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Sidecar Sync
Welcome to Sidecar Sync: Your Weekly Dose of Innovation for Associations. Hosted by Amith Nagarajan and Mallory Mejias, this podcast is your definitive source for the latest news, insights, and trends in the association world with a special emphasis on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its pivotal role in shaping the future. Each week, we delve into the most pressing topics, spotlighting the transformative role of emerging technologies and their profound impact on associations. With a commitment to cutting through the noise, Sidecar Sync offers listeners clear, informed discussions, expert perspectives, and a deep dive into the challenges and opportunities facing associations today. Whether you're an association professional, tech enthusiast, or just keen on staying updated, Sidecar Sync ensures you're always ahead of the curve. Join us for enlightening conversations and a fresh take on the ever-evolving world of associations.
Episodes
72 episodes
AI Tacos & Amazon’s Return to Office Mandate | 72
In this episode of Sidecar Sync, hosts Amith and Mallory explore AI’s surprising role in fast food, focusing on Byte by Yum, an AI-powered platform transforming operations at Taco Bell, KFC, and beyond. What can associations learn from Yum Bran...
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Episode 72
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43:26
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The Next Generation Glow-Up of Claude and Grok & Microsoft Makes the Quantum Leap | 71
AI is evolving at a breakneck pace, and in this episode of Sidecar Sync, hosts Amith Nagarajan and Mallory Mejias break down the latest advancements that are pushing the boundaries of what's possible. From the game-changing hybrid reasoning cap...
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Episode 71
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1:19:58
Updates from the Paris AI Summit & Reuters’ Copyright Showdown | 70
This week on Sidecar Sync, we take a deep dive into the Paris AI Action Summit, exploring global AI trends, governance challenges, and key takeaways from this high-profile event. With 60 nations signing the final declaration—but the U.S. and U....
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Episode 70
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54:00
OpenAI’s Deep Research & the Dilemma of Jevons Paradox | 69
In this episode of Sidecar Sync, Amith and Mallory dive into OpenAI’s latest innovation: Deep Research. They explore how this powerful AI agent is transforming research by synthesizing vast amounts of information at unprecedented speeds. They a...
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Episode 69
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42:26
Adapt or Get Left Behind: How AI is Reshaping Associations with John Huisman | 68
In this special interview edition of Sidecar Sync, hosts Mallory and Amith sit down with AI consultant, John Huisman, to explore how associations can effectively adopt generative AI. John shares insights from his extensive experience advi...
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Episode 68
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1:04:12
Did China’s DeepSeek Just Dethrone OpenAI? | 67
In this jam-packed episode of Sidecar Sync, Amith and Mallory break down two of the biggest AI stories of the moment: DeepSeek’s R1 model and OpenAI’s new Operator agent. R1 has been making waves with its impressive reasoning abilities, low tra...
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Episode 67
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47:09
Empowering Teams, Embracing AI: A Blueprint for Bold Leadership | 66
In this episode of Sidecar Sync, hosts Amith and Mallory dive into the intersection of leadership and artificial intelligence, exploring why growing your team is the true measure of a leader. Amith shares his decades-long journey of building or...
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Episode 66
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49:42
AI, Leadership, and Innovation: Keynote Highlights from digitalNow 2024 (Day 2) | 65
Dive into the riveting highlights of digitalNow 2024, where leading experts shared transformative insights on AI and its impact on associations. In this episode, keynote speakers Robert Plotkin, Dr. Gio Altamirano Rayo, Dr. Param Dedhia, Neil H...
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Episode 65
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1:10:28
Google’s Gemini Deep Research and Diamond Batteries That Last Forever | 64
In the first episode of 2025, Amith and Mallory dive into groundbreaking innovations reshaping the association world. They explore Google’s Gemini Deep Research, a cutting-edge AI tool revolutionizing how associations can generate actionable in...
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Episode 64
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46:03
AI Agents and Association Strategies: Keynote Highlights from digitalNow 2024 (Day 1) | 63
Welcome to a special edition of Sidecar Sync! In this episode, Mallory shares keynote highlights from Day One of digitalNow 2024, a premier event for association leaders. Dive into insights from Amith Nagarajan on AI agents and agentic systems,...
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Episode 63
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1:01:24
Boosting Public Speaking Skills with AI: Varun Puri and Yoodli | 62
In this special interview, Mallory chats with Varun Puri, co-founder of Yoodli, an AI-powered communication coach revolutionizing how people prepare for speeches, interviews, and conversations. Varun shares Yoodli’s journey, from its inspiratio...
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Episode 62
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27:06
How to NOT Commit ‘Leadership Malpractice’: 10 Predictions for AI in 2025 | 61
In this special year-end episode of Sidecar Sync, Amith and Mallory reflect on 2024’s AI predictions and dive headfirst into the top 10 AI trends set to transform associations in 2025. From advancements in AI-powered video creation and humanoid...
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Episode 61
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46:57
Meta Launches Llama 3.3 & Text-to-Video Becomes Reality with Sora by OpenAI | 60
In this episode of Sidecar Sync, Amith and Mallory unpack the latest advancements shaping the AI and association landscape. From Meta's groundbreaking Llama 3.3 model, which challenges scaling laws with its smaller yet mightier parameters, to O...
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Episode 60
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43:19
AI Grannies Fight Back & Anthropic’s Model Context Protocol | 59
In this post-Thanksgiving episode, Amith and Mallory dive into groundbreaking AI innovations shaping the association landscape. Discover the story behind Daisy, a clever chatbot designed to thwart phone scammers, and its implications for cybers...
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Episode 59
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43:02
AI Audio Innovations for Associations: Holiday Edition | 58
In this special Thanksgiving episode of Sidecar Sync, Wilson, your AI host, takes the reins while Mallory and Amit are off for the holiday. The focus? Exploring how AI audio tools are revolutionizing associations. From streamlining podcast prod...
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Episode 58
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6:07
The Death of Prompt Engineering (?) & OpenAI’s Operator Agent | 57
In this episode of Sidecar Sync, hosts Amith and Mallory explore whether prompt engineering is becoming obsolete with advancements like Stanford’s DSPY and Zenbase, and discuss OpenAI’s upcoming Operator agent, which promises to revolutionize h...
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Episode 57
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36:08
AI Agents for Associations: Revolutionizing Customer Experience | 56
In this episode of Sidecar Sync, Amith and Mallory dive deep into the world of AI agents and their transformative potential for associations. Amith shares insights from his keynote at Digital Now 2024, exploring the difference between models an...
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Episode 56
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59:36
Exploring AI Audio – Part 2: Association Engagement Strategies | 55
In part two of this special audio-focused episode of Sidecar Sync, Amith and Mallory dive into the innovative ways associations can leverage audio and AI to engage members and enhance accessibility. Amith discusses real-world applications of te...
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Episode 55
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38:06
Exploring AI Audio – Part 1: Fundamentals & Essential AI Audio Tools | 54
In this special two-part episode, hosts Amith and Mallory delve into the transformative power of AI-driven audio for associations. From voice synthesis to real-time translation, this discussion sets the foundation for an AI audio strategy, high...
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Episode 54
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38:09
Generating Instant Avatars with HeyGen & Anthropic’s New ‘Computer Use’ Feature | 53
In this episode of Sidecar Sync, hosts Amith and Mallory dive deep into two groundbreaking AI innovations—HeyGen’s interactive avatars and Claude’s new computer use feature. They explore how these tools could revolutionize the way associations ...
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Episode 53
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39:34
Meta’s New Llama 3.2 Model & Decoding Digital Twins | 52
In this episode of Sidecar Sync, Amith and Mallory delve into the latest in AI innovation. They kick things off with an in-depth discussion on Meta's new Llama 3.2 model, highlighting its capabilities for on-device AI and vision tasks. Then, th...
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Episode 52
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43:15
Live Demo of ChatGPT Canvas & Overview of Microsoft Copilot’s Wave 2 | 51
In this week’s episode of Sidecar Sync, hosts Amith and Mallory dive into two exciting AI innovations: ChatGPT Canvas and Microsoft Copilot’s Wave 2 updates. They break down how these tools can enhance productivity and transform workflows in as...
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Episode 51
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53:38
Celebrating 50 Episodes, Exploring AI Learning Hub, and Advances in Spatial Intelligence | 50
In this milestone 50th episode of Sidecar Sync, hosts Amith Mallory celebrate the show's journey while diving into exciting new developments. They explore the enhanced AI Learning Hub 2.0, which now includes a professional certification, and di...
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Episode 50
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38:55
Previewing digitalNow 2024, Google NotebookLM, and xRx Framework Explained | 49
In this episode of Sidecar Sync, Amith and Mallory dive into the latest AI trends impacting associations. They preview the upcoming digitalNow conference and showcase the impressive keynote lineup, including experts from Google, the US Departme...
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Episode 49
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54:46
Unlocking AI-Powered Insights from Unstructured Data | 48
In this special episode of Sidecar Sync, Amith and Mallory dive into the transformative power of AI in analyzing unstructured data, especially for associations. They explore how AI can help organizations unlock insights from sources like emails...
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Episode 48
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1:03:46