The Hype-Free Guide to AI and Business, w/ Industry Insider Peter Swimm

There’s no shortage of hype about AI revolutionizing business, but what’s actually working right now? In this episode, we sit down with Peter Swimm, founder of the AI consultancy Toilville and former Principal Product Manager at Microsoft Copilot Studio, to cut through the noise and explore the real-world use cases of conversational AI.

Peter has been working on AI-powered automation for over a decade, helping companies integrate chatbots, AI agents, and large language models into their workflows. Unlike many AI evangelists, he isn’t here to drink the Kool-Aid. Instead, he lays out the hard truths about what AI can and can’t do today—including why fully autonomous AI agents are still far from reality.

We break down:

🔹 The most successful AI use cases in businesses today (hint: FAQ bots and automated customer support are actually delivering results)

🔹 The biggest misconceptions about AI agents and why they aren’t ready for prime time

🔹 How AI is transforming communication workflows, from email drafting to meeting summaries

🔹 The dangers of over-relying on AI for brainstorming and creative thinking

🔹 Practical tips for integrating AI into business operations without falling into the hype trap

⏱ Timestamps:

3:14 – Peter’s background in AI and Microsoft Copilot Studio

7:34 – What is Conversational AI and how has it evolved?

10:01 – The AI use cases that are actually delivering value in business

12:30 – AI’s role in communication automation and workflow efficiency

17:14 – The challenge of making AI-generated emails sound human

22:58 – Is AI actually good for brainstorming, or is it making us less creative?

29:36 – The truth about AI agents—why businesses aren’t adopting them yet

34:31 – Will AI agents ever work as promised? The barriers to real automation

38:36 – Smart ways to use AI for efficiency without giving up human oversight

40:26 – How Peter personally uses AI in his daily work

Toilville:

https://www.itstoilville.com/

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