Million Dollar Mindset Shift Going Into 2026

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The year is ending, and I have a confession:

Every new AI model release used to terrify me.

GPT-5. Claude Sonnet. Google Veo. Each one felt like an existential threat to my companies.

"Is this the one that makes us irrelevant?"

But something strange happened.

Instead of killing my companies, each new model made them stronger.

We went from $125k to $700k MRR while AI was supposedly "commoditising everything."

And I think I understand it now.

Here’s what you need to win in business going into 2026 👇🏼

The Commodity Paradox

Everyone's saying the same thing: "AI is becoming a commodity."

They're right. But they're missing the point.

Small businesses and indie builders are already moving fast using AI:

- Marketing agencies use Jasper to write client copy in minutes i - Solo developers use Cursor to ship features 3x faster - Content creators use Revid.ai to edit videos by editing text

The shift isn't coming in 2026. It's already here.

Which means only 1 thing:

AI becoming commodity doesn't hurt good products. It just kills bad ones.

The Two Types of AI Products

After watching dozens of AI startups launch and die, I've noticed a clear pattern:

Type 1: AI Wrappers (Dying Fast)

These are products that ARE just AI:

ChatGPT + nice UI

Generic AI note-takers

Basic content generators with no workflow

The problem with them - no moat. Easy to copy. Commoditised instantly.

Result: Race to $0.

Type 2: AI-Powered Workflows (Thriving)

These are products that USE AI to solve complete problems:

AI enhancing real workflows

Deep platform integrations

Industry-specific solutions

Proprietary data advantages

Result: Growing despite commoditisation.

My Portfolio as Proof

Just take a look at my companies using AI to help in virtually every function user has access to:

Revid.ai ($450k MRR):

Uses latest AI models but isn't just a wrapper

Complete video creation workflow for short-form content

Platform integrations (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube) create switching costs

Niche focus (specific content types and themes)

Each new AI model makes it BETTER, not obsolete

Outrank.so ($250k MRR):

AI generates content (the commodity part)

Backlink exchange network creates value (the unique part)

Domain authority building (the workflow part)

Basically the work of a good SEO agency with a software

AI is making some previously "un-venture-backable" niche markets viable by enabling software to capture value from services and workflow automation.

The Pattern That Emerges

Products winning with AI all have:

Vertical focus - specific industry/niche, not "AI for everyone"

Complete workflows - not just generation

Proprietary advantages - data, integrations, networks

AI as amplifier - and not the entire product

The real divide in 2026 is between AI-enabled products and truly native AI platforms that build their entire architecture around AI-assisted and AI-driven workflows.

What This Looks Like Beyond My Portfolio

You're probably using some of these already:

1 - Clay (Sales Workflows): Not just "AI finds emails"

Complete workflow from lead list → enrichment → personalization → outreach in one platform. Works because it integrates 50+ data sources with tech.

2 - Superhuman (Email Workflows) Not just "AI writes emails"

Triages your inbox by priority, drafts context-aware replies based on your writing style, and schedules follow-ups automatically. Works because it handles the entire email management workflow, not just composition.

3 - Gamma (Presentation Workflows): Not just "AI makes slides"

Takes your idea and turns it into outline → design → polished presentation in minutes. Works because it understands presentation structure, not just content generation.

See the pattern? None of these are "ChatGPT for X." They're complete solutions that happen to use AI.

If you're building in 2026, AI commoditisation is your friend - if you build right.

The opportunity isn't "better AI." It's using commodity AI to solve specific problems better than anyone else.

The Bottom Line

I was terrified AI commoditisation would kill my products.

Instead, it killed my competitors.

The ones building AI wrappers are dying. The ones building AI-powered workflows are thriving. And 2026 will make this divide crystal clear.

Note: this will be the last newsletter of this year. Going on a short 2 week break for the holidays. Wishing you all a very happy new year.

I will see you next on the 8th of Jan 2026

Hit reply and tell me what you're doing right now, curious to know how you all spend your holidays 👇🏼

I will see you in 3 weeks!

Keep building,

Tibo 💻

P.S. If you're scared AI will commoditise your product, that's actually a good sign - it means you're paying attention. The question is: are you on the right side of the divide?