From Dial-Up Days to Always-on AI
AI Knowhow
AOL finally shut down its dial-up service—but the real story? Many companies are still treating AI like it’s 1999. In this episode, the team explores what it takes to move from experimentation to transformation in the age of ambient AI. Knownwell CMO Courtney Baker, CEO David DeWolf, and Chief Product & Technology Officer Mohan Rao dive into the biggest challenge facing leaders today: AI isn’t just a tool—it’s becoming the environment we work in. So why are so many organizations still “sneaking downstairs” to test it in isolation? Then, Pete Buer speaks with philosopher...
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What Does Your Board Want Out of AI?
AI Knowhow
What do corporate boards really want from AI initiatives—and how can executive teams prepare to deliver? Knownwell CMO Courtney Baker is joined by CEO David DeWolf and Chief Product & Technology Officer Mohan Rao for a revealing discussion on how boardroom expectations around AI have evolved. From ROI to risk and organizational readiness, discover the three big priorities every board member is tracking—and how to ace the conversation before it even starts. Then, Pete Buer interviews David Evans, founder of ArcSyne, about using AI to forecast complex futures. They explore how AI-powered...
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Planning for Q4: Budgeting Your 2026 AI Spend
AI Knowhow
It’s that time again—budget season. But how do you plan AI spending for a future that keeps shifting? Knownwell CMO Courtney Baker is joined by CEO David DeWolf and Chief Product & Technology Officer Mohan Rao to unpack how leaders can budget for AI in 2026 without wasting spend or missing out. The takeaway? Don’t budget for “AI”—budget for solving real business problems. From aligning with KPIs to adopting a 70/20/10 allocation model, they outline how to move from pilots to scalable, ROI-focused AI investments. Next, Pete Buer sits down with Alex Kelleher, CEO of Quantum Rise,...
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Making the Leap from AI POC to AI Product
AI Knowhow
It’s easy to launch an AI proof of concept. It’s hard to turn it into a solution people actually enjoy using and continue to use over the long haul. In this episode, Knownwell CMO Courtney Baker teams up with CEO David DeWolf and Chief Product & Technology Officer Mohan Rao to unpack the real-world challenges of operationalizing AI. From starting with the right problem to mastering change management and workflow integration, they share practical strategies for bridging the gap from prototype to production. Pete Buer kicks things off with a look at a Columbia University/New...
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What's New at Knownwell: A Knownwell Product Update
AI Knowhow
Why do firms silently bleed customers, and how can AI help stop it? In this revealing episode of AI Knowhow from Knownwell, CMO Courtney Baker, CEO David DeWolf, and Chief Product and Technology Officer Mohan Rao lift the curtain on the biggest Knownwell platform update yet. They explore how AI can detect hidden signals across departments, sometimes before the metrics even move, and why ignoring 90% of the noise is just as critical as surfacing the right 10%. Using a playful analogy involving Courtney and Mohan's beloved Oura Rings, the team illustrates how contextual clues in client...
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Building a Churn-Proof Relationship Network
AI Knowhow
Client churn may be inevitable, but what if your relationships were strong enough to resist it? Knownwell CMO Courtney Baker is joined by CEO David DeWolf and Chief Product and Technology Officer Mohan Rao to dissect how AI can help build resilient, multi-threaded client relationships. They explore why single-threaded accounts are risky, how AI can map relationship networks, and the ways it enables proactive value delivery through real-time insights and signals. Special guest Matt Stauffer, CEO of , sits down with Pete Buer to share how professional services firms can responsibly integrate AI....
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Getting Out in Front of the Next CEO AI Memo
AI Knowhow
Another CEO memo on AI is making waves - this time from Amazon’s Andy Jassy, who outlines the tech giant’s aggressive AI strategy and hints at workforce reductions. While some may see it as ominous, others view it as a rallying cry for change. The AI Knowhow team dives deep into what this latest corporate proclamation really means. First, NordLight CEO Pete Buer and Knownwell CMO Courtney Baker unpack Jassy’s memo, especially its stark honesty about AI's impact on jobs—and what it means for your own upskilling strategy. Then Courtney is joined by Knownwell’s CEO David DeWolf and...
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Reinventing Your Business with AI
AI Knowhow
Accenture just rebranded its core services as "Reinvention Services." But is this just corporate posturing or a sign of something bigger happening in professional services? First, Pete Buer returns with a breakdown of the business impact of Accenture's move. He asks: Is AI finally becoming an operating system for enterprises, not just a toolkit? He dives into how Accenture’s internal reorganization reflects broader pressures in the consulting industry, including margin compression, commoditization, and the urgent need to differentiate. Knownwell CMO Courtney Baker is joined by Knownwell CEO...
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Why Hyper-Growth Actually Starts With Your Existing Clients
AI Knowhow
What if your next wave of growth isn’t about chasing new logos—but mining gold from the clients you already have? In this cepisode, CMO Courtney Baker challenges the traditional growth mindset with Knownwell’s CEO David DeWolf and Chief Product and Technology Officer Mohan Rao. Together, they break down why net revenue retention (NRR) is the real growth lever, especially for professional services firms. They explore the inefficiencies of over-investing in new sales and reveal how failing to rigorously manage and measure existing relationships is holding companies back from true...
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Lessons Learned from 30 Days of Company-Wide AI
AI Knowhow
What happens when you give every employee access to the paid version of ChatGPT? At Knownwell, it wasn’t just a tech decision—it was a culture shift. Knownwell CMO Courtney Baker, CEO David DeWolf, and Chief Product & Technology Officer Mohan Rao explore the real-world implications of a strategic move: providing company-wide access to ChatGPT. They share what sparked the decision and how a structured rollout strategy transformed productivity, communication, and innovation across the team. They also dive into what smart deployment looks like, from setting enterprise controls to...
info_outlineWe’re turning up the heat once again! After last year’s sizzling Hot Takes episode, we had to run it back for 2025.
Knownwell CMO Courtney Baker is joined by CEO David DeWolf and Chief Product & Technology Officer Mohan Rao to deliver their boldest AI predictions yet. What shifts are coming in AI? Which trends are about to fizzle out? And what might shake up the industry in unexpected ways?
In our expert interview segment, Pete Buer sits down with AI and digital transformation expert Dr. Henna Karna, a Harvard Fellow and former Google executive. She shares practical strategies for business leaders to ensure AI is solving real problems and not just creating new ones. From cost concerns to strategic adoption, Dr. Karna explains how companies can maximize AI’s potential without getting caught up in the hype.
Grab your milk, ice cream, or (according to Mohan) hot chocolate—this one’s gonna be on fire!
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0ST1zZV4MNU
Episode Highlights
- 00:00 Introduction
- 01:00 Setting the Stage for 2025 Predictions
- 02:18 First Hot Take: The End of AI-Powered Marketing
- 04:00 Second Hot Take: Data is Dead
- 06:40 Third Hot Take: The Decline of Open Source Models
- 08:41 Fourth Hot Take: OpenAI's Impending Implosion
- 13:47 Google's Edge in AI Integration
- 16:32 AI in Business Strategy
- 17:09 Interview with Dr. Henna Karna
- 18:38 AI's Role in Strategic Planning
- 24:08 Cost and AI Adoption
- 26:41 Customer-Centric AI Solutions
- 29:57 Conclusion and Future of AI
Show Notes
- Connect with Dr. Henna Karna on LinkedIn
- Connect with David DeWolf on LinkedIn
- Connect with Courtney Baker on LinkedIn
- Connect with Mohan Rao on LinkedIn
- Connect with Pete Buer on LinkedIn
- Watch a guided Knownwell demo
- Follow Knownwell on LinkedIn