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Every day, we live and learn... (1)

An Intelligent Flow - An AI Newsletter

Author

IAN FORD
May 02, 2026

Read time: 3 minutes

“Every day, we live and learn, take it step by step. And we create our own path, until there's no life left.” - DMX “I'm Gonna Crawl’ — I needed wise words today, so I looked to Dark Man X. Life is a consistent learning cycle. Keep learning and walking this journey, until it’s your time to go..

Welcome, AI Enthusiasts…

So yeah, I’m switching up the newsletter format a bit. Instead of dropping 3 random tools with quick blurbs, I’m locking in on one tool I’m REALLY using every day and breaking down how I actually use it. This is for techies and non-techies—just real-life AI productivity, no fluff. I’ll show examples that feel real, not theoretical.

ONE TOOL, HUMANIZED & APPLIED

Wow. Perplexity. I love this tool. Seriously. What do I use Perplexity for? A little bit of everything. Perplexity feels like Google 2.0 to me. Where Google was a search engine, Perplexity is an answer engine. It might be the best AI research tool out right now. It goes deep, moves fast, and always brings sources. Receipts! Receipts matter in a world full of cap, fake news, and nonsense. I love receipts.

Anytime I start a new project—big idea or small move—I usually have a long conversation with Perplexity about whether the idea is actually viable. It gives me the kind of sharp research and market clarity I need before I waste time, money, or energy. Sometimes it saves me from bad ideas. Sometimes it sharpens good ones. Both matter.

And I recently found a killer prompt:

"I am evaluating this business idea: [insert business idea name here]. Build me a 10 slide presentation that visually SWOTs it and tells me if it is worth pursuing. Cover: TAM, top competitors and pricing, a SWOT matrix, v1 cost to build, sourcing and tooling stack, founding team, GTM wedge for the first 100 customers, top 3 risks, 30/60/90 day milestones, and a one paragraph verdict with a green/yellow/red signal. Cite every claim and prioritize sources from the last 12 months."

I attached a one-sheet explaining the concept and let Perplexity cook. What came back was a sharp, detailed SWOT breakdown with real insights, smart next steps, and a clearer game plan.

In case I haven’t said it enough: I love Perplexity. For research? Stop playing around.

BUILT BY US: DUALSHOT RECORDER

Derrick Downey Jr. is a creator-turned-tech founder blending culture, content, and innovation. Best known as the viral “Squirrel Whisperer,” he built a massive audience through heartwarming videos with neighborhood squirrels like Richard and Maxine.

In 2026, he launched DualShot Recorder, an app that records vertical and horizontal video simultaneously using an iPhone’s dual cameras—solving a major creator pain point. The app hit #1 on Apple’s paid App Store within 24 hours. With no subscriptions or ads, Downey proved that creators can build profitable tools from real problems. He represents a new wave of Black founders turning creativity into tech ownership.

AI-GENERATED FUN

Seasons of Michael…

Artist: J Slay Art

Help me keep this newsletter as dope as possible. Take a minute to hit this survey and let me know what’s working and what needs a remix… reader survey.

Written by Ian Ford & Christine White.

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