Prompting Curiosity
Prompting Curiosity
Dr. Shanté Cofield aka The Maestro
Prompting Curiosity is a podcast for the AI-curious, no coding background required. Join Dr. Shanté Cofield, also known as the Maestro, to explore what these AI tools actually are, how to use them, and what they might mean for how we think, work, create, and move through life. Tune in every Thursday to get your fix. Stay curious.
Ep. 36: My AI Wishlist
In this episode I share my AI wishlist, two specific things I plan to build (one day) using Claude Code: an automated podcast production workflow and a custom client dashboard for my 1:1 messaging coaching services. I make the case that the era of exponential AI capability growth has leveled off, and the real gains now come from how you use it and what you build with it. Overall, this episode is a grounded, practical look at agentic AI and what it actually looks like to start putting it to work. Main Topics Covered New site + cover art celebration Growth spurts and the horizontal curve of AI progress GPT-5 as the end of "bigger = better" Agentic AI as the next level of usage Wishlist item 1: automated podcast production workflow What that workflow currently looks like (and why it's annoying AF) Wishlist item 2: custom client dashboard for messaging services Why build it vs. use a CRM How Claude Code fits into both builds How I used AI this week: Using Claude to plan how to execute my AI wishlist Links & Resources for This Episode Listen to 29: An Introduction to Claude Code and Claude Cowork Check out my vlog Read this episode's Curious Companion Subscribe to the Prompting Curiosity Newsletter Submit a Question Visit the Website Feeling curious AND generous? Click here to support the podcast.
Mar 26
25 min
Ep. 35: Put Your Money Where Your Prompt Is
The Prompting Curiosity rebrand is officially here and this episode breaks down exactly why the switch happened. I cover the three big reasons for the name change, take a detailed look at OpenAI's behavior that made staying with them feel untenable, and share a clear-eyed take on Anthropic as the alternative.  Main Topics Covered The rebrand: ChatGPT Curious to Prompting Curiosity Three reasons for the name change Why ChatGPT was originally in the name OpenAI's bad behavior: specific receipts Anthropic's imperfections and brownie points "Do the least harm" as a decision framework What stays the same going forward Recent AI use: Using Claude to help with every part of this rebrand Links & Resources for This Episode Read this episode's Curious Companion Subscribe to the Prompting Curiosity Newsletter Submit a Question Visit the Website Feeling curious AND generous?Click here to support the podcast.
Mar 19
14 min
Ep. 34:  8 AI Writing Patterns that Are Dead Giveaways
For the love, please stop using AI to write your copy. We can all tell. In this episode I call out the 8 most obvious AI writing patterns, and provide specific names for those specific styles that are just so characteristically robotic. From em dashes and antithesis structures to hollow opens and metronomic cadence, I break down why these patterns appear, why AI defaults to them, and why the best solution is usually just writing it yourself. Main Topics Covered Why I'm naming these patterns Antithesis structure ("It's not X, it's Y") Em dashes Parallel structure overload Metronomic cadence The illusion of consideration Adjective stacking No risky sentences Hollow opens and tidy closes Why AI writes like this What you can do about it How I used Claude this week: Learning front-end web development Links & Resources for This Episode Read this episode's Curious Companion Subscribe to the Prompting Curiosity Newsletter Submit a Question Visit the Website Feeling curious AND generous? Click here to support the podcast.
Mar 12
18 min
Ep. 33: ChatGPT vs. Claude - Real Differences After Weeks of Daily Use
In this episode I share my personal experience of what it's actually been like to ditch ChatGPT and go all-in on Claude. This episode covers the real differences between the two platforms: what Claude does better, where it falls short, and why the switch probably isn't as big a deal as some people are making it out to be. Main Topics Covered Anthropic refusing government demands The Threads chatter about switching and why it's overblown Claude's lack of a native image generator Claude's usage limits Custom GPTs (or the lack thereof) Claude's reliability Memory differences Voice mode Personality and sycophancy compared to ChatGPT Using Claude to write a Google Apps Script for Acuity scheduling Recent Claude use: vibe coding a free Zapier replacement for Acuity  Links & Resources for This Episode Listen to Ep. 30: Switching Between ChatGPT, Claude, and Other LLMs without Starting From Scratch Listen to Ep. 11: WTF is a Custom GPT?  Read this episode's Curious Companion Subscribe to the Prompting Curiosity Newsletter Submit a Question Visit the Website Feeling curious AND generous? Click here to support the podcast.
Mar 5
20 min
Ep. 32: WTF is OpenClaw?
The whole goal of this episode is simply to put OpenClaw, an open source autonomous AI agent that went viral in early January, on your radar, and make a case for why you absolutely should NOT install it. This episode covers what "open source autonomous AI agent" actually means, it’s two biggest draws, and the one massive downside that should give everyone pause: SECURITY. Main Topics Covered SSD and RAM prices spiking (the AI effect) OpenClaw origin story What "open source autonomous AI agent" actually means The two big draws: agentic capability + messaging app integration Being an LLM wrapper The major downside: security The hype cycle + OpenAI hiring OpenClaw's creator Recent ChatGPT use: Researching OpenClaw Links & Resources for This Episode Listen to ep. 26: What is Vibe Coding? Listen to ep. 29 An Introduction to Claude Code and Claude Cowork Read this episode's Curious Companion Subscribe to the Prompting Curiosity Newsletter Submit a Question Visit the Website Feeling curious AND generous? Click here to support the podcast.
Feb 26
19 min
Ep. 31: Are We Addicted to AI?
In this episode I dig into whether we're addicted to AI by examining my own switch from ChatGPT to Claude and what usage limits reveal about dependency. I break down the business models behind OpenAI's "unlimited" usage versus Anthropic's enforced limits, explore the Uber playbook of subsidized addiction, and share why both companies' controversial partnerships (OpenAI with Trump/ICE, Anthropic with Palantir) complicate the choice of which AI to use. Main Topics Covered Switching from ChatGPT to Claude OpenAI and Anthropic's controversial partnerships Palantir and surveillance concerns Claude's usage limits feature OpenAI's projected $14 billion loss The Uber addiction playbook Session and weekly usage limits AI addiction and dependency Future pricing predictions Open source alternatives Recent Claude use: Coding a sales page Links & Resources for This Episode Listen to ep. 20: Using ChatGPT for Your Sales Pages  Read this episode's Curious Companion Subscribe to the Prompting Curiosity Newsletter Submit a Question Visit the Website Feeling curious AND generous? Click here to support the podcast.
Feb 19
23 min
Ep. 30: Switching Between ChatGPT, Claude, and Other LLMs Without Starting from Scratch
In this episode we're talking about how to switch from one LLM to another without starting from scratch or pulling your hair out. I cover why you might want to switch (spoiler: politics and preparedness), how to create a portable memory document that travels with you, and the practical steps for migrating your workflows, projects, and voice to a new AI tool. Main Topics Covered Why switch? The reality check: new LLMs feel different How to export your ChatGPT chat history (and why you probably shouldn't) Creating an LLM Portable Memory Document Migrating projects and workflows to Claude or Gemini Using Voice Anchors to teach a new LLM your writing style Asking the robot for help Recent ChatGPT use: Vibe coding an OG card generator Links & Resources for This Episode Listen to Ep. 22: ChatGPT Will Never Write Like You Read this episode's Curious Companion Subscribe to the Curious Companion Newsletter Submit a Question Visit the Website Feeling curious AND generous? Click here to support the podcast.
Feb 12
24 min
Ep. 29: An Introduction to Claude Code and Claude Cowork
In this episode I break down Claude Code and Claude Cowork, two tools from Anthropic that have taken the AI space by storm, and allow Claude to actually execute tasks on your computer instead of just chatting with you. This episode covers what each tool does, how they're different from each other (and from regular LLMs like ChatGPT), what “agentic” AI actually means, who each tool is for, and what to know about safety and usage limits before jumping in. Main Topics Covered What Claude Code and Claude Cowork are Anthropic and Claude basics Claude Code vs Claude Cowork execution differences The kitchen analogy Agentic AI and agency Real-world Claude Cowork use cases Usage limits, safety, and pricing realities Recent ChatGPT use: Creating a portable LLM memory file Links & Resources for This Episode Newsletter Resources Anthropic Blog Post Read this episode's Curious Companion Subscribe to the Prompting Curiosity Newsletter Submit a Question Visit the Website Feeling curious AND generous? Click here to support the podcast.
Feb 5
20 min
Ep. 28: ChatGPT Introduces Ads and a New Tier
In this episodeI dig into OpenAI’s quiet announcement that ads are officially coming to ChatGPT along with the U.S. rollout of the Go tier. I talk through what the ads will actually look like, who’s going to see them, and why this move feels less surprising than it does revealing. We get into the money math behind “free” tools, the trust implications of sponsored answers, and what this shift could mean for access as AI continues to get carved up into tiers. Main Topics Covered OpenAI’s quiet ads announcement How ChatGPT ads will work Who will and won’t see ads The new ChatGPT Go tier Ads as a pricing and growth strategy Sustainability and the Uber playbook Trust and access concerns Will users leave or tolerate ads Recent ChatGPT use: PDF screenshot to .docx document Links & Resources for This Episode Open AI Ads Announcement Listen to Ep. 17: Will ChatGPT Get Old Navy’d?  Read this episode's Curious Companion Subscribe to the Prompting Curiosity Newsletter Submit a Question Visit the Website Feeling curious AND generous? Click here to support the podcast.
Jan 29
17 min
Ep. 27: Why Is AI So Polarizing?
In this episode I dig into why I think folks have such strong feelings about AI, and why so many seem to have chosen AI as the hill to die on. This conversation looks less at the technology itself and more at what AI has come to represent: forced adoption, corporate overreach, environmental impact, and the broader enshittification of everything. Main Topics Covered Quick OpenAI update on improved chat history memory What people usually mean when they say “AI” Why the hatred isn’t really about the technology Enshittification as the real underlying issue Why AI became the perfect piñata Environmental concerns and why they stick Data centers, efficiency, and why the panic feels sudden What people don’t know about data center usage Recent ChatGPT use: DIY shelving project Links & Resources for This Episode Listen to Ep. 7: What is AI?  Read this episode's Curious Companion Subscribe to the Prompting Curiosity Newsletter Submit a Question Visit the Website Feeling curious AND generous? Click here to support the podcast.
Jan 22
23 min
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