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New: Claude Handles It All (Like, Really)
Published 19 days ago • 6 min read
Weekly AI Highlights: January 10 - 16, 2026
What Small Business Owners Need to Know Right Now
by Jen Lehner
Reader, this week’s AI updates are all about moving faster with less friction. Claude’s new Cowork feature shifts from one-off prompts to fully delegated tasks, giving you a real partner for research, writing, and planning. Manus rolled out a Meeting Minutes tool that captures in-person conversations and turns them into action items instantly. And Google Veo now converts portrait images into vertical videos, helping you create social-ready content from the assets you already have.
1. Anthropic Releases Cowork, Bringing Claude Code-Style Agents to Everyday Tasks
Anthropic just introduced Cowork, a research preview that brings agent-style workflows to non-coding tasks. Cowork lets you assign Claude higher-level work like research, analysis, writing, and project setup, and then have it plan and execute the steps on its own. Instead of responding to a single prompt, Claude can manage multi-step tasks and keep track of progress as it works toward an outcome. Watch the little demo below where Claude Cowork organizes a very messy desktop. Yes, please.
MY TAKE Cowork is clearly built for people who already know what they want done and just want help getting there faster. The shift from prompting to delegating outcomes is subtle, but it changes how you work with AI in a big way. I haven’t had a chance to really dig in, but I plan to join you in the action step below this week.
ACTION STEP (DO THIS WEEK)
Pick one task you repeat every week, like research for content or outlining a project.
Write one sentence that describes the finished result you want.
List the inputs Claude would need, like links, documents, or constraints.
Save this as a template so when Cowork becomes available to you, you are ready to delegate the outcome instead of walking the AI through each step.
2. Manus Rolls Out Meeting Minutes for In-Person Conversations
Manus has launched Meeting Minutes, a new recording feature that captures in-person conversations and automatically turns them into structured summaries with action items and follow-up tasks. Unlike tools built mainly for Zoom calls, this is designed specifically for real-world meetings, helping turn spoken discussions into clear, actionable next steps.
MY TAKE This solves a very real problem. Decisions often happen in person, but the follow-up falls apart once everyone leaves the room. Turning conversations directly into action items removes the biggest breakdown point in meetings. And while we don’t normally talk about Manus in this newsletter, since it was acquired by Meta recently, it’s worth paying attention to it. (And I’ve always love it. It does some crazy cool stuff.)
ACTION STEP (DO THIS WEEK)
At your next in-person meeting:
Use Meeting Minutes to record the conversation. (Let everyone know you are recording!)
Review the generated summary immediately after the meeting.
Assign owners and deadlines to each action item before anyone leaves.
This turns meetings into execution instead of just discussion.
3. Google’s Veo Now Turns Portrait Images Into Vertical AI Videos
Google has updated Veo so it can turn portrait images into vertical AI-generated videos. This makes it easier to create short-form video content for social feeds without filming new footage. The update focuses on adding motion and depth to existing images, helping creators repurpose visuals into video formats designed for Reels, Shorts, and similar placements.
MY TAKE This is Google going straight after short-form content. Vertical video is where attention lives, and removing the need to shoot fresh footage lowers the barrier significantly. This is especially useful if you already have brand photos sitting unused. Click here to see example videos created with this new Veo update.
ACTION STEP (DO THIS WEEK)
Grab one portrait image you already use in your branding.
Upload it into Veo and generate a short vertical video.
Export it in a size suitable for Reels or Shorts.
Post it with the same caption you would normally use for an image post and compare engagement.
This gives you a quick, low-effort way to test whether AI video improves performance.
New Podcast: Which AI Should I Actually Use?
If you have ever opened ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or another AI tool and felt unsure where to start, this episode will give you clarity.
This is one of the most common questions I hear, and in this episode, I walk you through how to think about AI tools in a way that removes confusion and decision fatigue. Instead of chasing the “best” tool, you will learn how to approach AI strategically so it actually supports your work instead of slowing you down.
Rather than reviewing tools feature by feature, this episode focuses on how to decide which AI to use based on the task in front of you. You will hear how I evaluate different tools, how I think about their strengths, and how I personally use multiple AI tools together without overcomplicating my workflow.
In this episode, I cover:
Why most AI tools can handle the majority of business tasks
What actually matters when choosing between popular AI tools
How to match the right tool to the right task
The mindset shift that eliminates analysis paralysis with AI
How to explore multiple tools without wasting time or money
What to know about free versus paid AI plans
I also share how I personally use different AI tools for writing, research, content creation, and day-to-day business work, along with the framework I recommend if you are just getting started.
This episode is designed to help you stop overthinking AI and start using it with confidence.
After you listen, DM me on Instagram at @jen_lehner and tell me which tool you are most curious to try next. I would love to hear.
Practical Tips for Using AI and Protecting Your IP with Elise Steegstra January 21, 2026 at 3 PM ET | 12 PM PT | 8 PM UK
A practical, real-world discussion on how AI affects your intellectual property rights and what you can do to protect and own your own ideas.
What We Will Cover in the Session:
Practical case studies including marketing copy, video scripts, social media graphics
How to convert AI-assisted outputs into work you can own.
How to avoid common pitfalls that cause creators to lose rights inadvertently.
Tools and checklists to adopt immediately.
This is an exclusive training session for the members of The Front Row AI Club, designed to give members the clarity and confidence needed to make sure they don’t accidentally step on AI “legal landmines”! If you want access to sessions like this, ongoing AI support, and hands-on training, consider joining the Front Row AI Club.
PROMPT OF THE WEEK
How to Build a Customer Retention Strategy That Actually Increases Repeat Purchases
Turn one-time buyers into loyal customers with a clear, structured retention plan your team can execute consistently.
Try this prompt:
Develop a comprehensive customer retention strategy for [Insert brand name]. Include Retention goals: [Objectives such as repeat purchase rate, LTV, churn reduction]. Key retention channels: [Email, SMS, WhatsApp, in-app, loyalty, community, etc.]. Actionable steps: [Specific tactics per channel]. Output a clear plan that covers onboarding, post-purchase experience, reactivation, loyalty building, and win-back flows.
This week makes it clear that AI is shifting from assistance to execution. Anthropic’s Cowork is about delegating outcomes instead of managing prompts. Manus is closing the gap between conversations and follow-through by turning real-world meetings into structured action. And Google is lowering the friction to create short-form video by turning existing images into motion-ready content. The pattern across all three is speed with accountability. These tools aren’t trying to be impressive. They’re trying to remove the points where work usually breaks down. The people who get the most value will be the ones who start designing their workflows around results, not steps.
Comments
If any of these updates sparked ideas or questions about how to offload real work to AI, hit reply and tell me what you’re thinking about. I read every message, and your questions directly influence what I share and teach next.
Cheering you on from the front row,
Founder, Front Row AI Club PS. Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Sign up to get it in your inbox.
Whenever you’re ready, here are 3 ways I can help you:
1. Join the Front Row AI Club. I'll show you exactly how to turn AI into an indispensable part of your business without the head-banging learning curve.
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