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The AI Beacon

Stop chasing AI trends, try this instead

Published 4 months ago • 2 min read

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Hello Reader,

I'm David and welcome to AI Beacon, a weekly signal in a world of AI noise. This newsletter is built around one simple idea: useful AI, applied.

Since 2022, I've tried nearly every tool, skimmed most new papers within days of release, and watched wave after wave of innovation. And here's the truth: most AI content is hype, not help.

That's why I created AI Beacon, to spotlight real-world use cases, practical workflows, and tools you can actually plug into your day-to-day work.

Whether you're a solo operator, creative, founder, or curious professional — this is your guide to working smarter with AI.

Here's how each issue flows:

✦ 🚨 Signals This Week: AI news, tools, or launches that matter
✦ ⚙️Workflow Gold: Real AI use cases you can run with
✦ 🛠️Tools to Try: New or under-the-radar tools worth a test
✦ 💭Prompt to Try: 1-liner tips to sharpen your AI asks

🚨 Signals This Week

NEW OpenAI Academy Launch – OpenAI introduces a free learning platform with interactive courses for mastering AI applications.

NEW Triplane Turbo (Text-to-3D) – Enter a text prompt, get a fully editable 3D model. Game changer for product design and gaming.

NEW Minimax Audio Generator – Generate studio-quality voiceovers...

UPDATE Runway launched its Gen-4 AI video generation model – Their newest release makes editing and generating videos faster, smoother, and more creator-friendly.

⚙️ Workflow Gold: Minimax Audio Use Case

✦ Use Case: Produce a polished audio script for your brand or product content, no studio required.
✦ Who it's for: Business owners, marketers, content creators
✦ How to use it:
  • Go to Minimax's audio tool
  • Drop in your script (think: product demo, campaign voiceover)
  • Choose a voice style, tone, and pacing
  • Generate, tweak, and download your audio file
✦ Pro Tip: Use the first version as a draft, then refine delivery using their tone controls for a more natural feel. You get 5 free minutes per month to start.

đź›  Tools Worth Trying

✦ Qwen2.5 Omni – A multimodal AI from Alibaba that lets you chat via voice or video, while processing text, images, and media. Think ChatGPT + Vision, but conversational.
✦ Effie – Clean, minimalist writing meets structured thinking. A note-taking app that merges outlining, mind maps, and AI-assisted drafting.
✦ Simplicity.ai – Transform plain product shots into high-end visuals. Instantly place items in contextual environments or lifestyle settings.

đź’¬ Prompt Like a Pro

Need to explain a product or idea clearly to busy stakeholders?
Use this prompt to generate a concise summary that highlights what matters most: ROI, ease of use, and innovation.

"Summarize this product for a professional audience in under 150 words. Emphasize ROI, ease of implementation, and what makes it different — without sounding like marketing copy.”

How to Use It:​
Paste in a short description of your product or idea. This prompt turns it into a clear summary you can use for:
​ ✦ LinkedIn posts
​ ✦ Quick team updates
✦ Slide headlines

Pro Tip:​
Add “Write it for a busy exec who only has 60 seconds” to make it even more focused.

đź“Ą Until Next Time

That’s a wrap on Signal #1. I would love to hear from you.

✦ What stood out?
✦ What do you want more of?
✦ Got a question or a win to share?

Hit reply and let me know. I read every response, and it helps shape what comes next.

And if this sparked something useful, forward it to a teammate or friend who’s getting into AI too. The next drop lands next week.

Thanks for being here,
​David

The AI Beacon

🚀 Get the best AI tips, tools & trends; all tailored to make you sharper, faster, and better at what you do.

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