OpenAI Is Quietly Killing Startups

THIS WEEK’S STORY

How Not to Get Killed by OpenAI

Every new feature OpenAI ships is quietly killing a hundred startups.

APIs get cheaper. Models get better. What used to be your product is now a free toggle in ChatGPT.

So how do the smartest founders survive?
They don’t try to out-model OpenAI. They build around it.

Here’s what they do differently:

1. They own the data
APIs are rented. Data is compounding.
→ Throxy (YC W25) scrapes its own leads instead of relying on LinkedIn or Apollo. Every user interaction improves their dataset and makes the product harder to clone.

2. They build a UX moat
When tech is a commodity, experience becomes the differentiator.
→ Granola is just a meeting recorder. But it feels like magic. Lightweight, instant, joyful to use. A product you’d miss if it were gone.

3. They empower non-techies
True defensibility = giving superpowers to outsiders.
→ Lovable turns brand design into something anyone can do. No Figma needed. Just a prompt, and you’ve got a full visual identity.

4. They move up the stack
Infra dies. Workflows win.
→ Perplexity started as a simple research tool. Now it’s morphing into an AI-native browser. Owning the full search experience; not just the answers.

5. They go deep, not wide
Broad tools get swallowed. Specialists thrive.
→ ElevenLabs didn’t chase everything. Just voice. Now it powers thousands of apps, games, and creators. Depth = dominance.

What else are you seeing? Hit reply and tell me.

HEADLINES

Replace your content team with Veo3

Google just dropped Veo3, an AI video model that makes hyper-realistic ads from text. People are using it to create stunning product videos with nothing but a JSON prompt. Seriously.

→ You can use ChatGPT to generate the prompts too

But here’s the twist. Just one week later, LovartAI launched a dead-simple interface where you don’t even need the JSON. Just type in plain English and get studio-quality results.

→ This is how fast the AI wave is moving

THIS WEEK’S TIP

Steal This Prompt. Remix It. Create Your Own AI Ad.

Want to see how the best Veo3 prompts are written?
Here’s one used to generate a cinematic product transformation for a suitcase:

Prompt:

json

{
  "description": "Cinematic editorial shot of an upright transparent suitcase in a plain white cyclorama studio. A burst of yellow mist fills the suitcase as it spins rapidly, transforming mid-spin into a solid yellow hard-shell suitcase. The camera pushes in smoothly before holding on the final form.",
  "style": "editorial cinematic",
  "camera": "precision dolly-in from 2.5m to 1.5m over 5 seconds, then static hero shot",
  "lighting": "clean, soft, and even—no visible light sources or reflections; lighting wraps naturally with minimal shadowing",
  "room": "plain infinite white cyclorama (no texture, no visible lights, seamless floor-to-wall transition)",
  "elements": [
    "transparent upright suitcase",
    "volumetric yellow mist",
    "solid yellow hard-shell suitcase with ribbed structure",
    "chrome latches and telescopic handle",
    "soft reflective white floor",
    "faint lingering mist at base"
  ],
  "motion": "yellow mist violently fills the suitcase in under 2s; suitcase spins upright on vertical axis and transforms mid-spin into solid yellow shell; spin halts cleanly; camera push-in and hold",
  "ending": "suitcase stops mid-frame in bold yellow form; mist dissipates; fade to white",
  "text": "none",
  "keywords": [
    "editorial",
    "product transformation",
    "white cyclorama",
    "clean studio",
    "yellow mist",
    "no text",
    "no humans",
    "4K",
    "minimalist"
  ]
}

How to remix this for your own product:

1. Copy this prompt into ChatGPT.

2. Replace the product. Say, wireless earbuds, a smart bottle, or a skincare serum.

3. Ask: “Use this prompt as a reference and create a similar cinematic JSON prompt for [your product].”

Done. You’ve got a launch-ready video in minutes.

No crew. No cameras. Just a vibe.

QUICK HITS

• OpenAI Launches ChatGPT Agent: A powerful assistant that autonomously handles tasks like coding, scheduling, and research via natural language in ChatGPT.

• SoftBank Upgrades AI Stack for Superintelligence: Boosts GPU infrastructure to train a 70B-parameter model, aiming for leadership in advanced AI.

• AI Adoption Grows Among Sysadmins: 45% now integrate AI into workflows, though many still seek better training and oversight tools.

• Nvidia Hits $4T Valuation: Becomes the world’s most valuable public company, fueled by global demand for AI chips.

• EU Finalizes AI Act Guidelines: New rules for general-purpose AI models take effect in August 2025, emphasizing safety, transparency, and compliance.

And That is all for this week!

See you next Saturday!

Filippo

Filippo Pietrantonio

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