Last week at Google I/O, they announced something called Gemini Spark ... and this one is worth paying attention to. Spark is a personal AI agent that lives inside the Gemini app. But unlike a normal chatbot, it doesn't stop when you close your laptop. You give it a task, and it keeps working in the background ... even when your computer is off. Here's what caught my eye: - It connects directly to Gmail, Docs, and Slides ... so it can actually read your emails, summarise threads, and pull out deadlines without you doing anything - You can set it to do recurring tasks ... like checking your inbox for something specific every day or flagging overdue items - It asks permission before doing anything high-stakes like sending an email or spending money - It's rolling out to Google AI Ultra subscribers in the US first, with a desktop version coming this summer My honest take? This is where AI is heading. Not just answering questions when you ask ... but doing things for you in the background, on a schedule, across your apps. For accountants using Google Workspace, that's a big deal. We're still early days, but this is the kind of shift that will change how firms work over the next year or two. Have you tried any AI agents that actually do tasks for you (not just answer questions)? Or does the idea of AI working in the background make you nervous? I'd love to hear your take 👇

Most people sign up for Claude, open the chat, ask a few questions ... and never touch the other 90% of what they're paying for. Sound familiar? I've just released a full walkthrough video that takes you through every Claude feature you need to know ... in the exact order you should learn them. This is actually part of a course inside the AI Academy ... but I wanted to give you a taster of what we do in there. So here it is. We don't just jump into the features. We start with the settings that most people skip ... and they're the ones that make the biggest difference. In the video I walk you through: • The 5 chat settings you should configure before doing anything else (and why custom instructions is the single highest-impact one) • Why the privacy toggle matters when you're handling client data • How to choose between Sonnet, Opus, and Haiku without burning through your usage • All 13 Claude features explained step by step ... from basic chat to Connectors, Projects, Cowork, Skills, Design, and beyond • The additional settings you need when you move to Cowork (folders, permissions, CLAUDE.md, and more) • What makes Live Artifacts, Claude in Chrome, and Claude in Office different from normal chat This is the video I wish I'd had when I first started with Claude. It's 48 minutes, but think of it as your roadmap. You don't need to learn everything at once. Start with the settings, then work through the features one at a time. You'll see the video below 👇 Your Homework I've given you a lot in this video. Now it's your turn. Drop a comment below and tell me three things 👇 Which feature surprised you the most? Which one made you think "I didn't know Claude could do that"? Which feature are you going to try first this week? Not someday. This week. Pick one and commit to it. What questions have you got? If you want to go deeper on any of these features, let me know. I create training on exactly the topics you ask for. Don't just watch and move on. The people who get value from this community are the ones who take action.

I'm new to the community and I want to learn more about AI. If there's something I don't understand, could you please help me? Thanks! Hugs

You may have seen a lot of discussion online about Anthropic, Claude, the U.S. government and OpenAI — and not all of it is clear or accurate. Here’s a concise summary of what’s been happening, why it’s significant, and a chance to hear your view. 📌 What triggered the dispute Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon) demanded that Anthropic grant unrestricted access to its Claude AI for military use, including lawful purposes that could include domestic surveillance or autonomous weapons deployment. Anthropic’s CEO, Dario Amodei, refused, citing ethical guardrails the company has built into its AI — especially prohibitions on mass surveillance and fully autonomous weapons without human oversight. When Anthropic stood firm, the Pentagon threatened to cancel a significant contract (≈ $200 million) and label the company a “supply chain risk.” Shortly thereafter, President Trump directed all U.S. federal agencies to stop using Anthropic’s AI technology, citing national security concerns. Anthropic has publicly stated it plans to challenge the “supply chain risk” designation in court and maintain its ethical stance. CEO Amodei characterised his decision not to relent as compatible with defending democratic values — even if it means falling out with government authorities. Meanwhile, OpenAI struck a separate deal with the Pentagon to supply AI for classified military networks, which some commentators believe reflects a different approach to the same set of ethical red lines. 🤔 Why this matters for anyone using AI tools This isn’t just about military contracts — it highlights key tensions in our industry: 1. AI ethics vs. use case pressureCompanies are being pushed to bend their internal safety guardrails in the face of external expectations about how their AI should be used. The Anthropic standoff shows how far a company might go to stick to its principles — and the real consequences when it does. 2. Competition and positioningAnthropic is also promoting easier switching to Claude, even offering tools to import chat histories — part of a broader strategy to attract users amid the controversy.

What if you could take a simple Excel idea… and turn it into a fully working app? In this short video, I walk you through exactly how I: - Designed a debt repayment calculator for advisory work - Built a powerful Excel model comparing Snowball vs Avalanche methods - Then transformed it into a clean, interactive app with sliders, charts and client views - Used the right AI tools at each stage instead of relying on just one If you work with clients who are in debt… this is serious advisory opportunity. Most accountants stop at spreadsheets. But imagine being able to: - Show clients visually how overpayments change outcomes - Compare strategies instantly - Deliver something that feels modern and high value That changes the conversation. And in the video, I also explain why choosing the right AI tool for the job makes all the difference. If you want the full process, step by step, I’m going deeper on this in the live webinar on WEDNESDAY. 👉 Book your place here Now I’m curious… 💬 What Excel spreadsheets do you currently use in your firm that could be turned into something more powerful? Drop them below.Your idea might become the next demo I build.