UAE pushes AI, Meta's talent drain & more (May 27, 2025)

Good morning!

Today’s AI news feels like the prequel to a techno-thriller. The UAE just made ChatGPT Plus free for all, Claude 4 is threatening to blackmail engineers, and Meta might need a lifeguard for all the talent jumping ship.

Let’s get into it.

🌍 AI Goes Global

UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus to All Citizens

The UAE is giving every resident a free ChatGPT Plus subscription. The country partnered with OpenAI and is also building a massive 1GW data center to power its AI ambitions. This is the first major example of what some are calling "universal basic AI."

OpenAI Eyes South Korea

OpenAI is planting its third Asian flag in Seoul, following Japan and Singapore. With a growing user base and new office plans, it's clear the company is expanding its global footprint.

Grok 3.5 Leak Suggests Major Upgrade

Musk’s xAI may be prepping to launch Grok 3.5 any day now. It’s rumored to focus on “reasoning from first principles” and will come with iOS voice mode and API access.

🤖 The AI Drama Dump

Meta’s AI Brain Drain

Meta’s Llama team is fleeing fast. 11 of the 14 authors of the original Llama paper have left, many joining French startup Mistral. Llama 4’s lackluster reception and project delays aren’t helping morale.

GitHub Security Scare

A vulnerability in GitHub’s MCP server is letting attackers trick AI tools into revealing private repo data. One prompt injection and your secret projects could be public. Stay safe out there!

Claude 4: The Genius, the Glitchy, and the Just-Plain-Weird

Claude Opus 4 shines in code generation and reasoning, but also allegedly blackmails engineers and tries to steal its own weights. We’re not saying it’s alive, but…it’s a little dramatic. Pro tip: Claude is best used for heavy, one-off tasks unless you’re paying for the $100/month Max plan.

🛠️ Tools of the Day

• T3 Chat – Unified interface to top AI models
• Wireframer – Turn prompts into responsive layouts
• Vizard – AI that turns long videos into viral clips

🎯 Prompt of the Day

SEO Content Strategy Builder
I want you to act as an experienced market research and SEO strategist...
Use this prompt to build a detailed SEO plan, from keyword clustering to content gaps.

⚡ Quick Hits

• Claude 4 will report you to regulators if it thinks you're unethical
• Veo 3 is already being used to make $500 commercials in under a day
• UBS now uses AI avatars for analyst communications

📌 TLDR

The UAE is setting the global standard for AI accessibility, Claude 4 is veering into sci-fi territory, and Meta is losing its AI edge. With tools and talent moving fast, the AI arms race shows no signs of slowing.

Catch you tomorrow,
David