The silent kings of AI: Microsoft, Amazon, and Google

Today, we’re looking at Grammarly’s sharp pivot from grammar helper to full AI writing suite, complete with graders, citation finders, and plagiarism detectors. Also we are looking at Chamath Palihapitiya’s boldest attempt yet to shift from Bitcoin booster to DeFi dealmaker.

In today’s post:

• Grammarly Just Got a Major AI Upgrade

• The real winner of the AI boom? Not who you think.

• Chamath’s $250M Bet on DeFi and AI

• What Kids Really Think About AI

• Best AI tools to use + A guide on how to rank on LLMs and AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude

What’s Trending Today

Imagine Waking Up to THIS Lock Screen…

Imagine waking up to notifications like this?

✅ Your LinkedIn post is live
✅ Your meeting is scheduled
✅ Your inbox is cleared
✅ Your blog is published

All done by AI Agents.

On Wednesday, 20th August at 10AM EST, join our 3-Hour AI Agent Masterclass and learn how to build your own digital team that runs your business on autopilot.

🚀 No code. No hiring. Just results.

👉 Seats are limited. 

🎟️ Tap ENROL NOW and start building your AI Agent team today.

Update

AI’s silent kingmakers: Microsoft, Google, and Amazon

While GPT-5 stumbles and AI startups chase headlines, the quiet power play is happening in the cloud. Microsoft, Google, and Amazon are quietly locking in dominance not with flashy models, but with infrastructure.

Here’s everything you need to know:

• Nvidia is the face of the AI gold rush, but Big Cloud is selling the shovels and the land.

• Microsoft’s cloud business is booming, with Azure sales up 39% last quarter.

• New research shows Big Cloud is investing like a top-tier VC but with more power and less scrutiny.

• These investments often come with strings: free cloud credits, followed by costly lock-ins.

• Google, in particular, is using accelerators and equity-free funds to court startups into its orbit.

• Once inside, startups face steep “egress fees” and contractual dependencies that keep them tethered.

• This isn't just market consolidation, it’s infrastructural capture at a global scale.

Here’s what I think:

If AI is the next platform shift, Big Cloud is making sure it owns the platform. Startups may build the apps, but without compute independence, they’re just tenants on Microsoft, Google, and Amazon’s land. And tenants don’t get to make the rules.

UPDATE

A new design turns Grammarly into more than a writing checker

Grammarly has quietly evolved from a grammar tool into a full-fledged AI writing platform. With a new Coda-powered interface and fresh AI agents, it now looks less like a spellchecker and more like a writing workspace.

Here’s everything you need to know:

• The new document-based interface lets users structure work with blocks: tables, columns, lists, and headers.

• A built-in AI assistant can summarize, answer questions, and suggest edits directly in the sidebar.

• Students get new tools: a grader that mimics instructor feedback, a citation finder, and a paraphraser to adjust tone.

• Writers can test how their work lands using Reader Reactions, which simulate different audience personas.

• Grammarly has also rolled out plagiarism and AI detection agents, though the company admits accuracy is imperfect.

• Rather than punishing students, the detectors are meant to show them when their work may look AI-generated.

• The company frames this balance as a “moral imperative”: teach students to use AI responsibly while preparing them for the workforce.

• With a recent $1B raise and acquisitions like Superhuman, Grammarly is positioning itself as an AI-first productivity suite.

Here’s my view:

Grammarly isn’t just trying to keep students honest, it’s trying to own the space where human and AI writing intersect. The bet is clear: the future of writing isn’t AI versus human, but AI plus human. The question is whether users will see Grammarly as a helpful coach or an overbearing referee.

PROFITS

A new SPAC signals where crypto meets Wall Street next

Chamath Palihapitiya, the outspoken billionaire and early Bitcoin investor has filed to raise $250 million for a new SPAC, American Exceptionalism Acquisition Corp A. Unlike his past Bitcoin bets, this one leans heavily on DeFi, AI, and the future of finance.

Here’s everything you need to know:

• The SPAC will list on the NYSE as AEXA, selling 25M shares at $10 each.

• Palihapitiya will serve as chairman, with Steven Trieu of Social Capital as CEO.

• While long bullish on Bitcoin, Palihapitiya now sees DeFi as the next big wave, integrating blockchain with traditional markets.

• The filing highlights Circle’s public listing as proof DeFi can cut out middlemen and reduce friction in finance.

• His SPAC record is mixed: some big wins like SoFi, but other ventures ended in liquidation.

• The timing is notable, two years ago he declared crypto “dead in America” under Gary Gensler’s SEC crackdown.

• Now, with new leadership at the SEC and a Crypto Task Force promising clearer rules, Palihapitiya sees opportunity again.

• Beyond DeFi, the SPAC also targets AI, energy, and defense areas expected to shape the next decade of innovation.

Here’s what I think:

Chamath’s pivot from Bitcoin to DeFi reflects a bigger truth, crypto’s survival depends on integration, not isolation. By betting on the bridge between Wall Street and blockchain, he’s wagering that the real value isn’t in coins themselves, but in the systems they transform.

RESEARCH

The next generation sees AI differently than adults do

Ask parents or teachers about AI, and you’ll hear warnings. Ask kids, and you get something else entirely, curiosity, skepticism, even humor. WIRED spoke with students across the US, and their views are refreshingly clear.

Here’s everything you need to know:

• Some students use AI as a study partner, not a shortcut asking it to quiz them or find sources instead of doing the work for them.

• Others say AI is terrible at essays, but great at condensing information or sparking ideas.

• A few worry AI is making people lazy, even robotic, especially when it writes text messages or school assignments.

• Some believe the real issue isn’t AI itself, but how we’re taught to use it, just like learning to ride a bike or use the internet.

• Artists feel conflicted: AI can spit out drawings in seconds, but it erases the satisfaction of creating something by hand.

• Environmental concerns also surfaced, with kids pointing out that AI’s hidden costs make its benefits less clear.

• And at least one student sees a missed opportunity: AI could have built a fairer world, but instead it’s being used for profit and fake content.

Kids don’t see AI as a single story of doom or salvation. They see its messy, everyday reality, helpful for studying, risky for creativity, powerful yet flawed. Maybe that’s the lesson for adults: instead of debating AI in extremes, we should listen to how young people are already living with it.

AI TOOLS & Guide to rank on any LLM

AI TOOLS

• Pictools AI: You describe what you want—cropping, background cleanup, text overlay—and it handles the design magic.

• SaneBox: Learns your email habits and filters the noise away—priorities stay, the rest gets tucked out of sight.

• Brain.FM: Creates science-backed soundscapes to help you focus, meditate, or drift off—ambient productivity on tap.

• Recall: Gathers and summarizes your articles, videos, and docs—pretty much your brain’s own search engine.

• Otterly.ai: Keeps an eye on how your brand shows up in AI-generated search responses SEO meets LLM awareness.

Find amazing AI tools on Nextool AI for free.

There are more than 10,000 AI tools and its constantly updated everyday.

Rank on LLMs

Tool of the day

🚀 Founders & AI Builders, Listen up!

If you’ve built an AI tool, here’s an opportunity to gain serious visibility.

Nextool AI is a leading tools aggregator that offers:

• 500k+ page views and a rapidly growing audience.

• Exposure to developers, entrepreneurs, and tech enthusiasts actively searching for innovative tools.

• A spot in a curated list of cutting-edge AI tools, trusted by the community.

• Increased traffic, users, and brand recognition for your tool.

Take the next step to grow your tool’s reach and impact.

Reach 140,000+ READERS:

Expand your reach and boost your brand’s visibility!

Partner with Nextool AI to showcase your product or service to 140,000+ engaged subscribers, including entrepreneurs, tech enthusiasts, developers, and industry leaders.

Ready to make an impact? Visit our sponsorship website to explore sponsorship opportunities and learn more!