https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/ Essays by Jared Lukes on agentic AI, fractional leadership, and the long arc of building. en-us Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/dark-forest-self-hosting/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/dark-forest-self-hosting/ Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000 The dark forest is coming, and AI is ushering it in. I've started self-hosting my own agentic apps over Tailscale — fast fiber, underused machines at home, and a trust economy that's quietly rearranging itself. noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) Self-Hosting Privacy AI Remote Work https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/academia-and-autodidactic-learning/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/academia-and-autodidactic-learning/ Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Self-taught builders have scars; academics have scaffolds. The sweet spot is build it, break it, fix it — then go find yourself some rigor. noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) Career Learning Engineering Practice https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/era-of-the-songwriter/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/era-of-the-songwriter/ Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000 As an AI engineer, I get asked about the future of work constantly. We're entering the era of the songwriter more than the banjo player — AI condenses skill, and that hands the room back to the idea people. noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) AI Future of Work Creativity https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/starfleet-or-idiocracy-vote-today/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/starfleet-or-idiocracy-vote-today/ Wed, 21 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000 Humanity stands at a crossroads — between primal instincts and a collaborative future. Scarcity is over; the mindset that built the survival circuitry is the part we still have to outrun. noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) Neuroscience Space Philosophy Education Culture https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/python-the-last-human-language/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/python-the-last-human-language/ Sat, 03 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000 Python is no monopoly. Its strength is semantic alignment with human cognition — code that lets people think without first reshaping how they think. That's also why it may be the last language designed for us. noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) Philosophy AI Linguistics https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/when-gpt-fails-you-might-be-onto-something/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/when-gpt-fails-you-might-be-onto-something/ Mon, 24 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000 LLMs are pattern-matchers trained on the meat of the curve. If yours stalls when you push it, that might mean you're not echoing the crowd — that you're early. noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) AI Philosophy Culture Design https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/ai-is-a-mirror-showing-you-the-unsettling-truth-about-repetition/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/ai-is-a-mirror-showing-you-the-unsettling-truth-about-repetition/ Wed, 12 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000 AI reveals a hidden truth — repetition shapes reality. What you repeat, you become. Change the loop, change yourself. noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) Neuroscience Philosophy AI Culture https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/influencers-are-getting-fleeced-by-ai-companies/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/influencers-are-getting-fleeced-by-ai-companies/ Sat, 08 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000 AI companies have hit peak data and are now hunting expert reasoning. Creators and professionals — especially the ones who teach in public — are the new training set. noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) Privacy Philosophy AI Culture Corporations Social Media https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/whos-really-cheating-hypocrisy-ai-and-higher-education/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/whos-really-cheating-hypocrisy-ai-and-higher-education/ Thu, 20 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000 Universities are cracking down on AI use, but their fear exposes a bigger problem — education's obsession with memorization over real learning. noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) Neuroscience Education AI Justice Culture https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/about-your-job-can-we-put-a-pin-in-that/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/about-your-job-can-we-put-a-pin-in-that/ Mon, 13 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000 Wave Two of AI is here — agents that loop, iterate, and refine. Listen to the engineers, not the CEOs. The engineers will tell you the truth about what's coming. noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) Computer Science Culture Corporations AI Philosophy https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/can-we-dream-the-future/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/can-we-dream-the-future/ Mon, 23 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Joseph Campbell said you can't predict a myth any more than you can predict a dream. Challenge accepted. There's a goldmine in forecasting the next mythology — and we sure could use a good one. noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) Neuroscience Philosophy AI Culture https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/prompt-engineering-for-api-creators-why-you-need-two-agents-for-the-job/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/prompt-engineering-for-api-creators-why-you-need-two-agents-for-the-job/ Tue, 20 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Stop trying to make a single AI agent be a jack-of-all-trades. Separate creative thinking from formatted output — one agent goes wide, another parses the output into something predictable. noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) AI https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/where-is-my-island-of-misfit-toys/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/where-is-my-island-of-misfit-toys/ Tue, 30 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000 A rainy-morning meditation on aesthetic morality — how we treat butterflies versus spiders, the payola fight that became Misplaced Music Radio, and the longing for a real movement to be alive for. noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) Philosophy Culture Justice https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/quit-trying-to-hire-talent/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/quit-trying-to-hire-talent/ Tue, 25 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Talent is a misunderstood concept. What we call "talent" is mostly thousands of hours of practice and overactive minds finding ways to stay interested. The label costs us more than it gives us. noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) Neuroscience Philosophy Education Corporations https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/a-night-with-willie-nelson/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/a-night-with-willie-nelson/ Fri, 24 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000 An unexpected night in Duluth with the goat of cannabis and country, and a meditation on how authenticity attracts the most diverse audience you'll ever stand in. noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) Philosophy Culture Economics https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/will-generative-ai-squeeze-out-heads-down-work/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/will-generative-ai-squeeze-out-heads-down-work/ Wed, 10 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000 As generative AI rewrites work culture, the value of solitary deep-focus work is up for debate. The expert who handles the edge cases is more important than ever — even if the loud-and-pretty tier doesn't notice yet. noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) UX Design Corporations Culture https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/the-complex-legacy-of-generation-x/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/the-complex-legacy-of-generation-x/ Thu, 04 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Gen X rode the wave from American Dream to digital revolution, and built a startup culture that often glorified disruption at the expense of sustainability. Generation Y inherits that. noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) Social Media Economics Philosophy Education Corporations https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/whispers-to-roars-practical-steps-to-amplify-quiet-voices-at-work/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/whispers-to-roars-practical-steps-to-amplify-quiet-voices-at-work/ Sun, 10 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Five practical steps for surfacing the quiet voices on your team — plus a story about John Olson climbing scaffolding to celebrate a brand pivot before anyone else knew it was happening. noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) Corporations Philosophy Economics Design https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/the-fragile-state-of-saas/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/the-fragile-state-of-saas/ Mon, 04 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Exploring the increasing vulnerability of SaaS products in the AI era, this article delves into the diminishing novelty in digital services, the rising significance of open source, and how passion and purpose will define future technologica noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) Corporations Computer Science Philosophy Economics Saas https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/why-i-think-you-should-take-your-ball-and-go-home/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/why-i-think-you-should-take-your-ball-and-go-home/ Wed, 07 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Exposing the sad truths behind the attempt made by corporate America to vertically integrate creative services. noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) Economics Philosophy Corporations https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/the-honey-trap-the-essential-role-of-critical-thinking-in-innovation/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/the-honey-trap-the-essential-role-of-critical-thinking-in-innovation/ Tue, 06 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Exploring the need for critical thinking amidst the trend of positivity in social sharing and thought leadership. Advocating for a balanced discourse that embraces both the sweetness of optimism and the necessary bitterness of critique to f noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) Philosophy Social Media https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/beyond-black-and-white-embracing-lifes-complexities/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/beyond-black-and-white-embracing-lifes-complexities/ Tue, 30 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Exploring the complexities of morality, personal growth, and life's gray areas in pursuit of a nuanced, authentic existence. noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) Philosophy https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/redefining-writing-in-the-gen-ai-age/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/redefining-writing-in-the-gen-ai-age/ Thu, 18 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Tools like GPT and voice-to-text software redefine the concept of writing, this article reflects on the transformative power of journaling and audio capture. noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) Philosophy Computer Science Hear https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/dont-get-eaten-in-the-forest/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/dont-get-eaten-in-the-forest/ Wed, 17 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Exploring the shift towards private, home-based servers and networks in response to the generative AI era, prioritizing data ownership and privacy. noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) Philosophy Privacy https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/humble-beginnings-to-digital-equality-a-gamers-journey/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/humble-beginnings-to-digital-equality-a-gamers-journey/ Sat, 13 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Exploring a gamer's journey emphasizing caution around how fairness can be a huge draw BUT addiction, in addition to the benefits and connections found in gaming. noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) Games Neuroscience Philosophy https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/another-6893754-article-about-ai/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/another-6893754-article-about-ai/ Fri, 12 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Exploring generative AI's ethical landscape, advocating for rights, creator compensation, and a balanced, humane technological future. noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) Philosophy Economics Design Computer Science Rights https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/predatory-education-ruined-ux/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/predatory-education-ruined-ux/ Thu, 11 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000 A look at how the capitalist education market can ruin an entire design practice in just a few years. noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) Education Economics https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/ai-robots-catalysts-for-human-collaboration/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/ai-robots-catalysts-for-human-collaboration/ Sat, 23 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000 AI surpasses human capabilities, inspiring a shift from individual competition to collective achievements and collaboration for greater goals. noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) Philosophy Space https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/fearless-thinking/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/fearless-thinking/ Fri, 15 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000 Exploring the role of fear in human thought and its absence in AI, pondering AI's emotional understanding and lifecycle. noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) Philosophy https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/thank-you-code-mentors/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/thank-you-code-mentors/ Fri, 08 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000 A retrospective of all the help I got becoming a data scientist noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) Education https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/digital-novelty-is-evaporating/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/digital-novelty-is-evaporating/ Fri, 01 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000 The digital realm no longer holds the allure of novelty that it once did. noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) Philosophy https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/the-overlooked-reality-of-ai-and-job-displacement/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/the-overlooked-reality-of-ai-and-job-displacement/ Sat, 04 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000 Blog post description. noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/6-emerging-design-practices/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/6-emerging-design-practices/ Sat, 13 Apr 2019 00:00:00 +0000 6 emerging design practices I see shaping our future with a few sci-fi twists noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) Design https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/pi-is-insignificant-to-maths/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/pi-is-insignificant-to-maths/ Wed, 13 Mar 2019 00:00:00 +0000 3.14159265359…. don’t care. And here’s why. noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) Maths https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/democratization-of-war/ https://www.jaredlukes.com/blog/democratization-of-war/ Thu, 15 Mar 2018 00:00:00 +0000 An essay about one of my heroes the wildly misunderstood Nikola Tesla. noreply@jaredlukes.com (Jared Lukes) Philosophy