Technology

OpenAI wants ChatGPT to be a ‘super assistant’ for every part of your life

Published

7 months ago

May 31, 2025

OpenAI wants ChatGPT to be a ‘super assistant’ for every part of your life

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.

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.

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Technology

Meta expands nuclear power ambitions to include Bill Gates’ startup

Published

6 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

Meta expands nuclear power ambitions to include Bill Gates’ startup

These AI projects include Prometheus, the first of several supercluster computing systems, which is expected to come online in New Albany, Ohio, sometime this year. Meta is funding the construction of new nuclear reactors as part of the agreements, the first of which may come online “as early as 2030.” These announcements are part of Meta’s ongoing goal to support its future AI operations with nuclear energy, having previously signed a deal with Constellation to revive an aging nuclear power plant last year.

Financial information for the agreements hasn’t been released, but Meta says that it will “pay the full costs for energy used by our data centers so consumers don’t bear these expenses.”

“Our agreements with Vistra, TerraPower, Oklo, and Constellation make Meta one of the most significant corporate purchasers of nuclear energy in American history,” Meta’s chief global affairs officer, Joel Kaplan, said in the announcement. “State-of-the-art data centers and AI infrastructure are essential to securing America’s position as a global leader in AI.”

Technology

Why January is the best time to remove personal data online

Published

6 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

Why January is the best time to remove personal data online

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

January feels like a reset. A new calendar. New goals. New habits. While you clean out your inbox, organize paperwork or set resolutions, however, scammers also hit reset, and they start with your personal data.

That is because January is one of the most important months for online privacy. This is when data brokers refresh profiles and scammers rebuild their target lists.

As a result, the longer your information stays online, the more complete and valuable your profile becomes. To help address this, institutions like the U.S. Department of the Treasury have released advisories urging people to stay vigilant and avoid data-related scams.

For that reason, taking action early in the year can significantly reduce scam attempts, lower identity theft risks, and limit unwanted exposure for the rest of the year.

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Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide – free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter.

January is when data brokers refresh profiles and scammers rebuild target lists, making early action critical for online privacy. (iStock)

STOP DATA BROKERS FROM SELLING YOUR INFORMATION ONLINE

Why personal data does not expire and keeps compounding online

Many people assume old information eventually becomes useless. Unfortunately, that’s not how data brokers work.

Data brokers don’t just store a snapshot of who you are today. They build living profiles that grow over time, pulling from:

Public records (property sales, court filings, voter registrations)
Retail purchases and loyalty programs
App usage and location data
Past addresses, phone numbers, and relatives
Marketing databases and online activity.

Each year adds another layer. A new address. A changed phone number. A family connection. A retirement milestone. On its own, one data point doesn’t mean much. But together, they create a detailed identity profile that scammers can use to convincingly impersonate you. That’s why waiting makes things worse, not better.

Why scammers ‘rebuild’ targets at the start of the year

Scammers don’t randomly target people. They work from lists. At the beginning of the year, those lists get refreshed.

Why January matters so much:

Data brokers update and resell profiles after year-end records close
New public filings from the previous year become searchable
Marketing databases reset campaigns and audience segments
Scam networks repackage data into “fresh” target lists.

Think of it like the upcoming spring cleaning, except it’s criminals organizing identities to exploit for the next 12 months.

If your data is still widely exposed in January, you’re far more likely to:

Once your profile is flagged as responsive or profitable, it often stays in circulation.

As personal information accumulates across databases, digital profiles grow more detailed and more valuable to scammers over time. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Why taking action in January protects you all year long

Removing your data early isn’t just about stopping scams today; it’s about cutting off the supply chain that fuels them. When your information is removed from data broker databases:

It’s harder for scammers to find accurate contact details
Phishing messages become less convincing
Impersonation attempts fail more often
Your identity becomes less valuable to resell.

This has a compounding benefit in the opposite direction. The fewer lists you appear on in January, the fewer times your data gets reused, resold, and recycled throughout the year. That’s why I consistently recommend addressing data exposure before problems start, not after.

Why retirees and families feel the impact first

January is especially important for retirees and families because they’re more likely to become targets of fraud, scams, and other crimes.

Retirees often have:

Long addresses and employment histories
Stable credit profiles
Fewer active credit applications
Public retirement and property records

Families add another layer of risk:

Relatives are linked together in broker profiles
One exposed family member can expose others
Shared addresses and phone plans increase visibility

Scammers know this. That’s why households with established financial histories are prioritized early in the year.

Why quick fixes don’t work

Many people try to “start fresh” in January by:

Those steps help, but they don’t remove your data from broker databases. Credit monitoring services alert you after something goes wrong. Password changes don’t affect public profiles. And unsubscribing doesn’t stop data resale. If your personal information is still sitting in hundreds of databases, scammers can find you.

The January privacy reset that actually works

If you want fewer scam attempts for the rest of the year, the most effective step is removing your personal data at the source.

You can do this in one of two ways. You can submit removal requests yourself, or you can use a professional data removal service to handle the process for you.

Removing your data yourself

Manually removing your data means identifying dozens or even hundreds of data broker websites, finding their opt-out forms and submitting removal requests one by one. You also need to verify your identity, track responses and repeat the process whenever your information reappears.

This approach works, but it requires time, organization, and ongoing follow-up.

Using a data removal service

A data removal service handles this process on your behalf. These services typically:

Send legal data removal requests to large networks of data brokers
Monitor for reposted information and submit follow-up removals
Continue tracking your exposure throughout the year
Manage a process that most people cannot realistically maintain on their own

Removing your data at the start of the year helps reduce scam attempts, phishing messages and identity theft risks all year long. (iStock)

Because these services handle sensitive personal information, it is important to choose one that follows strict security standards and uses verified removal methods.

While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.

RETIREES LOSE MILLIONS TO FAKE HOLIDAY CHARITIES AS SCAMMERS EXPLOIT SEASONAL GENEROSITY

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com.

Kurt’s key takeaways

Scammers don’t wait for mistakes. They wait for exposed data. January is when profiles are refreshed, lists are rebuilt, and targets are chosen for the year ahead. The longer your personal information stays online, the more complete-and dangerous-your digital profile becomes. The good news? You can stop the cycle. Removing your data now reduces scam attempts, protects your identity, and gives you a quieter, safer year ahead. If you’re going to make one privacy move this year, make it early-and make it count.

Have you ever been surprised by how much of your personal information was already online? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Technology

Xbox’s Towerborne is switching from a free-to-play game to a paid one

Published

18 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

Xbox’s Towerborne is switching from a free-to-play game to a paid one

Towerborne, a side-scrolling action RPG published by Xbox Game Studios that has been available in early access, will officially launch on February 26th. But instead of launching as a free-to-play, always-on online game as originally planned, Towerborne is instead going to be a paid game that you can play offline.

“You will own the complete experience permanently, with offline play and online co-op,” Trisha Stouffer, CEO and president of Towerborne developer Stoic, says in an Xbox Wire blog post. “This change required deep structural rebuilding over the past year, transforming systems originally designed around constant connectivity. The result is a stronger, more accessible, and more player-friendly version of Towerborne — one we’re incredibly proud to bring to launch.”

“After listening to our community during Early Access and Game Preview, we learned players wanted a complete, polished experience without ongoing monetization mechanics,” according to an FAQ. “Moving to a premium model lets us deliver the full game upfront—no live-service grind, no pay-to-win systems—just the best version of Towerborne.”

With the popular live service games like Fortnite and Roblox getting harder to usurp, Towerborne’s switch to a premium, offline-playable experience could make it more enticing for players who don’t want to jump into another time-sucking forever game. It makes Towerborne more appealing to me, at least.

With the 1.0 release of the game, Towerborne will have a “complete” story, new bosses, and a “reworked” difficulty system. You’ll also be able to acquire all in-game cosmetics for free through gameplay, with “no more cosmetic purchasing.” Players who are already part of early access will still be able to play the game.

Towerborne will launch on February 26th on Xbox Series X / S, Xbox on PC, Game Pass, Steam, and PS5. The standard edition will cost $24.99, while the deluxe edition will cost $29.99.