MISTRAL 🔥: Mistral reinforces its executive leadership team in order to scale its global expansion.

> Johan Bergqvist is appointed Chief Financial Officer

> Brian Hall is appointed Chief Marketing Officer

> Kamal Brar is appointed SVP, Partners & Alliances

OpenAI is working on support for Gifts in Codex!

> Send Codex credits to a friend to help them turn their ideas into reality.

Codex credits are a new currency 👀

Google has a hidden MCP integration config on Gemini for macOS but it is yet unclear if MCPs will ever become available over there.

Tbh, I am not getting why it is that challenging to simply enable MCPs across Gemini products.

It is quite an essential feature that opens up a ton of use cases.

It would also let Google to get more data about tool use for training.

Why? 👀

OpenAI is working on enhanced use of PowerPoint and Excel with Computer Use on Codex via add-ons.

> Let Codex use Microsoft Excel add-in for additional control
> Let Codex use Microsoft PowerPoint add-in for additional control

Computer Use is expanding as a general interface between AI agents and other software.

BREAKING 🔥: OPENAI LAUNCHED GPT-5.6 MODEL FAMILY UNDER NEW SOL, TERRA, AND LUNA MODEL NAMES.

> Sol is a new flagship model 🤖
> Terra is a performance model with 2x lower cost.
> Luna is the most cost-efficient model.

GPT-5.6 models are introduced as a "limited preview".

GPT-5.6 Sol reaches Mythos Preview level at cybersecurity tasks.

> It shifts the performance-efficiency frontier for long-horizon security tasks, including vulnerability research and exploitation.

Is this line between Mythos Preview and Mythos 5 what gets you banned by the government if you cross it?

Microsoft adds Copilot finance tools to Excel for M365 users

Microsoft is adding Copilot for Excel features for finance teams, including custom skills, new data connectors, and traceable changes. The update supports repeatable workflows, trusted data access, and review across key financial tasks.

🗞 #microsoftcopilot @testingcatalog

OpenAI launches GPT-5.6 Sol preview for select partners

OpenAI began a limited GPT-5.6 preview with Sol, Terra, and Luna. Sol matches GPT-5.5 pricing with stronger coding, biology, and cyber results; Terra cuts cost in half. Broader API, Codex, and ChatGPT access is planned soon.

🗞 #chatgpt @testingcatalog

Google released Design Variations for AI Studio!

This feature would generate several design proposals when selected, so users can apply them to their Build apps.

Themes support planned as well 👀

Google tests notebook collections for NotebookLM

Google is reportedly testing NotebookLM collections to group notebooks under one heading, addressing a long-missing top-level organization gap. If released, the feature could reduce navigation strain for users managing large notebook libraries.

🗞 #notebooklm @testingcatalog

ICYMI: Google adds Computer Use to Gemini 3.5 Flash

Google has integrated computer use into Gemini 3.5 Flash, giving developers and enterprises native agentic automation across browser, mobile, and desktop, with security controls for sensitive actions and prompt injection defense.

🗞 #aistudio @testingcatalog

Microsoft launches MAI-Code-1-Flash on GitHub Copilot

Microsoft has made MAI-Code-1-Flash generally available to GitHub Copilot Business and Enterprise users, offering fast, low-latency code generation for large teams, with access controlled by admin policy and usage-based pricing.

🗞 #github @testingcatalog

OpenAI tests gifting Codex credits as new growth strategy

OpenAI appears to be laying groundwork for Codex credit gifting, with hidden UI and a dead link hinting at future rollout plans.

🗞 #chatgpt @testingcatalog

OpenAI prepares upgraded Excel and PowerPoint controls for Codex

OpenAI may add Office-specific controls to Codex via Microsoft add-ins for Excel and PowerPoint, giving it structured access to slides and spreadsheets.

🗞 #chatgpt @testingcatalog

OpenAI is testing a new effort-selector UI for Codex as a slider.

Besides that, it seems that real-time voice support will be completely reworked as earlier available components have been removed.