243 days later

”Plans are pointless. Staying alive is as good as it gets.” 28 Days Later
Previously at the Volcano Base I’d been explaining how to get yourself referenced in AI “chats”.
Since then, I don’t know exactly what happened, but several kind organisations have commissioned me to create automated business systems for them. Just in the last week. For the first time since setting up the Volcano Base, the cash flow is good enough to allow me to meet up with friends for a jolly. I don’t think I’ve ever needed a jolly as much as I currently do. Goddammit, I deserve a jolly!
Stop. Saying. Jolly.
Mission Briefing
243 days later
Volcano Base is 8 months old today. That might not mean much to you, but it’s a huge deal for me. It was December last year when I suddenly found myself without a job or any form of income. My wife had recently been made redundant too, so I was in full fight-or-flight mode. Well, flight wasn’t an option, so the mode was significantly more fighty than flighty. I had 3 months before we’d have to sell the family home.
If you’ve been following along, you’ll know the last 8 months have been veeeeerrrryyy hard. What really surprised me, though, was the degree of goodwill people showed me. People checked in, they made introductions, they challenged my occasionally panicked ideas, some gave me Pity Projects, they publicly said nice things about me. All that really helped.
It’s a bit zeitgeisty out there
People used to joke that I was always thinking too far ahead, or my ideas were too advanced, to be relevant to the needs of the day. There was probably a lot of truth in that, and I do enjoy “far-seeking” and won’t stop any time soon. But it feels like what I’m doing with Volcano Base is finally right for the times.
It’s almost like AI is acting like a catalyst for businesses wanting to “sort their systems out”. Easily 50% of my clients aren’t asking for AI specifically, but they’re aware things have changed enough that it’s finally time to review how they do things. And here I am, ready for it.
What are people buying?
Practically speaking, this is what most people have hired me for over the last 8 months:
- AI advice for leadership teams
- Design and setup of automated systems
- To be their secret AI partner (like a white label addition to an existing team - I have lots of different company email accounts)
- Training
- Talks, reports and forecasts
So far so good. Wish me ongoing luck, please.
Classified Intel
Some interesting stuff I discovered on my adventures.

I'm doing a webinar next week, commissioned by Edifai Academy and based on a white paper I researched and wrote for them. They're targeting HR leaders in agencies BUT the content will be interesting to anyone leading a company that employs people, or advises them.
The end of our world as we know it
We are living through the collapse of the old world, and the quiet construction of a new one. From artificial intelligence and clean energy to bioengineering and digital governance, the core systems that defined the last century are rapidly being dismantled and replaced. But this isn’t just about technology.
According to futurist Peter Leyden, we’re at a historic turning point: One of the rare moments in American and global history when everything gets reimagined at once.
Introducing CC Signals: A New Social Contract for the Age of AI

Creative Commons has launched CC signals, a new system to guide fair use of content in AI development. This project aims to keep knowledge open and shared by letting content owners express how their data can be reused. They invite the public to give feedback as they prepare for a launch in November 2025.

AI super-apps are becoming the main way people search, shop, and communicate, taking control over customer data and loyalty. Brands must adapt by making their data machine-readable and building flexible systems to stay relevant. The future will shift from screens to ambient, conversational experiences where AI anticipates and acts for users.
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