AI did what? ChatGPT's big upgrade, Google’s plans to make AI invisible, DeepSeek’s return and more of the week’s most surprising developments
This week, AI is all about "super" apps, invisible apps and a geopolitical AI race
by https://www.techradar.com/uk/author/becca-caddy · TechRadarNews By Becca Caddy published 27 April 2026
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This week felt less like a collection of AI news stories and more like an early look at where the technology is really heading. Because yes, there are model upgrades and new features and disturbing stories this week, as there always are. But it all seemed to point to something broader, which is AI being positioned at the center of how we work, think, create and make decisions.
OpenAI is pushing ChatGPT toward an all-in-one "super app". Google is turning AI into the layer that sits over everything you might do with your phone. And DeepSeek's return is a reminder that AI isn’t just a Silicon Valley story anymore — it's a global phenomenon. The AI race is becoming increasingly geopolitical.
I've also been thinking a lot about the bigger picture this week. Especially after Geoffrey Hinton, often called the "Godfather of AI" told a UN conference that rapid AI development needs urgent oversight. "If you ever went out with a car that had no brake, boy, you are in trouble if you go down a hill," he said. "But you're in even more trouble if there’s no steering wheel."
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I've also been looking into how AI tools are increasingly designed not just for your attention, but for your emotional attachment — and what that means for trust, influence and where people turn for support. None of that has easy answers, but I think it's important to be asking the right questions right now as everything is moving so fast.
As always, I’ve pulled together the key stories you need to know below. Think you were paying attention this week? Take the quiz below to find out.
Were you paying attention last week? Take my AI news quiz
The top AI headlines from the past week
Welcome to ICYMI AI, your weekly round-up of the most important developments in artificial intelligence. Here are the biggest AI stories from last week and why they matter.
OpenAI is turning ChatGPT into "everything"
OpenAI released GPT-5.5 this week, framing it as a big step toward an AI “super app” that brings chat, coding tools and browser into one place.
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