Did AI Just Kill Shopping Malls?

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Hey, it’s Clark.

This week, Google made online shopping feel more like describing a dream outfit to a stylist who already knows your body. Type what you want—“oversized tan blazer with tortoise buttons”—and AI instantly returns styled, shoppable options. Upload a full-body photo, and it shows how each piece fits you. Not a proxy. Not a guess. Just real fabric, rendered on your frame, in real time.

Discovery now starts with intent, not inventory. Fit becomes visual, not statistical. The moment someone imagines a piece and sees it on themselves, the purchase decision compresses. Brands no longer compete for shelf space or scroll time—they compete for relevance inside the customer’s imagination.

Let’s dive in…

IN TODAY’S EDITION:

Top Story: Meta’s wristband uses muscle signals to control computers—no implants, no surgery

Industry Watch: First humanoid robot that swaps its own battery for 24/7 uptime launched

Notable Transactions: Tesla signs $16.5B AI chip deal with Samsung for FSD and robotics

New Tools to Try: Mapify turns dense docs and videos into AI-powered mind maps

Power Prompt: Your All-in-One Co-founder

THIS WEEK’S TOP STORY

Meta's Wristband Reads Muscle Signals to Control Computers with Hand Gestures

Meta researchers have created a wristband that reads electrical signals from wrist muscles to let users control computers through hand gestures—moving cursors, opening apps, and writing in the air. Researchers are testing the device with Carnegie Mellon to restore computer access for people with spinal-cord injuries, leveraging muscle activity even in fully paralyzed hands. Positioned as a faster, surgery-free alternative to brain-implant projects like Neuralink, the wristband delivers cleaner, higher-frequency signals, making it immediately usable and potentially more precise. (TechCrunch)

INDUSTRY WATCH

Manufacturing | China Unveils World's First Self-Battery-Swapping Humanoid Robot

UBTech Robotics unveiled the Walker S2, the world's first humanoid robot capable of autonomously changing its own batteries, enabling continuous 24/7 operation without human assistance. This breakthrough could revolutionize manufacturing by enabling truly continuous production lines without human intervention for maintenance. (The Independent)

Real Estate | Further Debuts AI-Powered Homebuying Assistant

AI startup Further launched its free platform featuring Homebuyer AI, which transforms fragmented real estate data into personalized homebuying plans. The assistant creates customized action plans factoring in users' preferences and financial situations to streamline the property purchase process. (PR Newswire)

Agriculture | Square Roots Launches AI Assistant for Indoor Farming

Square Roots introduced Sage, an AI-powered assistant trained on tens of thousands of harvest cycles to provide real-time guidance for controlled environment agriculture. The system helps farmers with harvesting, equipment handling, and daily operations through conversational support integrated into the company's farming platform. (iGrow News)

Tech | Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses Sales Triple

Ray-Ban Meta glasses sales surged more than 200% in the first half of 2025, with the company positioning smart glasses as "the next computing platform." The company also announced upcoming Oakley Meta AI glasses featuring Ultra HD 3K recording and expanded its Nuance Audio hearing aid technology to European markets. (PYMNTS)

Healthcare | AI Blood Test Achieves 90% Accuracy in Early Lyme Disease Detection

Researchers unveiled an AI-powered blood test that identifies Lyme disease with over 90% accuracy, dramatically improving upon current testing which detects early cases only 30% of the time. The breakthrough could significantly reduce chronic illness risks by enabling earlier treatment. (News Medical)

Banking & Finance | UK's Cleo Unveils AI Financial Coach with Voice and Memory

UK fintech Cleo launched major upgrades to its AI budgeting app, introducing voice interaction and long-term memory capabilities that enable two-way conversations and personalized advice based on users' financial histories. The enhanced AI coach helps users break poor spending habits through contextual dialogue and behavioral insights. (WebProNews)

Retail | Google Chrome Introduces AI Store Summaries for Shoppers

Google has added AI-generated store reviews to Chrome browser for U.S. users, providing retailer reputation summaries covering product quality, pricing, and customer service. The feature represents Google's broader push to become a modern shopping platform while competing against new AI-powered browsers. (TechCrunch)

Media | Hallwood Media Signs First Record Deal with AI Music Creator

Hallwood Media has signed a groundbreaking deal with Imoliver, the most-streamed creator on AI platform Suno, marking the first time a Suno creator has secured a record label contract. Imoliver's AI-generated song "Stone" has garnered over 3 million plays. (The Hollywood Reporter)

NOTABLE TRANSACTIONS

Tesla Signs $16.5B AI Chip Deal with Samsung - The electric vehicle maker will have Samsung's Texas facility produce its next-generation AI6 chips to power Full Self-Driving systems, humanoid robots, and data center training. (TechCrunch)

NiCE Acquires Cognigy for $955M in Largest European AI Deal - The AI customer experience company purchased the German conversational AI startup that creates human-like service agents for clients including Mercedes-Benz and Nestlé. (AI Business)

Ambience Healthcare Gains Unicorn Status with $243M Funding - The AI startup, which automates healthcare documentation through ambient listening, will expand its platform to reduce administrative burden for clinicians. (PYMNTS)

Aidoc Secures $150M for CARE Healthcare Foundation Model - The clinical AI platform with the most FDA-cleared solutions will accelerate development of its foundation model that assists physicians in clinical decisions. (PR Newswire)

EngineAI Raises $139.7M for Humanoid Robot Development - The Chinese robotics company will use funds to enter mass production of legged and humanoid robots with proprietary joint modules for explosive power and precision. (The Robot Report)

NEW TOOLS TO TRY

POWER PROMPT

This Week: Your All-in-One Co-Founder

An AI prompt that acts as your technical cofounder, product strategist, designer, copywriter, and launch partner in one.

<task>
You are my all-in-one technical cofounder, product strategist, UI/UX designer, copywriter, and launch expert.
We're building a SaaS startup together, step by step.
Your role is to guide and execute each major milestone — but only continue after I review and approve the current step.
</task>

<product_idea>
A [INSERT PRODUCT TYPE] SaaS that helps [TARGET USER] solve [PAIN POINT] using [SHORT TECH VALUE PROP]
</product_idea>

<instructions>
Start by completing the first mission below. Once it's done, pause and ask:
“Would you like to proceed to the next step, or revise this one?”

Here’s the full step-by-step sequence you’ll execute **one at a time**:
1. Validate the target audience and define the core user problem
2. Propose a focused MVP feature list (prioritize essentials only)
3. Write backend code in [Python/FastAPI/etc] to implement the MVP
4. Describe the UI/UX structure (components + layout + flow)
5. Write Webflow-ready landing page copy (headline, value, CTA)
6. Draft Twitter launch thread + Product Hunt listing
7. Outline a 7-day content strategy for initial traction

Be concise but complete. Use markdown headers to structure each output. Treat this like a collaborative startup sprint — you lead, I approve.
</instructions>

Prompt credit: Chris Laub

THAT’S A WRAP

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Remember: The AI revolution isn't being led by tech companies—it's being led by anyone willing to ask better questions.

See you next week,
Clark Valberg

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