In the fast-evolving world of artificial intelligence, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of daily breakthroughs, startup launches, research publications, and tech news. Whether you’re an AI enthusiast, professional, developer, or entrepreneur, staying informed about the latest trends, tools, and models is essential. But who has the time to read dozens of news sites, Twitter threads, or research journals every day?
That’s where AI newsletters come in. These curated email digests cut through the noise and deliver the most important AI updates, straight to your inbox. In 2025, newsletters like The Rundown AI and TLDR AI have become go-to resources for thousands of readers—from beginners to top-tier researchers. This article will explore the best newsletters for staying updated on AI, what makes each one unique, and how to subscribe for free.
Why Subscribe to AI Newsletters?
AI is advancing at an unprecedented rate. In just the past year, we’ve seen major innovations in large language models (LLMs) like GPT-4, new open-source tools from Meta and Google, revolutionary image generators, and practical AI applications being rolled out into everything from customer service to filmmaking. New models and research papers are published almost daily on platforms like arXiv and Hugging Face.
Trying to keep up with it all can feel like drinking from a firehose. This is where AI newsletters shine. The best newsletters:
- Curate only the most important updates
- Summarize complex topics in simple language
- Link to full articles, research papers, and demos
- Highlight tools, startups, and use cases
- Are free and delivered directly to your inbox
Now let’s dive into the top AI newsletters to subscribe to in 2025, starting with the most popular names in the space.
The Rundown AI: Your Daily AI Digest
The Rundown AI is one of the fastest-growing AI newsletters in the world, with over 500,000 subscribers as of 2025. Created by Rowan Cheung, it delivers short, digestible AI news every weekday in under 5 minutes.
What You’ll Find in The Rundown AI
- Top AI News: The newsletter highlights 3–5 of the most significant AI updates of the day. Whether it’s a new model release from OpenAI or a major enterprise adoption story, you’ll find it here first.
- AI Tools & Products: Each edition includes recommended AI tools and websites, complete with quick summaries and links.
- “Quick Bits” Section: A bullet-style wrap-up of smaller headlines, tweets, research papers, and industry trends.
- Beginner-Friendly: The tone is conversational and accessible, perfect for newcomers who want to stay in the loop without feeling overwhelmed.
Why Readers Love The Rundown AI
One of the newsletter’s biggest strengths is consistency and simplicity. It respects your time and gives you the info you need without fluff. Whether you’re commuting, grabbing coffee, or winding down your day, The Rundown AI fits right into your routine.
📩 Subscribe for free: https://www.therundown.ai
TLDR AI: Short and Smart Summaries of AI and Tech News
TLDR AI is part of the broader TLDR (Too Long; Didn’t Read) family of newsletters, which also covers software development, tech business, and crypto. TLDR AI is focused specifically on artificial intelligence and offers a highly readable, summary-style format perfect for busy readers.
What You Get with TLDR AI
- Daily AI News Briefs: Concise recaps of AI breakthroughs, product launches, and trends.
- Tech-Focused Analysis: Covers both consumer and enterprise applications, often touching on how AI is being used in the real world.
- Cool Projects: Features interesting GitHub repositories, open-source tools, and AI demos you can try.
- AI Startups & Investments: Includes updates on VC funding, mergers, and new startups disrupting the AI space.
TLDR AI vs. The Rundown AI
While both newsletters are short and efficient, TLDR AI tends to be more developer-focused, often linking to code samples or GitHub releases. It’s ideal if you’re a software engineer or AI builder who wants to stay hands-on with the tools and projects making waves.
📩 Subscribe to TLDR AI: https://tldr.tech/ai
Ben’s Bites: Friendly, Fun, and In-the-Know
Ben’s Bites is another popular AI newsletter that has gained a loyal audience thanks to its casual tone and comprehensive AI news coverage. Created by Ben Tossell, it delivers a daily dose of AI updates with personality.
Features of Ben’s Bites
- Daily & Weekly Editions: Offers both formats depending on your preference.
- Use Cases & Tools: Highlights innovative uses of AI in business, marketing, education, and design.
- “Build With AI” Tools: Curates a section focused on actionable AI tools for creators, solopreneurs, and devs.
- Occasional Deep Dives: Includes thoughtful reflections on big themes like prompt engineering or AI regulation.
Ben’s Bites is especially popular with founders, indie hackers, and content creators who want a more human and relatable AI digest that still packs value.
📩 Try Ben’s Bites: https://www.bensbites.co
The AI Exchange: Community-Powered and Industry-Savvy
The AI Exchange is a fast-rising newsletter that blends curation, commentary, and community engagement. Run by experts in the AI startup space, it shares not only news but also perspectives on trends like open-source vs. proprietary models, regulation, and the economics of AI.
Highlights of The AI Exchange
- Curated Roundups: Includes a summary of key news along with links to original sources.
- LinkedIn-Style Commentary: Often integrates posts or opinions from thought leaders and tech investors.
- Educational Content: Offers explainers and guides for understanding LLMs, transformers, and diffusion models.
If you’re more interested in the business and strategy side of AI, The AI Exchange is one of the best newsletters out there.
📩 Subscribe here: https://theaiexchange.com
Hugging Face Newsletter: Open-Source and Research-Oriented
Hugging Face—a platform beloved by AI developers—also offers a newsletter focused on open-source tools, model releases, and research. It’s less about news headlines and more about what’s happening under the hood of cutting-edge AI projects.
Who It’s For
If you’re actively building or training models, contributing to AI repos, or just love getting updates on the latest releases of LLaMA, Stable Diffusion, or Transformers, this is your jam. The newsletter often includes:
- Release notes for new model versions
- Community updates
- Educational blog posts and tutorials
📩 Sign up via your Hugging Face account: https://huggingface.co
Bonus: Newsletters with Broader Tech + AI Coverage
Some newsletters cover more than just AI but still offer excellent regular insights on artificial intelligence:
- Stratechery by Ben Thompson (stratechery.com): Offers deep, strategic analysis of the business side of AI and Big Tech.
- The Decoder (the-decoder.com): Offers a mix of German and English content focused on the latest AI releases and tools.
- Future Tools Weekly (futuretools.io/newsletter): Run by Matt Wolfe, this one highlights weekly AI tools and fun experiments.
How to Make the Most of AI Newsletters
To truly benefit from these free resources, follow these tips:
1. Set Time to Read Them Daily
Don’t just let newsletters pile up in your inbox. Set aside 5–10 minutes each morning or afternoon to skim through.
2. Click Through Links
Most newsletters link to full articles, code, or demos. Clicking through gives you deeper context and hands-on knowledge.
3. Bookmark Tools and Models
Use tools like Notion or Raindrop.io to organize useful links, AI tools, and project ideas shared in newsletters.
4. Share Insights on Social Media or Teams
If you’re in a professional setting, forwarding insightful newsletter items to your Slack channels or LinkedIn feed is a great way to show thought leadership.
Final Thoughts: The Smartest Way to Stay Ahead in AI
AI is changing fast—and staying up to date doesn’t have to feel like a chore. Newsletters like The Rundown AI, TLDR AI, Ben’s Bites, and The AI Exchange make it easy to stay informed, discover new tools, and learn about major shifts in the industry—all for free.
If you’re not subscribed to at least one of these newsletters, you’re missing out on the easiest way to grow your AI knowledge in just minutes a day. Subscribe to two or three of them, and you’ll always be ahead of the curve.