Reasons Greetings 🎅🎄

👀 TLDR:

In this Christmas Eve What’s Appening, we look at new “reasoning” AI models dropping from OpenAI and Google. They’ve made big breakthroughs on how the models deal with logic, but how much does this tell us about where AI is going in 2025? We also have news on price rises at X, the big buzz generated by Google Veo 2 video generator, ChatGPT on landline phones, and more!

Our Top Take 🎬

📱📵 AI – New Reasoning Models from Both OpenAI & Google

We always knew that OpenAI would aim to finish its 12 Days of Shipmas (its pre-holiday blitz of product drops) strongly. Arguably, it did so by releasing o3, its latest reasoning model family and follow-up to o1. For those wondering, it skipped o2 as there’s a British telecommunications company that goes by that name. Reasoning models are designed to approach problems in more humanlike and methodical ways, even to the point of taking their time to mull over a problem. In testing, o3 has been found to be three times more accurate than o1 in math and logic problem-solving. It also achieved a record score of 87.5% on the ARC test, seen as the benchmark for measuring AI’s ability to reason. Not to be outdone, Google also released a new reasoning model this week, Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking Experimental. Both o3 and Thinking Experimental will remain in testing over the next few weeks, with full releases stated for early 2025. But we’d be cautious about stating next year will be a ‘big’ one for reasoning models or predicting some sort of arms race, as plenty of experts believe the cost of running these models will put up barriers to the average user. #BeReasonable. Read more here.

📲 App of the Week: Footsteps With Jesus

Just in time for Christmas, our final app release of 2024 went live last week. Footsteps with Jesus is a unique fitness app for Christians! The step tracker app for iOS and Android allows you to join in the journey of Jesus Christ. So pick up this new app and get yourself fit, whether it’s a New Year’s resolution to get more active or you indulge a bit too much this holiday season. Download it now for iOS or Android and start walking in His footsteps while working towards a healthier you in the New Year!

🧐 Stat of the Week: 156.67% Rise

📈📉 X – Premium Subscription Prices Rise Across all Markets

We are all getting accustomed to price rises over the last few years, but X has hit users with some big ones. The standard US Premium+ account will rise from $16 per month to $22 per month. Yet, US users have got off lightly: In Turkey, for example, subscribers will be paying ₺770 up from ₺330 – we clock that at 156.67%. Ouch. #XtremePrices Read more here.

🗞️ Other Stories

📍 Meanwhile at 3Advance

Well… That was a year!! As we wind down over here for a much needed break, we’ll be taking stock of a whirlwind year in tech and what it means to run a development studio in the middle of it. First though, a shout-out to all our staff, clients, guests, friends, and, of course, readers. That’s you! 😘

From Darren and Paul, we want to send a special thank you to the man who makes this newsletter ‘appen every single week: Jack McCumiskey - writer, editor, and legend. And cheers to Kate, too, whose tireless efforts across 3Advance mean nothing gets dropped, including What’s Appening. 🙏

Well, that’s it for now. Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays to you all. However you end this year, we hope you enjoy it. See you in ‘25!

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