Generative AI 101

Host Emily Laird digs into The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist and the real gut-punch was not just the film, it was the empty seats. This episode breaks down why AI literacy still feels like an elective while the tech is already rewriting work, trust, and power behind the scenes. With sharp takes on jargon, hype, and doom-posting, Emily makes the case that AI is not sci-fi anymore, it is civic infrastructure with a marketing budget. Funny, sobering, and a little haunted, this one asks the question nobody can dodge much longer: why are so many people still looking away?

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Connect with Us: If you enjoyed this episode or have questions, reach out to Emily Laird on LinkedIn. Stay tuned for more insights into the evolving world of generative AI. And remember, you now know more about Emily's thoughts around the AI Doc or how she became an apocaloptimist.

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Host Emily Laird breaks down ASAP, the free AI Skills Access Passport series built to help real people make sense of generative AI before it starts running the group chat, the bank app, and your kid’s homework. This episode covers what AI actually does, where it shows up, how it can help, and why it can also lie with the confidence of a Marvel villain holding an Infinity Stone. It is a sharp, funny primer on prompts, privacy, hallucinations, and the very human skill of knowing when to trust the machine and when to back away slowly.

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Connect with Us: If you enjoyed this episode or have questions, reach out to Emily Laird on LinkedIn. Stay tuned for more insights into the evolving world of generative AI. And remember, you now know more about the new ASAP AI literacy skills.

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Last week, I helped to roll out the ASAP AI Skills Passport for the state of Wisconsin. Needless to say, it was a lot of travel and I needed some catching up on all things AI. So I figured, we'd catch up together! - Emily

Host Emily Laird breaks down the week AI stopped acting like a science project and started behaving like a corporate takeover. From OpenAI and Anthropic chasing private equity pipelines to Meta’s agent mishap and Washington’s latest AI power struggle, this episode is all distribution, politics, and paranoia. The big twist: people are not just worried about losing jobs, they are losing patience with tools that sound smart and still make things up. It is a sharp, funny look at why the real AI battle is no longer who builds the coolest model, but who can make it useful, trusted, and hard to ignore.

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Connect with Us: If you enjoyed this episode or have questions, reach out to Emily Laird on LinkedIn. Stay tuned for more insights into the evolving world of generative AI. And remember, you now know more about last week in the world of AI.

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Host Emily Laird breaks down why creative AI is ditching the one-hit-wonder phase and moving into full-blown media megaplex mode. Canva, Adobe, CapCut, and the rest are battling to become the place where your ideas get made fast, messy, and at 11:47 p.m. This episode looks at why standalone image tools are losing the spotlight, why distribution now runs the show, and why Adobe suddenly feels less like Iron Man and more like the old guard in a Marvel reboot.
 

a16z's Top Generative AI Consumer Apps 6th Edition

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Connect with Us: If you enjoyed this episode or have questions, reach out to Emily Laird on LinkedIn. Stay tuned for more insights into the evolving world of generative AI. And remember, you now know more about a16z's 6th Edition of the Top Generative AI Consumer Apps.

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Host Emily Laird breaks down a16z’s March 2026 generative AI consumer app rankings, and the verdict is clear: AI is no longer the shiny new kid, it is the plumbing, the lighting, and the landlord. From ChatGPT and Gemini to Canva, CapCut, and Notion, this episode explains why the real battle is not about the flashiest model, but who becomes your default brain on a busy Tuesday. It is a sharp, funny look at how consumer AI slipped into everyday life through convenience, connectors, and sheer habit. Also on the table: public distrust, global adoption shifts, and why the future of AI looks less like sci-fi and more like your open browser tabs.
 

a16z's Top Generative AI Consumer Apps 6th Edition

Join the AI Weekly Meetups

Connect with Us: If you enjoyed this episode or have questions, reach out to Emily Laird on LinkedIn. Stay tuned for more insights into the evolving world of generative AI. And remember, you now know more about a16z's 6th Edition of the Top Generative AI Consumer Apps.

Connect with Emily Laird on LinkedIn