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Welcome Automaters 👋
Remember when Sam Altman said ads in AI were “uniquely unsettling” and a “last resort”? Well, it’s 2026 and the last resort has officially arrived.
OpenAI just dropped their ad platform for ChatGPT, and the pricing is absolutely INSANE.
Here’s why:
They’re charging brands $60 per 1,000 views. For context: that’s the same price as an NFL live broadcast and literally three times what Meta charges.
For those premium prices, advertisers get… basically nothing. No conversion tracking, no "did they buy the boots" metrics. Just basic impressions, clicks, and a LOT of vibe y’all.
If you’re a brand wanting to test this, bring your checkbook. Beta advertisers have to commit $1 MILLION just to get in the door.
So, why the flip-flop, Sam? Two words: Infrastructure costs. OpenAI is planning to spend $1.4 TRILLION on compute over the next eight years, and even with $20B in revenue, they’re burning cash faster than anything you can imagine.
Oh and apart from the online roast, OpenAI also got the Demis roast.
Google DeepMind’s CEO, Demis Hassabis, took the stage at Davos last week and basically chose violence. He roasted the move, saying Google has ZERO plans to put ads in Gemini because AI should work for you, not advertisers. (Easy to say when you’re already sitting on a $200B search ad mountain, Demis!)
The Big Picture
The value prop for marketers is actually brilliant. ChatGPT catches people at the "raw intent" stage. It's the difference between someone searching for "Nike boots" and someone asking "what are the best boots for a snowy trek in Japan?" That’s marketing gold folks.
If you're a free ChatGPT user, get ready to see ads starting in the next few weeks. If you're a marketer with a massive budget and a high tolerance for experimental platforms, this could be an early-mover opportunity. And if you're watching the AI race unfold, this is a MASSIVE signal that even the most successful AI companies are still figuring out how to make this whole thing financially sustainable.
But the question is: will brands pay NFL-level prices for basic metrics and trust that it works?
Here's what we have for you today
🦾 Anthropic’s Claude Can Now Run Apps
Anthropic just dropped a certified game-changer, y’all.
Y'know the pain of having 47 browser tabs open just to finish one task? Claude is officially over it. Starting today, Claude can run actual apps directly inside its chat window.
Here’s The Lowdown: If you’re on a Claude Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise plan, you can now draft Slack messages, build Asana timelines, and tweak Figma designs without ever leaving the chat. (Sorry, free-tier friends—you’re stuck on the sidelines for this one).
Why this is actually wild: These aren't just embedded iframes. They’re fully interactive, logged-in instances that Claude can actually manipulate on your behalf.
The Workflow: You can tell Claude to "make a Q1 project timeline," and an actual Asana board pops up in the chat. You edit it there, and it saves there.
The Magic: It’s all powered by MCP (Model Context Protocol). Think of it like the "USB-C for AI." Anthropic open-sourced it, the Linux Foundation got it, and even OpenAI and Google are using it. Translation: This is the new industry standard.
Oh and, the Guest List is STACKED: The launch partners include Amplitude, Asana, Box, Canva, Clay, Figma, Hex, monday.com, and Slack. Salesforce is "coming soon," and since this will eventually plug into Claude Cowork (that no-code tool from last week), you can basically tell Claude to grab a file from Box, slap it into Canva, and ping the team on Slack in one move.
But Wait, is it safe?
Anthropic’s own safety docs basically say: "Don't be reckless." Instead of giving the bot the keys to your entire kingdom, start small. Create a dedicated folder for Claude and keep the rest of your Google Drive under lock and key.
You also need to be specific. Like, really specific. AI is great, but it’s still prone to "creative" interpretations of your instructions. And if you’re dealing with high-stakes finances or key infos, keep your eyes on the screen. Unless, of course, you want the #general Slack channel to see everyone’s salary because you weren't clear enough.
The Bottom Line: We’re moving from "AI that answers questions" to "AI that gets the job done." Since Claude Code launched, Anthropic’s traffic has DOUBLED, meaning the most valuable AI isn’t the one that writes the best poem—it’s the one that finishes your to-do list.
So, you ready to hire a robot?
Well if you're a paid user, you can start connecting your apps at claude.ai/directory, but remember….be wise about it.
Hit here to learn more.
Better prompts. Better AI output.
AI gets smarter when your input is complete. Wispr Flow helps you think out loud and capture full context by voice, then turns that speech into a clean, structured prompt you can paste into ChatGPT, Claude, or any assistant. No more chopping up thoughts into typed paragraphs. Preserve constraints, examples, edge cases, and tone by speaking them once. The result is faster iteration, more precise outputs, and less time re-prompting. Try Wispr Flow for AI or see a 30-second demo.
🧱 Around The AI Block
🦾 How a local first agent stack turns chats into real automations.
🤖 Microsoft announces powerful new chip for AI inference.
🧠 Siri’s new brain arrives in February.
🔎 New research decodes hidden bias in health care LLMs.
⛈️ Nvidia is probably more accurate than your local weatherman.
👨⚖️ YouTubers sue Snap for alleged copyright infringement in training its AI models.
🛠️ Trending Tools
For the Power Developers: Windsurf is for the "Heavy Use" crowd. While other tools are just assistants, Windsurf is your "AI Squad." It features a flow-state engine called Cascade that understands your entire codebase, not just the file you’re in. It acts as a team of engineers that can strategically implement large-scale features while you act as the architect.
For the Automation Architects: Gumloop allows you to build complex, multi-step AI agents that can scrape websites, summarize data, and push it to your internal tools—all without writing a single line of code. It’s the ultimate "stealth speed" tool for operations.
For the Morning Hustlers: Tiimo is an AI-powered visual planner designed for neurodivergent brains or anyone who struggles with "time blindness." It turns your abstract to-do list into a visual timeline with AI-assisted routines, helping you actually see your day so you stop over-committing.
For the Spreadsheet Legends:Numerous.ai embeds an AI directly into your cells. You can ask it to categorize 10,000 rows of customer feedback, extract emails from messy text, or predict future trends based on your historical data—all using a simple formula like =AI("summarize this cell").
Hope these tools help you reclaim some of your time today!
🤖 AI Workout Of The Day: How to Turn Your Own Face Into a Viral Meme
It’s official: your camera roll is now a meme goldmine. Remember when making a meme required actual Photoshop skills and a prayer? Hah. Those days are cooked.
Google just dropped "Me Meme" in Google Photos, and it’s basically the AI meme generator we’ve all been waiting for (or dreading, depending on how you feel about your face becoming a global group chat staple).
🧐 So What Is Me Meme and Why Should You Care?
Google Photos already had a toolbox full of AI tricks for removing exes from photos and fixing blurry backgrounds. But "Me Meme" is different: it isn't about making your photos better. It’s about making them funnier.
The feature lives in the "Create" tab and uses Google’s Gemini AI to automatically face-swap you into classic templates. You literally just:
Open Google Photos.
Tap the "Create" tab.
Select "Me Meme".
Pick or upload a template (like the "This is Fine" dog or "Distracted Boyfriend").
Upload a clear selfie.
Hit "Generate" and watch AI put your face into meme history.
Pro Tip: Google recommends "well-lit, focused, and front-facing" shots. The feature is still experimental, so if you look a little "uncanny valley," don't panic. Honestly, the slightly weird AI results are usually what makes a meme go viral anyway.
🥊 Why This Beats Everything Else:
Yes, face-swap apps have existed since the dawn of the iPhone. But Google is changing the game for three reasons:
Zero Friction: It’s already on your phone. You don't need to download another app, create another account, or give your data to some random third-party service. It's right there with your photos, ready to go.
The templates are curated. Google's including popular, trending meme formats that actually work.
Gemini Magic: Unlike janky tools from 2022, Gemini adjusts the lighting, angles, and expressions to make your face actually blend into the scene.
Speed: We’re talking seconds. You can jump on a trending format before the internet moves on to the next thing.
Oh and, Google isn't the only one trying to own your face. The AI meme game has absolutely exploded this year:
Kirkify AI went viral for its Charlie Kirk face swap memes, letting users "Kirkify" any image with a signature neon-glitch aesthetic
Media.io's Face in Hole Generator lets you swap your face into movie posters, Renaissance paintings, and viral video clips
JoggAI takes it to the next level by handling face swaps in videos up to 60 seconds with perfect frame-tracking.
🚀 How to Actually Go Viral
If you want to be more than just a "funny photo in the family chat," follow the Automated playbook:
Series Not Singles: One meme is a joke. A thread of five related memes is "main character" energy.
Relatability is King: "Me trying to explain AI to my parents" hits 10x harder when it’s actually your confused face in the frame.
Context matters more than Quality: A slightly janky AI meme, a killer caption, with perfect timing will beat a polished one that’s two days late. The internet moves fast: don't overthink it.
Know your platform. What works on TikTok might bomb on LinkedIn. Me Meme lets you create different aspect ratios, so optimize for where you're posting.
The Big Picture: The meme economy just got very personal, y’all.
💡 Quick Tip of the Day: The "Context Injection" Hack
When using "Heavy Use" tools like Windsurf or Gumloop, don't just give them a task. Give them your Constraints.
This keeps the AI from wasting "Heavy Use" credits on a path you didn't want.
Try this prompt structure:
Execute [Task] with a strict focus on [Specific Outcome]. While working, explicitly avoid the following common pitfall(s): [Common Pitfall]
Do not default to generic advice, unnecessary background, or speculative assumptions unless I explicitly ask for them.
Break the task into clear, logical steps and explain your reasoning briefly at each stage so I can track progress without information overload.
When you reach approximately 50% completion, pause immediately and present:
-A short summary of what’s been completed
-What remains
-Any assumptions you’re about to make
Ask me for a “checkpoint approval” before continuing. Do not proceed past this point until approval is given.
If constraints conflict at any time, prioritize [Specific Outcome] over speed, creativity, or verbosity.Is this your AI Workout of the Week (WoW)? Cast your vote!
That's all we've got for you today.
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