Summer Surge: Code, Joy & New Tools

Friends,

This Wednesday at Learn AI Live, we reflected on what surprises people most when learning AI - and how they measure progress. Across audit meetings, AI Night School sessions, and tooling workshops, I keep hearing the same things:

“I wish AI could connect our data.”
“I wish I could spend more time creating value - and less on admin.”

That’s the real heart of it. AI isn’t just about features. It’s about freeing up time, solving bottlenecks, and helping your team do better work. And right now, every major AI company is offering a version of that promise.

From local models to upgraded workflows, the platforms are lining up to win your attention. This is a good moment to explore what’s out there - while the incentives are still in your favour.

As for me? I’m off to the Algarve next week for some much-needed vitamin D. But before I go, here’s your weekly round-up of what matters in AI - and how to move forward with clarity and optimism.

🔥 URGENT

✅ No urgent incidents this week
✅ Systems stable
✅ A moment to explore new value

🎯 STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS

The AI platforms are all trying to woo you

This week’s updates tell you everything you need to know about the state of play:

• Claude Opus 4.1 is live. It’s faster, smarter, and holds 74.5% accuracy on real-world coding benchmarks. Pricing remains unchanged (although we saw last week how Claude is focused on managing ultra-high usage customers.
  👉 Read more

• OpenAI’s GPT-oss models now run on laptops and smartphones. Fully open-weight, with no cloud lock-in. Free??
  👉 Read more

• Google’s NotebookLM now includes video and audio overviews, mind maps, and a redesigned Studio interface. More crazy research superpowers.
  👉 Explore it

Why this matters:
Every major provider is positioning to become your AI Operating System. Right now, they’re doing it with low prices, open tools, and easy access. That won’t last.

This is the time to experiment with serious intent. Lock in value before pricing changes (upwards). Build confidence in your teams. And keep your options open. The more technical fluency you build internally, the more freedom you have when the market tightens.

🟨 This week’s strategic prompt: What would it look like to treat this moment as a buying window - and prepare your organisation to thrive when the pricing changes?

🤓 GEEKERY

1. From Photoshop to Function: Imagining Code with Visual Prompts
A developer used Cursor and a simple Photoshop image to generate working code. No lines of text, no command line - just a visual idea turned into a functioning interface.
👉 Watch the demo

Why this matters: Coding is shifting fast. When visuals can drive logic, the idea of who gets to build changes. Helping your team move past "I'm not technical" is now part of your growth strategy. If they can sketch an idea, they can start building it.

2. Glamorise the command line - and bring more people in
Charm.land reimagines the terminal. Colourful, animated, and surprisingly friendly - this tool makes the command line less intimidating and more inviting.
👉 Try it out

Why this matters: At StartUp Sherpas, I saw how small design choices could radically improve inclusivity. Charm.land takes that same approach to developer tools. When tech feels more approachable, more people lean in - and that expands your innovation capacity.

3. Mid-Year LLM Review: 80% of the time, you want code
Menlo VC’s mid-year report confirms it: code generation remains the leading use case for large language models.
👉 Read the report

Why this matters: In meetings this week, I heard it again and again - “I wish I could spend more time creating value and less on admin.” Code helps you do that. Whether it's automating internal tools or testing new ideas, the ability to generate code on demand is already becoming a competitive edge for SMEs.

🎨 WEEKEND PLAYGROUND

Make a Family Summer Holiday Story with Google Storybook
Write a short scene - get a beautifully illustrated AI-generated tale.
👉 Create yours

Why this matters: A reminder that AI can be playful, too. It’s also a great way to explore narrative tools - and see what else might be possible in your comms or training content. (Also, let your kids play with this.)

📅 EVENTS

Booking now: Autumn offsites and playshops

If you’re planning a team day, strategy retreat, or department session this autumn - I’m now taking bookings for in-person keynotes and hands-on AI explorations.

📧 Just reply to this email to start the conversation.

📌 QUICK LINKS

• Could this be ChatGPT-4.5? OpenRouter’s Horizon beta looks fast and sharp (but it may be a test version of Open AI’s 4.5 model.
  👉 Explore it

• From copilots to AI HUDs - a thoughtful shift in thinking about how we manage agents.
  👉 Read it

• World simulations are here - a glimpse of what’s coming in the world of full immersion.
  👉 Watch the thread

📢 SHARE THE OPTIMISM

If The AI Optimist helps you think more clearly, forward it to someone else navigating the shift.
If it’s not quite landing, hit reply and let me know - I read every message.

Stay strategic, stay generous - and enjoy the sun (and rain).

Hugo & Ben