In today’s newsletter ⬇️

• 🚀 4 AI tools that actually save you hours

• 🗞️ The real headlines, no fluff

• 🧠 Perplexity AI’s Wild $14B Valuation Explained

• 📚 Resources you’ll actually want to click

• 💡 Prompt of the Day — built for builders, not lurkers

🚀 Top Tools To Try This Week!

• Uizard – Turn sketches into UI mockups instantly using AI.

• Consensus – Research-focused search that pulls peer-reviewed insights.

• Wordtune – Rewrite and rephrase sentences with a tap.

• Figma AI Plugins – Auto-generate icons, layouts & color palettes.

News from The WEST 👈:

• 🚀 OpenAI Launches O3-Pro

  The souped-up version of OpenAI’s O3 is finally here—with stronger reasoning and more advanced task handling.
  Why it matters: It’s another step toward agentic AI becoming real in enterprise use cases.
  🔗 Read more

• 📱 Android 16 Rolls Out + Google Photos Gets Smarter

  Google just released Android 16 to Pixel users and added AI-powered photo editing suggestions.
  Why it matters: AI is becoming the default layer across mobile UX—not a feature, a foundation.
  🔗 Read more

• 🍎 Apple Defends Siri’s “Not Ready” Launch

  Apple says their new AI-powered Siri wasn’t “demoware”—it just needed more time.
  Why it matters: Apple is playing catch-up in AI and trying to avoid the ChatGPT-level hype backlash.
  🔗 Read more

News from The EAST 👉:

• 🌏 Deloitte Launches Agentic AI Centre in Asia

  Deloitte is doubling down on AI ops in India, Singapore, and Malaysia with a new Agentic AI center.
  Why it matters: Asia’s AI consulting scene is heating up, and Deloitte wants to lead that race.
  🔗 Read more

• 🧪 TSMC + University of Tokyo = New R&D Lab

  Chip giant TSMC is teaming up with the University of Tokyo to launch a joint research lab.
  Why it matters: Japan is becoming a serious force in next-gen chip talent and innovation.
  🔗 Read more

• 🇨🇳 Huawei: “We’re Behind—But Not Out”

  Huawei CEO admits their AI chips are a generation behind the US—but says they’re finding workarounds.
  Why it matters: Even with sanctions, China’s chip push is far from stalling.
  🔗 Read more

🧠 Perplexity AI’s Wild $14B Valuation Explained

Perplexity AI started off as just another AI toy. Now? It’s clocking 30 million daily queries, closing in on a $14B valuation, and slowly threatening Google’s crown.

And if you’re a founder, marketer, or builder — this is not just “cool AI news.”

It’s a shift in how we search, make decisions, and do business.

What’s inside:
→ What makes Perplexity different from ChatGPT & Gemini
→ A breakdown of the new $500M+ raise (and what that says about the AI market)
→ Real examples of how to actually use Perplexity today
→ The API, the Samsung partnership, the Comet browser — and what they signal
→ Internet reactions: hype, criticism, and everything in between

• How People Are Really Using Gen AI in 2025 (HBR) – A breakdown of real-world GenAI use cases across industries.

• We Need AI Guardrails—FAST (NY Post Op-ed) – Why we need AI regulation now.

• Google's Digital Marketing AI Report – How AI is reshaping marketing and measurement in 2025.

💡 Prompt: Make Your Own Research Assistant

“You are an expert industry researcher and content strategist. Your task is to act as my research assistant and summarize the 3 most important trends in the [insert industry] from the last 90 days, using credible, up-to-date sources (such as news outlets, company blogs, market reports, or industry analysts).

Here’s how I want the output formatted:

1. [Trend Name]
   A 2–3 sentence explanation of the trend — including what's happening, why it matters, and a supporting stat or quote (if relevant).

2. [Trend Name]
   Explain what the shift means for businesses, customers, or product teams. Keep it concise but insightful.

3. [Trend Name]
   Add one surprising or under-the-radar insight that most casual observers would miss.

✅ Make the tone clear, sharp, and engaging — like it’s going straight into a professional newsletter.
✅ Focus only on trends backed by credible reporting or data — no speculation.
✅ Cite your sources (just include the publication or author name — no links needed).

Example industries: AI, edtech, fashion, clean energy, fintech, creator economy, cybersecurity, etc.”

Whether it’s improving your SEO, launching on platforms like Product Hunt, managing newsletters, or building a strong LinkedIn presence, we’re here to help. Curious to see how we can work together?