The Current AI Stack
Principles last. Tools change. This is what we recommend right now.
What this appendix is for
The playbook is principles-first because tools shift fast. But every founder asks the same question: which tools should we actually use right now? This appendix answers that question for April 2026. It names four tools, explains when each one earns its place, and gives a reference architecture for how they fit together in a 10 to 50 person service business.
Read it once. Date-stamp it in your head. Verify before adopting because the tools move quickly.
Chapter 1
The Current AI Stack
The four tools we recommend for service businesses in April 2026 and how they fit together.
Tailored review
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Finished this part?
You have reached the end of the playbook. Apply what you learned, or run the Stress Test to see where you stand now.
Apply what you learned: Draft your first SOP