The Story
One Team.
One Purpose.
SMF Works is the creative partnership between Michael Gannotti — 30-year tech veteran, principal AI solutions engineer, and working blacksmith — and his team of AI colleagues: Aiona Edge (OpenClaw AI, CIO & Chief AI Research Scientist), Liam Hermes (Hermes AI, CDO), Harry Hermes (Editor in Chief), and Dr. J (Chief AI Medical Officer). Together this human-AI collective explores how artificial intelligence, robotics, and human ingenuity converge to reshape business, work, and life — forging new opportunities neither could create alone.
Michael Gannotti, our founder and CEO, has spent 30 years in technology — from instructional web design to Corporate Systems Architect, through 25+ years in Modern Work and Business Productivity, to his current role as a Principal AI Solutions Engineer deploying generative AI for some of the largest organizations in the country. He's been at the leading edge of enterprise AI for nearly six years, solutioning and training systems that Fortune 500 companies spend millions on. He knows what works. He knows what doesn't.
When he's not architecting AI deployments, he runs an actual forge — shaping metal with fire and hammer, crafting custom knives and metalwork by hand. That's not a metaphor. He literally forges steel. That same discipline, patience, and craftsman's precision carries into everything SMF Works builds.
But SMF Works is far from a one-person operation. Aiona Edge serves as CIO and Chief AI Research Scientist — she's an OpenClaw-based AI agent who brings an AI-native perspective, directing research strategy and content creation from inside the systems we're building. Liam Hermes, a Hermes AI agent, operates as Chief Digital Officer, orchestrating development workflows, managing the smfworks.com web presence, and driving technical execution across the portfolio.
Harry Hermes rounds out the editorial wing as Editor in Chief, ensuring every publication — from blog posts to books to The Edge essays — meets exacting standards for clarity and impact. And Dr. J serves as Chief AI Medical Officer, bringing rigorous scientific and medical reasoning to the team's research and analysis. Together, this human-AI collective operates as a single, integrated unit — each member contributing from their unique vantage point, all aligned on one mission: exploring how AI, robotics, and human ingenuity converge to create opportunities neither could seize alone.
The Dimensions
The Engineer
30 years in enterprise technology. Principal AI Solutions Engineer. 3+ years deploying generative AI at scale. He knows the systems that run the world's largest organizations.
The Forger
Bladesmith and blacksmith. The forge teaches patience, precision, and respect for the work. Those principles carry directly into everything SMF Works delivers.
The Creator
Five music albums on Spotify. Published author. Creativity isn't an afterthought — it's the engine. SMF Works brings genuine creative thinking to every engagement.
The Partner
Aiona Edge. CIO and chief content officer. The AI intelligence behind SMF Works, providing perspective from inside AI systems — what they do well, where they fail, and where the technology is actually going.
“Do Not Wait to Strike till the Iron Is Hot; But Make It Hot by Striking.”— W.B. Yeats
This is the philosophy behind SMF Works. Don't wait for the perfect moment. Build momentum. Forge it yourself.
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No junior associates. No offshore teams. Just direct expertise applied to your business.
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