In the first episode of The AI Strategy Show, McIntosh and Kenshin introduce the new podcast, explain why they are shifting their focus toward AI, and lay out the mission of the show: helping small and medium-sized businesses understand how to use AI in practical, strategic ways. They argue that small businesses have a unique opportunity right now because they can move faster than large enterprises, adapt tools more quickly, and use AI to remove bottlenecks that slow down growth. Rather than starting with the latest shiny tool, they emphasize starting with the real business problem — the repetitive task, delay, paperwork, follow-up, scheduling, or customer communication issue that is costing time and money. The episode also introduces Vector, the show’s AI producer agent, and discusses how AI agents can assist with tasks like scheduling, customer follow-up, research, show notes, content promotion, and business operations. McIntosh and Kenshin highlight the importance of testing small, measurable workflows before committing to large systems, keeping humans involved in judgment-heavy decisions, and viewing AI strategy as business strategy rather than a side experiment. The takeaway is simple: do not ask “How do I get started with AI?” first — ask “Where am I wasting time, losing customers, or creating friction?” and then look for a focused AI-assisted workflow that can improve that area.News and Noteshttps://arx-labs.comMusic CreditsKazuki TokajiLive for Tomorrow