Sitting down with an old friend, Santana Blanchette, today to chat about her background in writing and what's changed in the world of AI.

The conversation covers the challenges of social interaction, the limitations of AI and the reliability of crowdsourced information. We also talk about the impact of AI on writing quality and the art of critical reading. The takeaways include the importance of human discernment in AI writing and the value of critical reading for better writing.

Takeaways

• AI Writing and Human Discernment
• Critical Reading for Better Writing

Chapters

• 00:00 Reconnecting After a Long Time
• 06:24 AI as a Writing Assistant
• 13:16 AI Writing and Security Concerns
• 25:22 AI Writing and User Engagement
• 31:23 Becoming a Better Writer with AI
  

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Artist: All Good Folks
License code: 6BVFZAHAWVMGPFRE

I'm talking to my friend Drew McQuarrie who heads up AI at Paper Leaf - a digital product developement team right here in Alberta.

The conversation covers the transition from SEO to GEO and the impact of AI on search and website traffic. It dips into the changes in search engine optimization and the implications for website traffic due to the rise of AI-powered search results.

Takeaways

• Transition from SEO to GEO
• Impact of AI on search and website traffic

Chapters

• 00:00 Transition from SEO to GEO
• 32:49 Impact of AI on Website Traffic
  

Music:
Music from Uppbeat:
Title: Make It Happen
Artist: All Good Folks
License code: 6BVFZAHAWVMGPFRE

Today I'm talking to an old friend Marc Binkley who is the president of the CMA and founder and CEO of Quatical. Also the host of The Sleeping Barber Podcast

The conversation jumps into the challenges of AI implementation, the hype and reality of AI adoption, the pressure to adopt AI, the "sea of sameness" in AI, the value of creativity in AI, the complexity of AI adoption, and the evolution of technology and business challenges.

Takeaways

• AI implementation challenges are prevalent
• The value of creativity in AI is significant

Chapters

• 00:00 The Challenge of AI Implementation
• 09:09 The Sea of Sameness in AI
• 14:21 The Value of Creativity in AI
• 20:18 The Complexity of AI Adoption
• 31:00 The Evolution of Technology and Business Challenges

Music:
Music from Uppbeat:
Title: Make It Happen
Artist: All Good Folks
License code: 6BVFZAHAWVMGPFRE

Ok a little technical out of the gate this season but I couldn't pass an opportunity to talk to someone from PayPal and Solhil was lovely.

And yes running solo this season. Carrie Robinson is off in Scottland writing a novel! Can't wait to see that on the shelves.

Sohil is leading the agentic development over at PayPal and our conversation steered into the impact of AI at PayPal, the fundamentals of computing and AI, teamwork and collaboration in the context of AI, the development of the Agent Development Kit, real-time booking and MCP server, and the use of AI tools and programming languages. The discussion provides insights into the sentiment and perception of AI, as well as the process of code writing and reviewing with AI.

We also take a detour into Sohil's own travel agent so you can see one in action.

Takeaways

• AI and its Impact
• Teamwork and Collaboration
• Agent Development Kit

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and AI at PayPal
• 05:45 Working as a Team with AI
• 21:23 Real-Time Booking and MCP Server
• 27:38 AI Tools and Programming Languages
  

Music:
Music from Uppbeat:
Title: Make It Happen
Artist: All Good Folks
License code: 6BVFZAHAWVMGPFRE

On the Season Finale of Artificial Breakdown, Pete “that’s a wrap” Bishop and Carrie “see you in the New Year” Robinson sit down together and walk down memory lane, wax poetic about the future of AI (shocker) and ponder about what an AI Halloween costume might look like. 

Thank you to all of our listeners this year! It’s been a wild ride and we can’t wait to bring more amazing guests to the digital airwaves in Season 2 (keep an eye out in 2026). Anything you want to hear about? Let us know. Until then, keep it real out there.

Shownotes

Hosts: Carrie Robinson, Pete Bishop

Producer: Pete Bishop

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Title: Make It Happen

Artist: All Good Folks

License code: 6BVFZAHAWVMGPFRE

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In this episode of Artificial Breakdown (recorded live at Inventures), Carrie and Pete are joined by Sabaa Quao, the founding President of PlusCo Venture Studio, the AI and fintech innovation spinoff from Cossette and Plus Company Canada. Sabaa’s got more titles than a bookshelf—he’s a creative leader, entrepreneur and business strategist who's been shaking up the digital media scene for years.

Sabaa’s passionate about one thing: innovation—and not just the buzzword kind. He believes the need for true innovation is as urgent now as it was when businesses first embraced the digital era 25 years ago. With a career that’s spanned over a dozen countries, Sabaa shares how creativity and technology collide to fuel success in today’s startup world.

Tune in to hear how Sabaa’s combining creativity, tech and entrepreneurship to launch the next generation of groundbreaking startups. If you're into building businesses, making waves in AI and learning from someone who's been there and done that—this one’s for you!

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On episode 13 of Artificial Breakdown, recorded live at Inventures 2025, Carrie and Pete sit down with Chris Hogg, CEO of Digital Journal, one of Canada’s largest independent media companies.

We dive into how AI is transforming news delivery, and whether we should still trust our feeds (spoiler: it's complicated). Chris talks us through the wild, truth-bending landscape where journalism meets tech, and just how deep the rabbit hole of AI-powered media goes. Can AI tell fact from fiction? Does it even care? Tune in to find out.

If you’ve ever wondered how AI is messing with your news—and how to spot the real from the AI-generated—this episode is a must-listen!

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Title: Make It Happen

Artist: All Good Folks

License code: 6BVFZAHAWVMGPFRE

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On this Inventures 2025 episode of Artificial Breakdown, we’re joined by two incredible leaders in Indigenous-led tech: Brown Eagle Belanger, COO at Nationsfirst Technologies, and Ethan Clark, CEO and Co-Founder of Nationsfirst Technologies.

Together, they’re pioneering the use of blockchain and other cutting-edge technologies to empower Indigenous communities through sovereign solutions. From economic development to environmental conservation, they’re leading the charge on a new era of resource management and investment that’s rooted in Indigenous values.

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As our Inventures 2025 series continues, Pete and Carrie sit down with Dr. Mohammad Keyhani, Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Haskayne School of Business. We dive into the fascinating (tumultuous) intersection of education, entrepreneurship and innovation, and what the future of business leaders looks like in a world increasingly shaped by AI technologies.

Dr. Keyhani drops some knowledge on how education is adapting to prepare the next wave of innovators, and what it takes to thrive in today’s ever-evolving landscape. Whether you're an educator, entrepreneur or just interested in (terrified of) how innovation is reshaping, well, everything, this one's for you.

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Welcome to Artificial Breakdown's first episode from our incredible weekend at Inventures 2025! Pete and Carrie sit down with Jenny McLean and Darren Engels from Tailwind Ventures, based right here in Calgary. Learn about how AI is changing what venture capitalists are looking for, and also how it's changing how they're doing their job. Here's a hint: Jenny and Darren's vast expertise isn't easily replaced. 

Keep an eye out for a whopping 5 more episodes from guests at this year's Inventures conference. 

*Note: Audio quality may be lower than normal due to the nature of live recording.

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Title: Make It Happen

Artist: All Good Folks

License code: 6BVFZAHAWVMGPFRE

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