Tool Use - AI Conversations

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Master n8n workflow automation in this complete guide. If you're tired of manual tasks, n8n (an open-source Zapier alternative) might be the solution. Richardson Dackam, founder and AI builder, joins Mike to explore how developers can save time using n8n. We dive into powerful use cases like email management, social media automation, and prototyping. Learn how to integrate AI models (OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini), run custom code scripts, use webhooks, connect to databases, and implement human-in-the-loop validation. Richardson also shares common pitfalls, observability strategies, and the difference between self-hosting and the cloud.

Learn more from Richardson:

https://richdackam.com

https://www.nshipyard.com

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https://x.com/MikeBirdTech

https://x.com/RichardsonDx

00:00:00 - Intro

00:00:32 - What is n8n? (Open-Source Automation)

00:02:23 - Common n8n Use Cases (Email, Social Media)

00:03:36 - Automating Email: AI Tone & Human in the Loop

00:07:02 - Observability, Logging, and Error Handling

00:22:00 - Using Custom Code & JavaScript Nodes

00:29:50 - n8n Cloud vs. Self-Hosting (Features & Security)

00:37:01 - How to Get Started with n8n (Beginner's Roadmap)

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Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts.

Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX

Is your RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) pipeline optimized, or is it even necessary? We all know context is king for LLMs, but large context windows might not be the answer. On Episode 63 of Tool Use, we deep dive into RAG with Apurva Misra, founder of Sentick. We explore the entire RAG workflow, from creating and optimizing embeddings to choosing the right vector DB (like Postgres with PG Vector). Apurva explains the critical role of re-rankers , the power of hybrid search (combining semantic and keyword search) , and when to consider agentic RAG. We also cover the essential steps for taking your RAG system to production, including data quality, feedback loops , and safety guardrails.

Connect with Apurva Misra:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/misraapurva/

Consulting: https://www.sentick.com/

Website: https://apurvamisra.com/

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00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:18 - What is RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation)?

00:03:41 - Is RAG Dead? Large Context Windows vs. RAG

00:06:40 - The RAG Workflow: Embeddings, Chunking & Vector DBs

00:28:00 - Do You Need a Re-Ranker?

00:41:24 - Production RAG: Safety, Guardrails & Efficiency

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Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.

Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX

Unlock the power of AI for personalization at scale in your business. While many focus on AI for efficiency, the real game-changer is creating magical, more human digital experiences for your customers. We're joined by Lee Russell, founder of Minimum Viable Launch and an AI expert with over a decade of experience, to discuss how you can leverage AI to be both "high tech and high touch," transforming your marketing, sales, and product delivery.

Discover the concept of "context engines" and learn why gathering qualitative customer data is your new competitive moat in the age of AI. We explore the tools you need to build this infrastructure, from powerful automation platforms like n8n to the magic of vector databases for chatting with your unstructured data. Lee also shares his strategies for avoiding generic "AI slop" and creating truly unique, high-quality outputs that will make your customer experience remarkable.

Learn more from Lee Russell:

https://www.minimalviablelaunch.io/

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00:00 - Intro

01:27 - "High Tech, High Touch": Personalization at Scale Explained

07:55 - The Best Data for AI Personalization

12:03 - How to Avoid Creating "AI Slop"

21:15 - AI Tools for Building Custom Agents (n8n & Vector DBs)

30:37 - How to Start Learning and Escape "Tutorial Hell"

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Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.

Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX

Struggling to cut through the AI hype to find real operational efficiency for your business? In this episode, we're joined by Csongor Barabasi, CEO of Bonsai Labs, an AI value creation partner for private equity firms. Csongor shares his expert framework for deploying AI agents to achieve massive productivity gains.

Learn the practical steps to progress from a simple AI co-pilot to a fully autonomous AI agent , and discover how to create a 'golden data set' and feedback loops to make your systems smarter over time. We cover the critical build vs. buy debate , strategies for process automation , data security considerations , calculating ROI for AI projects , and enabling non-technical teams to build custom workflows. This is your ultimate guide to using AI for tangible business results.

Csongor is the founder/CEO of Bonsai Labs, a specialized AI transformation and value creation firm working with Private Equity portfolio companies. With engineering excellence at it's core, the they deliver AI workflow automations and build custom AI products with tangible impact within weeks.

Bonsai Labs: https://bonsai-labs.com
Csongor: https://linkedin.com/in/barabasicsongor

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00:00:00 - Intro

00:02:40 - The Framework: Co-Pilot to Fully Autonomous Agent

00:11:26 - AI Solutions: The Build vs. Buy Debate

00:16:03 - AI for Non-Technical Teams

00:27:40 - How to Document a Process for Automation

00:31:36 - How to Measure the ROI of AI

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Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.

Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX

Coding agents are revolutionizing software development, but are you getting the most out of them? Many AI coding tools struggle with complex, long-running tasks, often getting lost in the middle of a project. In this episode of Tool Use, we sit down with Kiran, one of the core contributors to Slate, a research-driven coding agent built for the toughest production-level challenges.

Kiran shares a deep dive into how to properly set up your dev environment to maximize the performance of any coding agent. We discuss the critical role of feedback loops, clear development pipelines, and consistent codebase patterns in getting correct, reliable code from LLMs. You'll learn why models are great at following patterns but terrible at creating them, and how to structure your projects for AI success. We also explore what makes Slate different, including its unique approach to context management that keeps it on track during complex tasks, preventing the performance degradation common in other agents.

Find Slate here:

https://randomlabs.ai/

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00:00:00 - Intro

00:00:54 - Setting Up Your Dev Environment for AI

00:15:18 - Is Software Engineering Dead?

00:18:20 - Why Coding Agents? The Origin of Slate

00:21:52 - What Makes Slate Different?

00:33:19 - The Bottleneck: LLMs vs Tooling

00:44:30 - Why LLMs Get "Lost in the Middle"

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Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.

Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX

Unlock the power of AI for your business, even if you're not a tech expert. In this episode, AI strategist Marni Wills reveals how non-technical founders can leverage AI as a new operating system to amplify their intelligence. Learn to build powerful AI workflows, create your own AI operating system, and personalize tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity for massive business growth. Marni breaks down her exact process for using AI agents, developing custom instructions to avoid hallucinations, and building a "second brain" to automate tasks from email marketing to securing podcast interviews. This is your guide to making AI work for you, strategically, not technically.

Connect with Marni Wills:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marnie-wills-entrepreneur

Website: https://businesswithaistrategist.com/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/businesswithai_strategist/

Digital Store: https://stan.store/business_with_ai_strategist

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00:00:00 - Intro

00:02:19 - First Steps for Non-Technical Founders

00:08:13 - How to Avoid AI Hallucinations

00:11:04 - Building a Custom Prompt Library

00:27:17 - AI Agents vs. Automation (Lindy vs. Make)

00:32:48 - Creative AI Workflows You Haven't Thought Of

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Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.

Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX

Are you ready for AI agents to browse the web? We explore the future of AI agent authentication, web security, and API design in this deep dive. As AI agents proliferate, critical questions arise: how do we handle security without giving an agent your password? How can we make websites optimized for agent consumption? We're joined by Bobbie Chen, a product manager at Stytch specializing in bot and AI agent detection, to discuss the risks and opportunities.

We cover how OAuth can provide safer, scoped permissions for agents, and the emerging open standard Web Bot Auth, which allows agents to cryptographically prove their identity. Bobbie breaks down Simon Willison's "lethal trifecta" of AI security risks and discusses strategies for mitigating malicious behavior. We also touch on the future of AI SEO, how API design must evolve for a hybrid human-agent world, and the potential impact of agents on web monetization and advertising.

Learn more from Bobbie Chen:

Stytch supports Web Bot Auth: https://stytch.com/blog/stytch-supports-web-bot-auth

Stytch Connected Apps (OAuth for AI agents): https://stytch.com/connected-apps

Stytch Fraud and Risk Prevention: stytch.com/fraud

AGI Builders Meetup: https://luma.com/agibuilders

IsAgent SDK for agent identification: https://IsAgent.dev

Additional Resources from the episode:

Simon Willison's lethal trifecta: https://simonwillison.net/2025/Jun/16/the-lethal-trifecta

IETF Web Bot Auth: https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/bofreq-nottingham-web-bot-auth/

Jon Postel as "benevolent dictator" of IANA: http://memex.org/meme4-01.html

Freestyle Cloud: https://www.freestyle.sh

Connect with us

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00:00:00 - Intro

00:03:25 - The Risks of AI Agents Browsing the Web

00:07:14 - A Bot Registry vs. Open Protocols

00:18:04 - How AI Will Change Web Monetization & Ads

00:35:03 - The "Lethal Trifecta" of AI Security

00:41:25 - Practical Advice for Website Owners & Agent Devs

Subscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and AI security.

Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.

Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX

Master advanced prompting techniques and meta prompting in this deep dive into AI context engineering. As AI models evolve, the way we interact with them becomes more critical than ever. Prompting is no longer about simple questions; it's a skill that separates mediocre results from magical ones. In Episode 57, we're joined by Michael Tiffany, founder and CEO of Fulcra, and AI consultant Ty Fiero to explore the strategies that unlock an AI's full potential.

Discover why prompts are more important than ever, how to tailor your requests for specific models like GPT-5 and Claude, and why a "high agency" attitude is the key to getting great outputs. We discuss practical methods like iterative prompting, using one AI to critique another's work, and asking the model itself how to create the perfect prompt. Learn how to avoid AI sycophancy, the power of multimodal prompting with images, and how to right-size tasks for complex projects. Whether you're a developer using vibe coding or just want to get better answers from ChatGPT, this conversation will change how you talk to AI.

Guests:

Michael Tiffany, Founder and CEO of Fulcra

https://www.fulcra.ai

https://x.com/kubla

Ty Fiero, AI Consultant

https://x.com/FieroTy

Connect with us

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https://x.com/kubla

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00:00:00 - Intro

00:06:02 - The High-Agency Prompting Mindset

00:10:36 - Techniques for Reducing AI Bias

00:19:10 - Meta-Prompting: Having AI Write Your Prompts

00:23:12 - How to Build Prompting Intuition

00:30:00 - AI for Spec-Driven Development

Subscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and prompting.

Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.

Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX

Build full-stack apps from a single prompt with Fastable, the revolutionary AI tool from AI consultant Richard Abrich. In this episode, we dive deep into how you can go from an idea to a deployed web application using AI, and learn how Richard built the tool to accelerate his own development workflows.

Richard shares his expert approach to context engineering, hallucination mitigation, and creating a powerful feedback loop by piping logs directly into the AI agent to debug and iterate faster than ever. We explore Fastable's tech stack (FastAPI, Python, React, Postgres) and how it offers a more flexible, vanilla alternative to tools like Lovable, giving developers the control they need. If you're interested in AI-powered development, the future of disposable software, or building your own tools to solve real problems, this is a conversation you can't miss.

Try Fastable for yourself: https://fastable.dev

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https://x.com/abrichr

00:00:00 - Intro

00:03:57 - Fastable's Tech Stack vs Lovable

00:07:33 - Context Engineering for Non-Technical Users

00:17:32 - Fastable Demo

00:31:08 - Mitigating AI Hallucination

00:45:53 - The Future of Disposable Software

Subscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and AI development.

Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.

Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX

Unlock massive productivity gains with AI and get hours of your life back. In Episode 55, after 10 years as a software developer with the last three focused on AI, I'm sharing the secrets to my personal productivity system. Learn how to leverage multiple LLMs, build a "digital brain" with Obsidian that goes beyond a simple second brain, and create hyper-custom automations to focus on what truly matters.

I'll walk you through my complete setup, from the AI models I use daily (like Claude and local models) to the hardware and software I use to interface with my computer, including powerful voice transcription workflows. We'll cover how to use AI coding assistants to build your own scripts, essential terminal utilities that will speed up your workflow, and the specific media tools I use for tasks outside my expertise. This is the ultimate guide to leveling up your productivity with AI.

Mike's GitHub: https://github.com/MikeBirdTech

Obsidian: https://obsidian.md/

Mike's Stack: https://github.com/MikeBirdTech/stack

Dataview Plugin: https://obsidian.md/plugins?id=dataview

Connect with me

https://x.com/ToolUseAI

https://x.com/MikeBirdTech

00:00:00 - Intro

00:00:52 - Which LLM Should You Use?

00:04:17 - How to Build a "Digital Brain" in Obsidian

00:12:40 - Voice Transcription: The Biggest Productivity Unlock

00:17:59 - Building Custom Automations with AI Coding

00:32:06 - Using AI as a Thought Partner

Subscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and automation.

Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.