The Young Founder Who Makes Millions With AI Newsletter

owan Cheung, a former semi-pro swimmer turned tech enthusiast, launched The Rundown AI in January 2023 after a health issue during the COVID-19 pandemic forced him to pivot from athletics to exploring technology, particularly artificial intelligence.

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His fascination with AI began with DALL-E 2, an image-generation tool, which captivated him with its ability to create visuals from text prompts. This sparked a deep interest in AI, leading him to immerse himself in learning about the field through self-directed study, teaching himself skills like coding and content creation.

Cheung initially shared his AI discoveries with friends and family, who encouraged him to start a platform to reach a broader audience. He chose to create a newsletter because he felt more comfortable expressing himself through writing rather than video or other formats.

He selected beehiiv as his newsletter platform after noticing their strong customer support on Twitter, which aligned with his goal of building a reliable and engaging content delivery system.

The Rundown AI was designed to deliver concise, 5-minute daily updates on the latest AI developments, tools, and practical applications, catering to professionals and enthusiasts at companies like Apple, OpenAI, and NASA.

Cheung’s hands-on approach involved personally curating content, researching AI news, and testing tools to ensure high-quality recommendations. He avoided using AI to write the newsletter, citing risks of misinformation, bulky copy, and his preference for a human touch.

To complement the newsletter, Cheung also created Supertools, a searchable database of curated AI tools built with Super and Notion, addressing reader demand for a centralized resource to access tools mentioned in the newsletter.

This strategic move enhanced the newsletter’s utility and appeal.

How The Rundown AI Gained So Many Followers

The Rundown AI’s rapid growth to over 2 million daily readers by 2025, with reported growth of 10,000 new subscribers per day, can be attributed to a combination of strategic content creation, social media leverage, and community engagement. Here’s a breakdown of the key factors:

Leveraging Twitter for Organic Growth:

Cheung started with a modest Twitter following of about 1,000 in January 2023. By posting engaging, viral Twitter threads about AI developments, he grew his personal Twitter account (@rowancheung) to over 300,000 followers and The Rundown’s official account (@therundownai) to over 85,000 within months. In April 2023 alone, he garnered over 150 million organic views on Twitter, earning him the title of the fastest-growing account worldwide in the 2023 Twitter growth challenge.

His strategy involved adding a simple call-to-action at the bottom of viral Twitter threads, directing readers to subscribe to The Rundown AI. This organic approach drove the first 55,000 subscribers purely from Twitter, with the newsletter reaching 150,000 subscribers by May 2023 and growing to 750,000 by late 2023.

Cheung’s Twitter threads were designed to break down complex AI topics into accessible, engaging content, which resonated with a broad audience and amplified his reach.

High Engagement and Quality Content:

The newsletter’s 42% open rate and 13.8% click-through rate (as of May 2023) reflect its ability to deliver valuable, relevant content. Cheung’s focus on concise, actionable insights about AI news and tools appealed to professionals and early adopters, fostering trust and loyalty.

By avoiding AI-generated content and emphasizing a human touch, Cheung ensured authenticity, which readers appreciated. His passion for AI was evident, as noted by a Reddit user who praised the newsletter’s quality and Cheung’s dedication.

Strategic Use of Tools and Platforms:

Cheung integrated Supertools, a database of AI tools, which became a valuable resource for readers, attracting over 350,000 monthly views. Embedding a newsletter subscription form on the Supertools site drove an additional 10,000 subscribers, creating a feedback loop between his platforms.

He automated the sponsorship process using Calendly and Stripe, allowing him to focus on content creation while monetizing efficiently. This scalability supported the newsletter’s growth without compromising quality.

Community Building and Exclusivity:

Cheung expanded The Rundown AI into a broader ecosystem, including The Rundown AI University (launched in March 2024), offering premium workshops and courses on AI integration, and The Rundown Jobs, a job board for AI careers. These initiatives deepened audience engagement by providing practical, hands-on value.

Exclusive interviews with tech leaders like Mark Zuckerberg, Satya Nadella, and Demis Hassabis, featured in the newsletter and the State of AI podcast, positioned The Rundown as a go-to source for cutting-edge AI insights. These exclusives attracted high-profile readers and boosted credibility.

Cheung’s active engagement with his audience, responding to feedback and creating resources like Supertools based on reader requests, fostered a loyal community.

Riding the AI Wave:

The launch of ChatGPT in late 2022 fueled global interest in AI, and Cheung capitalized on this trend by positioning The Rundown as a timely, authoritative voice in the space. His early adoption of AI topics, starting with DALL-E 2, gave him a head start in a rapidly growing niche.

By consistently delivering news before mainstream outlets and focusing on practical applications, The Rundown became a trusted resource for professionals seeking to stay ahead in the AI landscape.

Recognition and Media Exposure:

1. Cheung’s work earned praise from industry leaders like Mark Zuckerberg and Dharmesh Shah, as well as features in major publications like Forbes, Fast Company, TechCrunch, and Business Insider. This visibility amplified his reach and attracted new subscribers.
2. His status as the most-followed AI creator on X/Twitter, with over 1 billion organic views in 2023, further solidified his influence and drove newsletter sign-ups.

Rowan Cheung started The Rundown AI in January 2023, driven by his passion for AI sparked by DALL-E 2 and his preference for written communication. He chose beehiiv for its reliability and built a newsletter focused on concise, human-written AI updates.

The newsletter’s massive following—reaching 2 million daily readers by 2025—stems from Cheung’s strategic use of Twitter for organic growth, high-quality and engaging content, complementary platforms like Supertools, community-driven initiatives like The Rundown AI University, and his ability to capitalize on the AI boom with exclusive insights and interviews.

His hands-on approach, authenticity, and responsiveness to audience needs have made The Rundown AI a leading voice in the AI space.

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