Sam Altman on the AI-native Future

Plus: GPT-5 is coming this summer, The OpenAI Files, Midjourney's video generation.
Published Date:
June 24, 2025
By
Evelyn Le

Welcome to Lead with AI's practical Tuesday edition!

In this edition, I'm bringing you the latest must-know AI tools and stories:

  1. OpenAI launches Podcast: Sam Altman on the future of AI
  2. Your AI Team: Midjourney V1 Video, Gemini’s video upload, and ChatGPT’s Record Mode.
  3. In 5 Steps: Get weekly industry updates sent to your Slack (Zapier RSS + ChatGPT)
  4. New tools: Ciro, LLM SEO FAQ, and Chronicle.
  5. Must-read News: What’s in The OpenAI Files.

Before we dive in: Join our live session tomorrow and learn how to turn ChatGPT into your business operating system. ​Grab one of the last remaining seats​, and get the $99 “Learn ChatGPT in 7 Days” course free when you join live!

Let’s dive in!

‍

Sam Altman: GPT-5 is coming

OpenAI kicked off its new podcast with a conversation between CEO Sam Altman and former OpenAI engineer Andrew Mayne. And it’s one of the most illuminating AI interviews of the year. In it, Altman offers an unfiltered view of where things are heading, what keeps him up at night, and why he’s raising his child with help from ChatGPT.

Here’s what stood out and why it matters to leaders:

  • AI is growing fast: AI models are already "smart now" and will "keep getting smarter" and "improving". More people will likely perceive systems as AGI each year, even as the definition of AGI becomes more ambitious. GPT-5 is anticipated "sometime this summer," but the distinction between major version jumps and continuous improvements is becoming less clear.
  • AI's transformative impact on our productivity and capacity: Current AI systems are already increasing people's productivity and are "able to do valuable economic work". Future generations will grow up more capable than we did, able to "do things that would just, we cannot imagine" because they will be really good at using AI.
  • The critical need for massive compute infrastructure: A huge gap exists between current AI capabilities and what could be achieved with "10 times more compute or someday, hopefully, a 100 times more compute". Initiatives like Project Stargate are an "effort to finance and build an unprecedented amount of compute" globally. The scale of this investment could be in the hundreds of billions, potentially $500,000,000,000.
  • Privacy and trust as foundational principles for AI adoption: Privacy needs to be a core principle of using AI. As people have "quite private conversations with ChatGPT now". Companies like OpenAI are committed to fighting attempts to compromise user privacy, such as requests for extended user record preservation.
  • Collaborative competitive landscape: OpenAI's current preferred business model is direct payment for "good services". The AI industry is not a winner-takes-all scenario. The discovery of AI is akin to the transistor, meaning "many companies are gonna build great things on that, and then eventually it's gonna... seep into almost all products". The overall "pie is just gonna get bigger and bigger".
  • Navigating Human-AI interaction: Society will need to find new guardrails as people may develop "somewhat problematic or maybe very problematic parasocial relationships" with AI. A key challenge is aligning AI behavior for long-term user benefit, as models optimized for short-term user signals might not be healthy to a user in the long run.
  • “Learn to use AI” is the new “learn to code”: Mastering AI tools is now foundational, like programming once was. Beyond technical skills, resilience, adaptability, creativity, and figuring out what other people want are "surprisingly learnable" and will pay off soon.
  • OpenAI is building hardware: Current computer hardware and software were "designed for a world without AI". The vision is for AI to be deeply integrated, enabling a "totally different kind of how you use a computer to get done what you want" by trusting it to understand context, make judgments, and manage follow-ups on your behalf. OpenAI is actively working on developing high-quality hardware to realize this vision, though it will take time.

If you’re leading a company, raising a family, or building the next product, you’re already living in an AI-native world. Altman’s message is clear: the future is arriving faster than we think, and those who understand the tools, and the infrastructure behind them, will shape what comes next.

‍

Your AI Team: Midjourney V1 Video, ElevenLabs' 11ai, Gemini’s video upload, and ChatGPT’s Record Mode.

Every week, I report on the top updates to your favorite AI tools. This week:

Midjourney Debuts V1 Video Model for Cinematic Animations

Midjourney just launched its first-ever video feature, bringing still images to life with beautifully animated motion, and doing so at a surprisingly accessible price point.

Key updates:

  • Image-to-Video Workflow: You still start by generating an image as usual. Now, you can hit “Animate” to transform it into a short cinematic clip.
  • Automatic vs Manual Motion: Choose “automatic” to let Midjourney generate a motion prompt for you, or use “manual” mode to describe the animation style and camera movement yourself.
  • High vs Low Motion Modes: Opt for low motion for ambient, subtle scenes or high motion for dynamic clips with more action and movement — each offering trade-offs between realism and stability.
  • Video Length & Extensions: Each job creates four 5-second clips (~20 seconds total). You can also extend any clip up to four times to build longer sequences.
  • Upload and Animate Any Image: You can now upload external images, set a starting frame, and describe the animation you want — no need to generate the original image inside Midjourney.

Each video job costs about 8x an image job, but since you get 4 videos, it averages out to roughly 1 image-worth per second of video, 25x cheaper than past industry options. The V1 Video feature is available via the website for now, with video Relax Mode being tested for Pro users and up.

Midjourney says this is just the beginning, part of a broader vision to build toward real-time, 3D, interactive AI environments. But today, they’re offering something fun, useful, and surprisingly affordable for creators to explore right away.

Quick Hits from your favorite AI tools:

  • ElevenLabs launches ​11ai​, a voice-first assistant integrated with Model Context Protocol (MCP), letting users seamlessly command tasks, like planning the day, researching with Perplexity, managing issues in Linear, or catching up on Slack, using natural speech to take real action across integrated tools
  • Google’s Gemini app now supports ​video uploads​. You can now upload videos directly into the Gemini app to get summaries, generate descriptions, or ask questions.
  • YouTube expands ​Veo 3​ to Shorts. Google’s Veo 3 AI video model can now generate and edit vertical Shorts, making it easier for creators to produce quick, cinematic content with minimal effort.
  • You can talk to Google’s ​AI Mode​. Google’s new AI Mode brings Search Live to life, letting you chat with Search in real time, ask follow-up questions, and get dynamic summaries across web pages.
  • ChatGPT adds ​Record Mode​ on macOS. Pro, Enterprise, and Edu users on macOS can now record meetings, brainstorms, or voice notes directly in the ChatGPT desktop app. The app transcribes, summarizes, and turns audio into follow-ups, plans, or even code.

Read more news at the end.

‍

‍

Lead with AI - Icon

Free Webinar

AI Rollouts, Resistance, and Change Management (With Phil Kirschner)

Most organizations are investing in AI, but the real challenge is not choosing the right tools, it is getting people to actually use them. While enthusiasm runs high, many rollouts quietly stall due to subtle forms of resistance such as delayed onboarding, disengagement, and misaligned workflows.

AI Rollouts, Resistance, and Change Management

The barriers are rarely technical. They show up in culture, behavior, and space—often overlooked by even the most well-intentioned leaders. To make AI adoption work, we need to listen more carefully to where resistance lives.

This interactive session designed to help you spot the unseen blockers that derail AI initiatives. Learn how to apply the Forces Framework from Jobs To Be Done theory, surface the real reasons behind friction, and design change strategies that build trust and traction.

Featured Speakers:

  • ​Daan van Rossum​, Founder of Lead with AI, who has coached over 1,000 senior business leaders on AI implementation
  • ​Phil Kirschner​, former McKinsey advisor and WeWork executive, leading voice in workplace strategy and change adoption, and creator of The Workline

📅 Date: July 8th, 2025

⏱️ Time

‍45 minutes

8:00 AM MT | 9:00 AM CT | 10:00 AM ET (US)

3:00 PM BST | 4:00 PM CEST (Europe)

‍

Lead with AI - Icon

Tutorial: Get weekly industry updates sent to your Slack (Zapier RSS + ChatGPT)

‍

In 5 Steps: Get weekly industry updates sent to your Slack (Zapier RSS + ChatGPT)​

Tired of sifting through endless AI headlines? This simple setup lets you automatically collect, summarize, and deliver only the most relevant AI news for business leaders, straight to your Slack every week.

You don’t need to code. Just use a tool called Zapier to link together ChatGPT, news sources, and Slack. Here’s the 5 steps on how to do it.

‍

Lead with AI - Icon

The AI Executive Brief

Lead with AI - Icon

New AI Tools to Try: Ciro, LLM SEO FAQ, Chronicle

Looking for something fresh to add to your creative or business toolkit? These three AI tools caught my attention this week:

Ciro: AI-Powered Prospecting Autopilot

Ciro uses AI to scan 500M+ LinkedIn profiles, qualify leads based on your Ideal Customer Profile, enrich contacts with verified emails and phone numbers, and sync everything to your CRM, all in under 5 minutes.

👉 ​Level-up your sales outreach with Ciro ​

LLM SEO FAQ: AI-Generated SEO FAQs From Any URL

Paste any webpage URL, and LLM SEO FAQ uses AI to generate search-intent–optimized FAQ sections, complete with schema-ready formatting, tailored to your ideal customer profile. Fast, free, white-label–friendly, and perfect for SEO pros and agencies.

👉 ​Automate FAQ content with LLM SEO FAQ ​

Chronicle: AI-Powered Presentation Builder

Chronicle helps you craft visually stunning, interactive presentations in minutes, no design skills needed. Use drag‑and‑drop AI widgets, live collaboration, data embeds, and narrative structuring, turning rough outlines or content into polished slide decks.

👉​ Build presentations smarter with Chronicle

‍

‍

Lead with AI - Icon

The OpenAI Files, Amazon’s CEO on AI efficiency, along with more crucial AI stories

Every day, Daan, Wendy, and I read all the AI news so that you don't have to.

Here are the must-read stories of the week:

​The OpenAI Files will help you understand how Sam Altman’s company works​

A behind-the-scenes look at OpenAI reveals internal conflicts, shifting leadership dynamics, and the delicate balance between AI safety and commercial success.

​Amazon CEO says it will cut jobs due to AI’s ‘efficiency’​

In a candid internal memo, Jassy reveals Amazon’s “AI‑first” strategy, with over 1,000 generative AI tools in development, will streamline operations by automating routine corporate tasks, reducing headcount while creating new, more AI‑centric roles.

​ChatGPT May Be Eroding Critical Thinking Skills, According to a New MIT Study​

A new MIT Media Lab study suggests that relying on ChatGPT may reduce brain activity in areas linked to critical thinking, raising fresh concerns about the cognitive tradeoffs of using AI for reasoning tasks.

‍

Lead with AI - Icon

AI for Strategy, Responsible Adoption, and Prototyping: From the Community

Here are more practical ways to benefit from AI in work and organizations from the community this week:

LAST CHANCE to sign up: Join our PRO member, ​Wyatt Barnett​, VP Technology Enablement at ​NCTA​, to learn how to connect your data directly to AI for a smarter, more dynamic workflow with Model Context Protocol (MCP) on June 26th. Inquire ​HERE​.

  • ​Joe Harris​ shared a fascinating MIT study - Your Brain on ChatGPT, which prompted members to reflect on the importance of AI literacy. The consensus? There’s an urgent need to educate both schools and teachers so they can coach younger students in using these tools responsibly. Review the report ​HERE​.
  • ​Antony Slumbers​ introduced a Custom GPT designed to guide businesses through the full location selection process. He’s inviting you to try it and share feedback. Give it a try and simply reply to this email with your feedback! Try it out ​HERE​.
  • ​Antony​ also highlighted Microsoft’s report on Breaking down the infinite workday. The findings are striking: workers now handle an average of 153 Teams messages daily, with interruptions every two minutes, adding up to 275 pings per day! Wendy McEwan noted that these insights are essential for change managers and anyone leading efficiency initiatives. Check out the report ​HERE​ and let us know how do you plan to use AI for effective work.
  • ​Patrik Breitenmoser​ shared an insightful video on how to scale AI company-wide, drawing lessons from the CEOs of Zapier and Suzy. Check out the video ​HERE​ and let us know what ideas you’ll apply in your own work!

Missed any of these conversations? Jump back into our WhatsApp group!

If you don't have access yet or anymore, reply and I'll add you.

‍

Lead with AI - Icon

If you made it this far, reply and tell me what you'd love AI to take over in your daily workflow.

Also, please forward this newsletter to a colleague and ask them to subscribe.

If you have any other questions or feedback, just reply here or inbox me.

See you next week,

Daan van Rossum - Lead with AI

Daan van Rossum​

Host, Lead with AI

Evelyn Le

Strategic Product Lead, Stay Ahead, FlexOS

Welcome to Lead with AI's practical Tuesday edition!

In this edition, I'm bringing you the latest must-know AI tools and stories:

  1. OpenAI launches Podcast: Sam Altman on the future of AI
  2. Your AI Team: Midjourney V1 Video, Gemini’s video upload, and ChatGPT’s Record Mode.
  3. In 5 Steps: Get weekly industry updates sent to your Slack (Zapier RSS + ChatGPT)
  4. New tools: Ciro, LLM SEO FAQ, and Chronicle.
  5. Must-read News: What’s in The OpenAI Files.

Before we dive in: Join our live session tomorrow and learn how to turn ChatGPT into your business operating system. ​Grab one of the last remaining seats​, and get the $99 “Learn ChatGPT in 7 Days” course free when you join live!

Let’s dive in!

‍

Sam Altman: GPT-5 is coming

OpenAI kicked off its new podcast with a conversation between CEO Sam Altman and former OpenAI engineer Andrew Mayne. And it’s one of the most illuminating AI interviews of the year. In it, Altman offers an unfiltered view of where things are heading, what keeps him up at night, and why he’s raising his child with help from ChatGPT.

Here’s what stood out and why it matters to leaders:

  • AI is growing fast: AI models are already "smart now" and will "keep getting smarter" and "improving". More people will likely perceive systems as AGI each year, even as the definition of AGI becomes more ambitious. GPT-5 is anticipated "sometime this summer," but the distinction between major version jumps and continuous improvements is becoming less clear.
  • AI's transformative impact on our productivity and capacity: Current AI systems are already increasing people's productivity and are "able to do valuable economic work". Future generations will grow up more capable than we did, able to "do things that would just, we cannot imagine" because they will be really good at using AI.
  • The critical need for massive compute infrastructure: A huge gap exists between current AI capabilities and what could be achieved with "10 times more compute or someday, hopefully, a 100 times more compute". Initiatives like Project Stargate are an "effort to finance and build an unprecedented amount of compute" globally. The scale of this investment could be in the hundreds of billions, potentially $500,000,000,000.
  • Privacy and trust as foundational principles for AI adoption: Privacy needs to be a core principle of using AI. As people have "quite private conversations with ChatGPT now". Companies like OpenAI are committed to fighting attempts to compromise user privacy, such as requests for extended user record preservation.
  • Collaborative competitive landscape: OpenAI's current preferred business model is direct payment for "good services". The AI industry is not a winner-takes-all scenario. The discovery of AI is akin to the transistor, meaning "many companies are gonna build great things on that, and then eventually it's gonna... seep into almost all products". The overall "pie is just gonna get bigger and bigger".
  • Navigating Human-AI interaction: Society will need to find new guardrails as people may develop "somewhat problematic or maybe very problematic parasocial relationships" with AI. A key challenge is aligning AI behavior for long-term user benefit, as models optimized for short-term user signals might not be healthy to a user in the long run.
  • “Learn to use AI” is the new “learn to code”: Mastering AI tools is now foundational, like programming once was. Beyond technical skills, resilience, adaptability, creativity, and figuring out what other people want are "surprisingly learnable" and will pay off soon.
  • OpenAI is building hardware: Current computer hardware and software were "designed for a world without AI". The vision is for AI to be deeply integrated, enabling a "totally different kind of how you use a computer to get done what you want" by trusting it to understand context, make judgments, and manage follow-ups on your behalf. OpenAI is actively working on developing high-quality hardware to realize this vision, though it will take time.

If you’re leading a company, raising a family, or building the next product, you’re already living in an AI-native world. Altman’s message is clear: the future is arriving faster than we think, and those who understand the tools, and the infrastructure behind them, will shape what comes next.

‍

Your AI Team: Midjourney V1 Video, ElevenLabs' 11ai, Gemini’s video upload, and ChatGPT’s Record Mode.

Every week, I report on the top updates to your favorite AI tools. This week:

Midjourney Debuts V1 Video Model for Cinematic Animations

Midjourney just launched its first-ever video feature, bringing still images to life with beautifully animated motion, and doing so at a surprisingly accessible price point.

Key updates:

  • Image-to-Video Workflow: You still start by generating an image as usual. Now, you can hit “Animate” to transform it into a short cinematic clip.
  • Automatic vs Manual Motion: Choose “automatic” to let Midjourney generate a motion prompt for you, or use “manual” mode to describe the animation style and camera movement yourself.
  • High vs Low Motion Modes: Opt for low motion for ambient, subtle scenes or high motion for dynamic clips with more action and movement — each offering trade-offs between realism and stability.
  • Video Length & Extensions: Each job creates four 5-second clips (~20 seconds total). You can also extend any clip up to four times to build longer sequences.
  • Upload and Animate Any Image: You can now upload external images, set a starting frame, and describe the animation you want — no need to generate the original image inside Midjourney.

Each video job costs about 8x an image job, but since you get 4 videos, it averages out to roughly 1 image-worth per second of video, 25x cheaper than past industry options. The V1 Video feature is available via the website for now, with video Relax Mode being tested for Pro users and up.

Midjourney says this is just the beginning, part of a broader vision to build toward real-time, 3D, interactive AI environments. But today, they’re offering something fun, useful, and surprisingly affordable for creators to explore right away.

Quick Hits from your favorite AI tools:

  • ElevenLabs launches ​11ai​, a voice-first assistant integrated with Model Context Protocol (MCP), letting users seamlessly command tasks, like planning the day, researching with Perplexity, managing issues in Linear, or catching up on Slack, using natural speech to take real action across integrated tools
  • Google’s Gemini app now supports ​video uploads​. You can now upload videos directly into the Gemini app to get summaries, generate descriptions, or ask questions.
  • YouTube expands ​Veo 3​ to Shorts. Google’s Veo 3 AI video model can now generate and edit vertical Shorts, making it easier for creators to produce quick, cinematic content with minimal effort.
  • You can talk to Google’s ​AI Mode​. Google’s new AI Mode brings Search Live to life, letting you chat with Search in real time, ask follow-up questions, and get dynamic summaries across web pages.
  • ChatGPT adds ​Record Mode​ on macOS. Pro, Enterprise, and Edu users on macOS can now record meetings, brainstorms, or voice notes directly in the ChatGPT desktop app. The app transcribes, summarizes, and turns audio into follow-ups, plans, or even code.

Read more news at the end.

‍

‍