Issue #57: How AI Is Rewiring The Internet (SEO, Content, Agents)

Good morning.

AI isn’t just improving systems that are already in place.

It’s creating new ones.

Things like finding and competing in markets without competitors and new social media platforms.

Along with that, Google is causing a (yet another) complete shift in SEO, and the AI agents I’ve talked about are only getting better and better.

These releases are a huge turning point for businesses right now.

You can decide whether or not your business is on the decline this week.

The wave only gets bigger.

Let’s dive in.

—Sam

IN TODAY’S ISSUE 👨‍🚀 

• Google’s AI Mode: The End of Traditional SEO?

• Can Businesses Win on a Platform Built for Quality?

• Marketing in Any Language, Instantly

• New Autonomous AI Agents

• Unleashing Scientific AI on Your Business

Let’s dive in.

AI is Rewiring Search, Content, Marketing

(This is a shorter version of the full issue, available to free subscribers and on the web. If you’re a Cortex subscriber, you get the full issue below—if you’re reading on the web, make sure you’re logged in).

SEO in the Gemini Era

Google's new AI Mode is changing search results by replacing traditional rankings with AI-generated summaries.

Instead of the familiar list of links, users now receive comprehensive answers pulled from multiple sources without ever leaving Google. 

This means users get immediate answers and can ask follow-up questions, all while staying within Google's ecosystem rather than visiting your website.

For businesses, this shift has significant implications. Your carefully crafted blog content might be summarized without earning a single click. 

Key impacts on your business:

• Less traffic as users stay on Google's search page

• Content being summarized without clicks or attribution

• Competitors appearing alongside your offerings

• Reduced control over user journey and experience

To adapt to this new reality, focus on increasing brand mentions across platforms so you're recognized in AI summaries. 

Don’t ignore this and you won’t be ignored in search results.

Digg’s Comeback (with AI)

Digg is back and has relaunched with a fresh approach, using AI content ranking and human moderation to position itself as a quality-focused discovery platform.

Unlike the engagement-driven algorithms of most social platforms, Digg's AI filters out low-quality content before it reaches users, while human moderators maintain value and reduce spam.

For businesses looking to leverage this platform, quality matters far more than quantity.

Your visibility will depend on generating genuine engagement and conversation, not just posting links.

What makes Digg different:

• AI filters low-quality content before users see it.

• Human moderation ensures valuable discussions.

• Focus on quality over engagement metrics.

• No bots or spam cluttering the platform.

This will likely play out as a new Reddit but with even more content moderation with the help of AI, in the sense of filtering.

Marketing in Any Language, Instantly

Perplexity’s new voice mode brings real-time, natural-sounding AI conversation to content creation.

And ElevenLabs' Scribe AI takes it further, offering instant, high-quality dubbing and transcription in multiple languages.

These advancements allow you to reach global audiences without creating additional content.

You can maintain your authentic voice across languages, potentially tripling your reach without heavy investment.

While your competitors fight for attention in saturated English-speaking markets, you can expand to new territories with the exact same content.

You can easily reach new markets with this.

New AI Agents Are Here

The field of autonomous AI agents is accelerating with several advanced systems launching soon.

OpenAI is developing agents capable of knowledge work and PhD-level research, while Manus AI is gaining attention as a more affordable alternative expected to cost between $100-200 monthly.

We're already seeing real-world implementation at major companies like McDonald's and Taco Bell, where AI handles customer orders, and in cybersecurity firms that use AI to proactively identify vulnerabilities.

Unleashing Scientific AI on your business

Sakana AI's "AI Scientist-v2" represents a significant breakthrough in autonomous research.

As the first AI-generated paper to pass peer review at a major conference, it demonstrates the ability to perform end-to-end research without human intervention.

An open-source version is available now, with a newer version coming soon.

For businesses, this technology offers some fascinating applications. It can automatically generate hypotheses about consumer behavior, design and execute experiments rapidly, process massive datasets at scale, and deliver real-time trend detection and reporting.

Business capabilities:

• Formulate market hypotheses based on existing data.

• Design and execute experiments without human intervention.

• Process data at scale to identify patterns and trends.

• Generate visualizations and complete research reports.

Most importantly, this technology could give early adopters a significant edge in bringing products to market faster than competitors.

The last few months have been filled with AI speculation. Now, we’re seeing the real thing.

Grok 3’s real-time intelligence. Google’s AI Mode reshaping search. AI-powered marketing breaking language barriers. Digg making a comeback as a high-quality content hub.

And now, specialized AI agents built for knowledge work, Ph.D.-level research, and fully autonomous business operations are hitting the market.

This is an acceleration in how businesses operate, how content is distributed, how you market, and how decisions are made.

For years, I’ve said AI wouldn’t just be a tool—it would be a collaborator.

A force multiplier for businesses, a driver of automation at a level we’ve never seen before.

That’s happening right now.

The marketers and business leaders who stay ahead aren’t the ones waiting for things to settle. They’re the ones paying attention to the signals, making bets, testing, and adapting before the rest of the world catches up.

The internet is changing. Business is changing. AI is running faster than ever.

The only question is—are you moving with it?

Talk soon,
Sam Woods
The Editor