Mark Jones

Built @collab365 to keep knowledge workers ahead of AI. 50k+ trained. Two-person team. No gurus, no fluff... just the stuff that actually works.

[Mark Jones @MarkQJones]

🎬 "THE ONE THEY KEEP"

I just got very carried away and created an entire short film completely with AI.

Images, Research, Video, Sound Fx, Music, Script, the lot!

BUT, It still took me 150 hours to make!

In all seriousness, the film has a very important message that we should all start thinking about.

[Mark Jones @mark_jones]

AI can be real and STILL be a bubble.

That’s the bit I keep coming back to.

The question isn’t "does AI work?"

Obviously, we've all used it by now .. It absolutely DOES work.

The big question is ..

What happens if companies use AI mainly to cut the customers the AI boom needs?

[Mark Jones @MarkQJones]

@Cryptoinsightuk Not sure xrp going to get any love next few weeks. The world’s gone ai nuts. Coins like near and render might get short term joy. My hunch is that everyone is rotating in ai stocks as they are too irresistible. When that’s over we might get some interest back in crypto.

[Mark Jones @mark_jones]

What's the point?

(This is long but hopefully it's worth the 5 minutes)

By this stage you've probably seen enough to know that AI can do it all.

So we can all expect plenty of:

"Your job has gone" Struggling to pay the mortgage Struggling to feed the kids Trying to look calm while quietly shitting yourself Wondering if anything you know is still worth knowing

You might be thinking, like me as a dad:

"What's the point of even learning this shit?"

"What kinda future are my kids moving into?"

On one hand we have the Pro AI crowd saying:

"No more disease" "Live till 150" (oh my god)"Work will be optional" "Everything will be abundant and cost nothing"

Lovely.

On the other hand we have the AI haters saying:

"We're losing control" "We will be locked into 15-minute cities" "Own nothing, be happy" "Your job is gone and your kettle is spying on you"

Also lovely.

And I'm somewhere in the middle, trying to raise my kids, pay bills, stay useful, and not have a small panic attack every time some 24-year-old posts:

"19 AI tools that will replace your entire team by Thursday."

I've been in tech my entire life.

I am 52. Or 53. Can't remember.

I've gone from "learn something new every 4 years" to where we are now, which feels like "learn something new every 2 months or you're dead".

It all feels like too much.

It causes anxiety. Anguish. That horrible tight chest feeling. That feeling of:

"What's the point?"

And it's not just AI.

We've also got blockchain, crypto, digital currencies and whatever comes next quietly changing the rails underneath money, ownership and trust.

Some of it has been nonsense. Some of it has been scams wrapped in buzzwords. But some of it is real.

We are clearly moving towards a more digital version of money.

And whether that becomes freedom, control, convenience, surveillance, or some weird mix of all of it… nobody really knows yet.

But it's another massive shift happening at the same time.

So if we have AI eating through jobs… digital money changing how we earn, spend, save and get monitored… and robots coming later to do the physical stuff too…

Then you are bound to think: "What's the point?"

Because here's the thing.

Work is not just money.

Yes, money matters. Of course it does. It pays the mortgage. It keeps the lights on. It feeds the kids. It gives you choices.

But work is also how a lot of us measure ourselves.

It gives us purpose. Status. Something to get better at. A ladder to climb. A reason to push. A way to say: "I built that. I earned that. I'm getting somewhere."

A bigger house. A nicer car. A better life for your kids. A bit of pride when someone asks what you do.

And yes, maybe some of that is ego. Maybe some of it is nonsense we've been sold. But it's also human.

We want to improve. We want to matter. We want to feel useful. We want to know that the effort meant something.

So when the CEOs of AI companies joyfully predict that millions of jobs will be replaced and some of them do say it joyfully, like they're announcing a product feature, I want them to understand something.

Your words have ramifications.

You get to say it from a stage, fly home on a private jet, and watch your net worth climb another hundred million before breakfast.

But somewhere out there, a 48-year-old accountant just told her husband she's scared. A developer who spent fifteen years getting good at his craft is quietly updating his CV at midnight. A training manager is sitting in a meeting wondering if she's about to be restructured out of existence.

That's what your forecast sounds like from down here.

And it's not abstract. It lands in real houses, with real mortgages, and real kids asking real questions.

They are not just talking about jobs.

They are talking about people's PLACE in the world.

And if you've spent years getting good at something, whether that's training, consulting, developing, designing, managing or advising, this hits hard.

Because it's not just: "Can AI do this task?"

It's: "Will clients still value what I know?" "Will the thing I spent 20 years learning still matter?" "Will I still be needed?"

That's the bit people don't talk about enough.

And that's why this question keeps coming back: what's the point?

Why don't we just give up and give in?

I'm in the UK. I could pack it all in, take Universal Credit, and wait it out until we get whatever income the government dreams up.

Maybe that'll be good. Maybe it'll be bad. Maybe it'll be enough to survive but not enough to live.

Apparently everything is going to get cheaper anyway, because it turns out us humans are quite expensive and if you remove us from the process, stuff gets cheaper.

Great.

Except we are not just a cost.

We are PEOPLE.

Dads. Mums. Sons. Daughters. Business owners. Workers. Makers. Carers. Friends. Neighbours.

We are not just "labour". Not just "headcount". Not just "expensive humans in the loop".

But here's the thing I keep coming back to when I have those pangs of anxiety and whisper to myself:

"Breathe through it, Mark."

This is the BIGGEST opportunity of our lives.

This is the gold rush of our lifetime, except nobody knows where the gold is yet and half the people selling maps are full of shit.

And I don't mean that in some LinkedIn "make me go viral" way.

I don't mean "10x your productivity and become a billionaire by Tuesday".

I mean: when the world changes this much, the old rules start to fall apart.

The agencies charging £5k for things a smart person can now do in an afternoon. The consultants hiding behind jargon. The software companies selling "innovation" that is really just a spreadsheet with a login screen. The people who made things feel complicated so they could stay in control.

The old excuses stop working.

And yes, a scary amount of money is flowing to a very small number of people. The chip companies. The model companies. The platforms. The investors. The people who already had the money, the data, the distribution and the power.

That is real. We should not pretend it isn't.

But it is not the whole story.

Because these tools are also landing in the hands of normal people like me and you.

Small teams. Solo founders. Teachers. Parents. Tradespeople. Local businesses. People with ideas who never had the budget, the confidence, the contacts, or the technical team before.

A small business can now do things that used to take a whole agency. A parent can learn something at 11pm after the kids are in bed. A founder can test an idea in a weekend. A kid can build something from their bedroom.

That is not nothing.

But nobody really knows what to do on Monday morning.

That's the bit.

Because yes, AI can write the report. It can build the spreadsheet. It can make the plan. It can summarise the meeting. It can probably do 80% of the task.

But it doesn't know your client is panicking.

It doesn't know your boss is about to make a terrible decision.

It doesn't know the numbers look fine on paper but smell wrong in real life.

It doesn't know that the person asking the question is scared, confused, embarrassed, skint, proud, or trying to hold everything together.

That's where humans still matter.

Not because we can type faster than AI. We can't.

But because someone still has to make sense of the mess.

Someone still has to say: "Hang on. That sounds clever, but it's a bad idea."

Someone still has to explain it in a way a normal person can understand.

Someone still has to know when the answer is technically right but practically useless.

Someone still has to be trusted.

So maybe the point is not to learn everything. You can't.

Maybe the point is not to predict everything. You won't.

Maybe the point is to stay close enough to the change that you can still make good choices.

Learn enough to ask better questions. Learn enough to spot the bullshit. Learn enough to help someone else through it.

I'm 52 (or 53), building stuff on my own, figuring it out as I go, getting it wrong half the time, and still finding it more interesting than anything I've done before.

That's not inspiration.

That's all I've got for what's facing us.

And it's enough of a reason to keep going.

[Mark Jones @MarkQJones]

@Nodeworthy_co yep and i dont think anyone at government level is thinking this through. Their stock answer is to "Train people on AI" ..

[Mark Jones @MarkQJones]

Are companies now FIRING their own customers?

A couple of researchers called this the "AI Layoff Trap".

I think slowly but surely, there will be a "tipping point" where we automate staff away from their jobs, before the tax revenues catch up fast enough:

Without sounding too "doom and gloom", longer term, we could see a point where AI is doing our jobs and even working for us.

In fact, we could have a life of relaxation and get the same quality of life as we do in work.

My worry is that on the road to utopia we're going see a situation where companies fire so fast, that no one can afford what they offer.

Take coinbase .. crypto is going to be the last thing on peoples minds when they're worrying about paying their mortgage.

In other words, those 14% they just laid off wont be buying Bitcoin.

Coinbase have also now forced other exchanges to follow suit because they will also need to lower costs to stay competitive.

[Mark Jones @MarkQJones]

Get some AI skills fast folks. Nothing stops this train.

(Not sure who asked for the train in the first place, but nothing stops it.)

[Mark Jones @MarkQJones]

@brian_armstrong Are we firing out own customers?
https://t.co/htMZhfYHCb

[Mark Jones @MarkQJones]

Are companies now FIRING their own customers?

A couple of researchers called this the "AI Layoff Trap".

I think slowly but surely, there will be a "tipping point" where we automate staff away from their jobs, before the tax revenues catch up fast enough:

Without sounding too "doom and gloom", longer term, we could see a point where AI is doing our jobs and even working for us.

In fact, we could have a life of relaxation and get the same quality of life as we do in work.

My worry is that on the road to utopia we're going see a situation where companies fire so fast, that no one can afford what they offer.

Take coinbase .. crypto is going to be the last thing on peoples minds when they're worrying about paying their mortgage.

In other words, those 14% they just laid off wont be buying Bitcoin.

Coinbase have also now forced other exchanges to follow suit because they will also need to lower costs to stay competitive.

[Mark Jones @MarkQJones]

Get some AI skills fast folks. Nothing stops this train.

(Not sure who asked for the train in the first place, but nothing stops it.)

[Brian Armstrong @brian_armstrong]

This is an email I sent earlier today to all employees at Coinbase:

Team,

Today I’ve made the difficult decision to reduce the size of Coinbase by ~14%. I want to walk you through why we're doing this now, what it means for those affected, and how this positions us for the future.

Why now
Two forces are converging at the same time. We need to be front footed to respond to both.

First, the market. Coinbase is well-capitalized, has diversified revenue streams, and is well-positioned to weather any storm. Crypto is also on the verge of the next wave of adoption, with stablecoins, prediction markets, tokenization, and more taking off. However, our business is still volatile from quarter to quarter. While we've managed through that cyclicality many times before and come out stronger on the other side, we��re currently in a down market and need to adjust our cost structure now so that we emerge from this period leaner, faster, and more efficient for our next phase of growth.

Second, AI is changing how we work. Over the past year, I’ve watched engineers use AI to ship in days what used to take a team weeks. Non-technical teams are now shipping production code and many of our workflows are being automated. The pace of what's possible with a small, focused team has changed dramatically, and it's accelerating every day.

All of this has led us to an inflection point, not just for Coinbase, but for every company. The biggest risk now is not taking action. We are adjusting early and deliberately to rebuild Coinbase to be lean, fast, and AI-native. We need to return to the speed and focus of our startup founding, with AI at our core.

What this means
To get there, we are not just reducing headcount and cutting costs, we’re fundamentally changing how we operate: rebuilding Coinbase as an intelligence, with humans around the edge aligning it. What does this mean in practice?

- Fewer layers, faster decisions: We are flattening our org structure to 5 layers max below CEO/COO. Layers slow things down and create coordination tax. The future is small, high context teams that can move quickly. Leaders will own much more, with as many as 15+ direct reports. Fewer layers also means a leaner cost structure that is built to perform through all market cycles.

- No pure managers: Every leader at Coinbase must also be a strong and active individual contributor. Managers should be like player-coaches, getting their hands dirty alongside their teams.

- AI-native pods: We’ll be concentrating around AI-native talent who can manage fleets of agents to drive outsized impact. We’ll also be experimenting with reduced pod sizes, including “one person teams” with engineers, designers, and product managers all in one role.

In short: AI is bringing a profound shift in how companies operate, and we’re reshaping Coinbase to lead in this new era. This is a new way of working, and we need to leverage AI across every facet of our jobs.

To those who are affected
I know there are real people behind these decisions — talented colleagues who have poured themselves into this company and our mission. To those of you who will be leaving: thank you. You’ve helped build Coinbase into what it is today, and I am sincerely grateful for everything you've done.

All impacted team members will receive an email to their personal account in the next hour with more information, and an invitation to meet with an HRBP and a senior leader in your organization. Coinbase system access has been removed today. I know this feels sudden and harsh, but it is the only responsible choice given our duty to protect customer information.

To those affected, we will be providing a comprehensive package to support you through this transition. US employees will receive a minimum of 16 weeks base pay (plus 2 weeks per year worked), their next equity vest, and 6 months of COBRA. Employees on a work visa will get extra transition support. Those outside of the US will receive similar support, based on local factors and subject to any consultation requirements.

Coinbase prides itself on talent density. Our employees are among the most talented people in the world, and I have no doubt that your skills and experience will be highly sought after as you pursue your next chapters.

How we move forward
To the team that is staying, I know this is a difficult day. We’re saying goodbye to colleagues and friends you've been in the trenches with. But here’s what I want you to know as we move forward together:

Over the past 13 years, we have weathered four crypto winters, gone public, and built the most trusted platform in our industry. We’ve made it this far by making hard decisions and by always staying focused on our mission. This time will be no different – nothing has changed about the long term outlook of our company or industry. And most importantly, our mission has never been more important for the world. Increasing economic freedom requires a new financial system, and we’re building it.

The Coinbase that emerges from this will be more capable than ever to achieve our mission.

Brian

[Mark Jones @MarkQJones]

"Apple is dead. SaaS is next. You have 18 months."

I just read a post sayng that on here, and it’s an interesting take for anyone in tech.

Here’s the gist:

1. Apple’s "moat" is drying up: AI agents are starting to build interfaces on the fly, making the hardware we carry around way less special.

2. Building software isn't enough anymore: Small teams can now rebuild a B2B SaaS product in weeks using AI. If that’s your only defense, you're in trouble.

3. The "App" is dying: We’re moving toward a world where you don’t "build an app"—you just hook your APIs into tools like MCPs so AI can learn what you do and show the user what they need, exactly when they need it.

My take?

I’m not sold on the 18-month deadline. I think it’s probably double that. I think it's more like 36 months.

But the "User Interface" as we know it?

That’s definitely going out the window.

Soon, we won't be clicking buttons; agents will call a service and render a personalized experience "just in time."

What a time to be living through!

Part of me is totally buzzing by this.

But as a dad, part of me is pretty worried.

I wrote this today: "We Run an AI Business and Our Own Daughter Won't Touch It."

https://t.co/4dWQJ8UIXf

It’s a weird spot to be in.

We’re building these incredible tools, but I can’t help but wonder if we’re moving so fast that we’re not letting our children take part in the race.

If you’re a parent in tech, what’s your gut feeling right now?

Would you like to click "Pause" on it? (As a dad, I would).

[Mark Jones @MarkQJones]

@chamath Disagree. I am fully ai coding and still doing 70 hour weeks. Some will take the time dividend but that will end pretty soon

[Mark Jones @MarkQJones]

"Apple is dead. SaaS is next. You have 18 months."

I just read a post sayng that on here, and it’s an interesting take for anyone in tech.

Here’s the gist:

1. Apple’s "moat" is drying up: AI agents are starting to build interfaces on the fly, making the hardware we carry around way less special.

2. Building software isn't enough anymore: Small teams can now rebuild a B2B SaaS product in weeks using AI. If that’s your only defense, you're in trouble.

3. The "App" is dying: We’re moving toward a world where you don’t "build an app"—you just hook your APIs into tools like MCPs so AI can learn what you do and show the user what they need, exactly when they need it.

My take?

I’m not sold on the 18-month deadline. I think it’s probably double that. I think it's more like 36 months.

But the "User Interface" as we know it?

That’s definitely going out the window.

Soon, we won't be clicking buttons; agents will call a service and render a personalized experience "just in time."

What a time to be living through!

Part of me is totally buzzing by this.

But as a dad, part of me is pretty worried.

I wrote this today: "We Run an AI Business and Our Own Daughter Won't Touch It."

https://t.co/4dWQJ8UIXf

It’s a weird spot to be in.

We’re building these incredible tools, but I can’t help but wonder if we’re moving so fast that we’re not letting our children take part in the race.

If you’re a parent in tech, what’s your gut feeling right now?

Would you like to click "Pause" on it? (As a dad, I would).

[Cloudflare Changelog @CFchangelog]

Emergency WAF rule deployed to block the cPanel authentication bypass vulnerability. Update your ruleset to Block this new detection immediately.

https://t.co/IO7JcZlqiw

[Cloudflare @Cloudflare]

Starting today, agents can now be Cloudflare customers. They can create a Cloudflare account, start a paid subscription, register a domain, and get back an API token to deploy code right away. https://t.co/qFgCivQTTi

[Mark Jones @MarkQJones]

Magic .. just what we need ..

[Polymarket @Polymarket]

JUST IN: AI startup launching wearable headband next year that purports to let you take control of your dreams.

[Mark Jones @MarkQJones]

@theswolesurfer @sentient_agency My point is the more ChatGPT and friends answer without any click through then how can you optimise based on no analytics? The problem is much more complicated with so many new ai crawl bots each with their own algorithms. Seo is dying because Google is switching to ai first .

[Mark Jones @MarkQJones]

1. WTF: https://t.co/1BhPIBBtAe

[Mr. Nobody @MmisterNobody]

🚨SOMETHING REALLY STRANGE IS GOING ON

🇨🇳In China, at least 7 high-level scientists have either vanished or died under suspicious circumstances.

🇺🇸In the United States, the number of nuclear physicists, astrophysicists, and researchers working in military-related fields who have suddenly gone missing or died has now reached 12.

And that is before we even get to the two UFO researchers who both died by apparent suicide within the past few days.

Same fields.

Same timeframe.

Two different countries.

Make of that what you will.

[Mark Jones @MarkQJones]

3 things that make me go WTF?!?

1. Scientists are mysteriously dying

2. Oil refineries around the world are catching fire

3. We are high-fiving each other about how good AI is knowing full well it will wipe out jobs.

[Mark Jones @MarkQJones]

My big project to migrate 7 wordpress sites to 2 ai controlled Cloudflare workers is nearly done.

My god it’s so much easier and they run like Ferraris.

[Mark Jones @MarkQJones]

@sinasanm How do you manage memory? (Cool btw)

[Mark Jones @MarkQJones]

@Enezator Not sure I could step on that!