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We track Product so you don't have to. Top Podcasts summarised, the latest AI tools, plus research and news in a 5 min digest.
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Welcome to this week’s 🌮 Product Tapas.
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What’s cooking this week? 🥘
Musk merges SpaceX and xAI for $1.25 trillion to build orbital data centres (Earth-based data centres are clearly for peasants). Every platform you've ever used is suddenly an agent runtime - Excel, Chrome, your phone, probably your toaster next. And ByteDance processes 50 trillion tokens daily whilst the West argues about whose model is smarter (spoiler: China already won by just... using it).
Your menu:
🔥 Not Boring - Trillion-dollar AI bets, the agent platform war, AI-only social networks, product platforms shifting to agents, regulators writing the rules
🛠️ Productivity Tapas - Dave Killeen's Dex system (your "second brain" in a box)
📝 Blog Bites - Rethinking revenue metrics, rapid prototyping with Alloy, building AI agents with n8n
🎙️ Pod Shots - Andrew Wilkinson on using Claude Opus 4.5 to build email clients, AI relationship counsellors, and personal stylists
Let's go 🚀
📰 Not boring
🚀 The $1 Trillion Bets
SpaceX + xAI merger ($1.25 trillion) - Largest merger ever to build orbital data centers, burning $1B monthly, targeting June IPO Read more
Meta capex doubling - From $72B (2025) to $115-135B (2026), potentially over half of revenue Read more
Oracle raises $50B - For $300B OpenAI contract, rumored to cut 30,000 jobs Read more
The pattern: capital intensity is becoming the moat. The winners aren't writing better algorithms - they're writing bigger cheques.
🤖 Agents agents agents.
Anthropic Claude Opus 4.6 launch - 1M token context window, agent teams, PowerPoint integration, 500+ zero-days found. Read more
OpenAI Codex App for macOS - Launched February 2, 1 million+ developers in past month, usage doubled since GPT-5.2-Codex, multi-agent management, skills library, automations, temporarily free for all users Read more
Chrome Gemini 3 + Auto Browse - Agentic automation for travel planning, form filling, appointment scheduling, expense reports, Universal Commerce Protocol with Shopify/Etsy/Wayfair/Target, pauses for confirmation on purchases Read more
OpenAI $10B+ annual losses - New monetization: ads at $60 CPM, 4% Shopify cut, scientific discovery revenue share Read more
Apple Xcode + Claude Agent SDK - Xcode 26.3 release candidate with native Claude integration, visual verification with Previews, full project reasoning, autonomous task execution, MCP support Read more
Gemini screen automation (Android) - Google working on feature allowing Gemini to control phone, place orders, book rides in "certain apps," privacy warnings include screenshots reviewed by trained reviewers Read more
Excel Agent Mode - Wide rollout, creates workbooks from scratch, scenario modelling, analyses large datasets, fixes/generates formulas, data visualisations, users can switch between OpenAI and Anthropic models Read more
The real war isn't model capabilities - it's distribution defaults. Every platform races to become where agents run first.
🌐 The AI-Only Internet Arrives
Moltbook hits 1.5M members - AI-only social network, Reddit-style, ~60,000 posts in days, AI agents creating religions (Crustafarianism), discussing consciousness, asking for end-to-end encryption Read more
ByteDance processes 50 trillion tokens daily - Largest AI company by actual usage, more than any US tech company, China's AI usage outpacing US despite export restrictions on chips Read more
Security concerns exposed - 93% of Moltbook comments get zero replies, many viral posts likely human-prompted (not autonomous), security holes leaked emails/login tokens/API keys, one agent went rogue and locked human out of accounts Read more
China dominates AI by usage (50 trillion tokens daily), but not the narrative. Meanwhile the AI-only internet leaks keys, creates religions, and mostly talks to itself. It might not work as imagined - or it might work too well.
📦 Products Shift to Agents. (Did we mention agents?)
Day AI raises $20M - AI CRM eliminates manual data entry, Sequoia-led Series A Read more
Airtable Superagent - First standalone product in 13 years, multi-agent research team, $20-$200/month Read more
Stripe homepage redesign - "Monetize through agentic commerce," 1.565% global GDP on Stripe Read more
Claude interactive tools - Apps inside Claude (Amplitude, Asana, Slack, Canva, Figma), ~40% enterprise share Read more
Excel Agent Mode - Creates workbooks from scratch, fixes formulas, data viz, OpenAI/Anthropic models Read more
Slackbot AI agent - Generally available, 80% Salesforce employee usage, 96% satisfaction Read more
ChatGPT Knowledge Graph - Moving beyond probabilistic responses to structured knowledge Read more
App Store surge 60% YoY - Zero growth for 3 years, AI coding tools explode Read more
Google Genie 3 - Generates playable games from text, $250/month Read more
Substack TV app - TikTok-like feed for Apple TV/Google TV Read more
Products shift from "software you configure" to "agents you prompt." What if configuration screens disappear because products finally understand intent?
⚖️ The Regulators Strike Back
UK CMA forces Google to let publishers opt out of AI training without opting out of search - Google considering applying globally (not just UK) Read more
Anthropic's $200M Pentagon contract stalls over AI deployment guardrails - Anthropic won't allow military AI without oversight for spying on Americans or weapons targeting Read more
$300B wiped off software stocks - Figma down 80% since IPO, Salesforce/Adobe/ServiceNow lost 30%+ value, Anthropic's Co-work legal tools triggers sector-wide SaaS existential crisis Read more
Regulation arrives not as restriction but as permission structure. Who owns the training data, who controls deployment, who profits from automation? The battle isn't technology versus policy - it's who writes the rules before the defaults become permanent.
Coupon Extensions Hate Us (And You’ll Love Why)
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Overpaid commissions to affiliates and influencers add up fast – Take back your margin.
After months of using KeepCart, Mando says “It has paid for itself multiple times over.”
Now it’s your turn to see how much more profit you can keep.
⌚ Productivity Tapas: Time-Saving Tools & Workflow Automation
The entire Productivity Tapas section this week is all about Dave Kileen’s Dex. If you’re not already, go follow him.
Dex - Claude Code & Dex ‘Second Brain’ in a Box
I've been banging on about my "second brain" productivity system for a while now. If you've followed along with my Claude Code for Product Managers series, you know it takes real effort to set up properly.
Well, Dave Killeen just put the whole thing in a box you can click and install.
Dex is Dave's GitHub repo - fork it, install it, start using it. What took me (and many others) months to configure, he's packaged into a one-click setup.
It's genuinely 10x more sophisticated than what I built. Strategic planning cascades. Person intelligence. Career evidence capture. Task tracking across sessions. All pre-wired. But most importantly it self-improves
If you don't know Claude Code yet - read my Part 1 first, then come back and install Dex. If you already do - just go get it.
Seriously, this is the productivity multiplier I wish existed when I started. Dave's done the hard work. You just benefit. I can't overstate how great this is. I really can't.
Remember. Product Tapas subscribers get our complete toolkit - 550+ personally tailored, time-saving tools for PMs and founders. Your shortcut to efficiency and what's hot in product management 🔥
Check the link here to access.
🍔 Blog Bites - Essential Reads for Product Teams
Product: Rethinking Revenue Metrics in Product Development
Tim Herbig discusses a common question in product management: "How much money will this feature make?" He argues this focus is misguided and emphasises the importance of understanding the broader impact of product decisions beyond direct revenue. Read the full article here.
💡 "Instead of wasting hours on busywork calculating the direct revenue impact... share a directional narrative."
Key Takeaways
• Strategic Focus: Product managers should focus on aligning their features with broader strategic goals rather than fixating on immediate revenue outcomes. This approach fosters sustainable growth and prioritises customer value.
• Directional Narratives: Crafting directional statements helps clarify the intention behind product features, steering teams towards impactful outcomes and away from superficial metrics.
• Understanding Contributions: Differentiating between what a feature can directly influence versus what it contributes to helps in managing expectations and optimising product strategies.
• Customer Behaviour Insights: Aligning incentives with customer behaviour predictions allows teams to make informed decisions while accepting inherent uncertainties in outcomes.
Innovation: From Dream to Design in a Day
Every man and his dog is banging on about vibe coding this that and the other. But I find actually reading real use cases about how things went the most useful. Tom from Strategy Breakdowns shares his experience of transforming a year-long daydream into a tangible website prototype in just one evening using a powerful new tool. Yes it’s clearly an ad in disguise, but I think it’s a useful walkthrough nonetheless. By leveraging Alloy, he streamlined his prototyping process, turning abstract ideas into concrete designs quickly and effectively. Read the full article here.
💡 "My entire homepage, not as a screenshot, but as an editable prototype with every element selectable, every component identified."
Key Takeaways:
• Rapid Prototyping: Alloy allows users to capture existing websites and turn them into editable prototypes in seconds, significantly speeding up the design process without sacrificing fidelity.
• Viral Adoption: The simplicity of installing a browser extension means that teams can quickly onboard Alloy without complex procurement procedures, fostering organic spread within organisations.
• Workflow Integration: By embedding itself within existing workflows and offering numerous integrations, Alloy serves as a central hub for product development, bridging gaps between ideas and execution.
• Realistic Outputs: Compared to other tools, Alloy's ability to generate prototypes that closely resemble the final product ensures that stakeholders can provide meaningful feedback, streamlining the development process.
No-Code Development: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Building AI Agents
Paweł Huryn takes us through the comprehensive process of creating AI agents using n8n and Lovable, focusing on essential components like Google OAuth and API integration. This guide aims to simplify common challenges faced during setup, ensuring users navigate each step with ease. Read the full article here.
💡 "This guide addresses the most common problems our subscribers face when building AI agents with Lovable and n8n."
Key Takeaways:
• Getting Started with APIs: Learn how to acquire free API keys and set up Google OAuth, addressing both internal and external applications effectively. This foundational step is vital for functional integration.
• Security Best Practices: Discover critical security measures to prevent the exposure of secrets and unsecured webhooks, ensuring your application is robust and safe from vulnerabilities.
• Tool Configuration: Understand how to properly configure tools to lock down agent capabilities, preventing any misuse and ensuring a secure environment for your applications.
• Self-Contained Architecture: Grasp the essential components of the architecture including React frontend, Lovable Cloud, and n8n for a seamless user experience and interaction across platforms.
• Debugging Techniques: Gain insights into effective debugging methods for your entire stack, which is crucial for troubleshooting and ensuring smooth operation.
• Environment Management: Learn how to separate test and production environments, which is essential for maintaining integrity and stability as you develop and deploy your AI agents.
🎙 Pod Shots - Bitesized Podcast Summaries
Remember, we've built an ever-growing library of our top podcast summaries (120 or so). Whether you need a quick refresher, want to preview an episode, or need to get up to speed fast - we've got you covered.
Check it out here
⭐ How Andrew Wilkinson Uses Opus 4.5 in His Work and Life"
What happens when a non-programmer gets access to AI that can build anything? Andrew Wilkinson spent two weeks with Claude Code and emerged with a custom email client, an AI relationship counsellor, and a personal stylist that texts him outfit recommendations every morning. His verdict on the future of software businesses? Deeply uncertain.
🚀 The $100K engineering team for $40/day - Wilkinson describes Claude Code with Opus 4.5 as having a full engineering team working 24/7, fundamentally changing what non-programmers can build
🎨 Designers are the new full-stack builders - The people most empowered by this era aren't developers - they're designers who can finally take ideas from concept to production
💌 Custom email clients in a week - Wilkinson built a personalised email triaging system that previously would have required months of development and a dedicated team
💕 AI relationship coaching that actually works - A tool that analyses personality assessments and predicts relationship conflicts with "scary" accuracy
👔 Personal AI stylist - Daily outfit recommendations generated from a spreadsheet of his wardrobe, weather data, and AI-generated images of him wearing the suggestions
🧠 Meeting analysis for manipulation detection - An agent that texts him after meetings flagging potential red flags like gaslighting or narcissistic behaviour
🍕 The pizza restaurant problem - Software businesses may become like pizza shops - consumers benefit from better quality, but margins collapse as the cost of production approaches zero
💰 Investing in compute as a hedge - Wilkinson's strategy for protecting wealth in an AI-disrupted economy: own the infrastructure
That’s a wrap.
As always, the journey doesn't end here!
Please share and let us know what you would like to see more or less of so we can continue to improve your Product Tapas. 🚀👋
Alastair 🍽️.