Recently, I read a fascinating piece by Substack co-founderHamish McKenzietitled The AI revolution is an opportunity for writers (the human kind). It inspired me to share my own thoughts about what we’re creating at Bapl:

I grew up with anchors, show hosts, and the time slot.

I grew up with them in the same time slots day after day after day after day…

The 10 o’clock news with Peter Mansbridge.

The Late Show with David Letterman at 11:35 PM.

Entertainment Tonight at 6:30 PM.

I could count on all of them to be there every day, week in, week out—like clockwork.

They were accountable to me as entertainers and informers.

And I was accountable to them as a member of the audience.

In our asynchronous relationships, they expected me to show up just as much as I expected them to show up. But it was about more than mindlessly consuming content for the sake of entertainment.

It was, in fact, my initiation into the world of content creation—human generated content—and its undeniable influence on culture.

The consistent timing of the shows, coupled with the familiarity of the anchors and hosts, fostered a personal connection with the audience, and it enhanced the impact of those programs.

I connected with Peter. I connected with David.

I connected with the humans behind the content shaping the culture.

The Essence of Live in the Lab(Bapl’s Flagship Show)

I like to think of Live in the Lab as a reboot of those old school shows, where my audience connects with me, the entertainer, the person behind the content influencing their lives.

But in a world where AI is rapidly taking over all aspects of how we do life and business, calling out human generated content is more important than ever.

So, I want you to know that everything we produce for Live in the Lab, as well as all supplementary content, is all human-crafted by me.

In the spirit of transparency, I use AI to support my efforts and a human collaborator to help me with the writing and editing of the written content.

It would be impossible to run a daily show otherwise.

And let me be frank: we absolutely support a tech and AI-enhanced world at Bapl. It’s the way of the future, and there’s no stopping it.

Just like the radio.

Just like the TV.

Just like the internet.

But we also advocate for transparency, authenticity, and—above everything else—human connection.

Yes, I have trained AI on “me”, but I merely use it as a support tool for ideation to increase the production speed and workflow for Live in the Lab.

But what you get in the Lab is real.

It’s raw, and it’s authentic; so much so that I don’t even script my shows.

We present real human experiences to connect with you and give you relatable content to keep you informed, inspired, and motivated to pursue your Next; to help you stay accountable to yourself.

We create content with soul and purpose.

I can illustrate my own experiences, my guests’ experiences, by talking and writing about moments and adventures AI can never understand, like trekking mountains and bootstrapping my first company.

My experiences, and my guests’ experiences, were real.

The words I write when I reflect on the experience of summiting a mountain is rooted in reality. It’s a memory. It belongs to me. AI, however advanced, can never capture the soul and meaning behind it.

And those are the experiences, human-led experiences, we share in the Lab.

The Power of Video at BAPL

I chose video as the backbone of our content creation because I wanted to connect with you through my energy, my expressions, and my words.

I want you to see me when I speak.

To feel my energy through the microphone when I breathe.

To look me in the eye so that I can gain your trust and prove to you I’m showing up every single day.

Like Peter and Dave and those other old-school talk show hosts of “yester-year”.

Day in and day out, you’ll find me in the Lab, ready to serve you; ready to inspire you and to hold you accountable so that you can live that excellent life you deserve.

And it’s all me—authentic, real, raw me.

Not some AI-generated version of me.

Yes, I advocate for AI. Yes, I embrace AI. And I encourage you to do the same, unless you want to be left behind.

But I’ll never use AI, never encourage AI, at the expense of human connection.

That’s why you’ll always see me on video—unscripted and raw. It enables me as a content creator to build immediate and repeatable trust with you.

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The Role of Leadership in Content Creation

Leaders like you and me, we have a responsibility to craft the content that will shape human culture. We do it through the lens of our experiences.

Sharing our failures.

Sharing our successes.

Sharing the lessons we learn along the way.

And, perhaps most crucial, sharing the vulnerabilities and emotions behind the experiences that shape us.

It’s a difficult task for the best of us—being vulnerable.

But it’s necessary to ensure that a rich narrative of culture lives on in the content we create. These narratives need to be told. They need to make more noise than the heaps of generic AI-generated fluff out there.

Why?

Because if human connection dies, we’ll seize to exist. All of us.

All those AI-generated systems and content have no soul. No context. No emotions linked to meaningful experiences.

I believe there has never been a better time for human content creators to shine.

Human-Created Content for Guys

A major but neglected human problem we’re tackling in the lab is the male loneliness phenomenon. I see an increasing need for male connection and community.

If you’re a guy, you can get that connection you need from me and my guests right here in the Lab.

More than that, I invite you to share your experiences.

You, business leader; you, transitioning athlete, your experiences are valuable to the Bapl Nation. They’re valuable links in building the culture we’re shaping through content.

Share them.

Ending male loneliness starts with you. It starts with you stepping outside of your comfort zone and actively seeking connection and meaning.

Start here, in the Lab, where we’re offering you a safe space to explore your vulnerability, to stay accountable to yourself, and to pursue your Next with a support network that cares.

Until next time, embrace innovation but foster human connection.

Keith, your Chief Baplete.

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How We're Prioritizing Human Connection at the Business Athlete Performance Lab | Episode #61 08:30 Share

Live in the Lab with Keith Bilous

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How We're Prioritizing Human Connection at the Business Athlete Performance Lab | Episode #61