\/\/ Stories of the Week:<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n1.) The Performative AI Takeover. <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\nThe robots might be coming for us<\/a>, but it probably doesn\u2019t look like this. As \u2018Open Claw\u2019 (previously Moltbot and Open Claude) drove up prices of Mac Mini\u2019s, with users trying to install the AI locally on device, and introduced greater agentic functionality to a range of users, it also generated stories of an instance spending thousands on a user\u2019s credit card, AI-only social network for its itself (Moltbook)<\/a> and marketplaces for agent only and agent to human work<\/a>. These may appear like a tipping point for AI in our lives, creating enough coverage to land Open Claw\u2019s creator a job with OpenAI<\/a>, but they are arguably more theatre than reality. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThis part of the \u2018AI revolution\u2019 is more performative than performance, showing more about how we think AI should behave than how it actually does. Our need to anthropomorphize the technology is on full show, discussing AI versions of human platforms. The reality is that true AI interaction doesn\u2019t need its own social network, eBay or Monster.com<\/a> – they wouldn\u2019t even speak in English. Meta\u2019s 2020 shutdown of two AI\u2019s speaking in their own language, or Chinese factories phasing out lights in robot only workplaces are more realistic to what we can expect<\/a>. Creating unnecessary familiarity amongst AI platforms tells us much more about how we feel about the technology vs. what it might look like soon. Looking for AI in our image, limits us realistically seeing how it’s developing and may fit in our lives. <\/p>\n\n\n\nRead More Here.<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n2.) SMBs are Spending, Not Just Hoping, to Find Growth. <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\nDescription. Despite uncertainty, SMBs are increasing plans for marketing spend. 41% of SMBs, across the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, still say inflation and rising costs are a top concern. However, 68% say they plan to spend more on marketing this year – spending to find growth, not just weather the storm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/newclassic.agency\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-867x1024.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nData from the NFIB in the US paints a similar picture for American SMBs, as pervasive SMB uncertainty hasn\u2019t limited short term ambitions to grow sales or raise prices. The front footed approach to finding growth speaks to a market where many businesses have \u2018bunkered\u2019 for long enough and now aim to increasingly face uncertainty head on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Read More Here.<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n3.) Who Isn\u2019t Stealing TV? <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\nWhat\u2019s old is seemingly new again, as the streaming industry has inadvertently recreated the conditions that made cable piracy attractive. As streamers raise prices and consumers need more subscriptions across fragmented platforms to follow sports or content, an informal economy around Android based streaming boxes, like SuperBo and vSeeBox are thriving. Sold everywhere from farmer\u2019s markets to Facebook groups, the devices are giving access to 6k+ channels for a single upfront payment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
While piracy and streaming have long been an option, subscription fatigue and platform fragmentation seems to have created a headwind. The devices have helped convert piracy from a technical challenge to a consumer choice and in the process added a new step beyond cord cutting and streaming fatigue. For media owners and streaming platforms, growing similarities in business and operating models look to create similar problems to collectively address.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Read More Here.<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n4.) AI Doesn\u2019t Reduce Work – It Intensifies It. <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
The robots might be coming for us<\/a>, but it probably doesn\u2019t look like this. As \u2018Open Claw\u2019 (previously Moltbot and Open Claude) drove up prices of Mac Mini\u2019s, with users trying to install the AI locally on device, and introduced greater agentic functionality to a range of users, it also generated stories of an instance spending thousands on a user\u2019s credit card, AI-only social network for its itself (Moltbook)<\/a> and marketplaces for agent only and agent to human work<\/a>. These may appear like a tipping point for AI in our lives, creating enough coverage to land Open Claw\u2019s creator a job with OpenAI<\/a>, but they are arguably more theatre than reality. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This part of the \u2018AI revolution\u2019 is more performative than performance, showing more about how we think AI should behave than how it actually does. Our need to anthropomorphize the technology is on full show, discussing AI versions of human platforms. The reality is that true AI interaction doesn\u2019t need its own social network, eBay or Monster.com<\/a> – they wouldn\u2019t even speak in English. Meta\u2019s 2020 shutdown of two AI\u2019s speaking in their own language, or Chinese factories phasing out lights in robot only workplaces are more realistic to what we can expect<\/a>. Creating unnecessary familiarity amongst AI platforms tells us much more about how we feel about the technology vs. what it might look like soon. Looking for AI in our image, limits us realistically seeing how it’s developing and may fit in our lives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Read More Here.<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Description. Despite uncertainty, SMBs are increasing plans for marketing spend. 41% of SMBs, across the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, still say inflation and rising costs are a top concern. However, 68% say they plan to spend more on marketing this year – spending to find growth, not just weather the storm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Data from the NFIB in the US paints a similar picture for American SMBs, as pervasive SMB uncertainty hasn\u2019t limited short term ambitions to grow sales or raise prices. The front footed approach to finding growth speaks to a market where many businesses have \u2018bunkered\u2019 for long enough and now aim to increasingly face uncertainty head on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Read More Here.<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n What\u2019s old is seemingly new again, as the streaming industry has inadvertently recreated the conditions that made cable piracy attractive. As streamers raise prices and consumers need more subscriptions across fragmented platforms to follow sports or content, an informal economy around Android based streaming boxes, like SuperBo and vSeeBox are thriving. Sold everywhere from farmer\u2019s markets to Facebook groups, the devices are giving access to 6k+ channels for a single upfront payment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While piracy and streaming have long been an option, subscription fatigue and platform fragmentation seems to have created a headwind. The devices have helped convert piracy from a technical challenge to a consumer choice and in the process added a new step beyond cord cutting and streaming fatigue. For media owners and streaming platforms, growing similarities in business and operating models look to create similar problems to collectively address.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read More Here.<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n2.) SMBs are Spending, Not Just Hoping, to Find Growth. <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n3.) Who Isn\u2019t Stealing TV? <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
4.) AI Doesn\u2019t Reduce Work – It Intensifies It. <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n