Say Hello to My AI Friend! (Part 1)

Kent Murawski

Artificial Intelligence or “AI” is here to stay. It’s already been here for a while.

Today begins my long-awaited series on AI (OK, maybe I’m the only one who’s been waiting for it, but it’s long-awaited nonetheless!). After the first two paragraphs, Claude.ai , one of my AI assistants, composed this first message in the series (read to the end to see the prompts I used).¹ AI uses prompts—“instructions or questions you give to AI tools to generate a specific output.” I thought it would be a fun way to start the series and show you its capabilities. I also like Claude because of its bent toward creative writing and the creator’s commitment to safety.²

Why am I doing a series on AI? Every so often, a monumental shift comes along, taking history in a new direction. In the past, it’s been things like writing, the printing press, the Industrial Revolution, and the digital revolution with the invention of technology, computers, and the internet. Many believe AI is another one of those fundamental shifts that will change the way we do things. Like the internet (AI is not possible without it), AI is a tool that can be used for good or bad. Sticking your head in the sand and pretending like it doesn’t exist won’t help. Unless you avoid all technology, you’re probably already using it!

A Letter from Kent and Claude

Kent here, and I’m excited to introduce you to someone special. Meet Claude, an artificial intelligence created by Anthropic. Claude’s here to kickstart our exploration into the fascinating world of AI. While this first message comes mostly from Claude, in the weeks ahead, I’ll be sharing insights about artificial intelligence and its impact on our lives.

Remember when smartphones seemed like science fiction? Well, AI is that next big wave, and it’s already washing over our daily lives in ways we might not even realize.

AI isn’t just one thing – it’s a whole universe of possibilities:

  1. Machine Learning: AI that gets smarter with experience (like Netflix’s uncanny recommendations).
  2. Natural Language Processing: Machines understanding and generating human language (hello, Siri! Which just got a major upgrade through a partnership with Chat GPT).
  3. Computer Vision: Giving machines eyes to interpret the world.
  4. Robotics: AI with a physical presence.

You’re probably using AI more often than you think:

  • That playlist your music app conjured up? AI at work.
  • The fraud alert on your credit card? Yep, AI again.
  • Even that accurate text prediction on your phone? You guessed it.

As we dive deeper into this AI-powered future, we’re facing some mind-bending questions. How will AI reshape industries and our daily lives? What ethical lines should we draw? How do we ensure this technology uplifts all of humanity?

Where We’re Headed

Buckle up, folks. Here’s a sneak peek at our upcoming AI crash course:

  1. Can Machines Think? A Brief History of AI From Alan Turing to ChatGPT, we’ll trace AI’s wild evolutionary ride.
  2. AI 101: What is AI? LLMs and Control: We’ll crack open the AI black box and peek inside. Large Language Models, AI control – it’s like teaching a toddler to drive… a spaceship.
  3. Should You Be Afraid of AI? The Real Fear: Time to separate fact from science fiction. Spoiler: it’s not the machines we should worry about, it’s the humans behind them.
  4. How Am I Using AI? Your AI-Powered Life: I’ll share my favorite AI tools and how they’re making my life easier. You might discover your next digital assistant.
  5. My Favorite AI Resources: Get ready for mind-blowing podcasts, books that’ll make you question reality, and thought-provoking articles.

Think of this series as our own tech philosophy club, minus the required reading (unless you want some – I’ve got recommendations!).

Your Turn

Where do you see AI popping up in your daily life? What excites or concerns you about this technology? Take a moment to observe the AI around you – you might be surprised at what you find.

Hit reply and let me know your thoughts. I read every response.

Looking forward to exploring this brave new world with you (Pun intended!. You know, Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World? A book about a futuristic World State where scientific and technological advancements are used to control every aspect of society?),

Next time, I’ll give you a brief history of AI. You might be surprised how long it’s been around!

Read the AI Series

Sources

Prompts

Here are the prompts I used to write the email:

Prompt #1 – Write the first e-newsletter in a series to those on my email list, introducing yourself as Claude, in a warm and friendly tone, no more than 500 words, giving them an overview of AI

Prompt #2 – Now write it more in my writing voice using this example (I pasted one of my past articles so it could be written in my voice). Also, don’t refer to yourself as sharing insights in the coming weeks, but rather, Kent will be sharing insights in the coming weeks. Only this first one will be from you:

Prompt #3 – Add a section about where we will be going, in my writing voice, using these topics (I shared a list of topics I wanted to write about):

Prompt #4 – Do a final revision making it closer to 500 words

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By Kent Murawski July 28, 2025
When was the last time you ended a summer feeling more energized than when it started? ​​Summer brings changes for many of us—minimizing our motivation to work, disrupting work routines, and altering schedules. With summertime often comes a desire to slow down, and yet, we're not always sure how to do that. This week is my last new post for a little while (though I may resend some popular posts from the 2024-2025 season). I’m pressing pause to create space and pour my energy into finishing my new book. But stay tuned—when I’m back in six weeks, the newsletter will be refreshed with some exciting updates you won’t want to miss! Read to the end to find out more. In this week's edition of Catalyst, I want to share 3 ideas to help you effectively navigate summer. 3 Ways to Master Summer Without Burning Out 1) Stop and Think (Reflect) Socrates famously said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." For Socrates, life was more than pursuing the things that most men occupy themselves with, things like wealth, household affairs, status and position, and political clubs and factions. He believed that life only has value and meaning when we question what we think and know, and by more deeply understanding ourselves and others. The beginning of summer is an ideal time for reflection, and we all tend to occupy ourselves with the things Socrates talked about more than we probably care to admit. Taking a reflection day at the end of each quarter (consider removing "or trimester" for conciseness) can be an effective way to navigate seasonal changes. Finding a place far enough removed from your normal day-to-day life will help you get into a different headspace. A friend of mine often says: Change of pace + change of place = change of perspective. I've used hotels, monasteries, or even a beautiful outdoor location if the weather permits. Here are a few questions you might want to ask: How am I feeling spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically? How are my closest relationships doing? Am I living out my core values? Is my life moving in a direction I feel good about? What do I need to change or adjust? Here are a few ideas for how to conduct a reflection day: Prayer, meditation, or silence Review your biggest wins and assess your goals from the previous quarter Work on high-impact projects that require focus Preview the upcoming quarter and set your Big 3 goals: personal, marriage/family, work/business 2) Cut the Non-Essentials (Reevaluate) Both my wife and I work, so when summer arrives, we need to re-evaluate our schedules to accommodate our twelve-year-old son. In the past, I've made the mistake of trying to keep the same workload despite being home with him two days a week. I ended up frustrated all summer long, living in the tension of wanting to spend more time with him while trying to carry the same workload. Summer requires me to pare down my work roles to the essentials: Writing (currently working on a new book) Executive coaching (6-8 coaching clients) Relationship building and outreach Necessary administration (keeping this to 30% or less of my responsibilities) Moving forward, I will probably keep things this way. It feels more sustainable than the unrealistic expectations I previously held myself to. Once you define your key roles and responsibilities, the question becomes how to achieve better work-life integration not work-life balance. I use the Big 3 System. Choose only three big things to focus on at one time—quarterly, weekly, and daily. That's right, just three. Those three things are usually a combination of personal, marriage/family, and work. Each quarter, I typically choose 1 personal goal, 1 marriage and family goal, and 1-3 work goals, depending on the quarter. Here are a few questions to consider. If you have a partner, discuss them together: How does your schedule change in the summer? What work-related responsibilities and expectations do you need to adjust? What are 3 things you want to do this summer? What do you NOT want to do? 3) Choose What Matters Most (Rest) Paring down expectations isn't only for work, it applies to rest, too. Because it's summer, there is the temptation to want to fit in everything (—vacation, visit family, trips, fun, etc). In the past, we would try to do so much that by the time fall rolled around, we were exhausted. Last year, out of necessity, we planned a staycation instead of going away. It was one of the best vacations we've had in a long time. And besides, summers in New England are gorgeous! We went to see a movie, ate out, went to Six Flags, had a beach day, and took days in between just to relax. We loved it so much, we're doing a staycation again this year! Write down your list of summer expectations and plans. Now, cross out everything that feels exhausting and unfun. Don't try to fit everything in this summer. Pick a couple of things that feel life-giving and focus on those. Your Move Reflect. Re-evaluate. Rest. Choose one of the three and work on it in the next 24 hours. Plan a day of reflection. Have a conversation with your spouse. Choose how you're going to rest this summer. I don't care which one it is, just take action. Here’s one question to consider: What would you stop doing this summer if no one was watching? Most people think summer is about maximizing experiences and fitting everything in, but the truth is that the most productive leaders use summer to strategically subtract, not add. They understand that rest isn't what you do after the work is done—it's what makes the work sustainable in the first place. You've got this.
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When was the last time you ended a summer feeling more energized than when it started? ​​Summer brings changes for many of us—minimizing our motivation to work, disrupting work routines, and altering schedules. With summertime often comes a desire to slow down, and yet, we're not always sure how to do that. This week is my last new post for a little while (though I may resend some popular posts from the 2024-2025 season). I’m pressing pause to create space and pour my energy into finishing my new book. But stay tuned—when I’m back in six weeks, the newsletter will be refreshed with some exciting updates you won’t want to miss! Read to the end to find out more. In this week's edition of Catalyst, I want to share 3 ideas to help you effectively navigate summer. 3 Ways to Master Summer Without Burning Out 1) Stop and Think (Reflect) Socrates famously said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." For Socrates, life was more than pursuing the things that most men occupy themselves with, things like wealth, household affairs, status and position, and political clubs and factions. He believed that life only has value and meaning when we question what we think and know, and by more deeply understanding ourselves and others. The beginning of summer is an ideal time for reflection, and we all tend to occupy ourselves with the things Socrates talked about more than we probably care to admit. Taking a reflection day at the end of each quarter (consider removing "or trimester" for conciseness) can be an effective way to navigate seasonal changes. Finding a place far enough removed from your normal day-to-day life will help you get into a different headspace. A friend of mine often says: Change of pace + change of place = change of perspective. I've used hotels, monasteries, or even a beautiful outdoor location if the weather permits. Here are a few questions you might want to ask: How am I feeling spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically? How are my closest relationships doing? Am I living out my core values? Is my life moving in a direction I feel good about? What do I need to change or adjust? Here are a few ideas for how to conduct a reflection day: Prayer, meditation, or silence Review your biggest wins and assess your goals from the previous quarter Work on high-impact projects that require focus Preview the upcoming quarter and set your Big 3 goals: personal, marriage/family, work/business 2) Cut the Non-Essentials (Reevaluate) Both my wife and I work, so when summer arrives, we need to re-evaluate our schedules to accommodate our twelve-year-old son. In the past, I've made the mistake of trying to keep the same workload despite being home with him two days a week. I ended up frustrated all summer long, living in the tension of wanting to spend more time with him while trying to carry the same workload. Summer requires me to pare down my work roles to the essentials: Writing (currently working on a new book) Executive coaching (6-8 coaching clients) Relationship building and outreach Necessary administration (keeping this to 30% or less of my responsibilities) Moving forward, I will probably keep things this way. It feels more sustainable than the unrealistic expectations I previously held myself to. Once you define your key roles and responsibilities, the question becomes how to achieve better work-life integration not work-life balance. I use the Big 3 System. Choose only three big things to focus on at one time—quarterly, weekly, and daily. That's right, just three. Those three things are usually a combination of personal, marriage/family, and work. Each quarter, I typically choose 1 personal goal, 1 marriage and family goal, and 1-3 work goals, depending on the quarter. Here are a few questions to consider. If you have a partner, discuss them together: How does your schedule change in the summer? What work-related responsibilities and expectations do you need to adjust? What are 3 things you want to do this summer? What do you NOT want to do? 3) Choose What Matters Most (Rest) Paring down expectations isn't only for work, it applies to rest, too. Because it's summer, there is the temptation to want to fit in everything (—vacation, visit family, trips, fun, etc). In the past, we would try to do so much that by the time fall rolled around, we were exhausted. Last year, out of necessity, we planned a staycation instead of going away. It was one of the best vacations we've had in a long time. And besides, summers in New England are gorgeous! We went to see a movie, ate out, went to Six Flags, had a beach day, and took days in between just to relax. We loved it so much, we're doing a staycation again this year! Write down your list of summer expectations and plans. Now, cross out everything that feels exhausting and unfun. Don't try to fit everything in this summer. Pick a couple of things that feel life-giving and focus on those. Your Move Reflect. Re-evaluate. Rest. Choose one of the three and work on it in the next 24 hours. Plan a day of reflection. Have a conversation with your spouse. Choose how you're going to rest this summer. I don't care which one it is, just take action. Here’s one question to consider: What would you stop doing this summer if no one was watching? Most people think summer is about maximizing experiences and fitting everything in, but the truth is that the most productive leaders use summer to strategically subtract, not add. They understand that rest isn't what you do after the work is done—it's what makes the work sustainable in the first place. You've got this.
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