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2026-09-24

AI moves into apps, feeds, and phones

Thursday, September 24, 2026

AI is moving out of the chat box and into the apps people already use. Google is rolling out Connected Apps in Gemini, Spotify is letting Premium listeners steer recommendations, and ChatGPT Voice is reaching phone tasks. The practical shift is not that AI suddenly understands everything. It is that assistants can now reach more places where work and daily decisions happen. That makes permissions and review more important. Start with one low-risk task, check what the assistant can access, and keep a human in the loop before anything publishes, sends, spends, or changes a record.

Today's top stories

Google Blog

Gemini is becoming a control panel for everyday apps

Google says a new wave of Connected Apps is rolling out to Gemini. The list includes Airtable, Linear, monday.com, and PandaDoc for work, Adobe, Picsart, Squarespace, and Webflow for creative tasks, plus Apartments.com, Experian, Peloton, and SeatGeek for daily life. You can connect an app in Gemini settings or call it with an @ mention.

Why it matters The useful first test is not to run the business from one prompt. Ask for a read-only summary from one connected app, then check the source record yourself. The rollout is staged, so treat the convenience as a shortcut to context, not permission to make decisions without review.

Spotify Newsroom

Spotify is letting listeners steer the algorithm

Spotify announced Taste Profile Beta for Premium listeners age 18 and older in the United States. It shows a short interpretation of your taste across music, podcasts, and audiobooks, then lets you tell the service what you want more of or what no longer fits. Spotify says changes typically appear within a few hours.

Why it matters Recommendation systems usually learn from what you play and skip. This feature gives listeners a more direct steering wheel. It is still a beta feature with age, plan, and geography limits, so treat it as a way to guide the feed rather than a guarantee that every recommendation will improve.

The Verge

ChatGPT Voice is moving into phone tasks

The Verge reports that OpenAI is bringing ChatGPT Voice's agentic capabilities to its mobile app. The examples include asking by voice for an email check or a summary of a Google Drive file from a phone or CarPlay. This is secondary coverage, so availability and connected-app support may vary.

Why it matters A voice assistant connected to email or files can touch a much wider slice of your life and work than a chatbot that only answers a question. Review what access is granted and start with a low-stakes task. Keep a human approval step before anything gets sent, changed, or shared.

More AI Signals

  • Meta Newsroom
    Meta Ray-Ban Display adds hands-free directions

    Meta says Ray-Ban Display glasses will add voice-requested cycling directions and real-time transit departures, with United States and Canada availability later in September. Meta also says a photorealistic hologram for WhatsApp calls will begin rolling out in early access later this fall. Rollout timing and availability vary.

  • Beep
    Autonomous shuttle testing starts in Orlando

    Beep says validation testing of autonomous Volkswagen ID. Buzz vehicles has started in Lake Nona, Florida. Planned rides are expected later this year, with onboard human operators supervising the initial testing and launch phases. This is an early mobility program, not a claim that driverless rides are broadly available.

LLM Releases and New Features

  • Google Blog
    Gemini adds more expressive voice tools

    Google introduced Gemini 3.8 Flash TTS and Flash-Lite TTS for custom voices, line-by-line direction, and more expressive dialogue. Google lists access across AI Studio, the Gemini API, Gemini Enterprise, Gemini Notebook, and Google Vids. This is a technical release note, not a promise that every reader gets it today.

Tools and Workflows

  • ACC Network
    Try one connected app with a read-only question

    If Gemini Connected Apps is available on your account, connect one low-risk tool and ask for a summary you can verify. Do not start with payroll, customer records, or anything that can send a message or change a file. Compare the answer with the source app, then disconnect the tool if you do not need it anymore.

AI Jobs

  • i4DM employer careers page
    Power Apps/Power BI Developer

    i4DM lists this as a remote, full-time role supporting Department of Veterans Affairs projects. The work focuses on Power Apps interfaces, Power BI reporting, and turning business processes and data into usable applications and dashboards. Indeed marked the listing New in a remote search filtered to the past day, while the employer page confirms the role is open without displaying its own posting timestamp. This is a technical developer role, not a beginner job. Confirm the current requirements on the employer page before applying.

Courses and Learning

  • Grow with Google
    Google AI Essentials takes two hours

    Grow with Google lists AI Essentials as a two-hour course for people new to AI. It covers generative AI fundamentals and practice using AI tools to develop ideas, create content, and speed up daily tasks. Check the official course page for current enrollment terms, then use one lesson against a task you already understand.

Events

  • Informa
    The AI Summit New York is set for December

    The AI Summit New York runs December 9 and 10 at the Javits Center in New York. The official pricing page lists an Expo pass at $99 early bird and $199 regular, with early bird pricing ending before midnight EDT on October 15. Prices and availability can change, so recheck the organizer page before making plans.

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