AI Knowhow – Details, episodes & analysis

89% of jobs will be impacted by AI next year. So what does that mean for services firms in 2026?

Pete Buer is joined by Chris Barbin and Michelle Swan of Tercera to break down insights from The New Services Playbook—and why "Services as Software" is reshaping everything from pricing models to delivery.

They explore why AI isn't an extinction-level event, how firms are taking share with smaller teams and faster delivery, and what it takes to stay trusted in a world where clients demand outcomes, not hours.

Plus: Pete digs into fresh data on workforce shifts and why internal alignment around AI is your new leadership challenge.

Download the report here! https://tercera.io/ai-era-services-transformation/

Test your commercial intelligence at www.knownwell.com/30days 

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Ni_jHHVHoqI 

Is client-centricity actually holding you back?

The team challenges conventional wisdom in this conversation on the account-based enterprise—a smarter, more sustainable model for growth. Courtney Baker, David DeWolf, and Mohan Rao dig into why client-first thinking often falls short, how CRMs give you a rearview mirror when you need headlights, and what it takes to shift from episodic touchpoints to proactive relationship intelligence.

Pete Buer breaks down Meta's bold move to tie employee performance to AI impact—and the potential creativity crisis that could follow. Plus, catch highlights from David's LinkedIn Live with Brian Shea on spotting churn risks before they ignite.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/t1fZKbiJCi0 

https://www.knownwell.com/30days

We're celebrating 100 episodes of AI Knowhow and asking: what have the last two years of AI actually taught us?

Courtney, David, and Mohan rewind the tape to trace how far AI and executive thinking have come since episode 1 of the show all the way back in September 2023. What began as a curiosity is now a boardroom priority. But while the tech has sprinted ahead, the biggest barriers aren't technical: they're cultural, organizational, and deeply human.

The team shares what's surprised them (Wendy's drive-thru, anyone?), what still hasn't landed (where's the breakout AI-native device?), and what leaders need to carry into the next two years. 

And Pete Buer joins to reflect on some of his favorite conversations and the people shaping the future with care, not just code.

It's a candid, insightful, and sometimes humorous look back, and a launchpad for what's next.

00:00 Introduction and Milestone Celebration
01:33 Reflecting on Two Years of AI
02:12 Lessons Learned and Future Outlook
06:26 AI in Everyday Life
08:46 Unmet Expectations and Surprises
16:13 Reflections on 100 Episodes
21:09 Looking Ahead to the Next 100 Episodes

Make sure to check out www.knownwell.com.

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/awG-DWpnGEc 

At a recent conference, one OpenAI executive recently said that their company is not really seeing other businesses' leaders looking for ROI from AI yet. David DeWolf and Courtney Baker were at that conference and have been holding off on talking about it until they could loop Mohan Rao in for a lively debate on whether or not it's true.

Also, in our special breaking In The News segment, Courtney and Pete Buer breakdown some of the week's top news, including the week-long saga of Sam Altman's full circle turn as CEO of OpenAI, as covered by Wired (OpenAI's Boardroom Drama Could Mess Up Your Future) and The NYT (Before Altman's Ouster, OpenAI's Board Was Divided and Feuding)

Lastly, Pete talks with board member and CEO advisor Anna Catalano to get her take on how boards are thinking about AI in terms of governance, enterprise risk, return on investment, and considerations for AI deployment within organizations.

Take your free AI Readiness Assessment at https://knownwell.com/assessment.

AI Knowhow is brought to you by the team at Knownwell.

Visit www.knownwell.com to discover how we can help you harness the power of AI to boost profitability.

Out of all the industries that will be disrupted by AI, which one stands to be disrupted the most? And what are the implications of this disruption for knowledge workers and the companies that employ them? 

Courtney Baker and Knownwell CEO David DeWolf discuss the implications of a recent study from Bain that found that 41% of labor time in the Professional Services industry can be automated using Generative AI. 

Also, Pete Buer talks with Scott Varho about Enterprise Generative AI and how organizations can accelerate innovation cycles using AI.

And, of course, Courtney and Pete break down the week's top news, including some of the announcements from OpenAI's DevDay event.

Watch this entire episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/vCCiHDQPk6g.

Take your free AI Readiness Assessment at https://knownwell.com/assessment.

AI Knowhow is brought to you by the team at Knownwell.

Visit www.knownwell.com to discover how we can help you harness the power of AI to boost profitability.

Out of all the areas where you could apply AI in your business, where should you? How do you prioritize the most important initiatives that will have the greatest impact on your business?

For CEOs and other leaders trying to figure out exactly how and where their companies should be utilizing AI, it can be hard to pinpoint which opportunities they should pursue and which are most likely fool's gold.

In this episode, David DeWolf, Mohan Rao, and Courtney Baker provide some proactive tips leaders can use as they survey the business landscape to determine their most impactful first steps with AI.

Also, Vecteris Co-Founder Eisha Armstrong joins Pete Buer to share some of her insights into how the Generative AI boom is bringing much more attention to the idea of productizing certain services.

All of this plus Courtney and Pete cover some of the biggest news in AI this week including Elon Musk telling UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak that AI will not just take some jobs, it will take ALL the jobs and spirits company Dictador unveiling the very first AI-powered "robot CEO".

Watch this entire episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/96CgJHAkh1c. 

Take your free AI Readiness Assessment at https://knownwell.com/assessment.

AI Knowhow is brought to you by the team at Knownwell.

Visit www.knownwell.com to discover how we can help you harness the power of AI to boost profitability.

Most people are familiar by now with how AI can be used to accelerate work as diverse as software development and performing medical research. Much of this work takes place at the individual contributor level, or operational aspects of a business.

What is lesser known, and what we believe we are on the cusp of understanding, is how AI can aid leaders in managing their companies at higher altitudes of business — such as operations, strategy, and ideology. This episode attempts to help understand that. 

This week's panel features Courtney Baker, David DeWolf, and Mohan Rao proving a forward-looking view into the future of AI and how it will increasingly be applied to these higher altitudes. Then, Pete Buer speaks with Domenic Colasante, CEO of 2X, about how his B2B Marketing as a Service company has already started to take advantage of AI to accelerate their capabilities and services.

And, in this week's news segment, Pete joins Courtney to talk about the Biden Administration's new AI-focused executive order.

Watch this entire episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/nTVa4puQd6s 

Take your free AI Readiness Assessment at https://knownwell.com/assessment

Visit the 2X website: https://2x.marketing/

AI Knowhow is brought to you by the team at Knownwell.

Visit www.knownwell.com to discover how they can help you harness the power of AI to boost profitability.

Do you have the right data foundation in place today? Is your data accurate, accessible, and secure? And what other questions should executives be asking of your technology leaders to ensure you have the right data foundation in place for this transformational moment?

In this episode, we answer all of those questions.

First, our panel of David DeWolf, Mohan Rao, and Courtney Baker talk about the importance of having the right data foundation in place. After that, Pete Buer speaks with Airbnb's Mitesh Mangaonkar about the cornerstones of building a data foundation using AI.

And, of course, Courtney and Pete run you through this week's news in AI.

Watch this entire episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/aYadN_Y8dkM 

Take your free AI Readiness Assessment at https://knownwell.com/assessment.

AI Knowhow is brought to you by the team at Knownwell.

Visit www.knownwell.com to discover how they can help you harness the power of AI to boost profitability.

AI can fundamentally change the way that your business operates. With the right vision and planning, those changes to your business will translate into value for your customers. That's always good for business. 

In this episode, we explore how leaders can identify value streams and then use AI to optimize them. First, the panel talks about how companies deliver value and unpack the concept of value streams. Then, Pete speaks with Gregory FCA Public Relations' Greg Matusky about his experience using AI to completely reimagine the way his PR company creates and delivers value.

Finally, Courtney and Pete follow-up a bit of news from our first episode and taste test Coca-Cola Y3K - the AI-developed soda.

Watch this entire episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/soLxLBkX64Q.

Take your free AI Readiness Assessment at https://knownwell.com/assessment.

AI Knowhow is brought to you by the team at Knownwell.

Visit www.knownwell.com to discover how they can help you harness the power of AI to boost profitability.

Many leaders view the AI transformation as an opportunity for the CTOs and CIOs of the world to drive strategy and implementation. While technologists certainly have a big part to play in determining how to get the most impact out of AI, this is really a time for non-technologists like Chief Human Resource Officers to make their mark in how AI is leveraged within their organizations.

In this episode, Knownwell's David DeWolf talks about how CHRO's are uniquely qualified to become "Chief HumAIn Officers". Also, Compensation Tool's Justin Hampton talks about how AI is about to revolutionize HR. And, of course, we've got news with Pete Buer, and Courtney shares some AI-generated humor.

Watch this entire episode on YouTube! https://youtu.be/_MOKNVbrWCg

Take your free AI Readiness Assessment at https://knownwell.com/assessment.

AI Knowhow is brought to you by the team at Knownwell.

Visit www.knownwell.com to discover how they can help you harness the power of AI to boost profitability.