Podcast Summary: Soapbox Sessions – "How Can AI Help"

Date: March 19, 2026
Hosts: Derek Ross (B), Heather Larson (A)
Main Theme:
A candid conversation exploring the evolving role of AI tools (bots, agents, assistants) in productivity, mental health, and daily work—especially in the decentralized Nostr community. The hosts debate AI's benefits and drawbacks, discuss managing "cyberpsychosis" (AI addiction), and give updates on Nostr and Bitcoin tools.

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into how artificial intelligence (AI)—from chatbots to agent workflows—is shaping productivity, work-life boundaries, mental health, and the wider decentralized internet landscape (via Nostr and related apps). Derek and Heather share personal experiences and debate the fine line between utility and overdependence. They touch on technical tips, community trends, and new product launches, offering insights valuable for both newcomers and seasoned techies.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Rise (and Risks) of Bots on Nostr

• Heather's Intervention: Heather teases Derek for being obsessed with his bots, coining the term "cyberpsychosis" for over-reliance on AI agents.
  Quote: "Your bot, more than you're interacting with people. You've got it running your Twitter, you've got it screwing with your Noster. There's too much bot, Derek. There's too much bot." (A, 01:12)
• Derek confesses that his lowest bot usage is "ever going to have," hinting at inevitable further integration.
  Timestamps: [01:12–02:13]

2. Are We Suffering from Cyberpsychosis?

• Playful debate over whether "cyberpsychosis" is a real disorder, with Heather suggesting tech burnout is on the horizon, while Derek argues bots are just tools.
• Quote: "I think it's a real condition. ... It's not a real diagnosis yet. It could be if we give it a little time." (A, 04:45)
  Timestamps: [03:14–05:04]

3. AI Tools: Productivity Boost or Burnout Catalyst?

• Balance Discussion: Both hosts struggle with finding the right balance between using AI to be productive and falling into workaholism or over-optimization.
• AI helps Derek work on the go—he codes or takes notes via voice while taking walks.
• Heather admits to being burned out, and fears AI makes her "work harder" and fuels her workaholic tendencies. Quote: "Workaholics need to be careful. ... If you're somebody that is a workaholic, you will use these tools to fuel your addiction. I will do more work. Absolutely." (B, 08:25)
  Timestamps: [06:23–09:53]

4. The "Honeymoon Phase" of AI Adoption

• Both recognize a phase of frenetic experimentation with every tool and idea, followed by settling into regular workflows. Quote: "You use the honeymoon phase as an education, kind of like on the job training. ... And now you can hone these skills in and maybe not be a workaholic anymore because you're through with the education phase." (B, 10:39)
  Timestamps: [10:39–12:39]

5. When to Rely On AI… and When to Hire a Human

• Heather considers hiring a real assistant, recognizing the limits of current automation and the mounting expenses of multiple AI tools. Quote: "Maybe it is cheaper to hire a person than have this, you know, massive tech stack that I am now addicted to of monthly subs." (A, 13:40)
  Timestamps: [13:06–15:13]

6. AI Hallucinations & Workflow Tips

• Heather notes ongoing issues with AI hallucinations—incorrect or nonsensical information—especially on analytics. Derek claims proper prompting, specific "skills," and file organization can mitigate this.
• Explaining "skills": Saving and reusing instruction sets for frequent tasks. Quote: “Skill is a fine tuned set of instructions ... So if you're constantly telling AI, do this, ... you don't want to have to retrain it every time you close the app.” (B, 22:11)
  Timestamps: [16:32–24:31]

7. The Evolution of Prompting & Democratization of AI Skills

• They look back on the "prompt library" era, which has shifted as interfaces improve and spoken commands become more common. Now, conversational interaction is valued over rigidly crafted prompts. Quote: “...We're beyond prompting with words now. Claude also has voice. People need to understand Claude's skills ... there's a lot of jargon, don't you think?” (A, 26:26)
  Timestamps: [24:31–29:03]

8. AI for Non-Techies: Accessibility & Community Hubs

• OpenClaw and other open-source tools are being distributed at global grassroots meetups—especially for activists—as a means to give less technical users access to privacy-first tooling.
  Quote: "Literally hundreds of people, nerds like me, are going around and just installing Open Claw for people ... you show up, you say 'I want to be down with the claw,' and somebody says, 'Okay, go over to that nerd over there.' ... That’s what these events are." (B, 30:16)
  Timestamps: [29:03–33:33]

9. Setting Boundaries: Work, Notifications, and Touching Grass

• Heather establishes strict screen-time limits and avoids notification-heavy apps to maintain work-life balance.
• Both joke about trading one addiction (e.g., AI, work, golf) for another.
  Quote: "I'm at a point where ... I'm going to use my laptop for work for no more than eight hours a day. When I close the laptop, I do not want to be bothered by work." (A, 35:08)
  Timestamps: [34:47–37:24]

10. Social Media: From Social to "Interest Media"

• Shifting norms: Social media is no longer "social" but driven by content that survives the algorithm and keeps user interest. Nostr aims to bring the fun and personal touch back. Quote: "The social aspect is somewhat lost. ... Ditto brings back the magic, you know, like, I now have a social app that I can ... customize my background like I used to do in the MySpace days." (A, 39:45)
  Timestamps: [39:00–40:39]

11. Major Product Launches & Nostr Ecosystem Updates

• Ditto (Soapbox's new customizable Nostr client) and Primal 3.0 get detailed shoutouts.
• Primal 3.0 migrates wallet tech for easier, global onboarding (via Spark/LightSpark/Breeze tools).
• Privacy tradeoffs, technical details, and how to use privacy tools with Nostr. Quote: "You can use a NIM on Nostr. ... If you don't want to be tracked, you use a Nim and you use a vpn and then boom, you literally aren't tracked..." (B, 44:16)
  Timestamps: [40:39–46:29]

12. App Polyamory and Backup Strategies

• Hosts advocate using multiple Nostr apps—never “marrying” just one—in case development ceases or features diverge. Quote: “Do not be married to just one Noster app. ... Being poly in the Noster space is what you do. ... You need to have many different experiences with as many different apps as possible.” (B, 50:53)
  Timestamps: [50:24–52:03]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• "You have cyberpsychosis." (A, 04:39)
• "Bots, robots, agents, whatever you want to call them—at the end of the day, they are just a tool." (B, 03:42)
• "It also has made me more problems in research because I have to go fact check some of the things that it comes up with, right?" (A, 16:32)
• "AI is helping us touch more grass. AI is touching us being more productive. AI is allowing us to see our ideas come to fruition. And ... if I feel like I'm getting addicted, I can literally turn it off and go touch grass." (B, 52:04)
• On Product Launches: "Ditto is the answer to making the Internet cool again." (A, 40:53)
• On Polyamory in Apps: "Being poly in the Noster space is what you do. ... You need to have many different experiences with as many different apps as possible. Because … one of your favorite apps is going to go away and never come back... you should always have a backup." (B, 50:53)

Important Timestamps

| Segment | Discussion | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------| | The Overuse of Bots and "Cyberpsychosis" | Heather's AI addiction intervention for Derek | 01:12–03:14| | Productivity vs. Burnout | How AI makes work easier but also riskier for workaholics | 06:23–09:53| | The AI 'Honeymoon Phase' | Settling down post-experimentation | 10:39–12:39| | Human vs AI Assistance | Deciding when to automate and when to hire | 13:06–15:13| | AI Hallucinations & Building "Skills" | Practical workflow advice, explanation of reusable instructions | 16:32–24:31| | Prompting Era and Voice AI | How AI interaction is evolving beyond complex prompts | 24:31–29:03| | Community on-boarding with OpenClaw | Grassroots tech adoption for activists | 30:16–33:33| | Work-Life Balance, Notifications, Touch Grass | Practical boundaries around AI and digital life | 34:47–37:24| | Social Media Shifts, Nostr Philosophy | "Interest media" vs. social; customization nostalgia (MySpace, Ditto, Primal 3.0 launches) | 39:00–41:11| | Using Multiple Apps, Polyamory Advice | Backup strategies, avoiding reliance on one tool | 50:24–52:03| | Closing Reflections & Touching Grass | Self-awareness in tech adoption; finding healthy balance | 52:04–53:44|

Tone & Highlights

The conversation is playful, irreverent, and deeply self-aware. Heather injects humor and skepticism, often voicing the worries and fatigue common to power users, while Derek’s optimism and technical insights keep the discussion grounded in practical possibility. Both advocate transparency (about AI’s limitations), experimentation, and blending new technology with old-fashioned boundaries.

Takeaways for Listeners

• Embrace AI with Self-Awareness: AI can be a superpower or a stressor—be mindful of your own habits.
• Don't Marry Just One Tool: Flexibility and backups are essential in fast-moving, open ecosystems.
• Continuous Learning Matters: The transition from novelty to mastery can help users avoid burnout.
• Privacy is a Trade-Off: Using Nostr and Bitcoin tools, understand the privacy model and use VPNs/NIMs if necessary.
• Community Support Rocks: Tech for non-specialists is spreading via helpful nerds everywhere—join an event or ask for help!

Final Words

This episode tackles how AI is redefining productivity and mental health in a decentralized internet, urging users to experiment responsibly—enjoy the honeymoon phase, but set boundaries, and don’t hesitate to go touch grass.