In partnership with
As 2025 comes to a close, the AI world is seeing some of its biggest changes yet, from billion-dollar deals to agents that can browse the web for you. Here’s a recap of the best tools that came out last year.
Here's what's going on in AI today:
📰 News: Nvidia Acquires Groq for $20 Billion 🤯
🎨 Tools: Midjourney V7 sets a new standard for AI art 🖼️
🤖 Future: Salesforce unveils autonomous AI workers for your business 💼
and more...
(Reading time - 5 minutes)
🚀 Nvidia Acquires Groq for $20 Billion
Nvidia has reportedly bought Groq for $20 billion. Groq is a company that makes very fast chips specifically designed to run AI models. By adding Groq’s tech to their own, Nvidia wants to make sure they stay the number one leader in the world of AI hardware.
Why it matters: This deal helps Nvidia control the fastest hardware used to run modern AI assistants.
🧠 DeepSeek R1 Disrupts the Market
DeepSeek released R1, a new model that can reason and think through hard problems just as well as the most expensive systems. What makes it special is that it was much cheaper to train. This proves that you don't always need a billion dollars to build a world-class AI.
Why it matters: It shows that powerful reasoning AI can be built more efficiently and for less money.
🕵️♂️ Google Launches Gemini 3.0 & Deep Think
Google's newest model, Gemini 3.0, features a "Deep Think" mode. This allows the AI to plan out its steps and check its own facts before it gives you an answer. It is now built directly into Google Docs and Gmail to help people finish their daily tasks.
Why it matters: This makes AI much more reliable for important work because it double-checks its own logic.
🌐 OpenAI Enters Browser Wars with Atlas
OpenAI has launched a new web browser called Atlas. Unlike normal browsers, Atlas has an AI agent built-in that can actually take action on the web. It can navigate sites, fill out forms, and even book travel for you without you having to click around.
Why it matters: It changes the internet from a place where we search for things to a place where AI does tasks for us.
💼 Salesforce Unveils Agentforce AI Workers
Salesforce launched Agentforce, a system that lets companies create "digital workers." These AI agents can talk to customers, solve support tickets, and close sales deals without needing a human to help. It’s a big step in moving AI from a helper to a full-time worker.
Why it matters: It allows businesses to handle thousands of customer requests instantly using autonomous agents.
🎬 Sora 2 and Veo 3 Redefine Video
OpenAI’s Sora 2 and Google’s Veo 3 have made AI video look much more realistic. These tools can now generate longer videos with matching sound effects and characters that stay the same in every shot. They are already being used to help make commercials and movie plans.
Why it matters: High-quality video production is now available to anyone with a computer and an idea.
☄️ Perplexity Comet Launches Action Browsing
Perplexity released a new browser called Comet that focuses on getting things done. You can type a command like "find me a flight to Tokyo under $800," and the browser will search and book it for you. It is meant to be a faster way to use the web without ads.
Why it matters: It simplifies complex web tasks by letting an AI handle all the clicking and searching.
🖼️ Alibaba Qwen Updates Image and Voice Tools
Alibaba released a bunch of new Qwen tools, including a way to edit parts of an image just by typing instructions. They also launched a new voice system called Qwen3-TTS that sounds more like a real person when it speaks.
Why it matters: These open tools give creators more ways to edit photos and create realistic AI voices for free.
🎨 Midjourney V7 Sets New Art Standard
Midjourney V7 is out, and it makes pictures that are almost impossible to tell apart from real photos. It also finally fixed the problem where AI couldn't write text correctly inside of images. It is now the top choice for professional artists and marketing teams.
Why it matters: It allows anyone to create professional-level photography and graphic design in seconds.
🎮 YouTube Launches AI Game Builder
YouTube is letting creators build their own small games using AI with a tool called Playables. This makes it easy for people who aren't game developers to make fun, interactive experiences for their fans directly on the YouTube platform.
Why it matters: It turns YouTube from just a video site into a place where anyone can create and play games.
💧 Liquid AI Debuts New Flexible Model
Liquid AI has introduced a new model that uses a different kind of brain structure called "liquid" neural networks. These models are designed to be more flexible and use less power, making them great for running on small devices like phones or robots.
Why it matters: More efficient models mean we can have smarter AI on our personal devices without needing a huge data center.
🚫 Game Loses Award Over AI Controversy
The game "Clair Obscur: Expedition 33" had an award taken away after people worried about how it used AI-generated art. This has sparked a big debate about when it is okay to use AI in professional games and how to credit the human artists.
Why it matters: It shows that the creative world is still figuring out the rules for using AI fairly.
📊 Nano Banana Pro Slides Now Editable on Manus
You can now edit professional slides created by Nano Banana directly inside the Manus AI tool. This helps business people quickly change their presentations without having to start over or use complicated software.
Why it matters: It makes creating and changing business presentations much faster for busy workers.