OpenAI Brings GPT-4.1 to Everyone on ChatGPT

Pivot 5
May 15, 2025

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OpenAI is making its new GPT-4.1 model available to ChatGPT users. This update brings the latest OpenAI model to both paid and free users within the ChatGPT platform.
The GPT-4.1 model introduces capabilities that include faster speeds and improved accuracy over previous versions. Free users are subject to usage limits, while paid users receive priority access and higher usage thresholds.
The update broadens access to OpenAI’s most advanced conversational model, reflecting a shift to democratize cutting-edge generative AI tools. Moving GPT-4.1 into ChatGPT strengthens OpenAI’s position in the increasingly competitive AI assistant market.

Tencent Leverages WeChat Powerhouse to Fuel Its Push in China’s AI Race

Tencent is banking on its 1.4 billion consumer WeChat ecosystem to drive AI adoption and outpace domestic rivals. The company is integrating new AI features across its messaging, payment, and video platforms to boost user engagement and utility.
Executives emphasize that WeChat’s daily reach gives Tencent a distinct advantage in gathering data and refining its AI products. Tencent reports that its AI-powered services have quickly attracted millions of users, reinforcing its dominant position in China’s digital economy.
Tencent’s WeChat-led approach marks a strategic shift away from competing solely on underlying AI models. The company's ability to embed AI directly into user-facing applications creates a moat that few local competitors can match.

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YouTube is introducing an AI feature powered by Google’s Gemini to place ads when viewers are most engaged. The system analyzes real-time user interaction data to determine optimal ad timing.
YouTube says early testing shows an increase in viewers watching ads through to completion. Major advertisers are among the brands piloting the new capability.
YouTube is shifting away from static ad slots toward dynamic, data-driven placement without increasing total ad load. This move gives advertisers greater confidence they are reaching attentive audiences, addressing ongoing concerns about digital ad effectiveness.

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A new Australian study warns that people interviewed by AI for jobs encounter heightened risks of discrimination. The research highlights that these AI hiring systems may reinforce biases or disadvantage certain groups during recruitment.
The study, conducted by experts at the Queensland University of Technology, examined how AI recruitment tools can replicate or amplify human prejudice. It also points out a lack of transparency and accountability in how these AI systems make decisions about candidates.
Researchers stress that without proper oversight, AI in hiring perpetuates existing inequalities rather than reducing them. The findings challenge claims that automation always results in fairer or more objective hiring practices.

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A new article in AI and Ethics argues that current AI systems already exhibit a form of free will. The author analyzes decision-making in AI and draws philosophical parallels with human autonomy.
The piece contends that ascribing free will to AI depends on how free will is defined and understood in humans. It challenges the common view that AI lacks agency or moral responsibility by highlighting conceptual similarities.
This argument reignites debate over the ethical and social implications of machine autonomy. The discussion forces business and policy leaders to confront how definitions of agency affect AI regulation and accountability.

Read more here.