OpenAI’s $20K AI Agents, Google’s AI Search Mode, Perplexity’s AI Phone


In this newsletter:

  • OpenAI plans $20,000 monthly AI agents, betting big on premium pricing
  • Google doubles down on AI search with new 'AI mode' and expanded overviews
  • Deutsche Telekom partners with Perplexity to launch AI phone with always-on assistant

Plus, you’ll find new AI tools and this week’s top AI news headlines!

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💰 OpenAI Plans $20,000 Monthly AI Agents, Betting Big on Premium Pricing

OpenAI is planning a dramatic pricing shift with its upcoming AI agents, targeting enterprise clients with a premium $20,000 monthly subscription for its highest-tier "Ph.D.-level" assistants.

What's new:

  • Premium plans range from $2,000/month for business professionals to $10,000/month for software developers and $20,000/month for PhD-level researchers
  • Premium AI agents designed to take autonomous actions for enterprise users
  • Represents massive jump from current $200/month maximum subscription
  • Expected to generate 20-25% of OpenAI's long-term revenue
  • Backed by Microsoft as part of profitability strategy
  • Focus on delivering automation value that justifies the high price point

Why it matters:

This aggressive pricing strategy signals a major pivot in AI companies' monetization strategies. While OpenAI has struggled to profit from consumer subscriptions, this enterprise-focused approach could establish a lucrative new revenue stream.

At the same time, the high price points risk opening the door for competitors like Google and Anthropic to step in with more affordable alternatives, potentially undercutting OpenAI's premium strategy.

👀 Read how OpenAI's bold pricing move could reshape the AI market!

🔍 Google Doubles Down on AI Search with New 'AI Mode' and Expanded Overviews

Google has announced major expansions to its AI-powered search features, including broader access to AI Overviews and a new chatbot-like "AI Mode" that transforms how users interact with search results.

What's new:

  • AI Overviews expanding to more query types & all users globally, even those not logged in
  • New "AI Mode" feature brings chatbot-like experience directly to Google Search
  • AI Mode generates comprehensive answers with supporting links interspersed
  • Powered by a Search-specific model with real-time data access
  • Currently limited to Google One AI Premium subscribers through Labs
  • Upgrading AI Overviews with Gemini 2.0 for improved math, coding, and reasoning
  • Available as a tab alongside Images and News in search interface

Why it matters:

Google's ambitious integration into AI-generated content represents a significant evolution in how people find information online.

While the company claims AI features drive more engaged website visits, this shift toward generated answers raises questions about Google's traditional role of connecting users to websites.

👀 Read how Google is reimagining search with AI at its core!

📱 Deutsche Telekom Partners With Perplexity to Launch AI Phone With Always-On Assistant

German telecommunications giant and parent company of T-Mobile, Deutsche Telekom has teamed up with AI search company Perplexity to develop an "AI Phone" featuring integrated artificial intelligence capabilities at a price below $1,000, scheduled to launch in European markets in 2026.

What's new:

  • AI assistant accessible directly from the lock screen for immediate use
  • Perplexity's technology will handle proactive tasks like booking flights and sending messages
  • Features AI tools from Google Cloud, ElevenLabs, and Picsart
  • Accompanied by "Magenta AI" assistant app also coming to iOS and Android
  • App will be available to Deutsche Telekom's 300 million existing customers
  • Partnership began in April 2024, with phone hardware details to be revealed later this year
  • Will enable proactive assistance beyond just answering questions

Why it matters:

Telecom companies have long struggled to compete with tech giants Apple and Google in the smartphone space. This partnership represents Deutsche Telekom's strategic move to regain customer relationships through AI innovation.

For Perplexity, valued at $9 billion, this expansion into hardware creates a new avenue beyond search as AI assistants evolve from reactive tools to proactive helpers.

👀 Read how telecoms and AI startups are challenging smartphone giants!

My Latest LinkedIn & X/Twitter Posts:

  • How to use AI-powered video agents for business conversations (view post)
  • How to measure and scale brand growth like top companies (view post)
  • How to sell your app outside app stores & keep more revenue (view post)
  • Spot hidden patterns behind high-converting video ads using AI (view post)
  • 6 ways to create presentations faster and easier using AI (view post)
  • How to build engaging how-to guides with AI (view post)
  • 10 websites to find real remote job opportunities (view post)
  • How to build apps without coding using these 10 no-code tools (view post)

New AI Tools to Boost Your Productivity:

  • TalkText: Converts speech into polished text, removing filler words and correcting mistakes automatically.
  • TeamJournal: Transcribes meetings, enhances notes with AI, and keeps teams in sync.
  • PPT.AI: Turn your content into professional presentations using AI-powered templates.
  • FrameSynth: Creates AI-generated music videos from your music tracks.
  • Rezifine: Creates tailored resumes and cover letters aligned with job descriptions.
  • Blix: Transforms open-ended text feedback into actionable business insights.
  • PodMind: Converts PDFs and text into engaging podcasts using natural-sounding AI voices.
  • Ravenna: AI-powered help desk that automates internal support within Slack.
  • Assindo: Handles phone calls, automates outgoing calls, screens incoming calls, navigates menus, and converts calls into tasks.
  • Notis.ai: Captures, organizes, and retrieves Notion documents from your phone.
  • Competitor Analyzer: Analyzes competitors' strengths and weaknesses to identify opportunities and threats.
  • ARIA: Generates hyper-realistic, photo-quality images using AI.
  • Read-this.ai: Transforms articles into podcast-quality audio with a click.
  • Slax Note: Converts voice recordings into polished text notes using AI.
  • Whisper API: Transcribes audio and video into text using OpenAI's Whisper model in 98+ languages.
  • Oppy: Enhances job applications with patent-pending JobReady Certification and real-time recruiter alerts.
  • Faceless Ninja AI: Creates viral faceless videos for TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels.
  • Pinster: Organizes and enriches your bookmarks with AI-generated summaries and chat.
  • MakeMyBrand: Creates polished LinkedIn carousel posts with engaging content, visuals, and calls-to-action.
  • DiffRhythm: Generates full-length songs with vocals and accompaniment from lyrics and style prompts.

This Week's Top AI News Headlines:

  • Google Releases Experimental Gemini Embedding Text Model via Gemini API for Enhanced Language Understanding (View Article)
  • Apple Delays Rollout of Personalized Siri Features with Enhanced Context Awareness and Cross-App Actions, Now Expected Next Year (View Article)
  • Anthropic Upgrades Developer Console with Team Collaboration Features, Prompt Optimization Tools, and Support for Claude 3.7 Sonnet Model (View Article)
  • DuckDuckGo Enhances AI Features with Private Chatbot Access at Duck ai and Expanded AI-Assisted Search Answers, Emphasizing User Privacy and Control (View Article)
  • Google Advances AMIE AI System to Support Longitudinal Disease Management, Enhancing Patient Care Over Time (View Article)
  • Mistral AI Launches Mistral OCR, an Advanced Optical Character Recognition API for Complex Documents and Mathematical Expressions (View Article)
  • Codeium Releases Windsurf Wave 4 with Real-Time Preview, Auto-Linter, and AI-Powered Code Suggestions (View Article)
  • Amazon Prime Video Tests AI Dubbing in English and Spanish on 12 Licensed Titles to Enhance Global Accessibility (View Article)
  • Tencent Releases HunyuanVideo I2V with Open-Source Training Code for High-Quality Image-to-Video Generation (View Article)
  • Pika AI Introduces New Features: Modify Video Regions, Add AI Elements, Interpolate Frames, and Blend Images for Enhanced Video Editing (View Article)
  • Andreessen Horowitz Releases 4th Edition of Top 100 Generative AI Consumer Apps, Highlighting Trends in AI Video Generation and Developer Tools (View Article)
  • Hedra Launches Hedra Studio and Character-3, an Omnimodal AI Model for Advanced Video Creation Using Text, Audio, and Dynamic Backgrounds (View Article)
  • Tavus Introduces Phoenix-3, Raven-0, and Sparrow-0 AI Models to Advance Conversational Video Interfaces and Power New AI Persona Charlie (View Article)
  • xAI Rolls Out Grok-2 and Grok-2 Mini, Letting Users Ask AI Questions by Replying with “Grok” on X (View Article)
  • ChatGPT for macOS Now Edits Code Directly in IDEs, Available to Plus, Pro, and Team Users (View Article)

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Have a wonderful week!

Andrew Bolis

AI Tips for Business Growth - Newsletter by Andrew Bolis

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