The artificial intelligence landscape continues to evolve rapidly, with major tech companies like Google and Amazon introducing new features and products. Google is making its AI Mode search more visual, integrating image results and conversational shopping capabilities powered by Gemini 2.5. This aims to provide a more engaging experience for users looking for inspiration or products. Meanwhile, Amazon is launching new Fire TV devices, including a 4K Stick with Vega OS, which will work with the upcoming Alexa Plus. In the realm of AI development, OpenAI is reportedly planning a TikTok-style app that generates videos using its AI models, potentially offering a new platform for user interaction and feedback. NVIDIA is expanding its global reach by partnering with Abu Dhabi's Technology Innovation Institute to open a joint AI and robotics research lab in the UAE, focusing on leveraging NVIDIA's AI and computing power for robotics and language models. On the enterprise front, Plutus, which offers AI solutions for the insurance industry, has secured investment from ServiceNow Ventures to further develop its AI-powered tools for claims, underwriting, and servicing. The practical applications of AI are also being explored by cities like San Jose, which is piloting an AI program to detect road issues such as potholes and illegal dumping using vehicle-mounted cameras. However, the proliferation of AI also presents challenges, as the phenomenon of 'workslop' – AI-generated content lacking substance – is creating extra work for office staff, with some studies indicating significant time spent cleaning up such outputs. Even stylistic elements like em dashes are now being associated with AI writing, prompting some human writers to alter their approach. In education, business programs like Kellogg's MBA are integrating AI tools to enhance learning, allowing students to focus more on strategic thinking and human interaction.
Key Takeaways
- Google's AI Mode now integrates image results and conversational shopping, leveraging Gemini 2.5 for a more visual search experience.
- Amazon has launched new Fire TV devices, including a 4K Stick with Vega OS, designed to work with the next version of Alexa, Alexa Plus.
- OpenAI is reportedly developing a standalone app featuring AI-generated vertical videos, similar to TikTok.
- NVIDIA and Abu Dhabi's Technology Innovation Institute have opened a joint AI and robotics research lab in the UAE, NVIDIA's first AI Technology Center in the Middle East.
- Plutus, an AI solutions provider for the insurance industry, has received investment from ServiceNow Ventures to advance its AI-powered tools.
- San Jose is piloting an AI program that uses cameras on city vehicles to detect road problems like potholes and illegal dumping with high accuracy.
- The term 'workslop' describes AI-generated content that requires significant cleanup by office staff, potentially consuming hours of work.
- The frequent use of em dashes in AI-generated writing is influencing human writers to reconsider their stylistic choices.
- Kellogg's MBA program is incorporating AI tools into its curriculum to enhance business learning and focus on strategic thinking.
Google Search adds images to AI Mode
Google is enhancing its AI Mode search with image results, a significant update since its text-based launch in May. This new feature aims to provide visual inspiration and shopping assistance, allowing users to see images for queries like home decor or clothing. The AI Mode combines capabilities from Google's Gemini 2.5, Search, Lens, and Image search to offer a more comprehensive and visual search experience.
Google AI Mode offers conversational image shopping
Google's AI Mode now allows users in the US to shop using natural language descriptions and reference images, making the search process more conversational. Users can describe what they're looking for as if talking to a friend, and refine results with follow-up requests. This update also supports visual exploration for inspiration, like interior design, and integrates capabilities from Google Search, Lens, Image search, and Gemini 2.5.
Google AI Mode becomes more visual for shopping
Google's AI Mode is enhancing its search results with more visuals, especially for shopping queries. It uses a visual search fan-out technique and the Google Shopping Graph to provide inspirational images and graphics. Users can now ask questions conversationally and receive visual responses, with the ability to refine searches and click through to retailers' sites. This update aims to create a more engaging and helpful shopping experience.
Plutus AI for insurance gets ServiceNow Ventures investment
Plutus, a company providing AI solutions for the insurance industry, has received an investment from ServiceNow Ventures. This funding will accelerate their development of AI-powered offerings built on the ServiceNow AI Platform. Plutus, founded by former ServiceNow executives, offers pre-configured AI solutions to modernize claims, underwriting, and servicing processes for insurance carriers and brokers.
Plutus AI for insurance gets ServiceNow Ventures investment
Plutus, a company specializing in Agentic AI solutions for the insurance sector, has secured an investment from ServiceNow Ventures. This funding will support Plutus's mission to transform insurance carriers and brokers with AI-powered tools built on the ServiceNow AI Platform. Founded by former ServiceNow executives, Plutus offers solutions to modernize claims, underwriting, and servicing processes.
San Jose uses AI to find road problems
San Jose is piloting an AI program to proactively detect roadway obstructions like illegal dumping and potholes. Cameras on city vehicles capture road conditions, and AI analyzes the footage with high accuracy rates. This pilot program in District 10 showed 97% accuracy for potholes and 88% for illegal dumping. The city plans to expand the AI's detection capabilities and automate reporting in phase two.
AI-generated 'workslop' creates extra work for office staff
A new term, 'workslop,' describes AI-generated content that appears complete but lacks substance, causing extra work for office employees. Research from Stanford and BetterUp found 40% of US desk workers received such content, spending nearly two hours cleaning it up. This trend can erode trust between colleagues and doesn't necessarily lead to reduced work hours, despite AI advancements.
AI is now seen as using em dashes
The use of em dashes in writing is now being associated with AI-generated content, causing some writers to remove them. AI models were trained on vast amounts of human writing, including the frequent use of em dashes, leading to their adoption in AI outputs. This trend is forcing writers to reconsider their punctuation choices, impacting their style and potentially their livelihood.
Amazon launches new Fire TV Stick with Vega OS
Amazon has released a new Fire TV 4K Stick Select featuring the Vega OS, designed to be an affordable option. They also introduced three new Fire TV OS televisions with enhanced features like brighter screens and faster processors. These devices will work with the next version of Alexa, known as Alexa Plus. The new Stick is expected in mid-October, with TVs following later that month or in November.
NVIDIA and TII launch AI and robotics lab in UAE
NVIDIA Corporation and Abu Dhabi's Technology Innovation Institute (TII) have launched a joint AI and robotics research lab in the UAE. This is NVIDIA's first AI Technology Center in the Middle East. The lab will combine TII's research in robotics with NVIDIA's AI models and computing power, utilizing NVIDIA's edge GPU chips for TII's work on robots and language models.
OpenAI plans TikTok-style app with AI videos
OpenAI is reportedly developing a standalone social media app featuring a vertical video feed similar to TikTok, with all videos generated by AI. Users would create videos using the Sora 2 model, and verified users could even generate videos featuring themselves. This move could provide OpenAI with a new advertising platform and a tool for user feedback on its AI capabilities.
Kellogg MBA program embraces AI for business learning
A Kellogg MBA student shares how the program integrates AI into business education, focusing on marketing, entrepreneurship, and venture capital. Courses use tools like NotebookLM for simulations and LLMs for due diligence, allowing students to spend more time on strategic thinking and founder interactions. The program emphasizes developing essential human skills alongside AI proficiency, preparing students for a future where AI is prevalent in business.
Sources
- Google's AI Mode adds images as search giant tries to keep pace with rivals
- Google’s AI Mode image search is getting more conversational
- Google AI Mode gets more visual, including inspirational shopping responses
- Plutus Secures Investment from ServiceNow Ventures to Accelerate Agentic AI Innovation for the Insurance Industry
- Plutus Secures Investment from ServiceNow Ventures to Accelerate Agentic AI Innovation for the Insurance Industry
- San Jose pilot program using AI to detect roadway obstructions sees positive results
- Workslop is oozing into every corner of America's white-collar offices
- My petty gripe: not only am I losing my livelihood to AI – now it’s stealing my em dashes too
- Amazon Unleashes Fire Stick and Fire TVs With Alexa Plus Capability
- NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA), Abu Dhabi’s Technology Innovation Institute Launch Joint AI and Robotics Lab in UAE
- OpenAI Wants To Go ViralGPT; The Single-Site Shopper Agent
- Kellogg Chronicles: A Poet in the Age Of AI