Do not index
AI is flooding the internet with content.
And honestly… it all sounds the same.
By some estimates, AI generated content could make up 90% of online material by 2026.
Which means the question isn't "how do I use AI?" anymore.
It's "how do I stand out when everyone else is using AI?"
Naval's answer:
The problem with competing
When you get caught up in status games, you end up competing over things that aren't worth competing over.
I see this everywhere in the indie hacker world.
Everyone's building AI wrappers.
Everyone's launching on Product Hunt.
Everyone's posting the same growth tips.
They all sound, look, and do the same things.
And the harder you compete in that game, the more generic you become.
The real moat
If you are building and marketing something that's an extension of who you are, no one can compete with you.
Who's going to compete with Joe Rogan? Scott Adams? MrBeast?
Impossible.
Because their work is authentically them.
The same is true for builders.
No one can out-Elon Elon Musk.
You can copy features. You can't copy authenticity.
What Authenticity actually means in 2026
Here's what I'm seeing work as AI content explodes:
1. Curation over creation
Authenticity dominates curation in 2026 - audiences can tell when curation is purely automated. They crave the perspective, judgment, and personality that only humans provide.
Don't just share links. Explain WHY you chose each piece. Be opinionated. Add your take.
In a world of infinite content, the curator's judgment becomes more valuable than the creator's output.
2. Raw, unpolished, real
Proper radio DJs who spend hours digging through releases to find something genuinely interesting become absolutely crucial in an environment where authenticity is invisible and provenance is uncertain.
Be that DJ in your industry.
The most engaging content right now is raw, uncut video. Informal written content with typos and personality.
Perfect signals AI. Imperfection makes you human.
3. Lived experience you can't fake
When content references specific customer scenarios, operational challenges, or technical struggles, it immediately signals human involvement.
Share what actually happened while building your product. “The specific bug that took 3 days”. “The customer conversation that changed everything”. “The revenue chart with the dip you don't want to explain”.
AI can summarize consensus.
It can't share lived experience.
How I'm applying this right now
In my newsletter:
Before sending every email, I try to add as many stories as I can, as many experiences, and actionable advice. Sitting at my desk, thinking about what actually matters.
Sometimes there are typos. Sometimes the structure isn't perfect. That's the point.
In my products:
Outrank and Revid both use AI. But the positioning, the marketing, the way I talk about them - that's all me.
I share real revenue numbers. I admit when things aren't working. I talk about the partnership struggles and pivots.
Nobody can copy that because nobody else has lived it.
In my content:
I don't follow a "proven content framework." I share what I'm actually thinking about.
Sometimes it's controversial. Sometimes it's wrong. But always authentic.
Everyone has multiple skills. As you go through your career, you'll find you gravitate towards the things you're good at.
Ideally, you want to end up specializing in being you.
This is the real moat in 2026.
Your unique combination of:
- What you've built
- What you've failed at
- Who you've worked with
- What you believe
- How you communicate
Nobody else has that exact stack. That's your competitive advantage.
Bottom line
Ask yourself this:
What's your authenticity play?
If the masses knew how to build great things and create great wealth, we'd all be rich by now.
The masses are using AI to create more content.
The winners are using authenticity to create irreplaceable content.
That difference is where you win.
Reply to this email and tell me 👇🏼
What is the 1 thing you can change today to be more authentic?
I read all my emails and reply often.
Tweet of the week
Great one from Pieter:
That’s it for this week
Until next Thursday,
Keep building
Tibo 💻
P.S. What's one thing ONLY YOU can say because of what you've experienced?