AI Lab

Useful AI, tested against real work.

I use this space to test where AI can genuinely improve research, trade, operations and decision-making — and to separate useful capability from impressive demos.

Live tool · Beta

Practical guidance for China business situations.

The first working AI Lab tool is available to use now.

Live beta · Available now

China Business Guide

Describe a China supplier or sourcing situation. The guide asks only for details that can change the advice, then gives practical next steps and a message you can send.

Situation → focused questions → next step
More experiments

Ideas under consideration.

Each planned tool needs a clear job before it earns a place here.

FreightPlanned

Freight quote explainer

Explain quote lines in plain language, surface likely exclusions and make comparisons easier to understand.

Not available yet
BusinessResearch idea

Process improver

Break down a repetitive workflow and identify where simplification, automation or AI could remove friction.

Not available yet
TradeResearch idea

Supplier question builder

Turn a sourcing requirement into clearer supplier questions before price becomes the only discussion.

Not available yet
DocumentsPlanned

Trade document explainer

Help a reader understand the purpose and structure of a freight or trade document while keeping human judgment visible.

Not available yet
BooksResearch idea

Book → action

Turn a useful idea from a book into a practical action, checklist or decision framework.

Not available yet
SitePlanned

Ask shiran.io

Use the site’s own material as context for finding, understanding and applying what is already here.

Not available yet
Research areas

Questions worth exploring.

Areas to investigate as the Lab develops. Product reviews and tested recommendations will come later.

01
Research & reasoningWhere deeper research support genuinely saves time, and where source-checking still matters.
Research idea
02
AI inside work toolsWhether AI is more useful when it lives inside the workflow instead of becoming another separate app.
Research idea
03
Computer-use agentsWhat changes when AI can carry out multi-step work rather than only explain what to do.
Research idea
04
Focused AI productsSmall products that solve one specific job well instead of trying to be everything.
Research idea
Lab rules

How I decide what belongs here.

The Lab should stay useful even when AI trends change quickly.

01

Clear job first

AI should have a specific role. If the user cannot understand why it is there, it probably should not be there.

02

Show limitations

Useful experiments should make uncertainty and human judgment visible instead of pretending AI is always right.

03

Keep what earns its place

An experiment stays only if it saves time, improves clarity, helps a decision or makes something meaningfully easier.

More than experiments

Use the rest of the site too.

AI is one part of shiran.io. Articles, tools and practical resources remain the foundation.