Sidecar Blog

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Charcoal keyhole framing a colorful winding landscape, with the scene continuing faintly beyond it.

6 min read

You Are Using AI Through a Keyhole

There is a conversation that repeats itself constantly with association staff who use AI every day. They describe themselves as heavy users, and by any reasonable measure they are. They have paid accounts, they have favorite prompts, and they reach...

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Three colorful engine blocks connect by dotted lines to the same vehicle chassis slot.

4 min read

You Can't Predict Who Leads AI in Three Months. Build Accordingly.

Consider where things stood in the middle of 2024. If your association was trying to do something serious with AI, the decision was close to...

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Two smooth curves cross on a cream background: a coral curve rises quickly and levels off, while a teal curve climbs steadily and finishes higher.

4 min read

AI Is Overhyped and Underhyped. The Difference Is Timing.

Ask ten association leaders what they make of AI right now and you'll get two answers that seem impossible to reconcile.

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Episode 148 of the Sidecar Sync Podcast cover art featuring Amith Nagarajan and Mallory Mejias

28 min read

Fundamentals of AI, Part 1 | [Sidecar Sync Episode 148]

Summary: AI may feel like it arrived overnight, but its foundations have been decades in the making. In part one of a refreshed Foundations of AI...

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A close-up of a restorer's hand using a swab to clean a painting, revealing original details.

6 min read

AI Watermarking: Why It Won't Solve Your Content Vetting Problems

The pressure on association leaders to maintain the integrity of their content has never been higher. Whether you are managing a peer-reviewed...

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A modular wooden archive with drafting tools, representing the permanent AI harness and interchangeable models.

4 min read

The Open-Weight Model Race: What Matters for Associations

The recent flurry of activity from tech giants like Meta and NVIDIA has sent a clear signal to the association sector. Meta recently released its...

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Drafting compasses and calipers on a desk next to a block of wood, symbolizing the design and measurement of new ideas.

5 min read

Why Your Association Needs a Hackathon

The word hackathon often conjures images of darkened rooms, rows of glowing monitors, and software engineers fueled by caffeine and complex code. For...

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Sidecar Sync Episode episode 147 cover featuring Amith Nagarajan and Mallory Mejias

34 min read

Open-Weight Models, AI Watermarks, and How to Run Your Own Hackathon | [Sidecar Sync Episode 147]

Summary: Meta and NVIDIA are turning up the heat in the open-weight AI race, while Anthropic is taking a very different approach by watermarking...

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A close-up of hands using pliers to adjust a wire on a detailed architectural bridge model in a professional studio.

5 min read

The Leader's Responsibility: Risk, Malpractice, and AI

Many association executives view artificial intelligence as a technical challenge to be solved by the IT department or a specialized task force. They...

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