AI Resources
These are the tools and ideas I'm exploring these days. Use what resonates, ignore what doesn't, and reach out anytime to share what you discover.
What I'm Teaching & Building
AI Weekend Workshop at Esalen
March 2026
March 2026
A weekend exploring practical AI tools and deeper questions about human agency in the age of artificial intelligence. Currently sold out.
Join Waiting List
VoteReady
Voter information tool I built with Claude Code. Check registration status, find polling locations, explore ballot measures. An experiment in civic technology.
Creation Tools
The generative landscape shifts constantly. These are the tools I'm currently using or teaching in workshops. Quality varies dramatically. Some produce remarkable results, others remain experimental.
Video Generation
Veo 3
Google's latest. Particularly strong on realistic motion and physics. Still in limited release.
Sora 2
OpenAI's video generator shows impressive results with complex scenes, though access remains restricted.
Higgsfield AI
Specializes in effects-heavy transitions and stylized sequences.
Pika Labs
Fast iteration cycles for text-to-video and VFX work.
Image Generation
I Use This
Midjourney
My go-to for images. The aesthetic sophistication and artistic control remain unmatched. Discord interface is clunky but you adjust.
ChatGPT and Gemini both generate solid images natively. Convenient when you're already in conversation.
Audio & Voice
Free Tier
Suno
Complete song generation with lyrics, instrumentation, vocals. Remarkable for demos and creative experimentation.
Udio
Alternative to Suno with different aesthetic sensibilities. Worth comparing outputs.
Workshop Tool
Eleven Labs
Voice cloning and synthesis I use for podcast demos. The naturalness is uncanny. Raises immediate ethical questions worth discussing.
Animation & Avatars
Hedra AI
Make still images speak with lip sync. Useful for quick avatar creation.
HeyGen
Realistic avatar creation and video cloning for presentations.
Editing & Production
Writing & Research
I Use This
Notebook LM
Query your documents, generate podcasts or video lessons from source material. I've used this to create custom workshop prep materials. Genuinely useful.
Conversational AI
Pi
Voice-to-voice conversational AI. Empathetic, good listener. Interesting for exploring emotional AI interfaces.
Workshop Tool
Advanced Voice Mode
ChatGPT's voice interface feels remarkably natural for fluid conversation.
Hume
Voice model with emotional intelligence. Trained on affective data.
Development & Applications
I Built With This
Claude Code
I built VoteReady with this. No prior coding experience required. Genuinely accessible for non-developers wanting to create functional applications.
Productivity & Analysis
Granola
AI note-taking that captures context beyond transcription.
IFS Buddy
AI trained on Internal Family Systems therapy model. Interesting intersection of therapeutic frameworks and conversational AI.
Second Thought
Analyzes your AI conversations for psychological safety patterns.
Learning Resources
These are the voices I return to for news, critique, technical depth, and ethical consideration. No single source tells the complete story.
Podcasts
Weekly Listen
Hard Fork
Kevin Roose and Casey Newton balance technical depth with accessibility. My primary source for staying current.
Last Week in AI
Comprehensive news roundup for when you need breadth.
Essential
Your Undivided Attention
Center for Humane Technology. Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin examine ethical implications with rigor. Critical counterweight to uncritical enthusiasm.
AI For Humans
Accessible, entertaining discussion of AI developments.
Newsletters
Essential
One Useful Thing
Ethan Mollick's practical wisdom on AI applications. Consistently valuable.
The Rundown
Daily AI news, well curated for quick scanning.
Andy Masley
Environmental skeptic offering critical perspective on AI hype and resource consumption.
YouTube & Film
Workshop Reference
The AI Dilemma
Center for Humane Technology's ethical examination. I reference this frequently in teaching.
Futurepedia
Clear, practical tutorials on maximizing AI tool capabilities.
Matt Wolfe
Excellent coverage of AI tools and copyright implications.
Curious Refuge
AI filmmaking community with tutorials and creative showcases.
Books
Nexus
Yuval Noah Harari on information networks and power structures.
The Singularity is Nearer
Ray Kurzweil's updated vision of technological transformation. Optimistic, sometimes breathlessly so.
Artists
Refik Anadol
Thoughtful engagement with AI and post-digital architecture. His MoMA installation was stunning.
Community
The AI Salon
Global community founded in SF. Intimate discussions on AI's sociological, economic, and philosophical impacts. Worth attending if you're in the area.
Esalen Institute
Esalen has been my primary teaching home for AI workshops. These resources provide context on the institute itself.
Voices of Esalen
Conversations with Esalen teachers and practitioners.
The Upstart Spring
Walter Anderson's history of Esalen and the Human Potential Movement.
Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion
Jeffrey Kripal's scholarly examination of Esalen's cultural impact.
Sam's Work
Speaker and Consulting
For one-on-one tutorials or workshop inquiries.
How We're Really Using AI Vol. 1
Voices of Esalen podcast. Conversation about practical AI applications.
How We're Really Using AI Vol. 2
Voices of Esalen podcast. Continued exploration of AI use cases.
The Mirror I Fell in Love With
8-minute live performance at Esalen, June 4th, 2025.
AI Prayer Project
Video explorations of AI and spirituality.
A History of Altered States at Esalen
Multimedia lecture at Berkeley Alembic, July 12, 2024.
Cosmic Quest: Esalen in the 70s and 80s
Multimedia lecture at Berkeley Alembic, January 31, 2025.
Get in Touch
I'm always interested in hearing what tools you're discovering, what questions you're wrestling with, or how you're integrating AI into your creative practice.
For workshop inquiries, one-on-one tutorials, or just to share what you're working on: contact me here
Discovered a tool I should know about? Send it my way.