E56: Building with AI: A Generalist’s Guide to Clarity and Context with Alex Poulin.

Why Listen: You’ve never fit neatly into a job description—and now AI doesn’t either.Episode Description:  What does it take to think clearly—and build systems—in a world of endless AI possibilities? In this follow-up episode with Alex Poulin, we move beyond definitions and into the lived experience of trying to apply generalist thinking in a fast-evolving AI landscape. We talk about decision fatigue, system design, automation overwhelm, and how pen-and-paper thinking might still be the most underrated tech of all. If you’ve ever felt paralyzed by the endless tools and advice—build an agent! automate your life! prompt your way to clarity!—this episode offers a more grounded, human take. We explore how generalists can better identify problems worth solving, build workflows that evolve with them, and treat AI not just as a tool, but as a thought partner.Key Highlights:  Tool Overload: Why thinking like a generalist can make choosing AI tools harder—and how to simplify. System Design: How to sketch out workflows using pen and paper before reaching for automation. From Thought to Action: Why making your thinking visible is the first real step toward building with AI. Mindset Shift: How changing your metaphors—from silos to spiderwebs—can unlock better problem framing. AI as Partner: What it means to be a good thought partner to your AI, especially in messy, ill-defined problems. About Alex:Professional dot-connector with a critical thinking obsession. Alex bounced between data science, research, and marketing, not aimlessly, but curiously. The pandemic provided the perfect opportunity for him to test what he was learning about critical thinking by teaching it online as a writing tutor. It was while in marketing where things changed for him: the advent of ChatGPT. Alex pivoted hard into prompt engineering, started teaching it, and that momentum carried him where he currently works at Meta.Find Alex Here:LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandre-poulin-ap/ Substack Newsletter: https://brainboosterblueprint.substack.com/Find Us:Connect with Julie on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-lavergne/  Follow the podcast’s LinkedIn page for next Episode release https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/the-generalist-advantage/?viewAsMember=true  Visit our Website https://8ballclarity.com/   Don’t forget to leave a 5* review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts – The more reviews, the bigger the impact