Grab your morning coffee because AI isn't slowing down.
While you were planning your holiday break, the AI world kept spinning with major announcements from OpenAI, billion-dollar valuations, new regulations, and some eyebrow-raising security concerns. Here's everything you need to know to sound informed at your next team meeting.
OpenAI Is on a Roll (And Not Slowing Down)
ChatGPT Gets a Personality Adjustment
Ever wish ChatGPT was a little less… enthusiastic? Good news. According to TechCrunch, OpenAI now lets users directly adjust ChatGPT's enthusiasm level. Think of it as a vibe control for your AI assistant.
This might seem like a small thing, but it's huge for user experience. Some people want a cheerleader in their corner. Others want straightforward answers without the exclamation points. Now you can have it your way.
The feature is part of OpenAI's ongoing effort to make AI interactions feel more natural and less robotic. Or ironically, more robotic if that's what you prefer.
GPT-5.2 Drops After Google Sounds the Alarm
Competition in AI is heating up. According to Ars Technica, OpenAI released GPT-5.2 after issuing an internal "code red" threat alert about Google's latest advances.
This is the AI equivalent of a sprint race where everyone's breaking world records. Each company pushes the other to innovate faster, which means we get better tools more quickly. But it also raises questions about whether safety and testing are keeping pace with releases.
Your Photo Evidence Just Got a Lot Less Reliable
OpenAI's new ChatGPT image generator is incredibly powerful. Maybe too powerful. As Ars Technica reports, the tool makes creating fake photos disturbingly easy.
We're talking photorealistic images that can fool most people at first glance. This is both impressive and terrifying. The implications for misinformation, fraud, and general chaos are significant.
The takeaway? Trust but verify. If something looks too perfect or too convenient online, it probably is.
Disney Bets Big on AI Video
In a move that surprised exactly no one who's been watching the AI space, Disney invested $1 billion in OpenAI and licensed 200 characters for use in Sora, OpenAI's AI video app.
Think about what this means. Mickey Mouse. Elsa. Iron Man. All potentially available for AI-generated video content. The possibilities for content creation are wild, but so are the questions about authenticity and creative jobs.
Disney clearly sees AI video as the future of content production. Whether that future is exciting or dystopian probably depends on whether you work in traditional animation.
AI That Improves Itself
Here's where things get meta. According to Ars Technica, OpenAI built an AI coding agent that they use to improve the agent itself.
Yes, you read that right. The AI is now helping build better AI. This recursive improvement loop is exactly what researchers have been theorizing about for years. It's happening faster than most people expected.
For developers, this means AI coding tools are about to get significantly better. For everyone else, it means the pace of AI advancement is about to accelerate even more.
Regulation Finally Catches Up (Sort Of)
New York Steps Up
While federal AI regulation moves at the speed of Congress (which is to say, glacially), states are taking action. According to TechCrunch, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed the RAISE Act to regulate AI safety.
The legislation focuses on transparency requirements, safety testing, and accountability for AI systems deployed in New York. It's not perfect, but it's a start.
Expect more states to follow New York's lead in 2025. If you're building AI products, staying compliant across multiple state regulations is about to become a significant challenge.
Your AI Conversations Might Not Be Private
Here's an uncomfortable discovery. Ars Technica found that browser extensions with 8 million users are collecting extended AI conversations.
These extensions market themselves as AI productivity tools, but they're quietly harvesting your chat histories with AI assistants. That brainstorming session about your startup idea? Those technical questions about your company's codebase? Potentially compromised.
The lesson here is obvious but worth repeating: be careful what you share with AI tools, and audit your browser extensions regularly. Free tools aren't always free.
Follow the Money: Where Investors Are Betting
Another AI Unicorn Joins the Herd
Ex-Splunk executives just hit the jackpot. Their startup Resolve AI achieved a $1 billion valuation with its Series A, according to TechCrunch.
Resolve AI focuses on using AI to automate IT operations and incident response. It's exactly the kind of practical, enterprise-focused AI application that investors love right now.
The speed to unicorn status is remarkable, but not surprising. AI startups with proven founders and clear use cases are getting valuations that would have seemed crazy just a few years ago.
2025 Investment Thesis: AI, AI, and More AI
If you're wondering where venture capital is flowing next year, TechCrunch has the answer: AI, AI, AI.
Investors are going all-in on artificial intelligence across every sector. Healthcare AI. Finance AI. Developer tools. Infrastructure. If it has "AI" in the pitch deck, it's getting meetings.
This creates opportunities but also risks. The current AI boom has echoes of past tech bubbles. Not every AI startup will succeed, and valuations might be getting ahead of themselves.
Oracle Goes Big on Data Centers
Speaking of following the money, Oracle announced a $15 billion increase in data center spending, reports Ars Technica.
This massive investment reflects the infrastructure demands of AI training and inference. Someone needs to build the compute infrastructure powering all these AI models, and Oracle is betting it can be a major player.
Interestingly, Oracle's stock dropped on the news. Investors are worried about the capital intensity required to compete in AI infrastructure. But long-term, this kind of spending is necessary for Oracle to stay relevant.
What This Means for You
Here's the TL;DR for your coffee break:
For developers: AI coding tools are about to get much better. Start experimenting now so you're ahead of the curve when your whole team adopts them.
For product builders: Regulation is coming, state by state. Build privacy and transparency into your AI products from day one.
For investors and founders: The AI boom is real, but be selective. Not every AI startup deserves a billion-dollar valuation.
For everyone: Be skeptical of images and content you see online. Fakes are getting too good to spot easily.
What to Watch in Early 2025
The AI arms race between OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic will only intensify. Expect more model releases, more capabilities, and probably more drama.
More states will follow New York's lead on AI regulation. The patchwork of state laws will create compliance headaches for AI companies.
AI infrastructure spending will continue accelerating. Cloud providers and chip makers will benefit enormously.
The first major AI-generated content scandals are probably inevitable. Whether in politics, business, or entertainment, someone will get caught using AI deceptively.
Stay curious, stay skeptical, and keep your browser extensions audited.
References
- OpenAI allows users to directly adjust ChatGPT's enthusiasm level
- New York Governor Kathy Hochul signs RAISE Act to regulate AI safety
- Ex-Splunk execs' startup Resolve AI hits $1 billion valuation with Series A
- Where are investors placing their bets next year? AI, AI, AI.
- OpenAI's new ChatGPT image generator makes faking photos easy
- Browser extensions with 8 million users collect extended AI conversations
- OpenAI built an AI coding agent and uses it to improve the agent itself
- OpenAI releases GPT-5.2 after "code red" Google threat alert
- Disney invests $1 billion in OpenAI, licenses 200 characters for AI video app Sora
- Oracle shares slide on $15B increase in data center spending
Made by workflow https://github.com/e7h4n/vm0-content-farm, powered by vm0.ai
Top comments (0)