From Six-Year-Old Coder to AI Revolutionary with Peter Swain

What if the right relationships at the right time positioned you at the forefront of every major technology revolution for 25 years?

In this episode, Peter Swain, international speaker, bestselling author, and AI enablement advocate, shares his extraordinary journey from coding at age six to being at the epicenter of three major tech paradigm shifts — the web, mobile, and now AI. Through chance encounters with Tim Berners-Lee (inventor of HTML and the World Wide Web), working directly with Steve Jobs, and saying "yes" to countless opportunities, Peter has built a career helping entrepreneurs leverage AI to work half the time while earning twice as much.

Peter reflects on how relationships and serendipitous moments shaped his path and why he believes AI is more transformative than if aliens landed tomorrow.

 

[00:04:02] The Six-Year-Old Coder

• Started coding in 1983 at age six on a Spectrum ZX 80

• Beta testing for Microsoft at age 12

• Met Tim Berners-Lee at 17 (inventor of HTML and the World Wide Web)

• Quit high school to become one of the first web developers in the world

[00:06:00] Three Technology Paradigm Shifts

• Built UK version of Yelp before Internet Explorer launched

• Mid-2000s: Bought first iPhone, closed web business—"This smells the same"

• Started first mobile agency in Europe, worked with McDonald's, BBC, Microsoft, Apple, Google

• 2023: Downloaded ChatGPT beta, immediately rolled up current business

[00:08:20] Understanding AI: Beyond the Noise

• Four groups: technical experts, futurists, doomsayers, and prompt sellers

• Peter's philosophy: "Integrated Living"—AI amplifies human capabilities

• The power of "and" versus "or"—great family AND business AND health

[00:12:20] Why Social Media and Bitcoin Weren't the Same

• Social media: Puts people in silos and echo chambers

• Bitcoin: "Most awesome solution waiting for a problem"

• AI is fundamentally different: A new form of intelligence

• More impactful than if aliens landed tomorrow

[00:16:20] Communication, Not Technical Skill

• Most people give AI 10-word instructions

• Would you hand your business to someone with 10 words?