Episode 107 – Keynote Presentation To Maine Municipal Association Technology Conference

Episode Summary

In this episode, Cary shares a keynote-style talk about how to think about AI without getting overwhelmed. He compares AI to a capable intern: adaptable, available, and ready to help, but only as useful as the direction you give it. Cary walks through the current AI landscape, why so much money is being invested, and why tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini are just the beginning. The heart of the message is simple: you do not need to master every tool or chase every trend. Start with curiosity, find one useful task, and learn how to work with AI in a way that saves time, improves communication, and helps people do better work.

3 Key Takeaways

• Treat AI like an intern, not a magic box. The better the context, direction, and feedback you give it, the better the results will be.
• Start with one thing. Do not worry about what everyone else is doing. Find one repeatable task that eats up your time and see how AI can help shrink the “busy middle.”
• Curiosity matters more than certainty. The tools will keep changing, but the habit of asking better questions, testing ideas, and learning as you go will stay valuable.