From Toy to Tool: Image Gen, Local Models, and Vibe Coding

In this first episode of Fresh From the Labs, we (Shilpa, Jared, and Kevin from the product team at Pioneer Square Labs) kick things off by sharing why we’re starting this podcast: to give you a window into the AI experiments we're running day to day, and to think out loud with fellow builders.

We dive into what’s impressed us lately — especially the leap in image generation from ChatGPT-4o. Jared shares how a friend used it to create tabletop miniatures, and we talk about how tools like DALL·E have gone from novelty to genuinely useful. That “toy to tool” moment becomes a theme.

We also unpack our recent move to bring in Mac Studios with massive memory to experiment with running local models. We talk through the implications of local-first AI: privacy, cost, and control — and what that means for startups and enterprise.

The conversation shifts to “vibe coding”: how tools like Cursor, Claude, and Replit are changing how we prototype and build software, what works well, and where it still falls apart — especially when it comes to debugging and keeping things clean.

There’s some speculation, a few tactical tips, and a lot of curiosity. Plus, a quick preview of what we’re playing with next.