Welcome back.

AI keeps stretching in different directions at once.
Lower barriers for non-technical teams. Bigger, slower bets from long-term capital. And fast-moving experimentation in open communities.
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In today’s edition:

• Anthropic adds Cowork plugins for non-coders
• Waymo targets $16B funding at $110B
• OpenClaw open-source AI agents gain traction
• Tools, and a prompt to turn a plan into a weekly tracking system ⬇️

🚀 News Updates

​Claude Cowork launches on Windows​

Anthropic released Claude Cowork for Windows in research preview. It matches the macOS version with file access, multi-step task execution, plugin support, and MCP connectors. The system runs inside a local virtual machine with explicit permission controls and supports persistent instructions at global or folder levels.

​Runway raises $315M for world models​

Runway raised $315 million at a $5.3 billion valuation to develop world models designed to simulate environments for planning and prediction. The company plans to expand beyond AI video into gaming, robotics, medicine, and climate, supported by increased compute infrastructure and hiring.

​Nothing launches Essential AI app builder​

Nothing introduced Essential, a prompt-based platform for building and sharing mini apps without coding. The platform includes a community Playground for discovering user-created tools and is positioned as a step toward an AI-native operating system.

​OpenAI rolls out GPT-5.3-Codex​

OpenAI is rolling out GPT-5.3-Codex across Cursor, OpenAI Code, and GitHub integrations, beginning with a limited API cohort. It is the first model classified under OpenAI’s higher cybersecurity capability tier and includes additional safety mitigations ahead of broader release. The model is designed for advanced coding tasks and deeper integration into production software workflows.

​Amazon explores AI content marketplace​

Amazon is in discussions with publishers to build a structured marketplace for licensing content to AI systems. The proposed model would provide publishers with revenue-sharing mechanisms while giving AI companies access to legally sourced training data. The initiative aims to formalize content supply agreements as demand for high-quality data increases.

​AI may increase workload intensity, says HBR​

A Harvard Business Review analysis argues that AI tools can increase performance expectations rather than reduce workload. While drafting, coding, and summarization become faster, output expectations often rise in parallel. The result may be compressed timelines and higher productivity pressure instead of fewer tasks.

​Databricks CEO on AI and SaaS growth​

Databricks crossed a $5.4B revenue run rate, with AI products driving much of the momentum. CEO Ali Ghodsi pushed back on the idea that AI replaces SaaS, arguing instead that it expands usage by making complex systems easier to interact with. Tools like Genie lower the interface barrier, while newer products like Lakebase are seeing faster early adoption than Databricks’ original warehouse.

​ChatGPT begins testing ads for free users​

OpenAI started testing ads inside ChatGPT for Free and Go tier users in the U.S., while keeping paid and enterprise plans ad-free. Ads are clearly labeled, appear at the bottom of chats, and rely on topic-level signals rather than user data. Users can dismiss ads or adjust personalization settings.

​Anthropic releases faster Claude mode​

Anthropic introduced a new fast mode for Claude Opus 4.6, delivering roughly 2.5× faster responses at a higher price point. The feature is currently in research preview with limited access and temporary discounts. Anthropic is offering a 50% introductory discount through February 16, bringing the premium down to 3X.

​a16z raises $15B and doubles down on AI infrastructure​

Andreessen Horowitz raised $15 billion across multiple funds, with $1.7 billion earmarked specifically for AI infrastructure. The firm is investing across model development, voice AI, coding tools, and search infrastructure, while also highlighting talent shortages and strong demand for foundational AI systems. The move reinforces investor belief that compute, tooling, and infrastructure layers will shape the next phase of AI growth.

​Gemini crosses 750 million monthly users​

Google’s Gemini app has reached 750 million monthly active users, driven largely by the Gemini 3 rollout and expanded multimodal capabilities. The platform is now processing massive token volumes and is introducing new pricing tiers designed to expand global adoption. The scale puts Gemini firmly in the front line of consumer and enterprise AI platform competition.

​Gemini adds ChatGPT conversation import​

Google introduced a new feature that lets users import ChatGPT conversations into Gemini, helping preserve context when switching assistants. The update is designed to reduce migration friction and make it easier for users and teams to test or transition between AI platforms as competition heats up.

🛠️ The Toolkit

Featured Tools

• 🖼️ Lynote - Summarizes content and generates structured notes instantly.
• 🤖 NoteitHub - Turns GPT chats into tasks, journals, and reminders.
• 🗣️ Leadde: Transforms your content into professional, multilingual, and interactive videos in minutes.
• 🔁 Infinitylooper - Create seamless infinite video loops using AI.
• 📊 Trullion - Automates accounting and audit workflows with AI.
• 🤖 Moltbot - Open-source, self-hosted AI assistant that runs tasks across chat platforms.
• 🎬 Winmov - Create cinematic AI videos with full start and end frame control.
• 🎙 Kikivoice - Clone your voice precisely in minutes using AI.
• 🗂 Dessix - Visual AI workspace to capture, organize, and build ideas.

📈 Market Watch

Funding & Deals:

• ​SenAI raised $6.2M to scale its video intelligence and analytics platform.
• ​Fibr AI raised $7.5M to expand AI-powered experimentation and growth tools.
• ​Gather AI raised $40M (Series B) to scale AI-driven logistics intelligence globally.
• ​Alinea raised $22.5M to expand its AI-powered financial planning platform.

Open Roles:

• AI Influencer Growth Manager at Mindalter AI (US)
• Senior AI Translation Engineer, NLP at Smartcat (Remote)
• Technical Lead, ML & Data Science at Qode (US)
• Machine Learning Tech Lead, Feed Personalization at Quora (Remote)

💡 Prompt Tutorial

Replace The Spreadsheet With an Automated Workflow

The Goal: When a spreadsheet has become a system, you want AI to design a cleaner, automated alternative.

The Prompt:

Stay curious,

Pooja from AI Paradox

PS: Want to catch up? [View the Archive here].