Jack Shi
Building useful AI tools — notes from an independent developer & founder.
I'm an independent developer and founder in Boulder, Colorado. I run CLOOMS (consumer AI tools & web utilities) and NexaPioneer (AI-first B2B). I started at Alibaba's ICBU in 2008, went independent, and built and integrated a database of 70M+ B2B records along the way. Here I write about building practical tools, going independent, and turning data into products people actually use.
Recent Articles
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How I Decide Which AI Tools Are Worth Building
My filter for building AI tools: start from one real, specific need — not from the model. A look at how I choose what to ship under CLOOMS.
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From Alibaba to Independent: Why I Build My Own Tools
I spent my early career at Alibaba's ICBU watching businesses drown in data they couldn't use. Going independent was about building the tools they were missing.
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Turning 70 Million B2B Records Into Something Usable
Raw B2B data is easy to collect and hard to use. Here's how I think about turning 70M+ records into something a business can actually search and act on.
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Running Two Product Companies as a Solo Builder
CLOOMS is consumer, NexaPioneer is B2B. Here's how I keep two companies with one pair of hands from turning into a mess — by sharing a method, not a roadmap.