Retter Reboot #41

OpenAI Launches Apps Inside ChatGPT

OpenAI has introduced apps within ChatGPT, allowing users to interact with specialized tools and services directly inside the chatbot. These apps can handle tasks like shopping, booking, coding, and data analysis — all within the same interface. The update turns ChatGPT into a multi-functional AI platform, positioning it closer to an “operating system for agents” and expanding its potential in productivity and commerce.

Source: TechCrunch

OpenAI Launches AgentKit for Building and Deploying AI Agents

OpenAI has unveiled AgentKit, a new developer framework that enables teams to build, customize, and deploy AI agents using ChatGPT’s underlying technology. The toolkit provides APIs, templates, and integrations for tasks like workflow automation, customer service, and e-commerce. This launch marks a major step in OpenAI’s plan to power the agentic ecosystem, giving developers the tools to create AI systems that can act autonomously across industries.

Source: TechCrunch

OpenAI’s Nick Turley on Turning ChatGPT into an AI Operating System

OpenAI’s product lead Nick Turley shared insights on the company’s vision to evolve ChatGPT into a full AI operating system. The goal is to make ChatGPT the central hub for apps, agents, and automation—handling everything from shopping to scheduling within one interface. Turley described this as a step toward creating a platform-level AI ecosystem, where users and developers build directly on top of ChatGPT, reshaping how digital interactions and workflows are managed.

Source: TechCrunch

Google Develops Model to Autonomously Control Browsers and Mobile Apps

Google is working on a new AI model capable of autonomously controlling web browsers and mobile apps, performing tasks like form filling, navigation, and data entry without human input. The system is designed to act as an agentic assistant, completing real-world digital workflows across platforms. This development signals Google’s move toward fully autonomous AI agents, blurring the line between search, automation, and user action.

Source: The Decoder

Elon Musk’s xAI Secures $20 Billion in New Funding

Elon Musk’s xAI has raised $20 billion, though the company avoids labeling it a traditional funding round. The capital influx strengthens xAI’s ability to scale its Grok models and expand infrastructure to compete with OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic.

Source: Quartz

OpenAI’s Chip Deals with Nvidia and AMD Raise Market Concerns

OpenAI’s expanding partnerships with Nvidia and AMD for AI chip supply have raised concerns among regulators and investors about potential market concentration and pricing risks. As OpenAI scales its computing power, analysts warn that such dependencies could heighten supply chain vulnerabilities in the AI sector. The deals underline the growing tension between AI innovation and infrastructure control, as a handful of companies dominate the hardware behind global AI development.

Source: NBC News

Satya Nadella Highlights Microsoft’s AI Data Center Advantage

As OpenAI accelerates its push to build new AI data centers, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella reminded the industry that Microsoft already operates one of the world’s most advanced AI infrastructure networks. Nadella emphasized that Microsoft’s global data center presence gives it a strong lead in scaling and deploying AI workloads efficiently. The comments subtly reinforce Microsoft’s strategic edge as both OpenAI’s key partner and infrastructure backbone, underscoring its dominance in the AI cloud race.

Source: TechCrunch

Reflection Raises $2B to Become America’s Open Frontier AI Lab

AI startup Reflection has raised $2 billion in funding to position itself as the United States’ answer to China’s DeepSeek. The company aims to develop open, high-performance AI models with transparency and accessibility at their core. Backed by top investors, Reflection plans to build large-scale infrastructure and research teams to advance open frontier AI, promoting innovation without reliance on closed systems from giants like OpenAI or Google.

Source: TechCrunch

OpenAI’s Sora Hits 1M Downloads Faster Than ChatGPT

OpenAI’s Sora app has surpassed 1 million downloads in record time, outpacing the growth rate of ChatGPT’s original mobile launch. The app, focused on AI-powered video creation and sharing, has gained rapid traction among creators and social users. Sora’s early success highlights OpenAI’s strong momentum in expanding from productivity tools into AI-driven entertainment and media platforms.

Source: TechCrunch

Google Expands Virtual Try-On Tool to More Countries and Adds Shoes

Google has expanded its AI-powered Virtual Try-On shopping tool to additional countries, now allowing users to try on shoes virtually alongside clothing. The feature uses generative AI to simulate realistic fits and styles, helping shoppers visualize products before buying. This expansion strengthens Google’s push into AI-driven retail experiences, blending convenience and personalization to compete with Amazon and fashion-focused startups.

Source: TechCrunch

Square Launches AI Voice Ordering and Bitcoin Integration for Merchants

Square has introduced AI-powered voice ordering and a new integrated Bitcoin payment solution for merchants. The voice ordering system allows customers to place and modify orders through natural conversation, while the Bitcoin feature enables seamless crypto transactions within Square’s ecosystem.

Source: TechCrunch

Google and Amazon Announce Competing Enterprise AI Products on the Same Day

In a striking move, Google and Amazon Web Services (AWS) unveiled new enterprise AI products on the same day, intensifying competition in the corporate AI space. Google introduced updates to its Gemini AI suite, while AWS launched new Bedrock integrations and AI agent tools for developers. The simultaneous announcements highlight the race for dominance in enterprise AI infrastructure, as both companies vie to attract businesses seeking scalable, secure, and customizable AI solutions.

Source: The Verge