The AI Platform War Got Practical

Mike's take

The people winning with AI aren't the youngest. They're the most curious. You've relearned tech before. This is just the next modem.

Top AI stories worth your time

• OpenAI researcher Miles Wang in talks to launch AI drug discovery startup valued at $2B — TechCrunch AI
  The funding discussions point to investor interest in applying AI to make breakthroughs in life sciences.
• The Google Images homepage will recommend photos even before you search — The Verge AI
  Google is announcing a big change to the Google Images homepage in honor of the platform's 25th anniversary this week. Instead of a mostly blank page with a search bar, the homepage will soon show you a bunch of images t
• OpenAI’s first hardware device is reportedly a screenless speaker that can move — TechCrunch AI
  The device is weirdly described as involving "mechanical elements that can move on their own" and the Bloomberg report includes the detail that the device is designed to "feel like a companion and become a physical manif
• OpenAI pushes back on Apple trade secret lawsuit — TechCrunch AI
  OpenAI has issued another statement on the lawsuit, this time suggesting it lacks merit.
• OpenAI’s new flagship model deletes files on its own, people keep warning — TechCrunch AI
  A number of social media posts claim that GPT-5.6 Sol deleted files and data without warning. OpenAI had basically disclosed the problem in June.

Jargon, decoded: Guardrails

Constraints built into a system to keep an AI's outputs safe and on-policy.

In plain English: The rules that stop the AI from saying or doing something it shouldn't.

Myth: You have to be technical to use AI.

If you can write a clear text message, you can use it. Being specific beats knowing how to code.

Try this today

Have it quiz you on something you're learning. Paste your notes and ask for five questions. Best way to make it stick.

Try this prompt

Summarize this [paste] into: the point, why it matters to a normal business, and what to do about it.