Google vs. DeepSeek

Old Gemini, new tricks?

February 07, 2025

Welcome back! This just in: Anthropic banned job applicants from using AI in resumes and cover letters. It wants candidates to demonstrate real writing skills, not AI-generated fluff.

Ironic? Maybe. šŸ™ƒ But it also raises a bigger questionā€”if AI literacy is becoming a key workplace skill, isnā€™t knowing how to wield it effectively more important than writing a cover letter from scratch?

Should people applying to jobs in AI be permitted to use AI in their applications?

Sound off below.

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Google bets big on ā€˜thinkingā€™ AI

Via Maxwell Zeff / TechCrunch

Google just released a handful of Gemini models, seemingly in direct response to the hype around DeepSeekā€™s R1ā€‹. These models aim to reason, analyze, and solve complex problems in ways previous AI models couldnā€™t.

At the core of this upgrade:

  • 2 million token context window. Thatā€™s enough to process entire books or massive datasets in one go.

  • Improved world knowledge. Google claims these models have superior reasoning and factual accuracy.

  • More accessible AI tools. DeepSeek is open-source, but Google is embedding Gemini deeper into its ecosystem, making it easier to use but harder to modify.

The timing is interesting: DeepSeek R1 made waves by outperforming OpenAIā€™s O1 on reasoning-heavy benchmarks, forcing Google to step up its game. Whether Gemini 2.0 actually closes the gapā€”or just repackages old tricksā€”remains to be seen.

Google loosens AI ethicsā€”again

Big week for Googleā€”hereā€™s what else is going on āž”ļø

Google made a big show of its ethical AI principles in 2018, banning the use of its tech for weapons, mass surveillance, and human rights violations. Fast forward to 2025, and those restrictions have quietly disappearedā€‹.

Now, instead of prohibiting harmful applications, Googleā€™s new stance emphasizes "responsible oversight" and "compliance with international laws." This shift toward more vague interpretations follows growing government pressure to develop AI for defense applications.

One thing is certain: AI firms are increasingly aligning with national security interests. Whether thatā€™s good or bad depends on whoā€™s holding the reins.

OpenAI rolls out ChatGPT to 500K students

If AI is the future of work, OpenAI wants to make sure students get a head start. The California State University system is deploying ChatGPT Edu across all 23 campusesā€‹. Itā€™s the largest AI rollout in education to date, giving 500,000 students and faculty access to AI-powered learning tools.

The goal? AI literacy as a standard skill, just like coding or using spreadsheets. ChatGPT Edu will:

  • Act as a virtual tutor, providing personalized study guides

  • Help faculty automate lesson planning and research

  • Offer AI training and certifications, preparing students for the workforce

The AI future: Universities worldwide are experimenting with AI, but this move cements OpenAI as the dominant player in AI-powered education.

An AI that you can ping

Via Ping AI Tasklist

Need an AI-powered to-do list? Ping AI Tasklist automatically extracts deadlines, reminders, and assignees from voice commands and emailsā€‹.

How you can use it: 

  • Turn starred emails into action items

  • Sync with calendars to track deadlines

Pricing: Free with unlimited tasks and Slack integration; paid plan is $5.99/month with calendar and Gmail integration plus unlimited projects

Your personal AI accountant

Via GetInvoice

GetInvoice scans, organizes, and forwards invoices to your accounting software automaticallyā€‹.

How it helps:

  • Finds and extracts invoices instantly

  • Bulk downloads receipts as CSV or ZIP files

  • Syncs directly with Google Drive for easy access

Pricing: Free for 10 monthly invoices; paid plans based on monthly usage

Jobs, announcements, and big ideas

  • GitHub Copilot evolves into a smarter coding assistant.

  • Lyft taps Claude AI to enhance customer support.

  • Google unveils Imagen 3 for next-gen AI image creation.

  • Amazon prepares to reveal Alexaā€™s AI-powered upgrade.

  • Booz Allen Hamilton is hiring a Generative AI Project Manager to apply AI/ML solutions in the public sector.

  • BCG X is hiring a Senior Analyst to support with Responsible AI solution delivery.

How will AI impact the future of football? Gearing up for the Super Bowl on Sunday, I interviewed Aaron Amendolia, Deputy Chief Information Officer at the NFL, and Costa Kladianos, Executive VP + Head of Technology for the San Francisco 49ers, about what it takes to prepare to host Super Bowl LIX in today's digital age.

Must-watch AI breakthroughs. AI videos are getting crazier by the day. Watch along as I walk through seven of them.

Thanks for reading! See you next week.

ā€”Matt (FutureTools.io)

P.S. This newsletter is 100% written by a human. Okay, maybe 96%.