Graymatter: Master AI. Master yourself. Build what matters.

I’ve been reading The Way of Excellence by Brad Stulberg — subtitle, a guide to true greatness and deep satisfaction in a chaotic world . The timing feels right. AI is reshaping jobs, companies, and the skills that matter. Every week I talk to leaders asking some version of the same question: where do I put my time now? One section in Chapter 2 really resonated with me. Stulberg calls it selecting...

In the final session of my last AI cohort, something unexpected happened. We’d spent weeks learning tools, building workflows, writing prompts. And then, one by one, people started sharing — not what they’d built, but who they were becoming. Someone said AI had made them more creative than they’d felt in years. Another said they could see a broader version of who they could be. A third said: for t...

Here’s something I see all the time: A leader wants to automate prospect research. Or customer outreach. Or content creation. They’ve done the process hundreds of times. They know it works. But when they try to apply AI? They get stuck. Not because the AI isn’t capable. But because they’ve never had to explain their process with the kind of precision an AI needs. The workflow lives in their head a...

This is a self-mastery post—part of my commitment to help you master AI, master yourself, and build what matters. Because here's the truth: the best AI tools in the world won't save you if you're stuck on the satisfaction treadmill, chasing the next feature instead of loving what you already have. Let's talk about that. Daily Nugget “The easiest way for us to gain happiness is to learn how to want...

TL;DR: → Your workflow instructions are probably too vague or too long (300-line mega-prompts don’t work)→ Claude Skills package your expertise into reusable how-to manuals that activate automatically→ The process: Map workflow → Break down steps → Build skills → Test and reuse→ Live demo: Building a meeting notes organizer skill in real-time→ One simple prompt can trigger multiple skills that exe...

I’ve been studying Stoic philosophy for years. This isn’t new to me. But that’s the thing about these readings—they always land as exactly the reminder I need, right when I need it. Look at those highlighted lines. “The only thing you truly possess is your ability to make choices.” “This is the only thing that can never be taken from you completely.” How much time do we waste on things completely...

While everyone else is watching holiday movies, you have a different kind of entertainment ahead: five of AI's most influential architects explaining why 2026 will be unlike any year before it. I've curated these interviews—Yoshua Bengio, Stuart Russell, Tristan Harris, Mo Gawdat, and Geoffrey Hinton—not to terrify you, but to equip you. These aren't random AI commentators; they're the people who...

Tony Seale has been at the forefront of linking data, combining creativity with technical expertise. His pioneering work integrating Large Language Models (LLMs) and Knowledge Graphs within large organizations has garnered widespread attention, primarily through his popular weekly LinkedIn posts. This ongoing contribution to the field has earned him the title ‘The Knowledge Graph Guy.’ Tony’s jour...

Summary In this episode of the Graymatter podcast, James Gray interviews Chris Tidrick, CIO at Gies College of Business, discussing the critical aspects of leadership in IT. Chris emphasizes the importance of understanding the people side of technology leadership, the significance of hiring individuals with strong interpersonal skills, and the need for leaders to support and uplift their teams. Th...

Hey everyone, it’s James here with a fresh dive into Google NotebookLM —an AI research assistant quietly reshaping how we interact with our own ideas and documents. Imagine having a brainstorming partner that never tires: upload your documents, ask questions, and let NotebookLM (powered by Gemini LLM) uncover insights you didn’t even know you needed. You might have seen demos on the Audio Overview...

🔥 Last week, Google dropped the Gemini 2.0 Flash experimental model , and it’s nothing short of revolutionary. One standout feature? The Multimodal Live API —a game-changer that can see, reason, and interact with you in real time through voice . 🚀 In this demo, I take you into Google AI Studio to experience Gemini 2.0 in action. Here’s what you can do: 1️⃣ Talk to Gemini through your microphone...

Hey everyone, it’s James Gray here, where I will guide you through agents - the hottest thing in AI. 🌟 What are they? Why do they matter? And how can you leverage them—whether you’re a technologist or a non-technical business leader. In this short video, I’ll demystify AI agents and show you how to create an agent experience from your desktop using tools like Claude. From frameworks to real-world...

Welcome to the Inner Quest podcast, where I share career strategy concepts to help you craft and activate an intentional career that unlocks your full potential. 🚀 P.S. You can edit your section subscriptions if you do not want to receive updates from the Inner Quest section of the Graymatter newsletter. When people feel the need for career growth and change, they often go directly to looking for...

This first Inner Quest podcast overviews the Inner Quest cohort course, designed to help people craft and activate an intentional career strategy. In follow-up episodes, the podcast will teach you each of the career strategy concepts and how to put them into practice and thrive in a career you love. My aspiration for this podcast series is to make it a convenient and effective way to learn these s...

Hello, everyone, and thanks for subscribing to my Graymatter newsletter and podcast to learn about data, AI, and how to thrive in your career. 🙏 I am excited to share that I am extending my Substack with a new section dedicated to an idea I call the “Inner Quest.” Essentially, it’s an inner journey to build self-awareness and a strategic mindset that guides your choices and brings out your full c...

Google NotebookLM is a personalized AI research assistant powered by Gemini Pro 1.5 that becomes an expert in your information. NotebookLM lets you read, take notes, ask questions, organize your ideas, and more, helping you do your best thinking. You can upload various documents, including Google Docs, Slides, PDFs, text files, and web URLs. This provides the language model with additional context...

Stoic philosophy is full of guiding wisdom that will change your daily life. I started learning and practicing Stoic philosophy in 2017 when I faced a challenging situation and needed tools to help me take control of my life. The core idea of focusing on what you can control radically shaped how I interpreted events, where I spent my time, and the behaviors and habits I needed to change to get wha...

Professional growth requires making transitions and transformations along our career journey. These destinations are where we learn new skills and experiences. There is always friction between where you are today and what you want tomorrow. Through my personal experience and work as a coach, there are at least five areas of friction that require focus and execution to overcome the resistance durin...

References to find your path Part I. Discover Your Calling: The Life’s Task Law 13 - Advance with a Sense of Purpose - The Law of Aimlessness Thanks for reading Graymatter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit graymatter.jamesgray.ai/subscribe

Abhishek Kumar Abhishek Kumar is currently leading the AI and Data Science practice at Publicis Sapient as Director of Data Science. He leads engagements for numerous Fortune 500 companies on Data & AI strategy and large-scale implementation for areas in recommendation engines, anomaly detection, optimization, and recently in Generative AI. He holds a Master’s degree from the University of Califor...

Law 48 from the 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene may be the most important reminder for the volatile and unpredictable world we live in today - assume formlessness. By taking a shape, by having a visible plan, you open yourself to attack. Instead of taking a form for your enemy to grasp, keep yourself adaptable and on the move. Accept the fact that nothing is certain and no law is fixed. The best...

Professor Vishal Sachdev Vishal Sachdev is a clinical associate professor of business administration at the Gies College of Business, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign . He has served as director of the Illinois MakerLab, a 3D Printing Lab, since 2013, and the academic director of the new MS in Business Analytics program since 2021. He is also a Faculty in Residence at the Discovery Partners...

Changing a career or life situation, such as achieving an aspirational outcome, requires that you change. This generally requires multiple changes, such as your identity, routines, direction, and how you spend your precious time. Change is often complex, and it’s hard to move down the path when you consider identity changes or big, lofty goals. I have found that reducing your view to weekly window...

Ryan Reed leads IT at the JSR Corporation as part of the OneDigital organization, which is responsible for helping to digitize JSR. In his current role, he has worldwide responsibility to work across all JSR companies to establish a federated enterprise IT organization. In addition to working on a modernization strategy, Ryan has continued to lead and mentor employees on how to develop their caree...

Harpreet Kaur is a woman leader with a proven track record of delivering impactful results in the tech industry. As a Director/Principal Product Manager at Microsoft, she drives the product and strategy for Windows Server and Azure Stack. With extensive experience in executive management and technical leadership, she has gained a deep understanding of organizations' challenges and can offer practi...