AI for Normal People

Think AI is just for tech bros, coders, or billionaires building robot empires? Think again. In this episode, Nick Smoot sits down with AI expert Josh Freckleton to break down what artificial intelligence really is, what it actually does today, and how "normal people" can start using it to make work easier, faster, and better. Josh went from studying the human brain to building digital ones and now he helps everyday business owners, founders, and curious creatives figure out how to use AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, Gemini, and Hugging Face without needing to speak “tech.” This is the plain-English, no-hype, real-world AI episode you’ve been waiting for. 👤 About Josh Freckleton Josh Freckleton is a North Idaho–based AI researcher and software engineer focused on real-world applications of artificial intelligence. He began his career studying neuroscience, then shifted to AI after realizing the biggest questions about intelligence and reasoning were being explored through code. Josh has built systems for startups and large companies alike, and now leads the North Idaho Machine Learning & AI Group — a community where engineers, creatives, and business owners explore how to integrate AI into everyday life and work. His goal is to make intelligence tools useful, understandable, and accessible to everyone. 🌐 freckleton.io 💬 tinyurl.com/discord-ai-group 🎙️ About Nick Smoot Nick Smoot is a civic futurist, founder, and economic strategist who has spent over a decade helping cities and companies adapt to the future of work, innovation, and human purpose. He is a founder of build_, a global platform that activates local economies through project-based incentives and AI-powered collaboration. With a background spanning startups, venture capital, real estate development, and public policy, Nick’s work focuses on rethinking how communities build, how people contribute, and how technology can unlock human flourishing. 🌐 nicksmoot.com 📲 buildcities.com