The Shape of the Thing: Where We Are and What Likely Happens Next
A commentary piece from One Useful Thing assessing the current state of AI development and projecting near-term trajectories. The piece appears to offer a high-level synthesis of where the field stands and what developments are likely to follow. As a Tier 2 source, this represents informed commentary rather than primary research or announcements.
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An Opinionated Guide to Using AI Right Now
A tier-2 commentary piece from One Useful Thing offering opinionated guidance on which AI tools to use in late 2025. The piece likely surveys the current landscape of frontier models and recommends specific tools for specific tasks. As a practitioner-facing guide, it reflects the state of the AI tooling ecosystem as perceived by an influential commentator.
Some ideas for what comes next, May 2026
A commentary piece from Interconnects surveying the current AI landscape and speculating on near-term developments. Topics covered include Gemini Flash 3.5, a model called Mythos, the open-versus-closed model balance, America's open-source momentum, and emerging power dynamics among AI labs. The piece appears to be a monthly forward-looking analysis rather than a news report.
The Shape of AI: Jaggedness, Bottlenecks and Salients
A commentary piece from One Useful Thing analyzing the uneven capability profile of current AI systems, framing it through concepts of 'jaggedness' (uneven strengths and weaknesses), 'bottlenecks' (capability constraints), and 'salients' (areas of unexpected advance). The piece uses these concepts to explain why certain AI developments have outsized practical impact. The author references 'Nano Banana Pro' as an illustrative example of a significant capability or product development.
Import AI 458: Reckoning with the future; and a singularity story
Import AI issue 458 covers near-term AI-driven developments and includes a narrative piece on the singularity. The item is a commentary newsletter from a tier-2 source with limited body content visible, touching on expectations for AI progress in 2026. The framing suggests analysis of frontier AI trajectories and speculative scenarios.
Sign of the Future: GPT-5.5 Commentary
A tier-2 commentary piece from One Useful Thing discusses GPT-5.5 as a notable step in the AI capability curve. The piece frames the release as a signal of future AI development trajectories. As a commentary source, it likely offers analysis of what GPT-5.5's capabilities imply rather than primary technical reporting.
AI #168: Not Leading the Future
Zvi Mowshowitz's weekly AI roundup issue #168, characterized by the author as a 'lull' period in AI news. As a Tier 2 commentary source, this is a curated synthesis of recent AI/ML developments across the landscape. The brief body excerpt suggests a relatively quiet week in frontier AI activity.
Real AI Agents and Real Work
A commentary piece from One Useful Thing examining the practical deployment of AI agents in real work contexts, framing the tension between human-centered work and AI-generated productivity outputs. The piece appears to analyze how autonomous AI agents are changing knowledge work workflows. Published by a Tier 2 source known for applied AI analysis aimed at practitioners and researchers.
Claude Code and What Comes Next
A commentary piece from One Useful Thing examining Claude Code and its implications for AI-assisted software development. The author reflects on what agentic coding tools can accomplish with the right scaffolding and considers near-term trajectories. Published in early January 2026, this represents a tier-2 analyst perspective on Anthropic's coding agent product.