Welcome back to Daily Zaps, your regularly-scheduled dose of AI news ⚡️ 

Here’s what we got for ya today:

• Ads could be coming to ChatGPT

• Major shakeup in Apple’s AI division

• No. 1 country song in America is AI-generated

• Silicon Valley is building on Chinese AI

Let’s get right into it!

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BIG TECH

Ads could be coming to ChatGPT

Rumors suggest OpenAI is preparing to introduce ads into ChatGPT, after hidden code referencing “search ads,” an “ads feature,” and an “ads carousel” was discovered in the latest Android app. Some users have even reported already seeing ads—like a Peloton promo—despite paying for ChatGPT Pro, though it’s unclear whether these were tests or glitches.

With the high cost of running GPUs and data centers, ads have long been expected and would mirror approaches taken by Google and Microsoft, though OpenAI has previously said any advertising would be “thoughtful and tasteful.” Ads may be targeted based on chat content, especially during shopping-related queries, but OpenAI will need to clearly separate them from AI responses.

BIG TECH

Major shakeup in Apple’s AI division

Apple announced that its longtime AI chief John Giannandrea is stepping down, marking the biggest shake-up in its AI organization since launching Apple Intelligence in 2024, a product suite that has struggled with poor reviews and delays. Giannandrea will be replaced by Amar Subramanya—an AI leader with experience at Microsoft and Google DeepMind—who will report to software chief Craig Federighi, who is increasingly central to Apple’s AI strategy.

The move comes as experts say Apple has fallen behind rivals like OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft, which are investing far more in AI infrastructure and cloud-based models, while Apple continues prioritizing on-device AI.

Entertainment

No. 1 country song in America is AI-generated

An AI-generated country artist named Breaking Rust has reached a historic milestone as its song “Walk My Walk” hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Digital Song Sales chart, intensifying long-running concerns about AI’s role in creative industries.

The anonymous project has drawn both fascination and criticism, with experts noting its polished but “vapid” AI-produced sound and warning that such autonomous music makes it harder for human artists to break through on streaming platforms. While platforms like Spotify are adding safeguards and disclosures around AI content, industry observers say AI-generated music is rapidly growing, already making up a substantial share of uploads.

OPEN SOURCE

Silicon Valley is building on Chinese AI

A growing number of U.S. AI startups are increasingly relying on powerful, free, and highly customizable open-source Chinese AI models, such as DeepSeek’s R1 and Alibaba’s Qwen, that have rapidly improved and now rival many American closed systems in capability, speed, and cost. Founders and engineers told NBC News that these Chinese models are often fast, cheap to run on their own hardware, and “surprisingly close to the frontier,” raising concerns that American companies like OpenAI and Anthropic may be pursuing a less competitive path.

Experts note the performance gap between U.S. closed models and Chinese open models has dramatically shrunk over the past year, challenging assumptions about U.S. dominance in AI.