Artificial Sweetener, Your Morning Dose of Real-Life AI

Because a little artificial intelligence makes everything smoother.

So I was reading about all these AI shopping tools popping up while getting the kids ready for school this morning.

TechCrunch reported that Perplexity, OpenAI, and Amazon are racing to let AI do your shopping for you.

But here's the thing. Nobody's talking about whether this actually saves time in your real routine or just creates another thing to babysit.

AI Shopping Agents: The 8-Hour Toothpaste Problem

What Happened:

Perplexity just launched an AI shopping agent for paying customers in the US, according to TechCrunch. It navigates retail websites, finds products, and clicks checkout for you. Meanwhile, OpenAI announced Instant Checkout in ChatGPT (September 2025) where you can buy from Etsy now and Shopify "coming soon" without leaving the chat. Amazon's been in this game too with their Help Me Decide tool that personalizes recommendations based on your browsing history.

Abe's Take:

Look, the concept sounds amazing. You tell AI to buy toothpaste and it magically shows up. But TechCrunch tested this and here's what actually happened: The first purchase got rejected because the item sold out. The second one took 8 hours to complete. Eight. Hours. For toothpaste.

The reason? Perplexity's AI is scraping retailer websites (not real-time data), which creates a disconnect between what it tells you is available and what's actually in stock. And there's human oversight checking each transaction. So it's not really autonomous shopping. It's AI that needs a babysitter.

Real-Life Application:

Here's where this fits into your actual routine. OpenAI's Instant Checkout makes sense if you're already having ChatGPT conversations about what to buy. Like "what's a good gift for a 5-year-old who loves dinosaurs?" and then just tapping Buy right there. That's genuinely convenient.

But for regular shopping? Amazon's Help Me Decide is probably more practical because you're already browsing on Amazon anyway. It just suggests things based on your recent searches. No 8-hour delays. No switching between apps.

The part TechCrunch didn't emphasize enough: You need to trust these systems with your credit card info. Perplexity spokesperson Sara Platnick told them there's "human oversight providing occasional support" — which honestly makes me feel better but also defeats the automation purpose.

What This Means for You:

If you want to test AI shopping: Start with OpenAI's ChatGPT for one-off purchases where you're already asking for recommendations. It's US-only right now and works with Etsy sellers plus "over 1 million Shopify merchants" according to OpenAI.

Skip Perplexity's shopping agent unless you're willing to wait hours and double-check everything. My advice? Stick with Amazon's existing tools for regular household stuff. The AI recommendations are helpful, the checkout is instant, and you're not teaching a new system how your household shops.

Google Maps Just Got Quietly Brilliant

What Happened:

Google Maps is now using Gemini AI to cross-reference places with Street View imagery, as reported by Superhuman AI on November 7, 2025. Instead of "turn left in 100 feet," you get "turn left after the gas station."

Abe's Take:

This is the kind of AI upgrade that actually matters in daily life. While The Rundown and other newsletters focus on the technical capabilities, here's the practical angle: Your brain doesn't think in feet or meters. You think in landmarks.

When you're driving with kids screaming in the backseat or you're in an unfamiliar neighborhood, "after the gas station" is infinitely more useful than trying to estimate 100 feet while watching traffic.

Real-Life Application:

This works with your existing Google Maps app. No separate download, no new subscription, just an automatic improvement to navigation.

For parents doing school pickup in new areas or running weekend errands in unfamiliar parts of town, this is huge. For professionals navigating to client meetings, this reduces the "wait, was that my turn?" moments that make you late.

The setup time? Zero. It just works. That's the best kind of AI update.

What This Means for You:

Just update Google Maps on iOS or Android. Superhuman AI notes this is rolling out now. Next time you're navigating somewhere new, pay attention to the directions. You'll notice the difference immediately.

This is especially useful if you frequently drive in cities where streets don't follow a grid pattern or in suburban areas where "turn left in 300 feet" means nothing without visual context.

ChatGPT's Interrupt Feature: Finally

What Happened:

ChatGPT now lets you interrupt long-running queries and add new context without restarting or losing progress, according to Superhuman AI's November 7 update.

Abe's Take:

This sounds minor but it's not. Before this, if you asked ChatGPT to write something long and realized halfway through "oh wait, I need to add..." you'd have to start over or awkwardly paste the partial result back in.

Now you can just interrupt mid-generation and say "actually, also include..." and it continues with the new context.

Real-Life Application:

Here's how this fits into your actual work routine. You're drafting an email to a client, ChatGPT is generating it, and you suddenly remember you need to mention the deadline change. Instead of waiting for it to finish, copying it to a doc, then asking for an updated version, you just interrupt and add that context.

For parents using ChatGPT to help with homework explanations or meal planning, this means you can course-correct in real-time. "Wait, also make it nut-free" without losing the whole meal plan it was generating.

What This Means for You:

This works in the regular ChatGPT interface right now. Free, Plus, and Pro users all have access. Try it next time you're having ChatGPT write something longer than a paragraph. Just start typing your interruption while it's still generating.

Fair warning: The AI needs a second to process your interruption, so wait for it to acknowledge before continuing. But that's still way faster than the old start-from-scratch approach.

Apple Intelligence Getting Google Gemini (And What That Actually Means)

What Happened:

Apple's CEO Tim Cook told CNBC as reported by The Verge on November 4, 2025 that Apple plans to integrate with "more people over time" for AI features. Google Gemini integration is reportedly in the works, plus potential partnerships with Anthropic and Perplexity.

Abe's Take:

Right now, Apple Intelligence uses ChatGPT for complex questions. Adding Google Gemini means Siri could tap into Google's search knowledge and real-time information capabilities. This matters because Google's AI has access to more current information and better understands queries that need web context.

But here's the catch that T3 mentioned: The more personalized Siri features won't arrive until 2026. So we're talking about improvements to AI features that are still being built out.

Real-Life Application:

For iPhone users, this could mean Siri gets better at answering questions like "what's the best pizza place near me that's open now" or "what's the weather going to be like tomorrow for my kid's soccer game." Right now, Siri hands these off to ChatGPT, which doesn't always have current information. Gemini integration would make Siri more useful for real-time, location-based questions.

But the practical timeline? According to T3, we're looking at 2026 for the full "contextual Siri" that really understands your personal information and can take actions across apps. The Gemini integration might come sooner for basic Q&A improvements.

What This Means for You:

If you're on iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16, you already have Apple Intelligence. The ChatGPT integration is in iOS 18.2 (released December 2024). Gemini integration will likely roll out as another iOS update, probably in 2025.

My advice? Don't buy a new iPhone just for these AI features yet. Wait until 2026 when the actually transformative Siri capabilities arrive. For now, use what's available but know that the big improvements are still coming.

Reality Check: What Startups Are Actually Spending On

What Happened:

Andreessen Horowitz released their first AI Spending Report covered by TechCrunch in October 2025, using Mercury transaction data to analyze which AI tools startups actually pay for. OpenAI topped the list, followed by Anthropic at #2 and Replit at #3.

Abe's Take:

Here's what's interesting for regular people. The report found that 60% of AI spending goes to "human augmentors" or "copilots" tools that help people work better, not replace them entirely. Startups aren't jumping to fully agentic AI workflows yet. They're using AI to boost human productivity.

Consumer tools like CapCut and Midjourney are being adopted by companies faster than expected, according to a16z partner Olivia Moore. This is interesting because it shows the line between consumer and business AI is blurring. People bring their favorite personal AI tools to work.

Real-Life Application:

What this tells us: The AI tools gaining real traction aren't the ones replacing jobs. They're the ones making existing work easier. For busy professionals and parents, this validates focusing on AI that helps you do what you already do, faster.

The top categories startups pay for? Sales, recruiting, and customer service AI. But TechCrunch reports AI is also making progress in areas previous startups struggled with — sectors that used to need service firms or consultancies are now using AI-powered software.

What This Means for You:

If you're evaluating whether to pay for AI tools: Focus on ones that augment what you're already doing. ChatGPT Plus or Claude Pro for better AI conversations. Midjourney if you need images. Replit if you're building apps without knowing code.

Don't jump on AI tools that promise to completely automate your workflow. Based on what companies are actually spending money on, the winning approach is AI that makes you more capable, not AI that tries to do everything for you.

What to Do About It, This Week's Action Items

If you want to test AI shopping: Try OpenAI's ChatGPT Instant Checkout for your next gift purchase. It's genuinely convenient for "what should I get X" questions where you're already asking ChatGPT. Skip Perplexity's shopping unless you have patience for delays.

For better navigation: Just update Google Maps. The landmark-based directions roll out automatically. Next time you're driving somewhere new with kids in the car, you'll appreciate the difference.

ChatGPT users: Test the interrupt feature this week. Start a long generation, then interrupt mid-stream with "actually, also include..." and watch it adapt without restarting.

iPhone users waiting for AI: Don't upgrade yet if you're on iPhone 14 or older. The really transformative Siri features won't arrive until 2026. Save your money for now.

Evaluating AI tools: Focus on ones that make what you already do easier, not ones promising to replace your entire workflow. That's what the data shows actually works.

Want to stay ahead of AI, not the hype, just the real tech quietly changing how we live, work, and parent? Join our free AI Advantage community here:The AI Advantage Community. Thanks for reading, Abe.