OpenAI Finally Joins the Agent-Building Race

Browse AI Tools | Browse AI Courses | Advertise

OpenAI continues to set a high bar with its new AgentKit, leaving competitors striving to keep pace in agent and text-to-video capabilities with the release of Sora 2 last week. While many hone their tools, OpenAI's latest rollout simplifies agent development in a way that's hard to ignore. Stay tuned as we explore the impacts these advancements might have across AI and what this could mean for your profession.

In This Issue:

• 💥 Big News: Dive into how AgentKit is redefining AI development and what Google’s Gemini AI means for home tech

• ⚡ Rapid Recaps: Get quick insights into new browsers, smart glasses, and cutting-edge team communication tools

• ✨ Weekly Spotlight: Access over 250 curated apps with a free 30-day Setapp trial to boost productivity

• 🔥 Hot Tools: Discover the latest AI tools enhancing everything from brand monitoring to software testing

• 🛠️ Deep Dives: Learn about innovative tools in video, image editing, and workflow automation, and what they offer professionals

💥 Big News

AgentKit Assembled: OpenAI’s DIY Toolkit for Builders

OpenAI just unveiled AgentKit, a comprehensive toolkit tailored for developers to build, deploy, & refine AI agents efficiently. Prior challenges, such as fragmented tools & extensive setup time, are minimized with features like Agent Builder, Connector Registry, and ChatKit. This release revolutionizes agent creation, streamlining workflows with a visual canvas and embedding chat-based interfaces. Enterprises can now seamlessly manage data & ensure agent reliability with robust safety features.

Build Smarter, Not Harder

• Design workflows visually with ease

• Drop in chat interfaces like puzzle pieces

• Keep your data (and agents) safely in check

Gemini Moves In

Google replaces its classic Assistant with the all-new Gemini AI in its home products, aiming for deeper integration with users’ daily routines. The revamped service promises more intelligent and personalized interactions, leveraging natural language processing to better understand complex commands and provide more contextually relevant responses. This evolution could redefine how users interact with smart devices at home, making everyday tasks smoother and more intuitive.

Your Home, Upgraded

• Blends seamlessly with your daily flow

• Handles layered, complex commands

• Makes every smart device actually feel smart

⚡ Rapid Recaps

🌍 Perplexity Opens the Gates with Comet Browser

Perplexity has released its AI-powered Comet browser for free download, removing the long waitlist. Windows & macOS users benefit from its task automation and real-time page summaries, boosting productivity without cost.

🎥 Sora 2 Says “No” to Deepfakes

OpenAI’s Sora 2 introduces face-restriction mechanisms, focusing on preventing deepfakes. Essential for protecting personal and public identities online.

🕶️ Meta Tries On Smarter Shades

Meta’s new Ray-Ban display glasses test AI-driven functionalities, hoping to enhance augmented reality experiences. Ideal for those exploring next-gen wearables.

💻 Codex Learns to Chat Like a Pro

OpenAI's Codex now integrates Slack, elevating team communications with precise, context-aware responses. This upgrade promises efficient coding and task management.

💫 Check out all 175 AI products, features, & news Big Tech released this week.

✨ Weekly Spotlight

Start your 30-day free Setapp trial

Setapp is the easy way to get the right Mac & iPhone apps—250+ curated tools under one subscription so you can work smarter and finish on time.

• Hand-picked, worthy apps only

• Faster picks, smoother routine

• One predictable monthly fee

As a special for Futurepedia newsletter subscribers enjoy an extended 30-day free trial!

🔥 Hot Tools

5 Top & Trending AI Tool Releases This Week

• PromptSignal: Monitors brand visibility and sentiment in AI models

• QA.tech: Automate software testing with AI-driven user journeys

• The Brief: Streamlines ad creation, deployment, and optimization efficiently

• PromptCompose: Manage AI prompts with version control and A/B testing

• Ascend.io: Automate, monitor, and optimize data pipelines

**Featured

🚀 Login to Futurepedia to see your 5 personalized tool recommendations.

🛠️ Deep Dives

1. Runway: AI-Powered Video & Image Creation

Why It’s Worth Your Time

• Edit videos & images with conversational commands and generative AI

• Create mood boards from a single image for consistent campaign styles

• Stage rooms virtually by uploading photos and specifying items quickly

• Capture character motion easily without rigging or expensive setups

• Generate storyboards & animatics from text prompts to speed workflows

• Personalize images by creating new scenes from a single selfie

Pricing

• Free Plan: Basic access with limited credits and core tools for generative video, image creation, and basic editing. Includes 3 video projects, 5GB of storage, and standard Gen-4 image capabilities without advanced models

• Paid Plans (from $15 per month): Standard, Pro, and Unlimited tiers provide monthly credits, watermark removal, upscaled resolution, expanded storage, advanced Gen-4 video models, unlimited video editor projects, custom voices, and Explore Mode for unlimited generations at relaxed rates

2. Pebblely: AI-Driven Product Photo Creator

Why It’s Worth Your Time

• Remove backgrounds automatically to save hours on manual editing

• Generate realistic AI backgrounds with shadows & reflections from 40+ themes

• Edit & customize images by repositioning, resizing, or removing objects easily

• Bulk generate images or scale with API for thousands of photos daily

• Use templates & reference images for consistent branding & fast creation

• Add logos or badges and customize canvas sizes up to 2048x2048 pixels

Pricing

• Free Plan: Basic access with limited image generation tools. Includes 40 images per month, 1024×1024 resolution, 40+ background themes, and 90-day storage for inactive users

• Paid Plans (from $19 per month): Basic and Pro tiers offer up to unlimited images, higher resolutions, custom backgrounds, image editing, bulk generation, logo or badge addition, unlimited storage, and priority support for professional users

3. Notion AI: Your AI Workspace Assistant

Why It’s Worth Your Time

• Boost productivity & streamline workflows by combining AI tools directly in your workspace

• Search smarter across apps like Slack and Google Drive without manual digging

• Summarize & improve content from PDFs, images, and notes with quick uploads

• Create tailored databases by describing needs and letting AI suggest structures

• Write, brainstorm & reformat content aligned to style guides or documents

• Control AI scope to trusted pages or knowledge bases for precise results

Pricing

• Free Plan: Basic access for individuals with tools to organize personal projects. Includes databases, basic sites and forms, Notion Calendar, Notion Mail integration, and limited customization

• Paid Plans (from $12 per month): Plus, Business, and Enterprise tiers add unlimited uploads, collaborative blocks, advanced permissions, domain verification, integrations, AI features like meeting notes and research mode, and enterprise-grade security with audit logs and compliance controls

⏭️ What’s Next

AgentKit is giving developers drag-and-drop superpowers, Gemini just moved into your living room, and AI browsers, shades, and chatbots are all getting smarter by the day.

Next week, we’ll trade breaking news for practical moves — Tuesday’s how-to will help you build upon these breakthroughs, and Thursday’s update will catch you up on the next wave reshaping how we code, create, and connect.