In this episode of the AI Automation Alchemist Podcast, Rey Ortega breaks down a busy day speaking at BizFest on Florida’s Space Coast, where small business owners, entrepreneurs, and professionals gathered to learn practical ways to use artificial intelligence.

Rey shares the five quick AI wins he presented at the event, including writing faster emails, creating short-form video scripts, building a reusable prompt library, reviewing contracts and RFPs with AI, and generating graphics or brand imagery. He also dives into deeper conversations from the event’s AI roundtable, including agentic AI, automation triggers, AI agents, cron jobs, webhooks, and why many business owners still hit a wall when trying to use AI beyond basic prompting.

This episode also covers Rey’s “train track theory,” explaining why companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Microsoft, and X own the foundational AI models while many startups are simply building “trains” on top of those tracks. Rey also gives his honest take on whether AI will replace people, why human oversight still matters, and how small businesses can start using AI without getting lost in the hype.

If you’re a small business owner, entrepreneur, consultant, or operator trying to understand how AI and automation can actually help your business, this episode will give you practical ideas and a clearer framework.

Learn more about Grata Software:
https://gratasoftware.com

Learn more about Digital Strike:
https://godigitalstrike.com

00:00 Introduction: A busy day at BizFest

01:20 About Grata Software and small business automation

04:00 What BizFest is and why SCORE matters

06:30 Speaking to small business owners about AI

08:45 The challenge of explaining AI as a software engineer

10:30 Getting cut short during the presentation

12:15 AI quick win #1: Writing faster emails

13:25 AI quick win #2: Creating short-form video content

14:50 AI quick win #3: Building a reusable prompt guide

15:55 AI quick win #4: Reviewing contracts and RFPs

17:45 Why every business needs a brand voice document

18:55 AI quick win #5: Images, graphics, and professional branding

19:51 The AI roundtable discussion

22:20 Questions about AI agents and automation

24:00 What AI agents really are

26:10 Why agentic AI still confuses many business owners

28:00 The WordPress comparison: simple tools become complex

30:00 Will AI replace people?

32:30 Why human-in-the-loop still matters

34:00 The “AI won’t replace you…” conversation

35:00 Rey’s train track theory for AI companies

37:30 Why AI wrappers are vulnerable

39:30 Cursor, Composer, and owning the coding train track

41:30 Digital Strike: AI consulting and training for small businesses

43:10 LATAM event and international AI opportunities

46:00 How to connect and become a podcast guest

47:30 Closing thoughts on AI and automation

#AIForBusiness #SmallBusinessAutomation #ArtificialIntelligence #AIAutomation #AIAgents #Entrepreneurship #GrataSoftware #DigitalStrike #PromptEngineering #BusinessGrowth

AI is moving fast, but most people are still stuck at the starting line.

In this episode of the AI Automation Alchemist Podcast, Rey Ortega sits down with Max Kyllonen for a deep conversation about where AI is really headed, why most business owners are overwhelmed by it, and why the future may not be about better prompts… but better intentions.

We talk about:

• Why AI feels “alien” to most people
• The problem with basic prompt engineering
• Why Max believes “intentioneering” is the next major AI skill
• Claude vs. ChatGPT vs. Grok
• How AI changes marketing, software, business, and decision-making
• Why humans still matter in AI systems
• The real danger of optimizing AI for the wrong outcome
• How business owners can start using AI without getting overwhelmed

Max also breaks down why he teaches AI from a relationship and personality perspective first, because when AI feels like a true collaborator, people start using it differently.

If you are a business owner, entrepreneur, marketer, engineer, or just trying to understand how AI fits into your future, this conversation is for you.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_real_max_k/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/max.kyllonen
Website: https://www.maxoutloud.com/
COYOU AI: https://www.coyou.ai/

Grata Software: https://www.gratasoftware.com/
Digital Strike: https://godigitalstrike.com/

00:00 Intro
00:52 Why everyone is talking about AI
01:48 Why AI feels amorphous and hard to explain
06:07 Why Max starts AI training with pen and paper
07:05 Building AI-powered marketing systems
10:04 How few people are really using AI deeply
14:00 Why AI adoption is different from the internet
17:09 Will AI create massive unemployment?
20:14 The dangerous middle period of AI disruption
27:19 Why AI may never become fully autonomous
32:40 Why intention matters more than tools
34:00 AI and the prisoner’s dilemma
36:04 Using AI as a collaborator
40:20 Max’s AI training framework
41:36 ADHD, associative thinking, and AI
47:52 The moment AI copywriting changed everything
50:26 Claude, Sonnet, Opus, and model selection
57:39 Using Grok for brainstorming
58:26 Intention defines context
01:01:16 Where intentioneering is going
01:06:49 Open-source models and local AI
01:12:10 Hybrid AI systems and local models
01:15:20 Why your intention is the real unlock
01:17:42 Where to find Max

#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #AIAutomation #PromptEngineering #ClaudeAI #ChatGPT #GrokAI #Entrepreneurship #BusinessAutomation #MarketingAutomation #FutureOfWork #AIForBusiness #SmallBusinessAI #Intentioneering #AIAgents

In this episode, Rey Ortega interviews Rob Wright, a member of Waffle, a company that leverages artificial intelligence for small businesses. They discuss the challenges and opportunities in the AI industry, the distinction between AI and automation, and the impact of AI on various business functions. The conversation covers a wide range of topics related to AI, token usage, and the impact of AI on small businesses. It delves into the challenges and opportunities of AI adoption, as well as the complexities of token usage and pricing models. The discussion also explores the role of AI in small business growth and the need for a deeper understanding of AI's capabilities and limitations.

Takeaways

• AI and automation are not synonymous; using AI does not guarantee a competitive advantage.
• The Dunning-Kruger effect highlights the challenge of accurately assessing one's own skills and knowledge in the AI industry. Token usage and pricing models are critical considerations for businesses leveraging AI.
• AI adoption in small businesses presents both challenges and opportunities.
• Understanding the capabilities and limitations of AI is essential for leveraging it effectively in business growth.

sound bites

"AI and automation are not the same thing"

"Show your expertise, not just use AI tools"

"Leverage AI to level up small businesses"

resources

GoWaffle - https://gowaffle.com

OpenClaw - https://github.com/openclaw

Perplexity - https://perplexity.ai

Claude AI - https://www.anthropic.com

Cursor - https://cursor.com

guest links

LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/rob-wright

Website - https://gowaffle.com

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to AI and Waffle

02:14 The Evolution of Waffle and AI Integration

04:45 Understanding AI vs Automation

10:08 The Dunning-Kruger Effect in AI Consulting

11:46 Evaluating AI Expertise and Influencers

18:58 Context Windows and AI Performance

21:12 Swarm Agents in AI Development

23:36 OpenClaw and Its Impact on AI Tools

27:45 Integrating AI Skills for Business Automation

30:14 Challenges with Token Usage in AI Tools

34:59 Pricing Models and Token Economics

39:59 Navigating the Wild West of AI Adoption

48:31 The Future of AI in Business Strategy

51:37 NEWCHAPTER