Karan Balaji / Writing

#100DaysOfAI by Karan Balaji

Article archive

Browse the complete chronological archive of Karan Balaji's writing on applied AI, design, engineering, and building. Search by topic or series to find a specific article.

Day 9/100: AI Is a Tool, Not an Authority

Oct 24, 20268 min read

Day 9/100: AI Is a Tool, Not an Authority

Day 9/100: AI Is a Tool, Not an Authority Yesterday, Karan Balaji sat down with Ram K Pari, a friend since school who is now finishing a PhD in neural engineering, working on speech perception for elderly people. They did not plan a…

Day 8/100: Your Next User Is an Agent

Oct 23, 202617 min read

Day 8/100: Your Next User Is an Agent

Agents are becoming the interface between people and software. Cloudflare's data shows bots already pass humans on the web, and the agent share is the fastest growing part. Here is how agents connect to your app, why MCP is changing, and what to build so your site can serve them.

Day 7/100: Set Up Local AI on a Laptop for Offline Writing and Coding

Oct 17, 20268 min read

Day 7/100: Set Up Local AI on a Laptop for Offline Writing and Coding

Set up local models for offline writing and small coding tasks on a 16 GB Mac or Windows laptop, using Ollama or Unsloth Studio.

Day 6/100: SEO in the Age of AI: Making My Site Discoverable to People and Agents

Oct 17, 20269 min read

Day 6/100: SEO in the Age of AI: Making My Site Discoverable to People and Agents

AI made content easier to produce. It also made original experience, crawlable pages, and thoughtful distribution more valuable. Here's how I made my site easier for people and agents to discover.

Day 5/100: Open Source AI SDKs and Frameworks for Next-Gen Agents

Jan 4, 20268 min read

Day 5/100: Open Source AI SDKs and Frameworks for Next-Gen Agents

Compare the open-source SDKs and frameworks shaping agent workflows, from tools and memory to orchestration.

Day 4/100: State of Offline On-Device AI in 2025 & beyond

Dec 30, 20256 min read

Day 4/100: State of Offline On-Device AI in 2025 & beyond

Local models, efficient hardware and open-source tools bring private, responsive AI to your devices.

Day 3/100: AI SDK 6: Revolutionizing AI Application Development

Dec 22, 20255 min read

Day 3/100: AI SDK 6: Revolutionizing AI Application Development

Build AI applications with reusable agents, tools, streaming and generative UI in Vercel’s AI SDK 6.

Day 2/100: Revolutionizing AI Agents with A2UI and Interactions API

Dec 22, 20255 min read

Day 2/100: Revolutionizing AI Agents with A2UI and Interactions API

Google’s A2UI and Interactions API connect intelligent agents with dynamic, native user interfaces.

Day 1/100: The Future of Generative UIs: What to Expect in 2026

Dec 22, 20253 min read

Day 1/100: The Future of Generative UIs: What to Expect in 2026

How AI generates adaptive interfaces in real time, with practical examples and a look at what comes next.

Day 40/100: The Future of Customers in the AI Revolution: Communities Will Be Key

Dec 12, 20244 min read

Day 40/100: The Future of Customers in the AI Revolution: Communities Will Be Key

What is Changing? As AI continues to evolve, it’s making the process of creating products more accessible than ever. Today, with just an idea and the right tools, anyone can innovate and bring something to life. However, this newfound simplicity is s...

Day 39 of 100 Days of Design: Guest Karan Balaji Speaking at University of Toronto on Experimentation in Human-Computer Interaction

Oct 29, 20246 min read

Day 39 of 100 Days of Design: Guest Karan Balaji Speaking at University of Toronto on Experimentation in Human-Computer Interaction

Introduction: Guest Speaking at UoFT Recently, I had the privilege of guest-speaking at the University of Toronto, invited by Joseph Jay Williams, to discuss a core component of human-computer interaction (HCI): experimentation and A/B testing. This ...

Day 38/100: Non-Invasive Brain-Computer Interfaces: Unlocking the Power of Neural Oscillations By Ram K Pari

Oct 17, 20248 min read

Day 38/100: Non-Invasive Brain-Computer Interfaces: Unlocking the Power of Neural Oscillations By Ram K Pari

Introduction: A Breakthrough in Brain-Computer Interaction In the ever-evolving field of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), innovation is pushing the boundaries of what we can achieve. Ram Kumar Pari, a PhD candidate at Université Paul Sabatier Toulou...

Day 37/100: Design Thinking to AI Thinking by Alipta Ballav

Oct 2, 20244 min read

Day 37/100: Design Thinking to AI Thinking by Alipta Ballav

What: Redefining UX: Embracing AI and Design Thinking Alipta Ballav, Senior Design Manager at Microsoft, presented a thought-provoking shift in the UX design landscape during the BeMore Festival. The conversation centered on moving beyond the traditi...

Day 36/100: Minimum Lovable Product by Sunil Subramanian at BeMore Festival 2024

Sep 19, 20244 min read

Day 36/100: Minimum Lovable Product by Sunil Subramanian at BeMore Festival 2024

What: Building a Minimum Lovable Product (MLP) During the BeMore Festival by ADPList, Sunil Subramanian shared his insights on creating a Minimum Lovable Product (MLP). While many product creators focus on building a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), Sun...

Day 35/100: Ethan Evan's 5 Magic Steps for Career Success

Jul 15, 20243 min read

Day 35/100: Ethan Evan's 5 Magic Steps for Career Success

What: 5 Magic Steps for Career Success Ethan Evans, a seasoned executive with a rich background, shared his life story and invaluable advice for the modern generation. In our fireside chat, we delved into his upbringing, life philosophy, and practica...

Day 34/100: Embracing a Growth Mindset and Grit with Guy Kawasaki

Jul 3, 20244 min read

Day 34/100: Embracing a Growth Mindset and Grit with Guy Kawasaki

Growth, Grit and Grace. For Day 34 of my #100DaysOfDesign journey, I had the pleasure of diving into the insights and life lessons from Guy Kawasaki, a man who embodies the essence of a growth mindset and grit. Guy Kawasaki, known for his podcast "Re...

Day 33/100 : Enhancing Collaboration Between UX and Marketing with Aaron Yen

Jun 12, 20248 min read

Day 33/100 : Enhancing Collaboration Between UX and Marketing with Aaron Yen

For day 33 of #100DaysOfDesign, I had the privilege to speak with Aaron Yen, Marketing Manager II at Amazon on the Alexa Canada team. Our conversation delved into the intricate dynamics between UX and marketing, offering valuable insights on how thes...

Day 32/100: Jakob Nielsen's 10 Foundational UX Insights

May 16, 20244 min read

Day 32/100: Jakob Nielsen's 10 Foundational UX Insights

Why: Understanding the Importance of UX Jakob Nielsen unveiled his 10 foundational UX insights, delving into the core principles that shape effective user experiences. By focusing on empirical data, the business value of UX, and the integration of AI...

Day 31/100: Don Norman on Designing Beyond Aesthetics: Embracing a Humanitarian-Centric and Generalist Future

Mar 18, 20245 min read

Day 31/100: Don Norman on Designing Beyond Aesthetics: Embracing a Humanitarian-Centric and Generalist Future

In a thought-provoking fireside chat, Don Norman, a luminary in the field of design and cognitive science, shares his evolved perspective on the role of design in addressing the world's most pressing challenges. Norman, renowned for his groundbreakin...

Day 30/100: Julie Zhou on the Art of Feedback

Mar 6, 20243 min read

Day 30/100: Julie Zhou on the Art of Feedback

In the collaborative world of design and leadership, feedback often carries an ambiguous aura—sometimes welcome, often dreaded. Julie Zhou's Fireside Chat on "How to Give and Receive Feedback" offers a profound shift from the conventional wisdom that...

Day 29/100: Vitaly Friedman's Strategic Mastery in Design KPIs, Design SOW, and Social Equity

Feb 28, 20244 min read

Day 29/100: Vitaly Friedman's Strategic Mastery in Design KPIs, Design SOW, and Social Equity

Dive into the insightful world of Vitaly Friedman, the founder of smashingmagazine.com, as he shares his strategic mastery in design hosted by our rockstar Felix Lee from AdpList.com . His approach not only enhances visual appeal but also embeds soli...

Day 28/100: Exploring Design Insights from Unity Apple Vision Pro Conference

Feb 27, 20243 min read

Day 28/100: Exploring Design Insights from Unity Apple Vision Pro Conference

This article is about the Unity Apple Vision Pro conference, where the future of spatial design takes center stage. We're diving deep into the insights and challenges shared by luminaries in the field, uncovering how they're reshaping our digital int...

Day 27/100: Navigating the Future of UX: Specialist vs Generalist Insights with Jakob Nielsen & Sarah Gibbons

Feb 22, 20242 min read

Day 27/100: Navigating the Future of UX: Specialist vs Generalist Insights with Jakob Nielsen & Sarah Gibbons

(Why) - Navigating the Evolution of UX 🔥 Today, I had the privilege of attending a fireside chat with Jakob Nielsen, a pioneer in the field of UX design. Jakob's optimistic outlook on the future of UX, coupled with his 40 years of experience, shed l...

Day 26/100: Insights from Julie Zhuo on Making Data-Driven vs Data-Informed Decisions

Feb 15, 20242 min read

Day 26/100: Insights from Julie Zhuo on Making Data-Driven vs Data-Informed Decisions

(Why) - Understanding Data Dynamics ✍️ Today, I had the privilege of attending an enlightening fireside chat by adplist.org with Julie Zhuo, former VP of Product Design at Facebook and co-founder of Sundial. Julie delved into the nuances between data...