Our 242nd episode with a summary and discussion of last week's big AI news!

Recorded on 04/22/2026

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In this episode:

OpenAI released a new ChatGPT image model that excels at accurate text and screenshot-like generations, suggesting a transformer-style approach aligned with agentic “computer use” ambitions.
Chinese model activity accelerated with Alibaba’s Qwen 3.6 Max Preview moving to an API-only offering, plus open releases from Moonshot AI (Kimi K2.6, a 1T-parameter MoE) and Minimax (Minimax M 2.7) showing strong benchmark results.
Google expanded Deep Research with a “Max” option built on Gemini 3.1 Pro and MCP support for accessing proprietary data, while Mozilla reported using Anthropic’s Claude to find and fix 271 Firefox bugs.
Business and policy updates include a reported SpaceX–Cursor deal with a $60B buy option, Cerebras filing for an IPO, Amazon adding $5B to Anthropic alongside a $100B AWS spending pledge, and platform responses to synthetic media like AI music spam and YouTube deepfake takedown requests.

Timestamps:

Tools & Apps
(00:09:40) ChatGPT's new Images 2.0 model is surprisingly good at generating text | TechCrunch
(00:16:02) Alibaba Drops Qwen 3.6 Max Preview—Its Most Powerful Model Yet - Decrypt
(00:19:26) Google launches Deep Research and Deep Research Max agents to automate complex research
(00:25:00) Mozilla Used Anthropic’s Mythos to Find and Fix 271 Bugs in Firefox | WIRED
(00:28:35) Ordering with the Starbucks ChatGPT app was a true coffee nightmare | The Verge

Applications & Business
(00:29:48) SpaceX is working with Cursor and has an option to buy the startup for $60B | TechCrunch
(00:34:11) AI chip startup Cerebras files for IPO | TechCrunch
(00:38:23) Two startups want to replace how AI learns: one just raised $180M, another is seeking up to $1B
(00:38:56) Months-old start-up Recursive Superintelligence raises $500mn for self-teaching AI
(00:41:36) Anthropic takes $5B from Amazon and pledges $100B in cloud spending in return | TechCrunch
(00:45:09) Kevin Weil and Bill Peebles exit OpenAI as company continues to shed 'side quests' | TechCrunch
(00:46:04) Meta hires five Thinking Machines Lab founders including a reported $1.5 billion engineer - Meta cuts 198 Bay Area jobs as even larger layoffs reportedly loom
(00:50:12) Meta employees are up in arms over a mandatory program to train AI on their mouse movements and keystrokes
(00:51:43) Chinese fabs import record volumes of US chipmaking equipment via Singapore and Malaysia — homegrown tool makers booked record 2025 revenues as price competition squeezes margins
(00:54:01) Google Eyes New Chips to Speed Up AI Results, Challenging Nvidia
(00:54:20) Canadian quantum company Xanadu soars to $16 billion valuation after Nvidia release

Synthetic Media & Art
(01:27:01) Deezer says 44% of songs uploaded to its platform daily are AI-generated | TechCrunch
(01:29:47) Celebrities will be able to find and request removal of AI deepfakes on YouTube | The Verge

#242 - ChatGPT Images 2.0, Qwen 3.6 Max, Kimi-K2.6

Last Week in AI