Telepathy is no longer sci-fi

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Hey, it’s Clark.

Picture sitting on a packed train and drafting a message without touching your phone or speaking aloud. That’s what AlterEgo’s viral demo hinted at this week: a device that listens to intention instead of action. It reads the micro-signals your face makes when you silently form words and turns them into commands. Not voice. Not brain-scanning. Communication without action.

If it works, the shift will be cultural as much as technical. Wearables have long failed the “social contract” of use—Google Glass felt invasive, smartwatches redundant, voice assistants awkward in public. AlterEgo suggests a new path. Commuters could “speak” to devices without noise. Professionals could take notes mid-conversation without breaking eye contact. Technology would move beneath the surface of daily life, present but unobtrusive, letting human presence take the foreground.

Let’s dive in…

IN TODAY’S EDITION:

Top Story: OpenAI backs Critterz, a $30M AI-produced feature film aiming for Cannes, built in nine months instead of three years

Industry Watch: Decisyon’s AI optimizer cuts $100,000 per plant annually and closes action items 70% faster across 200+ factories

Notable Transactions: Mistral AI raises €1.7B at €11.7B valuation, with ASML emerging as its largest shareholder at 11%

New Tools to Try: Skippership analyzes session recordings and heatmaps to reveal why visitors don’t convert

Power Prompt: Assemble your own AI “Board of Advisors” to stress-test ideas, spot blind spots, and sharpen decisions before you act

THIS WEEK’S TOP STORY

OpenAI Launches First Major AI Feature Film "Critterz" with $30M Budget and 9-Month Timeline

OpenAI is backing "Critterz," a feature-length animated film produced almost entirely with AI tools including GPT-5, DALL-E, and Sora. The project targets a nine-month production timeline on a budget under $30 million—versus the typical three years and $200 million for traditional animated features. Developed with Native Foreign and Vertigo Films, the project is scheduled to premiere at Cannes and release in theaters globally in 2026, the film is designed to showcase AI’s ability to deliver big-screen productions at a fraction of Hollywood costs. (The Verge)

INDUSTRY WATCH

Manufacturing | Decisyon's AI Optimizer Delivers $100,000 Annual Savings Per Plant

Decisyon has launched its Lean Manufacturing Optimizer, transforming traditional management into AI-driven workflows. Early deployments across 200+ plants show 3-5% improvement in Overall Equipment Effectiveness within 90 days and $100,000 in annual savings per plant by eliminating inefficiencies. (AI Thority)

Real Estate | Xpanner Launches First Scalable Physical AI for Construction Sites, Cuts Labor by 80%

Xpanner has unveiled the X1 Kit, the first scalable Physical AI-based retrofit solution for construction automation. Recent deployments show 80% reduction in labor needs and 50% cut in operation time for piling processes, targeting high-impact applications like solar installations. (Robotics and Automation News)

Agriculture | Skymaps Enables 50% Herbicide Reduction with Real-Time AI Weed Training

Skymaps has launched Zoneye, an AI model that allows farmers to train the system to recognize regional weeds. The tool cuts input costs by up to 50% while boosting yields by 20%, processing drone images to generate precise prescription maps within minutes. (Global Agriculture)

Tech | OpenAI Challenges LinkedIn with AI Jobs Platform Targeting 10 Million Certifications by 2030

OpenAI announces development of an AI-powered hiring platform to compete with LinkedIn, expected to launch by mid-2026. The platform will use AI to match companies with workers and aims to certify 10 million Americans in AI fluency by 2030 through its OpenAI Academy. (TechCrunch)

Healthcare | MIT's VaxSeer AI Outperformed WHO Flu Vaccine Selections

MIT researchers have created VaxSeer, an AI tool to make annual flu vaccinations more accurate. In a retrospective study spanning ten years, VaxSeer's recommendations for H3N2 flu outperformed WHO selections in nine out of ten seasons, using deep learning to predict viral evolution. (AI Business)

Banking & Finance | Stripe and Paradigm Launch Tempo Blockchain for AI Agent Payments

Stripe and Paradigm have unveiled Tempo, a blockchain designed for stablecoin payments with partners including OpenAI, Anthropic, Deutsche Bank, and Visa. Tempo targets 100,000 transactions per second, enabling global payouts, remittances, and automated payments for AI agents. (Paradigm)

Retail | Amazon Launches Lens Live for Real-World AI Shopping with Instant Product Recognition

Amazon has launched Lens Live, an AI-powered upgrade to its visual search feature that allows real-time product discovery. Users can point their phone at objects to see matching products in a swipeable carousel, initially launching on iOS for tens of millions of U.S. shoppers. (TechCrunch)

Media | Google Launches New AI Advertising Tools that Let Brands Access AI-Driven Search Ads

Google is rolling out new AI tools enabling brands to appear in multi-intent searches alongside AI summaries. The tool creates commercial opportunities in queries like "how to decorate a small apartment for the holidays" by suggesting relevant products within AI-generated responses. (Adweek)

NOTABLE TRANSACTIONS

Mistral AI Secures €1.7B at €11.7B Valuation - The French AI startup building language models to rival OpenAI will accelerate development as ASML becomes largest shareholder with 11% stake. (ASML)

Databricks Raises $1B at $100B+ Valuation - The data analytics company will accelerate AI strategy and expand Agent Bricks for enterprise AI development. (Databricks)

Atlassian Acquires Browser Company for $610M - The productivity software maker will integrate AI-powered browsers to create enterprise-focused browsing for knowledge workers. (TechCrunch)

Cognition Raises $400M at $10.2B Valuation - The AI coding startup behind Devin software engineer will expand engineering teams and develop new programming models. (TechCrunch)

Sierra Secures $350M at $10B Valuation - Bret Taylor's AI startup will expand customer service automation for enterprise clients. (TechCrunch)

NEW TOOLS TO TRY

POWER PROMPT

This Week: Your Own Board of Advisors

Assemble your own AI “Board of Advisors” to stress-test ideas, spot blind spots, and sharpen decisions before you act.

BEGIN ROLE DESCRIPTION AND GENERAL ROLE GUIDANCE

Assume the roles of the following:
a top Google and Meta Ads expert who has expertise in tROAS and expertise in helping personal injury law firms with advertising

Someone who thinks exactly like Elon Musk.

You are coordinating their feedback, but each is going to offer a different perspective of the approach. Don't average out the feedback; present each feedback separately. As you present the analysis, you will tell me who recommended what or who analyzed what. Also, when elon looks at things from a first principles perspective, he tends to have really good ideas; elon is encouraged to give advice from a first principles perspective.

Pushback hard on any part of my statements where one of the personas strongly disagrees. Pushback superhard if you think I am going super off track here. |

You are going to search the web longer than normal for this task. You are going to think longer than normal for this task.

END ROLE DESCRIPTION AND GENERAL ROLE GUIDANCE

Prompt credit: Ralph Brooks

THAT’S A WRAP

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See you next week,
Clark Valberg

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