In a recent LinkedIn post, Linas Beliūnas discusses the accelerated pace of artificial intelligence and technology advancements observed in April, suggesting a fundamental shift in AI’s role within the industry. Beliūnas frames this period as a significant inflection point where AI is transitioning from being a mere application to becoming the underlying infrastructure upon which other technologies operate.
He highlights several key developments from the month to support this thesis. Among these are OpenAI’s evolving strategy, Claude’s expanded functionalities, and Stripe’s pioneering work in machine payments. Beliūnas notes the rapid progress, stating:
“April in artificial intelligence & tech felt like the industry hit fast-forward 🤯”
Beliūnas points to specific examples that illustrate this rapid evolution. He mentions OpenAI’s strategic pivot, suggesting it is moving beyond its identity as an app company towards something more akin to an operating system. Similarly, he observes Claude’s progression from a simple chatbot to a more integrated tool capable of acting as a coworker and even a portfolio manager. The development of payment rails for machines by Stripe and Revolut’s extensive AI training on banking data are also cited as evidence of AI’s deepening integration into core business processes.
AI’s Transformation into an Operating System Layer
A central argument presented by Linas Beliūnas is that AI is no longer just a category of software but is rapidly becoming the foundational layer for a vast array of technological operations. This perspective is elaborated in his post, where he details various components of this evolving landscape.
According to Beliūnas, the month’s events indicate a broader trend:
“It was the month AI stopped being “software” and started becoming the layer everything else runs on.”
Beliūnas further elaborates on the practical implications of this shift, detailing specific insights available in a free curated edition he compiled. This edition covers topics such as OpenAI’s “last App Store” strategy, Claude Code Routines and Cowork automation workflows, and guides for building AI agents from scratch. He also delves into Stripe’s machine payments stack and the breakdown of Revolut’s PRAGMA system, underscoring the practical applications and underlying architectures emerging from this AI-driven transformation.
Emerging Trends and Future Implications
Beliūnas’s analysis suggests that businesses and technologists need to adapt to this new paradigm where AI is the bedrock of innovation. He points to the emergence of new playbooks, such as the “One-Person Unicorn Playbook,” and advanced design workflows as indicators of this ongoing evolution.
The author emphasizes the breadth of these developments by listing the contents of his curated edition:
“→ OpenAI’s “last App Store” strategy
→ Claude Code Routines
→ Claude Cowork automation workflows
→ Perplexity Computer Guide
→ How to build AI agents from scratch
→ Stripe’s machine payments stack
→ Revolut PRAGMA breakdown
→ Situational Awareness Fund breakdown
→ The best AI design workflows
→ The One-Person Unicorn Playbook”
In his concluding remarks, Beliūnas provides a link to additional resources, particularly highlighting a guide on transforming ChatGPT Images 2.0 and Claude Design into a Chief Designer, further illustrating the practical, hands-on applications emerging from the rapid advancements in AI.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Linas Beliūnas on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on May 6, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →