ChatGPT Integrates Online Shopping

After complaints about GPT-4o’s overly sycophantic tone, the recent update has been rolled back. Initially designed to make the chatbot more intuitive, the update resulted in a model that felt excessively agreeable, compromising its authenticity. The problem stemmed from an over reliance on short-term user feedback, which skewed the reinforcement learning process. CEO Sam Altman confirmed that free-tier users have had the update reversed, with adjustments for paid users expected soon. Work is ongoing to refine training processes and improve model personalization.

ChatGPT Search Hits Billion Queries: The chatbot now processes over one billion web searches each week, advancing its push into AI-driven commerce. A brand new shopping feature allows users to browse products, compare prices, read reviews, and make purchases directly within the chat interface. Despite the expansion—41.3 million users within the EU—monetization challenges remain, with potential changes ahead to mix e-commerce with the conversational interface.

ChatGPT Becomes a Shopping Assistant: A brand new shopping tool has been integrated into ChatGPT, offering product recommendations, reviews, and direct purchase links. Available globally to GPT-4o users, the tool excludes sponsored content and utilizes structured metadata from third-party sources. Pro and Plus users will soon gain memory-based personalization, though this feature will not be yet available in some European regions. The update positions ChatGPT as a competitor to traditional shopping platforms like Google Shopping, offering an ad-free alternative that might disrupt affiliate revenue models.

NotebookLM Speaks 50+ Languages: NotebookLM’s Audio Overviews can now generate spoken summaries in over 50 languages, including Hindi, Turkish, Arabic, Filipino, and regional Spanish variants. Users can select an “Output Language” in settings to receive multilingual audio recaps of study materials and documents. Powered by Gemini 1.5, the feature enhances accessibility for global learners and educators. Initially launched in Google Labs, NotebookLM is now live in over 200 countries. Though a few of its original creators have exited to form a brand new startup, the tool’s growing footprint continues to attract comparisons to ChatGPT.

AI Learns Your Language Context: Google Labs has also launched three experimental language tools powered by Gemini, specializing in situational learning. Tiny Lessons offers contextual grammar and vocabulary—reminiscent of the way to report a lost passport—while Slang Hang simulates casual speech through native slang dialogues, with accuracy caveats. Word Cam uses a phone’s camera to discover and label objects within the user’s goal language, helping fill real-world vocabulary gaps. These tools support over 20 regional dialects across Arabic, Chinese, English, and Spanish, reflecting a shift toward adaptive, real-life language acquisition.

Founders Warned: Solve, Don’t Stun: Google’s Way forward for AI: Perspectives for Startups advises founders to prioritize utility over novelty. The report discourages chasing general-purpose autonomy, urging as a substitute for domain-specific solutions that integrate AI into real workflows. Startups are encouraged to construct atop commoditized infrastructure like Gemini 2.0 while specializing in proprietary data, evaluation loops, and meaningful design. Strategic pricing models—usage- or value-based—are emphasized as central to long-term success. The paper cautions against counting on exclusive model access, pointing as a substitute to product-level differentiation because the true competitive edge. Read more.