AI Breakfast #15

💰 AI Subscriptions & Workarounds

• Attendees discussed creative ways to access premium AI tools affordably:
  • One member uses a US-based Android phone and Google account to bypass regional restrictions (see Change Google Play country).
  • Group buys and educational discounts were mentioned (e.g., $20/month for Gemini Advanced via Google One AI Premium); see the GitHub Student Developer Pack.
  • Student verification challenges noted – many tools require US-based student status.
  • Community college enrollment ($1,000/unit in CA) floated as a potential workaround

🛠️ AI Productivity Tools

• Coding & Development:
  • Mixed reviews on AI coding assistants – speed vs. code quality concerns
  • Cursor and Windsurf praised for understanding codebases
  • Prompt engineering frameworks (like "Constitutional AI" method) discussed for better outputs
• Research & Analysis:
  • Perplexity favored for factual accuracy and source citations
  • ChatGPT-5 improved but still produces incorrect source links sometimes
  • One member uses AI for financial modeling (volatility forecasting) with Python
• Everyday Uses:
  • Voice-controlled cooking assistant for real-time recipe help
  • Resume optimization debate – should employers require AI-generated applications?
  • Note-taking tools (Granola) for interview transcription

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 AI & Parenting

• Screen time concerns dominated:
  • Short-form content (TikTok) seen as attention-span killers
  • Preference for long-form content (films, structured learning)
  • Car AI systems (e.g., Li Auto's voice assistant) unexpectedly engaging for kids
• Education approaches:
  • Alpha School model discussed: 2-hour AI-driven academics + project-based afternoons
  • Khan Academy recommended as free alternative
  • Debate over early AI exposure (5-year-olds)

🏆 Hackathon Project Spotlight

• One member shared a "Thank You Card" app built for a Tanstack/Convex hackathon:
  • Uses Firecrawl to scrape company branding
  • Multi-user "bump" system (like digital fist bumps)
  • Tech stack: Tanstack (React framework), Convex (real-time backend), Autumn (Stripe alternative)
  • Prize pool: $100k+ in cloud credits + cash

🎙️ Podcast Recommendations

Attendees shared favorites for long-form content:

• Tech-focused: Machine Learning Street Talk, Hardcore
• Business/psychology: Diary of a CEO, Where Should We Begin?
• Comedy: Fly on the Wall (David Spade/Dana Carvey)
• Niche: Cocaine & Rhinestones (country music history)

🤖 AI Agent Experiments

• Fun proposal: AI "Survivor" simulation
  • Agents vote each other off based on interactions
  • Token limits to force strategic communication
  • Existing "Elimination Game" benchmark study (GitHub)