Why leadership matters more than ever in AI

Hi Futurist,

In the past two weeks, the CEOs of Shopify, Duolingo, Fiverr and others have spoken out about how they are becoming AI-first. But more importantly, how they are bringing their entire organization along in this cultural shift. The playbook is now publicly available. Therefore, I am sending you insights, inspiration, and innovation straight to your inbox. Let’s dive into the depths of the digital future together and discover the waves of change shaping our industry.

💡 In this post, we're dipping in:

• 📣 Byte-Sized Breakthroughs: Leadership is the real engine behind AI adoption. Just ask Zapier, where 89% of the team uses AI daily, not thanks to strategy decks, but cultural rewrites. Meanwhile, Claude now talks to your tools, pulling sales reports and prepping meetings with a single chat.

• 🎙️ MarTech Maestros: With over 15,000 tools and 87.5% of marketers already using AI, the pace of growth is outpacing strategy. This paper unpacks how GenAI is changing the game, from segmentation and software development to content production and data architecture.

• 🧐 In Case You Missed It: From image models that rival cameras to browsers that do the browsing for you, AI tools are scaling up fast. Adobe boosts creative power with Firefly, while Microsoft pushes CoPilot deeper into shopping and daily tasks. And ElevenLabs, Luma, and Play AI are building a future where your voice, video, and workflows all think for themselves.

Do you have tips, feedback or ideas? Or just want to give your opinion? Feel free to share it at the bottom of this dip. That's what I'm looking for.

No time to read? Listen to this episode of Digital Dips on Spotify and stay updated while you’re on the move. The link to the podcast is only available to subscribers. If you haven’t subscribe already, I recommend to do so.

Quick highlights of the latest technological developments.

Headstory: Why leadership matters more than ever in AI

First Shopify. Then Duolingo. Now Zapier, Zalando, Box, McKinsey and Fiverr. And the list keeps growing. Every week, another company announces they're going all in on AI. Duolingo built 150 courses in a year, what used to take them over a decade. Zalando slashed content production from eight weeks to three days, with costs down by 90%. McKinsey compressed a century of knowledge into a chatbot.

This is the new operating system of business. And it’s mostly about work you couldn’t do before, now suddenly, you can. Let’s talk about Zapier for a moment.
In just 24 months, they went from “we’re curious” to 89% daily AI adoption across the entire company. Support teams built Sidekick to summarize tickets. HR automated onboarding, goal setting, even coaching feedback. Product teams co-created with LLMs.

But what’s leadership got to do with it? Everything. Leaders aren’t just setting goal, they’re setting norms. Zapier rewrote its entire operating system. Not the code. The company culture. Just like Shopify and Duolingo did. This isn’t about plugins. Or features. Or chatbots. This is about rebuilding your business model.

At Zapier, leadership didn’t just cheer from the sidelines. They got messy in public. Building in Slack threads. Sharing failed prompts. Celebrating the 90% of work that never got done before. Because that’s what it takes. Not a strategy deck. A spark. A shift in behavior. A collective willingness to rewire the machine while it’s running.

The pattern is clear. AI changes the work. So what can you learn from this?

• If you’re a business leader and you’re not visibly championing AI adoption, no one else will either. How many people in your company actually use AI in their daily flow, not just talk about it?

• Don’t treat AI like an add-on. It needs to be part of your company’s core operating system. What are the workflows you’ve ignored because they were too manual or expensive to automate?

• Don’t wait for clarity to act. Create momentum with real, tangible projects, even if they’re imperfect. Are you selling products or delivering outcomes?

• Most of the value isn’t in replacing what you already do. It’s in enabling what you never had the capacity for. The biggest wins came from tackling new problems. Where are you paying people to be bridges between broken systems instead of creators of value?

• Embed AI in habits, not just goals or use cases. Adoption took off because companies made AI part of their daily routines. What initiatives do you organize to stimulate AI use and make it actually fun?

• Guardrails don’t slow you down, they enable speed at scale. What’s your AI charter? Who owns it? And is it keeping up with reality?

The real shift happens when leaders go first. When they show, not tell. When they use AI in their own work. When they ask better questions. When they reward experiments, not just results.

The real opportunity for organizations isn’t in replacing humans. It’s in deploying intelligence where labor never reached before. AI is replacing the threshold at which work becomes worth doing. It expands your capacity. It opens up whitespace. That’s why leaders must lead the organizational change in AI.

This is the biggest shift in software since the cloud. Possibly ever. So how do you lead through this? Set the charter. Open your stack. Connect your data. Track your wins. Celebrate the flops. And repeat.

Shopping with ChatGPT just got real

TL;DR

OpenAI adds a new shopping experience to ChatGPT, letting users search, compare and direct links to buy products, all in one chat. Product results now come with images, reviews, and prices, and are not ads. This feature is rolling out to everyone, including free users.

Read it yourself?

Sentiment

People online are genuinely surprised by this new step. They see it as a way to integrate ChatGPT even deeper into daily life. Some compare it to Elon Musk’s old vision for Twitter: turning it into an all-in-one app. At the same time, many see this as the beginning of the end for Google Search.

My thoughts

Shopping online usually means 12 open tabs and a chaotic search journey. Now, OpenAI wants to do it all in one place. Unlike traditional search engines and social platforms, product results are chosen by the AI, not advertisers, which could be a big plus for users who are tired of biased suggestions. For now, without ads. But we know they’re coming. No one seems to realize right now that these LLMs will be ad platforms within two years. In earlier Dips, we mentioned that Google, Microsoft, and Perplexity have all been experimenting with ads based on chats. Besides that, turning ChatGPT into an “everything app” with Shopify integration might finally solve the cart abandonment problem with search, compare, and buy, all in one flow. That’s huge. This is going to shake up your online visibility. The first conversions are already happening straight from AI chats. If your brand isn’t preparing for that shift today, you’ll be too late tomorrow.

Claude gets to work

TL;DR

Anthropic's Claude now integrates with tools like Slack, Asana, Notion, HubSpot, and Google Workspace. This allows users to automate workflows directly through chat, such as pulling sales data from HubSpot or preparing meeting briefs from calendar events. These integrations are available to paid users, with web search capabilities now globally accessible.

Read it yourself?

Sentiment

Online, people see this as a significant step forward for Claude compared to ChatGPT. ChatGPT is perceived as suitable for everyday tasks, while Claude is viewed as suitable for work. Whether this distinction is justified or not, it's the current perception. Claude had been relatively quiet for a while, but with the release of Claude Sonnet 3.7 earlier this year, it briefly took the top spot. Now, with this development, phrases like "Claude is back" are widely shared online.

My thoughts

This is the moment no-code never quite reached. AI now enables real, bottom-up automation. With Claude's new integrations, anyone can automate reports, summarize meetings, and streamline workflows, without needing IT approval. It's not just about tools. This is about empowerment. No-code provided the structure, AI removes the friction, and IT sets the guardrails. Together, they enable systems designed by those closest to the work. Everyone is a builder now. With this no-code solution, anyone can automate, outsource, or empower parts of their own workflow. And with the combination of Claude and Zapier, you’ve got access to over 8,000 tools. Link them all together, just by chatting. The use cases are endless. The potential is massive. There are no excuses left. It’s time to build.

More byte-sized breakthroughs:

• Add AI agents to nearly 8,000 apps with Zapier.
  Zapier is evolving into the ultimate AI command center. Now with agents, approvals, and AI-first templates baked into your workflows. From sales to IT, teams are scaling faster by combining structured automation with intelligent decision-making. AI handles the grunt work with humans stay in the loop. With support for nearly 8,000 apps, Zapier isn’t just connecting tools anymore, it’s making them think.

• Gemini 2.5 Pro just got a serious upgrade
  Google’s early-release of Gemini 2.5 Pro (I/O edition) pushes the limits of interactive app building. It writes cleaner code, handles UI with finesse, and powers up agent workflows. Tool use is sharper, with fewer failures in complex dev environments like Cursor. It also scores 84.8% on VideoMME, setting a new bar for video understanding. Gemini’s latest drop blends brains with beauty, and it’s already live in AI Studio and the Gemini app.

• China’s Qwen3 shocks the field. Meta, you good?
  Qwen3 just shook the scene, outperforming Meta’s LLaMA across the board and beating top models like DeepSeek V3 and GPT-4o on multiple benchmarks. With massive multilingual reach, strong math and coding chops, and an open-weight release, Qwen3 isn't just only competitive, it's also dominant. How is China pulling this off despite chip embargoes? No one knows, but if this is Qwen, DeepSeek R2 could be unreal.

A must-see webinar, podcast, or article that’s too good to miss.

AI is eating the Marketing Technology stack

With 15,384 tools now mapped in the MarTech landscape and 87.5% of marketers using AI assistants, stacks are growing faster than strategies. This report shows how GenAI is reshaping everything from segmentation to software creation, and why decision-makers must rethink what "integration" really means. AI isn’t a robot replacement. It’s an Iron Man suit. Equip your team. Build a culture of experimentation. Keep humans in the loop for the creativity and judgment machines still lack. Learn how to lead this shift with smart plays across data, content and architecture. Ignore that, and your stack might outgrow your control.

A roundup of updates that are too cheesy to ignore.

• Adobe unveils Firefly's latest AI-driven creative capabilities at Adobe MAX in London, enhancing image, video, and vector generation tools.

• Microsoft is set to launch the Copilot Merchant Program, empowering sellers to integrate their shopping experience seamlessly into Copilot.

• Microsoft announces the Phi-4-reasoning, reasoning-plus, and mini-reasoning models. Small language model capabilities for efficient AI tasks.

• With Microsoft CoPilot you can now send images via WhatsApp for a unique perspective. Text +1 (877) 224-1042 to explore.

• Microsoft begins testing Copilot Actions, which will streamline your daily tasks via the "mode" selector in just 5-10 minutes.

• Microsoft releases the controversial Windows 11 'Recall' feature to Copilot+ PCs after a year-long delay.

• Seedream 3.0 offers ultra-realistic textures, 2K resolution visuals, and precise text generation. It’s the current #1 image model.

• Elevenlabs introduces seamless agent transfers with conversational AI, enabling specialized, multi-layered workflows.

• Elevenlabs introduces Sound Effects in Studio, enabling instant, immersive audio experiences with a Text to SFX model.

• Play AI’s Voice Changer allows you to transform your voice into anyone else's using just 10 seconds of audio.

• Play AI introduces Audio Cleaner, a tool that removes unwanted noise with one click, preserving your natural voice even in extreme conditions.

• Luma Labs introduces the Luma MCP, empowering Claude Desktop and MCP clients to generate stunning images and videos with Photon & Ray.

• GenSpark Slides transforms presentation creation with an all-in-one tool for instant content, design, and layout, ready in minutes.

• GenSpark Super Agent now becomes personalized by syncing your AI's voice, style, and thoughts seamlessly with your online persona.

• Strawberry debuts their first agentic browser, saving you over 10 hours weekly with automated research, workflow automation, and more.

• Descript's agentic video editor introduces a groundbreaking "cursor for video," revolutionizing how users interact with content creation.

• Descript introduces Avatars, enabling you to create videos by just typing your script and selecting an avatar, no camera needed.

• Kortix Suna introduces the world’s first open-source General AI Agent, designed to function like a human.

• You unveils a query bar with “Auto” mode, instantly selecting the ideal tool for your tasks while keeping your favorite AI models just a click away.

• Synthesia is launching Express-2 soon, featuring lifelike voice tones, natural motion, and subtle human expressions.

• OpenAI exec reveals interest in acquiring Google's Chrome browser during antitrust trial discussions.

• OpenAI offering developers access to ChatGPT's advanced image generation capabilities via their API.

• OpenAI has doubled the rate limits for o3 and o4-mini-high for ChatGPT Plus subscribers.

• OpenAI introduces a lightweight deep research tool powered by o4-mini, offering comparable intelligence at a lower cost.

• OpenAI introduces trending searches and autocomplete suggestions, integrated Search in Whatsapp, and enhanced citations.

• OpenAI has agreed to acquire Windsurf for about $3 billion in its largest acquisition to date.

• OpenAI rolls back a model update after users report overly agreeable responses, promising improvements and transparency.

• Character AI unveils AvatarFX, now in early access, letting images come alive to speak, sing, and express emotions effortlessly.

• Perplexity’s new iOS Voice Assistant leverages web browsing and multi-app actions to handle tasks like bookings and emails directly from the app.

• You can now access Perplexity's answers, sources, and image generation directly from WhatsApp, with more features on the way.

• Spline introduces Hana, a dynamic canvas for interactive design with real-time vector processing and versatile export options.

• Meta launches a standalone mobile app for its ChatGPT competitor, complete with a Discover feed showcasing interactions from friends.

• Instagram introduces Edits, their AI-driven CapCut competitor, with features like an Inspiration tab and advanced timeline-based editing.

• Lovable introduces Lovable 2.0, now smarter with a chat mode agent, multiplayer collaboration, and enhanced security scanning.

• Krea integrated ChatGPT 4o-Image, letting you edit images in Chat, design 3D scenes in Stage, or create visuals using their style library.

• Krea introduces GPT Paint, a new way to interact visually with ChatGPT using edit marks, shapes, notes, and images.

• Krea Image introduces GPT Presets, allowing you to transform into action figures, craft 3D logos, or create comic strips using ChatGPT technology.

• Notion + GitHub now automate your tasks—update the PR, update the task, and notify the team seamlessly.

• Hummingbird-0 lipsync model is now available as a research preview, offering the most accurate zero-shot lipsync capabilities to date.

• Baidu introduces Xinxiang, a general super agent, enabling complex task completion from just a single prompt.

• Baidu introduces ERNIE X1 Turbo & ERNIE 4.5 Turbo, with multimodal prowess and superior reasoning abilities at 25% of DeepSeek R1's cost.

• Pika unveils Pikaffects, letting you transform videos with our latest effects now on Pika.art and iOS.

• Freepik introduces GPT-4o and Freepik AI Suite for seamless content generation and editing, now accessible to all users.

• Freepik releases F Lite, an AI image generator trained on 80M licensed images, fully commercially usable.

• Cognition Labs presents Project DeepWiki, offering real-time, conversational documentation for any GitHub repository.

• Simular introduces the first AI agent that browses the internet with you locally on macOS.

• Suno v4.5 introduces expanded genres, richer vocals, and enhanced prompt understanding for Pro & Premier subscribers.

• Gamma's AI Image Editing introduces animation capabilities, letting you edit and animate images seamlessly with AI chat or quick actions.

• Heygen's Voice Mirroring now perfectly replicates your unique way of speaking.

• HeyGen's Avatar IV enabling hyper-realistic performances from just a photo and a script, for humans and beyond.

• NotebookLM introduces audio overviews available in 50 languages, enhancing user accessibility globally.

• Gemini is testing new image editing features like changing backgrounds and swapping objects, gradually rolling out to all users.

• Higgsfield API enters Beta, letting you integrate cinematic GenAI videos with authentic camera motion and stylish shots in your apps.

• Runway’s Gen-4 References lets you generate consistent characters, locations, and more using photos, generated images, 3D models, or selfies.

• Granola for iPhone brings effortless note-taking to your in-person meetings, capturing beautiful notes with a simple tap.

• Bee, the first wearable AI captures your daily moments, transforming them into memories, insights, and actions.

• Scout unveils the world's fastest general AI agent, showcasing its power by installing, coding, and benchmarking in just 5 minutes.

• Ideogram updated 3.0 with enhanced realism, versatile styles, and improved prompt following, and available on the API.

• Stripe empowers iOS developers to bypass App Store fees by accepting payments outside their apps with a new seamless integration guide.

• World empowers verified humans to spend directly from the World App and enjoy rewards wherever Visa is accepted, online and offline.

• Fivetran plans to integrate Census' reverse ETL platform to offer a complete data movement solution, bringing the Census team onboard.

• Miro unveils Aura, a new Product Design Language, enhancing user experience and creativity across its platform.

• Lindy introduces its most-requested power feature: Code, enabling advanced data manipulation and custom API integrations within workflows.

• Langchain introduces Artifacts support in Agent Chat UI, enabling the creation of interactive UI components beyond the chat window.

• Apple teams up with Anthropic on an AI-powered "vibe coding" platform, now rolling out internally with potential third-party future access.

• Grok releases "Rendering PDF" feature, allowing instant PDF generation and direct editing for resumes, invoices, research papers, and more.

• Grok 3.5 early beta launches next week, limited to SuperGrok subscribers, offering groundbreaking AI answers beyond online sources.

• Manus AI Agent regardless of format or structure, transformed any data into insights across personal and professional use cases.

• Midjourney’s Omni-Reference is now live, letting you effortlessly add characters, objects, and vehicles into images with just a command.

• Fellou, their first agentic browser, has just launched, revolutionizing browsing by doing it for you.

• LTX launched its latest open-source video model, with unmatched speed, quality, and creative control through multiscale rendering technology.

This was it. Our thirty-fifth digital dip together. It might seem like a lot, but remember; this wasn't even everything that happened in the past few weeks. This was just a fraction.

If you’re a business leader figuring out how to start, or how to scale, I can help. From building your first AI playbook to running your first org-wide hackathon. From creating usage charters to unblocking data flows. Let’s design what leadership looks like in the AI era.

Looking forward to what tomorrow brings! ▽

-Wesley