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Alexander Arvidsson

I make data matter, as only data that matters can inspire change.

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Hey there and welcome! I am Alexander.
The intersection of people and information shapes everything.

I work as a consultant helping organizations make their data matter, and I enjoy sharing my thoughts and knowledge at conferences, in blog posts, and in my podcast Knee-Deep in Tech. Microsoft has recognized these contributions with the MVP award in the Data Platform category since 2018.

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Recent

The Turbo-Charged Abacus: What LLMs Really Are (And Why We Get Them Wrong)

The Turbo-Charged Abacus: What LLMs Really Are (And Why We Get Them Wrong)

·1710 words·9 mins
LLMs are sophisticated pattern-matching engines, not thinking machines. Our hardwired tendency to anthropomorphize combined with dopamine-driven addiction pathways is changing how we interact with these tools. Understanding what they actually are is the first step to using them wisely.
On Rituals

On Rituals

·1149 words·6 mins
From Michael Jordan’s lucky shorts to my pre-talk routines: rituals help performers access their best state. While ‘power posing’ science failed, the psychology of consistent pre-performance routines holds up. Discover why rituals work, how they create mental anchors, and the three specific rituals that help me deliver better presentations.
Waiting for the Tooth Fairy - Sugar, AI, and Why We Keep Making the Same Mistakes

Waiting for the Tooth Fairy - Sugar, AI, and Why We Keep Making the Same Mistakes

·1552 words·8 mins
Sugar went from luxury to ubiquitous poison before we understood what it was doing to us. We’re doing the exact same thing with AI, adding it to everything without genuine use cases while it erodes literacy and critical thinking. By the time we realize what we’ve lost, the infrastructure will already be built.
What Actually Happens When You Hook Your Audience (And How to Use It)

What Actually Happens When You Hook Your Audience (And How to Use It)

·1773 words·9 mins
The ‘Angel’s Cocktail’ story about releasing hormones through storytelling is popular, but the real mechanisms are richer and more useful. Learn what’s actually happening when you hook your audience—and how understanding attention, memory, and cognitive tension makes you a better speaker.
Resurrecting the Untruthful Art

Resurrecting the Untruthful Art

·916 words·5 mins
‘The Untruthful Art’ is back for 2025, completely revamped for our AI-driven misinformation era. With 59% of shared links never clicked and AI presenting statistical hallucinations as facts, data literacy has never been more critical. I’m updating with modern examples: AI benchmarks, social media dynamics, election polling, and climate data manipulation.
Stop Opening Presentations with Your Credentials

Stop Opening Presentations with Your Credentials

·659 words·4 mins
The ‘30-second rule’ for presentations is based on a misunderstood study, but the principle of starting strong still matters. Learn why leading with credentials fails, how to open with value instead, and why I memorize every word of my first five minutes.
Resurrecting the Blog

Resurrecting the Blog

·229 words·2 mins
It is time to resurrect the blog, almost exactly 10 years after its inception.