How Writers Can Be More Productive Using AI with Ben Tossell

November 30, 2022

AI Summary

5 min read

Ben Tossell built a business teaching people how to build software without code, and now he’s watching the same pattern repeat with AI. On this episode, he and the host walk through what AI actually does, which tools are worth using, and why the biggest opportunity might be for creators who treat AI as a partner rather than a replacement.

Tossell’s path into AI started with no-code, which he fell into because he couldn’t code and wanted to build things anyway. He launched Makepad, a tutorial platform for no-code tools, and sold it to Zapier in 2021. The through-line, he says, is “democratization of software development” — doing more without needing to be technical. AI, in his view, is the same story: “a computer that does magic stuff,” but more specifically, a system that translates what you mean into something a computer can execute. He compares it to wanting to write a formula in Excel without knowing the syntax — you just say what you want, and the machine figures it out.

Continue reading the full summary in the app — free to try.

Read Full Summary →

Free • No credit card required

Listen to Audio Summary Open in App

Never miss an episode of The Startup Ideas Podcast

Get every new episode summarized in your inbox — free, ~5 minutes to read.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

What you'll learn

1 (00:00) **Introduction and Guest Background** - Host Greg welcomes Ben Tossell, creator of the "Ben's Bites" AI newsletter, and sets up the conversation about AI and no-code.
2 (01:05) **From No-Code to AI: Ben's Origin Story** - Ben explains how his inability to code led him to build no-code tools and eventually the MakePad business.
3 (04:31) **The Entrepreneurial Mindset: Just Put Stuff Out There** - Ben describes his approach of launching many projects and following what people actually want.
4 (06:19) **What is AI? A Simple Explanation** - Ben offers a non-technical definition of AI as a computer doing "magic stuff" and translating human intent.
5 (09:10) **Categories of AI: Audio, Images, and Beyond** - Ben breaks down the major AI application areas with concrete examples.
6 (14:06) **Deep Dive: Barely AI and AI Writing Tools** - The host shares his excitement about Barely AI, a Chrome extension for writers, and Ben reveals it's his most-used AI tool.
7 (16:25) **Five Most Interesting AI Projects to Watch** - Ben lists the AI companies and projects he's most excited about.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

Today, Greg is joined by Ben Tossell, the founder of Makerpad, which democratized software development through no-code. In this episode Ben and Greg talk about how writers should be using AI to become more creative, more productive, and more efficient.

►►Subscribe to Greg's weekly newsletter for insights on community,
creators and commerce.You'll also find out when new and exclusive
episodes come out from Where it Happens. And it's totally free.

https://latecheckout.substack.com

FIND ME ON SOCIAL:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregisenberg
Instagram: https://instagram.com/gregisenberg/
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@gregisenberg

LINKS FOR THIS EPISODE:
Production Team: https://www.bigoceanpodcasting.com
Ben Tossell: https://twitter.com/bentossell

A SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS

►► This episode is brought to you by Retool.

Retool is the fast way to build your own custom internal tools for your business. With a complete library of 100+ fully-featured, accessible UI components that you can drag and drop into any interface, Retool’s platform lets you build the custom internal tools your team needs, 10x faster.

Thousands of teams at companies like Amazon, DoorDash, and NBC collaborate around custom-built Retool apps to operate faster and better. Also, teams of up to five can build Retool apps for free. We're huge fans of the product! If you want to learn more, go to https://retool.com/

►► This episode is also brought to you by Athletic Greens.

AG1 by Athletic Greens is incredible and we have been starting every day with it for several years. It’s just one scoop in 8-12 oz. of water each morning, and you're getting 75 high-quality vitamins, whole-food sourced ingredients, probiotics, and adaptogens to help you start your day right. It's one daily habit that supports gut health, supports the immune system, recovery, energy, and focus!

Right now, Athletic Greens is giving you a free 1 year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D and 5 free travel packs with your first purchase. Take ownership of your health today by going to https://athleticgreens.com/wih

SHOW NOTES:
0:00 - Intro
0:54 - Ben's take on no-code
6:00 - Why creatives shouldn't fear AI
9:00 - Ways creatives can use AI
21:08 - How to integrate AI into your writing process
32:52 - Social implications of AI
40:00 - Ben Tossell peers into the crystal ball