Eric Menau

Business Development Manager for SZ Solutions, a global software development company. #SXSW2025 #ProMat2025 #CPExpo

[Pulp Librarian @PulpLibrarian]

I regret to inform you that Ask Jeeves is dead. The site closed yesterday. Web 1.0 lost another founder.

Ask Jeeves: 3 June 1996 - 1 May 2026. Send no memes.

[aimpact consulting @Aimpact_consult]

56% of CEOs say AI hasn’t created any financial impact.

At the same time, we’re seeing clear evidence that people are working 25–40% faster with these tools.

Both things are true.

[Peter Girnus 🦅 @gothburz]

Last quarter I rolled out Microsoft Copilot to 4,000 employees.

$30 per seat per month.

$1.4 million annually.

I called it "digital transformation."

The board loved that phrase.

They approved it in eleven minutes.

No one asked what it would actually do.

Including me.

I told everyone it would "10x productivity."

That's not a real number.

But it sounds like one.

HR asked how we'd measure the 10x.

I said we'd "leverage analytics dashboards."

They stopped asking.

Three months later I checked the usage reports.

47 people had opened it.

12 had used it more than once.

One of them was me.

I used it to summarize an email I could have read in 30 seconds.

It took 45 seconds.

Plus the time it took to fix the hallucinations.

But I called it a "pilot success."

Success means the pilot didn't visibly fail.

The CFO asked about ROI.

I showed him a graph.

The graph went up and to the right.

It measured "AI enablement."

I made that metric up.

He nodded approvingly.

We're "AI-enabled" now.

I don't know what that means.

But it's in our investor deck.

A senior developer asked why we didn't use Claude or ChatGPT.

I said we needed "enterprise-grade security."

He asked what that meant.

I said "compliance."

He asked which compliance.

I said "all of them."

He looked skeptical.

I scheduled him for a "career development conversation."

He stopped asking questions.

Microsoft sent a case study team.

They wanted to feature us as a success story.

I told them we "saved 40,000 hours."

I calculated that number by multiplying employees by a number I made up.

They didn't verify it.

They never do.

Now we're on Microsoft's website.

"Global enterprise achieves 40,000 hours of productivity gains with Copilot."

The CEO shared it on LinkedIn.

He got 3,000 likes.

He's never used Copilot.

None of the executives have.

We have an exemption.

"Strategic focus requires minimal digital distraction."

I wrote that policy.

The licenses renew next month.

I'm requesting an expansion.

5,000 more seats.

We haven't used the first 4,000.

But this time we'll "drive adoption."

Adoption means mandatory training.

Training means a 45-minute webinar no one watches.

But completion will be tracked.

Completion is a metric.

Metrics go in dashboards.

Dashboards go in board presentations.

Board presentations get me promoted.

I'll be SVP by Q3.

I still don't know what Copilot does.

But I know what it's for.

It's for showing we're "investing in AI."

Investment means spending.

Spending means commitment.

Commitment means we're serious about the future.

The future is whatever I say it is.

As long as the graph goes up and to the right.

[Jemele Hill @jemelehill]

D’Angelo made three albums with no skips. That man is a legend. And for those of us who were in our early adulthood during that neo-Soul era, this one hit especially hard.

[Eric Menau @EricMenau]

“Bad data is silent sabotage, fix it before it fuels AI.”

[Eric Menau @EricMenau]

Nearly 40% of today's skills will be outdated by 2030 📊
The companies that thrive will be the ones reskilling their teams now, not later.
What's your organization's plan?
Source: WEF Future of Jobs Report 2025
#FutureOfWork #Reskilling #Leadership #WEF2025 #BusinessStrategy

[Eric Menau @EricMenau]

Building AI that actually works requires a different playbook. More on this tomorrow.

[Eric Menau @EricMenau]

42% of companies scrapped most of their AI projects this year.
Up from 17% last year.
The problem is getting worse, not better.
🧵Thread on why (and what to do about it):

[Eric Menau @EricMenau]

🔥 Hot take: Most AI consultants are selling hammers to people who don't know what nails look like.

[Kelly Clarkson @kellyclarkson]

One of my favorite Kellyoke’s I’ve ever done and have been doing for years! ❤️ #StudioSessions #KellyokeInVegas

[Brainstorming Podcast @Pod_brainstorm]

Using AI tools at work? You might be missing the most important part. There's a huge difference between personal AI use and a real business strategy.
We break it down in our new podcast, Brainstorming.
Ep 1 premieres Tuesday, June 24th. Follow us! #AIStrategy #Leadership #ROI

[Eric Menau @EricMenau]

@GabsMafra @JasonKelce @joaomauriciofa @BrFFootball @JasonKelce Gabriel and João would give you a perspective of the Brazilian NFL market that you can’t find anywhere else. In other words: They know ball. They know Brazil.

[Eric Menau @EricMenau]

[3/3] Which track are you excited to explore? I'd love to connect and exchange insights at SXSW! 🤝
#SXSW2025 #ConferenceTracks #Innovation #Networking

[Eric Menau @EricMenau]

[1/3] 📅 8 Days to #SXSW2025!
Mapping out my agenda around SXSW's 8 compelling conference tracks this year:
• Artificial Intelligence 🤖
• Climate & Sustainability 🌍
• Design 🎨
• Energy ⚡️

[Eric Menau @EricMenau]

[2/3] Plus more incredible tracks:
• Health & MedTech 🩺
• Music & Tech 🎶
• Startups 🚀
• Extended Reality (XR) 🥽
Each offers deep dives into key industry trends and innovations.

[Eric Menau @EricMenau]

[3/3] Who else is excited for SXSW 2025? Let’s connect and make the most out of these transformative days ahead! 🚀🎶🎬
#SXSW2025 #Innovation #Networking #AustinEvents

[Eric Menau @EricMenau]

[1/3] 📅 9 Days until #SXSW2025!
Counting down to an incredible 9-day celebration (Mar 7-15) of innovation, creativity, tech, music, and film in Austin.

[Eric Menau @EricMenau]

[2/3] SXSW is more than an event—it's a creative ecosystem where ideas collide and collaborations flourish. Can't wait to dive into the inspiration! #SXSW