AI News Flash | Google's Gemini Gets More Practical with Recurring Task Automation

Hello from the world of AI! 🚀Today's newsletter covers the following hot topics.　・Gemini gets more practical with recurring task automation　・Luma AI's new "Modify Video" feature revolutionizes video editing　・OpenAI's ChatGPT hit by outages worldwide — impact spreading to Sora and the API

GEMINI

Google's Gemini Gets More Practical with Recurring Task Automation

Google has added "Scheduled Actions" to its AI assistant Gemini, letting it offer more practical, proactive everyday support.Users can now set tasks to run automatically at a set time or on a repeating schedule.Notably, it works across platforms — iPhone users can use it too, as long as they have the Gemini app and a qualifying subscription.

Source: Gemini

From a Passive Chatbot to a Proactive "Assistant"

Scheduled Actions is meant to make Gemini a more "proactive" assistant — instead of waiting for instructions, it automatically handles tasks that repeat daily.For example, the following actions can be automated:　・A daily digest of your schedule and unread emails every morning　・Listing blog-writing tips every weekend　・Sharing the latest updates once your favorite team's game ends　・One-off tasks too, like a summary of a specific event the next daySetup is simple — just make a time-specific request, or turn an existing instruction into a schedule. All actions are gathered in the app's "Scheduled Actions" screen, where users can freely adjust content and timing.

Target Users and Google's Strategic Backdrop

"Scheduled Actions" is currently rolling out to users on paid plans. It is available to:　・Subscribers to Google AI Pro or Ultra plans　・Users on a qualifying business or education Workspace planIt covers both Android and iOS, and rolls out automatically from Google's servers — no manual app update needed.This is part of Google's long-term strategy to make Gemini more personal and proactive. As discussed at Google I/O 2024, the company aims to shift Gemini from a command-driven bot into an advanced life-support AI.For daily AI-assistant users, this is genuinely useful — not just a novelty, but a real value-add for daily work, household management, or as a memory aid for routine tasks."Scheduled Actions" should also position Gemini as an alternative to reminder apps, embedding it deeper into daily life.

LUMA AI

Luma AI's New "Modify Video" Feature Revolutionizes What's Possible in Video Editing

AI startup Luma AI has unveiled "Modify Video," built into its "Dream Machine: Ray 2" platform. It lets users fine-tune style, characters, and backgrounds with AI, no production expertise needed — preserving original motion while cutting costs and adding flexibility.What Sets Modify Video ApartIts biggest strength: rebuilding visuals from the ground up without losing the original motion or acting quality — shortening production time and adding flexibility.Users upload footage and pick one of three custom modes to convert it to the style they want. The first frame can be adjusted manually; the AI handles the rest.The editing modes available are:　・Adhere mode makes fine adjustments while keeping structure and texture — good for subtle changes like color grading.　・Flex mode balances preserving original elements with creative changes.　・Reimagine mode transforms the video entirely, even into a completely different character.Modify Video offers creators across every industry a fresh option, poised to shake up conventional video editing.

Source: Luma AI

"Modify Video" is more than a simple editing tool: it draws on advanced performance signals — posture, lip-sync, facial tracking — for high-quality output.　・Motion and performance fully preserved: original acting and movement are never lost — only background or style changes.　・Multiple variations generated: one video yields a range of styles, useful for pitches or experimental takes.　・Intuitive to use: no detailed text needed — a reference image alone conveys intent.The current spec caps at 10 seconds, 16:9, and 720p, but third-party reviews rate it above Runway's "V2V" for facial consistency and motion continuity.Still experimental for now, its expressive range suggests it could eventually rival leaders like Veo 3 and Kling — with potential to reshape professional video workflows.

CHATGPT

OpenAI's ChatGPT Hit by Intermittent Outages Worldwide — Impact Spreading to Sora and the API

Users worldwide are reporting that OpenAI's "ChatGPT" is inaccessible or slow to respond. Trouble began early Tuesday morning ET, escalating into a serious outage in some cases.Many users on X and Reddit report "loading failed and an error appeared," showing the scale of the impact.Per outage tracker Downdetector, anomalies began around 3am ET, and OpenAI's status page confirmed "elevated error rates and response delays" affecting ChatGPT, its "Sora" video generator, and the API.Just after 5am, OpenAI listed "elevated error rates for Sora" before updating overall status to "partial outage," saying it had "identified the cause" and was "working to fix it quickly."Not everyone is affected — some see slower responses, while others, like this writer, use it normally, suggesting the outage is intermittent and localized rather than universal.AI search service "Perplexity" was also affected — since it relies on OpenAI models, a link to this incident is likely. Its status page confirmed "degraded performance and increased error rates."

Source: Downdetector

Per Downdetector, Perplexity's outage began around 7am ET, likely stemming from OpenAI's wider disruption.OpenAI updated its status page, reporting it had "identified the root cause behind the high error rates and response delays," with its team rolling out fixes.Some users could still use ChatGPT, though many saw slower responses — a sign of uneven stability. This writer used it as usual, showing the outage wasn't universal.Even by 8pm, ChatGPT and Sora hadn't fully stabilized, with full recovery expected to take more time.

Source: Downdetector

OpenAI has yet to comment officially, but its incident page confirms issues affecting the API, ChatGPT, and Sora, stating it has "identified the cause of the high error rates and delays and is rolling out fixes."As a leading generative-AI provider, an OpenAI outage has outsized global impact — as of February 2024, its weekly active users reached roughly 400 million.ChatGPT usage is notable in Vietnam, ranking fourth among the country's most-visited sites — behind only Google, YouTube, and Facebook. Its app also ranks near the top of the App Store and Google Play.ChatGPT has faced major outages before, including one lasting hours in 2023, and has since gained image generation, drawing more users, while Sora attracts creators with realistic video.

In Closing

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