About the Author

I'm Leif-Erik Hvide. I write practical AI guides under my real name and techno-thrillers under the pen name Leif Erikson.

The AI books started because I was tired of watching professionals in therapy, law, and other fields get left behind by technology they didn't understand — not because they couldn't, but because nobody was explaining it in their language. So I wrote the books I wished existed: practical, jargon-free guides that meet professionals where they are.

The thrillers come from a different place. After spending years understanding what AI can actually do, I couldn't stop thinking about what happens when these systems go wrong — not in the abstract, but in specific, terrifying, plausible ways. The Phoenix Protocol is the first result of that obsession.

The Two Names

Leif-Erik Hvide is the name on my nonfiction. It's my real name, and those books carry the authority of my actual expertise and experience.

Leif Erikson is the name on my fiction. It's a nod to the Norse explorer — fitting for stories that venture into uncharted territory. Keeping the names separate lets each genre stand on its own while sharing a common thread: the intersection of human ambition and technological power.

Based in South Florida

I write from South Florida, where the subtropical heat provides excellent motivation to stay indoors and finish chapters. When I'm not writing, I'm building software, consulting on AI integration, and trying to explain to my neighbors why I keep talking to my computer.