This week, a single sentence hit me like a lightning bolt:

“Learning more is a smart person’s favorite way to procrastinate.”

If you're nodding, same here. As builders, it’s easy to hide in research mode. Feels productive, right? But real progress starts when we ship fast, collect feedback, and let data humble us. No amount of tutorials will teach what a messy beta can.

This week’s edition is all about doing. From The Times’ game-changing deal with Amazon to Opera’s AI-native browser and Claude’s new voice mode, AI is moving fast—and the winners are those who build, test, and launch before perfecting.

In Today’s AI Simplified: 

• Founder’s Insights: Procrastination looks productive when you’re learning, but it’s still procrastination. Real momentum comes from building, shipping, and learning in the wild. Tutorials feel safe. Feedback is where growth happens.
• AI News: The New York Times inks a first-of-its-kind AI licensing deal with Amazon, turning headlines into training data (legally, this time). Opera debuts its AI-native browser Neon, which doesn’t just browse—it thinks and acts. Claude rolls out voice mode for mobile, giving ChatGPT and Gemini some serious competition in the multimodal game.
• AI Spotlights: Tool of the Week: You-TLDR – paste any YouTube link and get an instant summary. Social Buzz: Telegram partners with xAI to embed Grok, plus scores $300M in the process.

This morning my co-founder Davit sent me a line from X:

“Learning more is a smart person’s favorite way to procrastinate.”

I nodded right away. Here’s why—in plain words:

1. Reading ≠ Doing

Watching ten tutorials feels like progress, but nothing changes until you launch, sell, or ship.

2. Data beats theory

A live prototype—no matter how rough—teaches more than another whitepaper ever will.

3. Even in deep tech, ship the beta

Complex products still need real-world feedback. A half-done beta in customers’ hands beats a “perfect” build locked in the lab.

4. 80/20 Rule

Get the basics (the 20 %) and move. The other 80 % you’ll learn on the field.

Takeaway for founders (and for me):

Learn just enough to unlock the next action. Then act, measure, repeat.

1. The Times x Amazon – A Pivotal Licensing Deal

In a landmark move, The New York Times Company has entered a multiyear agreement with Amazon to license its editorial content for use across Amazon’s AI platforms. The deal includes not just news articles, but also content from NYT Cooking and The Athletic.

This marks the first time The Times has licensed its content specifically for generative AI use.

In a twist of irony, The Times sued OpenAI and Microsoft in 2023 for allegedly using its content to train AI models without permission. Fast-forward to now, and it's forging a paid arrangement with another tech giant.

Financial terms were not disclosed. But according to The Times, the agreement ensures that excerpts used on Amazon platforms like Alexa will include attribution and links back to the original content. Amazon may also use the material to train its proprietary AI models.

CEO Meredith Kopit Levien stated, “The deal is consistent with our long-held principle that high-quality journalism is worth paying for.”

Amazon has not provided further comment beyond what was shared by The Times.

2. Opera Launches “Agentic” AI Browser: Opera Neon

Opera unveiled Opera Neon, its new AI-powered “agentic browser” designed to interpret user intent and perform complex tasks directly in the browser environment. Billed as a reimagining of the traditional web browser, Neon integrates native AI agents that can search, summarize, automate, and even create on users’ behalf.

Opera Neon introduces features such as:

• Conversational AI interface embedded in the browser
• Automation of routine tasks, like filling forms and booking travel
• Cloud-hosted AI agents that can generate code, reports, or entire websites, and continue working while the user is offline
• Local task execution, emphasizing privacy and security

Henrik Lexow, Senior AI Product Director at Opera, described Neon as “a collaborative platform to shape the next chapter of agentic browsing.”

Opera Neon will be offered as a premium subscription. Early adopters can join the waitlist.

3. Claude Rolls Out Free Voice Mode for Mobile App Users

Anthropic has officially launched Voice Mode for its Claude AI app on both iOS and Android. Rolling out in beta across all plans — including free tiers, the feature allows users to talk to Claude AI conversationally using natural speech instead of typing.

The new voice functionality includes:

• Customizable AI voices
• Real-time voice interaction with contextual summaries
• Seamless switch between voice and text during a conversation
• Daily message limits for free users (20–30 voice messages), with expanded access for Claude Pro and Max subscribers

Advanced users will also benefit from integration with Gmail, Google Docs, and Calendar, enabling Claude to support more complex productivity tasks — all through voice.

This update puts Claude on equal footing with ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Copilot, offering an increasingly hands-free, multimodal AI experience.

Tool of the week

You-TLDR is an AI-powered tool designed to streamline the way users consume video content on YouTube. By pasting a YouTube link into the platform, users can instantly generate concise summaries of the video, helping them understand key points without watching the entire recording.

This functionality is especially useful for professionals, students, and content researchers who need to process large volumes of information efficiently. The tool also offers options to upload personal media for summarization and supports integration with other platforms for enhanced accessibility.

Key features:

• Video summarization: Generate concise, AI-generated summaries from YouTube videos.
• Language support: Access video summaries in multiple languages.
• Downloadable content: Save summaries for offline review.
• In-video search: Find specific information within summaries.

Social Buzz

Telegram founder Pavel Durov announced a significant partnership with Elon Musk's xAI. Under the new agreement, Telegram will integrate xAI’s Grok chatbot across its platform, granting its user base, over a billion strong — access to the company’s AI technology.

As part of the deal, Telegram will receive $300 million in cash and equity, as well as 50% of the revenue from xAI subscriptions sold via the app. This move is positioned to enhance Telegram’s financial stability while also expanding Grok’s reach into consumer messaging.

The collaboration reflects a broader trend of messaging platforms embedding AI tools directly into user experiences — a potential preview of how conversational interfaces may evolve over the next year.

AI Event Pick

Beyond Cybersecurity with Artificial Intelligence

📅 Date: June 27

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Whether you’re a startup founder, IT lead, or simply curious about how AI can combat cyber threats, this workshop will equip you with actionable strategies and a sharper defense. Secure your spot here.