OpenAI's GPT-5.2-Codex, ClickUp's $4B Codegen Acquisition, and Google's Opal Integration - AI Programming Weekly #33
January 02, 2026 -
AI Programming Weekly
Hi there,
Welcome to this week's edition of AI Programming Weekly.
In this edition, we delve into significant advancements and strategic moves in the AI-driven software development landscape. Harness has successfully raised $240 million in Series E funding, boosting its valuation to $5.5 billion, as it continues to innovate in automating the 'after-code' phase of software development. Meanwhile, Google has integrated its Opal tool into the Gemini web app, enabling users to create AI-powered mini apps called Gems without the need for coding.
Additionally, OpenAI has launched the GPT-5.2-Codex, a new model aimed at enhancing coding and cybersecurity tasks, with a focus on improving long-context understanding and tool calling. In the realm of strategic partnerships, IBM and knowis AG have expanded their collaboration to integrate knowis' DevOps Solution Workbench into IBM's portfolio, enhancing AI-driven software development capabilities. Stay tuned as we explore these stories and more in this week's edition.
Welcome to this week's edition of AI Programming Weekly.
In this edition, we delve into significant advancements and strategic moves in the AI-driven software development landscape. Harness has successfully raised $240 million in Series E funding, boosting its valuation to $5.5 billion, as it continues to innovate in automating the 'after-code' phase of software development. Meanwhile, Google has integrated its Opal tool into the Gemini web app, enabling users to create AI-powered mini apps called Gems without the need for coding.
Additionally, OpenAI has launched the GPT-5.2-Codex, a new model aimed at enhancing coding and cybersecurity tasks, with a focus on improving long-context understanding and tool calling. In the realm of strategic partnerships, IBM and knowis AG have expanded their collaboration to integrate knowis' DevOps Solution Workbench into IBM's portfolio, enhancing AI-driven software development capabilities. Stay tuned as we explore these stories and more in this week's edition.
Harness Valued at $5.5 Billion After $240 Million Funding
Harness has secured $240 million in a Series E funding round, elevating its valuation to $5.5 billion. The company focuses on automating the 'after-code' phase of software development. Read more
Google Integrates Opal into Gemini App
Google has integrated its vibe-coding tool, Opal, into the Gemini web app, enabling users to create AI-powered mini apps called Gems. The tool includes a visual editor for app creation without coding and offers advanced customization options. Read more
Lovable Secures $330M in Series B Funding
Lovable, a Swedish startup, has raised $330 million in a Series B funding round, reaching a valuation of $6.6 billion. The round was led by CapitalG and Menlo Ventures. Read more
OpenAI Launches GPT-5.2-Codex for Coding and Cybersecurity
OpenAI has introduced GPT-5.2-Codex, a new coding model designed to enhance software engineering and cybersecurity tasks. The model focuses on improving long-context understanding and tool calling, particularly in Windows environments. Read more
Cursor Acquires Graphite for AI Code Review
AI coding assistant Cursor has acquired Graphite, a startup known for AI-driven code review and debugging, to enhance collaboration and streamline code development. Read more
AI Security Institute's Frontier AI Trends Report Released
The AI Security Institute has released its first Frontier AI Trends Report, showcasing advancements in AI for cybersecurity and software engineering over two years. Read more
IBM and knowis AG Expand OEM Partnership
IBM and knowis AG have announced an expansion of their OEM partnership, integrating knowis' DevOps Solution Workbench into IBM's DevOps portfolio. This collaboration aims to streamline software delivery by combining architecture, design, and implementation in an AI-driven workflow. Read more
Coder and GlobalLogic Partner for AI in Enterprise
Coder and GlobalLogic have announced a strategic partnership to enhance AI-assisted software delivery for enterprise development teams, focusing on secure and scalable infrastructure. Read more
Z.ai Launches GLM-4.7 AI Model with Enhanced Coding Skills
On December 22, 2025, Z.ai introduced 'GLM-4.7', a new AI model focused on coding. It surpasses previous models like Gemini 3.0 Pro and GPT-5.1 in several benchmarks, especially in mathematical tasks. Read more
ClickUp Acquires AI Startup Codegen for $4 Billion
ClickUp has acquired AI coding startup Codegen for $4 billion, aiming to integrate AI coding agents into its platform to enhance software creation for non-technical teams. Read more
MiniMax Unveils M2.1 AI Model with Enhanced Programming Features
Chinese AI startup MiniMax has launched its M2.1 model, which improves performance in multiple programming languages and sets a new benchmark in web and mobile development. Read more
team.blue Acquires AI Startup Macaly
team.blue has acquired Macaly, a Czech AI startup, to enhance its software development capabilities. The acquisition will allow team.blue to offer users the ability to create web applications using natural language prompts. Read more
NTT Data to Launch AI Platform for IT Development by 2026
Japanese company NTT Data plans to introduce a generative AI platform by 2026 to streamline IT systems development and address labor shortages in Japan's tech industry. Read more
We hope you enjoyed this article.
Consider subscribing to one of our newsletters like AI Programming Weekly or Daily AI Brief.
Also, consider following us on social media:
More from: AI for Software Engineering
12/31
team.blue Acquires AI Web App Builder Macaly
12/18
Lovable Raises $330 Million Series B at $6.6 Billion Valuation
12/18
Google Integrates Opal Mini-App Builder Into Gemini
12/16
Iron Software Sees Growing Demand for AI Compliance-Ready PDF Generator
12/16
Kilo Code Raises $8 Million to Expand AI Coding Platform
More from: Model Context Protocol
11/06
Thoughtworks Technology Radar 33 Highlights AI Assistance and Context Engineering
10/21
IQSTEL and Cycurion Complete Phase One of AI Cyber Defense Rollout
10/06
Avalara Integrates AI Agents and MCP Servers for Enhanced Compliance
10/03
Snowflake Launches Cortex AI Suite for Financial Services
10/01
Wikimedia Deutschland Launches AI-Friendly Wikidata Embedding Project
Subscribe to AI Programming Weekly
Weekly news about AI tools for software engineers, AI enabled IDE's and much more.
