117: The AI Is Out There

Jan 29, 2026 59m

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Episode Description

Ian and Aaron talk about being stuck at home due to the weather, major updates to Outro.fm and Faster.dev, an important update to the Laravel New experience, and more.

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(00:00) - No True Texas?
(05:42) - Plow Problems
(13:57) - Outro & HelpSpot Update
(23:44) - Promotions
(26:38) - Laravel AI SDK
(31:27) - Faster.dev Update
(44:49) - Ian's Got Problems With Amp
(58:30) - Laravel New Gradient

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AI-Generated Summary

Weather Woes

The episode kicks off with Ian and Aaron discussing their experiences dealing with severe weather in Texas, specifically an ice storm that left them homebound. Ian recounts the challenges of being stuck indoors with four children, describing the chaos of cancelled schools and the difficulties encountered in shoveling ice. However, he also shares the silver lining—creating wonderful winter memories with his children through sledding.

Updates on Outro and HelpSpot

The hosts discuss major updates to the Outro.fm platform and the implementation of new features. Ian shares plans for enhancing Outro to better assist with managing multiple shows simultaneously, taking advantage of AI capabilities to streamline processes. There's also talk about the HelpSpot website and the operational transitions that come with a growing team.

Laravel AI SDK Introduced

Ian and Aaron dive into the newly released Laravel AI SDK, sharing their excitement over its features. They discuss how it will integrate with various projects and the potential it holds for developers, emphasizing the importance of harnessing AI for Laravel applications.

Faster.dev Advancements

The hosts provide updates on Faster.dev, highlighting improvements and upcoming features that are geared towards enhancing developer productivity and project management. Ian details his efforts to optimize the platform for multiple shows and user experiences.

Experiences With Amp AI Tool

The conversation takes a critical turn when discussing Ian's experiences with the AI tool, Amp. He shares both frustrations and rough points, particularly about the user interface and the billing model which felt stressful during usage. Despite these issues, he acknowledges the tool's strengths, especially in managing complex questions and generating useful output.

Laravel 'New' Gradient Feature

Towards the end of the episode, Ian talks about the recent aesthetic updates to the Laravel framework, particularly the 'new' command that now features a stylish visual upgrade. They discuss the significance of branding and the excitement surrounding these updates.