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- Don't Feed The Algorithm: Issue 003
Don't Feed The Algorithm: Issue 003
The algorithm never sleeps, but you don’t have to feed it.
🐊 Editor's Note
Hey there,
Welcome back to another Don’t Feed The Algorithm, your weekly dispatch from Averi.
It’s easy to forget there are real people on the other side of our screens.
In a world of instant automation and infinite AI tools, marketing can feel increasingly… touchless. This week, we’re exploring what it looks like to build connection, not just reach. To make people feel something—even when there’s no handshake, no storefront, no in-person pitch.
We’re leading with Touch in a Touchless World, a look at how brand empathy and intentionality still cut through. We’re also sharing a guide to building a marketing strategy that actually works (and doesn’t burn your runway), plus a reminder that tools should feel like teammates—not taskmasters.
Because great marketing isn’t just about being seen.
It’s about being felt.
Let’s build.
— ZC & The Averi Team
📝 The Good Sh*t
Touch in a Touchless World
The average American now spends nearly 7 hours staring at screens each day.
And yet, something essential is getting lost.
The most innovative brands are recognizing a powerful truth: as our world becomes more digital, the value of physical, tactile experiences isn't diminishing—it's actually increasing.
The pendulum is swinging back, not because digital is failing, but because the human desire for physical connection is becoming too powerful to ignore.
Tools Should Feel Like Teammates → Read online
How to Create a Marketing Strategy for Your Startup (That Actually Works) → Read online
🔥 In Case You Missed It…
OpenAI Enhances AI Risk Assessment Framework
OpenAI has updated its preparedness framework to better evaluate risks posed by new AI models, focusing on capabilities like self-replication and evasion of safeguards. Google DeepMind's CEO Discusses AGI Aspirations
Demis Hassabis shares insights on the pursuit of Artificial General Intelligence and its potential to address global challenges.China's 'Embodied AI' Reshaping Daily Life
From humanoid workers to surveillance buggies, AI integration is transforming various aspects of life in China. OpenAI Releases New AI Models o3 and o4-mini
OpenAI introduces two new AI models with enhanced performance and multimodal capabilities, setting the stage for future developments. Huawei Prepares AI Chip Shipments Amid Trade Tensions
Huawei plans to mass-produce its 910C AI chip, offering an alternative to Nvidia GPUs as China seeks to bolster its AI infrastructure.Intel Undergoes Leadership Restructuring
Intel's new CEO, Lip-Bu Tan, is flattening the company's structure, promoting Sachin Katti to CTO and AI chief, and focusing on streamlining operations.AI Researchers More Optimistic Than Public About AI's Impact
A survey reveals that 54% of AI scientists believe the technology will bring more benefits than risks, compared to 13% of the UK public.Virtue AI Secures $30 Million for AI Security Solutions
Virtue AI raises significant funding to address critical AI security gaps, enabling enterprises to deploy generative AI solutions securely.
🗓️ Make Friends
/execute: AI Genesis | Online | April 25 – May 1 | → Register
B2B Online | Chicago, IL | April 28 – 30 | → Register
DigiMarCon Gulf 2025 | Houston, TX | April 28 – 29 | → Register
Running Remote | Austin, TX | April 29 – 30 | → Register
TSIA World Interact | Orlando, FL | April 29 – May 1 | → Register
/function1 AI Conference & Exhibition | Dubai, UAE | May 2 | → Register
Founder Drinks Roundtable | New York, NY | April 25 | → Register
Tech & Startup Mixer (Startup+) | New York, NY | May 1 | → Register
Founders & VCs Masterclass An inspiring masterclass on navigating product innovation and strategic growth. This session will delve into the journey of 0 to 1, discussing product-market-fit, how to get to your first $1M in revenue/ ARR, and how to secure funding from VCs in today's market
| Investors Lunch – Co-Founder RelationshipsPrivate lunch exploring the often-overlooked dynamics of co-founder relationships. In partnership with Confidante, the leading expert on co-founder team health, we’ll dive into how proactive relationship management can safeguard your portfolio.
|
💼 Don’t Let AI Replace You
OpenAI
Position: Data Center Design Engineer
Location: San Francisco, CA
Details: OpenAI is expanding its infrastructure team, seeking engineers to design and build next-generation AI data centers as part of its $500B Stargate initiative.Apple
Position: Machine Learning Applied Research Scientist
Location: Cupertino, CA
Details: Apple is hiring for its AIML team to develop cutting-edge machine learning models for creative applications.Microsoft Research
Position: Senior Researcher – Deep Learning & AI
Location: Cambridge, MA / New York, NY / Redmond, WA
Details: Microsoft Research is seeking a Senior Researcher to join their AI Frontiers lab, focusing on advancing deep learning methodologies and AI technologies.Goldman Sachs
Position: Generative AI Engineer, Vice President
Location: New York, NY
Details: Goldman Sachs is hiring a Generative AI Engineer at the Vice President level to develop and integrate advanced AI models into financial systems, enhancing decision-making processes.Lyft
Position: Staff Product Manager, Trust & Safety
Location: Remote
Details: Lyft is looking for an experienced and highly motivated Staff Product Manager to help build and lead product initiatives that enhance the safety of Lyft’s community of riders and drivers.eBay
Position: Sr, Responsible AI Research Scientist
Location: Remote
Details: eBay is looking for a highly skilled and experienced Senior Research Scientist in AI Safety and Fairness to join their dedicated Responsible AI team.
📺 The Algorithm Could Never
Apple – “The Crazy Ones” (1997)
"Here’s to the crazy ones..."—this one never gets old.
Why We Love It:
It’s bold, emotional, and brand-defining without ever showing the product. It framed Apple as a mindset, not just a company. Proof that great ads build belief, not just awareness.
Do we dig it? |
🦄 Averi Stories & Startup Spotlight
Cohley: The Content Creation Platform Helping Brands Scale Without the Burnout
Cohley is transforming how brands create and test content by connecting them to a network of vetted creators and photographers, while layering in performance analytics to ensure the content actually works. Their streamlined approach helps teams scale creative output without the chaos of traditional production.
The Backstory: Founded in 2016 and headquartered in New York City, Cohley was built by Tom Logan and Erik Graber to solve a growing pain: brands needed a faster, smarter way to generate high-quality content at scale. They envisioned a platform that combined the flexibility of UGC with the accountability of performance data.
Key Innovation: A dynamic content platform that enables brands to source, manage, and optimize visual assets from creators across the globe. From UGC to product photography, Cohley blends creative execution with built-in testing tools to help teams produce better content, faster—and know what actually drives results.
💡Ask Averi
AI + Human Marketing Tip
"Use AI to eliminate ‘first draft fear.’"
When you’re staring at a blank doc, use AI to rough out the structure, tone, or even a messy first version—then step in and shape it. Starting ugly is better than not starting at all.
This Week’s Prompt Highlight
“Write Instagram captions for a new productivity app—tone should be ‘your friend who reads Wired and throws dinner parties.’”
The founder wanted to sound smart and cool.
Averi served up lines that made the team say: “Wait... do we follow ourselves now?”
🏆 Expert of the Week
 | Jules Tanaka: Messaging Strategist with a Hacker’s Mindset🌐 Background: Former developer turned brand storyteller, based in Berlin—known for bridging the gap between product and narrative with laser-sharp clarity. ⚡ Achievement: Rebuilt the GTM messaging for a B2B SaaS launch in under two weeks using Averi workflows—resulting in a 3x increase in qualified demos and a 40% shorter sales cycle. 🎭 Quirk: Hosts monthly “Brand Therapy” nights where startup teams workshop their messaging... over wine, tarot cards, and Figma boards. |
Did You Know? — 81% of CMOs plan to increase AI spending this year, but only 34% say they have clear internal guidelines for ethical or strategic use.
Til next time,
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