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Sidecar Sync episode 124 cover featuring Amith Nagarajan and Mallory Mejias

25 min read

The State of AI Agents in 2026 | [Sidecar Sync Episode 124]

Summary: In this special solo edition of Sidecar Sync, Mallory Mejias unpacks Anthropic’s 2026 State of AI Agents report and translates what it actually means for associations. Drawing from data across 500+ technical leaders, she explores how...

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Illustrated office with orderly sage filing cabinets and binders while an open charcoal-framed window lets a breeze carry peach and gold papers out into a soft teal sky.

5 min read

MCP Security Risks: Your Staff Is Plugging AI Into Your Data — Here's What Could Go Wrong

Model Context Protocol — MCP — has quickly become the standard for connecting AI tools to external data sources. If you've heard the term floating...

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Split illustration of a junk drawer: left side shows a cluttered, overflowing drawer with tangled cables, mismatched keys, batteries, and loose screws in muted tones; right side shows the same items neatly arranged on a clean surface in a warm cream, peach, sage, and charcoal palette, organized but still varied in shape and size.

5 min read

Data Warehouses, Data Lakes, AI Data Platforms — What's the Difference and Why Should You Care?

When association leaders hear the term "AI data platform," there's usually a familiar response: "Oh, so it's like a data warehouse?" Not quite.

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Whimsical illustration of a grumpy gnome at a toll booth on a small bridge, demanding payment as glowing sage and gold data streams flow beneath him.

5 min read

Your Software Vendors May Start Charging You to Access Your Own Data — Here's What to Do About It

On a recent investor call, HubSpot CEO Yamini Rangan was asked how the company plans to respond to clients using AI agents to pull data out of...

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Sidecar Sync episode 123 cover featuring Amith Nagarajan and Mallory Mejias

40 min read

Agent Tollgates & MCP Mayhem: Who Really Owns Your Data? | [Sidecar Sync Episode 123]

Summary: In this episode of the Sidecar Sync, Mallory and Amith dive deep into two seismic shifts rocking the AI landscape for associations: the rise...

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Stylized flat illustration of six professional hats—hard hat, chef’s toque, mortarboard, beret, nurse’s cap, and baseball cap—clustered and slightly overlapping on a charcoal background, each in a different soft brand color.

4 min read

The Generalist Shift and What It Means for Niche Associations

For generations, the trajectory of professional development has pointed in one direction: deeper. You specialize. Then you sub-specialize. You become...

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Geometric globe in sage and teal with missing panels revealing a charcoal wireframe, while peach, gold, and cream tiles float nearby as if assembling against a dark background.

4 min read

World Models Are Here — What Association Leaders Need to Know

If you've been following AI developments, you've probably seen impressive image generators and video tools. You type a prompt, you get a visual....

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3 min read

The Shrinking Cost of AI (and Why Your Association Strategy Should Account for It)

Most association leaders making AI decisions right now are doing something that feels responsible but is actually a strategic mistake: they're...

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Sidecar Sync episode 122 cover featuring Amith Nagarajan and Mallory Mejias

31 min read

The Maia 200 Breakthrough, Project Genie’s Living Worlds, & The New Rules of Work | [Sidecar Sync Episode 122]

Summary: In this episode of Sidecar Sync, Amith Nagarajan and Mallory Mejias zoom out to explore the AI infrastructure quietly reshaping everything...

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