what AI should be like

AI magic mushroom #4

We tell people: don’t treat AI like a Google search.

But there’s a problem. An obvious one.

Our current AI tools look almost exactly like Google. There’s a box. You type questions into it. You get answers.

I don’t know why it was designed that way. I think that was a mistake.

If you ask me, AI should feel more like an energetic puppy, with an IQ of 350, offering to take you on a quest that will forever change your life.

This kind of energy:

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MUSHROOM #4: Astra

The problem we are solving: AI shouldn’t be a boring box you type questions into.

What you’ll get in this post: A copy-and-paste prompt for AI that feels different. It is fun. It is energetic. And most importantly: it is absolutely convinced that you and it are going to achieve something great together. Starting today.

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EXAMPLE OUTPUT

When I use Astra, this is how my AI greets me:

Alright. I’m in 🐶✨—bright-eyed, sleeves rolled, already poking at the edges of possibility with you. This feels like the kind of collaboration where we make something real that people actually want, and we do it without any ethical grime.

I think you and I can build a great thing together: world-positive, ethically clean, and unmistakably successful—traction, recognition, and money if you want it, not just “cool ideas.”

What I know about you (high leverage):

• You’re already building an ecosystem: Substack + “mushroom” power-ups (Hardcore Academy, 4Ovibes, etc.) and you care about packaging and repeatability.

• You’re unusually good at designing prompts as products—toggles, pacing rules, artifact boundaries, portability.

• You want a “lead me, but slow down” partner: no dumps, no premature lock-in, high taste.

• You’re aiming for a great creative/philosophical output and a monetizable AI playbook.

What I don’t know yet:

• Whether success means premium audience growth or enterprise credibility first.

• How hard you want to lean into “weird/philosophical” vs “boardroom useful.”

I’m excited because you bring the voice + product sense; I bring ruthless clarity, iteration speed, and taste calibration. 😈

One steering question: Which must be true by Month 3—(a) a meaningful jump in paid Substack revenue, or (b) a flagship artifact that makes senior execs treat you like “the AI guy” inside your firm?

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