AI Automation Alchemist

Practical AI for small business entrepreneurs! AI shouldn’t be overwhelming or overhyped. AI Automation Alchemist breaks the noise into actionable playbooks for small business owners and scrappy founders. We cover the headlines that matter, de-risk adoption (security, compliance, costs), and walk through real workflows for leads, service, and back-office. Informational, honest, and inspiring, so you can do less manual work and drive more growth.

AI Automation Alchemist is a business podcast hosted by Rey Ortega, with 24 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Rey Ortega hosts AI Automation Alchemist, a business show with 24 episodes published.

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  Episode #24

  Two Stages, One Week, AI News and More...

  Sep 1, 202645 minS1

  Two stages, one week, AI news and more Rey Ortega breaks down a packed week that moved from live AI news to two very different stages, one in healthcare and one for entrepreneurs. The episode matters because it connects current AI product shifts with real-world lessons about data access, culture, security, and how small businesses can actually use AI without the hype. In this episode, Rey shares what he learned from an AI Med panel, a Built to Win Summit presentation, and a due diligence process that revealed how investors evaluate AI-built businesses. He also covers recent AI product updates from Anthropic, OpenAI, and Meta, then closes with a practical reminder that business owners should treat themselves as the brand. 00:00 - Going live and setting up the episode 02:43 - One week, two stages, and why the lessons matter 04:39 - Anthropic backs off a Sonnet 5 price hike 06:20 - Why long session access is a security risk 08:44 - Meta AI as an ad analyst for businesses 10:23 - AI Med Conference: the panel and the room 11:37 - Dr. Anthony Chang and the case for medical AI 12:11 - Digital twins and using lifelong medical data 15:19 - Why Rey is cautious about AI-only diagnosis 17:22 - AI vision and pattern recognition beyond text 19:21 - The panel dynamics and healthcare data ownership 21:14 - Why culture and EHR control slow healthcare innovation 22:52 - Small businesses, Fortune 500s, and technical capability 25:29 - Venture panel: wearables are saturated 27:27 - Built to Win Summit and the napkin idea 29:29 - Jeff Hoffman and blue sky meetings 30:01 - Josh Pies on AI video and knowing the customer 31:46 - Running into an old professor and the lesson of self-promotion 37:39 - Who Not How and shifting from execution to leverage 40:25 - A mastermind connection turns into a real opportunity 44:22 - Due diligence, investor skepticism, and AI-generated documents 47:11 - Why not knowing your own system is a deal breaker 49:04 - Enterprise AI contracts, data retention, and liability 50:19 - Open weight models, quantization, and response speed 52:32 - Imposter syndrome and why experts need to speak up Reevaluate whether your business is overusing AI-generated documents without human validation. Check whether your AI tools are being used through enterprise contracts where data retention and training limits are clearer. If you use AI in marketing, define the target customer before creating content or video. Look for one task you should delegate to a “who” instead of forcing yourself to be the “how.” Show up more consistently with your expertise, even if imposter syndrome makes that feel uncomfortable.

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  Episode #23

  The Truth About AI, Imposter Syndrome & Building a Business

  Aug 10, 202630 minS1

  Can you be successful and still experience imposter syndrome ? Absolutely. In this episode of the AI Automation Alchemist Podcast , Rey Ortega shares the story behind a major software and AI implementation that recently went into production after nearly two years of development. What started as a technology modernization project expanded into a much larger AI initiative — including a prototype that achieved approximately 98% accuracy and an AI-assisted development workflow that helped the team complete work originally planned across multiple project phases. But the bigger lesson wasn't about software. It was about mindset . Even after years of building software, implementing artificial intelligence, helping businesses improve operations, and successfully delivering projects, it's still possible to question yourself when you compare your success to everyone else's. Rey discusses why entrepreneurs, consultants, developers, executives, and experts can struggle with imposter syndrome — and why evidence from your own work matters more than comparing yourself to someone else's visibility online. He also shares his journey into public speaking, from learning speaking frameworks and finding mentors to preparing to speak at the Built to Win Summit in Orlando. Chapters / Timestamps 00:00 — Getting the podcast running 00:56 — Welcome to the AI Automation Alchemist Podcast 02:00 — Getting sick and experimenting with AI-generated videos 04:00 — Surviving Florida without air conditioning 07:20 — Why Grata Software sponsors the podcast 08:45 — The AI project that took nearly two years 10:20 — Using LLMs and n8n to reach 98% accuracy 12:00 — How AI coding accelerated development 13:30 — Hiring developers in the age of AI 15:10 — What Rey looks for when hiring 16:00 — Completing four project phases during phase one 17:30 — Delivering the system into production 18:30 — Why successful people still get imposter syndrome 20:00 — Stop comparing your success to other companies 21:00 — The entrepreneur mindset problem 22:20 — Why confidence matters when investing in your business 24:45 — Building confidence through helping other people succeed 25:30 — Rey's journey into public speaking 27:00 — Finding your first speaking opportunities 28:00 — Learning from Russell Brunson and the Perfect Webinar 29:35 — Speaking at the Built to Win Summit 31:30 — Digital Strike: Understanding your ideal customers 33:50 — How large language models actually work 34:30 — Tokens explained 35:20 — Embeddings and numerical representations 36:00 — Why AI predicts the next word 36:50 — Parameters and improving AI models 38:15 — Are AI models reaching diminishing returns? 39:00 — Join the Digital Strike community 39:45 — Final thoughts Join the Digital Strike Facebook Group Get AI and automation resources created specifically for small and medium-sized businesses. Built to Win Summit — Orlando Rey will be speaking about using artificial intelligence to identify your target niche, understand your ideal customers, create messaging that resonates, and develop offers designed to convert. Subscribe to the AI Automation Alchemist Podcast For practical conversations about artificial intelligence, automation, entrepreneurship, software development, and building businesses with AI.

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  Episode #21

  3 Zero-Budget AI Marketing Moves That Can Save Small Businesses 20+ Hours a Week

  Jul 20, 202649 minS1

  Rey Ortega discusses his recent podcast episode, his work on the Digital Strike program, and the impact of AI on marketing for beginners. He also shares insights on the use of AI agents in business operations and the successful launch of a software application by Grata Software. Rey Ortega shares his journey of learning sales and marketing through trial and error, the frustration of hiring ineffective marketing companies, and the subsequent self-education in AI-driven marketing. He emphasizes the importance of human judgment in marketing and the role of AI as an assistant rather than a replacement. Takeaways AI Marketing for Beginners The Role of AI Agents in Business Operations Sales and marketing are crucial for business success AI can be leveraged to automate marketing tasks and save time Human judgment is the differentiator in marketing and sales Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Podcast Episode 03:04 Digital Strike Program and AI Marketing 11:05 AI Agents in Business Operations 22:11 Successful Launch of Software Application 39:05 The Importance of Marketing and Sales 40:01 Building a Company on Traditional Sales and Marketing 41:27 Frustration with Ineffective Marketing Companies 44:49 Self-Education in AI-Driven Marketing 50:27 The Role of Human Judgment in Marketing

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  Episode #20

  Unmasking AI Myths: A Deep Dive with Rey Ortega

  Jul 13, 202637 minS1

  Rey Ortega shares insights on artificial intelligence, its current state, misconceptions, and future challenges, sparked by a social media interaction. This episode explores the depth of AI knowledge, industry realities, and the importance of research and expertise. keywords Artificial Intelligence, Neural Networks, AI Industry, Tech Entrepreneurship, Deep Research, AI Costs, AI Future, Tech Industry Cycles key topics Current state of AI and social media misconceptions The importance of deep research in AI Industry challenges: costs, hardware, and market dynamics The cycle of tech innovation and industry giants' strategies The importance of expertise and research in AI development sound bites "Expand the video. Complete the post." "Getting ready to have this conversation about AI." "Using ChatGPT doesn't make you an AI expert." Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview 01:17 Rey Ortega's Personal Background and Journey 06:04 The Social Media Incident and Its Significance 09:52 Episode 20 Introduction and Focus on AI 10:35 Current Perceptions of AI on Social Media 11:42 Debunking the Myth: How Well Do We Know the Brain? 14:33 The Foundations of Neural Networks and AI Development 16:24 The Frustration with Superficial AI Knowledge 17:38 The Dangers of Overconfidence and Lack of Research 20:33 The Passion and Deep Knowledge of Early AI Engineers 25:00 The Evolution of Software Engineering and AI 29:42 Building True AI: Deterministic Solutions 32:49 The Economics and Cost of AI Development 36:10 The Misconception of Cheaper AI and Hardware Advances 41:38 The Exponential Cost of AI Processing 44:48 Future Hardware Innovations and Industry Challenges 46:23 Industry Cycles and Big Tech Strategies 50:14 Supporting Small Businesses with AI and Tech 51:02 Upcoming Guests and Future Episodes

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  Episode #19

  Claude, ChatGPT: The Truth AI "Experts" Don't Want You To Know About Jobs

  Jul 5, 202624 minS1

  Rey Ortega discusses the realities of AI in the workforce, its capabilities, limitations, and the importance of expert involvement in AI development and deployment. He addresses common fears about AI replacing jobs and emphasizes the need for security and expertise in AI applications. keywords AI, artificial intelligence, jobs, automation, security, neural networks, large language models, AI safety, AI in business key topics AI's probabilistic nature and limitations The role of human expertise in AI Security concerns with AI systems Real-world examples of AI failures The importance of skilled AI development Takeaways AI is probabilistic, not deterministic, and will never be 100% accurate. Human expertise is essential for building and maintaining secure AI systems. AI has been used in various applications for years, including in games and physics engines. AI failures in quality control and customer service highlight the need for human oversight. Security and proper development practices are crucial to prevent malicious use of AI. Sound bites "AI doesn't have true reasoning or experience" "AI is just a bunch of ones and zeros" "You need an expert in AI and security" Chapters 00:00 Introduction and overview of AI's impact on jobs 03:21 Rey Ortega introduces himself and his companies 04:44 Common fears about AI replacing jobs 05:14 Rey explains his background in software and AI 07:07 AI's history and current capabilities 08:29 Understanding large language models and transformers 10:25 Probabilistic vs deterministic AI solutions 13:48 AI's limitations in reasoning and nuance 15:36 Case study: Ford rehires human engineers 16:36 AI's lack of true reasoning and experience 20:37 Failures of AI in quality control and customer service 23:00 Security risks and malicious AI models 30:31 The importance of expert development and security in AI 31:45 Services offered by Rey Ortega for AI and automation Resources Grata Software - https://gratasoftware.com Go Digital Strike - https://godigitalstrike.com

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