Big News of the Week
OpenAI Launches GPT-5.1 With Personality Presets
You can now instantly adjust how ChatGPT speaks using built-in presets like professional, creative, casual, or teaching mode. The update also boosts reasoning and memory, so conversations feel smoother and more consistent across chats.
Perplexity Upgrades Comet Assistant With Multitasking
Comet Assistant now performs 23% better and can multitask across browser tabs. It can navigate websites, compare job listings, plan travel, and organize data — always asking permission before taking action. It’s a clear shift toward AI that does work, not just summarizes it. But remember, be mindful of what tabs you have open in these agentic browsers. Whatever you see, it can see e.g. bank accounts, etc.
Google Drive Introduces PDF Podcasts
Google Drive is rolling out a new hybrid format called PDF podcasts — interactive files combining text, visuals, and audio. You can listen to narrated sections, flip through slides, and follow along like an audio-visual report. It’s ideal for teams sharing lessons, research, or briefings.
Google Ads Adds AI Advisor + Analytics Tools
Google Ads is getting smarter with an AI-powered Ads Advisor that recommends which assets to improve and which audiences to test. The new analytics features also surface trends automatically, so you spend less time digging through dashboards.
Google Shopping Adds Agentic Checkout With Gemini
Shopping through Google just got more hands-free. Gemini can now research products, compare prices, check reviews, and guide you through checkout. Google is also testing voice-based calling so you could confirm orders or bookings directly through Gemini.
Google Maps Adds New AI Creation Tools
Google Maps now lets you build interactive projects — like travel guides, storytelling maps, and local recommendation lists — using routes, images, and AI-generated descriptions. Great for planners, creators, and community groups.
Gemini Comes to Google TV
Google TV now includes Gemini assistance. You can search for shows, control smart devices, and ask follow-up questions using just your remote. Say things like “Show me cozy mysteries from the 90s,” and Gemini handles the curation. I don’t know what a cozy mystery is, but I do like the idea of just being able to find what I am looking for instead of having to click through a dozen streaming services!
Google Launches Private Compute for On-Device AI
Private Compute keeps AI features — like translation, smart replies, and image generation — processed entirely on your device, not in the cloud. It boosts privacy without losing functionality, part of Google’s shift toward secure AI experiences.
Opal Now Available in 160+ Countries
Opal, Google’s experimental “try new AI tools early” playground, is now available globally. People are already using it to summarize notes, automate workflows, and generate visuals — all while giving Google feedback to shape upcoming AI features.
LinkedIn Adds AI-Powered People Search
You can now search LinkedIn using natural language. Ask things like “content marketers in Austin who specialize in B2B SaaS,” and LinkedIn will understand your intent and surface highly relevant matches, even if profiles don’t use those exact keywords.
Spotify Launches AI Audiobook Recaps
Before starting an audiobook, Spotify will now give you a short AI-generated recap covering themes and key ideas. Great for nonfiction browsing or previewing long titles before committing hours to them.
↩️ Don’t miss out: Did you miss our last newsletter? We featured Pomelli, a new tool from Google Labs that analyzes your website to create a “Business DNA” profile for your brand. It automatically identifies your tone of voice, fonts, color palette, and imagery — then generates ready-to-use campaign visuals that capture your brand’s unique identity. Check it here! |