AI Tools & Trends: What’s New in July 2025

by: Susan Gast / Author & Digital Creator

1. OpenAI’s ChatGPT Agent: Your New Digital Doer?

Well, this one’s a doozy — in the best possible way.

OpenAI just rolled out something called the ChatGPT Agent, and it’s not just another tweak to the interface. This new mode allows ChatGPT to actually take action on your behalf — like, real action. Think: browsing websites, using APIs, even running tasks in a sandboxed terminal. 🤯

If you’re a ChatGPT Pro, Plus, or Team user, this feature is being gradually released (you’ll need to opt in). Once activated, it allows the AI to follow instructions across steps and across tools. For example, it could search multiple sources, summarize findings, post to your CMS, or even upload a file — all within one session. And yes, it always asks for permission before touching anything external.

So what’s the big deal here? Well, for us solopreneurs, writers, and digital creators, this moves ChatGPT from “clever assistant” to “workflow partner.” You’re no longer just generating ideas — you’re delegating the doing. Of course, we’ll need to keep an eye on how smooth (and safe) the experience really is in the wild, but this is the kind of leap we’ve all been waiting for.

It’s automation with context. Execution without babysitting. And possibly, the biggest productivity booster AI has offered yet.

🔗 Read OpenAI’s full announcement here

2. Claude Users Hit a Wall — and Anthropic Didn’t Warn Them

Well… this one stirred up the Claude crowd.

On July 17, Anthropic quietly changed how much usage its Claude AI users could get — and let’s just say the internet noticed. Developers and power users on the Claude Code plan (even those shelling out $200/month) started getting a vague “Claude usage limit reached” message… with zero warning, zero explanation, and zero documentation to back it up.

This wasn’t just a minor bug. For folks using Claude for coding, client work, or research, the sudden shutdown left them high and dry — in some cases right in the middle of their workflow. And it wasn’t just high-volume users either. Several devs reported hitting limits after a normal day’s work. One Redditor summed it up nicely: “They broke our workflows and ghosted us.”

To Anthropic’s credit, they did eventually acknowledge the mess. A company rep confirmed they were having internal issues with usage tracking and promised a fix. But the damage was done. It raised big questions about transparency, reliability, and — for some — whether it’s time to look elsewhere.

As AI becomes more integrated into everyday tasks, limits like this don’t just affect a few nerds in a lab. They affect creators, coders, and solopreneurs who depend on consistency.

The lesson here? Always have a Plan B AI handy. And maybe don’t put all your prompts in one Claude-shaped basket.

🔗 Read TechCrunch’s full Claude usage limit story here

3. Gemini Just Nabbed Gold at the Math Olympiad — Yes, Really

While most of us were sipping coffee and dodging math, Google DeepMind’s Gemini model casually walked into the International Mathematical Olympiad… and earned itself a gold medal.

Okay, not literally — it didn’t attend in person with a calculator and a nervous sweat. But an enhanced version of Gemini, running in what DeepMind calls "Deep Think" mode, was able to solve 5 out of 6 Olympiad-level math problems — all on its own, in natural language, within the allotted 4.5-hour timeframe. That performance would’ve outscored thousands of actual human competitors.

This is a huge milestone in the world of AI reasoning. Unlike previous years where researchers had to pre-program the logic or manually convert math to code, Gemini solved these in plain English with rigorous, step-by-step proofs. It understood the problems, structured its logic, and articulated clear answers — without shortcuts.

For solopreneurs, writers, and creators, this might sound like “neat but irrelevant” — but it’s not. This kind of reasoning leap paves the way for AI tools that can help you plan launches, debug strategies, or even improve content structure with more than just surface-level suggestions.

We’re inching closer to AI that doesn’t just guess — it reasons. And that’s the kind of assistant I’ll gladly invite into my creative studio (as long as it doesn’t try to tutor me in calculus 😅).

🔗 Read DeepMind’s full Gemini Math Olympiad post here

4. Meta’s AI Ambitions Go Giga-Scale — with a Side of Secrecy

If you thought Meta was just fiddling with filters and Instagram tweaks, think again. Mark Zuckerberg just announced plans to invest “hundreds of billions of dollars” (yep, with a “B”) into AI infrastructure, including a massive new data center project nicknamed Prometheus.

What’s the goal? Build a supercomputing powerhouse for what Zuck’s calling “Superintelligence Labs” — Meta’s newly unified division focused on developing next-gen AI. This includes language models, vision tools, reasoning engines… basically, an all-in bid to compete with OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and whoever else joins the race.

One eyebrow-raising detail? Despite their previous love affair with open-source AI, Meta may be shifting toward closed models, especially if it gives them an edge in the race toward Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). That’s a big change — and one creators should watch closely.

So what does this mean for us on the solo/creative front?

Well, if Meta pulls this off, we could see more creator tools powered by deep reasoning, faster AI-generated visuals, and potentially smarter ad tech — all under one very powerful roof. But it also raises the question: will small creators still have access to the tools, or will this be a walled garden for big brands only?

Either way, this is one to watch. Superintelligence might sound sci-fi — but Meta’s throwing real money at making it happen.

🔗 Read Reuters’ full report on Meta’s AI ambitions here

 5. Copilot Can Now “See” Your Screen — Here’s Why That Matters

Microsoft just rolled out a quietly powerful update to Windows Copilot — and it’s got serious potential for solopreneurs and creators. The feature? It’s called Desktop Share, and it literally lets the AI see what’s on your screen.

Right now, it’s live for Windows Insider users (think early-access testers), but it’s coming to the rest of us soon. You can choose to share your entire desktop or just a specific app window — and Copilot can use that visual context to help you work smarter. Like, really smarter.

Say you’re editing a blog post in WordPress, tweaking a thumbnail in Canva, or struggling with an Excel budget. With Desktop Share on, Copilot isn’t guessing what you’re doing — it can see it and offer tailored help. It could say, “That font might be too small,” or “Want me to summarize this spreadsheet?” or even help write copy that fits your layout.

Now, obviously this kind of access should make anyone pause and check their privacy settings (don’t go sharing your taxes by accident). But used wisely, this could be a game-changer for hands-on workflows — especially for those of us juggling ten tabs and a caffeine buzz.

It’s AI stepping off the sidelines and into your real-world desktop chaos. I’m intrigued. Are you?

🔗 Read Microsoft’s Copilot Vision update here

6. Perplexity Launches Comet — the Browser with Brains

Well this is fun: Perplexity AI — the same folks behind the ultra-slick Q&A assistant — just launched a brand-new browser called Comet, and it’s designed to make web surfing a lot smarter.

At first glance, it looks like a regular Chromium browser (so it’ll feel familiar). But here’s the twist: Comet has an AI sidebar that works like your own digital co-pilot. Instead of opening 12 tabs and getting lost in a sea of affiliate articles, you can just ask the AI to compare policies, summarize product pages, or scan what’s open in your browser and answer questions based on what you’re already looking at.

Think of it like pairing ChatGPT with the actual internet — but without having to copy/paste links or explain what you're doing. This is what context-aware AI was meant to be.

For creators? This has real potential. Research becomes lightning fast. You could plan a blog post, check competitor pricing, summarize articles, and even draft content based on what's live on your screen. No more back and forth between tools and tabs.

Sure, we’ve seen AI assistants try to “help” before… but this one feels more baked-in, more seamless, and more aligned with the way digital folks like us already work.

It’s not just a browser — it’s a research buddy in disguise.

🔗 Read the full Perplexity Comet browser launch on TS2 Tech

7. Grok 4 Is Live — and xAI Says It’s “the Smartest Yet”

Elon Musk’s AI company, xAI, just launched Grok 4, and true to Elon’s style… it’s being billed as “the most intelligent model in the world.” 😏 Whether or not that’s true (jury’s out), Grok 4 definitely brings some heavy-hitter features to the table — and it’s now open to the public via paid subscription.

What makes Grok 4 stand out? First off, it’s multimodal, meaning it can handle images, text, and more in one go. But what really makes it interesting is its tool use ability — it can search the web in real-time, pull in current info, and execute multi-step instructions without plugins or third-party gimmicks.

Grok 4 also has a “Heavy” version under the hood — a powerhouse model that’s reportedly blowing past some of the current benchmark leaders. This might explain why Musk is leaning so hard into the “smarter than the rest” narrative.

For us creators and digital entrepreneurs? This matters. Having a model that can search, reason, and respond with fresh data — all inside a chat — means faster turnarounds, richer content ideas, and less time bouncing between tabs.

It’s still early days, and we’ll need to see how Grok 4 holds up in real-world use. But if it lives up to half the hype, it might just become another tool in our AI toolkit.

🔗 See the Grok 4 launch coverage at TS2 Tech
(Yes same link as #7 in the roundup - both are on the same source article page.)

8. Mistral Adds Voice + Deep Research — and It’s Seriously Impressive

Mistral might not have the name recognition of OpenAI or Google just yet, but they’re coming in hot — and their latest updates to Le Chat (their AI assistant) are definitely worth a look.

First up, they’ve added a voice mode called Voxtral, which lets you talk to the AI instead of typing. This isn't a clunky voice-to-text gimmick either — it’s smooth, responsive, and actually feels like a proper conversation. Perfect if you're walking around the house with a coffee and an idea that can’t wait.

Even more exciting? Mistral has rolled out a new “Deep Research” feature. Unlike standard AI “summarize this article” fluff, Deep Research browses credible sources on the fly and tries to sift out misinformation. This makes it a legit tool for writers and creators who want faster, more accurate content without sacrificing quality or citation integrity.

They’ve also quietly added support for image uploads, project organization, and better multi-turn memory — making Le Chat feel more like a true assistant and less like a glorified chatbot.

It’s open-source, fast-evolving, and surprisingly user-friendly. For indie creators and digital solopreneurs, Mistral is shaping up to be a very solid (and transparent!) alternative to the Big 3. I say keep your eye on this one.

I have to smile at "Le Chat" (which is a cat!) and I've experienced "the Mistral" winds when on "daddy's yacht" in the south of France. I know you'll sleep better for knowing that.

🔗 Read Reuters’ full story on Mistral’s new features here

9. YouTube Cracks Down on Low-Effort AI Videos — What Creators Need to Know

If you’ve been using AI to crank out faceless, voiceover-heavy videos for YouTube… you might want to hit pause. As of July 15, YouTube officially updated its monetization policies — and they’re coming for “low-effort AI content.”

So what exactly does that mean? YouTube’s targeting videos that are overly repetitive, generated at scale, and offer minimal original value. Think: text-to-video slideshows, robotic voiceovers reading from Wikipedia, or content that’s clearly been “spun” with just enough tweaks to bypass detection. All of that could now lose eligibility for ad revenue.

Here’s the good news: YouTube is not banning AI-made content. Far from it. In fact, they’re making room for it — as long as it’s creative, transformative, or informative. So if you’re using AI as a tool (not a shortcut), you’re in the clear.

But for creators banking on quantity-over-quality? This could be a rude awakening. And honestly? It’s probably a good thing. Platforms are waking up to the flood of cookie-cutter content — and prioritizing value again.

So if you’re using AI for scripts, B-roll ideas, or editing boosts — keep going! Just make sure your voice, vision, or commentary still shines through. That’s what will stand the test of time and keep you sane through all the algorithm updates.

🔗 Read the full Empire Flippers blog for YouTube’s July policy changes

10. Instagram Posts Are Now Google-Searchable — Here’s What That Means

This one slipped under the radar — but it’s a biggie for content visibility. As of July 10, Meta confirmed that Instagram content is now being indexed by Google, starting with public posts from professional accounts. Yep, your Reels, photos, and videos can now show up in Google search results. 😮

Let’s break that down: if you’re running a professional Insta account (and have your posts set to public), your content just got a potential second life outside the app. That clever Reel you made about writing prompts? Your carousel of AI tools for solopreneurs? All of that could now show up in someone’s search… even if they’ve never used Instagram.

This is great news for creators who are tired of building castles inside algorithm-controlled sandboxes. You now have a shot at evergreen exposure via Google — especially if your captions, hashtags, and profile name include relevant keywords.

Of course, there’s a flip side: content you thought would fade into the Insta abyss could now pop up years later. So if you're rebranding or cleaning house, it might be time for a privacy pass.

But overall? This is a win for creators who think long-term. It blurs the line between social content and searchable content — and rewards strategy.

🔗 See the Instagram + Google indexing announcement on Empire Flippers

(Yes same link as #9 in the roundup - both are on the same source article page.)