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Sidecar Sync

Sidecar Sync

Written by: Amith Nagarajan and Mallory Mejias
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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.

© 2026 Sidecar Sync
Economics Management Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • Global Gaps in AI Use & What Happens When Capital Doesn’t Need Labor? | 118
    Jan 22 2026

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    In this episode of Sidecar Sync, Mallory Mejias and Amith Nagarajan unpack two powerful narratives shaping our AI future: the surprising global leaderboard of AI adoption and a provocative economic thought experiment on capital, labor, and AGI. From Mallory’s firsthand experience using Claude to navigate the stress of first-time home buying to Microsoft’s latest diffusion report revealing where AI is truly taking hold (spoiler: it’s not the U.S.), this episode blends the personal, practical, and political. The hosts also explore an essay predicting a world where capital outpaces labor permanently, and what associations must do to stay relevant. Tune in for insights on strategic planning, global digital divides, and how your association can lead—not lag—on the AI curve.

    🤖 Join the AI Mastermind: https://sidecar.ai/association-ai-mastermind

    📕 Download the New 3rd Edition of ‘Ascend’:
    https://sidecar.ai/ai

    📅 Register for digitalNow2026:
    https://digitalnow.sidecar.ai

    📧 Test out our customer service agent Izzy by emailing help@sidecar.ai

    🤝 Sidecar/ASAE Partnership - https://learn.sidecar.ai/asae

    🛠 AI Tools and Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

    Claude ➔ https://claude.ai
    ChatGPT ➔ https://chat.openai.com
    Gemini 3 ➔ https://gemini.google.com
    DeepSeek ➔ https://www.deepseek.com
    Microsoft AI Diffusion Report ➔ https://shorturl.at/3klKL
    Capital in the 22nd Century Essay ➔ https://shorturl.at/WI3Tk

    🎀 Use code AIPOD50 for $50 off your Association AI Professional (AAiP) certification at https://sidecar.ai/aaip

    🚀 Help Us Grow Our Reach - Share With a Friend or Colleague!

    👍 Like & Subscribe!
    https://x.com/sidecarglobal
    https://www.youtube.com/@SidecarSync
    https://sidecar.ai/
    https://www.linkedin.com/company/sidecar-global/

    Amith Nagarajan is the Chairman of Blue Cypress, a family of purpose-driven companies and proud practitioners of Conscious Capitalism. The Blue Cypress companies focus on helping associations, non-profits, and other purpose-driven organizations achieve long-term success. Amith is also an active early-stage investor in B2B SaaS companies. He’s had the good fortune of nearly three decades of success as an entrepreneur and enjoys helping others in their journey.

    https://linkedin.com/amithnagarajan

    Mallory Mejias is passionate about creating opportunities for association professionals to learn, grow, and better serve their members using artificial intelligence. She enjoys blending creativity and innovation to produce fresh, meaningful content for the association space. Mallory co-hosts and produces the Sidecar Sync podcast, where she delves into the latest trends in AI and technology, translating them into actionable insights.

    https://linkedin.com/mallorymejias

    Show More Show Less
    49 mins
  • The Physical AI Moment: Dispatches from CES 2026 | 117
    Jan 15 2026

    Send us a text

    CES 2026 brought the heat—and the robots. In this episode, Amith Nagarajan and Mallory Mejias break down the biggest stories from the Consumer Electronics Show, where AI made its move from code to corporeal. They cover Meta’s $2B acquisition of Manus, Groq’s $20B licensing deal with Nvidia, and how LPUs are set to revolutionize inference computing. From humanoid robots dancing across stages to Nvidia’s open-source models reshaping robotics and autonomous vehicles, this episode offers a rapid-fire tour of the tech shaping our future. Plus, Amith shares why AI pilots are more about learning than proof—and yes, we dream about robots doing the dishes.

    🤖 Join the AI Mastermind: https://sidecar.ai/association-ai-mastermind

    📕 Download the New 3rd Edition of ‘Ascend’:
    https://sidecar.ai/ai

    📅 Register for digitalNow2026:
    https://digitalnow.sidecar.ai

    📧 Test out our customer service agent Izzy by emailing help@sidecar.ai

    🛠 AI Tools and Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

    CES 2026 ➔ https://www.ces.tech
    Atlas Humanoid Robot ➔ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e73kf_iLAP0
    Groq ➔ https://groq.com
    Cerebras ➔ https://cerebras.net
    Gemini by Google DeepMind ➔ https://deepmind.google
    HeyGen ➔ https://www.heygen.com

    🎀 Use code AIPOD50 for $50 off your Association AI Professional (AAiP) certification at https://sidecar.ai/aaip

    🚀 Help Us Grow Our Reach - Share With a Friend or Colleague!

    👍 Like & Subscribe!
    https://x.com/sidecarglobal
    https://www.youtube.com/@SidecarSync
    https://sidecar.ai/
    https://www.linkedin.com/company/sidecar-global/

    Amith Nagarajan is the Chairman of Blue Cypress, a family of purpose-driven companies and proud practitioners of Conscious Capitalism. The Blue Cypress companies focus on helping associations, non-profits, and other purpose-driven organizations achieve long-term success. Amith is also an active early-stage investor in B2B SaaS companies. He’s had the good fortune of nearly three decades of success as an entrepreneur and enjoys helping others in their journey.

    https://linkedin.com/amithnagarajan

    Mallory Mejias is passionate about creating opportunities for association professionals to learn, grow, and better serve their members using artificial intelligence. She enjoys blending creativity and innovation to produce fresh, meaningful content for the association space. Mallory co-hosts and produces the Sidecar Sync podcast, where she delves into the latest trends in AI and technology, translating them into actionable insights.

    https://linkedin.com/mallorymejias

    Show More Show Less
    47 mins
  • The 95% Problem: Fixing What’s Broken in Enterprise AI | 116
    Jan 8 2026

    Send us a text

    In this episode of Sidecar Sync, Amith Nagarajan and Mallory Mejias dig into the startling findings of a recent MIT study: 95% of enterprise AI initiatives are failing to deliver measurable impact. Why are so many organizations investing in AI only to watch their efforts fizzle? Mallory and Amith unpack 10 core reasons for these failures—ranging from building chat-first features instead of end-to-end workflows, to skipping the unglamorous data cleanup that powers real results. Drawing from Vishwas Lele’s insightful LinkedIn post and their own experiences in the association world, the duo shares practical guidance for leaders ready to move beyond flashy demos and into lasting value. Plus, they explore why your staff still prefer ChatGPT over that expensive new AMS add-on, and what associations can do to shift from AI experiments to real transformation.

    🤖 Join the AI Mastermind: https://sidecar.ai/association-ai-mastermind

    📕 Download the New 3rd Edition of ‘Ascend’:
    https://sidecar.ai/ai

    📅 Join the pre-registration list for digitalNow 2026:
    https://digitalnow.sidecar.ai/digitalnow2026

    📧 Test out our customer service agent Izzy by emailing help@sidecar.ai

    🛠 AI Tools and Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

    ChatGPT ➔ https://chat.openai.com
    Claude ➔ https://claude.ai
    pWin.ai ➔ https://www.pwin.ai

    🎀 Use code AIPOD50 for $50 off your Association AI Professional (AAiP) certification at https://sidecar.ai/aaip

    🚀 Help Us Grow Our Reach - Share With a Friend or Colleague!

    👍 Like & Subscribe!
    https://x.com/sidecarglobal
    https://www.youtube.com/@SidecarSync
    https://sidecar.ai/
    https://www.linkedin.com/company/sidecar-global/

    Amith Nagarajan is the Chairman of Blue Cypress, a family of purpose-driven companies and proud practitioners of Conscious Capitalism. The Blue Cypress companies focus on helping associations, non-profits, and other purpose-driven organizations achieve long-term success. Amith is also an active early-stage investor in B2B SaaS companies. He’s had the good fortune of nearly three decades of success as an entrepreneur and enjoys helping others in their journey.

    https://linkedin.com/amithnagarajan

    Mallory Mejias is passionate about creating opportunities for association professionals to learn, grow, and better serve their members using artificial intelligence. She enjoys blending creativity and innovation to produce fresh, meaningful content for the association space. Mallory co-hosts and produces the Sidecar Sync podcast, where she delves into the latest trends in AI and technology, translating them into actionable insights.

    https://linkedin.com/mallorymejias

    Show More Show Less
    39 mins
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