The Captain's Log
Jeremy Rosenberg
Generative AI, Marketing, Brand & Communications Consultant, Trainer & Coach
Aye, Aye AI - Your GenAI Weekly Briefing, Sunday 26 May 2025
Welcome to your weekly catch-up on the GenAI announcements, experiments and industry shifts that matter - for marketers, business leaders, content creators and the GenAI-curious. This week was an awash with AI news. Microsoft, Google, OpenAI and Anthropic all made major announcements. So did the Pope (sort of...). Here's the essential round-up:
This week’s categories:
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Veo 3 and Imagen 4 lead Google ’s new creative suite: Google launched updated versions of its image and video generation tools. Imagen 4 now produces sharper, more accurate images with clean typography. Veo 3 creates short films from a single prompt - complete with characters, dialogue and camera effects. These tools are now bundled under Google Flow, a new suite for visual content creators. Source: Google Blog
Higgsfield AI Ads: Studio-quality ads from a single photo: AI startup Higgsfield launched a feature that transforms product photos into short video ads using over 30 cinematic styles. One more step toward fully automated marketing creative. Source: Higgsfield
Baby podcasters are a thing now (seriously): New AI tools from HeyGen and Hedra let you generate video podcasts hosted by talking babies. One more example of AI-powered novelty content heading to your feed. Source: TechCrunch
2. AI and Marketing
Google ’s Gemini AI makes shopping feel personal: Google Search in AI mode now includes AI-generated summaries and product comparisons. Its Shopping feature can show how clothes would look on your body - using AI-generated models. Source: Google Blog
3. Models, Tools and Platforms
Claude 4: Stronger thinking, safer outputs: Anthropic released Claude 4, including updated versions of Claude Opus and Claude Sonnet. These aren’t just model upgrades - they reshape what’s possible with AI at work.
Source: Anthropic
Microsoft Build 2025: Agents, everywhere: Microsoft used this year’s Build conference to double down on AI agent infrastructure. The announcements weren’t end-user features — they were a roadmap for what will soon be possible across workflows and platforms.
Source: Microsoft Blog
OpenAI Codex launches for software teams: OpenAI released Codex, a secure, cloud-based AI developer agent. Unlike chat assistants, Codex acts more like a co-worker — writing, testing and submitting code using natural instructions. Built on the Codex-1 model, it’s now being tested by companies like Cisco. Source: OpenAI
Gemini 2.5 gets DeepThink, Jules and Stitch: Google added new capabilities to its Gemini family. Gemini Flash prioritises speed, while DeepThink supports deeper multi-step reasoning. Jules, a coding assistant, plans and edits code asynchronously. Stitch generates working UI prototypes from text prompts, making it a tool to watch for marketers and product teams. Source: Google Blog
Perplexity nears $14B valuation: Perplexity’s rise shows the shift away from traditional search. With OpenAI and Google racing to dominate interfaces, Perplexity’s clarity and speed are gaining traction. Source: Financial Times
OpenAI ’s next product might be physical and screenless: OpenAI is acquiring io, a hardware company founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive, in a $6.5 billion deal. The The Verge reports the collaboration aims to develop a new category of AI-powered devices that are pocket-sized, screen-free and contextually aware — distinct from smartphones or smart glasses. The first product is expected to launch in 2026. Source: The Verge
4. Enterprise and AI Adoption
Klarna : We went too far with AI: Klarna's CEO has publicly reversed course after aggressively automating customer service. The company is now rehiring human staff, citing quality concerns and poor customer experience from AI-only support. It’s a cautionary tale for companies chasing cost savings at the expense of customer relationships. Source: Bloomberg
Microsoft lays off 6,000 staff - AI efficiency cited: Microsoft has cut 6,000 jobs, or roughly 3% of its global workforce. Officially, the move is part of a “streamlining” effort — but internal commentary suggests something more systemic. Executives have increasingly cited AI as a driver of efficiency, and data shows that roles in engineering and product management were hit hardest. AI now writes around 30% of internal code at Microsoft — and the company projects this could rise to 95% by 2030. Source: TechCrunch
5. Policy, Power and Ethics
Trump fires US Copyright Chief after landmark AI ruling: President Trump has dismissed the head of the U.S. Copyright Office just 24 hours after the release of a 113-page report challenging whether training AI on copyrighted content qualifies as fair use. The report rejected common AI industry defences and argued that training on creative works without permission undermines the market for original content. It’s a rare (and perhaps temporary) moment of regulatory clarity - and a potential turning point in the legal battles ahead. Source: The Verge
US proposes 10-year freeze on state AI laws: House Republicans introduced a bill to prevent individual US states from passing their own AI legislation. The aim is to avoid regulatory fragmentation, but it’s already drawing criticism from civil liberties groups. Source: Politico
The Pope says AI inspired his papal name: In an interview, Pope Leo XIV said he chose “Leo” as a symbol of courage - including the courage to confront digital forces like AI. The Vatican is now reportedly assembling a commission to explore the moral implications of emerging technologies. Source: Catholic News Agency
Sam Altman: ChatGPT is becoming a generational OS: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman observes distinct generational patterns in ChatGPT usage. Older users often treat it as a search engine, millennials use it as a life advisor, and Gen Z engages with it as an all-purpose assistant - integrating it deeply into their daily routines. Source: Decrypt
6. And Finally…
OpenAI launches real-world AI archaeology challenge: The A to Z Challenge invites participants to use AI to locate lost Amazonian settlements using LIDAR scans, oral histories and satellite data. The top team will win $250,000 and join a field team to verify the results on the ground. Source: OpenAI