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- The Email OpenAI Sent Me 2 Days Before ChatGPT Launched
The Email OpenAI Sent Me 2 Days Before ChatGPT Launched
The breadcrumbs are there
Thomas Smith
October 07, 2025
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The Email OpenAI Sent Me 2 Days Before ChatGPT Launched
Starting in 2021, I served as a Beta tester for OpenAI. While writing my next Fast Company article (stay tuned next week!), I happened upon an old email that OpenAI sent me 2 days before they launched ChatGPT.
The email is remarkable largely for what it doesn’t mention. My upcoming piece will explore what that email—and big news from this week’s Developer Day—means for OpenAI’s future. Spoiler alert: it’s huge, and a little scary.
But for now, I’ve got a video walking through the email—and the breadcrumbs it laid down. (Watch on Youtube).
Two Practical Uses for Nano Banana, Explained
I’m trying another new thing. My AI In Real Life YouTube channel is the place to go for artificial intelligence news and analysis. I try to cover new breakthroughs and products within a few hours of their launch.
But due to multiple audience requests, I’m also starting to produce much more practical, hands-on guides to doing specific, useful things using today’s top AI tools. Those videos will go on my much older and more established DIY Life Tech channel.
This week, I’ve got one about creating a professional headshot from a boring selfie using Nano Banana. I actually did this for one reader as a test, and he ended up using the headshot in a big name publication!
I also have this tutorial on using Nano Banana for virtual clothing try-ons. Ever wondered how you’d look in a Tilley hat, a fancy designer dress, or a medieval suit of armor? Nano Banana can show you.
My All Things Considered Interview
Finally, cool news. I was interviewed on All Things Considered from NPR about Will Smith’s AI video debacle.
You can read the transcript and listen to the interview here:
