Call Summary: Applied AI Engineering Path and Mutual Support

Overview

Gary and Tim had a profound early morning conversation where Gary crystallized his vision for becoming an Applied AI consultant helping businesses implement practical AI solutions. The call featured deep expressions of mutual love and support, with Tim providing crucial encouragement and Gary finding clarity on his career path after conversations with Travis Oliphant about the massive opportunity in Applied AI consulting.

Key Topics Discussed

Applied AI Engineering Vision

Core Concept:

• Gary: "Applied AI engineer or consultant... they string together these tools in a way that just works for them, right? Into a system"
• Focus on helping existing businesses improve efficiency rather than creating new products/behaviors
• Similar opportunity to website building in early 2000s - high-paying, time-sensitive opportunity

Business Model Clarity:

• Help businesses implement tools like Go High Level for integrated growth systems
• Referral model: 40% recurring revenue from platform referrals
• Target both technical and non-technical business owners
• "Most people are not going to create Gamma. Most people are not going to create Whisper Flow"

Travis Oliphant Connection:

• Travis excited about Applied AI concept: "I never heard about the word applied AI. Like, he barely heard that word before"
• Planning Applied AI community events together with potential OpenTeams sponsorship
• Travis in crisis mode, selling $2M personal assets to keep OpenTeams alive

Spiritual Brotherhood and Mutual Support

Expressions of Love:

• Tim: "I love you, bro. Just wanted to say I love you first"
• Gary: "You're my best friend. Know this. Keep faith"
• Tim: "You are inspiring me right now through the concept of applied AI as well"

Life-Saving Responsibility:

• Tim reminded Gary: "There are so many people who would depend on you to be saved... You're going to save a lot of people"
• Recognition of friendship's multiplicative impact: "Both people in the friendship will individually impact so many people. But it's, like, very unlikely, if it's a real friendship, that they could have done it without that friendship"

Faith and Divine Orchestration:

• Gary: "We cannot see just how intentional he [God] is"
• Tim on faith: "Faith in part is... trusting God in these moments of being basically blind to the reality of how his plan works"
• Recognition of divine orchestration through seemingly random connections (like Rostam's consulting success)

Career Strategy and Focus

Locking In on Applied AI:

• Gary: "It's pretty clear to me that this is, like, the main discipline that I should be focused on"
• Bought domains for Applied AI concept
• Planning hackathon with Brooke Joy for events agency

Interview Process Continuation:

• Continuing with Wabi and Perplexity interviews
• Foundation/Gauntlet opportunity seems unlikely due to California commute requirements
• Recognition that in-house Applied AI roles will have "infinite opportunities" next year

Truth Management Integration:

• Planning to create documentation with Tim about Applied AI practices
• "You're going to ask dumb questions, I'm going to ask them questions. And we're going to create great truth management docs around this"

Personal Updates

Tim's Situation:

• Still dealing with lingering sickness in nose
• Has university meeting at Kedge Business School
• Planning to buy winter clothes, go out with friends
• Maintaining daily routines while supporting Gary

Gary's Activities:

• Woke up at 2:30 AM to support Brian in Kenya investor call (unsuccessful - committee not until January)
• Created push-up and squat tracker on Lobby
• Meeting with Travis later, in-person meeting in Austin
• Fasting but broke it to eat Korean noodles with Tim Joo

Silicon Valley Culture Critique

Sam Altman and OpenAI:

• Gary: "Small intentional or unintentional... stuff falls apart quickly when you're not grounded in truth"
• "Google just released something that's better than OpenAI stuff in every category"
• Discussion of inevitable collapse when built on deception

Role Model Philosophy:

• "We don't need more people that model pathological behavior"
• Need for "technical community heroes of their local community"
• Emphasis on empathetic engineers who care about people, not just sales

Key Quotes

On Applied AI Opportunity:

• Gary: "Most people are not going to be creating the next Whisper Flow... Most people are not going to create any sort of SaaS product. There's only so many SaaS products that people can afford"
• "This is not actually that complicated at the high level... Most people probably just need to know frameworks for helping people streamline their business operations"

On Divine Purpose:

• Gary: "This really is a powerful convergence, Tim. Because... this is, like, such a powerful Christofuturist job"
• "God does not approve of the spirit of fear... God gave us the power to create technology. God wants us to stay human. God wants us to do business"

On Friendship:

• Tim: "Real friendship... is that both people in the friendship will individually impact so many people. But it's, like, very unlikely, if it's a real friendship, that they could have done it without that friendship"
• Gary: "Catch me anytime you sense my spirit's not great"

On Faith:

• Gary: "You should always be in this... faith state where you're constantly submitting to God. Because you know that you will never have all the answers. But you'll have just enough to get to the next day"
• Tim: "Faith... is trusting God in these moments of being basically blind to the reality of how his plan works"

Action Items

Immediate Actions:

1. Gary to nap before meetings
2. Set up Go High Level site for Brooke Joy collaboration
3. Continue Wabi and Perplexity interview processes
4. Meeting with Lobby later today

Applied AI Development:

1. Create truth management documentation for Applied AI practices
2. Plan hackathon with Brooke Joy
3. Develop Applied AI community events with Travis
4. Learn and document common AI engineering flows

Long-term Strategy:

1. Focus on Applied AI as main discipline
2. Build out consulting practice
3. Help businesses implement practical AI solutions
4. Create educational content for non-technical audiences

Strategic Insights

Market Opportunity:

• Applied AI consulting similar to early 2000s web development gold rush
• Time-sensitive opportunity before market saturation
• High-paying contracts for helping businesses modernize

Differentiation:

• Emphasis on empathy and communication skills
• Focus on existing businesses vs. creating new products
• Christian/ethical approach to technology implementation

Support System:

• Tim as spiritual brother and accountability partner
• Travis as potential collaborator and sponsor
• Brooke Joy for events and marketing
• Rostam as example and potential mentor

Personal Reflections

Gary's Clarity:

• Found convergence of skills, values, and market opportunity
• Recognized Applied AI as Christofuturist-aligned career
• Committed to helping people overcome fear of technology

Tim's Role:

• Continuing as spiritual support and business partner
• Providing encouragement during low moments
• Helping develop Applied AI documentation

Mutual Recognition:

• Both acknowledge divine orchestration of their friendship
• Understanding of multiplicative impact through partnership
• Commitment to supporting each other's growth and impact

The conversation demonstrated the deep spiritual and professional partnership between Gary and Tim, with Gary finding clarity on his Applied AI path while Tim provided crucial emotional and strategic support. Their friendship continues to be foundational to both their spiritual development and professional trajectories.