Model breakthroughs and massive corporate AI bets

Simon Willison: A pelican for GPT-5.5 via the semi-official Codex backdoor API (Apr. 23, 2026)
GPT-5.5 launched in Codex, paid ChatGPT, and will reach the API soon, delivering fast, capable results. A Codex-based plugin uses subscriptions to run prompts, and pricing is about double GPT-5.4.
Ethan Mollick: Sign of the future: GPT-5.5 (Apr. 23, 2026)
GPT-5.5 shows major gains in models, apps, and harnesses, producing faster, more capable coding, image, and research outputs. It can draft near-PhD papers and games.
Anthropic: An update on recent Claude Code quality reports (Apr. 23, 2026)
Three recent changes—lowering default effort, a caching bug that dropped prior reasoning, and a brevity prompt—caused Claude Code to degrade; all were fixed by April 20.
TechCrunch: Google updates Workspace to make AI your new office intern (Apr. 22, 2026)
At Google Cloud Next, Google unveiled AI-powered Workspace features, including Workspace Intelligence with admin data controls, Gemini tools to build and auto-fill Sheets, and AI writing in Docs.
Reuters: Microsoft to integrate Anthropic's Mythos into its security development program (Apr. 22, 2026)
Microsoft will embed Anthropic’s Claude Mythos Preview into its Security Development Lifecycle to detect vulnerabilities, speed fixes, and boost cybersecurity.
OpenAI: Introducing GPT-5.5 (Apr. 22, 2026)
GPT‑5.5 is a more capable, efficient model that handles messy, multi-step coding, research, and computer tasks with stronger reasoning, fewer tokens, and GPT‑5.4-like latency. It adds tighter safeguards.
OpenAI: Introducing ChatGPT Images 2.0 (Apr. 21, 2026)
ChatGPT Images 2.0 launches, marking a new era of image generation. It’s available inside ChatGPT via a demo link, video, and Try in ChatGPT option, inviting users to experiment with new image tools.
WSJ: Meta to Lay Off 10% of Employees in May (Apr. 23, 2026)
Meta will cut about 10% of staff, roughly 8,000 people, cancel hiring for 6,000 open roles, and spend up to $135 billion on AI infrastructure.
TechCrunch: Tesla just increased its spending plan to $25B — here's where the money is going (Apr. 22, 2026)
Tesla plans $25 billion in capital spending in 2026, tripling past levels to fund AI, robotics, chip design, and factory expansion.
Reuters: Microsoft bets big on AI in Australia with $18 billion investment (Apr. 22, 2026)
Microsoft will invest A$25 billion in Australia by 2029 to expand Azure AI supercomputing, cloud, cybersecurity, and AI training.
The Verge: Microsoft offers voluntary retirement to long-serving employees (Apr. 23, 2026)
Microsoft is offering a one-time voluntary retirement program for some long-serving US employees whose age plus years of service total 70 or more.
Business Insider: Anthropic has surged to a trillion-dollar valuation on secondary markets, overtaking OpenAI (Apr. 22, 2026)
Desperate buyers are racing for dwindling Anthropic secondary shares, driving its valuation to about $1 trillion on private marketplaces, amid creative, risky, frenzied offers.

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