Weekly AI Highlights: December 13–19, 2025
What Small Business Owners Need to Know Right Now
Reader, stay ahead of the curve—three major AI breakthroughs happened this week that will directly impact how you work.
This week, OpenAI released GPT Image 1.5—finally bringing professional-grade image generation to real business workflows. ChatGPT also launched its built-in App Store, along with tools for developers to build, share, and monetize specialized apps directly inside the chat. And Google’s NotebookLM took a big step forward with the release of Data Tables, full chat history, and direct exports to Docs and Sheets—making it feel less like a novelty and more like an everyday workspace.
1. OpenAI Launches GPT Image 1.5, Its New Flagship Image Model
OpenAI released GPT Image 1.5, a major upgrade to its image generation capabilities. You’ll see sharper details, better text rendering inside images, and stronger prompt adherence, especially for complex scenes. It’s also more consistent across edits and variations, which makes it far more usable for real creative and business workflows rather than one-off image experiments. Check out my latest video about this here.
Source Link: https://openai.com/index/new-chatgpt-images-is-here/
MY TAKE
What stood out to me is how practical this has become. Being able to select a specific part of an image and edit just that detail, like eye color or text on a shirt, is a real time-saver for content and branding. It is also interesting that this is available in my free personal account but not my paid team account yet. (Why, OpenAI??) And I love having the ability to work on multiple images at once.
ACTION STEP (DO THIS WEEK)
Open up ChatGPT’s new Images experience and start playing with GPT Image 1.5, especially the editing tools that let you pinpoint and change exact parts of a photo. Try changing colors, text, backgrounds, or other small details in a photo you already use in your branding or content. Because the model now follows instructions more precisely and generates images up to four times faster, you can iterate quickly and get practical visuals ready for social posts, ads, or newsletters without waiting around.
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2. ChatGPT Launches an App Store, Signals It’s Open for Business
OpenAI has officially launched a built-in App Store inside ChatGPT, along with a developer directory and SDK that make it easier to build and distribute apps directly within the ChatGPT experience. You can now browse and use specialized apps for things like research, writing, scheduling, data analysis, and business workflows without leaving the chat.
Source Link: https://openai.com/index/new-chatgpt-images-is-here/
MY TAKE
This is one of the clearest signals yet that ChatGPT is becoming a full business environment, not just a conversational tool. Once apps live inside the interface you already use every day, switching costs drop fast. I also think this opens the door for very niche, very valuable tools built specifically for real business workflows rather than generic use cases.
Here’s a short video I created showcasing the new app store.
ACTION STEP (DO THIS WEEK)
Open ChatGPT and browse the App Store or directory with one specific problem in mind, not curiosity browsing. Look for an app that could save you time on a weekly task like research, planning, reporting, or content prep. Even identifying what already exists will help you think more strategically about where AI fits into your business long term.
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3. NotebookLM Rolls Out Data Tables, Exports, and Full Chat History
I love how NotebookLM continues to surprise and delight us with cool new features and updates! j Data Tables are now available to all Pro and Ultra users, with Free users getting access in the coming weeks. You can now pull facts and insights from across your sources and automatically organize them into clean tables, then export those tables directly to Google Sheets. You can also export Notes and Reports straight into Google Docs or Sheets. On top of that, chat history is now fully live across mobile and web, so you can start a session in the app and continue it on desktop without losing context.
Source Link: https://blog.google/technology/google-labs/notebooklm-data-tables/
MY TAKE
NotebookLM is moving from “interesting research tool” to “daily operating system for thinking.” The ability to structure information into tables and send it directly into Docs or Sheets removes a ton of friction! Persistent chat history across devices makes it feel much more like a true workspace instead of a one-off session tool.
ACTION STEP (DO THIS WEEK)
Open a NotebookLM project you already have and use the new Data Tables feature to organize key insights from your sources. Export that table into Google Sheets and refine it there. This is an easy way to turn scattered notes into something actionable you can actually use for planning, content, or decision-making.
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Front Row AI Club Exclusive Training
Practical Tips for Using AI and Protecting Your IP
with Elise Steegstra
January 21, 2026 at 3 PM ET | 12 PM PT | 8 PM UK
A practical, real-world discussion on how AI affects your intellectual property rights and what you can do to protect and own your own ideas.
What We Will Cover in the Session:
- Practical case studies including marketing copy, video scripts, social media graphics
- How to convert AI-assisted outputs into work you can own.
- How to avoid common pitfalls that cause creators to lose rights inadvertently.
- Tools and checklists to adopt immediately.
This is an exclusive training session for the members of The Front Row AI Club, designed to give members the clarity and confidence needed to make sure they don’t accidentally step on AI “legal landmines”! If you want access to sessions like this, ongoing AI support, and hands-on training, consider joining the Front Row AI Club.
PROMPTS OF THE WEEK
Explore 10 prompts that can help “transform your day-to-day life” with this thread on X, from Louis Gleeson @aigleeson of Sentient Agency, that’s been bookmarked 24,000 times.
Prompt # 1:
You are an expert research analyst. I need comprehensive research on [TOPIC].
Please provide:
1. Key findings from the last 12 months
2. Data and statistics with sources
3. Expert opinions and quotes
4. Emerging trends and predictions
5. Controversial viewpoints or debates
6. Practical implications for [INDUSTRY/AUDIENCE]
Format as an executive brief with clear sections. Include source links for all claims.
Additional context: [YOUR SPECIFIC NEEDS]
Click here to check out the rest of the prompts.
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The Bottom Line
Everything this week is pointing to the same thing: AI tools are getting easier to use, more specific to what you actually need, and they're showing up inside the tools you're already using. Image generation is finally usable. App ecosystems are growing fast.
You don't have to master all of it. But if you're paying attention and trying things out (even imperfectly), you're already ahead of most people who are still waiting for the "right time."
KEEP YOUR EYE ON:
- ChatGPT's new App Store filling up with tools built for real business tasks (not just cool party tricks)
- Image tools getting better at edits, iterations, and staying on-brand—not just one-and-done graphics
- NotebookLM quietly becoming a legit research-to-planning hub with tables, exports, and chat that remembers
Comments
If you have a question about using AI to create better images, or just be more productive in general, hit reply to this email. I read every reply, and your questions often shape what I share next.
Cheering you on from the front row,
Founder, Front Row AI Club
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| You may notice the newsletter looks a little different this week. We’re sharing fewer updates and focusing only on the 3–4 stories that matter most. We’d love to know what you think. |
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