The Online Course Show 278: Meet the AI Operator That Runs My Business
Mar 26, 2026
A creator describes building a persistent AI operator that runs business tasks 24/7. They cover setup choices, daily briefings, and how the AI triages email and drafts context-aware replies. Technical topics include OpenClaw agents, running on a Mac mini, SEO audits, analytics access, and safe permission strategies. The conversation also touches on maintenance, productivity tradeoffs, and using AI for personal routines.
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Building Rocky On A Dedicated Mac Mini
- Jacques built an AI operator named Rocky that runs on a dedicated Mac mini and began experimenting with agent software (OpenClaw) to host persistent AI on its own hardware.
- He set up Rocky over a focused weekend, moved from curious to fully committed, and named the system after the character from Project Hail Mary because he liked the persona.
Rocky Drafts Course Support Emails
- Rocky handles most Piano in 21 Days customer emails by ingesting course content, past emails, and CRM tags to draft contextual replies.
- Drafts are reviewed by a human support person who sees the context header and usually only deletes the header before sending.
Keep A Human In The Loop For Safety
- Preserve human oversight by making the AI draft but not send customer-facing messages to reduce risk and maintain quality.
- Jacques gives Rocky read-only access to many systems and requires a human to approve outgoing support drafts.
