Good morning from OWITH.ai: the podcast that gives you only what's important to hear in the AI and tech world.This week's Stratechery newsletter delves into intriguing discussions on individualization at scale, CapEx explosions, and a role reversal where the interviewer becomes the interviewee. It begins with a highlight of Spotify's impressive quarterly earnings and former CEO Daniel Ek's final remarks. Ben Thompson explores how Spotify creates unique experiences for each user, showcasing how monolithic network-effects companies can harness AI advancements effectively. Further insights include Spotify's strategic use of AI.Transitioning smoothly, the newsletter then addresses the significant CapEx by Amazon, Google, and Meta in 2026, which collectively surpasses $700 billion. While Google's spending aligns with its business nature, Amazon's substantial increase raises shareholder concerns, despite being potentially justified.In an engaging shift of roles, Ben Thompson is interviewed by Stripe President John Collison on the Cheeky Pint podcast. The conversation traverses topics like pre- and post-smartphone Japan, Meta's advertising approach, and Stratechery's business model supported by Stripe.The discussion flows into a significant downturn in the software-as-a-service market. Major companies like Salesforce and Adobe face stock price declines due to a realization that proprietary code alone is no longer a sufficient competitive advantage. Industry experts emphasize the need for business models that can't be easily replicated in this evolving landscape. Amidst these challenges, several AI and tech startups continue to secure substantial funding. Noteworthy investments include $30 billion for Anthropic and $210 million for Talkiatry. Moreover, private equity news highlights Nuveen's acquisition of Schroders and other significant mergers.Anthropic's remarkable ascent continues as it raises $30 billion in new funding, driving its valuation to $380 billion. This funding will bolster research, product development, and infrastructure expansion. Amid environmental concerns, Anthropic commits to offsetting electricity price increases due to data center expansions.The latest Lore Brief highlights significant AI advancements. ByteDance launches Seedance 2.0, an advanced AI video generation model surpassing previous benchmarks. Google introduces Gemini 3 Deep Think for scientific reasoning with top scores on hard benchmarks. Anthropic continues its expansion with new funding while XAI shares ambitious plans involving moon factories and AI satellites with SpaceX collaboration. Runway raises $315 million to enhance generative simulations through advanced world models.Lastly, the text examines AI's interplay with various industries. At Sundance Film Festival, Hollywood expresses concerns over AI disrupting traditional filmmaking processes. SpaceX's acquisition of xAI marks a significant development in space technology applications. Anthropic releases Claude Opus 4.6 with adaptive thinking capabilities while emphasizing careful management of AI autonomy. The formation of the AI Verification and Research Institute aims to standardize auditing protocols for evaluating AI systems' security and safety. In medicine, Dr. Cabot emerges as an AI system capable of diagnosing illnesses with expert-level reasoning quality, highlighting AI's transformative potential across sectors.Turning attention to sustainability in major corporations, CEOs remain committed despite political challenges. Ford's CEO Jim Farley leads the company's pivot towards electric vehicles despite operating losses due to federal tax credit repeals. Companies like Gravity Climate thrive b
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