📊 AI sessions now 56% the size of global search 📊
Graphite study reveals AI usage is far larger than previous web-only reports suggested.

A new study from Graphite finds that AI assistants now generate 45 billion monthly sessions worldwide, equivalent to 56% of total search engine volume—four to five times larger than prior estimates that only tracked web data. ChatGPT dominates with 89% of global AI sessions, while 83% of all AI usage occurs on mobile apps, a surface most earlier analyses ignored entirely. Crucially, search itself has not declined: combining AI and traditional search, total usage grew 26% worldwide since 2023, suggesting the market is expanding rather than shifting. The finding reshapes how marketers and publishers should think about SEO, ad spend, and content distribution strategy.

🚀 Copilot Cowork turns Microsoft 365 into your AI employee 🚀
Microsoft's Copilot evolves from chatbot to autonomous assistant that executes multi-step tasks across Office apps.

Microsoft has launched Copilot Cowork, a major upgrade that transforms Copilot from a conversational chatbot into an active task-executing assistant inside Microsoft 365. Users describe what needs to be done in natural language, and Cowork breaks it into steps, completing them across Outlook, Teams, and Excel using existing work data. It can reschedule meetings, prepare client documents, research companies, or plan product launches — all running in the background while checking in when needed. This deep integration into 365 workflows gives Microsoft a distribution edge in the agentic AI race. The system stays within Microsoft 365's security and compliance framework throughout.

📱 ChatGPT hits 900M users as a16z ranks Top 100 Gen AI apps 📱
The sixth edition of a16z's influential ranking reveals shifting power dynamics across global AI ecosystems.

Andreessen Horowitz released the sixth edition of its Top 100 Gen AI Web Products report, and the numbers paint a clear picture of market acceleration. ChatGPT has crossed 900 million weekly users, but competitors are closing in — Claude and Gemini saw paid subscriptions grow over 200% last year. For the first time, legacy workplace tools that revamped their platforms with AI made the list. The report identifies three distinct AI ecosystems forming globally: Western, Chinese, and Russian — a split that could reshape how AI products compete for distribution. AI agents also entered the rankings, with Manus (#44) and Genspark (#47) marking a new category of consumer AI.

INTERESTING TO KNOW

🗺️ Google Maps gets Gemini-powered Ask Maps feature 🗺️

Google has released its most significant Maps update in over a decade, integrating Gemini AI directly into the app. The new "Ask Maps" feature enables conversational queries like "Where can I charge my phone without waiting in line for coffee?" by analyzing data from 300M+ mapped locations and 500M+ community reviews. Additionally, Immersive Navigation introduces detailed 3D driving environments showing buildings, terrain, and road features that mirror reality. The integration marks a major capability jump for navigation apps, potentially replacing traditional search-and-filter workflows with natural language requests. Currently rolling out in the U.S. and India.

💻 Perplexity ships their own OpenClaw 💻

Perplexity has unveiled Personal Computer, a local AI agent system running on a dedicated Mac Mini that positions itself as a safer alternative to cloud-based computer-use agents. The system enables the Comet assistant to access local files, applications, and active sessions directly on the user's machine. Users describe tasks in natural language, and the agent breaks them into executable steps. Safety features include activity tracking, sign-off requirements for sensitive operations, and a kill switch. Perplexity Max subscribers gain early access via waitlist. The company also released Computer for enterprise customers, integrating 20 models, 400+ app connections, and Slack workflows—a move that could pressure competitors relying solely on cloud-based solutions.