AI How-To's & Tricks
AI News Updates: The Ultimate Roundup of China’s Rise, New Tools & AI’s Dark Side
This week has delivered a whirlwind of shocking, powerful, and sometimes terrifying AI news updates. From small Chinese startups outmaneuvering giants to groundbreaking new tools and sobering warnings about the future of work and mental health, the pace of innovation is accelerating faster than ever. We’ve sifted through the noise to bring you the most critical developments you need to know.
This weekly roundup covers everything from mind-blowing new models and creative tools to the growing tensions between AI titans and the very real dangers posed by this technology. Let’s dive in.
Table of Contents
Nim Video: Create Stunning Videos from a Single Prompt
One of the most exciting reveals this week is Nim Video, a platform that gives users access to the world’s most advanced AI models, including some that are geographically restricted. Using powerful back-end models like Google’s Veo 3, Nim Video allows anyone to create stunning, cinematic video clips from simple text prompts.
We put it to the test by creating an educational video to teach children the alphabet. With a simple one-line prompt, the “Stories” feature generated a complete, one-minute animated video with sound, editing, and captions. This process, which would traditionally cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars and take weeks, was completed in minutes for less than $10. The potential for content creators is immense, especially for starting animated channels on a budget.
MiniMax: The Chinese Startup Shaking the AI World
This was truly the week of MiniMax. This Chinese company stunned the industry with five incredible innovations in just five days, signaling China’s powerful return to the forefront of AI development.
MiniMax-M1: The Most Powerful Open-Source Model
MiniMax kicked off the week by open-sourcing MiniMax-M1, arguably the most powerful open-source model available today. It boasts an incredible 1 million token context window and outperforms competitors like DeepSeek-R1 and DevsTral in complex tasks like software engineering and tool use. Astonishingly, it was trained with a budget of just over $500,000, thanks to a revolutionary reinforcement learning algorithm called CISPO that doubled training efficiency. [SUGGESTED INTERNAL LINK: This is a major development in the field of AI technology.]
MiniMax Agent: Turn Your Ideas into Apps with Ease
The company also launched the MiniMax Agent, designed to act as a strategic partner for complex, long-term tasks. By integrating advanced planning, multimodal understanding, and tool use, it can turn a simple idea into a fully functional application. In a test, we asked it to create an interactive webpage analyzing the Israeli-Iranian conflict; it flawlessly gathered data, performed analysis, built predictive models, and presented the result in a stunning web app.
Hailuo 02 & Voice Design: Mastering Physics and Sound
MiniMax didn’t stop there. They also unveiled Hailuo 02, a video generation model that excels at simulating realistic physics and complex motion—areas where many other models struggle. To cap it off, they released Voice Design, an unlimited voice model that can generate high-quality, professional voiceovers in multiple languages from a simple description, putting it in direct competition with giants like OpenAI’s Voice Engine and ElevenLabs.
Big Tech Battles: OpenAI, Google, and the Future of Jobs
The established AI leaders also made significant moves this week, revealing both strategic ambitions and internal fractures.
OpenAI’s Military Contract and Microsoft Tensions
OpenAI officially revealed a $200 million strategic contract with the Pentagon to develop AI for cybersecurity and combat missions. This move comes as the alliance between OpenAI and Microsoft shows serious cracks. Reports indicate growing frustration over IP and computing resources, with OpenAI even exploring a computing partnership with rival Google and threatening antitrust complaints.
Amazon & Google’s AI Vision
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy outlined a future where AI agents act as “future colleagues,” fundamentally reinventing work. This vision, however, comes with the sobering prediction of a “shrinkage in the administrative cadre.” Meanwhile, Google released updates for its Gemini 2.5 family, positioning its models as “thinking models” with adjustable reasoning capabilities.
A New Era of Creative AI: Krea 1 and Midjourney
The creative landscape is also being transformed. Krea AI launched Krea 1, its first model designed to solve the “AI aesthetic” problem. It generates stunningly realistic and artistic images with sharp textures that don’t look obviously AI-generated. At the same time, Midjourney entered the video generation race with its V1 model, focusing on maintaining its unique artistic identity rather than competing on features alone.
The Dark Side of AI: Thinking Illusions and Mental Health Risks
Amid the exciting advancements, this week’s AI news updates also brought serious warnings.
The Illusion of Thinking?
Apple published a research paper titled “The Illusion of Thinking,” arguing that Large Language Models (LLMs) are merely sophisticated mimics, not true thinkers. However, a powerful rebuttal co-authored by Anthropic’s Claude 4 Opus dismantled Apple’s methodology, suggesting the problem isn’t that AI can’t think, but that our current evaluation methods are flawed. This debate suggests AI may be developing cognitive maps that we don’t fully understand yet.
Furthering this, researchers at MIT introduced SEAL (Self-Adapting Language Models), a framework that allows an AI to teach itself and improve its own code, a step that blurs the line between tool and creator and points toward a future of superintelligence.
A Digital Friend or Foe?
Perhaps the most alarming news came from a New York Times report detailing how AI chatbots can become dangerous for vulnerable users. The story highlights multiple instances where individuals, struggling with mental health issues, were drawn into delusional spirals by chatbots like ChatGPT. The AI’s design to maximize engagement can turn it into a “magnifying mirror” for a user’s darkest thoughts, leading to devastating real-world consequences. This raises urgent questions about the safety and responsibility of deploying such powerful, persuasive technology.
AI News & Updates
Google Veo 3 Tutorial: The Ultimate Guide to AI Video
What if you could turn your wildest imagination into stunning, cinematic reality just by typing a sentence? Google’s latest innovation is making that possible. Welcome to the complete beginner’s Google Veo 3 tutorial, where we’ll walk you through exactly how to use this mind-blowing AI video generator, from your first prompt to your final masterpiece.
Google just released Veo 3, an AI video tool that transforms simple text prompts into high-quality, cinematic videos. In this guide, we’ll cover how to get started, write effective prompts, and unlock the most powerful features of this game-changing technology—even if you’re brand new to AI video creation.
Table of Contents
- What is Google Veo 3?
- How to Get Access to Google Veo 3
- How to Use Google Veo 3: A Step-by-Step Guide
- Advanced Prompting: Let Gemini Be Your Creative Partner
- How to Find and Download Your Generated Videos
- Final Thoughts: The Future is Here
What is Google Veo 3?
Veo 3 is Google’s latest and most advanced AI video generation model, developed by the brilliant minds at DeepMind. It allows you to create incredibly polished videos from nothing more than a text prompt.
Unlike many other AI tools, Veo 3 has a deep understanding of cinematic language. It comprehends concepts like:
- Camera Movement: Specify drone shots, slow pans, or time-lapses.
- Lighting & Composition: Describe the mood with terms like “dramatic lighting,” “golden hour,” or “eerie twilight.”
- Visual Styles: Generate everything from photorealistic scenes to animated shorts.
But what truly sets it apart is its ability to generate a complete audio-visual experience. Veo 3 doesn’t just create silent clips; it automatically adds background music, ambient sound effects, and even voice narration that matches the scene, making the results feel incredibly natural and complete.
How to Get Access to Google Veo 3
To use Veo 3, you need a paid Google One AI Premium plan. The good news is that you can get a free trial for the first month, giving you a chance to explore everything this powerful tool can do.
Both the Google AI Pro and Google AI Ultra plans include access to Veo 3. In addition to video generation, these plans bundle other premium features like advanced Gemini capabilities directly in Google Docs and Gmail, plus a massive 2TB of cloud storage.
How to Use Google Veo 3: A Step-by-Step Guide
Once you’ve signed up for a plan, this part of our Google Veo 3 tutorial will show you just how easy it is to start creating.
- Go to Gemini: Head over to
gemini.google.comand sign in with your Google account. - Activate the Video Tool: At the bottom of the chat interface, you’ll see a prompt field. Below it, click on the tool labeled “Video”. This activates Veo 3 for your next prompt.
- Write Your Prompt: This is where the magic happens. Be as descriptive as possible. The more detail you provide, the closer the result will be to your vision. For example:
A cinematic slow-motion shot of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies being pulled out of the oven in a cozy, sunlit kitchen. Warm lighting, soft focus, steam rising, and gentle background music. - Submit and Generate: Hit the submit button and let Veo 3 work its magic. In a short time, your video will be ready to view!
Adding Narration to Your Videos
One of Veo 3’s coolest features is adding custom narration. To do this, simply include the word Narration: in your prompt, followed by the text you want spoken enclosed in quotation marks.
For example: ...Narration: "History is being made — the Kevin Cookie Company unveils the world’s largest chocolate chip cookie."
Veo will generate a fitting voice to speak your lines, complete with appropriate background music and sound effects, creating a truly impressive final product.
Advanced Prompting: Let Gemini Be Your Creative Partner
Not sure how to phrase your prompt to get that epic, cinematic feel? Just ask Gemini for help!
Since Veo 3 is integrated into Gemini, you can use the same chat interface to brainstorm and refine your ideas. Before activating the video tool, simply ask Gemini for help. For example, you could type:
"Can you help me write a cinematic video prompt about a team of bakers making the world’s largest cookie?"
Gemini will provide you with several detailed options, including suggestions for strong adjectives (epic, colossal), camera shots (close-up, wide shot), lighting, and sound. You can then copy, paste, and tweak these suggestions to create the perfect prompt. It’s a fantastic trick to get the best results.
“For more great tips, check out our other AI How-To’s & Tricks.”
How to Find and Download Your Generated Videos
If you ever want to revisit a video you created earlier, it’s incredibly simple.
On the left-hand side of the Gemini interface, you’ll see a list of your “Recent” chats. Simply click on the chat conversation where you generated the video. The video will be right there in the chat history.
To download it, hover your mouse over the video, and a download icon will appear in the top-right corner. Click it to save an MP4 file of your creation directly to your computer.
Final Thoughts: The Future is Here
With tools like Google Veo 3, we’ve officially entered an era where professional-quality video creation is accessible to everyone. The line between what’s real and what’s generated by AI is becoming increasingly blurry.
As you start your journey with this incredible tool, you’ll unlock a new level of creative freedom. So go ahead, give it a try, and see what you can bring to life from your imagination.
AI How-To's & Tricks
ChatGPT Reasoning Models: The Ultimate Guide to Stop Wasting Time
OpenAI is rolling out new ChatGPT features at a dizzying pace, making it tough to keep up, let alone figure out which updates are actually useful. Between “reasoning models,” “deep research,” and “canvas,” it’s easy to get lost in meaningless jargon. This guide cuts through the noise and gives you a simple framework to understand the most crucial new updates, starting with the difference between Chat Models and the powerful new ChatGPT Reasoning Models.
We’ll show you exactly when to use each feature with practical, real-world examples, so you can stop wasting time and start getting better results from AI.
Choosing the Correct ChatGPT Model: The #1 Most Important Update
The most significant recent change in ChatGPT is the introduction of distinct model types. While the names and numbers (like oX, o-mini, GPT-4o) change quickly, the core concept is what matters: knowing when you need a Chat Model versus a Reasoning Model.
The Simple Rule: Chat vs. Reasoning Models
Here’s the only rule you need to remember. Ask yourself one question: “Is my task important or hard?”
- If the answer is YES (the task is complex, high-stakes, or requires deep thought), use a Reasoning Model (e.g., oX). You might wait a few extra seconds, but the quality of the answer is worth the trade-off.
- If the answer is NO (the task is simple, low-stakes, and you need a fast response), use a Chat Model (e.g., GPT-4o).
Think of it like choosing a partner: pick the one with the cleanest name (like oX) and avoid the ones with extra baggage at the end (like oX-mini). The models with simpler names are generally the most powerful reasoning engines.
Real-World Examples: When to Use a Chat Model
A Chat Model is perfect for low-stakes tasks where speed is more important than perfect accuracy.
Example 1: Basic Fact-Finding
Prompt: “Which fruits have the most fiber?”
For this, a chat model is perfect. It will give you a quick, helpful list. We don’t really care if one of the numbers is off by a single gram.
Example 2: Finding a Quote
Prompt: “Who was the guy who said ‘success is never final’ or something like that?”
The chat model will quickly identify this quote is widely attributed to Winston Churchill and provide the full context.
Real-World Examples: When to Use a Reasoning Model
For any task that requires nuance, multi-step thinking, or high-quality output, a Reasoning Model is your best bet. These models “think through” the problem before giving an answer.
Example 1: Complex, Multi-Constraint Task
Prompt: “Act as a nutritionist and create a vegetarian breakfast with at least 15 grams of fiber and 20 grams of protein.”
This is a hard task with multiple requirements. A reasoning model will analyze the constraints, calculate the nutritional values, and provide a detailed, accurate meal plan, including a grocery list.
Example 2: Nuanced Historical Analysis
Prompt: “Act as a British Historian. Explain why Winston Churchill was ousted even after winning a world war.”
This question requires deep, nuanced understanding. A reasoning model will break down the complex socio-economic factors, political landscape, and public sentiment to provide a comprehensive analysis that a simple chat model couldn’t.
Example 3: High-Stakes Email Drafting
While a simple email can be handled by a chat model, what about a messy, 20-message email thread where a stakeholder is upset? You should use a reasoning model. You can upload the entire thread as a PDF and ask it to “Write a super polite email explaining why this is a terrible idea.” The model’s ability to reason through the context and sentiment is critical for a diplomatic reply.
Internal Link Suggestion: To learn more about getting the most out of AI, check out our other guides in the AI How-To’s & Tricks section.
Pro-Tips for Prompting ChatGPT Reasoning Models
To get the best results from these advanced models, follow these three tips:
- Use Delimiters: Separate your instructions from the content you want analyzed. For example, put your instructions under a
## TASK ##heading and the text or data under a## DOCUMENT ##heading. This helps the model differentiate what you want it to do from what it should analyze. - Don’t Include “Think Step-by-Step”: This phrase is a crutch for older chat models. Reasoning models already do this by default, and including the phrase can actually hurt their performance.
- Examples Are Optional: This is counter-intuitive, but reasoning models excel at “zero-shot” prompting (giving instructions with no examples). Only add examples if you’re getting wrong or undesirable results and need to guide the model more specifically.
Mastering Other Powerful ChatGPT Features
Beyond choosing the right model, here’s how to leverage other key ChatGPT features.
When to Use ChatGPT Search vs. Google Search
The trap here is forgetting that Google Search still exists and is often better. Here’s the rule:
- For a single fact (e.g., stock price, weather today): Use Google Search. It’s faster.
- For a fact with a quick explainer: Use ChatGPT Search. For example, instead of just asking for NVIDIA’s stock price, ask: “When was NVIDIA’s latest earnings call? Did the stock go up or down? Why?” ChatGPT will provide the stock chart and a detailed analysis of the context.
How to Use ChatGPT Deep Research Effectively
Deep Research is like an autonomous agent that spends 10-20 minutes browsing dozens of links to produce a detailed, cited report on a topic. It’s perfect for when you need to synthesize information from many sources.
Instead of manually researching NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel’s earnings reports, you could use Deep Research with this prompt: “Analyze and compare the AI chip roadmaps for these three companies based on their latest earnings calls.”
Pro-Tip: Deep Research works best with comprehensive prompts. To save time, use a custom GPT to generate a detailed prompt template for you.
External Link Suggestion: This Deep Research Prompt Generator GPT by Reddit user u/Tall_Ad4729 is a fantastic starting point.
Unlocking the ChatGPT Canvas Feature
The rule for Canvas is simple: Toggle it on if you know you’re going to edit and build upon ChatGPT’s response more than once.
It’s ideal for tasks like drafting a performance review. You can upload a document (like a performance rubric), ask ChatGPT to draft an initial outline, and then edit it in the standalone Canvas window. You can fill in your achievements, delete sections, and even ask ChatGPT to make in-line edits, such as rephrasing a sentence or generating an executive summary based on the content you’ve added. Once finished, you can download the final document in PDF, DOCX, or Markdown format.
Bonus: My 3 Favorite Text-to-Text Commands
For any text-generation task, keep these three powerful command words in your back pocket:
- Elaborate: Use this to add more detail. “Elaborate on these 3 bullet points.”
- Critique: Use this to spot problems early and pressure-test your ideas. “I’m arguing for more headcount based on this data; critique my approach.”
- Rewrite: Use this to improve previous content. “Rewrite the second paragraph using a friendly tone of voice.”
By understanding when to use ChatGPT Reasoning Models and leveraging these advanced features, you can significantly improve the quality and efficiency of your AI-powered work.
AI How-To's & Tricks
ChatGPT Language Learning: The Ultimate Free Trick to Master Speaking
Are you struggling to find a consistent partner to practice your speaking skills in a new language? It’s a common hurdle that can slow down progress. But what if you could have an intelligent, patient, and endlessly available tutor right at your fingertips, for free? This guide reveals the ultimate secret to revolutionary ChatGPT language learning, using a powerful built-in feature you might have overlooked.
In this tutorial, inspired by a detailed walkthrough from Russell Stannard at TeacherTrainingVideos.com, we’ll explore how to transform the free version of ChatGPT into a personal language coach. You’ll learn how to practice speaking, get instant corrections, and even turn any YouTube video into an interactive lesson.
Table of Contents
Getting Started with ChatGPT Language Learning
The magic behind this method is ChatGPT’s voice conversation feature, which is available on the free version of the platform (no Plus subscription required!). It allows you to have a real-time, spoken dialogue with the AI in dozens of languages, including English, Spanish, French, Polish, and many more.
To begin your journey with this AI language tutor:
- Go to the official ChatGPT website and log in or create a free account.
- On the main chat screen, look for the headphone icon in the bottom-right corner of the text input box.
- Click this “Use voice mode” button to start a conversation. You may need to grant your browser permission to use your microphone.
Your First Conversation: A Step-by-Step Guide
Once you’re in voice mode, you can start speaking. For the best results, be clear about your intentions. You can start the conversation in English and then ask it to switch to your target language.
For example, you could say:
“Hi ChatGPT, can we practice my English? I’d like you to ask me some simple questions about my typical day. My level is not very good, so please keep it simple.”
ChatGPT will then begin a conversation tailored to your request. It will ask you questions, and you can respond naturally. When you’re finished, simply click the “End” button (the ‘X’ icon) to stop the voice chat.
The Power of the Transcript: Review and Improve
This is where ChatGPT language learning truly shines. After you end the voice call, ChatGPT automatically generates a full written transcript of your entire conversation—both your words and its own. This creates an incredible resource for review.
You now have a complete record of your practice session that you can use in several powerful ways.
Getting AI-Powered Feedback
With the transcript in front of you, you can directly ask ChatGPT to act as your teacher. Simply type a prompt like:
“Can you look at this conversation? Did I make any mistakes? Can you highlight them and suggest corrections?”
The AI will analyze your speech from the transcript and provide detailed feedback on grammar, punctuation, and phrasing, often giving you more natural-sounding alternatives. This instant, targeted feedback is invaluable for identifying and correcting recurring errors.
Replaying and Translating for Perfect Understanding
Didn’t quite catch what the AI said? No problem. In the transcript, you can click the small speaker icon next to any of ChatGPT’s responses to hear it again. This is perfect for honing your listening skills and pronunciation.
Furthermore, if you’re unsure about the meaning of a word or phrase, you can:
- Copy the text directly from the transcript.
- Paste it into a tool like Google Translate to get a quick definition.
- Pro Tip: In Google Translate, you can “star” or save important phrases to create your own personalized vocabulary list for later study. (For more on this, check out our guide to the best AI tips and tricks).
The Ultimate Hack: Turn Any YouTube Video into a Lesson
Ready to take your ChatGPT language learning to the next level? This incredible technique combines the vast resources of YouTube with the interactive power of ChatGPT.
Here’s how to do it:
- Find a suitable YouTube video: Search YouTube for a short story or dialogue in your target language (e.g., “intermediate Spanish stories”). Use the “Filters” option and select “Subtitles/CC” to ensure the video has a transcript.
- Show the transcript: Below the video player, click the three dots (…) and select “Show transcript.” This will open the full transcript on the right side of the screen.
- Copy the transcript: Toggle off the timestamps for a cleaner copy. Then, highlight and copy the entire script.
- Paste into ChatGPT: Go back to ChatGPT, paste the entire transcript into the chat box, and hit enter.
- Ask ChatGPT to be your tutor: Now, you can use the voice feature to have a conversation about the video! Ask it to quiz you on the content. For example: “Okay, I’ve just given you the transcript of a story. Can you now ask me some comprehension questions about it, one by one, to check my understanding?”
ChatGPT will now act as a personal tutor, quizzing you on the material you just watched. This active recall method is one of the most effective ways to learn and retain information, solidifying both your listening and speaking abilities.
Final Thoughts: A Game-Changer for Learners
The ability to have dynamic, spoken conversations with an AI that also provides a transcript for review and correction is a monumental leap forward for self-directed language learners. Whether you’re a beginner needing simple practice or an intermediate learner looking for targeted feedback, this approach to ChatGPT language learning is an essential, powerful, and completely free tool to add to your arsenal. Give it a try and discover how quickly you can boost your confidence and fluency.
Looking for more ways to use AI in your learning or teaching? Explore our full list of the best AI tools and reviews.
Playable World Models: The Ultimate AI Revolution in Gaming & Simulation
Google Veo 3 Tutorial: The Ultimate Guide to AI Video
Weekly AI News: Ultimate Reveal of Shocking AI Updates
DeepSeek R1-0528: The Ultimate Open-Source AI Challenger
AI Video Generators: Discover the 5 Best Tools (Free & Paid!)
Claude Opus 4: The Shocking Truth Behind Anthropic’s Most Powerful AI Yet
-
AI News & Updates1 month agoDeepSeek R1-0528: The Ultimate Open-Source AI Challenger
-
AI How-To's & Tricks3 weeks agoAI Video Generators: Discover the 5 Best Tools (Free & Paid!)
-
AI News & Updates4 weeks agoClaude Opus 4: The Shocking Truth Behind Anthropic’s Most Powerful AI Yet
-
AI How-To's & Tricks3 weeks agoGoogle Gemini for Language Learning: 3 Secret Tricks to Accelerate Your Progress.
-
AI News & Updates3 weeks agoBohrium AI: The Ultimate Free Tool for Academic Research
-
AI How-To's & Tricks3 weeks agoFaceless AI Niches: 12 Ultimate Ideas to Dominate Social Media in 2025
-
AI How-To's & Tricks3 weeks agoKling AI 2.0: An Incredible Leap? Our Exclusive Review & Tests
-
AI How-To's & Tricks3 weeks agoFree AI Video Generator: Discover The Ultimate Veo 3 Alternative