Meta's big move

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Behind every AI headline is a balance sheet. Today, we’re looking at which bets are paying off, and which ones are starting to look expensive. 💰

*The content provided in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.*

Media Leaders on AI: Insights from Disney, ESPN, Forrester Research

The explosion of visual content is almost unbelievable, and creative, marketing, and ad teams are struggling to keep up. Content workflows are slowing down, and teams can't find the right assets quickly enough.

The crucial question is: How can you still win with the influx of content and keep pace with demand?

Find out on Jan 14, 2026, at 10am PT/1pm ET as industry leaders—including Phyllis Davidson, VP Principal Analyst at Forrester Research, and former media executive Oke Okaro as they draw on their deep media research and experience from ESPN, Disney, Reuters, and beyond.

In the webinar, "The Future of Content Workflows: How AI is Powering the Next Wave," you’ll learn:

• The forces reshaping content operations

• Where current systems are falling short

• How leading organizations are using multimodal AI to extend their platforms

• What deeper image and video understanding unlocks for monetization

Get clear insight and actionable perspective from the leaders who built and transformed top media and entertainment organizations.

Register here to get your content workflow strategy right in 2026.

Save your seat

📣 Our AI Community, called the AI Business Boosters, is officially launching for everyone in 4 days! Early access folks are already joining... Over the next few days counting down to launch, we will be revealing one feature of the community each day. Today’s feature:

SALTY STORIES OF THE WEEK 🧂

• Meta has acquired Manus, a fast-growing AI startup known for its powerful general-purpose agents that can handle tasks like coding, research, and data analysis. The deal, reportedly worth over $2 billion, is part of Meta’s broader strategy to integrate advanced AI into its products and expand automation across consumer and business tools. Manus will keep running its subscription service, and its team will join Meta as the company winds down Manus’s operations in China. (Read More)

• SoftBank has announced a $4 billion deal to acquire DigitalBridge, a major data center investment firm, as part of its push to expand AI infrastructure. (Read More)

THIS WEEK’S DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH 💎

This week’s diamond in the rough: KLA Corp

$KLAC ( ▼ 2.3% )  

How is KLA using AI? KLA makes machines that help build and inspect the tiny, powerful chips used in AI.

Why is KLA valuable? As AI grows, chips are getting more complex. Companies are moving to faster “node transitions” (smaller, more advanced chip designs) and more complex packaging. This is precisely where KLA’s tools are beneficial. KLA stock is up 87.2% YTD, and this growing demand still gives the company opportunity to grow.

Can you scale without chaos?

It's peak season, so volume's about to spike. Most teams either hire temps (expensive) or burn out their people (worse). See what smarter teams do: let AI handle predictable volume so your humans stay great.

Check your options

HOW ARE THE BIG AI PLAYERS DOING?

$AMZN ( ▼ 0.74% )  

$AAPL ( ▼ 0.45% )  

$GOOGL ( ▼ 0.27% )  

$META ( ▼ 0.88% )  

$MSFT ( ▼ 0.79% )  

$NVDA ( ▼ 0.56% )  

$TSLA ( ▼ 1.04% )  

FRY-NANCIAL TOOL OF THE WEEK 🔧

What is the tool? Peach streamlines financial aid office communications with centralized ticketing and AI-powered responses.

What are the features?

• Centralized ticketing system: All student interactions tracked in one place with full history.

• AI-drafted emails: Policy-aligned replies drafted instantly for staff to review and send.

• Personalized email campaigns: Send targeted student campaigns with AI-personalized messages.

• Insights into team performance: Real-time analytics into response times and volume trends.

FRY-AI FANATICS OF THE WEEK 🍟

Some of our best Fresh and Crispy reviews of the week:

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