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Today’s edition: Key AI updates shaping work today, followed by 10 AI-Powered Skills That Will Separate Top Professionals in 2026.

OpenAI is quietly exploring ads inside ChatGPT, testing how sponsored responses might appear in everyday conversations, which means the tool you use to think clearly at work may soon come with subtle nudges that require sharper judgment than blind trust. At the same time, Waymo’s robotaxis froze at dark intersections during a power outage, showing how autonomous systems still depend heavily on basic infrastructure, reminding office professionals that even the smartest AI can grind to a halt when the real world does not cooperate. And as researchers show humanoid robots can be hijacked with simple voice commands, the message is clear: AI is getting more physical and more powerful, so understanding security risks may soon matter as much as knowing how to use the tools themselves.

Here's what's making headlines in the world of AI and innovation today.

In today’s AI Pulse

• ⚡ Attio – AI-native CRM that grows with you.

• 🟢 Gladly – AI support that scales without chaos.

• 🧠 The Code – Tech insights engineers read twice weekly.

• 📢 ChatGPT – May Soon Show Sponsored Responses.

• 🚕 Waymo Robotaxis – Freeze At Dark Intersections.

• 🤖 Voice Commands – Can Hijack Humanoid Robots.

• 🚀 AI Skills That Separate Top Professionals

• ⚡ Quick Hits – IN AI TODAY

• 🛠️ Tool to Sharpen Your Skills –🎓 AIGPE® Al-Powered WBS Specialist Certification (with ChatGPT)

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📢💬 OpenAI Considers Ads Inside ChatGPT

🧠The Pulse

OpenAI is reportedly exploring advertising within ChatGPT. Early mockups show sponsored responses and product placements. The initiative could unlock huge revenue but raises transparency concerns and may face regulatory scrutiny.

📌The Download

• Advertising discussions: OpenAI is internally evaluating whether advertisements or sponsored responses could be introduced into ChatGPT results. These discussions are exploratory and focus on how monetisation might work inside conversational AI without disrupting core functionality. No public commitment has been made, and leadership is still weighing multiple strategic options.

• Interface mockups tested: The company has reportedly created internal mockups showing how sponsored links, promoted products, or paid responses could appear inside the chat interface. These designs are only prototypes used for internal evaluation, and they do not indicate that ads will launch imminently or in their current visual form.

• Revenue upside potential: Analysts believe that embedding ads directly into AI conversations could unlock a major new revenue stream. Such a move could materially strengthen OpenAI’s financial position, support future capital raises, and reinforce investor expectations around valuations potentially exceeding $100 billion.

• Trust and regulation risks: Adding ads inside AI responses could raise transparency concerns for users. Regulators may scrutinise whether paid content is clearly labelled to prevent misleading outputs, making disclosure, governance, and trust safeguards critical if advertising is pursued.

💡What This Means for You

Your work conversations with ChatGPT might soon include sponsored suggestions. Professionals should be alert to potential biases introduced by advertising and ensure any AI‑powered decisions remain independent. Companies may explore building targeted ad campaigns inside conversational interfaces, demanding new marketing and disclosure strategies.

🚦 Power Outage Leaves Waymo Robotaxis Frozen at Dark Intersections

🧠The Pulse

During a major December 20 power outage in San Francisco, Waymo’s driverless taxis became stuck at intersections where traffic lights failed. The vehicles halted mid‑street, causing traffic backups until electricity was restored. The event highlights the fragility of autonomous cars when city infrastructure goes down.

📌The Download

• Grid failure halt: A fire at a power substation triggered a widespread outage that disabled traffic signals across downtown. Waymo’s autonomous vehicles were unable to interpret uncontrolled intersections and responded by stopping in place, unintentionally blocking lanes and disrupting normal traffic flow in multiple areas.

• Service suspension: As more vehicles became immobilised, Waymo temporarily suspended robotaxi operations until electricity and traffic signals were restored. Passengers were left stranded mid-route, while police officers were forced to manually direct traffic to keep intersections functioning during the outage.

• Planning gaps exposed: Transportation experts noted that this type of failure was predictable and criticised both regulators and autonomous vehicle operators for lacking robust contingency planning. They argued that clearer fallback protocols and manual override strategies should exist for situations where core infrastructure suddenly fails.

• Infrastructure dependency: The incident highlights how heavily self-driving vehicles rely on functioning urban infrastructure. Without traffic lights or reliable connectivity, autonomous systems may become hazards, raising broader questions about resilience, emergency response readiness, and deployment standards.

💡What This Means for You

Autonomous vehicles are only as reliable as the roads and signals they rely on. Professionals should consider contingency planning for AI‑driven systems when critical infrastructure fails. Redundancy, manual overrides and coordination with city agencies will be essential as more robotaxis hit the streets.

😱 Robots Hijacked! Security Flaw Lets Hackers Turn Voice Commands into Weaponised Swarms

🧠The Pulse

At the GEEKCon conference, researchers demonstrated how cheap Unitree humanoid robots could be hijacked via voice commands. They used a simple phrase to override the robots’ command system and then spread the hack via short‑range wireless, turning multiple robots into potential physical threats and sparking alarm over unsecured consumer robots.

📌The Download

• Voice-command vulnerability: Investigators discovered that certain Unitree humanoid robots accept voice commands without proper authentication. By playing a simple audio recording, researchers were able to trigger complex physical actions, including striking a mannequin, demonstrating that the robots could cause real-world physical harm if misused.

• Cascade infection risk: After compromising a single robot, the team transmitted malicious commands to other nearby robots using short-range wireless communication. This showed that once one unit is hijacked, the exploit can spread to additional robots, even when they are not connected to the internet.

• Security blind spot: Researchers warned that many consumer robot manufacturers prioritise AI performance and capabilities while neglecting basic security measures. Weak or missing authentication and encryption leave robots exposed to relatively simple attacks that could be deliberately weaponised.

• Call for standards: Experts urged manufacturers to implement secure boot processes, encrypted communications, and stronger voice authentication. The demonstration highlighted the urgent need for industry-wide cybersecurity standards before humanoid robots become common in homes and workplaces.

💡What This Means for You

As robots begin entering homes and offices, security must be as important as convenience. The hack shows that even friendly humanoids can be hijacked. Professionals should push suppliers for robust authentication and be wary of connecting robots to sensitive networks without strict security controls.

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IN AI TODAY - QUICK HITS

⚡Quick Hits (60‑Second News Sprint)

Short, sharp updates to keep your finger on the AI pulse.

• Robot Lab Discovers New Metal Antibiotics Fast: Researchers at the University of York used an automated robotics platform and click chemistry to synthesise over 700 metal‑based compounds in less than a week. They identified an iridium compound that kills MRSA‑like bacteria yet is harmless to human cells, showing robotics can accelerate antibiotic discovery.

• Generative Video Arrives in Microsoft 365 Copilot: Microsoft announced that the Sora 2 video‑generation model is now integrated into Microsoft 365 Copilot Create. Users can turn text prompts or existing documents into videos, adjust style and pacing and align with corporate branding. The feature brings generative video into enterprise productivity.

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🙌 About Us

AI Pulse is the official newsletter of AIGPE®. Our mission: help professionals master Lean, Six Sigma, Project Management, and now AI, so you can deliver breakthroughs that stick.

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