A newsletter by Ken Yeung

The AI
Economy

A sharp, curated look at the stories that reveal how AI is rewriting business, work, technology, and culture.

Ken Yeung

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What you get

Built for people who work with AI, not just read about it.

Reported, not aggregated

Enterprise AI coverage from a journalist who covered the space before “generative AI” was a mainstream phrase. Sourced, contextual, with a point of view.

Platform strategy focus

Beyond the product announcements. Analysis of how AI is restructuring enterprise workflows, editorial operations, and the economics of content at scale.

Written for practitioners

Not for the hype-chasers. For the people who have to act on it.

Archive

Every issue.

All issues published to date. New issues arrive every week.

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  1. Issue

    Microsoft Brings Agent Mode to PowerPoint and Expands AI in Word and Excel

    Microsoft is bringing its “vibe working” vision to PowerPoint, delivering on a promise it made in September. The company is rolling out Agent Mode in early access through its Frontier program, enabling Copilot to natively assist users in the design and refinement of presentations. With this addition, Agent Mode now spans throughout the Microsoft 365 […]
  2. Issue

    Microsoft Adds Entra Agent ID to Agent 365 and Expands Entra with AI Security Copilot and Network Protections

    As Microsoft continues to guide companies towards becoming Frontier Firms, it is ramping up security innovations. Anticipating the growing role of AI agents in the enterprise, the company is updating Entra, its identity and access management solution. Entra’s Agent ID is now a central component of Microsoft’s new Agent 365 platform, and the software maker […]
  3. Issue

    As Windows Turns 40, Microsoft Rebuilds It for the AI Era

    While some companies claim they’re building an agentic operating system, Microsoft is doing it at a far larger scale—and you won’t need a Copilot+ PC to see it. At this year’s Ignite conference, the software maker is rolling out a broad slate of Windows upgrades, including deeper Copilot integration, AI-driven system management, expanded personalization and […]
  4. Issue

    68% of Companies Use AI, but Frontier Firms Are Driving Real Enterprise Impact

    Seven months ago, Microsoft introduced the concept of the Frontier Firm, arguing that AI would fundamentally reshape the enterprise. Its research predicted that within two to five years, most companies would be well on their way to becoming AI-native. Now, a new Microsoft-commissioned study by IDC offers an early look at that trajectory—and how closely […]
  5. Issue

    ServiceNow Uses Figma Files as Prompts to Generate Enterprise Apps

    They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, and ServiceNow is putting that to the test when it comes to building the next generation of enterprise applications. The company has announced that it now supports Figma in its Build Agent, allowing Figma design files to be used as prompts for building apps, rather […]
  6. Issue

    Salesforce Buys Spindle AI to Strengthen Accountability Across Agentforce 360

    Stop me if you’ve heard this before: Salesforce is buying an(other) AI startup. The enterprise tech giant announced on Friday that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Spindle AI, an agentic analytics startup. Financial deals weren’t disclosed, but Salesforce reveals that it plans to integrate Spindle’s technology to bolster the “Agent Observability and […]
  7. Issue

    SAP Unveils RPT-1, a Tabular Model for Enterprise Business Predictions

    SAP is releasing a new enterprise relational foundation model, designed to provide organizations with better insights into their operations. Named RPT-1, the model promises rapid and accurate predictions for non-text-based data, helping businesses anticipate outcomes and make more informed decisions. This news is part of a bevy of announcements SAP is rolling out as it […]
  8. Issue

    SAP Plans to Train 12 Million People in AI Skills by 2030

    SAP is betting big that it can help more people learn about artificial intelligence. The enterprise software company has set a goal of equipping 12 million more people worldwide with AI-ready digital skills over the next five years. The idea is to better prepare the global workforce for AI’s disruptive impact. This isn’t the first […]
  9. Issue

    Ai2’s OlmoEarth Opens the Door to Accessible, Open-Source Earth AI

    The Allen Institute for AI (Ai2) is announcing the release of OlmoEarth, a new platform featuring an open multimodal foundation model pre-trained on approximately 10 terabytes of global satellite and sensor data. Developers can utilize this AI to gain a better understanding of what’s happening to our planet, as it democratizes access to insights that […]
  10. Issue

    HubSpot Is Cementing Its Bet on AI Search With XFunnel Acquisition

    HubSpot is acquiring XFunnel, a startup building an AI-powered search optimization platform. Financial terms weren’t disclosed, but HubSpot says it plans to fold XFunnel’s technology into its Marketing Hub to give marketers deeper visibility into how their brands surface in AI assistants and apps such as ChatGPT and Perplexity. “As AI changes how people find […]

Peer review

What the AIs say.*

We asked the leading AI tools to weigh in on The AI Economy. Their ratings speak for themselves. (Results may vary depending on training data and general disposition toward newsletters.)

Claude — Anthropic

★★★★★

5.0

out of 5

“[Its] strength lies in its ability to cover both technical developments and business implications of AI, making it valuable for a wide audience ranging from tech enthusiasts to business executives.”

ChatGPT — OpenAI

★★★★★

5.0

out of 5

“Expertly combines in-depth interviews and industry analysis, making it a must-read for AI enthusiasts and professionals.”

Gemini — Google

★★★★★

5.0

out of 5

“Provides valuable insights and analysis, making it a great resource for anyone interested in AI.”

Copilot — Microsoft

★★★★★

5.0

out of 5

“A sharp, reporter‑caliber intelligence brief for the AI era—fast, authoritative, and genuinely ahead of the curve.”

* Disclaimer: My newsletter has not been actually endorsed by OpenAI, Google, or Anthropic. I solicited reviews from their respective gen AI services. Sounded cool though, huh?

Questions

Common questions.

  1. What is The AI Economy?

    A newsletter covering consumer and enterprise AI, platform strategy, and the companies reshaping how work gets done. Reported, not aggregated — written by a technology journalist who has covered the space since before generative AI was a mainstream phrase.

  2. How often does it publish?

    Enough to keep you ahead, never enough to clutter your inbox. You'll also get first-look coverage and original interviews whenever the story is worth your time—which, lately, is often. Nothing filler-grade goes out under this masthead. A weekly roundup is delivered Fridays on LinkedIn.

  3. Is it free?

    Yes. Every issue is free. Subscribe on Substack and it arrives in your inbox. No paywall, no premium tier. If that changes, subscribers will be notified well in advance.

  4. How is this different from other AI newsletters?

    The AI Economy explores the people building AI and the reasons behind what they build. I'm interested in how enterprise teams are actually deploying AI, where the editorial and operational models are breaking down, and what platform-level shifts mean for practitioners making decisions this quarter. It is written for people doing the work, not watching it from the outside. My goal is to not focus just on what's being announced, but why it exists and why we should care. The stories are what you'd expect to read on Inc. and First Round Review or see on "60 Minutes."

  5. Can we pitch you stories?

    Yes, I do accept embargoed news and exclusives. Please reach out with your announcements, launches, and story ideas—email me or use this form. I also accept tips securely via Signal at @kenyeung.888.

  6. Where can I read past issues?

    The full archive is listed above on this page. All issues are also available on Substack. The plan is to host the canonical archive here on thelettertwo.com as the publication grows — independent of any platform.

  7. Can I republish or cite content from the newsletter?

    Yes, with attribution. Short excerpts with a link back to the original issue are fine. For longer republication or syndication, reach out via LinkedIn.

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AI Moves Fast. I Separate Signal From Spin.

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