Subj : Google AI shopping 🛒, inside a16z 💰, anti-AI hype 🤖 To : All From : TLDR Date : Mon Jan 12 2026 11:25 am --JcYe6ota Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Google has unveiled a new set of tools for retailers to help them roll ou= t AI agents. The agents can help shoppers find their desired items=C2= =A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C= =C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80= =8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0= =E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2= =A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C= =C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0= =E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2= =A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C= =C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80= =8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0= =E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2= =A0 Sign Up [1] |Advertise [2]|View Online [3]=20 =09=09TLDR = =09=09TOGETHER WITH [You.com] [4] TLDR 2026-01-12 THE 5-ST= EP PLAYBOOK FOR UNLOCKING THE VALUE OF AI (SPONSOR) [4]=20 AI is all th= e rage, but are you really using it to your advantage? This practical gui= de [4] from You.com [4] guides you through the process of identifying and= prioritizing opportunities where AI can best serve your org. Explore whe= re AI can drive the most impact in your organization, both internally and= externally.=C2=A0 Learn more with this AI Use Case Discovery Guide. [= 4] =F0=9F=93=B1=20 BIG TECH & STARTUPS GOOGLE BETS ON AI-BASE= D SHOPPING WITH NEW AI AGENTS FOR RETAILERS (6 MINUTE READ) [5]=20 Go= ogle has unveiled a new set of tools for retailers to help them roll out = AI agents. The new retail AI agents can help shoppers find their desired = items and provide customer support. They are designed to address the chal= lenges retailers face in building their own AI agents. Major retailers, i= ncluding Lowe's and Kroger, are already using Google's tools.=20 NETF= LIX BEGINS ITS GRAND PODCAST EXPERIMENT (12 MINUTE READ) [6]=20 Sportsc= aster Bill Simmons will go live on Netflix on Sunday night, marking the u= nofficial beginning of Netflix's move into podcasting. Netflix plans to o= ffer dozens of podcasts over the next few months. It is a big moment for = the podcasting industry, which is praying that Netflix will turn into a m= ajor new buyer.=20 =F0=9F=9A=80=20 SCIENCE & FUTURISTIC TECHNOLOGY = BIG WIN FOR SPACEX AS FCC CLEARS IT TO UPGRADE STARLINK WITH GIGABIT = SPEEDS (10 MINUTE READ) [7]=20 SpaceX's plan to upgrade Starlink with g= igabit internet speeds has received partial approval from the US FCC. The= company can now launch 7,500 more satellites, operate its constellation = at lower orbits, and use a larger swath of radio frequencies. SpaceX has = received a time-limited waiver to operate the Starlink network at higher = power levels to improve speeds. The waiver is confined to Starlink oper= ations in the US.=20 WHEN GOOGLE LOCKED THE DOOR, THREE MIT STUDENTS PI= CKED THE LOCK (11 MINUTE READ) [8]=20 DeepMind shipped AlphaFold 3 la= st spring, but its code was locked, weights were restricted, and commerci= al applications were forbidden. By December, three MIT PhD students had r= everse-engineered the architecture and released their own version. Boltz = is available on GitHub under Apache 2.0 for anyone to download. The Boltz= team now has $28 million in funding and a Pfizer partnership, showing ho= w the industry is willing to reject Google's closed approach and instead= build around it.=20 =F0=9F=92=BB=20 PROGRAMMING, DESIGN & DATA SCI= ENCE ADD API KEY MANAGEMENT TO YOUR SAAS IN MINUTES (SPONSOR) [9]=20 = API keys remain the most common way developers integrate with your pr= oduct programmatically. We cover when to offer API access, security best = practices for key generation and storage, and how Clerk's new API Keys [1= 0] feature handles the heavy lifting =E2=80=94 plus a walkthrough showing= key creation, rotation, and revocation in action.=20 AGENT-NATIVE ARCH= ITECTURES (52 MINUTE READ) [11]=20 Claude Code demonstrated that large = language models with access to bash and file tools can accomplish complex= multi-step tasks autonomously by operating in a loop until an objective = is achieved. Good coding agents are really good general-purpose agents. T= he Claude Code software development kit makes this accessible. It allows= developers to build applications where features are achieved by agents= with tools. This opens up a new field of software that works the way C= laude Code works, but in categories far beyond coding.=20 DON'T FALL IN= TO THE ANTI-AI HYPE (8 MINUTE READ) [12]=20 Whatever you may feel about= AI, skipping it will not help you or your career. Test these new tools w= ith weeks of work, and find a way to multiply yourself. If it doesn't wor= k out, try again every few months. AI allows you to build more and better= .. While you might not be writing the code yourself, the fun of creating i= s still there, untouched.=20 =F0=9F=8E=81=20 MISCELLANEOUS THE = "AI-GENERATED HIT MOVIE" HORROR STORY (9 MINUTE READ) [13]=20 Roku's CE= O predicts that the first 100% AI-generated hit movie will be released in= the next three years. AI-generated video is already flooding social medi= a, so it is not unreasonable to believe that fully AI-generated movies wi= ll be possible in three years. The bigger question is whether there will = be an audience for that content. It is likely that AI-generated content w= ill raise the demand for human-generated content. There may be a market f= or hybrid content, but a purely AI-generated movie topping the box office= by 2029 is unlikely.=20 A16Z: THE POWER BROKERS (98 MINUTE READ) [14= ]=20 a16z has just announced $15 billion in fresh funds. The firm is th= e best-marketed firm in venture capital. The story that it tells about = itself is consistent with its actions. a16z is doing something different:= it wants to build the future and eat the world.=20 =E2=9A=A1=20 QUIC= K LINKS NVIDIA'S NEW RUBIN ARCHITECTURE THRIVES ON NETWORKING (4 MINU= TE READ) [15]=20 The six new chips in Nvidia's Vera Rubin-based compu= ters work together in concert to achieve performance advantages.=20 C= LOUDSPECS: CLOUD HARDWARE EVOLUTION THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS (5 MINUTE R= EAD) [16]=20 While network bandwidth per dollar improved by one order o= f magnitude, CPU and DRAM gains have been much more modest.=20 ELON M= USK SAYS X TO MAKE ALGORITHM OPEN SOURCE IN SEVEN DAYS (3 MINUTE READ) [1= 7]=20 X will update its release every 4 weeks with comprehensive develo= per notes to help the public understand what has changed.=20 THE SIGN= AL CHAT WHERE SILICON VALLEY IS PLOTTING AGAINST CALIFORNIA'S BILLIONAIRE= TAX (6 MINUTE READ) [18]=20 Silicon Valley titans are airing their gri= evances in an active Signal chat called 'Save California', sounding off a= gainst the tax, suggesting alternatives, and in some cases sharing effort= s to weaken their ties to the state.=20 INSIDERS SAY DEEPSEEK V4 WILL= BEAT CLAUDE AND CHATGPT AT CODING, LAUNCH WITHIN WEEKS (4 MINUTE READ) [= 19]=20 DeepSeek is reportedly planning to release its V4 model around= mid-February.=20 HOW MARKDOWN TOOK OVER THE WORLD (26 MINUTE READ) [= 20]=20 Markdown is used in nearly every bit of the high-tech world, fro= m the most cutting-edge AI systems to grocery lists in Apple Notes.=20 = Love TLDR? Tell your friends and get rewards! Share your referral = link below with friends to get free TLDR swag!=20 https://refer.tldr.te= ch/66662a80/ [21]=20 =09=09 Track your referrals here. [22]=20 Want t= o advertise in TLDR? =F0=9F=93=B0 If your company is interested in re= aching an audience of tech executives, decision-makers and engineers, you= may want to ADVERTISE WITH US [23].=20 Want to work at TLDR? = =F0=9F=92=BC APPLY HERE [24], CREATE YOUR OWN ROLE [25] or send a fri= end's resume to jobs@tldr.tech and get $1k if we hire them! TLDR is one o= f INC.'S BEST BOOTSTRAPPED BUSINESSES [26] of 2025.=20 If you have an= y comments or feedback, just respond to this email!=20 Thanks for readin= g,=20 Dan Ni [27] & Stephen Flanders [28]=20 Manage your subscriptions = [29] to our other newsletters on tech, startups, and programming. Or if T= LDR isn't for you, please unsubscribe [30].=20 =20 Links: ------= [1] https://tldr.tech/signup?utm_source=3Dtldr [2] https://advertise.t= ldr.tech/?utm_source=3Dtldr&utm_medium=3Dnewsletter&utm_campaign=3Dadvertis= etopnav [3] https://a.tldrnewsletter.com/web-version?ep=3D1&lc=3D265280dc= -d4e0-11f0-a661-1b9fa34a893d&p=3D75705fcc-ef98-11f0-9f88-870dc8dd9c2c&pt=3D= campaign&t=3D1768217107&s=3D396248e0591defee61cdb5c710d437acfd4ead798aaba65= b90256ea8135137d0 [4] https://about.you.com/ai-use-cases?utm_campaign=3D3= 4319961-TLDR_tech_Q1&utm_source=3Dexternal-newsletter&utm_medium=3Demail&ut= m_term=3Dtldrtech_primary_1.12&utm_content=3Dtldrtech_primary_1.12 [5] ht= tps://links.tldrnewsletter.com/U9g1KL [6] https://links.tldrnewsletter.co= m/RG1gsX [7] https://links.tldrnewsletter.com/ood5wf [8] https://www.im= plicator.ai/when-google-locked-the-door-three-mit-students-picked-the-lock/= ?utm_source=3Dtldrnewsletter [9] https://go.clerk.com/htEDkOd?utm_source= =3Dtldrnewsletter [10] https://go.clerk.com/htEDkOd [11] https://every.= to/guides/agent-native?source=3Dpost_button&utm_source=3Dtldrnewsletter [= 12] https://antirez.com/news/158?utm_source=3Dtldrnewsletter [13] https:/= /spyglass.org/ai-generated-hit-movies/?utm_source=3Dtldrnewsletter [14] h= ttps://www.notboring.co/p/a16z-the-power-brokers?utm_source=3Dtldrnewslette= r [15] https://spectrum.ieee.org/nvidia-rubin-networking?utm_source=3Dtld= rnewsletter [16] https://muratbuffalo.blogspot.com/2026/01/cloudspecs-clo= ud-hardware-evolution.html?utm_source=3Dtldrnewsletter [17] https://links= ..tldrnewsletter.com/6POs9n [18] https://links.tldrnewsletter.com/Pwg7oG= [19] https://decrypt.co/354177/insiders-say-deepseek-v4-beat-claude-chat= gpt-coding-launching-weeks?utm_source=3Dtldrnewsletter [20] https://www.a= nildash.com/2026/01/09/how-markdown-took-over-the-world/?utm_source=3Dtldrn= ewsletter [21] https://refer.tldr.tech/66662a80/ [22] https://hub.spark= lp.co/sub_e87ba9c7d7c0/1 [23] https://advertise.tldr.tech/?utm_source=3Dt= ldr&utm_medium=3Dnewsletter&utm_campaign=3Dadvertisecta [24] https://jobs= ..ashbyhq.com/tldr.tech [25] https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/tldr.tech/c227b917-a= 6a4-40ce-8950-d3e165357871 [26] https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:= li:activity:7401699691039830016/ [27] https://twitter.com/tldrdan [28] = https://twitter.com/SteveFlanders22 [29] https://tldr.tech/tech/manage?em= ail=3Dtldrnewsletter%40synchro.net [30] https://a.tldrnewsletter.com/unsu= bscribe?ep=3D1&l=3Dcfa2d55a-b7be-11e8-a3c9-06b79b628af2&lc=3D265280dc-d4e0-= 11f0-a661-1b9fa34a893d&p=3D75705fcc-ef98-11f0-9f88-870dc8dd9c2c&pt=3Dcampai= gn&pv=3D4&spa=3D1768215677&t=3D1768217107&s=3D8dfb2c177eb3eb412b88141f0f400= 6b1706065062b7957987fff21d1586bee04 --JcYe6ota Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable TLDR
Google has= unveiled a new set of tools for retailers to help them roll out AI agents.= The agents can help shoppers find their desired items =E2=80=8C = =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C = =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C = =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C = =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C = =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =  =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C=  =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C=  =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C=  =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C=  =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C=  =E2=80=8C 

TLDR

Together With <= img src=3D"https://images.tldr.tech/you.com.png" valign=3D"middle" style=3D= "vertical-align: middle !important; height: 100%;" alt=3D"You.com">

TLDR 2026-01-12

The 5-Step Playbook for Unl= ocking the Value of AI (Sponsor)

AI is all the rage, but are you really = using it to your advantage? This practical guide from You.com guides you through th= e process of identifying and prioritizing opportunities where AI can best s= erve your org. Explore where AI can drive the most impact in your organizat= ion, both internally and externally. 

Learn more w= ith this AI Use Case Discovery Guide.

=F0=9F= =93=B1

Big Tech & Startups

Google Bets on AI-Based Sho= pping With New AI Agents for Retailers (6 minute read)

Google has unveiled a new set of tools = for retailers to help them roll out AI agents. The new retail AI agents can= help shoppers find their desired items and provide customer support. They = are designed to address the challenges retailers face in building their own= AI agents. Major retailers, including Lowe's and Kroger, are already using= Google's tools.
Netflix Begins Its Grand Po= dcast Experiment (12 minute read)

Sportscaster Bill Simmons will go live = on Netflix on Sunday night, marking the unofficial beginning of Netflix's m= ove into podcasting. Netflix plans to offer dozens of podcasts over the nex= t few months. It is a big moment for the podcasting industry, which is pray= ing that Netflix will turn into a major new buyer.
=F0=9F= =9A=80

Science & Futuristic Technology

Big Win for SpaceX as FCC C= lears It to Upgrade Starlink With Gigabit Speeds (10 minute read)

SpaceX's plan to upgrade Starlink with = gigabit internet speeds has received partial approval from the US FCC. The = company can now launch 7,500 more satellites, operate its constellation at = lower orbits, and use a larger swath of radio frequencies. SpaceX has recei= ved a time-limited waiver to operate the Starlink network at higher power l= evels to improve speeds. The waiver is confined to Starlink operations in t= he US.
When Google Locked the Door= , Three MIT Students Picked the Lock (11 minute read)

DeepMind shipped AlphaFold 3 last sprin= g, but its code was locked, weights were restricted, and commercial applica= tions were forbidden. By December, three MIT PhD students had reverse-engin= eered the architecture and released their own version. Boltz is available o= n GitHub under Apache 2.0 for anyone to download. The Boltz team now has $2= 8 million in funding and a Pfizer partnership, showing how the industry is = willing to reject Google's closed approach and instead build around it.
=F0=9F= =92=BB

Programming, Design & Data Science

Add API key management to y= our SaaS in minutes (Sponsor)

API keys remain the most common way dev= elopers integrate with your product programmatically. We cover when to offe= r API access, security best practices for key generation and storage, and h= ow Clerk's new API Keys feat= ure handles the heavy lifting =E2=80=94 plus a walkthrough showing key crea= tion, rotation, and revocation in action.
Agent-native Architectures = (52 minute read)

Claude Code demonstrated that large lan= guage models with access to bash and file tools can accomplish complex mult= i-step tasks autonomously by operating in a loop until an objective is achi= eved. Good coding agents are really good general-purpose agents. The Claude= Code software development kit makes this accessible. It allows developers = to build applications where features are achieved by agents with tools. Thi= s opens up a new field of software that works the way Claude Code works, bu= t in categories far beyond coding.
Don't fall into the anti-AI= hype (8 minute read)

Whatever you may feel about AI, skippin= g it will not help you or your career. Test these new tools with weeks of w= ork, and find a way to multiply yourself. If it doesn't work out, try again= every few months. AI allows you to build more and better. While you might = not be writing the code yourself, the fun of creating is still there, untou= ched.
=F0=9F= =8E=81

Miscellaneous

<= /div>
The "AI-Generated Hit Movie= " Horror Story (9 minute read)

Roku's CEO predicts that the first 100%= AI-generated hit movie will be released in the next three years. AI-genera= ted video is already flooding social media, so it is not unreasonable to be= lieve that fully AI-generated movies will be possible in three years. The b= igger question is whether there will be an audience for that content. It is= likely that AI-generated content will raise the demand for human-generated= content. There may be a market for hybrid content, but a purely AI-generat= ed movie topping the box office by 2029 is unlikely.
a16z: The Power Brokers (98= minute read)

a16z has just announced $15 billion in = fresh funds. The firm is the best-marketed firm in venture capital. The sto= ry that it tells about itself is consistent with its actions. a16z is doing= something different: it wants to build the future and eat the world.
=E2=9A= =A1

Quick Links

Nvidia's New Rubin Architec= ture Thrives on Networking (4 minute read)

The six new chips in Nvidia's Vera Rubi= n-based computers work together in concert to achieve performance advantage= s.
Cloudspecs: Cloud Hardware = Evolution Through the Looking Glass (5 minute read)

While network bandwidth per dollar impr= oved by one order of magnitude, CPU and DRAM gains have been much more mode= st.
Elon Musk Says X to Make Al= gorithm Open Source in Seven Days (3 minute read)

X will update its release every 4 weeks= with comprehensive developer notes to help the public understand what has = changed.
The Signal Chat Where Silic= on Valley Is Plotting Against California's Billionaire Tax (6 minute read)<= /strong>

Silicon Valley titans are airing their = grievances in an active Signal chat called 'Save California', sounding off = against the tax, suggesting alternatives, and in some cases sharing efforts= to weaken their ties to the state.
Insiders Say DeepSeek V4 Wi= ll Beat Claude and ChatGPT at Coding, Launch Within Weeks (4 minute read)

DeepSeek is reportedly planning to rele= ase its V4 model around mid-February.
How Markdown took over the = world (26 minute read)

Markdown is used in nearly every bit of= the high-tech world, from the most cutting-edge AI systems to grocery list= s in Apple Notes.

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Share your referral link below with friends to get free TLDR swag!
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Want to advertise in TLDR? =F0=9F=93=B0

If your company is interested in reaching an audience of tech executives, d= ecision-makers and engineers, you may want to advertise with us.

Want to work at TLDR? =F0=9F=92=BC

Apply here, create your own role or send a friend's resume to jobs@tldr.tech an= d get $1k if we hire them! TLDR is one of Inc.'s Best Bootstrapped businesses = of 2025.

If you have any comments or feedback, just respond to this email!

Thanks for reading,
Dan Ni &a= mp; Stephen = Flanders


Manage your subscriptions to our other newsletters o= n tech, startups, and programming. Or if TLDR isn't for you, please unsubscribe.
3D"" --JcYe6ota-- .