Why is AI adoption so slow when the opportunity feels so massive? In this episode of the AI Guys Podcast, Lee and Rich sit down with Jason Jackson, Group AI Enablement Lead at Vista Software Group, to unpack the real-world challenges holding AI back.

They discuss governance friction, legacy systems, legal uncertainty, and why constantly shifting AI technology makes long-term planning difficult. Jason shares practical insights on running better experiments, staying flexible with models and vendors, and building AI systems that deliver measurable value.

This episode is essential listening for leaders, builders, and operators navigating AI inside complex organizations.

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This podcast is produced by Content Supply.

In this episode of the AI Guys, hosts Lee Dixon and Rich Swire wrap up 2025 by outlining the three critical trends that will define the next year of artificial intelligence. They move beyond the "experimental" phase to discuss why 2026 marks the end of "analysis paralysis" and the beginning of mandated business adoption where AI is embedded into the DNA of company workflows.

Rich explains why we are approaching a massive "startup churn" as hyperscalers like Google and Amazon vertically integrate features that will likely wipe out early "wrapper" companies. They also touch on the rise of a new "AI Services" industry to help businesses transform their legacy systems , and why leaders need to treat their AI budget just like the salary of a new, high-value employee.

Interested in A.I.? Check out our podcast A.I. Guys. Subscribe to us on Apple, Spotify, YouTube (or others) https://substack.aiguyspod.com All links: https://lnkd.in/eXDpww6V Spotify: https://lnkd.in/ee9h9GYB YouTube: https://lnkd.in/etDvqQ7d Apple: https://lnkd.in/epYT2GSi Save time and money by adopting AI agents with raia. https://www.raiaai.com/

In this episode of the AI Guys, hosts Lee Dickson and Rich Swier dive into the technical and cultural shifts AI is bringing to software development. They move beyond the basic use cases of GitHub Copilot to discuss the concept of the "Agentic Layer"—training AI on your specific schema, blueprints, and user guides to create a true collaborator.

Rich explains why AI is already a superior debugger to humans and why the future of development requires a mindset shift from being the primary "doer" to being a "manager" of agents. They also touch on "vibe coding," the resistance of old-school developers, and why the ultimate goal of AI is to untether us from our screens.

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Save time and money by adopting AI agents with raia. https://www.raiaai.com/

In this episode of the AI Guys, hosts Lee Dickson and Rich Swier tackle the "Build vs. Buy vs. Embed" dilemma. They explore why so many companies are tempted to simply "upgrade" their existing SaaS tools (like CRMs or Support desks) to include AI, and why Rich believes this often results in the "worst version of AI you could imagine."

They discuss the economic reality that forces SaaS vendors to use cheap, low-powered models to protect their margins, leaving clients with underpowered tools. The conversation concludes with a look at the "Hybrid" approach—using platforms that offer the security of a purchased product with the flexibility to build custom, autonomous agents that can eventually replace seat-based software.

Interested in A.I.? Check out our podcast A.I. Guys. Subscribe to us on Apple, Spotify, YouTube (or others)

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Save time and money by adopting AI agents with raia. https://www.raiaai.com/

The "per seat" SaaS model is dead. The AI Guys break down "tokenomics", the new utility-based pricing model for AI that is replacing software subscriptions. Follow along with us as they show how productivity will likely be measured in corporations. Saas companies everywhere will need to pivot, and likely sooner than they think.

Interested in A.I.? Check out our podcast A.I. Guys. Subscribe to us on Apple, Spotify, YouTube (or others)

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Save time and money by adopting AI agents with raia. https://www.raiaai.com/

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Are you feeling the squeeze? The era of free APIs and comfortable user interfaces is over. Lee and Rich discuss why the "battle for the middle"—the space between foundation models and user interfaces—is the new focus for tech giants. Learn the three immediate actions SaaS providers, e-commerce, and service companies must take to protect their revenue and redefine their value. Discover why your old business models (per-seat, per-hour) are obsolete and how the new currency of compute/tokens is forcing a radical shift in strategy and product development. Protect your business before it's too late.

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Save time and money by adopting AI agents with raia.

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Are high AI usage costs crippling your budget? Many are overspending by defaulting to the newest, most expensive reasoning models for simple tasks. The problem: The temptation to use "the biggest brain" for every job, leading to ballooning token costs and slow performance. The solution: Discover the power of specialized, smaller models and asynchronous agentic workflows to dramatically reduce your usage fees and speed up output. Our credibility: Hosts Lee Dixon and Rich Swier, the "Charles Darwin of AI evolution," dissect model evolution and share the crucial strategies we use daily to build cost-effective, high-performing AI solutions for clients. Learn how to optimize your AI strategy right now before you overspend.

Interested in A.I.? Check out our podcast A.I. Guys. Subscribe to us on Apple, Spotify, Youtube (or others)

Save time and money by adopting AI agents with raia.

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Struggling with the limits of your custom GPT prompts? Lee and Rich discuss the essential shift from simple desktop prompts to full, autonomous, and scalable AI agents. You've hit the memory wall and document limits; it's time to untether your best workflows. Discover how graduating to an agentic platform with vector stores, persistent memory, and security wraps your creations with the enterprise-hardened structure necessary for company-wide deployment. Learn how business users are the spark, and agency is the next logical step to maximize productivity and build an AI-powered workforce.

Interested in A.I.? Check out our podcast A.I. Guys. Subscribe to us on Apple, Spotify, Youtube (or others)

Save time and money by adopting AI agents with raia.

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A CFO shares how her finance team, initially hesitant about AI, found excitement and a path to business automation by participating in an AI-powered music video contest. The episode details how they went from creating a music video with tools like ChatGPT and Neural Frames to applying those same skills to their day-to-day financial tasks. They discuss the challenges of bridging creative AI use with enterprise-level solutions, highlighting the crucial need for specific prompting and integrated data systems to truly harness the technology's full potential.

Interested in A.I.? Check out our podcast A.I. Guys. Subscribe to us on Apple, Spotify, Youtube (or others)

Save time and money by adopting AI agents with raia.

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Software as a Service (SaaS) companies are overspending on 'SaaS fat'—bloated software with features nobody uses. The AI Guys reveal how the traditional per-seat licensing model is becoming outdated, inefficient, and expensive. They reveal how AI is set to disrupt the SaaS industry by automating tasks and providing a more efficient, cost-effective, and user-friendly experience, making it easier for businesses to slim down their software stack and reclaim ownership of their data.

Interested in A.I.? Check out our podcast A.I. Guys. Subscribe to us on Apple, Spotify, Youtube (or others)

Save time and money by adopting AI agents with raia.

https://www.raiaai.com/

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