AI Mindset for 2026

A session on the shift from generative to agentic AI — how AI moved from producing words to using words to do things. We broke down the anatomy of an AI agent: the LLM as raw intelligence, and the harness (context, memory, capabilities) that makes it useful.

Three live demos showed AI embedded in real workflows: updating slide designs via personal brand settings, planning and executing code changes on a live website, and an autonomous email assistant that triages a full inbox daily.

We addressed common anxieties head-on — the hype around knowledge work disappearing, the gap between demos and reality, and the “most joyless tech revolution ever” — and reframed the future as human-AI collaboration, not replacement.

The session closed with four pillars for an AI mindset: reduce it to size, have a plan and motivation, keep learning, and build community.

A year ago, AI for me meant using ChatGPT on my phone. And I could clearly sense that I was falling behind. Conversations at work and on the Internet were progressing at breakneck speed, but I was still the same.

I would find myself obsessively Googling esoteric terms like MCP / compaction / CLIs etc. I lacked structure, clarity, and constantly felt anxious that I wasn't “getting with the program”. For the first time in my career, I felt like I was swimming against the tide every day.

Things are very different now. I have a comprehensive AI workflow system built on a foundation of multiple AI agents that assist me with everything from writing software to research, 3 certifications from OpenAI & DeepMind faculty, but most importantly, multiple real-life artifacts under my belt.

I feel aligned, confident, and in rhythm with work & life again. My knowledge is compounding rapidly and I am actively helping other folks like myself navigate the same terrain.

Along the way, I have realized that the unlock wasn't the right tool / the right Substack or X post / more adrenaline. It was a mindset shift — that helped me see things clearly, to identify limiting beliefs, to establish my individual objective functions, and crucially, to develop expertise and competence in the most important technology of our lifetime.

I want to share this with more people, especially those outside the {AI + SF} zipcode who perhaps aren't as close to this stuff. So I am conducting a free online session, where I will talk about what's changed, what matters now, and how to think about AI. There's no hype, doom, or $2999 upsell course at the end. Promise.

If you've been waiting to start your AI journey or feel like you're going in circles and can't tell what's real vs what's not, you will definitely find this valuable.

1. A comprehensive and grounded framework to start applying powerful AI to work and life
2. Clarity on what's actually happening right now
3. Less anxiety and more curiosity / excitement

This event is accessible to everyone. No prior technical knowledge required.