{{first_name | Hi}}, your strategic AI update is here.
China is building an AI-native workforce, the cost of intelligence is hitting hardware budgets, and the talent war is now a closed loop. The "Global Intelligence Crisis" has begun. Citrini Research models the collapse of seat-based SaaS by 2028, forcing a hard pivot from selling friction to owning data.
"Everything that can be automated will be automated."
— Kevin Kelly, Founding Executive Editor of Wired
In today's lineup:
Robots
The 2028 global intelligence crisis
Real ROI from Gen AI
Tools to automate your SOC
People
Joe McDonald raises $75M to remake the grid
Love
Break free from the "Golden Cage"
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni
ROBOTS 🤖
How are robotics and AI changing industries? We break down the latest news, tools, and innovations for you.
Top Insights
China is building an AI-native workforce while the West plays catch-up.
The physical cost of intelligence is about to hit your hardware budget.
The war for top AI talent has become a closed loop between the hyperscalers.
Wall Street is shifting focus from AI potential to workforce displacement data.
AI safety principles are facing their first hard test against military reality.
The 2028 global intelligence crisis
Citrini Research models a "Global Intelligence Crisis" starting now. They forecast white-collar displacement pushing unemployment to 10.2% by 2028. Business models built on friction, like seat-based SaaS or insurance renewals, collapse as agents optimize costs to zero. Cheap intelligence forces value toward proprietary data and complex human judgment.
The executive response
Audit revenue streams that rely on process inefficiency
Abandon seat-based pricing before agents break your unit economics
Redirect capital into proprietary data moats agents cannot replicate
Anchor value in physical assets and complex problem solving
Which vulnerability exposes your organization most to the "Intelligence Crisis"?
Real ROI from Gen AI
How human-centric AI delivers business results
GE Aerospace is deploying AI-guided robots in its Singapore hub to automate jet engine repairs, aiming to cut turnaround times by nearly 50% and boost output without expanding floor space.
Disney partnered with Animaj to automate "in-between" animation frames, reducing production time for 5-minute episodes from five months to just five weeks.
Shell partnered with Kongsberg Digital to scale AI-embedded digital twins across its heavy assets, optimizing production for LNG trains and streamlining maintenance workflows for thousands of experts.
Tool Spotlight
Your weekly briefing on tools that create competitive leverage
Tools to automate your SOC
Recently announced its acquisition of a leading breach and attack simulation company, strengthening its platform's proactive defense capabilities.
Best for: Security operations teams needing a cloud-native platform that unifies endpoint protection, threat intelligence, and identity protection with a single AI-powered agent.
Choose if you...
Need to consolidate multiple security vendors into one platform.
Prioritize real-time threat hunting and a massive data advantage.
Want a fully managed solution to reduce operational overhead.
Best for: Enterprises looking for an autonomous AI platform that automates threat detection, response, and forensics across endpoints, cloud, and identity.
Choose if you...
Want to empower a smaller security team with AI-driven automation.
Need a solution that can automatically remediate threats without human intervention.
Value a flexible platform that integrates easily with other security tools.
3 other platforms to explore
Vectra AI, Darktrace, and Cortex XDR offer powerful, AI-driven solutions for network detection, threat response, and extended detection and response (XDR).
PEOPLE 👥
Meet the innovators turning bold ideas into real-world impact.
Transformation Champion
Joe McDonald raises $75M to remake the grid
Global energy markets remain locked behind opaque middlemen, forcing businesses into expensive contracts that stall the zero-carbon transition. Joe McDonald, co-founder of Tem, is bypassing legacy utilities to dismantle this friction. His platform, which secured $75M in Series B funding this month, uses AI to connect businesses directly with renewable generators. Instead of static procurement, Tem's algorithms forecast supply and demand in real-time, matching buyers to wind and solar farms to cut costs and carbon simultaneously. McDonald is proving that the fastest path to a green grid is a decentralized one. Read more
LOVE ❤️
Practical wisdom, growth tactics, and a must-read book that will challenge the way you think.
Break free from the "Golden Cage"
"All-in-one" platforms are a trap. You trade simplicity for control, becoming a hostage to your vendor's roadmap while superior AI tools remain out of reach.
Three shifts to regain your freedom:
Decouple your data. Keep your "source of truth" in a neutral lakehouse, separate from your apps.
Rent intelligence. Treat AI models as interchangeable components you can swap instantly.
Standardize APIs, not vendors. Enforce how tools connect, but let teams choose the best tool.
I break down the modular stack in my book, 100x.
👉🏽 Reply to this email with "100x" for a free copy.
Transformative Reads
One book, handpicked from my conversations with friends, industry leaders, and tech innovators:
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni uses a fable to diagnose the root causes of team failure. It presents a pyramid of common issues, starting with an absence of trust and leading to an inattention to results. The book provides a powerful model for identifying and overcoming the hurdles that prevent talented groups from working together effectively.
Perfect for: Leaders and managers focused on building cohesive, high-performing teams.
In Culture
DeepSeek doesn't wait for the Q3 alignment meeting.
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Much Love,
Matt and the Future Works team
