Significant advances in artificial intelligence this week, featuring a breakthrough that potentially revolutionizes the search process
In the realm of technology, August 2025 has been a month of significant advancements and new product launches. Here's a roundup of the latest developments from Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, Amazon, and other tech giants.
Google's AI assistant, Gemini, has received an upgrade with the introduction of the Deep Think mode. This new feature allows for more thinking time, resulting in smarter, more human-like responses. However, it is currently available only for Ultra subscribers, with plans to eventually make it free for all users. Additionally, Google has introduced the Productivity Planner Gem, a tool that integrates Gmail, Calendar, and Drive data to organize work and prioritize tasks automatically for Google AI Pro and Ultra users, as well as some Workspace customers [1][2][5].
Google Search has also received a major AI upgrade, allowing users to upload entire files and ask questions about them directly. It now offers a follow-up feature, turning search into a more AI-assistant-like tool [1].
Microsoft has rolled out Copilot Mode in the Edge browser, a smart AI sidebar that adapts to the user’s activity—summarizing articles, suggesting email improvements, and comparing online shopping products in real time. This represents a highly proactive AI assistant integrated directly into the browsing experience [2].
OpenAI has released new models such as gpt-oss-120b and gpt-oss-20b, which are now integrated into Amazon Web Services platforms Bedrock and SageMaker. This move breaks Microsoft’s previous exclusive reseller status of OpenAI’s models. OpenAI is also managing privacy concerns after shared ChatGPT conversations were found indexed by search engines; it has disabled sharing and is working to de-index such content [2][4].
Amazon (AWS) has diversified its AI portfolio by integrating OpenAI’s latest models into its Bedrock and SageMaker services. This strategy aims to boost AWS's AI offerings amid slower cloud sales growth [4]. Amazon has also secured an $8 billion partnership with Anthropic to add Claude models, enhancing its competitive positioning against other cloud providers like Microsoft and Google.
Other notable product releases include the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x (Gen 9), available for $939.99 with a sale price of $858.11. The Apple 13" MacBook Air M4 (2025) is available for $799 (sale price), $999, and $1,199, depending on the model. The new Dell XPS 13 is available for $569, while the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024) retails for $1,849 [3].
In the AI-generated content space, ChatGPT's Agent mode allows the AI to perform tasks such as browsing the web, organizing files, and running multi-step tasks. ChatGPT's new Study Mode is designed to help students learn more efficiently. Meanwhile, Amazon-backed startup Showrunner offers an AI-generated TV show experience, where users can generate an entire animated TV episode and insert themselves into the story [3].
Finally, Google's NotebookLM has been upgraded to generate Video Overviews, which are narrated, slide-style summaries of documents complete with quotes, diagrams, and data pulled from the files. Users can also create multiple versions of audio, video, or visual outputs in the same notebook and mix formats [1].
References:
[1] Google Blog: https://blog.google/technology/ai/gemini-2-5-deep-think/ [2] TechCrunch: https://techcrunch.com/2025/08/15/openai-google-microsoft-amazon-ai-updates/ [3] The Verge: https://www.theverge.com/2025/08/12/23327301/dell-xps-13-2025-review-price-specs-performance-display [4] Wired: https://www.wired.com/story/aws-openai-partnership-ai-supermarket/ [5] Google Research Blog: https://ai.googleblog.com/2025/08/notebooklm-ai-powered-research-tools.html
Artificial-intelligence advancements are not limited to Google, as Microsoft's Edge browser now features Copilot Mode, an AI sidebar that adapts to user activities. OpenAI has also integrated its new models into Amazon Web Services platforms, challenging Microsoft's previous exclusive reseller status.
