Models should not rediscover the grammar.

A grammar that never changes belongs in the harness, not in the model's probability budget.

Google Veo 2: Video Prompting Guide

Google's Veo 2 is an AI video generator capable of transforming still images into visually compelling 8-second clips. Google's innovation is particularly impressive due to its grasp of cinematic language. Using terms like "timelapse," "aerial shot," or "side-scrolling dolly&

Shep’s Neo4j Cypher Query Cheatsheet

📝 What is Neo4j and Cypher? Neo4j is a graph database that stores data in nodes and relationships rather than tables. This structure is perfect for highly connected data where relationships are as important as the data itself. If you've ever diagrammed an idea with circles and arrows on

Shep’s Github CLI Cheatsheet

Introduction Everyone is becoming an AI engineer these days – some of us are just doing it more quickly than others. If you've arrived in the AI space without a traditional engineering background, then using GitHub is likely a new skill for you. GitHub is essential for development projects,

The Shape of Thought: Knowledgespace

Preamble: In this post I introduce a theory for the geometry of knowledge in static embedding spaces, along with some early thoughts on AI as a collaborative epistemic navigator. This is partially inspired by Peter Gärdenfors’ The Geometry of Meaning. In the AI field I would label myself a self-

Innovation Is Subjective

One thing you learn in a job focused on innovation is that innovation is highly subjective. If you're serving a client with a specific idea of how they want to innovate and you desire their money, sometimes you just accept their understanding of innovation as the operating definition

Making Claude 3.7 Sonnet Think in Unicode & Reason Semi-Symbolically

I'm a bit of a madman for this. Claude 3.7 Sonnet is out now with an extended thinking mode, but it still only thinks in plain text. So... I added a symbolic layer to the reasoning process with a Unicode Thinking Protocol that buckets different styles of

What 200+ Hours of AI Development Taught Me About Building with Lovable.dev

We’re all software engineers now. Type it and AI will make it for you. Since mid-2024, I’ve spent 200+ hours working with Lovable.dev, building over 60 different projects along the way. If you’re unfamiliar with this tool, Lovable is an AI software engineer that codes

Batshittification: A Lens for Bold Ideas in a Sterile World

Why "reasonable" ideas won't save us—and what to do instead. The Problem: A Sterile, Over-Optimized World Look around. Everything is starting to feel the same. We’ve optimized our products, services, and systems into a dull sameness: * Products have been squeezed dry by over-

The Expertise Engine: A Framework for Augmenting Knowledge Work

Introduction Something unprecedented is happening in knowledge work. The gap between average and exceptional performance used to top out around 10x. A great programmer might crank out ten times the code of their peers. A stellar consultant might handle ten times the normal client load. But that ceiling has been

Minimum Viable Ontology (MVO) Framework

Introduction In the face of AI disruption, the startup ecosystem is accelerating to a pace we’ve never seen before. And while AI language models have unlocked impressive new ways of working, there is a new field of play emerging that will be a defining factor of competitive advantage going

Knowledge Diffusion: A New Paradigm in LLM Information Extraction

Introduction In my recent explorations of Large Language Models (LLMs), I've stumbled upon what I believe to be a significant breakthrough in how we can extract and organize information from these powerful AI systems. This article introduces the concept of knowledge diffusion, a novel framework for AI-driven

Research

WIP Research: Syntelic vs. Syncretic Ontology Approaches for Strategy & Innovation

Hi, Shep here. I’m exploring some new & novel research in the space of ontology-first management frameworks and organizational strategies, and I thought I’d share some thought-provoking WIP material with you. I currently have a white paper on the drafting table, tentatively titled “Harnessing Strategic Tensions:

Mindset

AI Acceleration Is Personal: Crafting Your Cognitive Edge

Why AI Acceleration Is Personal Hi reader, Shep here. Thanks for stopping by during your AI explorations. While I’ve got you, let’s talk about AI acceleration and what it actually means for you, and more broadly speaking, for business and for society. In the prevailing technology paradigm, VC-

Toolkit

[OSUI] AI Workflow Examples: 6 Steps of Strategy Consulting

Introduction Hey friend, Shep here. Today I’m sharing an interesting way that you can use OSUI, my “Bootleg Apple Intelligence” tool, for your own cases. In this article, we’ll take a look at how this open source Ollama + Apple Shortcuts system can be used to build a synthetic

Mindset

Rat Rod AI: A Personal Philosophy for the Age of Cognitive Augmentation

Howdy, AI enthusiasts and curious minds! Today, I want to share something a bit different - not the latest AI breakthrough or a polished new tool, but my personal philosophy on AI development and cognitive augmentation. I call it the "Rat Rod Approach to AI," and it's

field-note

AI Techniques From Ancient Greece: Episteme and Phronesis

If you’re seeking a 10x or even 100x boost to your productivity, it starts with structuring your knowledge effectively and understanding how to think when working with AI. And for that, few were as masterful as the Ancient Greeks. To that end, I’m introducing you to two concepts

field-note

The Semantic Context Matrix: A Powerful Tool for Strategists

Strategic thinking is complex, multifaceted work. An individual who is tasked with leading a strategy function often grapples with the challenge of coherently organizing a multitude of ideas in order to arrive at the best decisions. Historically, this work is a heavy mental task for the practitioner. But AI can

Mindset

Full Stack Innovator Course: Lesson 1.2 (Free Preview)

This is Lesson 1.2 from my Full Stack Innovator curriculum in the Pioneer’s Clubhouse. Our Value As A Unique "Specialized Generalist" Learning Objective: By the end of this lesson, you will be able to distinguish the unique value proposition of Full Stack Innovators compared to other

Knowledge Graphs

A Knowledge Graph of Music Brand Partnerships with Neo4j

Introduction Music brand partnerships are one of the most powerful ways for brands to tap into culture and win affinity with their target consumers. Don’t believe me? This summer, a brand collaboration between Coca-Cola and Karol G became the #1 music video on YouTube for weeks, reaching ~300M

Toolkit

A Domain Knowledge Compendium (DKC) on Music Brand Partnerships

Introduction: Structuring Music Industry Knowledge My day-to-day work at Universal Music Group for Brands is heavily focused on music brand partnerships. The UMGB team builds, brokers and executes massive partnerships between the biggest brands and artists on the planet, putting fans and artists first with authentic campaigns that

field-note

Domain Knowledge Compendiums (DKCs): A Guide to Creating Comprehensive Knowledge Resources

In our information-rich digital age, the ability to efficiently organize, synthesize, and share complex knowledge is more crucial than ever. That’s why I develop specialized constructs for managing complex knowledge. The one I am introducing today is the Domain Knowledge Compendium (DKC) - a powerful tool for capturing and

Models

Testing OpenAI’s GPT-o1: Incredible outputs with one request - creating a complete McKinsey Strategy Deliverable with AI

Introduction to o1, Implications I tested GPT o1 this morning…. Wow. Even with a few quirks, it’s clear that AI language model performance has reached new heights. 99% of people have barely scratched the surface of what’s possible with human-AI teaming… and this model in many ways

field-note

Chief Knowledge Officer (CKO) in Ontology-First Organizations: An Evolving Paradigm

Introduction In my explorations into Minimum Viable Ontology as a framework for entrepreneurial disruption & acceleration, I’ve found myself unpacking the nature of the Chief Knowledge Officer role. My musings here explore the potential evolution of knowledge management leadership in organizations, with a focus on how emerging technologies like