
Jarno Duursma's Calm AI Commentary That Wins
A friendly analysis of Jarno Duursma's content style and metrics, compared side-by-side with Finn Thormeier and Taher Bahashwan.
Jarno Duursma's Calm AI Commentary That Wins
I stumbled into Jarno Duursma's profile while looking for creators who can talk about AI without either (1) hype-posting or (2) hiding behind jargon. And what immediately caught my eye was the mix of scale and consistency: 58,584 followers, 29,979 connections, and a Hero Score of 44.00 while posting about 1.8 times per week. That's a very "steady engine" profile, not a lottery-ticket one.
So I got curious. I wanted to understand what makes his posts work in a crowded AI feed, and what happens when you compare him to two other creators with the same Hero Score: Finn Thormeier (exec thought leadership agency, Germany) and TAHER A. BAHASHWAN (Cloud and AI infrastructure, Saudi Arabia). After looking at their positioning and what the metrics imply, a few patterns jumped out.
Here's what stood out:
- Jarno wins by being the "calm translator" of fast-moving AI news, with strong structure and human consequences front and center.
- Finn wins by selling clarity and outcomes for founders and executives (different topic, same engagement efficiency).
- Taher is the reminder that you can earn strong engagement efficiency even with a small audience, if the niche is tight and the value is obvious.
Jarno Duursma's Performance Metrics
Here's what's interesting: a Hero Score of 44.00 paired with 58k+ followers suggests the content isn't just reaching, it's resonating relative to audience size. And the posting cadence of 1.8 posts/week is enough to stay present without training followers to scroll past repetitive takes. Add the "early morning" timing hint (around 06:30-07:00) and you get a creator who understands attention as a daily habit, not a viral accident.
Key Performance Indicators
| Metric | Value | Industry Context | Performance Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Followers | 58,584 | Industry average | ๐ Elite |
| Hero Score | 44.00 | Exceptional (Top 5%) | ๐ Top Tier |
| Engagement Rate | N/A | Above Average | ๐ Solid |
| Posts Per Week | 1.8 | Moderate | ๐ Regular |
| Connections | 29,979 | Extensive Network | ๐ Extensive |
What Makes Jarno Duursma's Content Work
When I map Jarno's style to outcomes, I keep coming back to one theme: he reduces anxiety. AI is loud. His writing is not. And that contrast is a growth strategy.
1. Calm expert translation (without dumbing it down)
So here's what he does: he takes something complicated (generative AI, deepfakes, regulation, job shifts) and explains it in plain language, fast. Not "basic". Just clear. He usually gets to the point in the first couple lines, then widens the frame: what it means for work, for companies, for society.
Key Insight: If you can explain the change in 20 seconds, people will trust you with the next 2 minutes.
This works because readers don't come to LinkedIn for a textbook. They come to decide: "Should I care?" Jarno answers that quickly, then earns the right to go deeper.
Strategy Breakdown:
| Element | Jarno Duursma's Approach | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Topic choice | Fast-moving AI updates + implications | AI news is constant, but implications are rare (and shareable). |
| Explanation | Short paragraphs, clear definitions, examples | You can scan it and still get the point. |
| Stakes | Consequences for people and work | Readers feel the relevance, not just the novelty. |
2. Scan-first formatting that feels like a conversation
Want to know what surprised me? The "writing" is a big part of the strategy, not just the ideas.
Jarno uses lots of whitespace, short blocks, and those mini-transitions like "What makes this important?" or "I see it like this:". It's basically a friendly guided tour. And it matters because most LinkedIn users are half-distracted. He writes for that reality instead of fighting it.
Comparison with Industry Standards:
| Aspect | Industry Average | Jarno Duursma's Approach | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paragraph length | Medium to long blocks | 1-3 sentence blocks + frequent spacing | More scanning, more completions. |
| Structure | Implied, sometimes messy | Explicit transitions and lists | Readers feel "carried" through the logic. |
| Tone | Either too academic or too hype | Half-formal, warm, slightly opinionated | Trust goes up, comments stay civil. |
3. Human impact first, tech second
A lot of AI creators lead with features. Jarno often leads with meaning.
He'll explain the tool or the research, sure. But then he pivots to the uncomfortable part: jobs, ethics, deepfake risk, power shifts, "just because you can doesn't mean you should." That makes the post about you, not about the model release.
And here's the thing: this is also why his audience keeps coming back. When people feel understood, they follow.
4. A predictable ending that trains engagement
Jarno typically closes with three things:
- a reflective question (open-ended, not manipulative)
- one or more links
- a consistent CTA block separated by a strong visual line
It's almost like a TV show format. The viewer knows what's coming, and that familiarity reduces friction. Finn does something similar in executive thought leadership: consistent prompts, consistent positioning, clear next step. Different niche, same psychology.
Their Content Formula
Jarno's formula is simple enough to copy, but not simplistic. The goal isn't "post more." It's "make each post do more." And he does that with structure.
Content Structure Breakdown
| Component | Jarno Duursma's Approach | Effectiveness | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hook | Short, curiosity-based opener (often a bold claim or surprising fact) | High | It earns attention without shouting. |
| Body | Context - 3-5 structured points - implications | High | People can follow it even while scrolling. |
| CTA | Reflective question + clear follow options | High | Comment-friendly, then conversion-friendly. |
The Hook Pattern
He tends to open with a "signal" that something changed, then a quick promise of clarity.
Template:
"A new AI shift just happened. Here's what it actually changes (and what it doesn't)."
Two more hook styles you can steal:
"Everyone's excited about X. I'm more interested in the second-order effect."
"This looks impressive... but the real story is what it does to work."
Why this works: it creates a small tension gap. You're not just learning a fact, you're resolving uncertainty. And in AI, uncertainty is basically the default setting.
The Body Structure
Jarno's "middle" is where the trust is built. He uses explicit transitions, light repetition, and lists to make complex topics feel manageable.
Body Structure Analysis:
| Stage | What They Do | Example Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Opening | Name the change and frame the stakes | "This is new. And it matters because..." |
| Development | Break it into 3-5 digestible points | "First... Second... Third..." |
| Transition | Tell the reader what the next block will do | "So what does that mean in practice?" |
| Closing | Land on human impact and invite dialogue | "What do you think this does to... ?" |
The CTA Approach
I like his CTA style because it doesn't feel like a trap. The question comes before the ask. That's the right order.
Psychology-wise, it's smart: the open question creates participation. The link and follow prompt then feel like a natural continuation, not a hard pivot into self-promo.
Side-by-side: What the numbers suggest about all 3 creators
All three have a Hero Score of 44.00, which is fascinating because their audience sizes are wildly different. That tells me Hero Score is capturing engagement efficiency, not just raw reach.
Creator snapshot comparison
| Creator | Location | Positioning | Followers | Hero Score | Posting Cadence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jarno Duursma | Netherlands | AI explainer + keynote energy + societal impact | 58,584 | 44.00 | 1.8/week |
| Finn Thormeier | Germany | Executive thought leadership for founders/CEOs | 41,320 | 44.00 | N/A |
| TAHER A. BAHASHWAN | Saudi Arabia | Cloud and AI infrastructure architect (GPUaaS, NVIDIA stack) | 1,373 | 44.00 | N/A |
What I think is happening here
- Jarno: broad-ish AI audience, but he keeps it anchored in consequences and clarity.
- Finn: a business growth audience that wants repeatable executive visibility (high intent).
- Taher: a tight technical niche. Smaller crowd, but likely high signal. When he posts something useful, the right people notice.
And that leads to a practical lesson: you don't need a massive audience to have strong engagement efficiency. But you do need a clear promise.
Style and value proposition comparison
| Dimension | Jarno | Finn | Taher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary value | "Make sense of AI" | "Make execs visible" | "Make infra work" |
| Likely reader mindset | Curious, cautious, pragmatic | Ambitious, outcome-focused | Technical, problem-solving |
| Trust signal | Nuance + calm tone | Authority + business results | Depth + specificity |
| Best content angle | Implications + education | Frameworks + positioning | Architecture patterns + hard-earned lessons |
3 Actionable Strategies You Can Use Today
-
Write like a calm translator - Start with what changed, then explain what it means for real people at work (not just features).
-
Make your structure obvious - Use short paragraphs, clear transitions, and a 3-5 point list so scanners still finish the post.
-
Ask a real question before you ask for a follow - Invite discussion first. Then offer the next step. It feels human, and it converts better.
Key Takeaways
- A strong Hero Score scales differently depending on niche - Jarno and Finn show it can work at 40k-60k followers, and Taher shows it can work at 1k too.
- Jarno's edge is emotional tone - he brings "calm clarity" to a topic that usually triggers panic or hype.
- Formatting is a growth strategy - whitespace, short blocks, and explicit transitions are not decoration, they're distribution.
- Consistency beats intensity - 1.8 posts/week with a repeatable structure can outperform daily posting that feels random.
If you try one thing from this, try the calm-translator hook for your next post and see how people respond. Seriously, it's a cheat code when the topic is noisy. What do you think?
Meet the Creators
Jarno Duursma
LinkedIn Top Voice AI | Keynote speaker | Artificial Intelligence | 16 yrs experience | Future Focus | Tech Expert | Generative AI | ChatGPT | Deepfakes | Personal Growth | Spreker
๐ Netherlands ยท ๐ข Industry not specified
Finn Thormeier
Founder, P33 | Executive Thought Leadership Agency - Activate your Founder/CEO/Execs on LinkedIn
๐ Germany ยท ๐ข Industry not specified
TAHER A. BAHASHWAN
Cloud & AI Infrastructure Architect | GPUaaS | NVIDIA AI Stack | Cloud Security & Networking
๐ Saudi Arabia ยท ๐ข Industry not specified
This analysis was generated by ViralBrain's AI content intelligence platform.