He Wrote an Entire Book With AI… And It Actually Worked | Austin Armstrong | DSH #1897

Summary

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Digital Social Hour – Episode Summary

Episode: He Wrote an Entire Book With AI… And It Actually Worked | Austin Armstrong | DSH #1897
Host: Sean Kelly
Guest: Austin Armstrong (AI expert, entrepreneur, author)
Date: March 30, 2026

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Main Theme

This episode explores the fast-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, focusing on its impact on content creation, entrepreneurship, and personal branding. Austin Armstrong shares his journey from agency owner to AI thought leader, discusses the real challenges and ethical questions of AI-generated content, and unpacks how AI tools can empower both creators and businesses. The conversation ranges from tactical advice on monetization to philosophical debates about AI’s effects on human intellect and culture.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Austin’s AI Journey & Personal Branding in a Shifting Landscape

• Pivot to AI: Austin narrates his move from being a digital marketing agency owner and “the TikTok guy” to establishing himself as an AI expert, fueled by early adoption and strategic pivots. He capitalized on “useful websites” content, then transitioned to AI tools as they became relevant for business owners.

  “The power is really in your personal brand... When these AI tools started to come out... I saw a really natural pivot” – Austin (03:27)

• Burnout as a Catalyst: Burnout from agency life led to launching his first AI software, Syllabi, three years prior.

2. State of AI Adoption and Platforms

• Echo Chambers & Consumer Adoption: Both agree that while AI is omnipresent in their digital circles, mass consumer adoption is still unfolding. Mainstream awareness lags behind rapid tech cycles.

  “When you go talk to a normal person outside of the Internet world, maybe they’ve started to use chatbots a little bit…” – Austin (06:04)

• Preferred Models:
  • Claude is praised for its show prep and creative Q&A capabilities.

    “Claude’s my favorite one right now... for prep it’s insane for guests.” – Sean (06:36)

  • ChatGPT is losing ground, with Gemini and others catching up.

3. AI Video, Faceless Content, and Platform Monetization

• AI Video Boom: Austin details platforms like Sora, VO3, and others, noting explosive growth for AI-generated videos on TikTok, IG, YouTube Shorts (10:23).
• YouTube’s Split Approach: YouTube penalizes some AI content but also promotes in-platform video creation tools. There’s tension between labeling AI and actual user behaviors (11:02).
• Monetization Myths: Ad revenue is minimal compared to affiliate marketing or direct business monetization. Many creators mistakenly focus only on platform payouts.

  “Ad revenue is arguably the worst... it’s peanuts.” – Sean (11:41)

  • Facebook is currently the top platform, with creators earning significant monthly figures, especially via bonuses for different formats (12:50).

4. Ethics and Dark Sides of AI

• AI Abuse: Stories surface about people faking food photos for refunds—an example of unethical AI use (13:31).

  “That’s the wrong way to use AI.” – Austin (13:44)

• Faceless Channels as Entry Points: Armstrong describes Syllabi’s role in enabling new creators, especially introverts, to test ideas safely before showing their face (20:44, 22:01).

  “It’s just a great starting point... a tool that helps you be more productive.” – Austin (21:01)

5. Content Saturation and Viral Success

• Marketplace Saturation: While content creation is more competitive, good content based on user engagement signals will always rise (22:32).

  “It’s a cliché, but the best time to start was 10 years ago; the second best is now.” – Austin (22:32)

• Virality as a Skill Not Luck: Both agree sustained virality is a function of skill, not just chance (23:53).

6. Practical AI Uses & Creator Tools

• Health & Research: Sean uses AI to analyze health data and prep for interviews, utilizing models like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, and Manus (15:53).
• Custom Tool Building: Austin built ThreadMaster using Manus, generating passive income via a SaaS that creates text thread content (27:11).
• Faceless Video & AI-generated Avatars: Armstrong discusses the limits and training requirements for quality digital avatars and deep fakes (46:10).

7. The AI “Dumbing Down” Debate

• AI’s Impact on Cognition: Discussing the hypothesis that heavy AI reliance may diminish certain brain functions. Both see parallels to calculators, GPS, and earlier tech—ultimately viewing AI as a net positive (28:27).

  “Taxi drivers know every route... are we more dumb because we don’t memorize street maps in our city?” – Austin (29:25)

• Technological Outsourcing Fears: They laugh about someone still using MapQuest in 2025 (29:36).

8. AI Movies, Deepfakes, and Intellectual Property

• Fan Creativity vs. IP Law: Austin explores the possibility of fans generating their own endings or crossovers using AI—raising legal and ethical issues (36:09).

  “What if we could create our own ending that we really enjoy as fans?... combine different animes?” – Austin (36:41)

• Virality, Hate, and Trolling: Both advocate leaning into online “hate” as comments drive algorithmic growth, finishing with practical advice for creators to embrace trolls for better reach (40:15, 43:13).

  “Baiting the trolls and leaning into that a little bit is just going to lift your content up 100%.” – Austin (43:27)

9. The Future for Creators and Personal Brands

• Creator-Led Businesses: Armstrong and Sean agree that creators owning their own products/services (versus relying on commissions) is where the future lies, predicting more “social capital” investments and brand-driven businesses (48:32).
• Consistency Over Time: The churn rate for creators is high; business skills and long-term thinking remain key (49:13).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The person that effectively uses AI is going to replace the person that’s hesitant to it.” – Austin (02:37)
• “It hasn’t peaked yet.” – Austin on AI adoption (06:36)
• “If your content is good, it’s quality. Baiting the trolls and leaning into that a little bit is just going to lift your content up 100%.” – Austin (43:27)
• On AI, ethics, and movie making: “What if we could create our own anime subplots or combine different animes?” – Austin (36:41)
• Sean: “I love the hate. It helps me in the algorithm because it’s based off comments... more comments, more viral you are.” (40:21)

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Important Timestamps

• [03:27] – Austin’s transition from digital marketing to AI
• [06:36] – State of AI adoption, Claude as preferred AI
• [11:02] – AI video monetization, YouTube’s approach
• [12:50] – The reality of platform earnings & Facebook bonuses
• [13:31] – Dark side: AI faking food photos for refunds
• [20:44] – Syllabi and faceless content revolution
• [22:32] – Thoughts on creator saturation vs. opportunity
• [27:11] – Building ThreadMaster via AI
• [28:27] – Debate: is AI making us dumber?
• [36:09] – Deepfakes, customizing content endings, and IP issues
• [43:27] – Embracing “rage bait” and hate for growth
• [48:32] – The future: creators as owners, not just affiliates
• [49:58] – Where to find Austin’s book, conference, and software

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Episode Flow Highlights

• The dialogue is fast-paced, candid, and loaded with actionable advice and humor.
• Sean leverages personal anecdotes (e.g., using AI for health, research) to anchor discussions in real-world terms.
• Austin provides transparency about his methods, revenue, and AI tool stack, giving listeners a blueprint for leveraging AI themselves.
• The pair isn’t afraid to wade into murky waters (AI’s downsides, reputation risks, deepfakes), but the tone stays realistic and optimistic.

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Conclusion

This episode is a must-listen for anyone curious about AI’s intersection with content creation, business, and personal development. Austin Armstrong dispels myths, offers tactical insights, and provides both cautionary tales and forward-thinking strategies for creators. Whether you’re looking for practical tools, ethical frameworks, or simply want to know where AI is taking us next, this conversation delivers honestly—and with no shortage of laughs.

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Transcript

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[Sean]

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[Austin Armstrong]

No, you don't understand.

[Sean]

It went perfectly.

[Austin Armstrong]

Real offer down to the penny.

[Sean]

They're picking it up tomorrow. Nothing went wrong.

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So what's the problem?

[Austin Armstrong]

That is the problem. Nothing in my life goes to smoothly. I'm waiting for the catch. Maybe there's no catch.

[Sean]

That's exactly what a catch would want me to think.

[IXL Advertiser]

Wow. You need to relax.

[Sean]

I need a knock on wood. Do we have wood Is this table wood?

[IXL Advertiser]

I think it's laminate.

[Sean]

Okay. Yeah, that's good.

[Austin Armstrong]

That's close enough.

[IXL Advertiser]

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[Kelly Norris]

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[Austin Armstrong]

Avoiding your unfinished projects because you're not sure where to start. Thumbtack knows homes, so you don't have to. Don't know the difference between matte paint, finish and satin or what that clunking sound from your dryer is.

[Sean]

With Thumbtack, you don't have to be

[Austin Armstrong]

a home pro, you just have to hire one. You can hire top rated pros, see price estimates and read reviews all on the app download today. I have a stance that AI is not going to replace you. The person that effectively uses AI is going to replace the person that's hesitant to it. And everybody has like self limiting beliefs that prevent them from taking action on something. And I think AI and faceless video, all of these tools are just a great entry point into the market. If your content is good, it's quality. Baiting the trolls and leaning into that a little bit is just going to lift Your content up 100%.

[Sean]

All right guys, we got Austin Armstrong here today. AI expert and author of this book right here. So thanks for coming to Vegas, man.

[Austin Armstrong]

Oh, Sean, it's a pleasure, man. It's a truly an honor. I'm just excited, excited to be here, man.

[Sean]

Yeah, you're, you're the guy for AI right now, huh? How did that happen?

[Austin Armstrong]

It's been, it's been a journey, man. The, the power is really in your personal brand, right? So you can, you can pivot that quite a lot. When I was really just starting to explode, it was on TikTok like five years ago, four and a half, five years ago. And for a long time I was, I was the TikTok guy and the content that was really blowing up for me was useful websites for business owners and entrepreneurs. Like these five websites feel illegal to know type of, type of stuff. Everyone hates that hook now. But so when, when these AI tools started to come out, Dall e and early chat, GPT and Jarvis, I saw a really natural pivot so I could switch over from just useful AI websites and tools for business owners entrepreneurs to AI tools for business owners and entrepreneurs and kind of just kept doing that. That was my top of the funnel oriented content. Heard you out there saying before, like affiliate marketing has been one of the biggest revenue sources for me too. I've been a big affiliate marketer for a long time and I started pushing some of these software tools and these AI tools. And I was getting pretty good commissions. And at the same time, I was like, I was running my marketing agency at the time. I was getting burned out on it quite a bit. Burned out.

[Sean]

Agency life is tough.

[Austin Armstrong]

It's tough, man.

[Sean]

12 years, a lot of customer service.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah. And so I kind of saw the writing on the wall of AI is going to be able to do a lot at a high level of what I do at my agency. And so I kind of made that decision of, do I wait and see what happens, watch it take my business away slowly and disrupt it, or do I lead into the storm and try and bet on this path? And I did. So I started my first AI software company about three years ago that's called Syllabi. And yeah, it's just. It's just continued to double down. I. I wrote this book, I have AI Marketing World Conference. I get on tons of podcasts and speaking engagements and it's just kind of snowballed.

[Sean]

Wow. Yeah. You went all in on AI and three years ago, I felt like, was somewhat early. Right.

[Austin Armstrong]

For AI on that, on that bell curve of adoption, would you say y.

[Sean]

Would you say now it's peaked, or do you think it has some more to go?

[Austin Armstrong]

I think it still has a long way to go for consumer adoption. I mean, because, like, we're in our own little echo chamber online.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Austin Armstrong]

I hang out with people that are in AI and I get caught in that trap of like, oh, Google just dropped the new model today. And if I'm like, busy and I can't talk about it in six hours, I'm like, shit, I'm late.

[Sean]

I missed the boat.

[Austin Armstrong]

I missed the boat.

[Sean]

That's how fast news cycles these days, though.

[Austin Armstrong]

I know, but like, when you, when you go talk to a normal person outside of the Internet world, like, maybe they've started to use chatbots a little bit.

[Sean]

Right.

[Austin Armstrong]

I've only recently started to hear people talk about Claude a little bit more like Gemini on your phone. Like, a recent update on my app has Nano Banana now on images that I can add on there. And so, like, it's starting to get more and more into the everyday world, but I think there's still a long way to go. We're not like, at the beginning anymore for sure, but. But it's. It hasn't peaked yet.

[Sean]

Yeah, Claude's my favorite one right now.

[Austin Armstrong]

Claude's amazing.

[Sean]

I mean, for. For prep. It's insane for guests. Like, it'll pull questions that, like, I. I don't see on any other AIs.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah, I I'm curious your thoughts. ChatGPT seems to have like gotten worse.

[Sean]

It's lost a step.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Sean]

Yeah. Some of the answers will be so generic. I don't know what happened.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah I don't even like they kind of fixed the M Dash thing a little bit but it just is not as good. I all these other models caught up. Gemini is is super good too. I think Google's probably going to win that AI race.

[Sean]

You think so?

[Austin Armstrong]

I think so. They caught up so quick.

[Sean]

I mean they have the money and the infrastructure with the Venmo debit card.

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[Austin Armstrong]

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[Sean]

Wish me luck. Me again. I put in the license plate.

[Austin Armstrong]

It gave me an offer. Unbelievable. Okay, I accepted the offer. They're picking it up Tuesday from the driveway.

[Sean]

I haven't even left my chair.

[Austin Armstrong]

It's done.

[Sean]

The car is gone. I'm holding a check anyway. Carvana. Give it a whirl.

[Austin Armstrong]

Love ya.

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[Austin Armstrong]

Pickup fees may apply and all the data.

[Sean]

Yeah, do you play with any of the overseas ones in China or you kind of just stick with the US ones?

[Austin Armstrong]

I mean, I've played with Deep Seek a little bit. I mean there's video models out there that are, that are really cool. Hailu has a video model. See Dance Mini Max. So some of those models are pretty cool. But yeah, my everyday use is either Claude Chat, GPT or Gemini right now.

[Sean]

Okay. Is so still popping because I remember when it came out you needed an invite code. It was really hard to get at first. Is it still pretty active?

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Yeah.

[Austin Armstrong]

I love what they did with the social media aspect. It really separated it. So it's available for everybody now. So rolled out on Android finally. I had super fomo. I'm an Android user.

[Sean]

Oh God.

[Austin Armstrong]

I know. I'm so sorry. End the interview now.

[Sean]

Well, it makes sense if you're an AI expert, I'll give you that. Right?

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah, I do have the Desk iPhone just for instances like this. But no, I rolled out for Android and so everybody can use it now. Videos are still exploding on tick tock, Instagram, YouTube shorts.

[Sean]

Yeah, I wonder what the monetization play there is with Sora. Like where do you think that could, that could go?

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah, I mean YouTube's an interesting one in particular right now because they're, they're kind of, they're, they're taking a two sided approach. They like are deleting a bunch of channels right now for AI, but, but also they have Google VO3 and they're giving you the ability to create AI videos right in YouTube. So that's going to Be an interesting one. All these platforms, TikTok and Instagram, have that little toggle to market as AI generated. Yeah, nobody really does it.

[Sean]

I don't watch it. I don't even look for that.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah, I don't even look for it either. It's just funny and entertaining. But it depends on how you look at monetization, too. I mean, like, just focusing on the ad revenue is arguably the worst.

[Sean]

Peanuts. Peanuts.

[Austin Armstrong]

Nothing.

[Sean]

Yeah, I. I tell creators because we know a lot of influencers and they're broke because they focus on just that. They don't build a business.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Sean]

And then when they get demonetized one day, their whole revenue stream is shot.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah. 100%. I mean, I've got influencer friends in Europe and monetization on. On Facebook hasn't even rolled out. Facebook's my number one platform, but a lot of the other countries outside of America, they just don't have monetization or it's lower than. Than our RMs over here. And so that's just such a misconception that that's the only way that new and aspiring content creators think that they can monetize.

[Sean]

Yeah. I would say prioritize affiliate at first. Do some other stuff.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Sean]

Like when I look at my business with the podcast, I would say money from the platforms is like, not even top five. And I get.

[Austin Armstrong]

Oh, yeah.

[Sean]

200 million views a month.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Sean]

You know what I mean.

[Austin Armstrong]

Congratulations.

[Sean]

Yeah, I know. You're crushing it too, though. Especially on Facebook, you said. And Facebook pays the best.

[Austin Armstrong]

I believe right now they do.

[Sean]

Yeah. They're even paying on photos, I heard.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah, yeah. Photos are really big. And this month, right now, they're doing like a 20 bonus.

[Sean]

Wow.

[Austin Armstrong]

For everything. So they're just throwing money at us.

[Sean]

You're crushing it. Congrats.

[Austin Armstrong]

Thank you. I've had a couple 10k months on Facebook.

[Sean]

That's huge. Just for posting.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Sean]

That's like unheard of. That's like my YouTube payout. That's really good for Facebook.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. The old platform, but yes, it's doing good. And I'm not even the top. I mean, I have some friends that are making like 30, 40K.

[Sean]

Damn.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Sean]

So they must be getting billions of views.

[Austin Armstrong]

I guess. Yeah. I'd love to take a look at their. Their analytics.

[Sean]

Depends on the industry too, I guess.

[Austin Armstrong]

Depends on the.

[Sean]

Look at us pocket watching.

[IXL Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Austin Armstrong]

I'm just jealous.

[Sean]

I did want to bring this up. I don't know if you saw this. A bunch of food review apps like Postmates and doordash. People were. You heard about this?

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Sean]

Oh, my God. That was crazy. Yeah.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah. Where they're, like, faking the raw meat and stuff. It's insane.

[Sean]

So they would take a photo of their food, throw it into. I say there's hair on it. Or to say the meat looks raw, rancid. And they would get a full refund.

[Austin Armstrong]

What's the matter with people? Yeah, that's integrity, man. That's messed up. That's the wrong way to use AI.

[Sean]

That's the complete wrong way. We're not advocating for that. Guys. I believe in karma. You know what I mean? 100%. Like, I barely leave. I barely do that, even if my food is messed up, you know?

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Sean]

I just. I just let it be.

[Austin Armstrong]

Usually you're going to be at heaven's doorstep and God's going to be like, you had a pretty good run, but what about this Uber Eats?

[Sean]

That's messed up. But that's how advanced AI is now. It can edit live photos.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Sean]

Crazy.

[Austin Armstrong]

It's anything now. Have you had a chance to play around with Nano Banana much? No, it's wild.

[Sean]

I haven't even heard of that one.

[Austin Armstrong]

That's so. It's in Gemini. So it's Google Gemini's image editor. And it's. It's. It's crazy. It can do anything. It's basically Photoshop. From prompting, you can recreate graphics, YouTube, thumbnails. It's fantastic at.

[Sean]

Oh, I need that.

[Austin Armstrong]

Basically anything.

[Sean]

So much for my thumbnail editors. I'm going to try that tonight, dude.

[Austin Armstrong]

It's so good. Put in a reference image, put in a headshot of you, give it some

[Sean]

examples, and when I tell my editors immediately. So editors.

[Austin Armstrong]

So sorry, everybody.

[Sean]

Well, editors need to just embrace it, I think.

[Austin Armstrong]

I think so, you know? Yeah.

[Sean]

Because if I'm paying you, you might as well be efficient.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah. And that's the whole thing, right. Is like I. I have a stance that AI is not going to replace you. The person that effectively uses AI is going to replace the person that's hesitant to it. So in your instance, I don't know how many thumbnail AB tests you're doing.

[Sean]

Three per video. Yeah.

[Austin Armstrong]

Like you could do Mr. Beast level 100.

[Sean]

Yeah, he does. I think Diary of a CEO does close to 102. Yeah, that's a good show.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Sean]

It's made me a much better podcast host AI because I'm able to research way more now. You know what I mean?

[Austin Armstrong]

What are some of your best practices?

[Sean]

Well, research is really important as a host because like you want to be asking interesting questions. So like I'll go on ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, perplexity, and Manus, and then I'll just draft a flow for the show, like a mock flow and pull interesting topics, you know.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah, yeah. Manus is an awesome one.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Austin Armstrong]

Gen Spark is another one that maybe put on your radar too. Yeah, it's kind of a competitor to. To Manus, like a super agent type thing.

[Sean]

I'll check that one out. It's also been phenomenal for my health, really. I import my blood work, I import my dental scans, my MRI into AI and it non objectively gives me really good health advice.

[Austin Armstrong]

And you trust it?

[Sean]

I mean. Yeah. Okay, well, it's. You can't trust 100% of it, obviously you got to do your own research. But I'll import it into all four and look for similarities.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah, you know, yeah, it's really better than WebMD saying like, oh my gosh, you have Ebola.

[Sean]

Yeah, I remember those days looking up one symptom.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah, my thumb is sore. Cancer.

[Sean]

Yeah. And it's so easy to believe it because you look at the symptom list and you got everything. Yeah, AI doesn't do that as bad, I guess. Starting something new is honestly terrifying. When I first launched the Digital Social Hour podcast, I remember thinking, what if nobody listens? What if all this work doesn't pay off? But sometimes you got to take that leap and build something anyway. If you're thinking about starting a business, launching merch or selling products online, Shopify makes that process incredibly simple. Shopify is the commerce platform behind millions of businesses worldwide and about 10% of all E commerce in the US it gives you everything you need to run your business in one place. From building a beautiful online store with ready to use templates to AI tools that help write product descriptions and improve product images. When it comes to marketing, Shopify makes it easy to create email and social media campaigns to reach customers wherever they're scrolling. Plus, they help manage everything from inventory and payments to analytics all in one dashboard. If you've been thinking about launching a brand, selling merch, or building an online business, it's time to turn those what ifs into Cha Ching with Shopify. Sign up for your $1 per month trial today at shopify.com DSC. Are you doing the faceless channel stuff?

[Austin Armstrong]

Oh, yeah.

[Venmo Advertiser]

With the Venmo debit card, a taco in one hand and ordering a ride in the other means you're stacking your rewards. Nice get up to 5% cash back with Venmo Stash on your favorite brands when you pay with your Venmo debit card. From takeout to ride shares, entertainment and more, pick a bundle with your go tos and start earning cash back at those brands. Venmo Stash Bundle terms and exclusions apply. See terms at venmo me stashterms max $100 cash back per month if you,

[Kelly Norris]

your parent or spouse served in the military, you could join our family. Our members saved an average of $70 a month on auto insurance when they switched. Tap the banner or visit usaa.com join today to check your eligibility restrictions apply. Noah bowl is a training brand built for everyday life and the All Day Knit is their most flexible shoe with a breathable knit upper. It's designed to move with you from workouts to long days on your feet to commuting or travel. Noble is offering 35% off your first order. Visit n o b u l l project.com and use code NOBLEAUDIO for 35% off your entire first order.

[IXL Advertiser]

This time of year, the school calendar really starts to fill up. Spring activities, testing season, and that final push toward the end of the year. It's a great moment for kids to stay focused and build confidence in what they're learning. That's where IXL comes in. IXL is an award winning online learning platform that helps kids truly understand their schoolwork, from math and reading to writing and science. It's designed for Pre K through 12th grade with personalized, interactive content that adapts to each child's level and pace. IXL makes it easy to stay on track with instant feedback and clear explanations, skills organized by grade level and simple progress tracking. It fits into even the busiest spring schedules. It's also trusted nationwide. In fact, IXL is used in 96 of the top 100 school districts in the U.S. make an impact on your child's learning. Get IXL now. Listeners can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when they sign up [e-mail] today. Visit ixl.com today to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price.

[Kelly Norris]

I'm Kelly Norris. People know my husband, Brian as a veteran, a leader and a man of strong values. But to me, he's a loving husband, a devoted father to our three beautiful daughters, and a faithful Christian who lives out his beliefs every day. For 21 years, Brian served our country in the Army. He understands sacrifice, duty and what it means to put others before himself. As Secretary of State, Brian will work to secure our elections, protect our constitutional rights, and serve Arkansas families with integrity. On March 31, I'd be honored to ask for your vote for Brian Norris in the Republican and runoff for secretary of state.

[Sean]

Arkansans choose Brian Norris.

[Austin Armstrong]

Brian Norris. Brian Norris.

[IXL Advertiser]

Brian Norris.

[Sean]

Brian Norris.

[Austin Armstrong]

Brian Norris. Brian Norris.

[Sean]

Brian Norris.

[Austin Armstrong]

Brian Norris.

[Sean]

Brian Norris. Brian Norris.

[IXL Advertiser]

Brian Norris.

[Sean]

Brian Norris.

[Austin Armstrong]

Brian Norris. Brian Norris. Brian Norris.

[Sean]

Brian Norris. Brian Norris.

[Austin Armstrong]

Brian Norris. Brian Norris.

[Sean]

On March 31, vote Brian Norris for Secretary of State. 84 by Norris for records.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah, so that's. That's a big part of my startup, Syllabi. It basically helps you create faceless videos. So we've even integrated Sora 2 and VO3 and seed dance and some of these models so we can test a lot of these trends out really quickly. But it's been, it's been amazing, man. And we've helped so many new and aspiring content creators get ideas out there, become monetized for the first time. They've been so scared to create their own content. And it's just a great starting point. It's not like a replacement for content at all. It's just a tool that helps you be more productive.

[Sean]

That's great.

[Austin Armstrong]

Amazing.

[Sean]

I'll be honest, that's why I waited so long to make content. I was a huge introvert, scared to put myself out there. Didn't do it for like probably eight years.

[Austin Armstrong]

Really? On Instagram, what was the switch for you?

[Sean]

I built up confidence through business success. Okay, so I wasn't just because I tried a podcast five years ago, total fail. It was total flop. And I didn't have the confidence, I didn't have the resume, I didn't have knowledge or connections to get guests. So built that up. Started again three years ago. And it worked this time, luckily, crushing it, man. But I was scared, bro. And like now a lot of. I noticed a lot of my guests that come on now, start off faceless, like, they'll be just faceless, build up hundreds of thousands of followers, and then they'll get the confidence to start putting their themselves out there.

[Austin Armstrong]

I think it's a great starting point just to get some ideas out there, test the market, get your feet wet a little bit, get out of your own way, and everybody has like their. Their self limiting beliefs that prevent them from taking action on something. And I think AI and faceless video, all of these tools are just a great entry point into the market.

[Sean]

I agree. Now let me get your take on this, because you hear that the creator marketplace is now saturated, right? Being an influencer is really hard.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Sean]

There's millions of podcasts, probably tons of AI experts. What do you think about that?

[Austin Armstrong]

I think good content rises to the top no matter how you make it, because largely it's based on user signals. So if I, and Yes, it is 100% saturated, but it's kind of, yes, it's been more saturated now than ever, but that's kind of always been an argument. I mean, like when I got started on TikTok four and a half, five years ago, I waited nine months of having Gary Vee shove it down my throat, get on this new platform and I thought it was too late. You know, it's like a cliche saying to say that the best time to start something was 10 years ago and the second best time to start it is now. And so don't be afraid of the saturation piece because it's only going to get more saturated for here. But it's user signals. I mean, what are the signals that create viral and engaging content? It's watch time, it's click through rate on the thumbnail, it's getting engagement. Having somebody watch that, that video or that post and share it with, with somebody or leave a comment that they resonate with it one way or the other. They like it, they don't like it. So it doesn't matter if a video is entirely made by me or made by a good content is going to rise to the top.

[Sean]

Agree. I no longer think going viral consistently is luck.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah, I think, I think it's, you know, you can stack the odds in your favor.

[Sean]

I think it's majority skill based. Obviously you'll get those one off viral videos like talk to a girl, whatever, shit like that Ashton Hall GU guy. But to continue to go viral I think takes skill.

[Austin Armstrong]

I, I, I agree. Quick side note here because I, I know you, you were in the crypto space for a little bit. What's your thoughts on the Hakua crypto?

[Sean]

Oh, that was a scam. Yeah, she, she didn't know what she was doing, bro. So many people fall for that. She ruined her career because of doing that. It's unfortunate. Yeah, she came on the show actually really before that happened and she had the potential to turn that into a

[Austin Armstrong]

career, I think, I think so too.

[Sean]

And I think the last thing I saw, she quit her part or what? I haven't followed up with it, but

[Austin Armstrong]

yeah, I just see the headlines and stuff because I think what she did was really smart, like turn it in, you know, she disappeared for a little Bit. So there was, like, finding that my Steve. Yeah.

[Sean]

Well, she didn't even have an Instagram at first when the video. Really? Yeah, I think that's what it was.

[Austin Armstrong]

Oh.

[Sean]

And then she decided to go all in.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah. Yeah, go in. Partner with Jake Paul and his production crew or something like that. And started that podcast.

[Sean]

But you could mess up your reputation so fast these days.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah. You know, as fast as you gain.

[Sean]

It's so impressive how, like, did you see that one prankster that was shooting the opossums on his catapult? No. Oh, you didn't see that?

[Austin Armstrong]

I've seen that. Oh, my God.

[Sean]

I think his name's Ross Creations.

[Austin Armstrong]

Oh, I know Ross. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I love his content.

[Sean]

I love his pranks. He's. Yeah, he's always been like. Yeah, he's always been the one prankster that, like, never got canceled, never did anything wrong for, like, 10 years.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Sean]

And then two weeks ago, he. I don't know what the hell he was thinking, but. Oh, no. Ten years of hard work down the drain.

[Austin Armstrong]

Oh, that's such a bummer. I'll have to look into that. No, I love his content.

[Sean]

I love. His pranks are hilarious.

[Austin Armstrong]

I. I saw you had Brendan on. Brendan's great, too, the other day. Like, you know, peak. Peak Tik Tok time. Like, I was.

[Sean]

He was getting a billion views a month.

[Austin Armstrong]

That's insane.

[Sean]

During that peak time. And I feel like every. Every platform has that cycle. Like, now it's Instagram trials.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Sean]

And who knows what will be next after that? Maybe it could be Facebook again. It kind of, like, flows, I noticed. Yeah, I know. TikTok was hot for a while.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah, that's. That's the biggest thing, too. I'm glad you brought that up. Because if you want to have success on social media, people think that it's just you're going to do one thing for. For 30 days and you're going to have a lot of success, and then you've made it, and that's just not the case. I mean, I've been doing this 21 years, man. Like these. There's seasons of growth and then there's seasons of learning, and all of the algorithms shift constantly. Trial reels work great, but then it might just be carousel posts for a while. Facebook text posts have been crushing it for me for, like, the last nine months.

[Sean]

Are you making those texts yourselves or using AI?

[Austin Armstrong]

I'm using AI for them now. Um, so I used to write them, and then I started using chat GPT tasks to Automate them for me.

[Sean]

Wow.

[Austin Armstrong]

And then have you, have you dived down the vibe coding rabbit hole?

[Sean]

No, it is.

[Austin Armstrong]

Okay. So you can basically create your own software tools now with, with AI just by typing what you want to do.

[Sean]

That's crazy. So you can make your own website now?

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah, yeah. So using Manus, actually, I made one called Thread Master.

[Sean]

Wow.

[Austin Armstrong]

And it basically just lets you type in any topic and it spits out that text thread. And I indexed a lot of my top text threads in there, but dude, it. It has like 2000 users subscribers. I charge like 5.5 bucks a month for it.

[Sean]

About passive income, baby.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And it's like 98% profit margin because it's just like hosting cost and LM cost. But that's how I create these text. These text threads. So I was using AI to generate the text threads, but then I'm like, well, let me just vibe code my own software tool to make it even easier and then sell that tool. And so that's the other power of AI. And then like it becomes an incestuous thing where I'll post a comment like, this thread was made by Thread Master. Yeah. And so it just. The post itself fuels virality and sales for the tool that created it.

[Sean]

That's incredible. Did you see the AI episode on Diary of a CEO? It was like a debate about the brain usage. And I link not.

[Austin Armstrong]

I saw. Yeah. Was that recent?

[Sean]

It was like a month ago, I think.

[Austin Armstrong]

I don't think I saw that one. I've been watching a lot of. Of his episodes recent. Recently there was. I watched the one with the ex. Google.

[Sean]

Okay. I think I saw that one too.

[Austin Armstrong]

Guy where he. Yeah, he's basically like, UBI is the only. Yeah, but yeah, no, no, the debate was interesting. Really.

[Sean]

So there's new studies about how people that use AI a lot are using less of their brain, like certain parts of their brain. So there's a hypothesis with some people in the scientific community that they're basically saying, like, we're becoming dumber because we're relying on AI. But you can make the same argument about technology too, and whatever was before that.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah, I mean, my, my teacher in middle school said the same thing about using calculators.

[Sean]

Yeah, calculators. Yeah, exactly. You can make the same argument about anything.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Sean]

And I think overall, I don't, I don't see the downside to it.

[Austin Armstrong]

I think it's going to be more ups. I mean, anything that you solely rely on is going to take you away from, from like Thinking yourself like, you know, the GPS is another example. Right. Like, taxi drivers know every single route, but they still kind of use GPS and Ubers and whatnot. Like, are we more dumb because we don't memorize the street maps in our city?

[Sean]

Yeah. No, I would argue the opposite. Because then we're not wasting brain space on that.

[Austin Armstrong]

Exactly.

[Sean]

Because we only have a limited amount of space in our brain.

[Austin Armstrong]

Exactly.

[Sean]

To remember things.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Sean]

One of my guests pulled up to the studio using MapQuest.

[Austin Armstrong]

No way.

[Sean]

How to print it out?

[Austin Armstrong]

No way.

[Sean]

Yeah. Still, I was like, holy.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Sean]

This was like a year ago. But yeah, my gosh.

[Austin Armstrong]

To prove a point. Or is that just how they live?

[Sean]

He's old school. That's how he rolls like that. Graham Hancock.

[Austin Armstrong]

Graham Hancock uses MapQuest.

[Sean]

Yeah. Wow. Yeah. Printed out MapQuest and then he had a phone number written on the back. It might have been mine, but yeah, super old school.

[Venmo Advertiser]

With the Venmo debit card, a taco in one and ordering a ride in the other means you're stacking your rewards. Nice. Get up to 5% cash back with Venmo stash on your favorite brands when you pay with your Venmo debit card. From takeout to ride shares, entertainment and more, pick a bundle with your go tos and start earning cash back at those brands. Venmo stash bundle terms and exclusions apply. See terms at Venmo me stash terms max $100 cash back per month.

[Kelly Norris]

If you, your parent or spouse served in the military, you could join our family. Our members saved an average of $70 a month on auto insurance when they switched. Tap the banner or visit usaa.com join today to check your eligibility restrictions apply. Knowable is a training brand built for everyday life. And the All Day Knit is their most flexible shoe. With a breathable knit upper, it's designed to move with you from workouts to long days on your feet to commuting or traveling. Noble is offering 35% off your first order. Visit n o b u l l project.com and use code NOBLAUDIO for 35% off your entire first order.

[IXL Advertiser]

This time of year, the school calendar really starts to fill up. Spring activities, testing season, and that final push toward the end of the year. It's a great moment for kids to stay focused and build confidence in what they're learning. That's where IXL comes in. IXL is an award winning online learning platform that helps kids truly understand their schoolwork. From math and reading to writing and science. It's designed for Pre K through 12th grade. With personalized interactive content that adapts to each child's level and pace, IXL makes it easy to stay on track. With instant feedback and clear explanations. Skills organized by grade level, and simple progress tracking, it fits into even the busiest spring schedules. It's also trusted nationwide. In fact, IXL is used in 96 of the top 100 school districts in the U.S. make an impact on your child's learning. Get IXL now. Listeners can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when they sign up [e-mail] today. Visit ixl.com today to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price.

[Austin Armstrong]

My name is MacKenzie and I started a GoFundMe for the adoptive mother of a nonverbal autistic child. The mother had lost her job because she wasn't able to find adequate care for this autistic child. So she really needed some help with living expenses, paying some back bills. So I launched a GoFundMe to help support them during this crisis. And we raised about $10,000 within just a couple of months. I think that the surprising thing was by telling a clear story and just like really being very clear about what we needed, we had some really generous donations from people who were really moved by the situation that this family was struggling with.

[Kelly Norris]

GoFundMe is the world's number one fundraising

[IXL Advertiser]

platform, trusted by over 200 million people.

[Kelly Norris]

Start your GoFundMe today at gofundme.com that's gofundme.com gofundme.com this podcast is supported by GoFundMe.

[Austin Armstrong]

What? Brilliant guy.

[Sean]

Yeah. I was like, this is one of the smartest guys in the world.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah, yeah. I've seen him on Joe Rogan a couple times.

[Sean]

Yeah, yeah. That was a fun episode. Wow.

[Austin Armstrong]

That. That's mind blowing. I didn't think anybody still used MapQuest.

[Sean]

Same. I almost. Yeah. Shout out to. He owns it, man. Graham Hancock.

[Austin Armstrong]

He secretly is an investor in Map, so he's slowly bringing it back.

[Sean]

It could be, man. Now, AI is going to be driving us everywhere we need to go, right? It already is.

[Austin Armstrong]

I think so, yeah. They have those. I took a Waymo out in Austin, Texas.

[Sean]

Those are out here now.

[Austin Armstrong]

And what are the. What are those, like, rounded taxi things out here?

[Sean]

I forget what company that is, but they're everywhere.

[Austin Armstrong]

I see all the time. You take it one yet?

[Sean]

No, I see them all the time, though. But Teslas are going to start. I believe they're going to launch their own interface. I Mean, I have the self driving on my Tesla.

[Austin Armstrong]

You like it, you use it.

[Sean]

It's weird, I'm not going to lie. But yeah, it works.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah. The first time I took away Mo, I was in the passenger seat and just the. Want to grab that getting so bad, like, oh, it's turning. I was filming.

[Sean]

It does feel unnatural, right?

[Austin Armstrong]

It feels. It feels weird.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Austin Armstrong]

But no, it's. I think it's super convenient. I think in theory it's going to save a lot of lives and speed up traffic because everything will be systematized. Get rid of drunk drivers, get rid of distracted and idiot drivers that don't know how to drive.

[Sean]

I've been in a couple Uber accidents, actually.

[Austin Armstrong]

Really?

[Sean]

Yeah. Have you?

[Austin Armstrong]

I've been pulled over in an Uber multiple times, but not in an accident.

[Sean]

Okay. That's still inconvenient. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Human error is always going to be. I think it's safer to fly than drive. I believe, like, it's safer to be on a plane than to be driving a car.

[Austin Armstrong]

I believe that. Yeah.

[Sean]

And people have the opposite fear. They're like really scared of flying.

[Austin Armstrong]

I don't. Why is that?

[Sean]

Maybe movies. I don't know, some subconscious programming plane. Yeah, that was a good movie. That was a great movie. They gotta make a second one. I don't know if they did, but. Yeah, I don't watch. I miss innocent movies like. Like the Adam Sandler. The old Adam.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah. Oh, they were.

[Sean]

They don't make those anymore. Right. His new ones don't hit the same.

[Austin Armstrong]

No. You know, no, everything. Like, last good ones. Click Clicker's a classic. Yeah.

[Sean]

Happy Gilmore.

[Austin Armstrong]

Happy Gilmore. Oh, Happy Gilmore too. Was pretty.

[Sean]

That was pretty good. Yeah. It's because it was part of Happy Gilmore. What else? AI is going to be making movies now.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Sean]

The deep fakes. They're not going to need actors anymore.

[Austin Armstrong]

No, that's. That's pretty interesting. I mean, like, have you. Have you looked at Sora a lot? So, you know, on Sora too, the cameo feature. Right. Where you can just create a scene with any cameo person that's given permission.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Austin Armstrong]

And that technology is getting longer and longer and longer and so, you know. Yeah, to your point. Exactly. I mean, it's going to be able to create entire scenes, then it's going to become IP Law.

[Sean]

That's nuts.

[Austin Armstrong]

I kind of. Yeah.

[Sean]

Do you worry about that? Like the deep fake stuff?

[Austin Armstrong]

I do, but I'm. I'm also kind of interested in it. In. In some ways I'm trying to articulate this in a way to not get canceled. But, like, I like anime.

[Sean]

Yeah. Love anime.

[Austin Armstrong]

And there's so many. And there's so many, like, TV shows and movies that. Like Game of Thrones, for instance. Like, everybody basically hated the ending of that.

[Sean]

Yeah. Hated it.

[Austin Armstrong]

Well, what if we could create our own ending that we really enjoy as fans? What if we can create our own anime subplots or combine different animes? So, like, there were. There was no IP restriction on 90s anime when I was trying. So, like, I took a scene from Yu. Yu Hakusho in Inuyasha and put him in the Dark Tournament.

[Sean]

That's dope.

[Austin Armstrong]

And I'm like, oh, that would be an awesome fight.

[Sean]

That's so dope.

[Austin Armstrong]

And so, like, yeah, I. I get it. That that wasn't the artist's vision for that story and respect. But like. And maybe if I can't monetize it, maybe, like, if I want to use it for my own internal purposes, like if I want to recreate Dragon Ball for myself. I don't know. That sounds maybe kind of cool. Yeah, maybe I'm in the minority there.

[Sean]

I'd be curious what people think of that. I mean, I love Yu Hakusha. That's a classic Dark Tournament. I still watch it once a year, bro.

[Austin Armstrong]

One of the best.

[Sean]

I still watch it on YouTube. Yeah, he. He.

[Austin Armstrong]

He is the guy. There was that one. There's that one scene with. With Yusuke, and I forget the other guy's name, but they have, like, a knife fight. They, like, put a knife behind their. Their feet and they're just like, oh,

[Sean]

yeah, I know who you're talking about.

[Austin Armstrong]

Until someone goes out.

[Sean]

Yeah. Skinny Face guy. I forget.

[Austin Armstrong]

So badass.

[Sean]

Yeah. No, that. That arc, the Dark Tournament arc was top five anime arcs.

[Austin Armstrong]

All, I think.

[Sean]

So I think with you, I think Bleach Soul Society, the first arc I haven't gotten into. Watch Bleach.

[Austin Armstrong]

Watch Bleach or. Or. Or One Piece.

[Sean]

I'm never watching One Piece.

[Austin Armstrong]

It's too late too. I'm too late.

[Sean]

Way too late. What are they on, like, episode 2000 something? They got more episodes than I have. Podcasts.

[Austin Armstrong]

I. I believe it.

[Sean]

Because they've been around for like 15 years an episode a week or whatever.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah, you'd have to watch it for like three hours a day for like 10 years.

[Sean]

Yeah. If you want to watch them all. But there's a site that tells you the filler episodes and then tells you what not to watch.

[Austin Armstrong]

Okay. So I did hear a rumor on that one. That they're remaking it at some point.

[Sean]

One piece.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah. The anime starting stuff. And so if that ever happens, I'll start from.

[Sean]

Okay, that makes sense.

[Austin Armstrong]

Start from there.

[Sean]

That makes sense. That.

[Austin Armstrong]

But yeah, I mean in, in general, like IP for. For AI and. And deep fakes. I think if it should be on the individual to give their permission or not. I think.

[Sean]

Yeah. Jake Paul was caught up in this, right?

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah. Yeah. So you can use Jake Paul in sword too.

[Sean]

And he got a lot of views from it.

[Austin Armstrong]

Absolutely.

[Sean]

Even though they were making him look as dumb as possible, he didn't care.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Sean]

I honestly agree with him.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah. I mean especially in our world of, of social and virality. Like look at Andrew Tate.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Austin Armstrong]

Right. Controversial character. But he, he blew up online and it like, I think it helped him and his cause.

[Sean]

He was able to monetize.

[Austin Armstrong]

You know, he's able to monetize.

[Sean]

I think long big picture, it did more good than harm. I know he ended up in jail and stuff.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah, there's controversial there. But, but like, you know, that's a, that's a, that's an example of like bad pr.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Austin Armstrong]

That still lifted him up for, for his individual use case for it. So I, I really can. It's kind of a cop out answer, but I could go either way on it.

[Sean]

I think for the most part they. The classic thing of like all PR is good pr unless you're like raping or like doing child. Weird child stuff.

[Venmo Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Sean]

Like there's definitely a limit to it, but overall you could turn any narrative into positive if you're not doing wild shit, you know.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah. Just don't do wild.

[Sean]

Yeah. But I think it's good to be polarizing because you want, you actually want haters.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah. Contrary to popular belief, I should wear my shirt. I have a shirt that says troll the trolls.

[Sean]

Yeah. I love the hate. Like I get so much hate. And it helps me in the algorithm because it's based off comments. Like the more comments you get, the more Viral you are.

[Austin Armstrong]

100%. I have a whole chapter in the, in the book about that. But yeah, that's, that's the thing that, that most people don't recognize is trolls are inevitable. If you're creating content online, you have to understand that there's going to be people that disagree with you.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Austin Armstrong]

And the basement dwellers that like we should have empathy for because they have nothing else going with the Venmo debit

[Venmo Advertiser]

card attack on one hand and ordering a ride in the other means you're stacking your rewards. Nice. Get up to 5% cash back with Venmo Stash on your favorite brand brands when you pay with your Venmo debit card. From takeout to ride tiers, entertainment and more. Pick a bundle with your go tos and start earning cash back at those brands. Venmo Stash Bundle terms and exclusions apply. See terms at Venmo Me stash terms max $100 cash back per month.

[Sean]

USAA knows Dynamic Duos can save the day like superheroes and Sidekicks or auto and home insurance. With usaa you can bundle your auto and home and and save up to 10%. Tap the banner to learn more and get a'@usaa.com bundle restrictions apply.

[Austin Armstrong]

Oh no.

[Sean]

My coffee brawny here new brawny 3

[Austin Armstrong]

ply is now more absorbent. Wow.

[IXL Advertiser]

Got a clean shirt.

[Sean]

Do you wear plaid?

[Austin Armstrong]

Some of the strongest.

[Kelly Norris]

Noah bowl is a training brand built for everyday life and the All Day Knit is their most flexible shoe with a breathable knit upper. It's designed to move with you from workouts to long days on your feet to commuting or travel. Noble is offering 35% off your first order. Visit n o b u l l project.com and use code NOBLAUDIO for 35% off your entire first order.

[IXL Advertiser]

This time of year, the school calendar really starts to fill up. Spring activities, testing season and that final push toward the end of the year. It's a great moment for kids to stay focused and build confidence in what they're learning. That's where IXL comes in. IXL is an award winning online learning platform that helps kids truly understand their schoolwork from math and reading to writing and science. It's designed for Pre K through 12th grade with personalized interactive content that adapts to each child's level and pace. IXL makes it easy to stay on track with instant feedback and clear explanations, skills organized by grade level and simple progress tracking. It fits into even the busiest spring schedules. It's also trusted nationwide. In fact, IXL is used in 96 of the top 100 school districts in the US. Make an impact on your child's learning. Get IXL now. Listeners can get an exclusive 20 off IXL membership when they sign up today at ixcel.com forward slash today. Visit ixl.com forward slash today to get the most effective learning program out there

[Austin Armstrong]

at the best price on in their life.

[Sean]

Yeah, I used to be one.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah, used to be Internet troll.

[Sean]

I used to live in my mom's basement. Pretty much I was never like, like maliciously trolling, though.

[Austin Armstrong]

Okay.

[Sean]

It was more just like, I'm a loser. You know what I mean? But I wouldn't like, project it out like some people do.

[Austin Armstrong]

A lot of people project that out, but it literally helps. It helps your content reach more people. Like, if you're. If your content is. Is good, it's quality. Baiting the trolls and leaning into that a little bit is just going to lift your content up 100%.

[Sean]

There's a reason I post the clips. I do. Yeah, I know. They call it rage baiting.

[Austin Armstrong]

Oh, yeah.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Austin Armstrong]

I'm a big rage baiter.

[Sean]

Yeah. But people still fall for it.

[Austin Armstrong]

Every time. I did a post on Facebook the other day, I just said, elon Musk was right. I thought.

[Sean]

And that went viral.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Sean]

That's funny.

[Austin Armstrong]

Just. No, no. Other.

[Sean]

Yeah. He is so polarizing. Ever since he got into politics, he's been like the most polarizing man. And people probably thought you were talking about his comment about Nick Fuentes.

[Austin Armstrong]

So they were like, oh, people went wild in the comments.

[Sean]

Yeah. Because he called Fuentes a fed.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah. I mean, they. Yeah, people. People make up their own narrative.

[Sean]

Yeah, that's smart, dude. I gotta try that one out.

[Austin Armstrong]

Wow. Just anybody that's in the news right now. Yeah, it doesn't matter what they say.

[Sean]

So are you doing all your own posting or is AI completely taken over at this point?

[Austin Armstrong]

No, no, I. I'm. I mostly post my own stuff. I will. Will do the text posts.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Austin Armstrong]

I'll use AI for some images sometimes to test, like, carousels. Complementary. But a lot of the content is. Is me.

[Sean]

That's cool. What are some cool ways you've seen AI be used? Just whether it's yourself or people you've seen.

[Austin Armstrong]

We were talking about this a little bit earlier. Like, I love the, like, kind of prank videos that are coming out of sora. Yeah. And VO3 of like. Like, it's kind of dark humor, but I think. Dark humor, but like the, The. The, like chiropractor with. With old ladies breaks the table, it hurts. And he'll like, hold on tight and throws her out the window.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Austin Armstrong]

Or like someone. Like the. The Ring Doorbell videos where they'll. They'll like, open the door and it'll be like just a pile of puppies in the blankets and they'll bring it in and then just explosion.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Austin Armstrong]

Just. Yeah. All kinds of crazy stuff.

[Sean]

You could get wild. The. I put my. I filmed the video for Sora. My videos don't look insane. Maybe I did it wrong. Do yours look pretty much like you when you do the store videos?

[Austin Armstrong]

Pretty good.

[Sean]

Really?

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah. I think how they have. How they train your cameo is really impressive, but I don't think it's enough data. So it's like, you know, you look 30 seconds down and you. You say like four numbers on the screen or whatever, and that's enough to train it. But did you ever train an avatar in Heyen or Synthesia or any of these tools to do it really quality, you need like 30 minutes.

[Sean]

Damn.

[Austin Armstrong]

Of footage.

[Sean]

Okay.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah, it can be less. It'll be. It'll be pretty decent. But to get a really high quality avatar that looks like you, like, don't. I'm not saying do this, don't do this. But you could basically model your podcast and run it for a long time and around with. With your own avatar.

[Sean]

Might have to have a backup plan, you know?

[Austin Armstrong]

You know, it's. It's pretty crazy, but that would probably. Probably be the reason why it doesn't. So, like, what looks off about it?

[Sean]

So I might have recorded it wrong, first of all, because there was a glare in my glasses when I did the video, but I was like, hey, make a video of me shooting a basketball three pointer like Steph Curry and celebrating and it just didn't look like me. Maybe it was too much motion. Yeah, like, basketball is pretty intense.

[Austin Armstrong]

Like, did like, height wise.

[Sean]

Your face wise Height looked fine because I think they modeled a basketball player in real life and then put my face on him.

[Austin Armstrong]

Okay.

[Sean]

So it was about my height. Face wise was way off and the voice was a little off.

[Austin Armstrong]

Gotcha.

[Sean]

But I'll redo it. I'm sure they've gotten better. It's been a couple months since I tried that.

[Austin Armstrong]

I would redo it. And also, like, we're our own worst critics as well. So, like, we're also going to notice, like. And I haven't seen the videos, so I don't know if it's like, like ridiculous.

[Sean]

No, it was way off.

[Austin Armstrong]

Okay.

[Sean]

But maybe I should start with a simpler concept too. That was pretty. Pretty bold.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Sean]

You know, I keep.

[Austin Armstrong]

I'd keep trying.

[Sean]

Yeah, I wanted to get one of me dunking too. That would have been sick.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah, dunk on Jake Paul.

[Sean]

Yeah, dunk on Jake Paul. That'd be dope.

[Austin Armstrong]

Do you think the Anthony Joshua fight's going to happen?

[Sean]

I don't know. That guy cancels. I don't know if it's him canceling fights or whatever, but his past few opponents have canceled. So who knows? One guy got arrested by ice I saw after.

[Austin Armstrong]

Really?

[Sean]

Yeah. I think his last opponent didn't have a citizenship.

[Austin Armstrong]

Oh man.

[Sean]

That guy's always in some controversy. But he, he's so good at like monetizing it. You got to respect it.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah. He's him and him and his and his brother Logan are just the ultimate trend hackers.

[Sean]

I just saw yesterday Jake's fund, anti fund, I believe it's called Two Unicorns Already.

[Austin Armstrong]

Wow.

[Sean]

One of them exited and he must have got a lot off that. And then the other one's worth like tens of billions.

[Austin Armstrong]

Is he throwing his personal brand on it to lift him up?

[Sean]

Yeah, he's the, he's a GP in the fund.

[Austin Armstrong]

Wow. I think that's where better did better is better.

[Sean]

One of them might be that. I know he's part of that. And Logan just announced he's a partner. I think that's where the future of creators are going to go to.

[Austin Armstrong]

I totally agree.

[Sean]

Social capital.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah. Yeah. That's, that's like my 10 year goal actually. Like I've had so much success starting my own company because I had success like being an affiliate marketer and I got to a point I'm like, well, why, why am I doing this for 20, 30% commission. Yeah. Own the company.

[Sean]

That's where I'm at too.

[Austin Armstrong]

And blow it up. Yeah. You could blow up, you could blow up your own software tools.

[Sean]

Yeah.

[Austin Armstrong]

But I believe so heavily in that model because I've seen it work so many times and I have friends that are doing it now and all of, we're, all of us are blowing our tools up. And so I think investing in personal brand creators that have products and services as, and, and, and software is just gonna be a huge winning market.

[Sean]

I agree. I think it takes a unique creator because like most creators are inherently lazy, I think, or they get complacent at a certain level.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Sean]

And a lot of them don't have the business acumen.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Sean]

They're good at content creation but they don't have the business hat.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah, yeah, totally.

[Sean]

So it takes like a special person.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah. And that's why you see people like come and go because if they're solely reliant on, on ad revenue, once they get burned out, they don't have another source of income.

[Sean]

Right.

[Austin Armstrong]

They have nothing else to do.

[Sean]

Yeah. I've seen so many come and go over the years. It's actually insane. It's probably like 95 of creators.

[Austin Armstrong]

Sad.

[Sean]

Yeah. But I, that's probably Any business, right?

[Austin Armstrong]

I think so. Yeah.

[Sean]

Like the cream will always rise to the top, like we said.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah. Consistency matters.

[Sean]

Yeah, for sure. Where can people get your. Your software and all that? Keep up with you.

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah. Syllabi IO S Y L L A B Y dot IO if they want to check that out. Helps you save 70% of your video production time and costs. And my name is Austin Armstrong. I'm pretty much everywhere.

[Sean]

Perfect. And you got a conference and the book too. We'll link. When's the conference?

[Austin Armstrong]

Yeah, so it just happened, but October 21st through 24th, it's going to be in Dallas, Texas. And yeah, my book Virality is available everywhere. Amazon, Barnes and Noble, anywhere you go.

[Sean]

I'd love to film pods at the next conference, by the way.

[Austin Armstrong]

Oh, would love to, man. Let's have that combo.

[Sean]

I do that at the AI4 conference in Vegas.

[Austin Armstrong]

Would love to have that.

[Sean]

Awesome, man. We'll talk about it. All right, guys, check him out. Check out the book. Check out the conference. See you guys next time. Peace. Thanks for watching to the end, guys. Please comment below your thoughts on the episode if you agree. If you disagree, I'd love to hear it. I read every single comment. Means a lot to me. Thank you so much.

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[Sean]

Nice.

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[Sean]

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[IXL Advertiser]

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[Kelly Norris]

I'm Kelly Norris. People know my husband Brian as a veteran, a leader and a man of strong values. But to me, he's a loving husband, a devoted father to our three three beautiful daughters, and a faithful Christian who lives out his beliefs every day. For 21 years, Brian served our country in the Army. He understands sacrifice, duty and what it means to put others before himself. As Secretary of State, Brian will work to secure our elections, protect our constitutional rights, and serve Arkansas families with integrity. On March 31, I'd be honored to ask for your vote for Brian Norris in the Republican runoff for Secretary of State.

[Sean]

Arkansans choose Brian Norris.

[Austin Armstrong]

Brian Norris. Brian Norris.

[IXL Advertiser]

Brian Norris.

[Sean]

Brian Norris.

[Austin Armstrong]

Brian Norris. Brian Norris.

[Sean]

Brian Norris.

[Austin Armstrong]

Brian Norris.

[Sean]

Brian Norris. Brian Norris.

[Kelly Norris]

Brian Norris.

[Sean]

Brian Norris.

[Austin Armstrong]

Brian Norris. Brian Norris. Brian Norris. Brian Norris.

[Sean]

Brian Norris.

[Austin Armstrong]

Brian Norris. Brian Norris.

[Sean]

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