A Better Lemonade Stand #321

💛 Sponsor

Omnisend analyzed 23+ billion emails to uncover:

• Top 10 most-used emojis (Time for a refresh?)

• Most-mentioned artists (Taylor, Drake, or Beyoncé?)

• Cats vs. dogs vs. chickens: inbox animal showdown

• Pop culture: TV, movies, and sports in emails

• Overused phrases and “oops” moments

Discover 2024’s trends and what’s next for 2025!

📈 Trends

 🧠 The AI Workforce Shift: Not Just Talk This Time

You’ve heard it before: “AI is taking your jobs.”

Every year, it’s the same prediction—and every year, life seems to go on as usual.

But this time?

It’s different.

2025 isn’t just another chapter in the story of AI hype. It’s shaping up to be the year the workforce undergoes a fundamental shift—a tipping point accelerated by the rise of AGI.

And I’ve got the recent trends and stats to back it up.

📊 Why Is It Different Now?

Automation has been reshaping industries for decades, replacing manual labor in factories, fields, and assembly lines.

But now, the shift is targeting roles once thought untouchable.

I’m not talking about low-level, repetitive tasks. Complex, high-value roles—like Software Developers and Sales Associates—are actively being replaced by AI.

And big players are going all in this year. They’re not just talking about AI’s potential—they’re actively implementing it already.

1. Software Developers:

• Meta’s Move: Zuck mentioned last week in an interview that Meta plans to replace mid-level engineers with AI this year. (At Meta, “mid-level” means top-tier talent anywhere else.)

• Salesforce’s Surge: Agentforce boosted engineering output by 30%, enough to freeze software engineer hiring for the rest of this year.

2. Sales Associates:

• Lumen’s Savings: They estimated $50 million in annual savings with the integration of Copilot, which has significantly enhanced sales associates' productivity.

• Honeywell’s AI Power: Recently, they mentioned how they streamlined operations, effectively replacing the workload equivalent to 187 full-time employees.

3. Multiple Roles:

• Klarna’s Big Decision: Sebastian Siemiatkowski revealed that the company recently stopped hiring because AI models already handle critical roles. Their workforce shrank 20% over the past year, from 4,500 to 3,500 employees, without replacing departures, as “AI can perform nearly all tasks once handled by humans.”

When you hear big companies already trusting AI to replace high-skill jobs, it’s a massive signal that AI is reaching a scary level of maturity where it can handle complex tasks.

🌍 The New Workforce

The reality isn’t all bad. According to the World Economic Forum’s 2025 report (known for its extensive research and surveys), they predicted that AI will displace 92 million jobs by 2030 and create 170 million new ones.

Almost double the amount of job opportunities.

Here’s How They See the Workforce Splitting:

The report highlights a sharp decline in roles like data entry clerks, payroll clerks, and even certain engineering positions as AI continues to transform industries.

Nearly 59% of workers will need significant reskilling to stay relevant, yet only 24% of companies currently offer adequate training programs.

For businesses ready to act, this represents a huge opportunity. Those investing in upskilling their teams early are positioning themselves as leaders in the new economy—just as companies like Meta are doing.

Top Skills Include:

Here are some of the top skills they mentioned are needed this year and beyond to become an effective generalist.

• Tech: AI literacy, cybersecurity, data analysis - Due to integrating AI and technology across industries.

• Human: Creativity, adaptability, critical thinking—these abilities complement AI's capabilities, enabling workers to excel in areas where human intuition and innovation are indispensable.

Where We at in Terms of Proficiency:

AI is already becoming a collaborative partner in the workplace. For instance, companies like Salesforce are pairing human employees with AI tools to amplify productivity and results.

But here’s the reality:

• Only 9% of workers are proficient with AI.

• A staggering 47% are AI novices, struggling to effectively integrate AI tools into their workflows.

The winners? Individuals and businesses investing in AI proficiency now. By closing the skills gap, they’ll secure a competitive edge as this transformation accelerates.

💡 Where Do You See Yourself in the AI Shift?

AI isn’t just reshaping work—it’s accelerating faster than anyone anticipated. With tools evolving exponentially, breakthroughs that used to take decades now happen in months, or even weeks.

We’re reaching a tipping point where AI doesn’t just augment human effort—it scales infinitely. Imagine entire fleets of AI agents transforming industries overnight. The takeoff has already started.

The question is: are you adapting to this rapid shift, upskilling to stay ahead, or risking being left behind as the future arrives faster than expected?

🤝 Opportunity

 🫂 Your Digital Double Is Here

What if you could build an online personal brand without ever showing your face?

It isn’t about creating AI Instagram models or AI girlfriends. These tools go beyond creating fake personas to sell products.

Instead, you could create a viral digital double that amplifies your personal brand and push your content across multiple platforms with consistent character branding.

Why You Should Care

1. Face-Free Creativity: Finally, a better option for creators who want to stay behind the scenes. Avatars let you deliver your message without stepping in front of a camera, giving introverts and privacy-conscious creators a powerful tool.

2. Next-Level Creativity: You can create AI spokespersons with crazy background images and extra creatives to make it stand out from a ‘human’ feed.

Proof?

This 30-second AI avatar video racked up 300K views.

Now imagine scaling that impact across platforms effortlessly.

Let’s Build Your Digital Double

Want to create your personal AI avatar that can do the talking for you?

Here’s How:

1. Generate Your Avatar

• Start with tools like Synthesia or other AI image generators to create a digital version of yourself.

2. Convert Image to Video with Runway

• Import your avatar into Runway and use the Image-to-Video feature.

• Create the foundational animation by selecting motion styles or templates to bring your avatar to life.

3. Add Movement with Runway

• Use Runway Act One to bring your avatar to life.

• Upload the reference video of yourself for lip-syncing and hand gestures as you talk. (Act One supports video uploads now)

4. Sync It All

• Use video-to-video features to tweak performances post-production for maximum polish.

5. Repurpose Everywhere

• Repurpose this single 30-second clip into:

  • YouTube Shorts

  • Tweet

  • Instagram Reels

  • Add captions for newsletters or blogs.

Check out some examples of how it works here:

The Trade-Off

Here’s the question:

Can audiences connect with an AI version of you?

There’s:

• Trust Issues: It’s harder to connect when people know it’s not “real.”

• Ethical Concerns: Misuse could harm your credibility.

The answer lies in balance:

Creators who merge human authenticity with AI scalability will dominate the future.

The Big Picture

In 5 years, your feed could be unrecognizable:

• Tons of influencers that are entirely powered by AI.

• Faceless brands building trust and value.

• Personal branding with zero manual effort.

💡 Insights

📧 Dan Koe’s 3-Step System for Scalable Content

Writing isn’t just about words—it’s about systems. Dan Koe turns one newsletter into a multi-platform machine, amplifying reach and building authority across YouTube, Medium, and podcasts.

Why It Works:

• Repurpose, Don’t Repeat: One quality newsletter can become a YouTube script, a podcast episode, or a Medium post. Although the formats are different, the core message remains the same.

• Clarity Over Clutter: Focus on actionable insights and depth, not noise.

Dan’s Framework:

1. Hook → Insight → Process:

   • Start with a relatable story (Hook).

   • Deliver a powerful perspective (Insight).

   • Share actionable steps (Process).

2. Leverage a Second Brain:

   • Use tools like Cortex to capture ideas, tag notes, and stay organized.

   • Reference past insights to overcome writer’s block and create depth.

👉 See the Full Process in Action

📰 The Truth About Spicy Newsletter Takes

Everyone has an opinion on how to grow and run a newsletter—but are the hot takes always worth following? Chenell and Dylan unpack some of the most polarizing newsletter strategies and reveal what works.

• Lead Magnets Done Right: Forget generic PDFs. A 7-day email course aligned with your newsletter builds habits and loyalty—not just meaningless clicks.

• Subject Line Testing? Maybe Not: Testing is only worth it if you uncover repeatable patterns. Random experiments are a one-way ticket to wasted time.

👉 Get All Their Hot Takes Here

📱 What the TikTok Ban Means for Your Brand

The potential US TikTok ban is a wake-up call. If your entire strategy lives on one platform, this is your chance to future-proof your business and take control.

Shift Your Focus:

• Create Platform Agility: Most platforms have been preparing for a TikTok ban with their short-form features. Start repurposing your TikTok content across Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts.

• Own Your Audience: Direct your followers to your newsletter list as a safety net to keep them engaged while you decide your next move.

👉 Prepare For a Platform-Agnostic Future

🧰 Apps & Tools

🤖 Instagram Comments Agent: A free tool that automates your Instagram comments. It’s a bit of a technical setup, but follow the step-by-step instructions.

💻 Fenado AI: A Lovable alternative that turns your words into desktop and mobile apps.

📨 Scale Your Newsletter with AI: This growth assistant turns your newsletter into a high-performing asset, helping you grow, engage, and monetize.

🔗 Packpack AI: A link-saving tool like Fabric to keep all your resources in one place.

📋 Dummy Forms: Create customizable online forms with drag-and-drop features.

🎯 Creator Hunter: A vetted database of over 4,206 influencers to drive more traffic to your project.

🤖 Product Updates

🍏 Grok AI Lands on iOS

The cheeky chatbot from xAI, has dropped its app for iPhone and iPad users in the U.S.

What Sets It Apart

Unlike the others, Grok blends real-time data with a bit of sass, making it your AI sidekick for everything from brainstorming to generating images in one app.

What You Need to Know

It’s exclusive to the US (for now). Grok is rolling out gradually, so global users must hang tight.

🔗 Get Grok On IOS Now

🎥 Turn Blurry Clips into Clean Visuals

Tencent’s Stable Video Face Restoration open-source project transforms low-quality footage into HD.

What Makes It Great:

• Unified Restoration: SVFR isn’t just upscale—it restores facial details, fills gaps with inpainting, and adds natural colorization for unmatched quality.

• Endless Potential: You can repurpose vintage footage for better storytelling, create professional video presentations, or enhance video call quality.

🔗 See AI Video Upscaling in Action

🎨 Scale Your Visual Workflow with AI

Adobe Firefly Bulk Create is changing how you handle large-scale image editing. Say goodbye to repetitive tasks and hello to efficient, scalable content production.

How This Matters for Creators:

• Effortless Automation: With a single click, you can resize and edit up to 10,000 images to rebrand, create product visuals, or optimize social media content.

• Platform-Ready Perfection: It has precise presets and automatically adjusts TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook assets to ensure your visuals stay aligned.

🔗 Unlock the Power of Firefly Bulk Create

🖇️ Everything Else

💰 AI Pricing Shift: AI tools move from seat-based pricing to models tied to results and expertise. (🔗 Rethink AI Pricing Models)

🕒 Best Time to Post on IG: With a potential TikTok ban in the US, check out the best times to repurpose your content effectively to maximize your Instagram reach. (🔗Get Data Based From 2M+ Posts)

🌐 Google AI Essentials: Try out Google’s free course on how to use generative AI tools to speed up tasks. (🔗Try Out Google AI's Course)