"This is why you need a RAG system" - Apurva Misra
Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaXIs your RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) pipeline optimized, or is it even necessary? We all know context is king for LLMs, but large context windows might not be the answer. On Episode 63 of Tool Use, we deep dive into RAG with Apurva Misra, founder of Sentick. We explore the entire RAG workflow, from creating and optimizing embeddings to choosing the right vector DB (like Postgres with PG Vector). Apurva explains the critical role of re-rankers , the power of hybrid search (combining semantic and keyword search) , and when to consider agentic RAG. We also cover the essential steps for taking your RAG system to production, including data quality, feedback loops , and safety guardrails.Connect with Apurva Misra: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/misraapurva/ Consulting: https://www.sentick.com/ Website: https://apurvamisra.com/Connect with us https://x.com/ToolUsePodcast https://x.com/MikeBirdTech00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:18 - What is RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation)? 00:03:41 - Is RAG Dead? Large Context Windows vs. RAG 00:06:40 - The RAG Workflow: Embeddings, Chunking & Vector DBs 00:28:00 - Do You Need a Re-Ranker? 00:41:24 - Production RAG: Safety, Guardrails & EfficiencySubscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and RAG.Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.
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"AI allows you to be high tech and high touch" - Lee Russel
Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaXUnlock the power of AI for personalization at scale in your business. While many focus on AI for efficiency, the real game-changer is creating magical, more human digital experiences for your customers. We're joined by Lee Russell, founder of Minimum Viable Launch and an AI expert with over a decade of experience, to discuss how you can leverage AI to be both "high tech and high touch," transforming your marketing, sales, and product delivery.Discover the concept of "context engines" and learn why gathering qualitative customer data is your new competitive moat in the age of AI. We explore the tools you need to build this infrastructure, from powerful automation platforms like n8n to the magic of vector databases for chatting with your unstructured data. Lee also shares his strategies for avoiding generic "AI slop" and creating truly unique, high-quality outputs that will make your customer experience remarkable.Learn more from Lee Russell: https://www.minimalviablelaunch.io/Connect with us https://x.com/ToolUsePodcast https://x.com/MikeBirdTech 00:00 - Intro 01:27 - "High Tech, High Touch": Personalization at Scale Explained 07:55 - The Best Data for AI Personalization 12:03 - How to Avoid Creating "AI Slop" 21:15 - AI Tools for Building Custom Agents (n8n & Vector DBs) 30:37 - How to Start Learning and Escape "Tutorial Hell"Subscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and personalization.Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.
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How to Become an AI-first Company (ft. Csongor Barabasi)
Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaXStruggling to cut through the AI hype to find real operational efficiency for your business? In this episode, we're joined by Csongor Barabasi, CEO of Bonsai Labs, an AI value creation partner for private equity firms. Csongor shares his expert framework for deploying AI agents to achieve massive productivity gains.Learn the practical steps to progress from a simple AI co-pilot to a fully autonomous AI agent , and discover how to create a 'golden data set' and feedback loops to make your systems smarter over time. We cover the critical build vs. buy debate , strategies for process automation , data security considerations , calculating ROI for AI projects , and enabling non-technical teams to build custom workflows. This is your ultimate guide to using AI for tangible business results.Csongor is the founder/CEO of Bonsai Labs, a specialized AI transformation and value creation firm working with Private Equity portfolio companies. With engineering excellence at it's core, the they deliver AI workflow automations and build custom AI products with tangible impact within weeks.Bonsai Labs: https://bonsai-labs.comCsongor: https://linkedin.com/in/barabasicsongorConnect with ushttps://x.com/ToolUsePodcasthttps://x.com/MikeBirdTech https://x.com/barabasicsongor00:00:00 - Intro00:02:40 - The Framework: Co-Pilot to Fully Autonomous Agent00:11:26 - AI Solutions: The Build vs. Buy Debate00:16:03 - AI for Non-Technical Teams00:27:40 - How to Document a Process for Automation00:31:36 - How to Measure the ROI of AISubscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and process automation.Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.
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AI Coding Agents Can Do So Much More (ft Kiran)
Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaXCoding agents are revolutionizing software development, but are you getting the most out of them? Many AI coding tools struggle with complex, long-running tasks, often getting lost in the middle of a project. In this episode of Tool Use, we sit down with Kiran, one of the core contributors to Slate, a research-driven coding agent built for the toughest production-level challenges. Kiran shares a deep dive into how to properly set up your dev environment to maximize the performance of any coding agent. We discuss the critical role of feedback loops, clear development pipelines, and consistent codebase patterns in getting correct, reliable code from LLMs. You'll learn why models are great at following patterns but terrible at creating them, and how to structure your projects for AI success. We also explore what makes Slate different, including its unique approach to context management that keeps it on track during complex tasks, preventing the performance degradation common in other agents.Find Slate here:https://randomlabs.ai/Connect with us https://x.com/ToolUsePodcasthttps://x.com/MikeBirdTech00:00:00 - Intro00:00:54 - Setting Up Your Dev Environment for AI00:15:18 - Is Software Engineering Dead?00:18:20 - Why Coding Agents? The Origin of Slate00:21:52 - What Makes Slate Different?00:33:19 - The Bottleneck: LLMs vs Tooling00:44:30 - Why LLMs Get "Lost in the Middle"Subscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and coding agents.Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.
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A.I. For Non-Technical Founders (ft Marnie Wills)
Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaXUnlock the power of AI for your business, even if you're not a tech expert. In this episode, AI strategist Marni Wills reveals how non-technical founders can leverage AI as a new operating system to amplify their intelligence. Learn to build powerful AI workflows, create your own AI operating system, and personalize tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity for massive business growth. Marni breaks down her exact process for using AI agents, developing custom instructions to avoid hallucinations, and building a "second brain" to automate tasks from email marketing to securing podcast interviews. This is your guide to making AI work for you, strategically, not technically.Connect with Marni Wills:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marnie-wills-entrepreneurWebsite: https://businesswithaistrategist.com/Instagram: https://instagram.com/businesswithai_strategist/Digital Store: https://stan.store/business_with_ai_strategistConnect with ushttps://x.com/ToolUsePodcasthttps://x.com/MikeBirdTech00:00:00 - Intro00:02:19 - First Steps for Non-Technical Founders00:08:13 - How to Avoid AI Hallucinations00:11:04 - Building a Custom Prompt Library00:27:17 - AI Agents vs. Automation (Lindy vs. Make)00:32:48 - Creative AI Workflows You Haven't Thought OfSubscribe for more insights on AI tools, productivity, and workflows.Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts, brought to you by ToolHive.
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