Welcome back!

OpenAI just unveiled Canvas, a new interface for ChatGPT that replaces simple chat responses with an active collaboration mode for writing and coding projects. It allows for direct edits, inline suggestions, and targeted revisions — all within a single window. Let’s unpack...

Today’s Summary:

• 🔥 ChatGPT Canvas released

• 📈 OpenAI closes $6.6B funding

• 🤖 Google working on Reasoning AI

• 🎶 Gemini Live voice rolling to all free users

• 🎓 FLUX1.1 new best text-to-image AI

• 👋 Tim Brooks, OpenAI Sora Lead, quits to Google DeepMind

• 🔍 Google Lens answers video questions

• 🛠 2 new tools

TOP STORY

OpenAI unveils ChatGPT Canvas, a collaborative workspace for writing

The Summary: OpenAI has introduced Canvas Beta, a new collaborative interface for ChatGPT for writing and coding projects. Canvas opens in a separate window, allowing users to directly edit AI-generated content and receive inline suggestions through various tools. This feature aims to improve workflows for complex writing tasks that require multiple revisions.

Key details:

• GPT-4o with Canvas can now be selected in the model picker

• Rolling out to all ChatGPT paid users, with plans to extend to free users after the beta

• Includes shortcuts for adjusting text length, reading level, adding comments

• Users can highlight sections for targeted edits rather than full rewrites

• OpenAI trained a specific version of GPT-4o to determine when to trigger the Canvas interface vs. the regular chat mode

Why it matters: Canvas marks a shift towards more collaborative AI interactions, moving beyond simple chat, for more iterative project work. The feature directly challenges Claude Artifacts, which was first launched in June 2024.

OPENAI

OpenAI closes largest VC funding round ever at $6.6B with a $157B valuation

The Summary: OpenAI has closed a $6.6 billion funding round, led by Thrive Capital, valuing the company at $157 billion. This is the largest multi-venture capital round in US history. The funding will fuel OpenAI's growth in AI research, compute capacity, and tool development. It comes amid discussions of transitioning from a nonprofit to a for-profit structure.

Key details:

• Participants include Microsoft, Nvidia, SoftBank, and others

• OpenAI monthly revenue reached $300M in August 2024

• Company projects $11.6B in sales for 2025, up from $3.7B in 2024

• ChatGPT has 250M weekly active users and 11M paying subscribers

• Reports suggest OpenAI asked investors for exclusivity, discouraging backing of rivals like Anthropic, xAI, Ilya Sutskever’s SSI, Perplexity, and Glean.

Why it matters: This massive investment reflects the tech industry’s confidence in OpenAI’s future and leadership, despite recent executive departures. The success of this funding round shows the intense competition in the AI sector and the vast resources required to develop more advanced AI models.

GOOGLE

Google working on Reasoning AI to catch OpenAI o1

The Summary: Google is developing new AI models that mimic human reasoning, aiming to rival OpenAI's o1. Several Google teams are focusing on creating AI that can solve multi-step problems in math and programming. This move intensifies the AI race, with both Google and OpenAI exploring chain-of-thought techniques to enhance problem solving capabilities.

Key details:

• Working on models for complex tasks in math and programming

• Chain-of-thought help AI evaluate multiple responses before answering

• Google AlphaProof and AlphaGeometry 2 models previously solved 4 out of 6 International Mathematical Olympiad problems

• Google DeepMind improved AI efficiency during inference by 4x

Why it matters: This development could lead to more capable AI assistants and tools for tackling complex real-world problems. As tech giants push the boundaries of AI reasoning, we may see breakthroughs in fields requiring advanced problem-solving skills.

QUICK NEWS

Quick news

• Gemini Live voice is expanding to more languages

• FLUX 1.1 pro “Blueberry” is now the best text-to-image model

• Tim Brooks, creator of Sora, leaves OpenAI to join Google DeepMind

• Google Lens can now answer questions about videos

TOOLS

🥇 New tools

• CostGPT - Generate software cost & time estimates

• Hedy - Realtime insights in meetings and classes