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Imagine waking up to a chatbot that’s already slid into your messages with a tailored greeting, before you even had a chance to hit send.

This week, Meta’s bots are stepping up as proactive conversation starters, pinging you with themed chats that feel almost human. Meanwhile, ChatGPT is shaking up study sessions by nudging you with problems, tracking progress, and rallying your classmates.

All the while, an insider podcast teases tomorrow’s tech, designer therapies edge into patient trials, and a showdown over AI mimicry heats up.

Ready to see which surprise pings you first?

In This Issue:

• 💥 Big News: Meta’s chatbots adopt unforgettable personas, and ChatGPT’s new study-together feature teams up with you and your classmates

• ⚡ Rapid Recaps: An AI podcast from the industry leader drops secret insights, designer drugs hit the clinic, a premium plan rattles wallets, a plagiarism battle ignites, an AI job-hunt ally emerges, and one system makes dreams of parenthood real

• ✨ Weekly Spotlight: Design your own courses with Generative AI for Course Creators. rainstorm focused topics, craft measurable objectives, build engaging outlines and script slide decks for any format

• 🔥 Hot Tools: Browse 10 standout AI releases—from custom assistants to instant dashboards—and see which ones we handpicked for you

• 🛠️ Deep Dives: Explore Merlin AI’s all-in-one research hub, Shuffll’s effortless video studio, and Genie’s Shopify inventory wizardry

💥 Big News

Meta's AI Chatbots Get Personal

Meta is taking a bold step by testing customizable AI chatbots designed to proactively engage users within its messaging apps. These chatbots can maintain themed personas, such as movie critics or chefs, and remember past interactions. This development aims to enhance user engagement while exploring new interactive experiences.

Proactive Chatbots, With Personality

• Chatbots maintain themed personas

• Remembers past interactions for continuity

• Targets enhanced user engagement

OpenAI Unleashes Study Partner Feature

OpenAI is transforming study sessions with its new "study together" feature being tested in ChatGPT. This tool turns the chatbot into an interactive study partner, challenging users to solve problems and master concepts. It also hints at collaborative sessions for simultaneous study among multiple users.

ChatGPT Becomes Your Study Buddy

• ChatGPT becomes a problem-solving partner

• Encourages mastery of concepts

• Supports collaborative learning

⚡ Rapid Recaps

🎙️ OpenAI Hits the Airwaves

OpenAI has launched a podcast revealing insights into its development and future plans. It sheds light on naming decisions, viral growth, upcoming GPT-5 plans, and behavioral challenges.

💉 AlphaFold’s Cancer Drug Goes Human

Isomorphic Labs, a DeepMind spinoff, is starting human trials for AI-designed cancer drugs. Leveraging AlphaFold 3, these trials could transform drug development, aiming for on-demand treatment creation.

💸 Perplexity’s $200 “Max” Sticker Shock

Perplexity introduces a $200/month Max tier, reflecting the rising costs of maintaining advanced AI systems. This plan offers features like coding and detailed research tools.

🐱 Huawei’s Copy-Catfight Over AI Models

Huawei faces allegations of copying AI models from Alibaba, spotlighting ethical concerns in AI development. This controversy highlights the competitive pressures in the Chinese AI sector.

🎮 Copilot Levels Up the Job Search

Following layoffs, an Xbox executive suggests using Microsoft Copilot to ease job search and mental strain. This AI tool helps manage job loss challenges and boosts job hunting efforts.

👶 STAR Helps a Miracle Baby Arrive

Columbia University's AI system STAR helps a couple conceive after 18 years, showcasing AI's potential in fertility treatments.

💫 Check out all 99 AI products, features, & news Big Tech released this week.

✨ Weekly Spotlight

Design Your Own Courses With ChatGPT

Generative AI for Course Creators guides you through using ChatGPT to craft clear learning objectives, build engaging outlines & develop interactive content for webinars, videos & e-learning formats. Perfect for experts & beginners alike looking to streamline course creation.

• Define focused topics with AI-assisted brainstorming

• Craft measurable objectives that guide your course structure

• Organize content plus design interactive activities for retention

• Script & create slide decks tailored to multiple course formats

🔥 Hot Tools

10 Top & Trending AI Tool Releases This Week

• Niomake: Generate tailored, high-quality content**

• Post-Boost: Schedule and post content across multiple platforms**

• PicMa Studio: Enhance photos with AI-driven editing tools**

• SellerPic: Enhance product images with AI-generated marketing visuals**

• Vexub: Transform text or audio into captivating AI-generated videos**

• WalletFinder.ai: Discover profitable crypto wallet strategies driven by AI analysis**

• Howdy: Automate Instagram DMs for personalized lead outreach

• Teammates.AI: Handle customer service and sales with AI agents

• Context: Transform inputs into polished presentations and documents

• Tile: Transform raw data into actionable insights

**Featured

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

🛠️ Deep Dives

1. Merlin AI: 26-in-1 AI research & writing hub

Why It’s Worth Your Time

• Instant access to multiple AI models for versatile research & content creation

• Chat contextually with webpages & files to get tailored insights & summaries

• Create custom AI chatbots (Projects) that turn knowledge bases into specialized assistants

• Generate code, diagrams & data analysis on demand with live previews

• Translate over 50 languages including images & videos for global communication

• Enhance websites with AI-powered search & Gmail assistance to speed workflows

Pricing

• Free Plan: Try out Merlin with basic image generation, limited model access, Chrome extension support, and over 70 AI tools—no cost to get started

• Paid Plans (from $29/month): Unlock unlimited access to top AI tools, advanced image features, Chrome extensions, and exclusive models like GPT-4o and Claude 3.7. Teams can collaborate with added controls, dashboards, and enterprise-grade security at $19 per seat/month

2. Shuffll: AI Video Creation Simplified

Why It’s Worth Your Time

• Automate video production from concept to final cut with AI

• Maintain brand consistency using custom logos, colors, & fonts

• Scale content creation by producing multiple video series easily

• Collaborate in real time on scripts and projects with your team

• Publish across platforms with versatile export & embedding options

• Enhance video quality using built-in teleprompter & voice tools

Pricing

• Paid Plans (from $79/month*): Create videos with AI scripts, branded graphics, image generation, voice enhancement, and transcription. Higher tiers unlock advanced voiceovers, team collaboration, guest access, and priority support.

*save 40% on annual billing

3. Genie: AI Inventory Management for Shopify

Why It’s Worth Your Time

• Track inventory in real time to avoid stockouts & overstock situations

• Automate purchase orders with smart replenishment & multi-currency support

• Analyze data easily using advanced spreadsheet-style views without complexity

• Access powerful reports with customizable templates & automated scheduling

• Manage suppliers including lead times & contacts in one centralized place

• Set up quickly with minimal onboarding and Shopify-focused integration

Pricing

• Free Trial: Get full access to all features for 21 days—no strings attached.

• Paid Plans (from $59/month): Manage 1,500 to 5,000+ product variants and up to unlimited suppliers with tools for inventory tracking, reports, PO creation, and supplier management. Higher tiers offer dedicated support and Slack integration.

⏭️ What’s Next

This week reminded us that AI isn’t just reactive anymore. It will now reach out first, guiding our chats and study sessions with surprising intuition.

Up next, on Tuesday we’ll guide you through putting proactive AI to work in your own workflows, and on Thursday you’ll get your regular news roundup packed with the latest launches, trials, and industry shifts.

See you there!