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Field notes

Notes from the field

What we learn designing and deploying AI automations: what carries work, what stalls, and why.

What Is an Agentic Workflow? A Working Definition and a Field Test
Agentic WorkflowAgentic AIAI Agents
What Is an Agentic Workflow? A Working Definition and a Field Test
An agentic workflow lets a model choose the next step instead of following a fixed sequence. Here's a working definition, the anatomy, and a five-question test.
7/20/2026
6 min read
What Is AI Automation? The Definition We Build Against
AI AutomationWorkflow AutomationDefinitions
What Is AI Automation? The Definition We Build Against
AI automation is software that carries a piece of work from trigger to done, with a model handling the judgment steps. The definition, its boundaries, and examples.
7/20/2026
5 min read
The Private LLM Option: What Running AI on Your Own Hardware Actually Takes
Private LLMSelf-Hosted LLMOpen-Source Models
The Private LLM Option: What Running AI on Your Own Hardware Actually Takes
Private LLMs are practical now. What a self-hosted model can and cannot do, what the hardware really costs, and when the API is still the right call.
7/20/2026
7 min read
AI Automation Tools Are Not AI Automation
AI Automation ToolsBuild vs BuyImplementation
AI Automation Tools Are Not AI Automation
The tool list is the easy part. Why a stack of AI automation tools doesn't automate anything by itself, and what turns tools into work that runs.
7/20/2026
5 min read
Why Your AI Needs Rules: Bridging the Gap Between Deterministic and Probabilistic Reasoning
AI StrategyAI GovernanceAI Architecture
Why Your AI Needs Rules: Bridging the Gap Between Deterministic and Probabilistic Reasoning
The future of software isn't only AI; it's hybrid architecture. An essential guide for developers and architects navigating the shift from rigid code to fluid, probabilistic patterns.
2/23/2026
7 min read
Boutique AI Consulting vs. Large Firms: What Mid-Market Companies Should Know
AI StrategyBusiness StrategyBest Practices
Boutique AI Consulting vs. Large Firms: What Mid-Market Companies Should Know
80-95% of AI projects fail. Mid-market companies choosing between boutique AI consultancies and large firms need to understand what actually drives AI success, and it's not brand name or team size.
2/18/2026
9 min read
Can You Beat My Dog at Chess? What Games Reveal About AI Agent Performance
Agentic SystemsAI StrategyLLMs
Can You Beat My Dog at Chess? What Games Reveal About AI Agent Performance
Ten browser games built entirely by AI agents, including game logic, UI, and opponent AI rules. What started as a fun experiment became the most honest AI evaluation framework we've found.
2/7/2026
12 min read
The 95% Problem: Why Your AI Pilot Succeeds But Never Scales
AI StrategyImplementationScaling
The 95% Problem: Why Your AI Pilot Succeeds But Never Scales
95% of AI pilots fail to scale. Learn the three critical gaps causing this and a practical framework for moving from experiment to enterprise value.
2/1/2026
8 min read
What 'Agentic' Really Means for Your Business
AIAgentic SystemsAutomation
What 'Agentic' Really Means for Your Business
Cut through the agentic AI hype. What autonomous AI agents and agentic workflows actually do, when they're ready for business, and how to evaluate them.
1/29/2026
7 min read
Shadow AI in Your Company: The Hidden Security Risk No One's Talking About
Shadow AISecurityCompliance
Shadow AI in Your Company: The Hidden Security Risk No One's Talking About
67% of employees use unauthorized AI tools. Detect shadow AI, assess risks, and build governance that enables innovation safely.
1/23/2026
12 min read
The Intake-to-Action Loop: Automate the Gap Between Intent and Execution
AI StrategyWorkflow AutomationBusiness Operations
The Intake-to-Action Loop: Automate the Gap Between Intent and Execution
Most companies leave hours or days between receiving a request and acting on it. Here's how to automate the distance between customer intent and fulfillment.
1/13/2026
8 min read
10 AI Quick Wins You Can Implement in 30 Days
Quick WinsAI ImplementationProductivity
10 AI Quick Wins You Can Implement in 30 Days
Before you commit to a full AI program, you need proof it works, inside your organization, with your people, on your problems. These 10 quick wins are designed to build that proof in 30 days and create the organizational momentum for what comes next.
11/4/2025
18 min read
AI Isn't One Thing: A Decision Framework for LLMs, RPA, and ML
AI StrategyRPAMachine Learning
AI Isn't One Thing: A Decision Framework for LLMs, RPA, and ML
A manufacturer spent $180K on an LLM when $60K RPA would work. Learn the framework for matching AI technologies to actual business problems.
9/30/2025
12 min read
AI Agents Are Here: 5 Practical Use Cases You Can Implement in 90 Days
Agentic AIAI AgentsAutomation
AI Agents Are Here: 5 Practical Use Cases You Can Implement in 90 Days
Move past chatbots to AI agents that take action. 5 high-ROI use cases you can implement in 90 days with realistic timelines and expected returns.
7/15/2025
13 min read
5 Signs Your Business Isn't Ready for AI
AI StrategyBusiness ReadinessDigital Transformation
5 Signs Your Business Isn't Ready for AI
5 warning signs your AI initiative will fail before it starts. Spot these gaps early to avoid wasted investment and build real AI readiness.
7/8/2025
8 min read