#176 – I Shouldn’t Have to Tell the Intelligence

I Shouldn’t Have to Tell the Intelligence

Michael and Damashe explore what happens when AI tools are asked to work instead of simply answer questions. Damashe shares his experiences using ChatGPT to reorganize a Numbers spreadsheet, Claude to manage email, and an AI-assisted product search that produced a very convincing but completely inaccurate hard drive price.

That leads to a larger question: If you ask AI to research something, should you also have to tell it to search the web and verify the information? They discuss the rough edges of today’s AI agents, why this period feels like the early days of personal computing, and whether these tools will eventually become reliable enough to work without constant supervision.

They also talk about software companies rewarding new customers instead of loyal ones, VoiceOver and Zoom frustrations, sharing health data with AI, configuring ChatGPT and Codex on the Mac, repurposing computers as servers, and the photo they forgot to take when they finally met in person.

In This Episode

Discounts for new customers versus rewards for existing customers

VoiceOver keyboard commands that stop working until the Mac is restarted

Using whois and dig to look up domain information

Zoom’s loud and repetitive notifications

Rising computer and storage prices

Using ChatGPT to reorganize a Numbers spreadsheet

Comparing ChatGPT computer use with Claude’s computer-control features

Organizing email through Fastmail and MCP

The permissions Codex needs to control apps on macOS

An imaginary 24-terabyte hard drive deal that was too good to be true

Why AI research should include checking the original source

Whether we are living through the early personal-computer era of AI

Asking one AI to review another AI’s work

Giving AI access to Apple Health and years of health data

Continuous glucose monitors and accessible glucose tracking

Apple Watch reminders, workout encouragement, and handwashing alerts

Customizing the ChatGPT app’s keyboard shortcuts

Moving keyboard focus to the main chat composer with Shift+Escape

Repurposing a Mac mini and mini PC as home and office servers

Moving Plex and an audiobook library to Linux

Why the show is not getting any shorter

Links and Resources

Gravity Wiz

GeneratePress

Fastmail

Model Context Protocol

Dexcom

Audiobookshelf

Plex

Will Codex Reset?

Pinecast

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Damashe: @[email protected]

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