Thanks to the legal discovery process, Google’s antitrust trial with the Department of Justice has provided a fascinating glimpse into the future of ChatGPT.
Technology
OpenAI wants ChatGPT to be a ‘super assistant’ for every part of your life
An internal OpenAI strategy document titled “ChatGPT: H1 2025 Strategy” describes the company’s aspiration to build an “AI super assistant that deeply understands you and is your interface to the internet.” Although the document is heavily redacted in parts, it reveals that OpenAI aims for ChatGPT to soon develop into much more than a chatbot.
“In the first half of next year, we’ll start evolving ChatGPT into a super-assistant: one that knows you, understands what you care about, and helps with any task that a smart, trustworthy, emotionally intelligent person with a computer could do,” reads the document from late 2024. “The timing is right. Models like 02 and 03 are finally smart enough to reliably perform agentic tasks, tools like computer use can boost ChatGPT’s ability to take action, and interaction paradigms like multimodality and generative UI allow both ChatGPT and users to express themselves in the best way for the task.”
The document goes on to describe a “super assistant” as “an intelligent entity with T-shaped skills” for both widely applicable and niche tasks. “The broad part is all about making life easier: answering a question, finding a home, contacting a lawyer, joining a gym, planning vacations, buying gifts, managing calendars, keeping track of todos, sending emails.” It mentions coding as an early example of a more niche task.
Even when reading around the redactions, it’s clear that OpenAI sees hardware as essential to its future, and that it wants people to think of ChatGPT as not just a tool, but a companion. This tracks with Sam Altman recently saying that young people are using ChatGPT like a “ life advisor.”
“Today, ChatGPT is in our lives through existing form factors — our website, phone, and desktop apps,” another part of the strategy document reads. “But our vision for ChatGPT is to help you with all of your life, no matter where you are. At home, it should help answer questions, play music, and suggest recipes. On the go, it should help you get to places, find the best restaurants, or catch up with friends. At work, it should help you take meeting notes, or prepare for the big presentation. And on solo walks, it should help you reflect and wind down.”
At the same time, OpenAI finds itself in a wobbly position. Its infrastructure isn’t able to handle ChatGPT’s rising usage, which explains Altman’s focus on building data centers. In a section of the document describing AI chatbot competition, the company writes that “we are leading here, but we can’t rest,” and that “growth and revenue won’t line up forever.”
It acknowledges that there are “powerful incumbents who will leverage their distribution to advantage their own products,” and states that OpenAI will advocate for regulation that requires other platforms to allow people to set ChatGPT as the default assistant. (Coincidentally, Apple is rumored to soon let iOS users also select Google’s Gemini for Siri queries. Meta AI just hit one billion users as well, thanks mostly to its many hooks in Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook.)
“We have what we need to win: one of the fastest-growing products of all time, a category-defining brand, a research lead (reasoning, multimodal), a compute lead, a world-class research team, and an increasing number of effective people with agency who are motivated to ship,” the OpenAI document states. “We don’t rely on ads, giving us flexibility on what to build. Our culture values speed, bold moves, and self-disruption. Maintaining these advantages is hard work but, if we do, they will last for a while.”
- Apple chickens out: For the first time in a decade, Apple won’t have its execs participate in John Gruber’s annual post-WWDC live podcast. Gruber recently wrote the viral “something is rotten in the state of Cupertino” essay, which was widely discussed in Apple circles. Although he hasn’t publicly connected that critical piece to the company backing out of his podcast, it’s easy to see the throughline. It says a lot about the state of Apple when its leaders don’t even want to participate in what has historically been a friendly forum.
- Elon was high: As Elon Musk attempts to reframe the public’s view of him by doing interviews about SpaceX, The New York Times reports that last year, he was taking so much ketamine that it “was affecting his bladder.” He also reportedly “traveled with a daily medication box that held about 20 pills, including ones with the markings of the stimulant Adderall.” Both Musk and the White House have had multiple opportunities to directly refute this report, and they have not. Now, Musk is at least partially stepping away from DOGE along with key lieutenants like Steve Davis. DOGE may be a failure based on Musk’s own stated hopes for spending cuts, but his closeness to Trump has certainly helped rescue X from financial ruin and grown SpaceX’s business. Now, the more difficult work begins: saving Tesla.
“The way we do ranking is sacrosanct to us.” – Google CEO Sundar Pichai on Decoder, explaining why the company’s search results won’t be changed for President Trump or anyone else.
“Compared to previous technology changes, I’m a little bit more worried about the labor impact… Yes, people will adapt, but they may not adapt fast enough.” – Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei on CNN raising the alarm about the technology he is developing.
“Meta is a very different company than it was nine years ago when they fired me.” – Anduril founder Palmer Luckey telling Ashlee Vance why he is linking up with Mark Zuckerberg to make headsets for the military.
- The flattening of Meta’s AI organization has taken effect, with VP Ahmad Al-Dahle no longer overseeing the entire group. Now, he co-leads “AGI Foundations” with Amir Frenkel, VP of engineering, while Connor Hayes runs all AI products. All three men now report to Meta CPO Chris Cox, who has diplomatically framed the changes as a way to “give each org more ownership.”
- Xbox co-founder J Allard is leading a new ‘breakthrough’ devices group at Amazon called ZeroOne. One of the devices will be smart home-related, according to job listings.
- C.J. Mahoney, a former Trump administration official, is being promoted to general counsel at Microsoft, which has also hired Lisa Monaco from the last Biden administration to lead global policy.
- Reed Hastings is joining the board of Anthropic “because I believe in their approach to AI development, and to help humanity progress.” (He’s joining Anthropic’s corporate board, not the supervising board of its public benefit trust that can hire and fire corporate directors.)
- Sebastian Barrios, previously SVP at Mercado Libre, is joining Roblox as SVP of engineering for several areas, including ads, game discovery, and the company’s virtual currency work.
- Fidji Simo’s replacement at Instacart will be chief business officer Chris Rogers, who will become the company’s next CEO on August 15th after she officially joins OpenAI.
If you haven’t already, don’t forget to subscribe to The Verge, which includes unlimited access to Command Line and all of our reporting.
As always, I welcome your feedback, especially if you have thoughts on this issue or a story idea to share. You can respond here or ping me securely on Signal.
Polymarket has been allowing people to bet on when the US would strike Iran next. Obviously, now that it’s actually happened and people have died, the prediction betting market is feeling some pressure. The site has been at the center of controversy before, including suspicions of insider trading on the Super Bowl halftime show and the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
In a statement posted on its site, Polymarket defended its decision to allow betting on the potential start of a war, saying that it was an “invaluable” source of news and answers, before taking shots at traditional media and Elon Musk’s X. The statement reads:
…
Read the full story at The Verge.
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Google has officially discontinued its Dark Web Report feature, a free tool that once scanned known dark web breach dumps for personal information tied to a user’s Google account. The service delivered notifications when email addresses and other identifiers appeared in leaked datasets.
According to Google’s support page, the system ceased scanning for new dark web data Jan. 15, 2026, and the reporting function was removed entirely on Feb. 16, 2026, meaning users can no longer access the feature.
The company said the decision reflects a shift toward security tools it believes provide clearer guidance after exposure, rather than standalone scan alerts.
If you previously relied on the free dark web scan as an early warning signal for leaked data, this change removes one of your sources.
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Google officially ended its Dark Web Report tool, removing free breach alerts tied to user accounts. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
So what did users really lose?
Google’s Dark Web Report acted as a basic exposure scanner. It checked whether personal information linked to a Google account had surfaced in known breach collections circulating on the dark web.
When a match is found, users receive a notification identifying which type of data appeared in a leak. Depending on the data breach, that could include an email address, phone number, date of birth or other identifying details commonly harvested during large-scale hacks.
The report did not display stolen credentials or provide access to the leaked database itself. It also did not trace the origin of the compromise beyond referencing the breached service when available.
After an alert was issued, the next steps were left to the user. Google recommended actions such as changing passwords, enabling stronger authentication methods and reviewing account security settings. With the tool now removed, that automated breach check tied directly to a Google account is no longer available.
What you still have access to
Google directs users to its Security Checkup, a dashboard that scans your account for weak settings and unusual sign-in activity.
Its built-in Password Manager includes Password Checkup, which scans saved credentials against known breach databases and prompts you to change exposed passwords. Google also supports passkeys and two-factor verification to lock down account access.
The Results About You tool lets users search for personal information in Google Search and submit removal requests for certain publicly indexed details.
149 MILLION PASSWORDS EXPOSED IN MASSIVE CREDENTIAL LEAK
Without the automatic scan, users must now check for leaked data using other security tools. (iStock)
Alerts don’t always mean protection
Once personal information is compromised, it often ends up far beyond the breach itself. Stolen credentials and identity data are regularly trafficked on underground platforms where buyers can search for information tied to real people.
The BidenCash dark web marketplace was taken down by U.S. authorities in June 2025, and the Justice Department confirmed that the platform peddled stolen personal information and credit card data.
These illicit markets operate with a level of organization not unlike legitimate online stores. Search tools and bulk data sets are up for grabs and can be used to target any online account. This makes credential stuffing easier, where attackers test leaked passwords across multiple services in hopes of barreling into your account.
A breach alert tied to a dark web scan points to a leak at one moment in time; it does not follow whether that information has been sold to third parties or used in subsequent fraud attempts. For everyday users, this means that just knowing your data appeared in a leak doesn’t help much.
THINK YOUR NEW YEAR’S PRIVACY RESET WORKED? THINK AGAIN
Stolen personal information can circulate for years, making ongoing monitoring more important than a one-time alert. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Identity monitoring may be a better option
With Google’s scan gone, some people may consider dedicated identity protection services instead. Many of these services offer continuous monitoring of your personally identifiable information and send alerts about changes to your credit reports from all three major U.S. credit bureaus. That can include notifications about new inquiries, newly opened accounts and monthly credit score updates. Some plans also monitor a broader range of personal identifiers, such as driver’s license numbers, passport numbers and email addresses.
Beyond credit monitoring, certain services track linked bank, credit card and investment accounts for unusual activity. They may also monitor public records for changes to addresses or property titles and alert you if your information appears in those filings.
Many providers include identity theft insurance to help cover eligible out-of-pocket recovery costs. Coverage limits vary by plan and provider. Additional features often include spam call and message protection, a password manager, a virtual private network (VPN) and antivirus software.
No service can prevent every form of identity theft. However, ongoing monitoring and recovery support can make it easier to respond quickly if your information is misused.
See my tips and best picks on Best Identity Theft Protection at Cyberguy.com.
Kurt’s key takeaways
Google’s decision to drop its Dark Web Report may seem small. But it removes a tool many users relied on. For some, those alerts were the first warning that their data appeared in a breach. That automatic scan is now gone. Google still offers Security Checkup, Password Checkup, passkeys and two-step verification. However, none of them actively scan dark web breach dumps for you. Stolen data does not disappear. Criminals copy, sell and reuse it. One alert shows a single moment. Ongoing identity theft monitoring helps you stay aware over time.
Now that Google has dropped its dark web monitoring feature, will you actively check your data exposure or assume someone else is watching it for you? Let us know your thoughts by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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Related Article
Xiaomi has just given a global launch to two of its latest flagship phones, the Xiaomi 17 and 17 Ultra, along with a Leica-branded Leitzphone edition of the Ultra. There’s no sign, however, of the 17 Pro, which launched in China with an additional display mounted next to the rear cameras.
The 17 and 17 Ultra will apparently be available soon in the UK, Europe, and select other markets. The 17 — pitched as a rival to the likes of the iPhone 17 and Samsung Galaxy S26 — will cost £899 / €999 (about $1,200), while the larger and more capable Ultra starts from £1,299 / €1,499 ($1,750). The limited-edition Leitzphone will be substantially more expensive at £1,699 / €1,999 ($2,300), though it includes 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, along with a few extra accessories.
The 17 is an extremely capable small-ish flagship, with a 6.3-inch OLED display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, and large 6,330mAh silicon-carbon battery (though sadly smaller than the 7,000mAh version launched in China). I won’t be writing a full review of the 17, but did spend a week using it as my main phone, and found that the battery cruised past the full-day mark, though wasn’t quite enough for two full days of my typical usage. That’s far better battery life than you’d find in similarly sized phones from Apple, Samsung, or Google.
The cameras impress too, with 50-megapixel sensors behind each of the four lenses, selfie included. Pound for pound, you won’t find many better camera systems in any phone this size.
1/10
The Ultra, unsurprisingly, takes things to another level. It’s much larger, with a 6.9-inch display, and weighs a hefty 218g. Despite that, the 6,000mAh is actually smaller, though I found it delivered pretty similar longevity.
The enormous camera is, as ever for Xiaomi’s Ultra phones, the highlight. There are 50-megapixel sensors for each of the main, ultrawide, and selfie cameras, with a large 1-inch-type sensor behind the primary lens. The periscope telephoto is even more impressive: 200-megapixel resolution, a large 1/1.4-inch sensor, and continuous optical zoom from 3.2x to 4.3x, the equivalent of 75-100mm. Xiaomi isn’t the first to pull off a true zoom phone — Sony’s Xperia 1 IV got there first in 2022 — but the telephoto camera here is far more capable than that phone’s, with natural bokeh and impressive performance even in low light.
The camera capabilities are supported by Xiaomi’s ongoing photography partner Leica, but it’s the pair’s Leitzphone that really emphasizes that. Slightly redesigned from the 17 Ultra Leica Edition that was released in China last December, this includes Leica branding across the hardware and software, a range of Leica filters and shooting styles, and a rotatable rear camera ring that can be used to control the zoom. It’s the first Leica Leitzphone produced by Xiaomi — after a trio of Japan-only Sharp models — and comes with additional branded accessories, including a case with a lens cap and a microfiber cleaning cloth.
Xiaomi has plenty of other announcements alongside the 17 series phones at MWC this year, including a super-slim magnetic power bank, the Pad 8 and Pad 8 Pro tablets, and a smart tag that supports both Google and Apple’s tech-tracking networks.
Photography by Dominic Preston / The Verge
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