Happy Tuesday
AI-powered ads haven't launched yet, but they're coming. And when they do, streaming companies are gonna have a real opportunity to finally fix something that's been driving us all crazy, those terrible recommendation algorithms that make you feel like they're suggesting content for your neighbor, not you.
The recommendation engines that should be the crown jewel of these platforms are still embarrassingly bad. It's like having a personal shopper who keeps bringing you clothes in the wrong size and style, then acts surprised when you're not thrilled. But if these companies can figure out how to actually deliver personalized content that makes sense, that's gonna be huge for retention and platform usage.
While we all wait I finally got Rogue Codex set up on its own domain. I encourage you check it out for latest AI Tools, Company Updates and more. I hope you enjoy this week’s newsletter
Jason
Flux | Music With That?
TL;DR: ElevenLabs just launched an AI music generator they claim is "cleared for commercial use", potentially the first major AI music tool that businesses can legally use without copyright concerns.
Key Details:
First commercially-cleared AI music generator for business use
ElevenLabs claims full legal clearance for commercial applications
Addresses major legal concerns that have plagued AI music tools
The Big Picture: If ElevenLabs has truly solved the copyright clearance problem for AI music, this could be the breakthrough that makes AI music mainstream for commercial use. Traditional music licensing could face serious disruption as businesses get a legally-safe AI alternative.
Flux | Watching You
TL;DR: Major streaming services are rolling out new AI-powered content recommendations that are better at predicting what you actually want to watch.
Key Details:
Netflix, Disney+, and Prime Video implementing advanced AI recommendation engines
AI analyzing viewing patterns and pause points
Personalized content creation based on individual viewer preferences
AI-generated trailers and thumbnails optimized for each user
The Big Picture: Entertainment consumption is becoming completely personalized as AI learns individual preferences better than users know themselves. This shift from broad appeal to hyper-personalization could further decrease shared cultural experiences which for me ended with Game of Thrones.
Flux | AI BnB
TL;DR: CEO Brian Chesky announces Airbnb is becoming an "AI-first app" where autonomous agents will plan, book, and manage entire trips without human intervention.
Key Details:
AI agents will handle complete trip planning from flights to activities
Natural language trip requests: "Plan a romantic weekend in Paris under $2000"
AI negotiating directly with hosts for custom arrangements
The Big Picture: The travel industry is moving toward invisible AI coordination where complex multi-vendor trips get arranged through simple conversations. This could eliminate the entire "trip planning" industry while creating new forms of AI powered commerce.
Reels
xAI adds Ad: Elon touts that ads within Grok will help pay for it.
Open for Business: Luma opens new Hollywood lab.
Thrills
Trump AI: Trump's platform launches AI-powered search engine in major political social media business expansion
AI Digital Replicas: Video game companies removed AI provision on unlimited digital replicas from their best, last, and final offer to actors' unions.
Bills
Embrace AI or Get Out: GitHub CEO delivers stark message to developers about AI adoption necessity
PE Goes to the Movie: Private Equity played a major role in securing the Paramount-Skydance merger
No Chips for You: Two Chinese nationals were arrested for trying to smuggle Nvidia chips