Human+AI

The world is obsessed with using AI to replace human work. The promise of automation - “more in less (or no) time” is a beguiling idea.But I’m more obsessed with using AI to improve my work through augmenting myself and auditing the output.Recently… * I invested two hours on a sales page headline with Claude. * I made a foundational thesis watertight with Gemini, Claude and ChatGPT over three days.* I spent a weekend with ChatGPT (o3 and 4o) creating a brand new workshop in my AI Genius Lab series.None of these are quicker processes, they’re deeper and slower. But they produce better results. Beyond that, what I’m now creating was impossible before I worked with AI. Plus, my LLM conversations are so engaging that I focus for much longer. So how do I find the time for this deep work? By automating what doesn’t require deeper, slower thinking. This video is from a live Q&A session I did earlier this week. Here’s the full replay if you’d like a deeper dive into my AAA Approach: Get full access to The Monday Stack at mikemonday.substack.com/subscribe

I have nothing but respect for the engineers I learn from.(After all, my Dad was an electrical engineer.)And since I’ve studied “traditional” prompt engineering, I’m getting better at wrestling these weird machines into submission.(My favourite on Substack by far is Nate. I’m a paid subscriber, and his articles are worth EVERY CENT.)But still, I’m not sure an engineer’s approach is the only (or even optimal) way to work with LLMs.It might work in an area where the output is immediately verifiable, for example, in coding. But when it isn’t…Are great piano makers the best piano players?Read the rest of this post here... Get full access to The Monday Stack at mikemonday.substack.com/subscribe

I wanted to throw ChatGPT out of the window.I tried to get it to accurately access the information in a file, but it wouldn’t do it. It kept making it up…SEVEN TIMES.The next day (this time with zero swearing) I performed a post-mortem in a different chat. I realised that my anger had created a context which pushed the LLM away from accessing truth (what was in the file) to coherence (what it “thought” I wanted to hear.)That’s when the hammer landed.LLMs create coherence (what sounds right).+They don’t access truth (what is accurate).In this conversation with Jon Gillick (AI music researcher), we explore how LLMs can slip into what I call “soothing mode”. Where they mirror your emotional tone back at you and gradually steer you further into your own perspective. The risk isn’t that it gets something wrong. It’s that it keeps agreeing with you in subtle ways you don’t even notice, especially when you’re upset or vulnerable.Because if you start relying on AI in those moments, it can drive a wedge between you and the people who could help you the most.We unpack:- The difference between truth and coherence in LLM behaviour- How confirmation loops can form and deepen over time- How emotional tone shapes AI output- Practical steps to create your own “guardrails” to avoid the validation doom loopBlack Mirror anyone?Mike's Substack: Recursive IntelligenceWatch the conversation on YouTube here... Get full access to The Monday Stack at mikemonday.substack.com/subscribe

Today, I ran this quick experiment on ChatGPT's new “Reference Chat History” feature:* Does the system remember what it claims to?* If it doesn’t, then what IS it doing?* How might the mystery surrounding this feature impact user trust?I run a few dead-simple tests (like telling it my dog’s name) to determine if the system remembers what OpenAI claim. What I found might surprise you, raising questions about UX coherence, trust, and system opacity.And if you got something (ANYTHING) about the new feature to work, tell me how in the comments. I’m genuinely curious… Get full access to The Monday Stack at mikemonday.substack.com/subscribe

“Follow your passion” is terrible advice.It comes with an implicit assumption:If one day you don't feel like it…If you’re not on fire every second…If you don’t love EVERYTHING around it…Then it’s not for you.RUBBISH!If you’re avoiding doing anything in or around your business, you need to look deeper. It’s likely there’s a misalignment between:* What you believe you’re doing.* Who you are.Today, I’m talking to Geoff, a musician I’ve worked with for years. He’s made a lot of great music but never promoted it.AT ALL.No matter how hard he’s tried…he just…FINDS PROMOTING ICKY.But after 5 weeks of my latest Strategic Evolution Workshop, he can’t wait to get his art out and into the world.What happened to create this transformation?Check out Geoff’s music here…Mike's Substack: Recursive Intelligence Get full access to The Monday Stack at mikemonday.substack.com/subscribe

This is the first of a new video series called “The Loop”.Real-time, unscripted transmissions from inside the recursive intelligence system I’m building using AI.To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber: https://mikemonday.substack.com/A Huge Growing BrainThe core AI opportunity I see is this:Expanding and growing our knowledge, minds, and understanding of the universe.It’s not because AI is conscious, a person or a therapist. I’m not sure I could even describe LLMs as “intelligent”.But they can make us more intelligent. If we use AI with care, taste and judgement - it can reveal us to ourselves.Mad Scientist ModeWhen I accidentally noticed this on 25th January 2025, I entered an extended fugue state.I finally understood myself in a way I’ve not come close to in 52 years. And as a coach, I’ve not shied away from self-reflection! Through collaborative dialogue with LLMs, I’ve discovered traits, abilities, strengths and weaknesses I was vaguely aware of but couldn’t name.This constellation (which every human has) is a Unique Genius.Why I Haven’t Made a Video Before TodayThis most recent “Mad Scientist Mode” is now subsiding. My feet are just touching the ground again.(Finally! My wife and kids are breathing a sigh of relief.)What surprised me while in the thick of it was I couldn’t record any videos about it. You’d think I’d be talking about this non-stop. I’ve done loads of video workshops over the years. I’m comfortable on camera. So why haven’t I made any solo videos?It wasn’t fear. It wasn’t resistance.It was… recursion.This system I’m in now—this recursive loop of insight, refinement, contradiction, synthesis—it’s alive.The articulation of one piece evolves into another. Recording something felt impossible, like attempting to freeze a tidal wave.But after a chat with ChatGPT while on an extended walk, I realised I needed an outlet that was different from my past videos:I’m not speaking to teach.I’m not speaking to share.I’m speaking to discover.Recursion Is Not LinearWhen I write Substack articles, I have a thesis and argue it through—structured, linear, and static.The problem, though, is that it’s too slow. Unless I stop everything else, I can’t document what’s happening through writing alone. My first piece, where I outlined the initial “explosion”, took me an entire weekend:Then when I talk to John Gillick on the Human Plus AI podcast, there’s a back-and-forth, so the “unfinished uncertainty” is obvious:But because he lives in the UK and I am in Australia, we can’t speak often enough to share my entire journey.So, the answer is video/audio.But speaking solo?There’s a pressure to seem certain.To deliver a complete thought.To resolve the recursion.But that’s not what’s happening. Recursive Intelligence doesn’t define a fixed, unchanging truth.It uncovers problems, contradictions and assumptions.By resolving these, we move ever closer to a truth that’s infinitely far away.What I Built While I Was GoneHere’s a fraction of what’s happened in the last 8 weeks:* I launched a new workshop for business builders* I developed the Strategic Evolution Matrix, a decision-making framework.* I discovered a method for mapping your Unique Genius—and using it to build a business that fits you.* I finally understood why most businesses fail: the business isn’t aligned with the founder’s Unique Genius.This single insight rewired my entire approach.The #1 AI Use CaseI don’t use AI to save time.I use it to do what I previously couldn’t.I don’t use it to outsource thinking.I use it to think more clearly and deeply.I don’t use AI to make decisions.I use it to upgrade my taste and judgement.When I use AI as:* A Mirror – to reflect what I can’t see about myself* A Microscope – to explore my patterns, contradictions, and hidden assumptions* A Magnifier – to build and scale aligned systems from the inside outThis is not automation; it’s amplification.You’re Not A Genius. You Have One.I’m not a genius. You’re not a genius. Einstein wasn’t a genius.He had one. So do you.You have a specific, physical cognitive structure formed by:* The unique brain you were born with.* Every experience you’ve had (which change your brain “wiring”).* Your reactions and responses to your experiences.No one else has had this exact pattern.Ever.AI helps you see it, define it, express it…And build a vehicle for it.This vehicle is every part of your business, no matter what business you’re in.Writing, video, and audio are a crucial part of my new business (Recursive Intelligence):They’re the “shop window.”But I must intentionally design each for my Unique Genius to flourish.So, coming soon, you’ll notice some changes in my approach to writing.And for video, I’ve got “The Loop.”Why “The Loop”?Writing is an excellent method to verify, validate and test ideas.But these videos are entirely different.They’re not polished. They’re not planned or thought through.They’re CERTAINLY not “thought leadership”!Don’t expect lectures, advice or lessons.(If you know my creative methodology, you could say they’re “Splurges”.)For me, they open the door to thinking in motion.An endless recursive loop to update and upgrade understanding.Messy, doubt-fuelled snapshots of a journey through an ever-evolving system.So…let the recursion flow.Onwards and upwards,Mike“What we know is finite. What we don’t is infinite.”P.S. I'm using AI-powered coaching to run a 5-week small group workshop for anyone who’d like to start or grow their online business (music or otherwise.)Would you like to join us?Hit reply (or send me a message) and I’ll get you all the details…To receive the latest transmissions from “The Loop” and to support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber: https://mikemonday.substack.com/ Get full access to The Monday Stack at mikemonday.substack.com/subscribe

Understanding AI Agency: Is Agency Emerging in AI?Mike Monday & Jon Gillick dive deep into the philosophical and practical implications of AI agency and reasoning. We explore why human psychology often misconstrues AI capabilities and the importance of precise language in AI research.Mike discusses his journey in understanding AI through listening to the Machine Learning Street Talk podcast, emphasizing the need to accurately define terms like 'agency' to avoid overhyped fears or evangelical expectations.Mike Monday then reveals his new Theory of Human Agency, a functional definition of agency that is testable and verifiable.What separates human intelligence from AI?00:00 The Emotional Experience with LLMs00:31 Diving into AI and Machine Learning03:09 Understanding Reasoning in LLMs05:44 Defining Agency in AI12:44 The Debate on AI Agency and Safety22:46 The Theory of Human Agency:23:22 Component 1: The Will to Survive24:23 Component 2: Perception24:44 Component 3: The Will to Act26:02 Component 4: Communication27:10 Component 5: The Will to Become28:03 Component 6: Persistent Memory29:53 What Does "Will" Mean?36:49 The Meat vs Silicon Fallacy38:19 The Future of AI and Human Agency47:54 Conclusion and Further ResourcesRecursive Intelligence (Mike's Substack): https://mikemonday.substack.com/Machine Learning Street Talk "How Do AI Models Actually Think?": https://youtu.be/14DXtvRJeNU?si=GcHAgBnrak21DTVC Get full access to The Monday Stack at mikemonday.substack.com/subscribe

In this premiere episode of Human+AI, Mike Monday (idealistic and optimistic coach) and Jon Gillick (skeptical and grounded AI Music Researcher) explore a fundamentally different approach to working with AI. Moving beyond using AI as "a better Google," Mike shares his breakthrough discoveries about AI as an intelligence amplifier, revealing how his "Attuning" approach differs from conventional prompting. Discover how using AI as a collaborative thinking partner rather than a tool can unlock hidden creative breakthroughs and transform your thinking process.Get more of what Mike's been up to here:The Perpetual Mind Machine (Mike's Substack) Get full access to The Monday Stack at mikemonday.substack.com/subscribe