Innovation Profs - 1/20/2026

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Latest Gen AI News

ChatGPT Go now unlocks unlimited access to GPT-5.2 Instant for $8

ChatGPT Go, OpenAI’s $8 per month ChatGPT subscription that was formerly accessible only in developing countries, has now been launched in the US. ChatGPT Go users have increased access to GPT-5.2 Instant (but not the reasoning model GPT-5.2 Thinking), an increased context window, the ability to upload more files, and higher image creation limits.

OpenAI to finally bring ads to ChatGPT

ChatGPT users who access the platform on the free or Go tiers will encounter ads embedded within their conversations, according to OpenAI. According to an OpenAI blog post, “As ChatGPT becomes more capable and widely used, we’re looking at ways to continue offering more intelligence to everyone.” In the same post, OpenAI stated that conversations are not driven by advertising and that conversations would not be sold to advertisers.

Britain seeks 'reset' in copyright battle between AI and creators

The British government’s plans to overhaul their copyright rules to be more AI-friendly are going to be reset, according to British technology minister Liz Kendall. The initial plan was to loosen copyright laws to allow AI models to be trained on any materials that could be lawfully accessed, placing the onus on creators to opt out. Now this is being acknowledged as a mistake. A new approach will be outlined in a review expected to be released in March. As stated by culture minister Lisa Nandy, “We have to take a far more nuanced approach to this and work with different parts of the creative industries to address the very serious and in some cases existential challenge that is posed by the current system, let alone by any changes that we may make.”

🍔 FREE AI Lunch Club virtual events

Our AI Lunch Club series returns this spring with four FREE virtual events to help you better understand generative AI tools. Click each link to get more info and to sign up:

• Feb. 9 - Get Started with Generative AI

• Feb. 16 - Google Gemini, Nano Banana and NotebookLM

• Feb. 23 - Building Microsoft Copilot Agents

• March 4 - Vibe coding with Claude, ChatGPT and Lovable

These events are offered free thanks to a sponsorship from technology and management consultancy, Lean TECHniques.

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Quick Hits

Tool of the week: Claude Cowork

You’ve likely heard people talking about Claude Code lately. Well, Claude Cowork uses the power of Claude Code to automate multi-step tasks on your Mac computer. You access Cowork through the Claude desktop app for macOS, giving it permission to access files on your computer.

Cowork can create, edit and organize files (documents, spreadsheets, code), browse the web, manage emails, and execute workflows autonomously, functioning like a true digital assistant rather than just a chatbot. You can have it build custom reports from data, draft personalized marketing emails, organize research notes, and even manage your daily tasks by integrating with your calendar.

To get started, I gave Cowork access to a folder on my computer with screenshots, and I asked it to rename them based on what was in the image. It did this flawlessly. I also asked it to build Powerpoint presentations based on content on my computer, and then save the presentations to my computer.

Cowork requires a Pro/Max subscription for full access. Look for a longer post on Cowork in an upcoming Friday newsletter.

AI-generated image of the week

We got a bird feeder at the Snider household to keep the cats entertained (now that they are indoor cats). Pair that with a bored seven-year-old home from school on Monday, and we decided to use Gemini Nano Banana to create a checklist of birds we see at the feeder.

Prompt: Infographic of birds you are likely to see in your backyard in Iowa. Include 15 birds with names and some info, and a spot where we can check off the ones that we have seen. The style should be hand-sketched.

We tried it

Stitch is a Google Labs experiment that turns simple prompt and image inputs into complex UI designs and frontend code in minutes. We asked Stitch to design an app where users check in every day by pressing a button. If they don't check in two days in a row, it sends a message to someone alerting them (this is a take on a viral Chinese app).

What we found

A new study suggests that you should copy and paste your prompt so it appears twice to improve results.