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- OpenAI flexes GPT-5.1-Codex-Max as a 24/7 coding copilot, Nano Banana Pro released and more...
OpenAI flexes GPT-5.1-Codex-Max as a 24/7 coding copilot, Nano Banana Pro released and more...
And everything else you need to catch up on that happened this week yet!
What's Up in AI
November 21, 2025
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Welcome Back, AI Geeks!
It’s time to stay updated with What’s Up in AI.
Designers and developers both got spoiled this week.
Google dropped Nano Banana Pro, an image model that reasons through physics before rendering, and OpenAI unveiled Codex Max — a coding assistant that can refactor entire repos on its own.
In today’s issue:
🤯 OpenAI flexes GPT-5.1-Codex-Max as a 24/7 coding copilot
📈 Nano Banana Pro released !
⚡ 5-4-3-2-1 hits you just can't miss
📰 What Else Happened in AI
😂 Your AI-Powered Laugh
Read time: 6 mins
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What Happened (Nov 20, 2025):
Google unveiled Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro Image), a new enterprise-grade image model that reasons before it renders. Instead of producing visuals instantly like diffusion models, it first checks physical and logical details—lighting, shadows, perspective, and depth—leading to far more realistic multi-element scenes. It’s already live in the Gemini app under “Create image → Thinking model” and available across Gemini API, Vertex AI, Google Ads and Workspace.
What You Need to Know:
Supports 14 inputs at once & maintains 5 characters consistently in 4K
Creates infographics with sharp, real text and multilingual typography
Ideal for architecture, product mockups, multi-light scenes & data visuals
Generates intermediate ‘thought images’ to follow reasoning steps
SynthID & C2PA metadata provide authenticity & traceability
Why It Matters:
AI imagery is shifting from trial-and-error generation to intentional, production-ready creative work. This makes AI far more useful for real design workflows—not just aesthetic experiments.
#2 LATEST IN AI TODAY📎
What Happened (Nov 19, 2025):
OpenAI introduced GPT-5.1-Codex-Max, now the default model across Codex environments. Instead of short completions, it handles long-cycle engineering tasks like multi-step refactoring, iterative debugging, and test-driven development without losing context.
What You Need to Know:
Compaction for long tasks: Automatically compresses session history to keep long refactors and multi-day loops running coherently.
More efficient: Cuts unnecessary tokens, reducing compute by ~30% on extended reasoning workloads.
New reasoning mode: Adds an Extra High setting for deep, non-interactive jobs.
Works across Codex CLI, IDE plugins, cloud integrations, and now supports Windows command-line with secure sandboxing.
Stronger safety: Improved monitoring and guardrails due to increased capability and dual-use concerns.
Why It Matters:
The biggest shift here is how much real work Codex-Max can now handle. Instead of waiting on engineers for every step, it can carry complex tasks through refactors and long debugging cycles, speeding up shipping timelines. At the same time, that level of autonomy means thoughtful oversight matters more than ever—strong reviews and safety checks keep things reliable and secure.
BRAIN BOOST 🧠
What’s the first creative/technical job you think AI will replace at scale?With AI now generating production-grade visuals (Nano Banana Pro) and handling end-to-end engineering work (GPT-5.1 Codex-Max)… |
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QUICK HITS 💥
It’s time for some quick hits that you’ll love. Let’s go in…..5-4-3-2-1 👇️
5- TOP AI TOOLS OF THE DAY
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4-AI JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Microsoft – Machine Learning Engineer
Salesforce – AI Forward Deployed Engineer (Early Career)
Microsoft – Member of Technical Staff, Machine Learning Engineer
Salesforce – Senior AI Software Engineer
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3-THINGS IN TREND
See how Nana Banana Pro can create an infographic out of like Nvidia’s earnings report.
Meta’s new AI tool spots, tracks, and 3D-ifies any object with just a prompt.
Is Gemini’s billboard on the Las Vegas Sphere real? Or AI-generated?
2-USEFUL LINKS
12 Grams of Carbon broke down their process for building AI agents, and it basically goes like “if an AI can’t do it, figure out why until the AI can do it.”
If you read one insight this week, read this one: Stew Newman’s breakdown of “hyperproductivity”
A Florida surgeon has performed the world’s first robot-assisted transatlantic thrombectomy, removing a clot from a patient in Scotland using a Lithuanian-built Sentante surgical robot. The system recreates real fingertip resistance with only 120 ms of lag—about the speed of a blink—potentially transforming stroke care, where every six-minute delay cuts survival odds by 1%.
WHAT ELSE HAPPENED IN AI 📰
☁️ DeepMind Unveils WeatherNext 2
Google DeepMind announced WeatherNext 2, an upgraded forecasting AI that runs predictions 8× faster and simulates hundreds of possible weather shifts per minute.
🧠 OpenAI Teases New IMO-Level Math Model
OpenAI research VP Jerry Tworek says a “better version” of the IMO gold-medalist model is coming soon.
🔗 Cloudflare Acquires Replicate
Cloudflare bought Replicate, integrating its 50,000+ open models and fine-tuning tools into Workers while keeping its APIs and community intact.
🔗 NVIDIA Drops Apollo Physics Models
NVIDIA launched Apollo, a suite of open-source physics models designed to accelerate industrial simulation—from aerospace to climate.
🔗 Google Adds New AI Travel Planning Tools
Google Search now includes an AI Canvas for custom itineraries, improved Flight Deals, and agentic features that help users compare options and book trips.
Funding 💰️
Genspark raises $275 million at a $1.25 billion valuation.
GET AN AI-POWERED LAUGH 😁
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And that’s a wrap!
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Team What’s Up in AI