The Anti-AI Backlash Is Here. Can Telcos Turn It Into a Business? sebastianbarros.substack.com Nov. 6, 2026, 1 p.m.
On November 3, Perry, Ohio, residents voted overwhelmingly to demand financial guarantees from data center developers seeking tax incentives. Some 87% supported the measure. In nearby Pataskala, 74% voted to prohibit large data centers. These are preliminary election results, but they send a pretty clear message. And this goes well beyond a few unhappy communities. According to the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Public Policy Center, 61% of Americans oppose new data centers in their neighborhoods, up from 49% just four months earlier. Pew Research finds that 52% of Americans are more concerned than excited about AI, compared with 37% in 2021. Another 71% expect AI to eliminate jobs. Meanwhile, Gartner reports that 65% of consumers believe brands already produce too much AI-generated content. The FBI recorded almost $900 million in reported losses from AI-related fraud complaints in 2025. I find these numbers fascinating because we are seeing two completely different reactions to the same technology. Silicon Valley celebrates another extraordinary technological revolution. A growing part of the population sees job insecurity, higher electricity demand, unwanted infrastructure, and an internet increasingly filled with synthetic garbage.
The AI Boom Is Nothing Like the Dot-Com Bubble sebastianbarros.substack.com Nov. 6, 2026, 12:18 p.m.
AI stocks are getting hammered, and everyone is talking about another 2000. But the companies, economics, demand, and strategic forces driving this revolution are radically different. A massive financial correction is possible, but history may be a poor guide to what happens next.
Why does Musk want to be a Telco anyway? Five competing hypothesis sebastianbarros.substack.com Nov. 5, 2026, 3:46 p.m.
SpaceX is preparing to spend tens of billions building a terrestrial mobile network. But I suspect Musk is looking for something much bigger than selling smartphone subscriptions. Here are five possible explanations, and how well they hold up economically.
Only 2% of Telco Revenues Come From AI. Another Missed Opportunity? sebastianbarros.substack.com Nov. 3, 2026, 3:55 p.m.
AI is creating enormous new businesses, but telecom operators are barely participating. While the industry concentrates on efficiency, networks, and GPU infrastructure, other companies are moving into markets that telcos should be fighting for.
How Agentic AI Is Improving Outreach in M&A grata.com Nov. 3, 2026, 1 p.m.
Dealmakers face significant uncertainty in M&A outreach, with seventy-three percent admitting they're unsure about contacting the right founder at the optimal time, according to research by Datasite and FT Longitude. Agentic AI addresses this challenge by integrating company intelligence, CRM history, relationship data, and market signals to guide outreach strategy. Grata's Seller Intent tool exemplifies this approach, identifying behavioral changes indicating acquisition intent six to twelve months before public announcements, enhancing target prioritization. Agentic workflows continuously monitor targets for meaningful signals—including leadership changes, headcount shifts, geographic expansion, new product launches, funding rounds, and market repositioning—flagging companies for human review when timing appears optimal. By automating the detection of concrete engagement triggers, agentic AI enables business development teams to focus resources on high-probability opportunities and craft genuinely personalized outreach grounded in verified intelligence rather than generic templates, ultimately improving conversion rates and deal success.
Google Lost $500 Billion in a Day. Is the AI Bubble About to Burst? sebastianbarros.substack.com Oct. 31, 2026, 12:23 p.m.
I think we are entering a dangerous period for AI infrastructure valuations. A significant correction is becoming increasingly likely, and some companies could face a much more serious financial crisis. But I don’t expect AI development or adoption to stop. In fact, AI could become enormously successful while investors in the infrastructure supporting it lose hundreds of billions of dollars. There is no contradiction here.
The 6G ISAC Story Is Bullcrap sebastianbarros.substack.com Oct. 31, 2026, 12:22 p.m.
The pitch from vendor keynotes is sexy. Mobile operators already own millions of cellular towers covering the planet. By upgrading those towers to 6G, every base station will supposedly double as a high-resolution radar. Operators will stop just selling cheap data plans; they will sell a live “digital twin” of the physical world, charging cities to monitor street intersections, aviation authorities to track low-altitude drones, and defense ministries to guard the skies. Let’s call this narrative what it is: commercial bullcrap.
Anthropic Enters Consulting. Apparently, Prompts Aren't Enough sebastianbarros.substack.com Oct. 31, 2026, 12:21 p.m.
Anthropic wants to replace millions of white-collar workers and justify a $2 trillion valuation. But getting enterprises to actually use its AI is proving much harder than building it.
« Une horreur pour la vie privée » : comment votre TV vous espionne www.lepoint.fr Oct. 31, 2026, 12:19 p.m.
Derrière cette affaire se cache une réalité peu connue : le secteur des téléviseurs intelligents fonctionne désormais en partie comme celui des réseaux sociaux, avec un modèle économique fondé sur la collecte et la revente de données personnelles à des fins publicitaires. Le hacker affirme avoir contourné le solide chiffrement AES du micrologiciel de son téléviseur en exploitant des vulnérabilités de type zero-day, c’est-à-dire non encore connues et corrigées, afin d’obtenir un accès administrateur complet. Grâce à cela, il a pu analyser le trafic et les processus internes, ce qui a rapidement révélé un tableau qu’il a qualifié d’« horreur pour la vie privée ». Concrètement, l’appareil intègre des mécanismes d’analyse des paquets réseau, c’est-à-dire du trafic du réseau wi-fi, ainsi qu’un identifiant publicitaire interappareils permettant de recouper les usages sur plusieurs écrans d’un même foyer.
Telcos, What’s Your Humanoid Plan? sebastianbarros.substack.com Oct. 28, 2026, 3:38 p.m.
We are probably in the Windows 1.0 era of humanoids. The hardware is improving, but the software remains limited, and robots still fail at tasks a five-year-old could do without thinking. But things are moving remarkably fast. Unitree already sells its R1 humanoid starting at $4,900, while 1X is offering its NEO home robot for $20,000 or a $499 monthly subscription. These are very different products, and the cheaper machines are far from being useful household workers, but prices are moving in an interesting direction. According to Counterpoint Research, more than 22,000 humanoids shipped in the first half of 2026, nearly 300% growth from the previous year. The firm expects shipments to exceed 50,000 this year. Most of these machines still go into research, demonstrations, and data collection, but industrial deployments are starting to happen. Figure has tested robots at BMW, and Agility Robotics is already moving goods in GXO warehouses.
Neoclouds Are Dying. But AI Compute Demand Is Exploding. How Is That Possible? sebastianbarros.substack.com Oct. 26, 2026, 3:13 p.m.
Analysts warns of a massive neocloud shakeout. Banks are getting nervous, GPU financing is becoming expensive, and trillions are being committed to AI infrastructure. Is an AI bubble burst near?
Stop Staring at Musk. Zuckerberg Is Taking Your Lunch. sebastianbarros.substack.com Oct. 25, 2026, 1:37 p.m.
Walk into any telecom boardroom right now, mention Elon Musk, and watch twenty executives reach for their blood pressure medication. Between SpaceX’s Q3 numbers showing Starlink at 13.6 million subscribers, direct-to-device constellations maturing, and Musk’s move on 800 MHz spectrum to build “Starlink Mobile,” operators are staring at the sky in a cold sweat. They are looking in the wrong direction. Again. Sure, Musk is coming for your rural coverage and a slice of your mobility margin. But Mark Zuckerberg is coming for the only slide in your investor deck that still shows growth. For the past three years, every telco CEO on Earth has told analysts the same story: connectivity is flat, ARPU is dead, so future growth will come from B2B digital services. Operators will sell cloud, SaaS, automation, and AI agents to small- and medium-sized businesses and the mid-market. Meta Muse is about to wipe that revenue off the map. Completely.
Occupy Earth: If I Ran a TowerCo, I Wouldn't Just Rent Musk Towers sebastianbarros.substack.com Oct. 24, 2026, 12:38 p.m.
If I were running a TowerCo, I would not approach SpaceX with another presentation explaining how many towers I own. I would offer to build and operate its entire terrestrial physical network. My proposal would be simple: “Elon, you build the radios, satellites, software, and rockets. Give us the technical specifications and RF plan. We will deliver 80,000 operational sites in 18 months, with a contractual fallback to 24 months. Then, if you want, we hand you the keys.” That is a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) business, not another tower lease. And the commercial opportunity could be considerably larger.
Geostrategy in Practice 2026 Report: Navigating geopolitical fragmentation www.ey.com Oct. 24, 2026, 7:18 a.m.
Geopolitical risk has reached unprecedented prominence in corporate strategy, with mentions of such risks hitting record highs in 2026 according to EY's analysis of company transcripts. The Geostrategy in Practice 2026 study reveals that 52% of global executives report geopolitical constraints have materially diminished their commercial viability in certain markets. Rather than retreating domestically, organizations are actively adapting their business models to sustain global operations. Over the past 24 months, companies have primarily shifted their operations and supply chains (63%), risk management frameworks (57%), and strategic direction (53%), with three-quarters modifying four or more business aspects in response to geopolitical pressures. The research identifies five geostrategic habits essential for maintaining viable international growth strategies in a fractured world. Notably, nearly three-quarters of executives now view political risk management as a growth enabler rather than merely a protective function, signaling a fundamental mindset shift toward leveraging geopolitical navigation as a competitive advantage for business expansion.
Glossary for revenue leaders mgmt-os.ai Oct. 24, 2026, 7:17 a.m.
This comprehensive glossary compiles 421 essential terms that revenue leaders encounter in their daily operations, each explained in accessible, non-technical language. The resource organizes terminology across multiple functional areas relevant to revenue management, including deal assessment, sales coaching, and leadership intervention strategies. Each term definition includes practical context explaining its impact on achieving revenue targets and poses clarifying questions designed to prompt strategic thinking. The glossary serves as a foundational reference for understanding Management OS, a framework that guides revenue leaders in identifying where to direct their efforts to meet financial objectives. Management OS specifically helps leaders evaluate deal authenticity, determine which team members require coaching and the appropriate methodology, and recognize opportunities where direct leadership involvement will materially advance pipeline progression. By consolidating critical vocabulary into a single resource with clear explanations and business relevance, this glossary enables revenue leaders to communicate more effectively with their teams, make data-driven decisions about resource allocation, and implement more targeted interventions to drive measurable results against revenue targets.
Towards a Transatlantic Council on Critical Minerals (TCCM) www.natofoundation.org Oct. 24, 2026, 7:17 a.m.
The document proposes the establishment of a Transatlantic Council on Critical Minerals (TCCM), addressing the strategic importance of critical minerals for both the European Union and the United States. Critical minerals are essential for advancing clean energy technologies, defense systems, and digital infrastructure, yet supply chains remain vulnerable to geopolitical disruptions and concentration risks. The initiative seeks to strengthen transatlantic cooperation through coordinated strategies on mineral extraction, processing, recycling, and trade. By creating a formal council framework, both regions aim to reduce dependency on non-allied suppliers, particularly China, while fostering sustainable and ethical sourcing practices. The TCCM would facilitate information sharing, harmonize regulatory standards, and coordinate investment in domestic and allied mining operations. This cooperation matters significantly for achieving climate goals, ensuring technological sovereignty, and maintaining economic resilience in an increasingly competitive global landscape where critical minerals determine competitive advantage in emerging industries.
Roll-Up Strategy: How PE Roll-Ups Work, With 6 Case Studies dealroom.net Oct. 24, 2026, 7:17 a.m.
A roll-up strategy involves acquiring and integrating multiple small companies within fragmented industries to create a larger, more valuable combined entity. According to PitchBook, add-on acquisitions represented 74.1% of US private equity buyouts by deal count in Q3 2025, with companies like Waste Management, Service Corporation International, and IVC Evidensia built through this approach. Success depends on disciplined integration and avoiding overpayment. The strategy's value creation stems from three sources: multiple arbitrage (buying smaller companies at lower multiples than the combined exit valuation), platform re-rating, and operational synergies. Key metrics include the break-even exit multiple and unlevered multiple on capital. DealRoom's valuation framework factors in the platform's initial EBITDA multiple, add-on acquisition costs and multiples, integration expenses, and the exit multiple achieved. While roll-ups commonly target fragmented sectors, they can occur wherever bolt-on acquisition opportunities present themselves, making this strategy relevant across diverse industries seeking consolidation and value creation through scaled operations.
Nobody Votes On Artificial Intelligence, Everyone Votes On The Electricity Bill - Osmosis IM - Sustainable Investments www.osmosisim.com Oct. 24, 2026, 7:17 a.m.
In October 2026, Asian equity markets experienced significant volatility when South Korea's main index fell 7.6% and Japan's declined nearly 5%, driven by chipmaker selloffs. However, this repricing reflected concerns about infrastructure financing costs rather than a collapse in AI confidence itself. The fundamental issue centers on the massive power consumption required to support artificial intelligence infrastructure: global data centers consumed roughly 30% more electricity than the entire United Kingdom in 2024, with the International Energy Agency projecting demand will more than double by 2030, potentially exceeding Japan's annual consumption. This creates a critical mismatch—software scales rapidly in months, while power grid expansion requires years. The challenge becomes increasingly political as energy constraints vary by region, affecting local business costs and utility bills. With US elections approaching, the central question for investors is who will finance necessary grid upgrades. Dr. Fadi Zaher argues that markets have failed to adequately price this emerging infrastructure risk, representing a crucial blind spot for investors evaluating AI's true economic viability and sustainability.
Pour tenir le rythme des investissements, l’IA s’endette à marche forcée cafetech.substack.com Oct. 23, 2026, 2:01 p.m.
C’est un véritable coup de billard à trois bandes, qui illustre à la fois la sophistication de l’ingénierie financière déployée ces derniers mois et l’ampleur de la dette accumulée, à tous les niveaux de l’écosystème, pour financer les investissements colossaux nécessaires au développement de l’intelligence artificielle générative – et, plus précisément, des infrastructures informatiques indispensables à l’entraînement et à l’inférence des modèles et des agents. Une opération qui ne manquera pas de raviver les interrogations sur une possible fuite en avant, alors même que les taux d’intérêt repartent à la hausse.
Des data centers assemblés en orbite par un robot: le pari fou d’Alatyr face à Google et SpaceX cafetech.substack.com Oct. 23, 2026, 1:58 p.m.
“Personne ne l’a encore jamais fait”. Emeric Lhomme mesure l’ampleur du défi qu’il s’est lancé avec Alatyr. À la tête de cette start-up française de 11 salariés, cet ancien d’ArianeGroup ne veut pas seulement déployer en orbite des data centers dédiés à l’intelligence artificielle générative, à l’image des projets portés par Google ou encore SpaceX. Il ambitionne d’aller plus loin: assembler dans l’espace, à l’aide d’un robot, plus de 15.000 mètres carrés de panneaux solaires pour alimenter en énergie les GPU chargés d’entraîner ou d’exécuter les modèles d’IA. “Un défi d’ingénierie, mais aussi de financement”, reconnaît-il.