Gemini AI referred me a client last week.

Leon in Florida was googling great coaches who could help him with a specific dilemma. Gemini both suggested I could help … and gave him my phone number.

Suddenly and unexpectedly, I was on WhatsApp handling a live sales opportunity.

How Did I Master AI Search?

Leon wasn’t a fit for my business, but him calling me was no accident.

Just as I spent many years as #1 on Google for “Best Business Coach in Brisbane“, I’ve been casually mindful of how Large Language Models (like ChatGPT) fuel their recommendation engine – and I’ve been tweaking things accordingly.

I haven’t mastered AI Search by any means, and still have much to learn and test. Results like this one, placing me alongside Tony Robbins and Marshall Goldsmith, are a combination of awkward search terms and Google’s personalised results.

And there’s the rub.

Like a Good Friend

Google likes to give personalised results. Which may be less helpful.

Ask ChatGPT or Claude for advice, and their default will be to validate and praise you. Even if you’re suggesting something stoopid. Which may be less helpful.

Amanda Askell is the philosopher at Anthropic who oversaw Claude’s character and personality development. She described the target as being like a good friend, supportive while still being willing to push back.

As we can see in practice, however, even good human friends will often be supportive and praise you. Even if you’re suggesting something stoopid. Which may be less helpful.

Actual Intelligence

Let’s say you have a new business idea, or a new idea for your business. You don’t want to create a solution without an actual problem to solve … so you decide to test your idea.

How?

Talking to your target clients is the best approach. But your target clients will often say “Yes, that’s a great idea” which is the worst possible response.

You might ask your close friends for advice. Again, will they give you the honest answer? Can they even give you an honest answer and good advice?

Most easily today, you fire up Chatty G and ask the largest intelligence in history what s/he thinks. Only to run into the sycophancy problem – where the LLM is far too agreeable.

I’ve belaboured the point too often.

Context matters. Having your own business toolkit that shows how things are connected, not just to focus on single ideas or pieces of content. Taking advice from others who are similarly capable – and don’t mind some constructive honesty.

In short, Actual Intelligence still matters. Though it’s nice when the Artificial type says I’m special.

Next Steps

Want to learn more about how this can apply to your business? It costs nothing to chat:

• Email me jacob@jacobaldridge.com (I read them all)
• Call, Text, or WhatsApp me +61 427 151 181
• Or just Subscribe to stay in touch