OpenAI Introduced GPT-5.5: Smarter, but Also More Expensive

OpenAI is not wasting time. Less than two months after the release of GPT-5.4, the GPT-5.5 model is coming to market, which the company describes as "the smartest and most natural model it has ever created." The new model has been available since the end of April 2026 to subscribers of Plus, Pro, Business, and Enterprise plans within ChatGPT and the coding tool Codex. Users of the free version, however, will have to wait a while longer.

According to OpenAI's official statement, GPT-5.5 focuses on complex multi-step tasks. It is supposed to plan better, use external tools, check its own outputs, and work with ambiguous instructions. Companies should thus gain a tool that can handle not only writing and debugging code, but also online research, creating spreadsheets, and documents across various applications. OpenAI also promises "the strongest security in history" and lower token consumption when working in Codex.

For Czech users, it is important that ChatGPT, even with the new model, remains fully available in Czech, although official support for some advanced Codex features may be more limited for now. But worse news is coming for developers: GPT-5.5 is twice as expensive in the API as its predecessor. Even though OpenAI argues for higher efficiency and a faster Fast mode (1.5× faster, but at 2.5× the price), this jump may be noticeable for smaller Czech companies and startups. Those interested in the highest performance can look forward to the GPT-5.5 Pro variant, which is intended for Pro, Business, and Enterprise plans.

OpenAI, with its pace, is responding to recent moves by the competition. Anthropic recently introduced the Claude Opus 4.7 model and the non-public Mythos Preview project, focused on cybersecurity. The release of GPT-5.5 itself also comes at a time when the lawsuit between Elon Musk and OpenAI's management is reaching its peak, adding further tension to the entire industry.

Claude Becomes a Personal Assistant: Spotify, Booking, and Uber

While OpenAI is pushing for enterprise customers, competitor Anthropic is trying to break into everyday life. The Claude assistant now supports integrations with popular services such as Spotify, Booking.com, Uber, AllTrails, Audible, and Instacart. Thanks to this, AI can help users not only with work tasks, but also with selecting music, planning vacations, or ordering food.

This step is strategically important for Anthropic. Claude has long built a reputation as a precise tool for programmers and professionals, but expanding into the personal sphere opens up a much broader market for it. For Czech users, however, the current situation is mixed: services such as Spotify and Booking.com are commonly available in the Czech Republic, but Uber currently does not operate here for personal transportation (only its delivery branch Uber Eats). Claude is available in Czech, although some new connectors may initially be localized only in English.

European Commission Pushes Google Over Android and Gemini

The European Union is not relenting in its regulation of tech giants. This time, the target was Google and its Android operating system. Based on the rules of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which designates Android as a so-called "gatekeeper," the European Commission is demanding that Google ensure equal access to key system functions for all AI assistant developers.

Specifically, it is about Google, according to Brussels, keeping some attractive functions related to artificial intelligence Gemini exclusively for itself. This makes it difficult, or directly impossible, for competing assistants to offer a full-fledged alternative on Android. The Commission has therefore called on Google to remedy the situation. If the company does not comply, it faces a fine of up to 10% of global turnover, and up to 20% in the case of repeated violations.

For Czech and European users, the success of this effort could mean significantly greater freedom of choice on their phones. Instead of pre-installed Gemini, they could easily set ChatGPT, Claude, or another tool as their default assistant, including full access to hardware functions and system data. Google has not yet officially responded to the challenge.

Gemini Now Creates PDF and LaTeX Files

Google, meanwhile, continues to improve its own AI ecosystem. The Gemini assistant can now generate files including PDF and LaTeX, which will be appreciated especially by students, scientists, and professionals who need structured academic texts. In addition, Google has added a function for better long-term memory, which can remember more information about the user and their work. This function is turned off by default and is activated only with explicit consent.

Both new features are already available on the Czech market and support the Czech language, although generating complex LaTeX documents may initially be smoother in English. For ordinary users, this means that Gemini is becoming not only a conversational partner, but also a full-fledged productivity tool that can directly save outputs into a usable format.

Duolingo Ends School Version After Eleven Years

The educational app Duolingo announced that it will discontinue its specialized Duolingo for Schools platform. The service, which allowed teachers to create classes, assign homework, and track student progress, will end on July 31, 2027. Until then, schools can still use existing features. The platform was launched at the beginning of 2015, eleven years ago.

Duolingo is also asking teachers for feedback and ideas on how to incorporate more classroom features into the main app. The reasoning was not described in detail, but there is speculation about shifting resources to commercial AI features that the company has been intensively developing recently. For Czech schools, this means they should start looking for alternatives for tracking student progress, or rely on the basic Duolingo app itself, which remains in operation.

Spotify, Apple, and Other Short News

Music platform Spotify has introduced a new "Verified Artist" badge to help listeners distinguish authentic content from material generated by artificial intelligence. At a time when AI music is flooding streaming services, this is an important step towards transparency.

In the hardware field, Bloomberg analyst Mark Gurman revealed that Apple plans to add three new AI features to the Photos app as part of iOS 27. Currently, only the "Clean Up" tool is available in this app, which removes unwanted objects. The new features should thus significantly expand photo editing capabilities directly on the device.

What Does This Mean for Czech Users?

This week shows that the battle for the leading AI platform position is moving into everyday practice. OpenAI is raising the bar for developers and corporate customers, Claude is trying to become a personal assistant, and Google must face regulatory pressures that could open the European market to greater competition. For Czech users, it is key that most of these new features are available in Czech or at least within the European Economic Area. At the same time, however, it is necessary to count on rising API service prices, which may affect the availability of some tools for smaller local companies.