“If AI Slows You Down, You’re Using It Right” — with Stephen Klein

Stephen Klein, founder of Curiouser AI and a Berkeley lecturer, was one of the earliest voices calling out what he memorably termed "hype as a service,” the marketing machine promising that AI would replace us all. In this sharp, contrarian conversation, Stephen explains why the AI job apocalypse is being "quietly canceled," why 95% of enterprise AI pilots have failed, and why the CFO has finally shown up to ask the questions that matter. Along the way, he reframes AI not as a magic productivity engine but as a trade, one where the thing we risk giving up is our own ability to think. From the commoditization of large language models to the myth of a solo founder who built a $10M company alone, Stephen makes an optimistic case for what becomes scarce and valuable in the AI era. If you've ever felt "left behind" by AI or wondered whether the tools are actually helping you, this episode is a refreshing dose of clarity. As Stephen puts it, the future of work is still human, and the companies winning right now aren't smarter; they're just early. You'll Learn: Why AI was designed to perform tasks and be liked, not to help you think better, and what a tool built for curiosity looks like instead Stephen's counterintuitive rule of thumb: if AI is slowing you down, you're probably using it right Why large language models have become "the most expensive commodities in history,” and what that means for cost, competition, and open-source models The truth behind the viral "solo founder" success stories and the "outlier problem" that makes everyone feel left behind How companies are quietly rehiring after over-aggressive AI-driven layoffs, and why they're hiding it Why creativity, judgment, trust, and imagination become your real competitive advantages in a world of commoditized intelligence What Stephen would tell his own kids (and yours) about thriving in an increasingly entrepreneurial economy Resources from this episode: “Mira Murati's Design” — guest post by Stephen Klein on Substack Stephen Klein’s Substack Subscribe to the Expert Intelligence podcast so you don't miss future conversations with the leaders and thinkers shaping how we work, create, and lead in the age of AI. Each episode brings you practical insight to navigate our rapidly changing world. Producer: David Grabowski Theme Music: Aleksey Chistilin