Sidecar Sync
Welcome to Sidecar Sync: Your Weekly Dose of Innovation for Associations. Hosted by Amith Nagarajan and Mallory Mejias, this podcast is your definitive source for the latest news, insights, and trends in the association world with a special emphasis on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its pivotal role in shaping the future. Each week, we delve into the most pressing topics, spotlighting the transformative role of emerging technologies and their profound impact on associations. With a commitment to cutting through the noise, Sidecar Sync offers listeners clear, informed discussions, expert perspectives, and a deep dive into the challenges and opportunities facing associations today. Whether you're an association professional, tech enthusiast, or just keen on staying updated, Sidecar Sync ensures you're always ahead of the curve. Join us for enlightening conversations and a fresh take on the ever-evolving world of associations.
Episodes
This week on Sidecar Sync, Amith Nagarajan and Mallory Mejias explore Wells Fargo’s virtual assistant “Fargo” and how it stacks up against Klarna’s AI tool from a year ago. With 250 million fully automated interactions and measurable impact on customer engagement and bias reduction, Fargo offers a powerful case study in applied AI. Amith reflects on what’s now possible for associations, why a narrow pilot project is a...
In this episode of Sidecar Sync, hosts Mallory Mejias and Amith Nagarajan take a deep dive into Model Context Protocol (MCP), a revolutionary standard making it dramatically easier for AI to interact with data, tools, and systems—no code required. Mallory shares her personal setup experience with Claude for desktop, walking through a live example of using MCP to automate file organization. Amith expands on why MCP is ...
In this special episode of Sidecar Sync, we dive into the future of AI infrastructure with Ian Andrews, Chief Revenue Officer at Groq (that’s Groq with a Q!). Ian shares the story behind Groq’s rise, how their LPU chip challenges Nvidia’s dominance, and why fast, low-cost, high-quality inference is about to unlock entirely new categories of AI-powered applications. We talk about the human side of prompting, the evolvi...
In this vibrant and forward-thinking episode of Sidecar Sync, Mallory and Amith dive into the fun side of AI—exploring OpenAI’s new GPT-4o image generation capabilities, Hedra’s cartoon animation tech, and the jaw-dropping robotics work between Nvidia, Google DeepMind, and Disney. You’ll hear about Mallory’s creation of cartoon avatars of herself and Amith, animated with lifelike voices using Hedra and ElevenLabs, plu...
In this thought-provoking episode of Sidecar Sync, Mallory and Amith dig into the fascinating world of semiconductors and how a historic joint venture between Intel and TSMC is reshaping the global tech landscape. They explore the underlying tensions between vertically integrated business models and specialization — a conversation that holds key lessons for association leaders navigating change in the age of AI. From ...
In this episode of Sidecar Sync, Amith and Mallory dive deep into two major AI model releases—Google’s Gemini 2.5 Pro and DeepSeek’s V3—and explore how they’re reshaping the landscape of artificial intelligence. They discuss the technical breakthroughs, from million-token context windows to open-source innovations, and what it all means for association leaders. This is a jam-packed episode with strategic insights for ...
In this milestone 75th episode of Sidecar Sync, Amith and Mallory return for part two of their deep dive into AI-enhanced member services. This second installment of AI-Enhanced Member Services shifts from ideas to action. Amith and Mallory focus on the infrastructure, mindset, and change management strategies needed to implement AI solutions within your association. You’ll hear clear advice on system integration, dat...
In this episode of Sidecar Sync, Amith and Mallory discuss the Manus AI Agent, a groundbreaking system that autonomously handles complex tasks like resume screening and real estate searches. They also explore the evolution of conversational AI with Sesame AI, which enhances digital interactions through natural speech. Amith shares insights from his keynote at AGRIP, an association leading the way in AI adoption, while...
In this first installment of a special two-part episode of Sidecar Sync, Amith and Mallory explore the future of AI-enhanced member services. Associations face growing pressure to provide seamless, 24/7 member support—competing with the personalized service of big brands. In Part 1, we break down key member service functions and how AI can revolutionize them, from automating inquiries and renewals to personalizing com...
In this episode of Sidecar Sync, hosts Amith and Mallory explore AI’s surprising role in fast food, focusing on Byte by Yum, an AI-powered platform transforming operations at Taco Bell, KFC, and beyond. What can associations learn from Yum Brands’ AI strategy? Then, they tackle Amazon’s return-to-office policy and what it means for workplace culture, collaboration, and AI’s growing influence on job structures. Plus, a...
AI is evolving at a breakneck pace, and in this episode of Sidecar Sync, hosts Amith Nagarajan and Mallory Mejias break down the latest advancements that are pushing the boundaries of what's possible. From the game-changing hybrid reasoning capabilities of Claude 3.7 and Grok 3 to the emerging field of quantum computing, they explore how these technologies are shaping the future. They also discuss Microsoft'...
This week on Sidecar Sync, we take a deep dive into the Paris AI Action Summit, exploring global AI trends, governance challenges, and key takeaways from this high-profile event. With 60 nations signing the final declaration—but the U.S. and U.K. notably opting out—what does this mean for AI’s future? We also discuss the Reuters legal victory against Ross Intelligence, a major copyright case with potential implication...
In this episode of Sidecar Sync, Amith and Mallory dive into OpenAI’s latest innovation: Deep Research. They explore how this powerful AI agent is transforming research by synthesizing vast amounts of information at unprecedented speeds. They also discuss Jevons Paradox—why technological advancements don’t always reduce resource consumption and how this applies to AI’s rapid evolution. Plus, they unpack the implicatio...
In this special interview edition of Sidecar Sync, hosts Mallory and Amith sit down with AI consultant, John Huisman, to explore how associations can effectively adopt generative AI. John shares insights from his extensive experience advising Fortune 50 companies on digital transformation and AI strategy. The conversation covers how associations can shift from adopting AI just for the sake of it to strategically leve...
In this jam-packed episode of Sidecar Sync, Amith and Mallory break down two of the biggest AI stories of the moment: DeepSeek’s R1 model and OpenAI’s new Operator agent. R1 has been making waves with its impressive reasoning abilities, low training costs, and major impact on AI stocks—leaving industry giants scrambling. Meanwhile, OpenAI’s Operator brings a new level of automation, allowing AI to browse the web and c...
In this episode of Sidecar Sync, hosts Amith and Mallory dive into the intersection of leadership and artificial intelligence, exploring why growing your team is the true measure of a leader. Amith shares his decades-long journey of building organizations, candidly discussing the lessons learned along the way. Together, they discuss the critical importance of AI training for teams, why failing to provide it is "l...
Dive into the riveting highlights of digitalNow 2024, where leading experts shared transformative insights on AI and its impact on associations. In this episode, keynote speakers Robert Plotkin, Dr. Gio Altamirano Rayo, Dr. Param Dedhia, Neil Hoyne, and John Spence unravel strategies for leveraging AI, enhancing leadership, and fostering innovation. From safeguarding intellectual property with AI to ethical AI applica...
In the first episode of 2025, Amith and Mallory dive into groundbreaking innovations reshaping the association world. They explore Google’s Gemini Deep Research, a cutting-edge AI tool revolutionizing how associations can generate actionable insights. Then, they discuss the futuristic potential of carbon-14 diamond batteries—offering nearly unlimited power for thousands of years. From enhancing member engagement throu...
Welcome to a special edition of Sidecar Sync! In this episode, Mallory shares keynote highlights from Day One of digitalNow 2024, a premier event for association leaders. Dive into insights from Amith Nagarajan on AI agents and agentic systems, Thomas Altman on AI's role in knowledge creation, Sharon Gai on AI-driven e-commerce strategies, and Dr. Denise Turley on implementing generative AI solutions. From practi...
In this special interview, Mallory chats with Varun Puri, co-founder of Yoodli, an AI-powered communication coach revolutionizing how people prepare for speeches, interviews, and conversations. Varun shares Yoodli’s journey, from its inspiration as a "smart mirror" for speech to its adoption by global organizations like Google and Toastmasters. Discover how associations, professionals, and even doctors are u...
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