-being, and preparing for a future where AI agents work with each other.This episode offers a clear, practical look at what it takes to embed AI into an established organization, and keep it moving forward.Key Takeaways:A “code red” can be a catalyst for real change.When Zapier declared a company-wide “code red” on AI, it wasn’t just a signal. It pushed people to experiment more, act faster, and rethink established ways of working.Culture is harder to change than technology.The real challenge wasn’t getting the tools in place, it was getting people to use them. Zapier’s approach focused on rewarding curiosity, sharing internal examples, and removing tolerance for inaction.Duplication can drive innovation.Instead of centralizing all AI projects, Zapier encouraged parallel efforts. When multiple teams tackled similar problems, they often uncovered different and better solutions more quickly.Leadership in the AI era is about speed and sustainability.Henrik and Jeremy highlight how Wade’s approach blends urgency with care for the people doing the work. Productivity gains matter, but so does avoiding burnout and making AI adoption last.Zapier: Zapier: Automate AI Workflows, Agents, and AppsLinkedIn: Wade Foster | LinkedIn00:00 Setting Company Culture: Rewards and Tolerances00:43 The Rise of AI at Zapier02:19 Wade's Social Media Presence05:06 Challenges in AI Adoption07:32 Personal Use of AI: Health Tracking10:21 Business Applications of AI13:34 Automating Repetitive Tasks20:35 Voice of Customer Program24:26 Customer Brief Generator33:27 Code Red: Embracing AI35:32 Subtle Encouragement and the Impact of GPT-436:38 Code Red: A Turning Point36:51 Embracing AI: From Fear to Familiarity38:13 The Journey to AI Adoption39:11 Challenges in Organizational Change40:41 Managing Resistance and Encouraging Experimentation43:55 Building a Remote Culture with AI46:29 The Future of Work and AI48:33 Agent-to-Agent Communication51:32 The Importance of Duplication in Innovation56:43 Final Thoughts 📜 Read the transcript for this episode: Transcript of Inside Zapier’s Code Red: How CEO Wade Foster Hit Pause to Reinvent for AI For more prompts, tips, and AI tools. Check out our website: https://www.beyondtheprompt.ai/ or follow Jeremy or Henrik on Linkedin:Henrik: https://www.linkedin.com/in/werdelinJeremy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyutley Show edited by Emma Cecilie Jensen.

Can AI Replace Me? Evan Ratliff on Letting an AI Clone Live His Life

In this episode, Evan Ratliff, journalist and creator of the podcast Shell Game, shares the wild and personal story behind his experiment in AI voice cloning. What began as curiosity turned into a six-month dive into building an AI version of himself—one that could answer phone calls, conduct interviews, and even fool friends and family. From scamming the scammers to testing AI therapy, Evan walks us through what it’s like to put a synthetic version of yourself into the world and watch how people respond.The conversation explores the uneasy collision of identity, automation, and ethics. Evan talks about the emotional reactions people had when they realized they weren’t actually talking to him, the disturbing effectiveness of AI in fraud, and the strange intimacy of hearing your own voice say things you didn’t write. He also reflects on what it means to resist optimization—not because tech can’t help, but because some parts of life aren’t meant to be outsourced.This episode is a human story wrapped inside a technological one—about trust, loneliness, and how we navigate a world where even our voices aren’t entirely our own.Key takeaways: AI voice agents challenge more than trust—they challenge identity.Evan’s experiment revealed just how disorienting it is when people hear your voice and think it’s you—only to realize it’s not. The emotional impact was real: friends felt tricked, disconnected, and in some cases, deeply lonely.Scammers are already using AI—and they’re getting better at it.Far from being hypothetical, AI-powered scams are already widespread and industrialized. Voice cloning isn’t just a curiosity—it’s a weapon, and we’re all potential targets. A family safe word might be your best defense.Not everything should be optimized—and maybe that’s the point.Evan pushes back on the idea that life should be frictionless. In the pursuit of efficiency, we risk removing the small, inconvenient interactions that actually make life meaningful—like small talk, shared confusion, and human error.This moment feels like early social media—and we should be paying attention.Henrik and Jeremy reflect on the eerie parallels between today’s AI boom and the rise of the social web. Back then, few anticipated the long-term impact on mental health and connection. With AI, we may be walking into similar territory—unless we ask harder questions now.LinkedIn: Evan Ratliff | LinkedInWebsite: Evan Ratliff – JournalistShell Game Podcast: Shell Game | Evan RatliffNY Times article referred to: Nytimes/ThisMachine-madeWorldConquersOneMoreRebel00:00 Intro: Thoughts on AI Deception00:40 Meet Evan Ratliff: Technology, Crime, and Identity01:13 The Shell Game Podcast: Exploring AI Voice Cloning03:50 Challenges and Improvements in AI Voice Technology04:57 Inspiration Behind the Voice Cloning Experiment11:05 Practical Applications and Ethical Considerations17:31 AI in Scamming: Risks and Realities25:04 Protecting Yourself from AI Scams27:49 Reflecting on Technological Change and Human Adaptation29:59 The Reluctance to Embrace New Technology30:36 The Dangers of Social Media31:59 AI in Therapy and Personal Experiences33:39 Creating an AI Agent of Yourself38:09 The Challenges of Small Talk with AI38:55 Personal Tech Stack and AI Usage42:59 Balancing Efficiency and Meaningfulness45:32 The Future of AI and Human Interaction52:18 Concluding Thoughts and Reflections📜 Read the transcript for this episode: Transcript of Can AI Replace Me? Evan Ratliff on Letting an AI Clone Live His Life For more prompts, tips, and AI tools. Check out our website: https://www.beyondtheprompt.ai/ or follow Jeremy or Henrik on Linkedin:Henrik: https://www.linkedin.com/in/werdelinJeremy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyutley Show edited by Emma Cecilie Jensen.

How the Chief Creative Officer of an Award-Winning Ad Agency Prompts the Perfect Pitch

In this episode, Jeff Benjamin, Global CCO of Tombras, shares how AI helps him get unstuck, build confidence, and push bold ideas forward—even when self-doubt creeps in. From romcom scripts to Arby’s pitches, he shows how AI acts as a sparring partner: sharpening thinking, stress-testing ideas, and keeping momentum alive.We get into what separates distinct from generic, why affirmation can be a trap, and how the urge to share is still at the heart of creativity. If you're chasing big ideas—or just trying to beat the blank page—this one hits home.Key Takeaways:Affirmation builds momentum—but can also blind you — One of AI’s biggest features is how confidently it backs you up. That “glazing” energy feels great—but if you don’t challenge it, you risk falling in love with something average. Confidence needs a counterbalance: taste.The best prompt is a person—not a question — Jeff gets better output by asking AI to role-play voices he respects—like Don Draper or a cold war-era Olympic judge. The magic isn’t in better instructions. It’s in asking from a more interesting perspective.Your idea is ready when it bubbles over — Jeff doesn’t go to his team with half-baked concepts. He waits until the idea is bubbling—when he can’t not share it. That moment is emotional, not procedural. AI helps him reach it faster—but the instinct to share is still deeply human.Big ideas have width—AI helps him see the shape — For Jeff, a great idea isn’t a line—it’s a landscape. If it’s a real “big idea,” it spawns more ideas: social angles, activations, scripts. AI helps him test whether a concept has legs—or if it’s just a clever line with no room to run.Jeff's LinkedIn: Jeff Benjamin | LinkedInTombras: Tombras | Full-Service Independent Advertising Agency00:00 Overcoming Self-Doubt in Business00:37 Meet Jeff Benjamin: Creative Leader at Tombras00:56 The Role of AI in Creative Processes02:24 Using AI as a Sparring Partner04:34 Practical Examples of AI in Action09:31 The Impact of AI on Team Dynamics11:37 Balancing AI and Human Creativity14:13 The Future of AI in Creative Industries21:06 Exploring Human Skills for AI Mastery22:09 The Art of Asking Better Questions22:40 AI as a Creative Partner24:41 The Excitement of Sharing Ideas30:09 Generational Differences in AI Interaction32:35 The Risk of AI Dehumanization38:19 Concluding Thoughts📜 Read the transcript for this episode: Transcript of How the Chief Creative Officer of an Award-Winning Ad Agency Prompts the Perfect Pitch For more prompts, tips, and AI tools. Check out our website: https://www.beyondtheprompt.ai/ or follow Jeremy or Henrik on Linkedin:Henrik: https://www.linkedin.com/in/werdelinJeremy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyutley Show edited by Emma Cecilie Jensen.

Chief of Staff for the Masses: How Meta’s Joshua To Designs Wearables with AI

In this episode, Joshua To, VP of Product Design at Meta, shares how AI is reshaping how—and where—we interact with technology. He walks us through Meta’s evolving approach to AR and wearables, why notifications are still the killer use case, and how AI is becoming the “brain behind empathy.”We dig into what it means to build interfaces that understand you, why audio might be the future’s most underrated platform, and how designing for emotion changes everything—from form factor to function. Joshua also reflects on his path from launching a clothing brand to leading design at Google and Meta, and what those worlds taught him about craft, context, and human-centered systems.This one’s for anyone designing AI into the real world—where every interface choice carries weight, and intelligence starts with listening.Key takeaways: Empathy Is the Real Intelligence — Joshua flips the definition of smart tech. It’s not just about outputs—it’s about understanding you. Context, tone, emotion—that’s what great AI will sense and respond to.Design for the Moment, Not the Feed — AR’s killer use case isn’t games—it’s restraint. Joshua shares why the best AI product might just be the one that knows not to ping you. Context-aware computing is the real unlock.Audio Is the Interface to Watch — Forget screens. The most powerful interface might be your ears. From wearables to ambient signals, Joshua explains why audio design is the next big frontier for human-centered AI.AR Isn’t a Feature—It’s a System of Consideration — Joshua reframes augmented reality as quiet, ambient infrastructure. The real power of AR isn’t spectacle—it’s subtlety. It helps you move through the world with less friction, not more.LinkedIn: Joshua To | LinkedInWebsite: Home - Joshua ToMeta: Meta Careers00:00 Intro: Fixing Notifications With AI00:54 Meet Josh: VP of Product Design at Meta02:06 From Hoodies to Hardware: Josh's Journey03:53 The Google Experience: From Ads to Product Management10:37 The Evolution of Google Glass and AR19:12 The Role of AI in Josh's Career22:25 Designing the Future: AR, VR, and Attention Management32:49 Contextually Aware Suggestions33:38 Leveraging Generative AI in Design34:52 AI's Role in Concept Art and Storyboarding41:24 AI Tools and Model Capabilities45:54 The Future of AI and Wearables51:58 Reflections and Takeaways📜 Read the transcript for this episode: Transcript of Chief of Staff for the Masses: How Meta’s Joshua To Designs Wearables with AI For more prompts, tips, and AI tools. Check out our website: https://www.beyondtheprompt.ai/ or follow Jeremy or Henrik on Linkedin:Henrik: https://www.linkedin.com/in/werdelinJeremy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyutley Show edited by Emma Cecilie Jensen.