ChatGPT users can now chat with several third-party apps while in conversation with the chatbot. OpenAI announced this feature called Apps in ChatGPT, together with an Apps SDK for developers that enables them to build these kinds of apps. The first apps are now available to all logged-in ChatGPT users on Free, Go, Plus and Pro plans, except those in the European Union. The pilot partners offering apps within ChatGPT are Booking.com, Canva, Coursera, Figma, Expedia, Spotify and Zillow. Eleven more partners and their apps will be added later this year. “The magic of this new generation of apps in ChatGPT is how they blend familiar interactive elements — like maps, playlists and presentations — with new ways of interacting through conversation,” OpenAI said. “You can start with an outline and ask Canva to transform it into a slide deck, or take a course with Coursera and ask ChatGPT to elaborate on something in the video as you watch.” Coursera said its app was built on Apps SDK and makes Coursera’s educational content more discoverable by enabling ChatGPT users to access it in conversations. Spotify said that by bringing its service into their ChatGPT conversations, Spotify Free and Premium users can receive personalized recommendations for music and podcasts. Zillow said that adding its real estate app to ChatGPT enables users to discover rentals and homes for sale by agents or owners within the Zillow app on ChatGPT and then be seamlessly guided into Zillow to schedule a tour, connect with an agent or explore financing.
Sam Altman says ChatGPT has hit 800M weekly active users- “ has gone from something people play with to something people build with every day”
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said that ChatGPT has reached 800 million weekly active users, marking an increase of adoption among consumers, developers, enterprises, and governments. ChatGPT’s impressive growth comes as OpenAI is on a race to secure as many AI chips and build as much AI infrastructure as possible. In August, OpenAI said it was on the cusp of reaching 700 million weekly active users, already an increase from 500 million weekly active users at the end of March. “Today, 4 million developers have built with OpenAI,” Altman said. “More than 800 million people use ChatGPT every week, and we process over 6 billion tokens per minute on the API. Thanks to all of you, AI has gone from something people play with to something people build with every day.” “This will enable a new generation of apps that are interactive, adaptive, and personalized, that you can chat with,” Altman said. Still legally designated as a nonprofit, OpenAI became the most valuable privately held company in the world on Thursday, after a private stock sale of $6.6 billion in shares valued the company at $500 billion. The company has also been launching new products at a blistering pace, releasing a new version of its video-generation tool Sora last week, paired with an accompanying social media network. That same week, the company partnered with Stripe to launch a platform for agentic commerce.
Lyft and Tensor enable personal Autonomous Vehicle owners to generate revenue when vehicles idle, converting traditionally depreciating assets into 24/7 income-generating vehicles
Lyft and Tensor announced a planned strategic partnership that will revolutionize how consumers access and monetize autonomous driving technology. Through this collaboration, Tensor’s groundbreaking Robocar will become the first personally-owned autonomous vehicle (AV) to become “Lyft-ready” directly from the manufacturer, while Lyft, through its affiliates, has reserved hundreds of Tensor Robocars to purchase for its own fleet operations. The Tensor Robocar is powered by NVIDIA technology, not only for its sophisticated AI onboard and unparalleled approach to safety through high-redundant systems, but also for the large-scale training and simulation for the Tensor Foundation Models. Over the next few years, Tensor Robocars, equipped with an NVIDIA-powered onboard supercomputer, will roll out L4 driving capabilities across Europe, the Middle East, and the United States – starting with major metropolitan areas. Lyft and Tensor plan to complete an integration that will allow for Tensor Robocars to immediately onboard on Lyft’s platform and let owners have instant access to monetize their vehicles in markets where “Lyft-ready” L4 technology is available. “Future owners will be able to start earning on the Lyft network the moment their vehicle rolls off the lot, while riders get access to some of the most advanced and luxurious AVs on the road,” Jeremy Bird, executive vice president of driver experience at Lyft, said. Hugo Fozzati, chief business officer at Tensor, said in the release that the planned partnership will let Lyft passengers experience autonomous vehicles and enable Tensor Robocar owners to immediately start earning on the Lyft network. “By allowing your Tensor to operate as a vehicle on the Lyft platform when you’re not using it, you can effortlessly generate revenue,” Fozzati said.
Banks consortium including MUFG is jointly investigating stable payment asset availability on public blockchains A group of leading international banks is jointly exploring the issuance of a 1:1 reserve-backed form of digital money that provides a stable payment asset available on public blockchains, focused on G7 currencies. The group of banks includes Banco Santander, Bank of America, Barclays, BNP Paribas, Citi, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, MUFG Bank Ltd, TD Bank Group and UBS. The objective of the initiative is to explore whether a new industry-wide offering could bring the benefits of digital assets and enhance competition across the market, while ensuring full compliance with regulatory requirements and best practice risk management. The group is in contact with regulators and supervisors in each relevant market and will continue to keep appropriate parties updated as the project progresses.
A group of leading international banks is jointly exploring the issuance of a 1:1 reserve-backed form of digital money that provides a stable payment asset available on public blockchains, focused on G7 currencies. The group of banks includes Banco Santander, Bank of America, Barclays, BNP Paribas, Citi, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, MUFG Bank Ltd, TD Bank Group and UBS. The objective of the initiative is to explore whether a new industry-wide offering could bring the benefits of digital assets and enhance competition across the market, while ensuring full compliance with regulatory requirements and best practice risk management. The group is in contact with regulators and supervisors in each relevant market and will continue to keep appropriate parties updated as the project progresses.
Vietnam’s private lender VIB boosts data warehouse with AI and human oversight; launched a program rewarding employees for each AI error they detected
Vietnam International Bank’s (VIB) data warehouse has seen major improvements thanks to the joint efforts of 20,000 employees identifying AI errors, said deputy CEO Tran Nhat Minh. VIB has launched a program rewarding employees VND100,000 ($3.8) for each AI error they detected, Minh told the recent CIO Summit in Ho Chi Minh City. He recounted that at one point, VIB had a few hundred customer service staff, yet 15% of calls went unanswered, meaning 15 out of every 100 callers didn’t get a response. To meet demand, the bank would have needed to hire an additional 50-60 employees. Frustrated by this gap, VIB’s management turned to AI for customer service. After some time, the share of unanswered calls fell to just 3%. The bank also surveyed customers on AI’s performance, with 93% reporting satisfaction with the AI-driven responses. “AI can replace 50-60 staff and operate around the clock,” said Minh who is also head of banking technology services cum head of information technology at VIB. In addition, the AI features voice recognition, Minh said, explaining when a customer calls, their name will appear on the screen during subsequent calls. At the Vietnam AI Forum – AI360 2025, hosted by the Vietnam Software and IT Services Association (Vinasa) last Thursday, Nguyen Khac Lich, director of the department of information technology industry at the Ministry of Science and Technology, cited the 2024 Government AI Readiness Index by UK-based Oxford Insights. The report ranked Vietnam 59th out of 193 countries, placing it in Southeast Asia’s top five and above the global average for three consecutive years. The 2025 World AI Index also ranked Vietnam third globally for AI trust and fifth for AI acceptance. With a young population, a tech-savvy workforce, and strategic guidance from the government, Vietnam’s AI ecosystem is poised for a new leap forward, Lich believed. Data from the Department of Information Technology Industry shows AI investment and adoption are accelerating. Over a year, funding for domestic AI companies surged eightfold, rising from $10 million in 2023 to $80 million in 2024. An average of five companies began adopting AI every hour, according to Vinasa. The 2025 Vietnam AI Report also emphasized AI’s potential to drive digital economic growth, with leading sectors in AI deployment in Vietnam including information technology, finance-banking, education, e-commerce, and health care. The report highlighted talent shortages as the top challenge, with 45% of AI providers citing a lack of skilled personnel. Another 23% struggled with data and computing infrastructure, while 30% pointed to unclear legal frameworks. Among AI data providers, 50% reported limited or no access to standardized datasets, and 51% of training institutions faced obstacles from low-quality training data.
EnterpriseSG to accelerate adoption of digital solutions across the F&B sector by tapping UOB’s network of SMEs and partner networks
Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) has launched two new programs to help food and beverage (F&B) companies boost productivity through process optimization and centralised food preparation. The F&B Process Optimisation Programme (POP) will help companies review and optimize outlet processes, with four approved consultancy firms providing guidance on outlet space optimisation, technology implementation, and menu design. The FoodX programme supports companies in centralising food preparation by matching them with suitable contract manufacturers from an expanded network of over 60 food manufacturing and equipment manufacturing partners. Eligible companies can receive up to 50% grant support to reduce initial outsourcing costs. The Singapore Productivity Centre will match participating F&B businesses with suitable food manufacturers based on their specific needs. EnterpriseSG will continue to facilitate collaborations to enable F&B companies to leverage shared resources and unlock economies of scale to achieve cost savings. The report aims to develop a practical tool to measure business performance and identify areas of improvement, helping F&B businesses stay competitive in an evolving market. EnterpriseSG has also announced a partnership with UOB to accelerate digital and artificial intelligence (AI) adoption across F&B companies, with services and solutions available from 2026. The partnership will enable EnterpriseSG to accelerate adoption of digital solutions across the F&B sector by tapping UOB’s network of SMEs and partner networks.
ING Bank report says APAC on track for record year in sustainable finance supported by the Green and Sustainable Finance Grant Scheme launched by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority
ING predicts a record-breaking year in sustainable finance issuance in the Asia-Pacific region (APAC) in 2025, with global issuance reaching $852 billion. The first quarter was marked by disruption and uncertainty, while the second quarter demonstrated resilience and adaptability with $432 billion of issuance. The region is emerging as a noteworthy participant in the global sustainable finance market, with strong issuance from corporates and financial institutions. Greater China is a significant driver, aligning with decarbonization goals and supported by the Green and Sustainable Finance Grant Scheme launched by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority. Green bonds remain a key contributor due to their volume and straightforward structure.
Alipay reported that foreign visitors’ expenditure on retail brands soared more than 200 percent from a year earlier
China’s National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday saw a surge in inbound tourism, with foreign visitors increasingly adopting Chinese mobile payment tools as part of their travel experience. This has bolstered tourism-related consumption and injected fresh momentum into the country’s economic growth. Alipay, the digital payment arm of Chinese financial tech company Ant Group, showed that spending by inbound tourists on the platform rose by nearly 40% during the first five days of the holiday compared to the same period last year. Overseas visitors increasingly opted for convenient and contactless payments enabled by Alipay’s “Tap to Pay” feature, with the transaction volume surging 500 percent year-on-year. Dining, tourism, offline retail, and transportation were the most popular spending categories among inbound tourists during the eight-day holiday that ended on Wednesday. Alipay reported that foreign visitors’ expenditure on retail brands soared more than 200 percent from a year earlier. During the Golden Week break, destinations where international visitors used their mobile phones to shop most included Shanghai, Guangdong province’s Guangzhou and Shenzhen, and Beijing. Under the guidance of authorities, Alipay has partnered with tax refund agencies to launch an innovative tax refund service in several popular destinations such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen for overseas tourists.
ABC Impact, DBS, UOB partner on US$110 mil sustainability-linked subscription loan facility
DBS Group Holdings and United Overseas Bank (UOB) have jointly established a US$110 million ($142 million) sustainability-linked subscription loan facility with ABC Impact, an impact investing firm backed by Temasek and a member of Temasek Trust Asset Management. According to an Oct 13 announcement, this transforms ABC Impact’s existing conventional loan facility into an instrument that links financing to measurable impact targets. A conventional subscription loan facility is typically a short-term facility that allows private equity and impact funds to bridge the gap between investments made and the receipt of capital called from investors. With the sustainability-linked loan facility — which is linked to sustainability performance targets — ABC Impact and the two banks will channel capital flows towards projects with meaningful outcomes while embedding a focus on measurable impact and disclosure into the financing structure itself. The loan facility is for ABC Impact Fund II, which was incepted in August 2023 and held its final close in March this year. ABC Impact Fund II assets under management currently exceed US$600 million, double the size of its inaugural Fund I, with commitments from investors including Temasek, Temasek Trust, the Asian Development Bank, Mapletree Investments, SeaTown Holdings, an undisclosed Southeast Asian sovereign wealth fund and ultra-high-net-worth individuals. Under the terms of the sustainability-linked loan facility, ABC Impact Fund II’s portfolio companies will be required to achieve sustainability performance targets related to avoided or reduced greenhouse gas emissions, as well as number of beneficiaries reached across key impact sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, education and financial services. Sugandhi Matta, chief impact officer, ABC Impact, says: “With our investors’ capital already fully dedicated to impact, and now our financing linked to measurable sustainability outcomes, every dollar we manage is aligned with our mission. By embedding performance targets into mainstream financing structures, we are reinforcing our commitment to deliver both financial discipline and positive social and environmental outcomes across Asia.” ABC Impact, formerly ABC World Impact, has tracked key impact indicators across its portfolio since inception; its first impact report was launched in March 2021 for 2020 — its first year of impact investing. In September, Temasek Trust, Temasek Foundation and Temasek Trust Asset Management released their inaugural impact report covering the entire Temasek Trust ecosystem, including the work of ABC Impact.
Enterprise AI- leading firms report 1.7x sales conversion, 1.5x customer satisfaction, 35% productivity gains and document analysis times down 80%
When MIT published its State of AI in Business 2025 report, one headline dominated the conversation: 95% of organizations report no measurable return. However, leaders across those firms report sales conversion up 1.7x, customer satisfaction up 1.5x, software development productivity up 35%, manufacturing throughput up 30%, and document analysis times down 80%. And if you look at AI fluency — daily active AI users, prompts per FTE, share of workflows with AI steps, and AI-enabled cycle-time compression — these outcomes show adoption compounding, not stalling. One reason for the different take: selection bias. Their analysis draws on 52 interviews, 300 publicly disclosed initiatives, and 153 surveys at conferences that blend company sizes and contexts. Another reason: different lenses and definitions. Their conclusion centers on pilots earlier in 2025. AI fluency is an increasingly important interim metric — it captures cycle-time compression, prompts per FTE, percentage of workflows with AI steps, AI-enabled conversion, throughput, and cost to serve — and becomes a long-term driver of durable competitive advantage.