Applied Intuition builds the kind of AI you don’t see, but can’t live without. Co-founders Qasar Younis and Peter Ludwig share how their $15 billion company powers vehicle intelligence across cars, trucks, tanks, mining equipment, and defense systems operating in some of the most demanding conditions on earth.

They explain why combining AI with safety-critical systems raises the stakes, how a single mistake can destroy an entire company, and why so many autonomy startups ended up in the “graveyard.” The conversation explores the slow, methodical path to real autonomy, the hidden complexity of machines that run nonstop, and why consumer AI metaphors break down once software meets the physical world.

Qasar and Peter also reflect on how Applied uses AI internally, how their principle of “radical pragmatism” keeps innovation grounded, and what it takes to move fast without breaking things when lives and livelihoods are on the line. From six-figure labor shortages in remote mines to the future of defense and logistics, this episode reveals how AI is quietly transforming the physical world — one carefully coded system at a time.

Key Takeaways:

• Safety changes everything about AI
  When AI moves from the screen to the real world, the rules change. Qasar and Peter explain why building for trucks, tanks, and jets demands a different kind of discipline — one where precision and safety replace speed and iteration.
• The graveyard of autonomy is real
  There’s a long list of companies that underestimated what it takes to build safe, reliable autonomy. Applied Intuition’s founders share what went wrong — and why moving slower has been their biggest advantage.
• Radical pragmatism is the hidden differentiator
  Inside Applied Intuition, “radical pragmatism” isn’t a slogan — it’s a practice. Qasar and Peter describe how it guides product decisions, culture, and leadership, helping them innovate in places where failure isn’t an option.
• The next frontier of AI is off the screen
  From mines to military systems, the future of AI won’t be chatbots — it will be machines that think, move, and decide in the physical world. Jeremy and Henrik reflect on how that shift raises the bar for builders, leaders, and the technology itself.

Applied Intuition: http://applied.co/
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/Applied
X: https://x.com/Applied

00:00 Intro: Safety Critical Systems
00:33 Meet the Founders of Applied Intuition
01:09 Understanding Applied Intuition's Unique Approach
03:02 The Human-Machine Teaming Concept
07:26 Challenges in Autonomous Driving
16:39 AI in Industrial Applications
28:27 Future of Fighter Jets and AI
29:50 AI in Applied: Coding Tools and Beyond
33:16 Radical Pragmatism and AI Integration
36:03 Challenges of AI Adoption in Large Organizations
39:56 Human and Technical Challenges in AI
42:02 Innovation and Organizational Structure
48:38 Reflections on AI and Future Prospects

📜 Read the transcript for this episode: Transcript of You Can’t Vibe Code a 100-Ton Truck: Inside Applied Intuition’s Approach to Safety-Critical AI

For more prompts, tips, and AI tools. Check out our website: https://www.beyondtheprompt.ai/ or follow Jeremy or Henrik on Linkedin:

Henrik: https://www.linkedin.com/in/werdelin
Jeremy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyutley

Show edited by Emma Cecilie Jensen.

As Head of IBM Consulting, Mohamad Ali led one of the most ambitious enterprise AI transformations to date. When he rejoined the company, he turned IBM into its own “Client Zero,” testing every idea internally before bringing it to market. The effort began with massive hackathons involving 150,000 employees, designed to turn curiosity into capability and build belief at scale.

Mohamad breaks down the three pillars that made it work: leadership that deeply understands AI, a willingness to redesign core processes, and broad employee engagement. The results were measurable and market-moving: $3.5 billion in cost savings, an eight-point business turnaround, and a doubling of IBM’s stock price.

Jeremy and Henrik unpack why IBM’s model may signal the future of consulting—organizations that act as their own laboratories for change. They reflect on how applied AI is emerging as its own discipline, where the challenge isn’t building models but re-architecting systems, workflows, and culture around them.

Key Takeaways:

• Start with Yourself: “Client Zero” Works
  IBM transformed internally before advising clients, using its own systems as a testing ground. This allowed the team to validate AI tools, workflows, and cultural shifts in real conditions, creating credibility and clarity before going to market.
• Transformation Needs More Than Tech
  Success came from a mix of technical leadership, process redesign, and cultural momentum. AI wasn’t just layered on; it was embedded into workflows, backed by leadership buy-in, and powered by 150,000 employees who participated in company-wide hackathons.
• Digital Labor Is Reshaping Business Models
  IBM didn’t just automate tasks. It redeployed 40% of HR into billable consulting roles. This shift points to a new model for consulting and services, where hybrid human plus AI teams redefine how value is delivered and monetized.
  Measure and Share the Impact
  Transformation became real when IBM tied outcomes to business metrics. By reporting $3.5 billion dollars in savings and tracking results with the CFO, IBM showed how to make AI adoption tangible, accountable, and visible to both employees and investors.

LinkedIn: Mohamad Ali - IBM | LinkedIn
IBM: IBM

00:00 Intro: HR Automation
00:41 Introduction of Mohamed Ali and IBM's Transformation
01:14 IBM's Enterprise Transformation
01:41 The Role of AI in IBM's Success
03:25 Rejoining IBM: A Strategic Decision
04:33 Key Components of AI Implementation
07:21 Employee Engagement and Hackathons
08:59 Technical Leadership and AI
10:37 Global Tax Optimization with AI
11:17 Scaling AI Solutions for Clients
22:00 Monetizing Digital Labor
26:50 Digital Labor and Procurement Projects
27:29 Unbundling and Economic Implications
28:44 Technological Shifts and Market Expansion
30:04 AI-Powered Business Transformations
32:22 Case Study: L'Oreal's AI Integration
39:13 HR Automation and Redeployment
42:09 Creative Innovations in AI Applications
43:59 Advice for Leaders on AI Integration
45:43 Final thoughts

📜 Read the transcript for this episode:

For more prompts, tips, and AI tools. Check out our website: https://www.beyondtheprompt.ai/ or follow Jeremy or Henrik on Linkedin:

Henrik: https://www.linkedin.com/in/werdelin
Jeremy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyutley

Show edited by Emma Cecilie Jensen.

Martin Reeves has spent decades advising CEOs on how to think about strategy. As head of BCG’s Henderson Institute, he has built a career challenging leaders to balance efficiency with imagination and to prepare for the next disruptive shift.

In this conversation, Martin tells Henrik and Jeremy why AI alone will not give companies an edge and might even strip them of advantage. He unpacks the “two jobs of business”: playing the current game better than anyone else while simultaneously asking what the next game will be. He argues that AI only sharpens this paradox, forcing leaders to think faster, experiment more, and draw on human imagination in new ways.

The discussion covers the risks of over-optimization, the future of consulting, and the paradoxes of AI adoption. Along the way, Reeves explains how AI can accelerate exploration, why framing the right questions is the strategist’s most important job, and why times of disruption are when number twos become number ones or disappear altogether.

Key Takeaways:

• Strategy is the double game
  Long-term success means playing today’s game efficiently while also inventing tomorrow’s. Henrik and Jeremy stress how rare it is for leaders to do both, yet this is exactly what AI demands.
• AI efficiency without imagination is a trap
  Adopting the same tools as competitors drives efficiency but commoditizes advantage. The hosts underline that imagination and unique use are what create real differentiation.
• The strategist’s edge is asking the right question
  Martin highlights that strategy starts with framing the real question. Henrik and Jeremy note that questioning and cognitive diversity are crucial in the AI era.
• Disruption reshuffles winners and losers
  Times of change are when number twos become number ones and leaders disappear. The wrap-up emphasizes the urgency of experimenting and adapting now.
• Human imagination stays essential
  AI can accelerate exploration, but creativity, ethics, and originality remain uniquely human — and decisive for future leadership.

LinkedIn: Martin Reeves | LinkedIn
BCG Henderson Institute: Home - BCG Henderson Institute
Martins books: The Imagination Machine // Like: The Button That Changed the World

00:00 Intro: Two Jobs in Strategy, Today’s Game and Tomorrow’s Game
01:33 Martin Reeves and the Henderson Institute
04:02 Defining Strategy in the AI Era
05:12 AI and Human Imagination
09:20 Efficiency vs. Competitive Advantage
13:18 Organizational Design for the Future
23:09 The Paradox of Imagination in Business
33:02 Harnessing Serendipity for Innovation
35:18 Devil’s Advocacy and Meeting Optimization
36:51 Where AI Helps and Hurts Organizations
38:16 The Limits of AI Training Data
42:56 How Martin Uses AI Day to Day
47:09 What’s the Next Game for Consulting
53:15 Final Reflections

📜 Read the transcript for this episode: Transcript of How Do You Strategize in the AI Era? – with Martin Reeves, Head of BCG’s Think Tank

For more prompts, tips, and AI tools. Check out our website: https://www.beyondtheprompt.ai/ or follow Jeremy or Henrik on Linkedin:

Henrik: https://www.linkedin.com/in/werdelin
Jeremy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyutley

Show edited by Emma Cecilie Jensen.