251: Lessons from the Dot-Com era for today's AI Hype
Tech for Non-Techies - Practical app & AI strategy for non-technical founders.
Release Date: 04/23/2025
Tech for Non-Techies - Practical app & AI strategy for non-technical founders.
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info_outlineIs today's AI hype cycle just dot-com boom 2.0?
In this episode, host Sophia Matveeva talks with David G. Ewing, who lived through the original tech bubble (literally in a closet in Palo Alto!) about the striking parallels between then and now.
Listen to learn lessons from dot-com history to navigate today's AI boom.
Listen to learn:
- Why the "more things change, the more they stay the same" when it comes to tech hype cycles
- The surprising success factor that determined which dot-com companies survived (and what it means for AI)
- A powerful career strategy that helps you thrive amid tech disruption
- Why measuring AI's impact requires looking beyond traditional ROI metrics
For the transcript, go to: https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/251-lessons-from-the-dot-com-era-for-today-s-ai-hype
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
01:00 The Wild West of Tech: Lessons from the Dot-Com Era
10:02 Navigating the AI Hype
19:53 Building Infrastructure for Success in AI
29:45 The Hydra vs. Phoenix Analogy
About Our Guest
David G. Ewing is the founder of Content Lion, a next-generation AI centralisation and enterprise content management system. He brings decades of technology experience and a pragmatic approach to digital transformation.
Resources Mentioned
- David's blog: davidgewing.com
- David's podcast: Content Kingdom
- David's company: contentlion.com
- Book recommendation: "What I Learned Losing a Million Dollars"
- For thinking about risk and Black Swan events: Nassim Taleb's "The Black Swan"
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