On Thursday night, I looked out at a packed Stewart Auditorium and asked you all to imagine a beach. We’re all busy cleaning up the debris on the sand—our daily tasks, our immediate problems—but just offshore, a 100-foot tsunami is forming. That tsunami is the AI revolution.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for “The Coming AI Revolution.” For those who missed it, you can watch the full recording here and access the slide deck here.
Here are my three biggest takeaways from our night together, and why the 24 hours since the talk have already proven the point.
1. The “Vertical Line” Just Got Confirmed
During the presentation, I showed a chart tracking AI reasoning capabilities. I specifically called out the “Red Line” representing the ability to solve novel problems (agents). I mentioned that Google’s Gemini 3 (Deep Think) had just shattered expectations.
The very next day, the ARC Prize 2025 results were analyzed, and they confirm exactly what we discussed.
- Commercial models like Gemini 3 have jumped to a 45.1% score and new high scores were announced on the ARC-AGI-2 benchmark.
- To put that in perspective: less than a year ago, these systems were scoring in the single digits on similar tasks.
- The takeaway: The vertical line on the graph isn’t hype. It’s happening. The distance between “smart chatbot” and “superhuman reasoner” is collapsing faster than even the optimists predicted.
2. Longmont is Already Plugged In (Regardless of Age)
We ran a live poll during the event, and the results confirmed that you’re already taking advantage of these powerful tools.
- 85% of you have already used an AI assistant.
- 33% of you are “Co-Pilots,” using it integrated into your daily workflow.
3. We Are Asking the Right Questions
The Q&A session was the highlight of the night for me. We didn’t just talk about cool gadgets; we went deep.
- We discussed the energy demands of 1.2 GW data centers and whether AI can solve the climate problems it contributes to.
- We debated governance and the need for a human centered decision making.
- We even referenced Kurt Vonnegut’s Player Piano, tackling the hardest question of all: In a post-scarcity world, where do we find meaning?
What’s Next?
We are just getting started. The Longmont NextWave Initiative is a community-led effort to make sure no one is left behind.
Your Homework (per Emily’s request!):
- Take the Survey: We need your input to shape our future workshops. Click here to take the follow-up survey.
- Try One New Thing: Use AI for a task you hate (meal planning, resume editing, organizing a schedule).
- Talk to a Neighbor: Break the silence. Ask a friend how they feel about the transition.
Save the Date: Our next conversation is already on the books. We will move from “The Firehose” of information to a more interactive dialogue.
- Event: Longmont’s Next AI Conversation
- When: January 15th, 5:30 PM
- Where: Longmont Public Media
See you in the future (which is arriving daily),
-Jason
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