🗞️In this edition

• •Google hints at gaming with Veo 3

• • Workflow Wednesday #26 ‘AI Trust’

• • AI engineered paint lowers building temperatures

• • In other AI news –

  • •Perplexity debuts $200 Pro plan

  • •AI VTubers rake in millions

  • •Baidu revamps search with AI

  • •Honor unveils AI-powered foldable

• • 7 must-try AI tools

Google hints at using Veo 3 for future video games

♨️News –  Google executives have sparked speculation that Veo 3, the company’s new video generation model, could one day be used in video games. While the comments were lighthearted, they come alongside real progress on world simulation tools inside Google’s AI labs.

👨‍💻Fast facts –

• DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis responded to a post asking for playable Veo worlds, calling the idea intriguing.

• Veo 3 can generate realistic video and audio, but it is still a passive model without interactive capabilities.

• Google is actively developing world models that simulate how environments respond to actions, including Gemini 2.5 Pro and Genie 2.

• Others in the space include Fei-Fei Li’s World Labs, which builds 3D scenes from a single image.

• Google may eventually combine tools like Veo and Genie for game development or interactive worlds.

🤓OpenTools POV – This feels like more than just a passing comment. Google is steadily building the pieces for dynamic, AI-generated worlds. If it moves forward, it could reshape how games and simulations are made. 

This Week in Workflow Wednesday #26: AI Trust

Make Your Research More Reliable with DeftGPT

Shaky research = shaky outcomes. Skimming PDFs and guessing at meaning won’t cut it, especially when trust is on the line.
Here’s how to dig deeper and build confidence in your sources:

Step 1:
Go to deftpdf.com/deftgpt and upload your documents—reports, contracts, academic papers, whatever you’re working with.
It’s free to use, and handles multiple files at once.

Step 2:
Ask smart, detailed questions like:
“What are the main arguments in Section 2?”
“Is the tone consistent throughout the document?”

We break it down fully in this week’s issue, along with 2 other ultra-simple AI workflows

New AI engineered paint keeps surfaces up to 20°C cooler

☕News –  A new AI-designed paint could help cities stay cooler and cut down on energy use. Scientists have used machine learning to create coatings that reflect sunlight and release heat, keeping buildings noticeably cooler during the day.

👨‍💻Fast facts –

• The paint can keep surfaces between 5°C and 20°C cooler than regular paint in direct sunlight.

• It was developed by researchers from the US, China, Singapore, and Sweden.

• In hot cities like Rio or Bangkok, one coated apartment block could save over 15,000 kWh of electricity a year.

• The team used AI to design the paint much faster than traditional methods.

• Other AI-led materials are being developed for batteries, carbon capture, and solar panels.

🤓OpenTools POV –   This shows how AI is starting to speed up progress in real-world materials, not just digital tools. Cooling paint may seem simple, but the tech behind it is opening doors for breakthroughs in energy and climate solutions. 

🙆🏻‍♀️What else is happening?

• Perplexity launches a $200 monthly subscription plan // The plan, Perplexity Max, offers unlimited access to the startup’s spreadsheet and report generation tool, Labs, as well as early access to new features, including Perplexity’s forthcoming AI-powered browser, Comet 

• AI virtual personality YouTubers, or ‘VTubers,’ are earning millions // One of the most popular gaming YouTubers is named Bloo, but he isn’t a human he’s a VTuber, a fully virtual personality powered by artificial intelligence

• China AI champion Baidu rolls out most sweeping changes to search platform in a decade // As an initial effort, Baidu’s search bar was enlarged and turned into a ‘smart box’ that handles more tasks than simple text queries

• Honor launches thinnest foldable smartphone with new AI agent amid steep competition // The Shenzhen-based firm’s newly launched Magic V5 has an AI agent that can make presentations and coordinate ride-hailing across multiple apps

👩🏼‍🚒Discover mind-blowing AI tools

1. Learn How to Use AI - Starting January 8, 2025, we’re launching Workflow Wednesday, a series where we teach you how to use AI effectively. Lock in early bird pricing now and secure your spot. Check it out here

2. OpenTools AI Tools Expert  - Find the perfect AI Tool to solve supercharge your workflow. This GPT is connected to our database, so you can ask in depth questions on any AI tool directly in ChatGPT (free)

3. IMAI - Marketing platform that empowers brands, online stores, and agencies to discover influencers

4. Namelix - Helps businesses come up with short, catchy, and brandable names

5. AutoDraw - A drawing tool that uses machine learning to create visuals quickly and easily

6. Spline 3D - A 3D modeling tool powered by AI that allows users to create objects, animations, and textures using prompts

7. Oxolo - A tool for creating engaging e-commerce videos in just one click