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Virus of the past inspires a Google hub, ChatGPT is testing ads right inside your conversations and more...
And everything else you need to catch up on, that happened last week !
What's Up in AI
December 28, 2025
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Welcome Back, AI Geeks!
It’s time to stay updated with What’s Up in AI.
Sometimes a tiny virus can change the tech map… and sometimes an ad can change the conversation. Virus Málaga set Google’s European cybersecurity strategy in motion, while ChatGPT is now testing sponsored messages directly in chat.
In today’s issue:
🤯 Virus of the past inspires a Google hub
⚡️ ChatGPT is testing ads right inside your conversations
⚡ 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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#1 LATEST IN AI TODAY📎
What Happened:
A 1992 computer virus unexpectedly set off a chain of events that led to Google building its European cybersecurity hub in Málaga, Spain, through the creation and later acquisition of VirusTotal.
What You Need to Know:
A harmless but tricky virus called Virus Málaga pushed a young Bernardo Quintero to build his own antivirus, sparking his career in cybersecurity.
That project evolved into VirusTotal, which Google acquired in 2012 and used as the foundation of its European malware research center.
Quintero recently traced the virus’s original creator, closing a decades-long loop that helped shape Málaga into a global tech hub.
Why It Matters:
A small technical challenge in the 1990s ended up shaping where Google placed major cybersecurity infrastructure — a reminder that curiosity can quietly rewrite global tech maps.
#2 LATEST IN AI TODAY📎
What Happened:
OpenAI has begun testing ads inside ChatGPT replies, meaning sponsored content may appear directly within conversations rather than as banners or sidebars.
What You Need to Know:
Sponsored messages can show up inline with answers, clearly labeled but embedded in the flow of conversation.
This marks a shift toward a search-engine-style business model, where user intent and attention drive revenue.
The move comes as OpenAI looks for sustainable funding to support its massive and growing compute costs.
Why It Matters:
Just like search engines before it, ChatGPT now faces the same tension between scale and trust — and how ads are handled could decide whether AI remains a neutral guide or becomes a marketplace.
BRAIN BOOST 🧠
Do you think embedding sponsored content directly into AI responses will compromise ChatGPT’s role as a neutral knowledge assistant, or can it coexist with trust and reliability? |
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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
🦅 ChatHawk sends your question to GPT, Gemini, Claude, and Grok at once and shows where the models agree and differ for smarter insights. Try now!
📸 AI Christmas Photo Generator turns selfies into festive holiday portraits with studio lighting and holiday themes — perfect for cards and social sharing. Try now!
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🎬 Medeo lets you edit videos by typing natural language commands like “make this faster” or “change the music,” and the AI executes the changes. Try now!
4-AI JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Genentech – Machine Learning Engineer, Foundation Models (Prescient / AI for Drug Discovery)
Meta – Research Engineer, Language — Generative AI (Large Language Models)
LG Ad Solutions – AI Engineer, Generative AI Agents (Denver, CO)
Hyperfine – Senior AI Scientist (Guilford, CT)
Want us to search for tech related jobs in your country/city ? Post a request 🔍
3-THINGS IN TREND
Explore 10 wild use cases for how people are using Gemini.
Learn the internet’s new favorite productivity hack (this post has 2,200 bookmarks).
Gemini can instantly resize almost any photo if you use this prompt:
2-USEFUL LINKS
Disney Research built a fully autonomous Olaf from Frozen, using AI to keep the unstable, big-headed robot balanced and cool while walking. The heat-aware system could also help future prosthetics, drones, and robots work better in extreme conditions.
WHAT ELSE HAPPENED IN AI 📰
🎮 AI Solves Zelda Puzzle
AI completes Zelda’s color-switching puzzle using six-move planning.
🔒 Thumbs-Up Still Feeds AI
Turning off training doesn’t stop your feedback from entering AI pipelines.
🤖 Voice Hacks Humanoid Robots
Researchers demonstrate single voice commands controlling humanoid robots.
🩺 Google MedASR Launch
AI speech-to-text model targets clinical dictation and workflow integration.
⚛️ Quantum Chemistry Accelerated
Deep learning dramatically speeds up quantum chemical simulations.
🧠 AGI Hype vs Reality
Dwarkesh Patel says AGI isn’t imminent — current bottlenecks are overlooked.
🎉 CES 2026 Sneak Peek
AI wearables, trifold phones, and new robots set for showcase.
Funding 💰️
Vibe-coding platform Lovable raised $330M in Series B funding amid rising demand for AI-built apps.
GET AN AI-POWERED LAUGH 😁
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And that’s a wrap!
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