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Today’s Menu

• OpenAI’s AI Agents Will Cost as Much as a Full-Time Employee

• Bitcoin Rallies, but Volatility Signals Trouble Ahead

Markets

TODAY IN AI

OpenAI’s AI Agents Will Cost as Much as a Full-Time Employee

OpenAI is gearing up to launch a suite of high-end AI agents, with pricing that suggests it sees them as direct replacements for human professionals. These specialized AI workers will come in three tiers: business professionals ($2,000/month), advanced software developers ($10,000/month), and PhD-level researchers ($20,000/month).

SoftBank has already reportedly committed $3B to these AI agents for 2025, signaling strong early demand. OpenAI expects this product line to account for up to 25% of its long-term revenue, marking a major pivot beyond its consumer and API businesses.

CEO Sam Altman previously predicted that 2025 would be the year AI agents start “materially changing” company output—and this move shows OpenAI is going all-in on that bet. But with price points rivaling human salaries, the real question is: will companies actually prefer AI over real employees? If these agents prove valuable enough, they could redefine white-collar work faster than expected.

^{Today In Crypto}

Bitcoin Rallies, but Volatility Signals Trouble Ahead

Markets have stabilized over the past 48 hours, with Bitcoin briefly touching $92,700 after bouncing from its $81,500 low earlier this week. AI, gaming, and Layer 2 tokens led gains, with MOVE, CRO, ONDO, and Render surging 10–17%. The recovery comes amid speculation that President Trump will announce a U.S. strategic Bitcoin reserve at Friday’s White House crypto summit.

But while sentiment has improved, key volatility indices remain elevated, signaling caution. The BVIV index, which tracks Bitcoin’s implied 30-day volatility, sits just five points below Tuesday’s high of 66%. On Wall Street, the VIX fear gauge remains at 23.65—its highest since December—while bond market volatility (MOVE index) has hit its highest level since November. Elevated bond volatility is particularly concerning, as it often leads to financial tightening, putting pressure on risk assets.

Adding to the uncertainty, the U.S. yield curve has inverted again, signaling a potential recession. The Atlanta Fed’s GDPNow model is predicting a nearly 3% contraction for Q1 GDP, raising fears that economic weakness—not just trade tariffs—could be the real driver of market jitters.

For now, Bitcoin bulls are hoping for a policy boost from Trump, but with macro uncertainty looming, markets remain on edge. If Friday’s summit fails to deliver concrete action, the recent rally could quickly unravel. Stay sharp.

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Thanks for reading!

Until next time,

Damon James