Product & Design Pulse v48

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Last week…

1. OpenAI to Release Web Browser, Challenging Google Chrome

   OpenAI plans to launch its own web browser, entering direct competition with dominant players like Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. The browser will integrate OpenAI’s conversational AI capabilities, offering users an assistant-like experience for navigating the web. This move reflects OpenAI’s strategy to build a more consumer-facing product ecosystem around its models.

2. Apple Readies First Upgrade to Vision Pro Headset

   Apple is preparing an updated version of the Vision Pro headset for release in 2026, focusing on lighter weight and improved comfort. The original model, while technically advanced, has seen slower-than-expected adoption due to high cost and usability concerns. The upgrade signals Apple’s continued investment in spatial computing despite early market challenges.

3. Apple Announces Chief Operating Officer Transition

   Apple announced that current COO Jeff Williams will retire at the end of 2025, with SVP of Hardware Technologies Johny Srouji stepping into the role. The transition marks a major leadership change, as Williams has been widely seen as a potential successor to CEO Tim Cook. Srouji’s promotion highlights Apple’s ongoing prioritization of silicon and hardware innovation.

4. Tech Philosophy and the AI Opportunity – Stratechery

   Ben Thompson explores how different tech companies’ philosophies shape their AI strategies, comparing Apple’s control-driven ecosystem with Google and OpenAI’s openness. He argues that AI’s transformative potential demands a new approach to platform thinking—one that balances distribution, developer access, and strategic focus. The piece frames AI not just as a technology, but as a lens through which the next generation of platform wars will be fought.

5. OpenAI Supports EU’s Code of Practice on Disinformation

   OpenAI has reaffirmed its commitment to the European Union’s Code of Practice on Disinformation, a voluntary framework aimed at combating false and misleading content online. The company detailed how it is developing tools to detect AI-generated content, investing in media literacy efforts, and collaborating with external stakeholders to improve transparency. OpenAI emphasized that its goal is to ensure its AI systems are used responsibly and to support a healthier digital information ecosystem.

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