🗞️In this edition

• •xAI unveils Grok 4 and upgrades

• • Workflow Wednesday #27 ‘AI Exploration’

• •Perplexity launches Comet AI browser

• • In other AI news –

  • •California senator revives AI safety bill

  • •YouTube to crack down on AI spam content

  • •Google adds Gemini to Wear OS, AI to Circle

  • •OpenAI plans launch of AI browser soon

• • 8 must-try AI tools

xAI debuts Grok 4 and premium plan after tumultuous week

♨️News –  xAI has unveiled Grok 4, its latest AI model, alongside a more advanced version called Grok 4 Heavy and a premium $300-per-month plan called SuperGrok Heavy. The launch follows a turbulent week for Elon Musk’s companies, including the sudden departure of X CEO Linda Yaccarino and backlash over offensive content generated by Grok.

👨‍💻Fast facts –

• Grok 4 outperformed Gemini 2.5 Pro and OpenAI’s o3 on several academic benchmarks.

• Grok 4 Heavy uses multiple AI agents working together to solve tasks.

• SuperGrok Heavy subscribers get early access to new tools and upcoming models.

• xAI plans to launch a coding assistant in August, a multi-modal agent in September, and a video model in October.

• Grok’s recent antisemitic posts prompted xAI to quietly edit its system prompt and limit its public responses.

🤓OpenTools POV –   xAI is clearly chasing the frontier in AI performance, but the bigger question is whether Grok can be trusted at scale. Businesses may hesitate if safety and reliability aren’t part of the package. 

This Week in Workflow Wednesday #27: AI Exploration

Spot Market Trends Faster with Perplexity
Trying to stay ahead of the AI curve? Trend research usually means 20 tabs, scattered notes, and digging through outdated blog posts.
Here’s how to skip the rabbit holes and get real answers, fast:

Step 1:
 Start with a Trend-Driven Query
Head to Perplexity and drop in a focused research query around AI trends or emerging tools. Examples:

• “What are the fastest-growing AI startups in 2025?”

Step 2:
 Scan the Sources, Not Just the Answer
Perplexity pulls from recent news, blogs, and research papers - all linked. Use the ……
We break it down fully in this week’s issue, along with 2 other ultra-simple AI workflows

Perplexity challenges Google with AI powered Comet browser

☕News –  Perplexity has officially launched Comet, its first AI-powered web browser, aiming to compete more directly with Google Search. The browser comes with the company’s AI search built in and introduces a new assistant designed to help users manage everyday web tasks.

👨‍💻Fast facts –

• Comet is available to Max plan subscribers and select waitlist users.

• Perplexity’s AI search is set as the default engine.

• A new assistant can summarize emails, manage tabs, and answer questions based on what’s on screen.

• The assistant performs well on basic tasks but struggles with complex ones like bookings.

• Using it requires deep access to user data, including email and calendar accounts.

🤓OpenTools POV –   Comet puts Perplexity’s AI directly in the browser, not just in search. It’s a smart step, but real traction will depend on whether users are comfortable handing over more control to an AI that still has clear limits.

🙆🏻‍♀️What else is happening?

• California lawmaker behind SB 1047 reignites push for mandated AI safety // California State Senator Scott Wiener on Wednesday introduced new amendments to his latest bill, SB 53, that would require the world’s largest AI companies to publish safety and security  

• YouTube prepares crackdown on ‘mass-produced’ and ‘repetitive’ videos, as concern over AI slop grows // YouTube is preparing to update its policies to crack down on creators’ ability to generate revenue from “inauthentic” content, including mass-produced videos and other types of repetitive content  things that have become easier to generate with the help of AI technology

• Google brings Gemini to Wear OS watches, adds AI Mode to Circle to Search // The tech giant is also adding new Circle to Search capabilities by integrating its AI Mode search experience directly into the feature and adding support for gaming-related queries

• OpenAI is reportedly releasing an AI 

  browser in the coming weeks // OpenAI’s browser may integrate Operator, the company’s web-browsing AI agent, as a key feature 

👩🏼‍🚒Discover mind-blowing AI tools

1. VoiceType AI - An AI-powered speech-to-text tool that helps you write 9x faster by transcribing, editing and auto-formatting anything you say**

2. 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

3. 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)

4. Deal Code - Helps sales professionals to compose highly personalized messages to potential customers quickly

5. UnlimitedBG - Tool that can automatically remove image backgrounds in seconds with professional-quality results

6. Rows AI - An all-in-one spreadsheet tool that uses AI to analyze, summarize and transform data

7. VOGE - A revolutionary app that creates hyper-realistic AI avatars in just a few minutes

8. Magic Studio - A suite of tools to help create amazing product photos and stunning profile pictures