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

Here’s what we got for ya today:

• Google’s new AI breakthrough in cancer research

• “Hey Copilot” on Windows 11

• Gemini 3 coming Oct 22?

• Claude Agent “Skills”

Let’s get right into it!

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BIG TECH

Google’s new AI breakthrough in cancer research

Scientists at Google DeepMind and Yale built an AI model to study how cancer cells interact with the immune system. Some cancers are called “cold tumors” because the immune system doesn’t recognize them and therefore doesn’t attack them. The AI analyzed thousands of drugs and discovered that combining silmitasertib (a drug that blocks a protein called CK2) with a small dose of interferon could make these hidden cancer cells easier for the immune system to detect.

When scientists tested this combination in the lab, it worked: together, the two drugs increased the signals on cancer cells that alert the immune system—by about 50%. This means the AI didn’t discover a cure, but it found a new way to help the immune system “see” cancer, which could lead to more effective treatments in the future.

BIG TECH

“Hey Copilot” on Windows 11

Microsoft is expanding AI integration across Windows 11 through new Copilot features designed to make PCs more interactive and capable. Users can now activate the assistant by saying “Hey Copilot”, allowing voice-based commands and contextual help through Copilot Vision, which can analyze what’s on screen to provide guidance or perform tasks.

The company is also testing Copilot Actions, which enables AI to complete local tasks like organizing files or generating content, and introducing connectors to access personal data from services such as OneDrive, Gmail, and Outlook for faster retrieval of information. Experimental tools like Manus can automatically build websites from documents, while Gaming Copilot provides real-time assistance during gameplay. These features are being released gradually through the Windows Insider Program and Copilot Labs to gather feedback and address usability and security concerns.

BIG TECH

Gemini 3 coming Oct 22?

A leaked Google timeline suggests Gemini 3 could arrive as soon as October 22, which fits Google’s usual Wednesday release pattern. While it’s unclear if that date marks general availability, the next major step in Google’s AI evolution seems imminent. Each Gemini update has advanced reasoning and contextual understanding, but Gemini 3 may finally bridge the gap between mechanical replies and truly human-like logic.

If it delivers smoother multi-step reasoning, fewer hallucinations, and more natural conversations, it could mark the moment Gemini becomes as engaging to use as ChatGPT — and maybe even harder to switch away from.

STARTUPS

Claude Agent “Skills”

Anthropic has introduced “Skills,” a new capability for its Claude AI assistant that lets organizations create reusable, domain-specific folders containing instructions, code, and reference materials that Claude can automatically access when relevant. This marks a major shift from one-off prompts to structured, company-wide AI customization.

The system uses “progressive disclosure,” meaning Claude initially sees only skill names and loads deeper details or files as needed, solving the context window limitation while maintaining speed and efficiency. Skills can bundle procedures, templates, compliance checklists, and scripts, and multiple skills can work together for complex workflows.