In this conversation, Dave Prior and Hugo Bowne-Anderson discuss the evolving landscape of AI and data science, focusing on the role of AI agents in solving business problems. Hugo shares insights on how to effectively implement AI solutions, the importance of understanding the underlying data, and the need for continuous improvement in AI systems. They also touch on the skills necessary for navigating the AI landscape, the value of collaboration between technical and non-technical teams, and the importance of assessing the value of AI projects. Hugo concludes by offering a course on building AI applications, emphasizing the iterative nature of AI development.

Takeaways

- Hugo emphasizes the importance of data in AI applications.

- AI agents can automate tasks but require human oversight.

- Understanding the problem is crucial before implementing AI solutions.

- Prompt engineering remains a valuable skill alongside learning about agents.

- Consultants should educate clients on practical AI applications.

- AI systems should be built incrementally and iteratively.

- Value assessment in AI projects should focus on efficiency and cost savings.

- Continuous improvement is essential for AI systems to remain effective.

- Experimentation with AI tools can lead to innovative solutions.

- Collaboration between technical and non-technical teams is vital for successful AI implementation.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Data and AI Literacy

06:14 Understanding AI Agents vs. LLMs

09:18 The Role of Agents in Business Solutions

12:21 Navigating the Future of AI and Agents

15:24 Consulting and Client Education in AI

18:37 Building Incremental AI Solutions

21:29 The Future of AI Coding and Debugging

24:32 Prototyping with AI: Challenges and Solutions

25:32 Leveraging AI for User Insights and Competitive Analysis

27:29 Understanding Value in AI Development

32:05 The Role of Product Managers in AI Integration

33:00 AI as an Instrument: The Human Element

35:33 Getting Started with AI: Practical Steps for Teams

38:51 Building AI Applications: Course Overview and Insights

Links from the Podcast:

Stop Building AI Agents - Here’s what you should build instead (Article) https://www.decodingai.com/p/stop-building-ai-agents

Anthropic https://www.anthropic.com/engineering/multi-agent-research-system

The Colgate Study https://www.pymc-labs.com/blog-posts/AI-based-Customer-Research

Hugo’s Course (Starts November 3, 2025)

Building AI Applications for Data Scientists and Software Engineers (with a 25% discount)

https://maven.com/hugo-stefan/building-ai-apps-ds-and-swe-from-first-principles?promoCode=drunkenpm

(You can use the discount code drunkenpm to get 25% off)

How To Be A Podcast Guest with Jay Hrcsko https://youtu.be/vkNbgwcolIM

Contacting Hugo

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugo-bowne-anderson-045939a5/

Substack https://hugobowne.substack.com/

Contacting Dave

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/mrsungo

Dave’s Classes: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/dave-prior-classes-4758623