Tool Use - AI Conversations

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Are AI web browsers falling short of the hype? Enter Rover, a revolutionary open-source AI agent that unlocks full autonomous workflows directly on your website with just a single script tag. In this episode, Arjun and Bhavani from rtrvr return to dive deep into how Rover uses a unique DOM-only approach to navigate, click, and type with subsecond latency. This innovative method completely bypasses sl...

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In 2026, building an AI product is easier than ever, but getting traction and finding customers is the real challenge. In episode 82 of Tool Use, we sit down with Mano Tsiris, a serial exited founder and head of growth at Optimal AI, to break down the ultimate go-to-market strategy for technical founders and builders. Discover how to validate your startup ideas and talk to use...

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Are you looking to optimize your AI applications with the best open source Large Language Models? This week, we explore open source AI, rapid model switching, and local self-hosting with Nathan Break, a Machine Learning Engineer at Mozilla AI and the creator of Any-LLM. Any-LLM is an open-source Python SDK that allows developers to seamlessly talk to any LLM provider through a...

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Are you putting your business at risk by relying on big AI companies? In this episode of the Tool Use podcast, we dive deep into Sovereign AI with Max McCrea, founder of Greyhaven. We explore how businesses can maintain control of their private data while still benefiting from AI. Max breaks down the importance of self-hosting and building architectures that abstract away the ...

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Vector databases can be an important component for building reliable AI agents and scalable semantic search applications. In this episode, Arjun Patel from Pinecone breaks down how to optimize your RAG pipeline, choose the right embedding models (sparse vs. dense), and implement effective chunking strategies for better data retrieval. We also explore the new Pinecone plugin fo...

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Unlock the power of AI fine-tuning for image and video models with Greg Schoeninger, CEO of Oxen.ai. In this episode, we explore how to move beyond simple prompt engineering to training custom open-source models for as little as $1. Discover the technical strategies for building high-quality datasets, the trade-offs between LoRAs and full fine-tunes, and how to achieve consist...

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Unlock the ability to build AI tools without coding experience as Justin Borge joins Tool Use to demonstrate how he built Helios, a personal management system, using only LLMs like Gemini and Claude. Justin breaks down his transition from marketer to growth engineer, sharing his exact workflows for using JSON documentation to give AI a perfect memory of his business and goals....

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Discover the power of the Ralph Wiggum Loop with Ryan Carson as we explore the future of AI coding agents, autonomous workflows, and building one-person companies. In this episode, we break down how to implement Jeff Huntley’s simplified bash script loop using tools like Claude Code and Amp to ship features faster than ever. Ryan shares his tactical advice on creating hi...

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Claude Code is evolving from a terminal-based developer tool into the Everything Agent that manages your entire life. In this episode, Eric Buess returns to show us how he built a hands-free, voice-controlled AI system that handles everything from school emails and calendar scheduling to monitoring family text messages. We dive deep into advanced Claude Code strategies, includ...

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Sukh Saini, an exited founder and the creator of Engyne, joins Tool Use to break down the essential strategies for AI product distribution and personal branding. With a track record of 38 products, Sukh shares how he transitioned from a self-proclaimed horrible employee to a successful entrepreneur by mastering the business loop of building, selling, and scaling. This episode ...

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Master your AI career in 2026 with this comprehensive guide on how to get a job in AI as a developer or non-technical professional. Mike Bird, AI and Engineering Lead at BoxOne Ventures, breaks down his personal journey from software developer to AI leader and shares insider secrets on the modern hiring process. Learn why traditional resumes are failing in the age of AI screen...

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In this 2025 year-end wrap-up, we dive deep into the massive shifts in the AI landscape, from the surprise release of GPT-5.2 to the rise of open source models like DeepSeek. Mike Bird and Richardson Dackam reflect on a year defined by accelerating iteration cycles, the growing energy bottleneck for data centers, and the emergence of reasoning models that have changed how we a...

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Discover how to master your executive function and reclaim your schedule with AI. In Episode 71 of Tool Use, Sam Julien (Director of Developer Relations and Experience at Writer) joins Mike Bird to explore how AI acts as the ultimate equalizer for productivity and mental clarity. We dive deep into practical strategies for reducing the time tax of administrative drudgery, using...

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Discover the future of front-end development with Cluso, an AI-powered web inspector and browser designed for "vibe coding." In this episode, Jason Kneen returns to demonstrate how to build bespoke AI tools that go beyond simple transcription. We dive deep into implementing voice control with context-aware agents, mastering the Model Context Protocol (MCP) for tool integration...

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Discover how non-technical founders are building valid MVPs using vibe coding and Cursor, and why you need to move beyond simple AI wrappers. We sit down with Mike Leslie, CEO of Revela, to discuss the critical strategies for de-risking your business from big AI labs like OpenAI and Anthropic. Learn when to transition to in-house open-source models, how to fine-tune small lang...

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Building AI agents is the current trend, but are you doing it correctly? Sam Bhagwat, founder of Mastra, joins Tool Use to breakdown the principles of building reliable AI agents. We discuss why you should use a TypeScript agent framework like Mastra, how to engineer production-grade prompts, and the best patterns for tool calling. Sam explains advanced concepts like observati...

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Turn your Obsidian vault into a fully automated operating system using Claude Code and AI agents. In this episode of Tool Use, physicist and AI explorer Artem Zhutov reveals how to leverage coding agents for non-coding workflows to optimize your productivity.

Discover how to build a dynamic "second brain" that acts as a personal coach, automates daily planning, and streamlines ...

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AI Agents, RAG hype, and the "Impossible Triangle" of LLM Infrastructure take center stage in this deep dive with Swyx (Shawn Wang). As the co-founder of AI Engineer and a team member at Cognition, Swyx breaks down why vertical agents are the golden opportunity for developers right now. We explore the decline of standalone vector databases, the rise of MCP vs. Computer Use, an...

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Explore AI risk mitigation, prompt injection dangers, and AI safety in this deep dive with AI engineering consultant Kyle Clark. We discuss the critical role of human-in-the-loop systems, safe AI implementation strategies for businesses, and the hidden dangers of AI web browsers and context rot. Kyle shares expert insights on leveraging AI tools like Claude Code, managing suba...