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- Every browser is now an AI Assistant
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Welcome to AI Toast!
Here’s what’s on the menu today:
Microsoft heats up the ‘AI Browser Battle.’
Meta cuts 600 AI jobs
X Launches Handle Marketplace
Superhero Tools
Build apps with Google AI Studio.
Quick AI Toasts: What happened in AI
Total read time: About 6 minutes, perfect for an americano.
In the wake of OpenAI’s Atlas debut, Microsoft has relaunched Edge with Copilot Mode, making browsable AI personal, productive, and competitive. Two titans now race to redefine how browsers collaborate with users, not just show the web.
Microsoft’s Copilot Mode transforms Edge into an "AI browser"; it’s an intelligent companion for searching, summarizing, and even booking services as you browse.
Copilot can reason across open tabs, summarize information, and take actions like making reservations or filling forms, acting more like an assistant than a tool.
OpenAI debuted Atlas, and just two days later, Edge’s Copilot Mode went center stage in Microsoft’s event.
Visually, both browsers look and feel similar, with chatbot panels and new-tab chat, but underlying AI models make the real difference.
The new “Actions” let you use voice or chat to get tasks done, ask Edge to open sites, unsubscribe from emails, or plan your day, skipping tedious steps.
“Journeys” in Edge save past browsing sessions grouped by topic, letting you jump back in and continue projects instantly; bookmarking is nearly obsolete.
Copilot is opt-in and privacy-oriented, using browsing history only with permission and clearly signaling when it’s active.
Edge also brings new security features, AI-powered scam detection, password management, and more.
Personal Take: Both browsers are shaping up as full-fledged assistants. The pace and scale of change are a little difficult to wrap my head around. If browsers are becoming partners, not portals, the future of the web is about conversation, context, and creation and not mindless clicking. We’re on the brink of browsers finally working for us, not the other way around.
Want to get the most out of ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is a superpower if you know how to use it correctly.
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Image Source: Entrepreneur Magazine
Meta has launched another round of layoffs, targeting its Risk organization. The tech giant is exchanging manual human work for automation, a move echoed across the industry. Here’s what you should know about this organizational shift and what it signals for the future.
Meta is cutting jobs in its Risk org, citing a shift toward automated, tech-driven processes.
The company is moving away from manual reviews to standardized, automated compliance checks.
Key teams affected: Product Risk Program Managers, Shared Services, and the Global Security & Privacy (GSP) teams.
The GSP team is merging with Regulatory Readiness and the data protection office, forming a new Regulatory Compliance Programs group.
The company is consolidating more operations in London, leveraging technical leadership.
These changes follow the recent layoff of 600 people from Meta’s Superintelligence Labs.
AI and technology have also begun automating Meta’s hiring process and candidate assessments.
Personal Take: The future of work at companies like Meta will be shaped by automation. Human creativity and judgment will matter, but only for the most complex problems. For everyone else, adapting fast is the only option.
X is opening a new digital marketplace where Premium subscribers can request and purchase inactive usernames, marking one of the platform’s boldest monetization moves yet. Some “rare” handles could fetch anywhere from $2,500 to seven figures, according to X.
Two-tier system: “Priority” handles (like @GabrielJones or @ParadoxAI) are available for free to Premium+ and Premium Business users pending approval.
“Rare” handles for sale: Short or culturally valuable usernames such as @Pizza, @Tom, or @One will be auctioned or sold via invite-only drops.
Review process: Requests are manually reviewed within three business days. Once approved, users keep their old handle in reserve.
Retention rule: Cancelling or downgrading a Premium plan triggers a 30-day grace period before handles revert.
Anti-bot protection: X says the marketplace replaces chaotic handle releases with a “fair, controlled” system to prevent spam and misuse.
Engagement-based selection: For public drops, X will consider factors like platform activity, reach and intended handle use.
This move could strengthen X’s direct revenue streams while boosting Premium subscriptions amid its push to reduce reliance on advertising. Handles link
Personal Take: X isn’t just selling usernames, it’s selling status. In the new social economy, your @handle could be your brand, your badge or your digital legacy and for the right price, it’s now up for grabs.
Become An AI Expert In Just 5 Minutes
If you’re a decision maker at your company, you need to be on the bleeding edge of, well, everything. But before you go signing up for seminars, conferences, lunch ‘n learns, and all that jazz, just know there’s a far better (and simpler) way: Subscribing to The Deep View.
This daily newsletter condenses everything you need to know about the latest and greatest AI developments into a 5-minute read. Squeeze it into your morning coffee break and before you know it, you’ll be an expert too.
Subscribe right here. It’s totally free, wildly informative, and trusted by 600,000+ readers at Google, Meta, Microsoft, and beyond.
Superhero Tools
BetterPic: Instantly create AI-powered professional headshots from selfies in under an hour; no photographer needed.
ElevenLabs: Generate highly realistic AI voices and voiceovers in 70+ languages for apps and content in seconds.
HailuoAI: Quickly turn your ideas into stunning AI-generated videos with easy customization for visuals and branding.
Readdy: Build a mobile-friendly, fully custom website instantly just by describing your idea, no coding or design skills required.
Atlas browser by OpenAI: A next-gen AI browser from OpenAI with ChatGPT built in for smart search, automation, and everyday web tasks.
Build Apps with Google AI Studio (with Annotate Mode)
Go to ai.studio and log in with your Google account.
The platform is free and requires no coding knowledge. With the new vibe-coding UI, you can go from prompt to deployable app in minutes.
Click the Build tab.
You can use the app gallery (pre-built templates), or write your own prompt describing what you want to build (e.g., “Build an app where I upload an image and it generates a travel itinerary.”).
Google’s Gemini AI and proprietary agents will read your prompt and auto-generate the app, including UI and backend logic, even integrating Google’s latest AI models (like Gemini 1.5, Nano Banana for images, or V0 for video).
You don’t need to manage API keys for these core features.
There’s also an "I'm Feeling Lucky" button if you want AI to suggest startup/app ideas for you.
The platform shows a live preview. You can test features directly (upload images, input prompts, preview AI outputs, etc.).
The Deploy button lets you go live to Google Cloud (with generous free hosting), share the app via a public link, or even export code for local development or GitHub.
Activate Annotate Mode (usually a pencil or “Annotate” button while in the visual preview).
Use simple drawing tools to mark up the UI:
Circle a button and write, “Make this green.”
Draw an arrow to a text box: “Replace with email field.”
Highlight an area: “Add login step here,” etc.
Once you annotate, click Generate. Gemini interprets your draws/notes and updates the UI and underlying code instantly, no need to write any code or instructions!
This is useful for:
Fast prototyping and UI tweaks.
Non-coders testing ideas visually.
Marking bugs or feature requests directly on the app.
Keep using prompts, edits, or annotations to improve your app. You can layer multiple changes in real time.
You can also adjust model settings, enable structured output (JSON/XML), and tune how the AI responds.
Host your app on Google Cloud, or just share a link.
Download all app code for further customization in VS Code, Replit, or your favorite IDE.
Quick AI News Bites
Amazon just launched a new tool called "Help me decide" that uses AI to tell you why a product is perfect for you. The tool looks at what you've been browsing and shopping for to suggest items that match your needs, like recommending a four-person tent if you've been buying camping gear.
Instagram now lets users access Meta AI editing tools directly in Stories without needing to chat with a bot first. You can simply tap the paintbrush icon and use the "Restyle" menu to change your hair color, add accessories, or completely transform your background with just text prompts.
OpenAI has acquired Software Applications Incorporated, the company behind Sky, a natural language AI interface for Mac computers. Sky can understand what's on your screen and take actions using your apps, helping with writing, planning, coding, and daily tasks.
Microsoft has brought back Clippy as a new AI assistant called Mico, according to reports from Analytics India Magazine. The classic office helper has been reimagined as an expressive AI assistant that can help users with various tasks.
Snapchat has made its Imagine Lens available to everyone in the US for free. The AI-powered lens lets you type any idea and watch it come to life in your camera, whether you want to turn your office into a slip-and-slide or try on Halloween costumes virtually.
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— Poonam Soni