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The CharLatte: Curiosity, communication and AI

Helping people become clearer, more memorable and easier to refer.

Every few weeks I share observations, stories and experiments about communication, networking, public speaking and AI. Sometimes thoughtful. Sometimes ridiculous. Usually both.

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Comic book cover for The CharLatte Issue 22, "Attack of the Sci-Fly". Charlotte Ex Machina, a human-android hybrid, runs through a retro-futuristic city while a giant mechanical fly pursues her overhead. Humans, androids and hybrids flee in the background
Featured Post

The CharLatte: There’s a fly in my ear

Seriously…. Hi Reader I'm currently typing this out in the ENT department at New Cross Hospital. This is definitely not what I planned for my morning. I imagine it's going to be something I talk about for a while. Last night as I was falling asleep, an insect fell in my ear. Seriously. I could not make it up. I could feel it moving. The buzzing was intense. It was like something from a horror film. After trying olive oil ear drops (ok - it stopped moving), flushing it out with water (later to...

2 days ago • 4 min read

Hi Reader How have you been? The last few weeks have been a bit of a whirlwind - My birthday, workshops, a keynote, networking events and case studies all got me side-tracked. But I’m still AI curious, so I want to get back on the horse... Because there’s always something new/scary/interesting (delete as appropriate). This week alone: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced that we're in the singularity: a point where AI advances beyond human prediction. My LinkedIn feed has been awash with people...

8 days ago • 1 min read
Charl Ex M in a metallic halterneck dress leaving a nightclub and entering a museum at night. On display are rare objects: a vinyl record, a golden isolated soundwave visualization, and a precious jewel. Museum lighting highlights the scarcity and value o

Hi Reader, If you were on Mastermind, what would you choose as your specialist subject? I’m starting to think mine would be Northern Soul. I can imagine sitting in the famous black chair and Clive Myrie saying to me: “So Charlotte, Northern Soul. Are you a fan?” And I’d reply “Well Clive, it’s ok… It’s actually my dad who is the HUGE Northern Soul fan. I’m his +1 as it’s a nice way to spend time with him." Travelling for the scene I’ve been to see Northern Live: Do I Love You show 3 times. We...

about 2 months ago • 5 min read
Retro-futurist comic cover featuring Charlotte Ex Machina in a metallic halterneck dress at a futuristic DJ console. A soundwave transforms from jagged blue geometric shapes on the left into warm flowing ribbons on the right as people gather on a dance fl

Hi Reader A few weeks ago I was at a networking event chatting to Paul. I’ve known him for years, but only recently found out that he used to be a DJ. I’ve been doing a beginners DJ course so I was asking him for some tips. His biggest piece of advice? Play for the dance floor. He told me a story where he’d gone with a friend to a party. His friend was DJing. He loved trance and didn’t want to play “crap music”. nly, there was a problem. Nobody was dancing. The dance floor was empty. He...

about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Split-world panorama: on one side, a rare minerals mine with workers excavating precious gems; on the other side, a sleek cyber boutique with a cyborg assistant offering "identity suits" and a sign reading "best self 1 click away"

Hi Reader, A couple of weeks ago, I was in a discovery meeting with a potential new client. We were talking about messaging and website copy. They’re creative and genuinely care about what they do. “We just want to be us and do good work for our clients. We don’t want to have to put on bright pink suits or anything gimmicky to stand out.” I have nothing against pink suits (in fact, I love a colour-block outfit), but I understood exactly what they meant. THE SHOP OR THE MINE? There’s plenty of...

2 months ago • 3 min read

Hi Reader A few weeks ago I was at a networking event and there were three speakers. One was a printer. I’d met him the day before. He was a nice guy, fun to talk to and clearly knew a lot about printing. I was looking forward to hearing him speak. And in his presentation, he showed he knows a lot about different types of printed materials. But it felt like we were being talked through a brochure. Each slide featured a different printing technique. Brochures. Pull up banners. Flyers. You get...

2 months ago • 4 min read

Hi Reader Yesterday morning, I was in Birmingham for a catch up with Emma Johnson, a partner and patent attorney at Forresters. She was giving me a tour of their fabulous new offices. (One of my favourite parts was the bookcase which featured books of cases and reports belonging to the founders Harold Forrester and Charles Ketley, as well as nods to technological developments like a stylish vintage lightbulb). The office space also featured individual offices which can be booked by team...

3 months ago • 3 min read

Hi Reader This morning there was a message from my sister on the WhatsApp family group chat. “Does anyone have spare straighteners I can borrow? I left mine in Abersoch and won’t be able to get them back for 10 days.” Before I could reply, her best friend came to the rescue. My sister has a stop-gap measure. A temporary fix. When she gets hers back, she won’t have to worry about returning them to anyone. They are hers. The idea of ownership has been on my mind recently. Especially when it...

4 months ago • 4 min read

Hi Reader, On Tuesday morning I was back at my old high school presenting 3 x 40 minute sessions to Year 12 students. The theme: AI + Applications: How to Stand Out THE SHORTCUT ILLUSION AI is a reality for anyone job hunting or recruiting right now. Last week, the BBC reported about a law firm, Mishcon De Reya using AI to screen early stage applications. They had over 5,000 for 35 roles in its last round of hiring, so you might be able to see why from a time perspective. They also hoped that...

4 months ago • 4 min read
The CharLatte Issue 12 cover — Charlotte Ex Machina stands with her hand outstretched, silhouettes of people visible behind her, representing the human connections that make up The Invisible Advantage.

Hi Reader Over the past year, I’ve been thinking a lot about “soft skills”. How you interact with people. How you make them feel. And the impact it has on life, not just business. And I’ve always found it frustrating that they’re called soft skills, because while they might not be quantifiable on a spreadsheet or end of year accounts, they are so important. They give us The Invisible Advantage in these AI times. An advantage which means so much and leaves a lasting impression. In July 2014 I...

5 months ago • 2 min read