Final Notes from the Frontier of Preparation and Ambition

Editor’s Note: This is the final entry before camp. I wrote it on the edge of calm, confidence, and clarity. 

When I first applied to AI camp, I wasn’t sure if I belonged. I had questions, hesitation, even a little imposter syndrome. Now, I’m walking in with a working prototype, a sharper sense of self, and a quiet but focused goal: to crush it.

What changed wasn’t just the learning. It was the realization that my motivation to learn had become a foundation for confidence. After building Your Honor, I Object (to Jury Duty), I took a step back. I rested. I gave my brain a break. And then, while back at work and reflecting on the build, something clicked into place. I realized the true value I bring isn’t just in technical skills or deliverables. It’s in how I think, how I frame a problem, and how I see not just what’s been built, but what could be built next.

That future-facing perspective is where I feel strongest. I’m not just showing up with a demo. I’m showing up with version planning, governance scaffolding, and a deep belief in iteration. I want our team to stand out, not only because we built something that works, but because we also knew where it could go. Crushing camp, to me, means more than meeting the moment. It means growing through it and creating something memorable. Yes, I want our team’s efforts to be recognized. And no, I wouldn’t mind a little individual recognition along the way.

This summer, I built my AI foundation from scratch. Before, I had used ChatGPT here and there, but I had never taken an AWS Skill Builder course or explored what actually goes into developing an AI application. Now I know what it means to assemble the pieces; from models and embeddings to prompts and output handling. It still feels a little magical. The biggest surprise has been how fun it is. Even now, even after all the prep, I’m still excited about learning.

The biggest shift, though, came after I thought I was done. The prototype worked! It answered questions. I had technically finished. But then the conversations started: what about security? Human-in-the-loop oversight? Quality control? Analytics after deployment? That was the moment I realized I hadn’t finished the build.  I had only opened the first door. That shift in thinking reframed everything. I was no longer just a builder. I was becoming a system designer, someone thinking about structure, safety, and long-term value.

What I’m bringing with me to camp is more than a project. I’m bringing perspective, openness, and a willingness to lead when it’s needed and step back when it isn’t. I’ve had moments during this prep where my brain felt like it was being rewired. From grappling with vector databases to trying to comprehend the implications of Meta’s AI superintelligence research, I’ve stretched further than I expected. But I’ve also seen what that stretch unlocks. I bring with me real-world experience...not just in success, but in failure. I’ve led teams through messy beginnings and unexpected turns. I’ve seen what happens when things break, and what it takes to fix them.

So yes, I’m here to win. Not in a ruthless or competitive way, but with intention. I want to walk away from this experience having contributed meaningfully, having stood out for the right reasons, and having grown in ways I didn’t anticipate. I want the work to be seen. I want the systems thinking to be recognized. But more than that, I want to enter whatever comes next with this experience behind me and momentum in front of me.

That might be my message to the room. Let this be the start of something. Learn what you can. Build what you can. Share it, reflect on it, and then go further.

When the week is over, I won’t be done. I’ll be stepping into the next phase and continuing on the AI frontier, with the wind at my back and this journey as part of my foundation.

AI-assisted, but human-approved, just like any good front office move. Chat GPT the sixth person off the bench editor for this post. Every take is mine.