The Weekly Download #97: ChatGPT-5 Backlash and a Vintage Tech Sign Off

Hey , it’s Sunday, August 10.

This week's top stories include a potential shift in the AI landscape as OpenAI faces user backlash over its new GPT-5 model, leading to the reintroduction of GPT-4o.

In the tech world, Apple is gearing up for its September event with anticipated iPhone 17 and Apple Watch Series 11 releases, while also facing potential price hikes due to tariffs.

Meanwhile, the real estate sector is seeing a surge in AI-generated images for listings, raising ethical concerns, and the used EV market is experiencing a buying frenzy due to expiring tax credits.

Here’s what we’re also tracking this week….

Alright, and we’re off!

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How-To

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Claude's Artifacts lets you build functional web apps that actually work - no fake demos here.

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How to Build a Personal Expense Tracker:

1. Go to Claude.ai and log in

2. Copy and paste this prompt: "Build me a personal expense tracker app. Users should be able to add expenses with categories (food, transport, entertainment, etc.), set monthly budgets, view spending charts, and get alerts when approaching budget limits. Include data export and the ability to edit/delete entries. Make it fully functional with local storage so data persists between sessions."

3. Hit Enter - Claude builds a working expense tracker

4. Add real expenses - everything saves automatically

5. View charts and budgets that update with your actual data

6. Export your spending data as a CSV file

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• Password Generator with customizable security settings

• Unit Converter for measurements, currencies, and more

• Habit Tracker that saves your daily progress

• Color Palette Generator for designers

• QR Code Creator that generates real, scannable codes

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Newsletters Worth Reading

The Deep View
The go-to daily newsletter for 250k+ founders and knowledge workers who want to stay up to-date with artificial intelligence. [LINK]

AI Productivity Newsletter
1-minute, easy, actionable tips to boost productivity with AI. Thousands of subscribers are already leveling up. Now it's your turn. [LINK]

Creatwive Automation
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Tech Terms Worth Knowing

Model Hopping
(noun)

Definition: Rapidly switching between different AI models (or versions) within a workflow to optimize for speed, cost, or accuracy per task.

Usage: "They used model hopping—drafting with a fast model, then refining with a heavier one."

The Big One

ChatGPT-5 is here—and users aren’t thrilled

OpenAI launched ChatGPT‑5 with promises of smarter reasoning, faster coding, richer voice, and deeper multimodal skills, but the rollout has sparked a wave of frustration from longtime users who say it feels like a downgrade in day-to-day use.

Full rundown:

• Users report shorter, safer, and blander answers that feel less creative and less helpful for brainstorming.

• Response times can feel slower, and stricter message limits kick many into weaker fallback models mid-session.

• OpenAI removed easy model selection, so fans of GPT‑4o and other variants feel forced onto GPT‑5.

• Developers cite regressions in code generation and analysis, needing more prodding and manual fixes.

• Not all bad: some praise steadier reasoning, less “yes‑man” behavior, and new multimodal/vibe‑coding tricks that can ship prototypes faster.

Why it matters: If OpenAI can restore user control, loosen limits, and re‑inject personality without sacrificing safety, GPT‑5’s raw capability could shine. Until then, many see a smarter model wrapped in a worse experience.

Fast Five

1.) AOL will end dial-up internet service in September
That marks the end of a 34-year run. End of an era. [LINK]

2.) AI tools and layoffs push CS grads into unexpected career paths
Companies like Amazon and Microsoft are reshaping their workforce, leaving computer science graduates in the lurch [LINK]

3.) MIT study: Smart driving cuts city emissions by 22%
Researchers finding that dynamically adjusting vehicle speeds at intersections could cut city-wide carbon dioxide emissions by up to 22 percent. [LINK]

4.) Microsoft kills popular Lens app after 90M downloads
Microsoft outlined a phase-out timeline beginning September 15, 2025, with complete discontinuation by December 15. [LINK].

5.) Security researchers jailbreak GPT-5 within 24 hours
Sam Altman says that GPT-5 is “the best model in the world [LINK]

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Extra Bytes

Apple's Siri to Get Cross-App Voice Commands Next Spring [LINK]

OpenAI launches GPT-5 but transparency questions remain [LINK]

Google Gemini Now Integrated into Chrome Browser for Premium Users [LINK]

Trump’s Made-in-America iPhone may not happen anytime soon [LINK]

Inside Zuckerberg's 'Billionaire Bat Cave' and Private School [LINK]

CarPlay Ultra and iOS 26 Bring Major Infotainment Upgrades [LINK]

Google’s Gemini AI wants to be your new study buddy [LINK]

Instagram copies even more TikTok and Snapchat features [LINK]

WhatsApp rolls out new safety features to fight online scams [LINK]

Meta found guilty of snooping on period app users’ data [LINK]

OpenAI launches two new open-source AI models [LINK]

New AI app promises to count calories by simply taking food photos [LINK]

⚙️ Moron of the Week

This week’s moron of the week goes to the person who was in charge of the charts portion of the OpenAI GPT-5 launch.

The launch managed an “unintentional chart crime,” flashing benchmark bars so wrong that 52.8% towered over 69% and identical-looking bars showed different scores.

Sam Altman called it a “mega chart screwup,” and OpenAI rushed out corrected graphics afterward—fuel for critics already calling the rollout bumpy.

Nothing says “trust the metrics” like vibes-based bar charts.

Tools

Bing Image Creator - Now with free GPT 4o, alongside DALL-E3. [LINK].

Endex - An AI agent that lives inside Excel. [LINK]

Wispr Flow – Voice dictiation app that lets you speak naturally turns your voice into clean, formatted text—4x faster than typing. [LINK]

Tyce: Cursor for documents. Think of it like a souped-up version of Google Docs. [LINK]

CreateAnything: AI-powered platform that builds full-stack web and mobile apps from simple text descriptions [LINK]

Thanks for reading!

Alright! Thanks for getting all the way to the end. Until next week…….

-Kevin

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