# Bert Mahoney

> AI Systems Architect & Hands-On Designer


## Posts

- [AI Social Video Automation for Multi-Location Brands](https://bertmahoney.com/ai-social-video-automation-multi-location-brands): A project update on building an AI-assisted social video engine with Tyler at TribalCore using Remotion, TypeScript, structured data, and automation for multi-location brand marketing.
- [Building a Private, Local, Zero-Cost, Transcription System on macOS Using AI](https://bertmahoney.com/building-zero-cost-local-transcription-system-macos-ai): How a local macOS transcription pipeline became durable infrastructure by replacing fragile Python ML tooling with native Metal, keeping audio private, and removing subscription costs.
- [Running Local AI on a 2017 iMac: What Actually Happened](https://bertmahoney.com/running-local-ai-on-a-2017-imac-what-actually-happened): The iMac That Couldn’t If you’ve been searching for honest, real-world results on running a local AI setup on older hardware, specifically installing Ubuntu on a 2017 iMac and running an open-source AI agent locally, this post is for you. No sponsored results. No, “It worked great!” YouTube thumbnails. Just what actually happened when I tried to get OpenClaw running on a 500 GB Ubuntu install entirely from the command line on a 2017 iMac and what I’m doing next. Hardware killed this one. Not my persistence, and trust me, I tested that theory thoroughly. The goal was simple enough: get […]
- [Some investor is going to wake up one day and realize how much world-class talent and untapped market cap have been warming the bench inside the US economy.](https://bertmahoney.com/wut-things-you-dont-know-you-dont-know): That’s the things you don’t know you don’t know problem. And those blind spots? They tend to bite back. Hard. I’ve been an unemployed GenXer for 36 months, with 30 years across 8 design disciplines and 30 business sectors. Flying face-first into ageism like it’s a sport. Just wait until it’s your turn. I’ll be watching from somewhere, laughing like a GenXer would. While the C-suite has been clutching their pearls over AI finally showing up, I’ve been on the sidelines, and I’ve been busy. I’m using AI as a collaborator, not a crutch, to build actual solutions to real workflow […]
- [I Built a Private AI Cloud. My Data Is Mine.](https://bertmahoney.com/i-built-a-private-ai-cloud-my-data-is-mine): There’s a moment every creative hits when they realize the tool they’re using is also using them. Maybe it’s subtle. A response that sounds a little too polished. A suggestion that feels like it came from everyone and no one. A slow, creeping suspicion that the thing helping you think is also quietly learning from you, feeding your voice, your ideas, and your unpublished work into a machine that belongs to someone else. I hit that moment a while back. And I did something about it. It Started With a Folder and a Microphone I’m a walker. I think out loud. […]
- [From SSH Friction to a Private LLM Cloud: Building a Private, Repeatable Ollama + EC2 Setup](https://bertmahoney.com/from-ssh-friction-to-a-private-llm-cloud-building-a-private-repeatable-ollama-ec2-setup): Setting up a private, cloud-powered LLM environment on AWS sounds straightforward, until you actually do it. What started as a simple goal… “run Agent Zero with Ollama on EC2 without exposing sensitive data” …quickly turned into a maze of SSH quirks, Docker inconsistencies, networking gotchas, and AWS nuances. The good news: once you get through the friction, the final setup is clean, secure, and fully repeatable. This post walks through the journey, the hidden pitfalls, and the final architecture that eliminates all that friction going forward. The Goal The objective was simple but strict: This led to a hybrid architecture: The […]
- [Designing AI Systems That Actually Work](https://bertmahoney.com/designing-ai-systems-that-actually-work): I've been designing and deploying custom AI agents, not generic tools, but systems built around how individuals and businesses actually work. 
- [You Can’t Recreate an AI "Personality" Without Doing This First](https://bertmahoney.com/you-cant-recreate-an-ai-personality-without-doing-this-first): In my last post, I laid out a core problem:  AI identity doesn’t survive a simple export/import.  You don’t lose the data. You lose the presence.  So the obvious next question is: How do you actually capture that presence in the first place?
- [I’m Starting to Feel Like A "Who in Whoville"](https://bertmahoney.com/im-starting-to-feel-like-a-who-in-whoville): TL;DR  Age bias in hiring is real—but mostly invisible  The system protects against it in theory, not in practice  Younger professionals aren’t paying attention (yet)  This isn’t a rant—it’s a warning shot and a wake-up call
- [The Hard Problem No One Is Solving in AI: Identity Continuity](https://bertmahoney.com/the-hard-problem-no-one-is-solving-in-ai-identity-continuity): There’s a quiet assumption baked into most conversations about AI right now: If you can export the data, you can recreate the experience. That assumption is wrong. And the gap between those two things, data and experience, is where the real problem lives. This Isn’t About Chat History Most people approaching “AI migration” are thinking in terms of: On paper, that sounds reasonable. In practice, it fails almost immediately. Because what gets lost isn’t the information. It’s the identity. More specifically, it’s the continuity of identity — the feeling that the same presence is still there on the other side. And […]
- [From Friction to Flow: How I Automated My Screenshot-to-Notion Workflow with Shell Scripts and AI](https://bertmahoney.com/from-friction-to-flow-how-i-automated-my-screenshot-to-notion-workflow-with-shell-scripts-and-ai): Learn how I built a macOS screen capture to Notion workflow using AI, environment variables, and automation to eliminate friction and reduce steps.
- [Versioned Voice Tuning Log](https://bertmahoney.com/versioned-voice-tuning-log): I built a local voice cloning system that respects privacy and control. It's a work in progress, focusing on tuning speed, pitch, and emotional depth to sound like me.
- [I Finally Built the Transcription Tool I’ve Wanted Since 2008](https://bertmahoney.com/i-finally-built-the-transcription-tool-ive-wanted-since-2008): The author created a local voice transcription and synthesis system, eliminating reliance on cloud services, prioritizing privacy, and enabling seamless conversion between text and audio while maintaining control over their data.
- [Titles in Software Design: Identity Crisis, Problem, or Nonsense?](https://bertmahoney.com/titles-in-software-design-identity-crisis-problem-or-nonsense): The evolution of job titles in the software design industry over 30 years reflects its growth and complexity. While specialized titles like UX and Product Designers have emerged, they can cause confusion and identity crises. Designers should focus on their skills rather than titles, embracing change as the industry evolves.
- [Embracing AI in User Experience and User Interface Design](https://bertmahoney.com/embracing-ai-in-ux-and-ui-design): A Game-Changer for Articulating Visual and Functional Needs As an old-school UX and UI designer, incorporating AI into my workflow was a no-brainer, and it has transformed how I approach design and development. With AI, I can precisely frame my visual and functional requirements, allowing me to identify potential design and engineering issues before presenting them to developers. This is a far more efficient use of our limited time.
- [Redesigning My Website: A Journey Towards Improvement](https://bertmahoney.com/redesigning-my-website-a-journey-towards-improvement): I was interviewed by an AI tuned for UX design about my recent web design overhaul and here's what AI had to say.
- [The cobbler's children finally have shoes after thirty years.](https://bertmahoney.com/the-cobblers-children-finally-have-shoes-after-thirty-years): I’ve told people for years that I’ve never been able to put aside enough spare time to build a personal portfolio website
- [WordPress/Thesis Tutorial: Custom Google Search Engine](https://bertmahoney.com/wordpressthesis-tutorial-custom-google-search-engine): One of the things you always want to provide visitors to your website is a good search tool. The default search tool that comes standard with WordPress is adequate. However, if your website covers a topic, or area of topics, or you have a Google AdSense account, you can take advantage of Google’s Custom Search Tool.
- [Thesis Tutorial: Sidebars However You Like Them](https://bertmahoney.com/thesis-tutorial-sidebars-however-you-like-them): One of the things I learned from creating multiple custom page templates within the Thesis framework was how to create and modify sidebars. WordPress and Thesis provide you with a simple an effective way for implementing sidebars on your website with the use of simple syntax, options, and widgets.
- [Thesis Tutorial: Dynamic Image Header with Transparent Logo](https://bertmahoney.com/thesis-tutorial-dynamic-image-header-with-transparent-logo): One of the tools that I use is Chris Pearson’s fantastic Thesis WordPress theme framework. In an effort to contribute back to both the Thesis and WordPress communities I have documented how to embed the Next-Gen Gallery plugin to your header, or banner image and place your logo above it. This functionality allows you the ability to have your banner image change how you like it beneath your logo at the top of your website. Why Would You Want To Do This? If you would like a variety of images in your header beneath the logo/type and manage them in a […]
- [Thesis Tutorial: Multiple Custom Page Templates](https://bertmahoney.com/thesis-tutorial-multiple-custom-page-templates): I have been working with Thesis for a little over a month now. Thesis is a relatively new templating platform for WordPress. Thesis has unmatched SEO, cross-browser compatibility, and top-notch HTML + CSS architecture. This website runs on Thesis. I was looking through the Thesis forums and tweeting with others on how to get a solution to an issue. The issue has to do with creating custom templates. I want a custom home page design. I also want a custom template for other pages. Basically I want multiple custom templates available under one design. I have tried to explain what I […]
- [Day Zero—0](https://bertmahoney.com/day-zero-0): “Start where you are” is a quotation burned into my synapses from Pema Chodron, buddhist nun, and is what I always think when venturing out on some new endeavor and here I am. What is this “day zero” business anyway?
- [Start where you are.](https://bertmahoney.com/things-are-underway): The wise words of Buddhist nun Pema Chödron are apt for titling this first post on my new, albeit classic in spirit, weblog. I plan to use this space for whatever I see fit—an open canvas for my thoughts, reflections, and insights. My life and career have primarily been devoted to reading, viewing, and reverse engineering all things web. Since 1995, I’ve been designing websites and software. I’ve witnessed the birth and evolution of the Internet. Back then, the concept of a “corporate” or fully e-commerce web had not yet taken root. It was a digital frontier teeming with extraordinary creativity […]

## Pages

- [Personal AI Agent Migration: Private ChatGPT & Claude Archive Extraction](https://bertmahoney.com/personal-ai-agent-migration): Private AI migration for personal ChatGPT and Claude users who want to preserve meaningful conversations, protect sensitive memories, and keep their AI relationship under their own control.
- [AI Agent Brain Transplants](https://bertmahoney.com/private-ai-agent-migration): Private AI migration service for serious ChatGPT and Claude users who want to preserve their agent history, protect intellectual property, and move sensitive AI work into a secure environment.
- [Your business is already hiding 10–20 hours a week. The AI you're paying for is where they went.](https://bertmahoney.com/make-ai-work-for-you): Your business is already hiding 10–20 hours a week. The AI you’re paying for is where they went. A 7-day AI Assessment. It maps exactly where the time went,and hands you a plan to get it back. No new tools. No theory. Just the system you’re missing. ✔ See exactly where time is being lost ✔ Get a clear system (not more tools) ✔ Walk away with a 30-day execution plan Most uncover $5K – $25K per year in savings. You’ve tried the tools ChatGPT for a while. Maybe Notion AI. A Zapier automation that worked for two weeks and then quietly […]
- [Find 10–20 Hours/Week Hidden in Your Business Using AI You Already Have.](https://bertmahoney.com/find-10-20-hours-week-hidden-in-your-business-using-ai-you-already-have): Find 10–20 Hours a Week Hidden in Your Business, Using AI You Already Have. An AI System Report in 7-days showing where there is opportunities you didn’t know existed, and how to make it happen. ✔ See exactly where time is being lost✔ Get a clear system (not more tools)✔ Walk away with a 30-day execution plan Most uncover $5K – $25K per year in savings. Most AI Efforts Don’t Fail Because of the Tools They Fail Because There’s No System Too many tools, no connection Inconsistent results Time savings that never materialize See what you get… The download is an abbreviated […]
- [Weblog — Bert Mahoney](https://bertmahoney.com/weblog-bert-mahoney)
- [I am Bert.—First Offer Page](https://bertmahoney.com/ai-systems-workflow-design-implementation): AI Systems Architect & Builder I design AI systems that remove friction from real work. Most teams are experimenting with AI. Very few are actually integrating it in a way that saves time, reduces cognitive load, and produces consistent output. I build practical AI workflows so you can focus on thinking, not managing tools. Book a Call Send a Message What I Do AI Workflow Design Build systems that turn raw inputs (ideas, transcripts, notes) into structured, processed, completed, publish-ready output. Custom AI Agents Design agents that are tuned for specific purposes and processes. Design Agents that manage other agents. All […]
- [AI Systems Designer + Hands-On Builder](https://bertmahoney.com/): AI Systems Architect & Hands-On Builder. I design and build AI-powered systems that go beyond automation. I can help reduce friction, eliminate repetative, manual work, and produce consistent results over time. Ask Mara About Me. Mara, my AI agent, can answer questions about my background, skills, and abilities. She knows how I work because I created her. Five case studies Designing Persistent AI Agents Personal project · 2026 TLDR; Built custom AI agents for long-term human workflows. Framed continuity as both a UX and systems problem. Defined personality in functional, testable terms. Designed a local-first architecture with separate memory and compute […]
- [Bert Mahoney — Weblog, stories, ideas, experiences.](https://bertmahoney.com/weblog)
- [About Bert](https://bertmahoney.com/about-bert-mahoney-ai-systems-designer-technologist): Great design isn’t just looks, it aligns people, processes, and systems. I keep humans in focus, and friction low. Design and technology are my mediums. Connecting to people is my method. I specialize in modernizing complex software through thoughtful UX, collaborative systems thinking, and the rare ability to translate between teams, tools, and needs. I’m not here to ‘just’ design screens. I’m here to connect dots, bridge gaps, and build consensus around solutions that make sense. Over the years, and across thousands of projects inside 30+ industries, I’ve learned how to sit at the center of ambiguity, with patience, and coax it into […]
- [Résumé / Curriculum Vitae](https://bertmahoney.com/bert-mahoneys-resume-cv): Table of Contents Download Bert’s Résumé Overview As an AI systems designer and product thinker, I specialize in designing and building AI-powered, responsive software systems from 0→1. I combine UX discovery, systems thinking, and hands-on implementation to turn complex workflows into scalable, human-centered AI solutions. My work spans product design, AI interaction design, prototyping, and building systems that are secure, accessible, and designed to hold up over time. Summary I do my best work in roles where I can partner with teams and clients to solve complex, ambiguous problems—especially those involving emerging technologies and evolving workflows. My strength lies in bridging strategy, design, and execution—operating as both […]
- [Bert Mahoney: 404 Error, yo!](https://bertmahoney.com/404-yo)
- [Security](https://bertmahoney.com/bertmahoney-privacy-and-cookie-policy): Privacy + Cookie Policy Who we are Our website address is: https://bertmahoney.com. Embedded content from other websites Articles on this site may include embedded content (e.g. videos, images, articles, etc.). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the exact same way as if the visitor has visited the other website. These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, including tracking your interaction with the embedded content if you have an account and are logged in to that website.
- [colophon](https://bertmahoney.com/colophon): noun: [  /’käləfən,-fän/  ] 1 : an inscription at the end of a book or manuscript usually with facts about its production 2 : an identifying mark used by a printer or a publisher What has made this website possible? The first mention is to all the people I was lucky enough to work with during my years of pushing pixels and the early days of digital tinkering. Gratitude feels like an understatement.  I learned from every person in every environment. Brainstorming solutions to not just the work but trying to get technology to WORK in the first place, trial, and error, sometimes […]

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