🗞️In this edition

• Google links public data to AI systems

• Workflow Wednesday #38 ‘Workflow Evolution’

• China builds world’s tallest dam with AI’s help 

• In other AI news –

  • AI models can now pass hardest CFA exam in minutes

  • Google rolls out real-time AI voice search with Search Live

  • Microsoft integrates Anthropic’s AI into Copilot

  • 4 must-try AI tools

Google expands data commons access to strengthen AI with verified statistics

♨️News – Google is opening up its Data Commons platform with a new Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server, giving developers and AI agents direct access to high-quality public datasets through natural language. The release is designed to ground AI systems in reliable information and reduce the problem of hallucinations that often come from noisy web data.

👨‍💻Fast facts – 

• Data Commons, launched in 2018, brings together statistics from governments, local authorities, and global organizations like the UN.

• The MCP Server allows developers to query this data in plain language and use it within AI models or applications.

• The open MCP standard, first introduced by Anthropic, is now adopted by Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI.

• Google worked with the ONE Campaign to create an AI agent that surfaces financial and health data for Africa.

• Developers can access the server through Gemini CLI, Colab notebooks, or GitHub sample code.

🤓Open Tools POV – This move highlights a growing shift toward grounding AI in structured, trusted data. By aligning with open standards, Google is helping set the stage for more reliable and collaborative AI systems.

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This Week in Workflow Wednesday #38: Workflow Evolution

Workflow Evolution in Action: Meetings That Manage Themselves using fireflies.ai

Tired of juggling notes while trying to stay engaged? Fireflies.ai turns meetings into self-managing records so your team never misses a decision.

Step 1: Sync Your Calendar

Fireflies works best when it knows your schedule. Connect your calendar, and it will automatically spot upcoming meetings and be ready to join without reminders.

Step 2: Decide How Fireflies Behaves

Head to Settings → Meeting Settings and choose ….. We break it all down in this week’s issue, along with 2 other AI workflows.

AI and digital twins power world’s tallest rockfill dam in China 

☕News –  China has started storing water at the Dashixia Water Control Project in Xinjiang, a record-setting mega dam built with the help of artificial intelligence and digital twin technology. At 247 meters tall, it is the world’s tallest concrete-faced rockfill dam and the first to be completed using large-scale intelligent construction.

👨‍💻Fast facts – 

• Located on the Kumarak River in Xinjiang’s Aksu prefecture.

• Designed by China Energy Engineering Corporation.

• Built with AI, blockchain, BIM, cloud computing, and digital twin systems.

• Construction finished eight months ahead of schedule using automated equipment.

• Will store 1.17 billion cubic meters of water and provide irrigation for 533,000 hectares.

• Power output is expected to reach 1.9 billion kWh annually, enough for 180,000 US households.

• Conservation steps included releasing 140,000 fish to protect river biodiversity.

🤓Open Tools POV – The Dashixia project highlights how AI is moving into physical infrastructure, not just digital applications. Intelligent construction could set the stage for faster, safer, and more sustainable megaprojects worldwide.

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📢 What else is happening?

• AI can now pass the hardest level of the CFA exam in a matter of minutes // Several artificial intelligence models are now advanced enough to pass the three-part chartered financial analyst exam, even the most difficult Level III test

• Google is starting to launch real-time AI voice search // You can use Search Live to interact with an AI assistant using your voice and your phone’s camera

• Microsoft adds Anthropic’s AI to Copilot // The deal signals yet another step toward the slow disentangling between the erstwhile exclusive partners, and comes a couple of weeks after Microsoft inked a deal to use Anthropic’s AI in Office 365 apps like Word, Excel, and Outlook

👩🏼‍🚒Discover mind-blowing AI tools

1. Viroll - An AI-powered video editing tool that helps users create highlight clips from their videos (Free)

2. Chekable - An AI-powered platform that provides services for checking the patentability of inventions ($47/ full patent text search)

3. Tactic - Helps users automate research, analysis, and action by generating insights from any document ($20/month)

4. Lyro - An AI Chatbot that automatically answers common questions and perform recurring tasks so your team can focus on growing your business ($29/month)