The AI Report Live

• Why Eric Sui Builds in Public (And What He’s Learned)

  This week on The AI Report, Liam Lawson is joined by Eric Sui—indie hacker, AI builder, and creator of Agents Playbook—to talk about designing with agents instead of apps.Eric breaks down how he moved from casual GPT-3 experimentation to building structured AI workflows that solve real problems. They dig into agent UX, why many AI tools fall short, and how indie builders can actually move faster by thinking in systems.Also in this episode: • Why agents are more than just automations • How no-code stacks can launch powerful workflows • Lessons from “building in public” on Twitter • How to find product ideas in your own frustration • The future of indie AI projects and agent-led designWhether you’re trying to build smarter tools or just want to understand how agents are reshaping what software can do, this episode is packed with insight.Subscribe to The AI Report:https://theaireport.beehiiv.com/subscribeJoin the community:https://www.skool.com/the-ai-report-community/aboutChapters:(00:00) Intro to Eric Sui(01:12) Hacking on GPT-3 Before It Was Popular(03:05) Where AI Products Go Wrong(04:56) User Experience for Agents(06:29) Thinking in Systems, Not Features(08:15) How LLMs Shift the Tool Paradigm(09:53) Launching With No-Code + GPT(11:27) Product Validation as Self-Therapy(13:10) Getting Better Feedback Faster(14:52) Public Building as a Strategy(16:47) Twitter Feedback Loops(19:01) Starting From Zero Audience(20:45) Workflow Design and Mental Models(22:39) How to Think With Agents(24:26) Indiehacking, Investment, and Staying Lean(26:11) Staying Close to Your Problem Space(27:53) Teaching Builders Through Agents Playbook(29:45) What’s Next for Eric(31:22) Where to Connect

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• Why Emotion Is the Next Frontier for AI

  This week on The AI Report, Liam Lawson is joined by Quinn Favret, co-founder and COO of Tavus, to explore how digital humans are reshaping communication across industries.Quinn shares how Tavus is building AI agents that can engage in real-time, emotionally intelligent conversations—complete with facial expressions, dynamic tone, and personalized responses. The goal isn’t just automation. Its presence. And Quinn believes AI might actually help humans connect more deeply, not less.They dig into how Tavus trains its models, where conversational AI is already creating real impact, and what it takes to design an experience that feels human, without trying to be one.Also in this episode: • Why the uncanny valley is a storytelling challenge • What it means to create “brand as soul” • How Tavus enables sales, HR, education, and therapy • Why cultural nuance and context matter more than realism • The role of AI in making communication more accessibleThis is a forward-looking episode for anyone building or using AI to solve problems that rely on trust, attention, and human connection.Subscribe to The AI Report:https://theaireport.beehiiv.com/subscribeJoin the community:https://www.skool.com/the-ai-report-community/aboutChapters:(00:00) Intro and Quinn’s Background(01:03) Engineering, Startups, and YC(03:20) From ML Forecasting to AI Video(05:08) How Tavus Got Started(06:21) Launching During COVID(07:28) What Tavus Actually Does Today(09:05) Real Use Cases in Sales, Healthcare, and Media(11:35) Developer Tools and Agentic Systems(12:31) Building Machines That Adjust to Us(14:39) What Makes a Conversation Feel Real(16:46) Cultural and Contextual Communication(17:52) How AI Understands People Over Time(20:45) Could AI Be Better at Talking Than We Are?(23:03) Why AI Therapy Isn’t as Crazy as It Sounds(24:40) The Art of Listening and Speaking(28:33) How Quinn Practices Communication in Life and Work(30:41) The Meaning Behind the Tavus Brand(33:29) Tech, Storytelling, and Soul(35:27) UX Gaps and Human Expectations(36:43) Tavus in Context: Not Just Avatars(38:23) What an AI-Powered Future Might Look Like(40:04) Balancing Tech and Humanity(41:19) Quinn’s “Why”(44:54) Where to Connect

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• The Quietest $3B Tech Company You’ve Never Heard Of

  This week on The AI Report, Liam Lawson sits down with Gordon Wintrob, co-founder and CTO of Newfront, to talk about bringing AI into one of the slowest-moving industries: insurance.Gordon shares how Newfront is redesigning the broker experience with automation and AI—from parsing 200-page policies in seconds to helping HR teams save weeks of work. They discuss building AI tools that clients actually trust, how to manage risk in regulated industries, and why embedding AI into company culture matters as much as the code.Also in this episode: • Why insurance is one of the last big frontiers for tech • What makes a good AI use case in complex workflows • The story behind Benji, Newfront’s internal AI assistant • How to foster internal adoption from hiring to hackathons • What regulation and SOC 2 mean for AI innovationThis is a real look at what happens when AI goes beyond chatbots and into core business infrastructure.Subscribe to The AI Report:https://theaireport.beehiiv.com/subscribeJoin the community:https://www.skool.com/the-ai-report-community/aboutChapters:(00:00) Reimagining the Insurance Stack(01:06) Why Insurance Feels So Behind(02:41) How Brokers Work and Where AI Fits(05:08) Founding Newfront With Future Tech in Mind(06:59) Automating Contract Review at Scale(08:49) Working With Startups and Industry Giants(10:19) What It’s Like Serving Diverse Client Profiles(12:17) Making Room for Value-Add Conversations(13:28) Key AI Tools: Benji, Gap Analysis, and More(15:29) Why Products Succeed or Fail in Legacy Fields(16:39) Creating a Culture of Technical Curiosity(18:25) From Engineering to Recruiting: AI in the Org(19:30) Equity, Values, and Ownership at Scale(21:50) What Keeps Traditional Brokerages Behind(23:43) AI as a Signal of Operator Leverage(25:22) Who Newfront Builds For(25:56) Staying Compliant While Moving Fast(28:39) Managing Data Risk in a Privacy-Critical Industry(29:01) Vendor Security and SOC 2 in AI Development(30:25) Expanding AI Beyond the Frontend(31:58) CTO Strategy and Time Allocation(32:54) Staying Up-to-Date in a Fast-Shifting Landscape(34:42) Building With Purpose in a Legacy System(36:11) Connect With Gordon

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• The Most Overlooked Business Model on the Internet

  On this episode of The AI Report, Liam Lawson is joined by Frey Chu—a directory builder, SEO educator, and creator focused on building long-term, high-leverage digital assets.Frey shares how he builds directories that actually work, why so many fail to get traction, and how to combine AI workflows, structured data, and strong SEO fundamentals to make evergreen content that ranks and converts.They discuss the real art of choosing a niche, when to enrich data manually vs programmatically, and why directories—when done right—are still one of the best internet business models available.Also in this episode: • What separates real directories from content farms • How to validate a niche with Reddit and Ahrefs • Why LLMs are forcing a rethink of “content quality” • The pros and cons of exact-match domains • Frey’s thoughts on time freedom, creative control, and building slow on purposeIf you’ve ever wanted to build a niche site, test an idea, or launch a project that runs without you, Frey’s approach will give you a grounded, tactical blueprint.Subscribe to The AI Report:https://theaireport.beehiiv.com/subscribeJoin the community:https://www.skool.com/the-ai-report-community/aboutChapters:(00:00) What Makes a Directory Valuable(01:06) Ranking Local Queries With SEO(02:34) The Difference Between Lists and Real Directories(04:32) Why “Directory of Directories” Doesn’t Work(05:36) Finding Balance Between SEO and Passion(07:55) Evergreen Niches That Print Cashflow(10:05) Reviewing His Portfolio: Hits and Experiments(11:15) Why Directories Are Still Relevant(12:19) LLMs and the Future of Structured Data(13:38) Monetize First or Learn First?(15:11) Validating Demand Without Guesswork(16:35) Data Enrichment Strategies That Work(17:54) Choosing the Right Stack for Directory Projects(18:57) Quality Markers That Matter in 2025(20:00) High-Consequence Niches With Real Need(21:43) Feedback Loops and Iterating in Public(23:03) Do Domains Still Influence Trust and Ranking?(24:12) Frey’s Monetization Framework(25:19) Getting Ready for the Next Phase of LLM SEO(27:50) How Frey Keeps Learning and Evolving(29:04) The People and Projects He’s Studying(30:10) The Multi-Skill Nature of Directory Projects(31:54) Long-Term Goals: SaaS, Marketplaces, and Time Freedom(33:44) Why He’s Teaching Now(35:52) Where to Find and Follow Frey

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• Product-Market Fit Still Matters—Even in 2025

  This week on The AI Report, Liam Lawson is joined by Peter, a startup coach and product strategist who’s helped dozens of early-stage founders avoid one of the most costly mistakes in tech: building before validating.Peter explains why most startup ideas fail not because the tech doesn’t work, but because there’s no real demand. He shares the “sandwich method” he uses to get honest, useful feedback in discovery calls, and how founders can avoid building in a vacuum.They also explore the role AI is starting to play in validation workflows—and why it can’t replace true customer insight.Also in this episode: • Why product-market fit is not a feeling • How to structure conversations to get real signal • The biggest lies founders tell themselves during early validation • How to use AI tools in discovery without getting misled • Why humility might be the most valuable founder skillIf you’re building anything new—especially in AI or SaaS—this episode is a sharp, tactical reset.Subscribe to The AI Report:https://theaireport.beehiiv.com/subscribeJoin the community:https://www.skool.com/the-ai-report-community/aboutChapters:(00:00) Misunderstanding Product Validation(01:15) Who Peter Works With and Why(03:40) The Sandwich Method for Better Discovery(06:05) What He Learned From YC and Startup #1(08:12) Founders as Pattern Matchers(10:33) Detecting and Avoiding Bias(13:00) Identifying Real Market Demand(15:18) The Feature Fallacy(17:50) AI Tools vs Product Necessity(19:36) Where AI Can (and Can’t) Help(21:44) Advice for Founders on Day Zero(23:50) Why Peter Keeps Coaching(26:04) Where to Find Him

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