In partnership with
Insideletter
Hi 👋🏻
I’ve been in the newsletter industry since October 2023, and I keep noticing the newsletters that are performing really well.
But AI newsletters are growing at a massive scale. Superhuman AI was the first AI newsletter to cross 1 million subscribers, but another AI newsletter called The Rundown AI overtook it and crossed 2 million plus subscribers.
How massive is that? Can you even imagine? Probably not.
Well, let’s break it down.
Core offerings
The Rundown AI sells efficiency. It promises to keep professionals informed about artificial intelligence in less than 5 minutes a day to help them stay updated without drowning in endless information.
They report news by curating the most important AI developments and explaining why they matter to business leaders. Every issue starts with a TL;DR three-bullet summary, so even someone with only thirty seconds still gets value.
Beyond the daily newsletter, they expand the offer through a Supertools database that helps users find AI tools for specific use cases, practical implementation guides such as building AI agents, and a personalised AI learning plan unlocked through a quiz after signup.
Growth
Their growth comes from combining timing, consistency, and conversion-focused systems.
They benefited from being an early mover during the ChatGPT surge when demand for AI updates exploded. They then maintained a strong daily publishing rhythm, which trained readers to open the email each morning as a habit. Their landing page is intentionally minimal, using a clean black-and-white look with a single email field so visitors focus on one action only: subscribing.
They also use strong authority signals by mentioning readers from Apple, OpenAI, and NASA. To keep momentum going, they use lead magnets such as AI toolkits or quizzes that lower signup friction, while referral mechanics encourage existing subscribers to invite others in exchange for rewards.
Distribution
Rowan Cheung uses X and LinkedIn to publish visual summaries, infographics, and short-form content based on newsletter topics. These posts act as top-of-funnel traffic drivers and usually direct people back to the subscription page.
Their subject lines are also part of the distribution strategy. They use a recognisable format of brand name, major AI update, and emoji, which helps them stand out in crowded inboxes. Combined with daily sends, this creates repeat visibility across both social platforms and email.
Monetisation
Their monetisation model is built across ads, products, and partnerships.
Sponsorships are the primary revenue source, with native ads placed inside newsletter issues. These placements are valuable because they reach a large audience of professionals and decision-makers, which allows premium pricing that can reach five figures per issue.
They also monetise through The Rundown University, where readers can pay for workshops, memberships, and cohort-based courses focused on applying AI in business. This increases the lifetime value of subscribers beyond advertising revenue. A third layer is affiliate income, where they recommend AI software and tools through curated sections and earn commissions when readers sign up through their links.
Did you like it?
The Rundown AI is currently the largest independent AI newsletter.
#1: The Rundown AI (~2,000,000+ subscribers).
#2: Superhuman AI (~1,500,000 subscribers).
#3: TLDR AI (~1,250,000 subscribers).
AI niche newsletters are working really well, but AI is a red ocean now, and every day, something new is coming, so I would love to request you not to switch to the AI newsletter from your niche.
Hope the newsletter breakdown was helpful! Thank you! See you tomorrow, champ.
Anirban ‘breaking down Rundown’s newsletter’ Das
