Happy Friday! After returning from vacation, I’m catching up on everything I missed. Interestingly, coverage of AI researchers changing jobs is starting to resemble NBA trade reports.
Before diving into this week’s topic, check out my interview with Aravind Srinivas, CEO of Perplexity, on Decoder this week. It deeply explores the main focus of today’s newsletter alongside updates on Substack and AI news.
From Chatbots to Browsers
When people think of the AI boom, chatbots like ChatGPT come to mind. However, it’s becoming clear that the next phase of AI development is unfolding within web browsers.
This is largely because current chatbots lack access to the personal data your browser can utilize. Access to your online activities—like emails and banking—is vital for AI to effectively function as a true personal assistant.
Recent product launches underscore this shift. OpenAI introduced the ChatGPT Agent, which includes a basic web browsing feature, while Perplexity’s Comet desktop browser goes further by allowing AI to access your accounts and perform tasks. There are rumors of OpenAI creating a more comprehensive browser.
However, both tools currently have limitations. Access is restricted to higher-tier subscriptions due to the computational demands, and neither reliably performs as advertised. ChatGPT Agent operates in a read-only mode and has had issues with slow responses and incomplete tasks, while Comet, though faster, frequently misrepresents its capabilities.
Even with these challenges, using Comet has convinced me that integrating chatbots with browser functionality could lead to a more powerful AI experience. It already feels outdated to merely prompt a chatbot instead of interacting with an AI that can see the associated webpage. While standalone chatbots will persist, the browser is where AI can evolve into a true agent.
Among other updates, Substack announced a significant funding round where Vice founder Shane Smith reportedly expressed interest in acquiring the company but was turned down. Amidst the AI sector, there were reports of challenges in obtaining US visas for attending major conferences, prompting organizers to open additional locations to accommodate attendees.
Some noteworthy career moves:
Meta’s new Superintelligence lab is expanding rapidly, with key talents from OpenAI and other companies joining. Meanwhile, there have been significant leadership changes at various tech companies, signaling a continuing trend of talent migration within the AI sector.
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