Carter Shannon
Portfolio/AI & Automation
Work area 01

AI & Automation

I see AI as a force multiplier for people, not a substitute for them. The goal is more, faster, and better work: deterministic systems create the reliable base, then AI judgment compounds the benefit into ROI and growth.

Focus area 1 of 4

AI-driven improvement

AI should make work better, not just cheaper. The real opportunity is redefining worker success: giving people systems that let them move faster, make better calls, handle more complexity, and spend more time on judgment instead of repetitive coordination.

What I built

  • Agent systems that turn broad goals into reviewed, shippable work
  • Scoring and review loops that measure quality instead of assuming output is good
  • Workflows that increase speed and output while keeping human judgment in control

How I approach it

  1. Start with the worker outcome: what should become easier, faster, or higher quality
  2. Separate efficiency benefits from opportunity benefits, then design for both
  3. Measure ROI by time saved, better decisions, more throughput, and new work made possible
Focus area 2 of 4

Deterministic base layer

AI works best when the foundation is deterministic. Data pulls, scoring, routing, validation, versioning, and acceptance gates should be reliable before AI is asked to reason. That base creates the first layer of benefit, and it gives AI a stable surface to compound on top of.

What I built

  • Deterministic fact checks and source tracing in DeckForge
  • Evidence-based intake filters and repeatable scoring in Product Team Loop
  • Clear gates that decide what can ship, what needs revision, and what needs human review

How I approach it

  1. Make the repeatable steps measurable, auditable, and boring
  2. Use deterministic tools to create trust before adding model judgment
  3. Let AI operate inside constraints instead of asking it to own the entire system
Focus area 3 of 4

AI judgment capabilities

Once the deterministic base is in place, AI becomes valuable at the judgment layer: classification, drafting, critique, prioritization, synthesis, and planning. That is where compounding benefit appears, because the system can do more than move work faster; it can improve the quality and ambition of the work itself.

What I built

  • Reviewer and Reviser loops that separate critique from execution
  • AI planning steps that choose what to fix based on current evidence
  • Human checkpoints designed into the flow where stakes or ambiguity are high

How I approach it

  1. Find the places where rules stop working and judgment starts mattering
  2. Add AI to one judgment step at a time, with a measurable quality bar
  3. Use the output to expand capacity, not just reduce labor
Focus area 4 of 4

Agentic system design

Multi-agent systems that carry real knowledge work from a one-line instruction to a finished, quality-checked result. The design principle is separation of duties: agents that produce are never the agents that grade, and every output passes a defined quality bar before it ships.

What I built

  • An agent workflow designed around a real work product
  • Quality gates: review and revision loops with defined ship criteria
  • A system an operating team can run, monitor, and extend

How I approach it

  1. Define the work product and the quality bar it must clear
  2. Design the agent roles and the review loop between them
  3. Pilot on real work, tune the gates, then document the operating model
Where this appears in my work These pages document the methods, systems, and examples behind my portfolio.
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