What's New: Pieter Levels spars with Google over its AI API

(from the latest issue of the Indie Hackers newsletter)

Here's what you'll find in this issue:

Pieter Levels set up xAI's API quickly, but Google Gemini API? Not so much.
Anthropic's "Builder Day" hack-a-thon: Here's the 3 best products.
$1M ARR with a lead gen agency. For Isaac Marsh, profitability > revenue.

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Pieter Levels spars with Google over its AI API 🥊

On Monday, xAI launched its API for the first time. Although it received mixed reviews, indie hacking legend Pieter Levels was extremely impressed with how easy it was to set up: He claimed it took “literally 30 seconds” to get the API set up in his apps.

According to Pieter, this is a welcome contrast to the Google Gemini API, which he claims was so frustrating to set up that he “gave up altogether after 30 minutes.”

Google saw his comment, and the sparks started flying.

Scale, innovate, thrive 🧑‍💻

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Best products from Anthropic's "Builder Day" hack-a-thon 🛠️

AI company Anthropic just hosted a hack-a-thon at its San Francisco offices. The event was held in partnership with VC firm, Menlo Ventures.

More than 200 developers attended the first ever "Builder Day," to play with large language model, Claude AI.

At the end of the day, a panel of judges chose the best products.

In the news 📰

📹 LinkedIn shares top tips for posting short videos on its new TikTok-like feed.

💻 BoldDesk: An affordable, all-in-one customer support software solution. #ad

⏩ Here's why software only moves forward.

🎮 Nintendo's next generation is off to a great start.

💪 Six reputation recovery strategies to build customer trust.

📺 The future of TV continues to look like the old days of TV.

Intentionally tanking the revenue of a $1M+ ARR agency 📉

Isaac Marsh sold his cold email company to a lead gen agency called Lead Cookie. Then, he bought that lead gen agency.

As an owner, he intentionally decreased revenue to increase profit. Also, he turned down clients to increase referrals.

Here, he talks acquiring his acquirer, and shares his unsexy business model.

Channing's tweet pick 🐦

This principle applies to just about every kind of work, not just working out.
—@channingallen

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Special thanks to Jay Avery for editing this issue, to Gabriella Federico for the illustrations, and to Stephen Flanders, Katie Hignett, Darko Gjorgjievski, and James Fleischmann for contributing posts. —Channing