The news: As newsletter platforms battle for creator loyalty, Substack is positioning itself as a social network, not just a writing platform. As more creators jump ship from platforms like Patreon, they’re pointing to Substack’s community tools and discovery features as drivers of subscribers and revenues, per Digiday. Our take: Substack isn’t just for sending emails anymore—it is quickly becoming a social network for writers and brands alike. Brands and creators should think of it less like a newsletter option and more like a growth channel for community: a crucial aspect of discovery and engagement.

Claude’s new tool offers developers a way to skip the browser and run real-time, cited searches—threatening ad models and SEO strategies alike.

Extra, extra, read all about it: Newsletters and the platforms that house them have had a strong few years. But with churn and tech layoffs, can they keep up?

On today's episode, we discuss what happens next now that the newsletter boom has faded, Uber getting serious about grocery, how Starbucks is defying inflation, whether Spotify can revolutionize podcast ads, robots doing all of our housework, an unpopular opinion about TikTok's hype, why so many baseballs are used during a game, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our director of reports editing Rahul Chadha and analysts Suzy Davidkhanian and Blake Droesch.

Nine in 10 internet users in the US rely on email, and many say it’s a preferred channel for receiving brand communications. Email also still plays a central role for marketers looking to maintain and nurture relationships.