AI Pulse 🚨
A bite-sized curation of this week's most important AI news.
🤖 OpenAI launches ChatGPT agent
OpenAI has introduced ChatGPT agent, a unified system that enables ChatGPT to complete complex tasks on its own using a virtual computer. It can navigate websites, write code, conduct research, and generate documents, all while asking for approval before taking consequential actions. Available now for Pro, Plus, and Team users, with Enterprise and Education support coming soon.
🧠 Sam Altman: “It feels like AGI”
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman shared on X that watching the agent work gave him a “real AGI moment.” The ability to observe a system plan, execute, and interact through a computer interface has sparked new debate about whether we are seeing early signs of general intelligence or simply high-level automation.
🛠️ Shopify’s AI culture case study
First Round published a deep dive on Shopify’s AI transformation, following CEO Tobi Lütke’s widely shared AI memo. The company adopted tools like GitHub Copilot early and now encourages all employees, not just engineers, to use vibe coding tools like Cursor. They focus on visibility, experimentation, and a beginner’s mindset.
🚀 Replit hits $100M ARR
Replit, the popular vibe coding platform, scaled from $10M to $100M ARR in just 5.5 months. Growth was driven by the Replit Agent, with over 2 million apps created in the last 6 months. Replit competes with Cursor ($500M ARR), Lovable ($70M ARR), and Windsurf ($40M ARR) to lead the next generation of developer platforms.
🦄 Lovable becomes Europe’s newest unicorn
Swedish startup Lovable raised $200M at a $1.8B valuation. Its natural language coding interface attracts both experienced developers and newcomers, helping it gain traction as part of the fast-growing vibe coding movement.
🔍 Google Search gets serious about AI
Google has added new features to Search, including Deep Search for Gemini Pro and Ultra users. The system runs hundreds of searches and compiles fully cited reports. Google also launched an assistant that can call businesses to check pricing and availability on your behalf.
🎬 Google launches Veo 3 via Gemini API
Veo 3, Google’s new video generation model, is now available through the Gemini API and Vertex AI. It creates synchronized video with dialogue, music, and sound effects. Pricing starts at $0.75 per second, with a faster, lower-cost version on the way.
🗣️ Mistral’s Le Chat gets major upgrade
Le Chat now features Deep Research mode, a voice interface powered by Voxtral, and multilingual reasoning via the Magistral model. Other updates include better project organization and advanced image editing. The updates are live on all platforms, no payment required.
🌐 Perplexity CEO: AI browser Comet will automate recruiters
CEO Aravind Srinivas says Comet will handle white-collar workflows like recruiting and scheduling by integrating with Gmail, LinkedIn, and Google Calendar. His claim: a week’s worth of recruiter work can now be done in a single prompt.
💰 Anthropic eyes $100B valuation
Anthropic is fielding investor interest that could value it at over $100B, up from $61.5B earlier this year. Claude’s annualized revenue jumped from $3B to $4B last month.
🧑💻 Amazon previews Kiro, its AI coding assistant
AWS launched Kiro, a code assistant that starts with specs before generating output. It joins a crowded “vibe coding” space that includes Copilot, Windsurf, Replit, Databutton and others.
🔌 Claude launches Connectors Directory
Anthropic’s new MCP directory lets users plug Claude into tools like Notion, Canva, Stripe, Figma, and Prisma. Setup takes one click, expanding Claude’s ecosystem for developers and teams.
🧪 Thinking Machines Lab raises $2B
A stealth startup founded by ex-OpenAI researchers has raised $2B at a $12B valuation. Insiders suggest they are working on AGI through radically different architectures than current LLMs.
🏆 Surge AI reaches $1B revenue with no VC funding
Surge AI, a data labeling company, has hit $1B in annual revenue without raising venture capital. The company serves major labs like OpenAI, Anthropic, and DeepMind, with over 5,000 employees worldwide.
💻 GitHub Copilot adds MCP support to VS Code
MCP is now generally available in VS Code. Developers can enable the new functionality and access custom tools, APIs, and external data sources to expand what Copilot can do.
🎙️ Meta acquires voice startup Play AI
Meta acquired Play AI, a company focused on AI-generated voices. The team will support Meta’s AI Characters, Meta AI, and audio tools across devices and platforms.
💼 Claude launches finance-focused offering
Anthropic launched Claude for Financial Services, with advanced market analysis tools, high usage limits, and industry-focused connectors. Customers include NBIM, Bridgewater, and AIG.
🔁 Cognition acquires Windsurf, Google licenses its tech
Cognition has acquired Windsurf’s team and product after Google licensed Windsurf’s core technology and hired its founders for $2.4B.
🧠 Reflection AI debuts Asimov
Reflection AI has launched Asimov, a research agent built to help developers navigate complex codebases. It indexes repos, documentation, and chats to surface answers and retain institutional knowledge. The tool is currently available by waitlist and can be deployed securely in enterprise environments.
