Newsletter: Signs of the Tech Revolution #42
In just two years, the percentage of businesses paying for AI has skyrocketed from 6% to over 41%. This isn't hype; it's hard evidence of a massive investment shift, and the pressure on leaders is intensifying from all sides.
On one hand, we have a vision of the future with "wildly abundant" intelligence and massive productivity gains, shifting the entire value of work from execution to ideas.
On the other hand, we see resistance from employees and top-tier intelligence agencies already deploying AI for critical operations, signaling that the time for merely watching from the sidelines is over.
Let’s dive in and explore these topics.
News #1: A New Letter from Sam Altman
The point where AI surpasses human intelligence is not a distant, sudden explosion. It is a "gentle" and gradual process that has already begun.
The most immediate impact is a massive amplification of productivity. Scientists are already reporting a 2-3x increase in their output using current AI tools. This trend points to a near future where the ability for a single employee to achieve vastly more in 2030 than they could in 2020 will be a defining feature of the market.
The long-term vision is one where intelligence becomes "wildly abundant and too cheap to meter." This creates two powerful flywheels: compounding infrastructure buildout driven by economic value, and eventually, robots building the infrastructure for future AI.
As the cost of execution plummets, the premium will move to creativity and strategy. The "idea guys," once dismissed, are poised to become the most valuable players in an economy where turning a concept into reality is easier than ever.
News #2: Spending Data Reveals Real AI Adoption
To understand the true pace of AI adoption, surveys are no longer enough. A more accurate picture comes from the new Ramp AI Index, which measures adoption by tracking the actual spending of over 30,000 U.S. businesses. By analyzing billions of dollars in corporate card transactions with AI companies, the index provides a direct and timely measurement of which businesses are making real investments in AI.
The data reveals a clear and dramatic trend: the rate of businesses paying for AI products and services has grown exponentially. Paid AI adoption surged from just 6.21% of companies in January 2023 to 41.65% by May 2025.
While surveys can capture interest, this spending data represents true commitment.
Crucially, the Ramp Index notes that its findings likely underestimate the true rate of adoption. The measurement does not capture the widespread use of free AI tools or instances where employees use personal accounts to complete work tasks. The actual penetration of AI within the business world is therefore even higher than these figures suggest.
The question is no longer if your competitors are using AI, but rather how deeply they are investing in it.
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News #3: US Intelligence Goes All-In on AI
While many organizations are still weighing the risks of AI, the highest levels of U.S. national security are moving decisively forward. At the recent AWS Summit, the Director of National Intelligence and the CIA's Director of AI revealed they are actively using the technology to accelerate critical operations and enhance productivity, offering a clear model for the private sector.
AI tools have enabled them to declassify tens of thousands of sensitive documents "far more quickly" than human-only teams ever could. In cybersecurity, AI is automating the manual, time-consuming process of analyzing network data to block threats, a direct parallel to urgent corporate security needs.
Perhaps the most valuable insight for business leaders is the CIA's strategic approach to talent. They are structuring AI readiness across three distinct levels:
- General Workforce: The primary user base that will work alongside AI.
- AI Practitioners: The specialists who build and maintain the systems.
- Senior Executives: The leaders who must think strategically about how to transform the organization with AI.
This framework is paired with a new hiring focus. The agency is seeking talent that lives at the "intersection of technology and human intelligence", people who combine traditional critical thinking skills with a deep understanding of cloud, cybersecurity, and AI. For any business, this signals a clear shift from hiring for a role to hiring for a hybrid skill set.
Other News
- AI's biggest hurdle - overcoming widespread employee resistance - Read more
- Google AI cracks hurricane forecasting - Read more
- Cloud assets have 115 vulnerabilities on average - Read more
- Nvidia CEO predicts a 10x surge in Europe's AI power - Read more
- UK High Court warns lawyers: “Stop citing fake AI cases” - Read more
- 76% of workers have seen senior colleagues resist new tech - Read more
- AI Chat is replacing search, devastating publisher web traffic - Read more
- How three major banks are scaling AI beyond productivity gains - Read more
- Cybercriminals now hide by impersonating everyday internet users - Read more
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