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Latest AI News: How AI Just Outearned Most Humans (+ Business Tools You Need)
Aftab
July 12, 2025
Every Other Byte
AI Newsletter for Smart Business Minds
👋 G’day
What a massive week for AI! We’re seeing some proper game-changing developments that’ll reshape how we work, create, and interact with technology. From breakthrough AI models setting new benchmarks to revolutionary automation tools going mainstream, the pace of innovation is absolutely mental.
In today’s AI Byte: - GROK4 smashes academic benchmarks while sparking education debates - Two AI avatars generate $7.6M in sales during livestream marathon - Free AI research tools democratising high-quality report creation - Claude’s new app-building capabilities for non-coders - Lindy’s AI-native automation platform revolution - Big Four accounting firms slash graduate roles for AI solutions
🧠 News & Breakthrough Updates
The Byte: XAI’s new GROK4 model claims to outperform most graduate students in multiple fields, smashing state-of-the-art benchmarks and possibly paving the way for new technologies later this year.
The Details: - GROK4 uses unprecedented compute for post-training reinforcement learning, teaching sharper reasoning and coherence - Scored 41% on ‘Humanity’s last exam’ vs OpenAI’s 26.6% when leveraging advanced tools - First to break the 10% barrier on Arc AGI V2 benchmark, posting 15.9%—nearly double major rivals
Why It Matters: By automating high-level reasoning, GROK4 is sparking questions about the future of education and what roles remain human-exclusive.
The Byte: Two AI avatars raked in $7.6 million during a 6-hour livestream, captivating 13 million viewers on China’s e-commerce stage—with zero real humans on screen.
The Details: - Baidu’s AI generated lifelike avatars with 8,000 gestures and natural facial expressions - AI ingested 13,000 product descriptions, perfectly answering live questions in real time - Automated avatars cut operational costs by 80% and boosted sales by 62%
Why It Matters: AI avatars are transforming retail, delivering seamless, massively scalable shopping experiences while breaking records for efficiency and revenue.
The Byte: Major accountancy firms are replacing hundreds of graduate roles with AI solutions, with Deloitte, EY, KPMG, and PwC reducing graduate hiring by 29% over two years.
The Details: - KPMG cut new graduate hires from 1,400 to 940, investing in AI tools and offshoring work - The UK government projects these changes could add $200 billion to the economy - Most gains aren’t helping entry-level workers
Why It Matters: The evolving job market underscores the urgency of AI literacy, especially for new grads—understanding AI tools is rapidly becoming essential for career success.
✨ AI-Driven Productivity Hacks
The Byte: Most users only scratch the surface with Copilot—here’s how to leverage it to supercharge productivity using your company’s data.
The Details: - Replicate complex reports by asking Copilot to base new reports on old templates - Schedule meetings by having Copilot scan everyone’s calendars for optimal times - Generate deep-dive analytics and charts in Excel using Python (no code required)
Why It Matters: Mastering these features means less manual work and more time for strategic tasks—put Copilot to work and impress your team with powerful automations.
The Byte: Ditch buggy, hard-to-maintain code by setting up clear rules files for your AI-assisted coding workflows—improving structure and reducing future headaches.
The Details: - Use rules files for tools like Cursor, Windsurf, or Claude to enforce best practices - Cover implementation, function writing, testing, and overall organization - Run code tests against your defined standards for fast analysis
Why It Matters: Standardising code practices with AI-powered rules files can drastically boost maintainability, consistency, and team productivity.
🧠 AI for Mental Health Support
The Byte: Google announced two groundbreaking AI initiatives designed to address the global mental health crisis through artificial intelligence partnerships and comprehensive field guides.
The Details: - Released 73-page field guide for mental health organisations - Launched multi-year research partnerships with Wellcome Trust - Developing more precise, personalised treatments through AI
Why It Matters: These developments could significantly expand access to mental health support through scalable employee programs, making quality mental health support accessible to businesses of all sizes—particularly valuable for SMEs that can’t afford comprehensive benefits.
🔧 New AI Tools & Features
What is it?
n8n is a fair-code workflow automation platform with native AI capabilities that combines visual building with custom code. It’s like having a digital assistant that can connect all your apps and automate repetitive tasks—but with proper AI smarts built right in.
Key Features
400+ integrations with popular business tools and services
Visual workflow builder that’s actually intuitive to use
Native AI capabilities for intelligent automation
Self-hosting option for complete data control
Fair-code licensing meaning it’s open-source but sustainable
Getting Started Guide
Use Cases
🏢 Sales Pipeline Automation - Automatically qualify leads, update CRM, and trigger follow-up sequences 📊 AI-Powered Reporting - Generate weekly reports by pulling data from multiple sources and analysing with AI 🎯 Social Media Management - Schedule posts, monitor mentions, and respond to comments across platforms
🎥 Video of the Week
A comprehensive roundup of the latest AI updates including Google’s new mental health AI initiatives and breakthrough tools transforming healthcare and business applications.
That’s a wrap for this week’s AI Byte! The pace of innovation is absolutely wild right now, and I reckon we’re only just getting started.
What’s got you most excited (or worried) about these developments? Hit reply and let me know what you think—I read every response and your insights often shape what we cover next.
Until next time, keep experimenting!
Cheers, The Every Other Byte Team