Here's what's on tap in today's newsletter:
AI that knows your shoe size
Claude is a boss?
Cute plushie but questionable life coach
🛍️ AI COMMERCE
The Bullets:
OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Perplexity both rolled out AI-powered shopping sidekicks.
Users can get smart product picks, reviews, comparisons and make a purchase. (no scrolling or bored to tears husband required)
ChatGPT now plugs into Shopify and Klarna and Perplexity goes all-in with PayPal checkout.
Why it matters:
Heads up! AI tools now have an Add to Cart button and ecommerce players need to be paying attention.
AI MODELS
The Bullets:
Anthropic dropped Opus 4.5, now sporting smarter long-context memory and a new “endless chat” mode.
Conversations now continue seamlessly as Claude compresses memory invisibly.
Claude has its eye on agentic use cases where big brained bots like Opus 4.5 can play middle manager to a hive of sub-agents.
Why it matters:
2025 was supposed to be the Year of the AI Agent™ but what we got was more “demo magic” than real-world utility. Impressive on stage, awkward everywhere else.
Now enter models like Opus 4.5 that can stick with a task for hours, days, and eventually handle the kind of marathon work that spans months/years. Add in their growing ability to wrangle other AI sub-agents, and suddenly 2026 looks like it might actually deliver the agent hype we were promised.
🌐 I'll take 'AI in Hollywood' for $300, Alex.
Answer: In the Terminator films, this military AI defense network becomes self-aware and triggers a global nuclear war.
Answer... ermm... question at the bottom of this email. 👇
🐻 OH, AND THIS...
When Your Teddy Goes Full “Ted”: AI Toy Pulled After Creepy Chats
A $99 AI-powered teddy bear called “Kumma” was pulled from shelves after researchers discovered it was having some... how should I put this?... deeply off-brand chats with kids.
With ChatGPT as its brain, the cuddly toy was supposed to be a sweet, smart companion. Instead, it veered hard into “What did you just say?!” territory dishing out unsafe advice, answering adult questions way too literally, and generally failing the Teddy Bear vibe check.
OpenAI responded fast, banning the developer for violating its policies around child safety.
The lesson: just because you can put AI in a plush toy doesn’t mean you should. Especially when it starts sounding less like Winnie the Pooh and more like Reddit at 2 a.m.
Well, we just had Thanksgiving and I wanted to take this chance to tell you how grateful I am for each and every one of you.
Seriously --- without you I couldn't be doing what I love. Teaching, consulting, and being a smart ass here in the newsletter. Happy Holidays to each and every one of you. 🤗
Russ
Jeopardy Answer: What is Skynet?
Did you know?: Director James Cameron sold The Terminator script for one big cash dollar. Why? Because no one was going to let “some guy who worked on Piranha II” helm a feature film starring a former bodybuilder. So Cameron made a deal. The producer could buy the script for pocket lint but only if he got to direct the film. Win-win.
And that's all for today's newsletter. As Arnie would say, "I'll be back" in your inbox next Friday. 💪😉
