ChatGPT, Qwen 3, and All the AI News to Know
Happy Friday, and welcome back!
Welcome back to the latest edition of Quantious’ Tech Roundup, where you gain exclusive insights into the tech news you need to know to stay at the top of your game. You’ve likely noticed that we’re switching up the way we do things here, so let us know what you think of the new format!
Today, we’re covering OpenAI’s upgrades to ChatGPT search, Yelp’s AI voice agents, Duolingo’s AI-first approach, and Alibaba’s moves amidst an increasingly competitive AI sector.
With our Tech Roundup, you can trust that you’re getting concise updates on just the news that matters most. Let’s dive in!
Thought Leader Alert!
Our fierce and fearless Quantious Founder & CEO, Lisa Larson-Kelley, just published a fantastic article, “Think AI kills creativity? You’re using it wrong”, on Fast Company.
If you want to know how AI empowers remote teams and allows us to be better creatives, this is a must read!
Did You Know?
You can use virtual reality for planning your next vacation? Our lead graphic designer recently set out to create a fully immersive VR preview of our 2025 company retreat. Using Shapes XR, a cutting-edge VR prototyping tool, this project served as both an internal showcase of VR capabilities and a functional trip guide for our team.
Curious to learn more? We break down the tools, techniques, and challenges here.
Top Tech Highlights
OpenAI is upgrading ChatGPT search
OpenAI is enhancing ChatGPT’s search tool to offer a better online shopping experience, starting with categories like fashion, beauty, home goods, and electronics. When users search for products, ChatGPT will now provide recommendations with images, reviews, and direct links to purchase pages.
Yelp debuts AI voice agents for restaurants and service providers
Yelp is introducing AI-powered voice agents to help restaurants and service providers manage calls, answer basic questions, and perform tasks like adding customers to a waitlist. These agents require no complex setup, pulling from business metadata and management systems to handle reservations, customized greetings, and call forwarding.
Duolingo is replacing contract workers with AI
Duolingo is shifting to an "AI-first" approach, with CEO Luis von Ahn announcing the company will phase out contractors for work that AI can handle. Moving forward, Duolingo will emphasize automation in hiring and team expansion decisions, aiming to free employees from repetitive tasks to focus on creative and complex problems. Von Ahn stressed that the move is about enhancing efficiency rather than replacing employees, reinforcing the company's commitment to its workforce.
Waymo is reporting 250,000 paid robotaxi rides per week in the U.S.
Waymo is now delivering over 250,000 paid robotaxi rides per week in the U.S., up from 200,000 in February, following expansions into Austin and the San Francisco Bay Area. CEO Sundar Pichai said Waymo is exploring multiple business models, partnerships with Uber and automakers, and even the possibility of personal vehicle ownership using Waymo’s self-driving tech.
Alibaba unveiled Qwen 3
Alibaba has launched Qwen 3, an upgraded AI model that introduces hybrid reasoning capabilities to offer more adaptable and efficient support for app and software developers. The move comes as competition in China’s AI sector heats up, following the rise of DeepSeek and Baidu’s recent release of Ernie 4.5 Turbo and Ernie X1 Turbo.
What You Really Need to Know
You’re about to hear the term, “AI-first”... A LOT.
Across these stories, the common thread is the rapid integration of AI into everyday products, services, and business operations.
Each company is leveraging AI to either improve user experience, streamline internal processes, or create entirely new business models. From OpenAI enhancing shopping with smarter recommendations to Yelp deploying AI agents for customer service, businesses are aiming to make interactions more intuitive and efficient.
The general theme centers on AI-driven transformation reshaping industries. Companies like Duolingo and Waymo are not just adopting AI, they are restructuring how they work and deliver services, while Alibaba’s new model signals how global competition in AI innovation continues to intensify. Together, these updates reflect a larger shift toward AI becoming a foundational element of growth, customer engagement, and operational strategy.
Coming Up
There’s big news coming up from the Quantious team! As part of our recent rebranding efforts, we’re about to unleash some of our most comprehensive Case Studies yet. Stay tuned to learn more about how marketing teams are leveraging AI and VR for seamless collaboration and project management, or our approach to planning events that exceed expectations, every time. ✨
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