Hi tech & AI enthusiasts, this week's highlights:
OpenAI's GPT-5.3 Codex: 25% Faster and Built Itself
Claude Opus 4.6 Found 500 Security Flaws Nobody Knew About
Perplexity's Model Council: Three AI Models, One Answer
Plus: OpenAI Frontier, Claude's Viral Ad Campaign, AI.com's $70M Launch
The Lab: How to Use Claude in PowerPoint
AI Image of the Week: Vintage video tape for 90s nostalgia content
Let’s get into it.
▲ AI CODING
GPT‑5.3-Codex also better understands your intent when you ask it to make day-to-day websites
OpenAI released GPT-5.3 Codex, their latest coding AI that's 25% faster than the previous version. But what’s even more impressive (or scary) is that it is their “first model that was instrumental in creating itself”. The team used early versions to debug its own training and manage deployment.
What you need to know
Can build complete apps over days: Creates functional games and applications from scratch, then debugs them, deploys them, monitors them, and writes documentation. Handles the full development cycle, not just writing code.
First "High" cybersecurity rating: OpenAI classifies this as their first model with "High capability" for cybersecurity tasks. That means it can find security vulnerabilities really well, which is useful but also risky.
Available with paid plans: Works in the Codex app, command line, code editors, and web. API access coming soon. Free tier access ended, now requires Plus, Pro, or Enterprise subscription.
Key Ideas
▲ Why it matters: Apps that took weeks to build can now happen in days because AI handles more of the grunt work, better than before. We’ve now moving into an era where businesses can build their own custom software with these AI models.
▲ AI SECURITY
Anthropic released Claude Opus 4.6 (same day as OpenAI's release). The model found over 500 previously unknown security vulnerabilities in open-source code using just its standard capabilities. It also introduced "agent teams" where multiple AI agents split large tasks into smaller jobs.
What you need to know
Agent teams handle big projects: Instead of one AI doing everything, agent teams break work into segments. One agent handles research, another writes code, another tests it. More efficient for complex tasks.
Now in PowerPoint and Excel: Claude works in PowerPoint (research preview) plus major upgrades in Excel. Analyse presentations, build slide decks, fix spreadsheet errors across both Microsoft apps.
Costs the same: Still $5/$25 per million tokens despite the improvements. Performance jumped significantly but pricing stayed flat.
Key Idea
▲ Why it matters: Finding security flaws means Claude can audit your code or vendor software for vulnerabilities before hackers find them. For businesses, that's valuable for security reviews. The agent teams feature means you can delegate bigger projects instead of breaking them down yourself. Claude figures out how to split the work and coordinate the pieces.
▲ AI RESEARCH
Model Council allows you to run the same query across several models at once
What you need to know
Reduces blind spots: Every AI model has gaps. They might miss context, lean toward certain perspectives, or guess confidently when unsure. Running 3 at once catches those issues.
Best for important decisions: Investment research, major purchases, career moves, creative brainstorming. When you need to be confident you're getting it right, not just getting an answer.
Perplexity Max only: Available now on web for Max subscribers ($200/month). Mobile app support coming soon. Currently not available on Pro or free tier.
Key Idea
▲ Why it matters: Single AI models can sound confident whilst being wrong. Model Council gives you multiple perspectives and shows where they disagree. That's useful for business decisions where wrong answers cost money. Instead of manually checking ChatGPT, then Claude, then Gemini, you get all 3 perspectives synthesised. Saves time whilst reducing the risk of acting on bad information.
▲ EVEN MORE NEWS
Other big ideas from the past week.
▲ OpenAI Frontier: An enterprise platform for managing AI agents across companies. Early customers include Uber, State Farm, Intuit. Broader availability coming in months.
▲ Claude "is a space to think": A fun new video marketing campaign positioning Claude as a thinking partner rather than just a tool. While also poking fun at OpenAI recent introduction of ads in their free tier. Watch here.
▲ AI.com launches after $70M purchase: Crypto.com founder bought AI.com domain for $70 million (largest domain sale ever) and launched the platform during Super Bowl LX. Offers personal AI agents for messaging, app usage, and stock trading. Site crashed after Super Bowl ad aired.
The Lab
▲ AI EDUCATION
How to Use Claude in PowerPoint
Claude just launched in PowerPoint (research preview). Analyse presentations, build slide decks, and get feedback on your content without leaving PowerPoint.
What you'll learn:
How to install Claude in PowerPoint and access the sidebar
How to analyse existing presentations and get improvement suggestions
How to build new slide decks from scratch or outlines
Real-world use cases for business presentations and pitch decks
🔬 Interested in learning about AI for business? Join The Lab waitlist.
▲ AI IMAGE SHOWCASE
Create this type of image with Midjourney
--sref 1058490069
Minimalist studio photograph of a hand holding a vintage video tape. The tape facing camera. Fingernails painted orange. Light blue seamless background. Clean composition, centered subject, soft diffused lighting, subtle shadows, slightly desaturated colors, film grain, retro aesthetic, 90s nostalgia, analog photography look, high resolution. --sref 1058490069Image Usage Suggestion: Retro brand campaigns, music or media company marketing, 90s nostalgia content, vintage product photography, entertainment industry visuals
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Thanks for reading, until next time.
Stay curious,
Matt Lok, Editor
Brought to you by Metalabs. Digital marketing consulting specialising in AI.