Skype Signs Off—23 Years, One Last “Can You Hear Me?” | Austin's AI Newsletter

Hey AI Fam, it’s Austin again!

Skype is officially toast.

After 23 years of dropped calls, grainy video chats, and that unmistakable ringtone—Microsoft just hit “end call” for good. It’s the end of an era... and honestly? About time.

With AI-powered chat tools, smarter platforms, and real-time video innovation everywhere—you’ve got better options. So what’s next for the way we talk, meet, and stream? We’re breaking it down below.

Meanwhile, Syllaby just rolled out smoother posting tools, smarter filters, and one-click upgrades you’ve been asking for. And if you’re not already eyeing AI Marketing World, this is your reminder—it’s where the real players are heading.

Let’s get into it.

🚨 In This Week’s Issue

🏦 Breaking News: Skype Shuts Down Today — And What’s Replacing It
🎥 Syllaby: Streamlined Posting + Smarter Filters Just Dropped
🎟️ AI Marketing World: Want to Scale? This Is Your Shot
📰 This Week in AI: Google's making movies + YouTube Premium for 2?!
🛠️ Top AI Tools: Scroll-stopping visuals, smarter summaries, and Bible-level insights
🎮 Meme of the Week: Steal These for Smarter Outputs

📰 Breaking News: Skype Shuts Down Today — And What’s Replacing It

Skype officially signs off today after 23 years of internet calls, “Can you hear me?” glitches, and long-distance catch-ups. Microsoft is sunsetting the OG video chat app and nudging users toward its more modern platforms.

Here’s what’s happening:

• As of May 5, 2025, Skype is being fully retired

• Microsoft Teams is the company’s preferred upgrade for business and casual users alike

• If Teams isn’t your thing, top alternatives include Zoom, Discord, FaceTime, and WhatsApp (yes, really)

From revolutionizing internet calls to becoming a meme, Skype had a run. Now it’s time to pick your next move.

🎉 Sponsored by Syllaby

Streamlined Posting + Smarter Filters Just Dropped

We just rolled out a new wave of upgrades—focused on making your Syllaby experience faster, cleaner, and way more reliable.

🛠️ Publishing Just Got Smarter

• We now verify your social media logins right in the posting modal—so you’re not guessing whether your accounts are connected.

• Daily posting limits are now clearly shown—know how much you can post before you even hit schedule.

• TikTok creator info is now saved—no more constant reauth or token errors from changing data.

🧠 New Feature You Asked For

• Favorite your AI video topics. You can now star your favorite AI-suggested ideas and easily come back to them later in your dashboard—perfect for batch creators.

🔉 Audio That Makes Sense Now

• Titles and dates weren’t being pronounced correctly? Fixed. We’ve integrated ElevenLabs to handle smarter pronunciation for voiceovers, especially on tricky formats like numbers and names.

All of this is already live in your dashboard—and we’re not slowing down.

Log into Syllaby and give the new features a spin.

🎟️ Sponsored by AI Marketing World Conference

Want to Scale? This Is Your Shot!

Still using playbooks from 2019? That’s not you.

AI Marketing World is where top marketers go to scale smarter, automate everything, and get ahead of the curve—fast.

You’ll walk away with:
✅ Real AI strategies from brands crushing it
✅ Automation systems that print revenue
✅ First look at tools your competition hasn’t even heard of

If you're done playing catch-up—this is where leaders are made.

📅 Seats are limited. Grab yours before they’re gone!

🌐 This Week in AI

🎬 Google’s Making Movies—Literally

Google’s taking its message to the big screen. Through its new production initiative "100 Zeros," it’s partnering with Range Media to produce film and TV that actually makes tech look good. No more dystopian plots—think AI in a positive light, streamed straight to Netflix and major platforms.

👉 Read More

🤖 Stackie: Life Logging, Supercharged

Think of Stackie as your personal AI life coach. It helps you log, track, and reflect on daily moments using structured "stacks." Journaling, productivity, self-growth—all in one smart, clean interface that keeps your mind (and life) organized.

👉 Try Stackie

👥 YouTube Tests 2-Person Premium Subscriptions

YouTube is rolling out a new Premium tier for duos—perfect for couples, friends, or creators looking to save. It includes ad-free viewing and background play, without the cost of a full family plan. Launching in India, France, Taiwan, and more.

👉Read More

🛠️ AI Tools of the Week

1. Bibley – The AI Tool Built for Scripture Lovers

Finally—an AI that actually understands the Bible. Bibley delivers verse-by-verse context, study notes, and sermon ideas with the click of a button.

🔹 Search smarter. Study deeper.
🔹 It’s like having a 24/7 theologian in your pocket.

👉 Explore Bibley

2. YouTube Summarizer | Turn Long Videos into Quick Wins

Don’t have time to watch every minute? This free Chrome extension breaks down YouTube videos into snackable insights—perfect for content creators, researchers, or nonstop learners.

🔹 Binge smarter. Learn faster. Win more.

👉 Try YouTube Summarizer Now

3. FastPhoto – Scroll-Stopping Visuals in Seconds

Need studio-grade visuals but hate stock photo sites? FastPhoto lets you generate stunning, branded images with a simple prompt.

🔹 Royalty-free, on-brand, and fast
🔹 No design team required

👉 Create with FastPhoto

Ready to save precious time and let AI do the heavy lifting?

Save time and simplify your unique workflow with HubSpot’s highly anticipated AI Playbook—your guide to smarter processes and effortless productivity.

Download the free guide today.

🎮 AI Playground: ChatGPT Prompt Frameworks

Wrapping It Up…

AI’s moving at breakneck speed—and if you’re not testing, learning, and shipping faster than the algorithm, you’re falling behind.

Whether you’re building a brand, growing your following, or just trying to keep your content engine running—this space rewards action, not perfection.

Use what’s working. Kill what’s not. And don’t sleep on the new tools dropping every week—especially when they’re built to save you hours.

Catch you Friday!

Stay awesome,
Austin Armstrong, CEO
Syllaby, Inc.