One of the key advantages of MacWhisper, as it utilizes the Whisper technology, is its superior accuracy in transcriptions compared to other services I have used. I was an early adopter of Rev.com and eventually switched to Otter.ai, for which I paid approximately $100/year. However, I have since canceled my subscription.
[…]
After comparing the audio transcripts from MacWhisper and Otter, I found that while Otter’s formatting is superior, there is hardly any difference in the transcriptions. I started with the free model, which was sufficient for my needs, and eventually upgraded to the large models. Nowadays, I primarily use MacWhisper to transcribe my voice memos, which I then import into Lex.Page.
Whisper, which is made by OpenAI, has the distinct advantage of allowing you to transcribe audio in almost any language you may ever need to. For the time being, Otter can only transcribe English. The benefits of better accuracy and accurate punctuation that the service already holds over Siri hold up across other languages as well. If you’re looking to transcribe non-English audio accurately, Whisper is definitely the best option available on Mac.
By taking advantage of OpenAI’s Whisper framework, Audio Hijack can now take any audio it’s recording and generate a text transcript. While this process was possible before—see Jason’s lengthy post about his workflow—it required a lot of fiddling and several different tools to accomplish; it’s certainly a lot easier to simply drop Audio Hijack’s block into your existing session. If you record multiple sources, it can even appropriately label each one—though if you record multiple people via one input, say the other end of a Zoom call, it can’t distinguish between the various participants.
Apple’s new SpeechAnalyzer is the most accurate on-device speech engine we tested. It beat every Whisper model we ship, including Whisper Small, on both the clean and the noisy half of LibriSpeech, while running roughly three times faster than Small. And the API it replaces, SFSpeechRecognizer, came last on clean speech: behind even Whisper Tiny, a 40MB model.
[…]
The new API cuts word error rate by 3.5 to 4x on the same audio: from 9.02% to 2.12% on clean speech, and from 16.25% to 4.56% on noisy speech. There is no accuracy trade-off to weigh; the new API wins everywhere we measured, and it produces punctuated, cased text where the legacy engine’s output is rougher.
[…]
All five engines ran comfortably faster than real time: between roughly 12x and 40x on the M2 Pro, meaning an hour of audio transcribes in about 1.5 to 5 minutes on-device. SpeechAnalyzer was about 3x faster than Whisper Small per second of audio while beating it on accuracy.
SpeechAnalyzer’s ReportingOption.fastResults reads like a knob you’d reach for when you want to trade power for latency. That framing is what cost me the afternoon.
[…]
If a recording matters — and in a notes app, a lost meeting is the worst thing that can happen to a user — then the container you write while recording has to be PCM in CAF. Not m4a, and not AAC-in-CAF either.
[…]
AVAudioEngine’s inputNode silently ignores your device selection
[…]
I wanted summarization to run on-device. Everything else in Nib’s transcription path does, the audio never leaves the machine, and it would have been a much cleaner story to tell.
But 4,096 tokens for the Foundation Models isn’t enough.
In an exclusive conversation with The Deep View ahead of WWDC 2026 in June, Doug Brooks, senior product manager of Apple silicon, discussed how Apple’s long-term investments in neural processing, unified memory, power-efficient computing, and hardware-software integration have positioned its devices for the AI era.
He also explained why Macs have become a favorite platform among AI developers, why Mac minis and Mac Studios are emerging as the preferred AI agent machines, and how Apple sees the future of on-device AI across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
[…]
“We build a chip knowing exactly what systems it’s going to go into. The chip can influence the system design, and the system design can influence the chip requirements. They’re married together very tightly. I’d actually go a step further and include software in that equation. As we enable new capabilities in the chip, we want to make sure those capabilities are exposed all the way through the software stack so developers can benefit and customers can benefit. Because if those transistors go unused, what’s the point? It’s not about adding something and hoping somebody finds a use for it. We want those capabilities available to solve real problems. I think that’s what allows us to build better systems and ultimately better products.”
It seems like a lot of it is just that developers like macOS.
Apple plans to raise the prices of its products as the cost of the memory chips it uses has surged, the technology giant’s boss has said.
Tim Cook, Apple’s outgoing chief executive, told the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that price increases were “unavoidable” as the situation around memory chips had become “unsustainable”.
During its holiday quarter, Apple’s profit margin on hardware was 40.7%; in its most recent quarter, that dropped to 38.7% — a remarkable figure for physical products. It is these high margins that led to analysts like Ming-Chi Kuo to claim Apple would keep prices more-or-less stable and offset the additional costs through its even higher-margin — 76.7% — services business.
Winkler suggests in his summary that Apple has absorbed the cost increases so far because it has always treated memory and storage upgrades as profit centers. That’s no surprise to the Apple community, which has long chafed at Apple’s premium prices for memory and storage. But now, for instance, the price of standalone internal flash storage is closer to and sometimes even higher than Apple’s upgrade prices.
[…]
Obviously, Apple could absorb such costs and more if it were to accept dramatically lower gross margins. But as high-minded and customer-focused as Apple is, the company is still in business to maximize profit.
I was recently looking to add another SSD and a few hard drives to my setup. Normally, prices go down over time, but currently it SSDs are about double the price I paid last year, and large hard drives are almost triple.
Apple, to my recollection, has never before issued a warning about price increases. Keep in mind that Apple deals with prices in a very different way from its competitors. For Apple, prices are part of a product’s brand, so they don’t fluctuate with component costs.
Apple has raised prices across the board for many of its products today. MacBook Neo now starts at $699 (up from $599), while MacBook Air now starts at $1299 (up from $1099). Other impacted products include MacBook Pro, iPad, iPad Air, and many more.
iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods pricing is unchanged.
Earlier this week, I outlined three reasons for agreeing with Mark Gurman that the Apple price increases could be imminent, and that indeed proved to be the case.
iPhones have escaped the increases, but they are otherwise both broad-reaching and pretty dramatic. But perhaps the most surprising thing is that the MacBook Neo has been included …
Apple today increased the starting price of the Mac mini with M4 Pro chip by $200, taking the higher-tier model up to $1,599 on its online store.
[…]
Apple had already raised the Mac mini’s effective starting price in May by discontinuing the $599 configuration with 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD, leaving the $799 model with a 512GB SSD as the new entry-level option. Interestingly, the 16GB RAM / 256GB storage option has now been reinstated, but the $799 starting price remains.
Pre-announce it with a small delay, thus giving you a temporary sales boost as people scramble to get their orders in at current prices, and to soften the blow when the increases hit.
I also can’t help but see that “we need to begin raising prices on a number of products, including today’s increases for iPad and Mac,” statement as implying more increases are coming. The iPhone price increase seems inevitable, and my money is on it starting with the new models in September.
Micron CEO, president and chairman Sanjay Mehrotra explained the SCAs in prepared remarks delivered during the company’s Q3 earnings call. He explained that Micron has signed 16 SCAs, most of them covering 2026 to 2030, and that they involve a commitment to buy a certain quantity of product and pay for it in a pricing band that has a floor and a ceiling price. The floor price covers the historically high gross margins mentioned above, and the ceiling price means those who commit to an SCA are insulated if memory prices go even higher.
Micron’s chief business officer has hinted, without calling it out by name, that Apple’s tough supplier negotiations contributed to the conditions behind the global memory shortage.
For years, Apple has been able to dominate and dictate to their suppliers thanks to their scale. But the Asian operations which Tim Cook so famously set up, have been upended, like most everything else, by AI. From TSMC on down, Apple is no longer the customer dictating terms for the entire industry, it’s now the company which has taken over the mantle as the most valuable one in the world: NVIDIA.
Here’s a table with most of the base models whose prices increased[…]
[…]
iPad prices mostly went up 20–25%, but the hardest hit was the no-adjective base model, which rose almost 30%, from $350 to $450. That’s a big increase for a product meant to appeal to buyers for whom price is obviously their biggest concern.
Anyone who purchased a MacBook Neo for $600 (or $500 with education discount) between March and this morning purchased the lowest-price MacBook Apple has ever sold — and perhaps the lowest-price MacBook they ever will sell.
The consumer electronics industry is facing an unprecedented challenge. The rapid expansion of AI data centers has created an extraordinary surge in demand for memory and storage. We have never seen a component price increase this much, this quickly. We have shielded our customers from these increases so far, but we have now reached a point where we need to begin raising prices on a number of products, including today’s increases for iPad and Mac. We know this is not welcome news, and we are working tirelessly to find solutions.
[…]
Apple indicating that it needs to “begin” raising prices suggests that additional price increases might occur later.
“and we are working tirelessly to find solutions.”
I find this to be the most confusing part. Do we believe this to be a genuine effort? Even if so, how would a “solution” actually work? Would they actually lower prices if a solution were to be found?
They also just said they “will continue working” on bringing Siri AI to the EU right before saying in a different venue that they’d stopped working on it.
But even setting aside the prices of competing devices, it just feels wrong to hike prices this much for four-year-old hardware running five-year-old pre-AI silicon. The higher-end model’s price went up 67 percent!
The only way this makes sense is if these prices are really meant for the upcoming new hardware, and those new models are more ambitious home hubs that warrant $200–250 prices.
The Financial Times reports that Apple is seeking clearance from the Trump administration to purchase memory chips from a blacklisted Chinese company. The move would help it meet demand for product manufacturing during the ongoing global memory supply shortage.
Perhaps this is the “working tirelessly” that Apple was referring to.
Apple previously sought permission from the Biden administration to do the same thing back in 2022, and that did not go well – despite promising to use the chips only for iPhones sold in China …
Something happens — outside the company’s control — that causes those essential components to rise in price significantly.
[…]
What you cannot do is hold a philosophically consistent logically coherent view where your answer to how a company should respond in such a scenario is contingent on what the “something happens” is that caused component prices to rise.
Maybe—but that’s only relevant if you accept the premise that it was out of Apple’s control. I don’t know the details of the deals, but there’s an argument that the rising costs to Apple are to some extent Apple’s “fault.” If Tim Cook gets credit for helping suppliers expand capacity and locking in contracts for memory at low prices over the past two decades, doesn’t the same logic apply in reverse? The AI-driven shortages were foreseeable—and publicly discussed years ago. If you believe Micron that Apple chose to prioritize its own past numbers rather than securing its future supply, doesn’t that make today’s situation different from, say, a tsunami that unexpectedly wiped out a bunch of factories? I don’t know exactly how the increased costs should be apportioned, but I think the reasons for the costs are relevant, and I don’t think they’re fully exogenous.
But while tech giants like Apple
and Microsoft, which both announced price hikes this week, have a hefty cash cushion, supply chain leverage and customers numbering in the millions or billions, a much wider swath of businesses face potentially dire straits. Most consumer electronics companies have little margin to spare and can’t confidently raise prices in an economy already grappling with inflationary pressures.
GoPro, the struggling maker of action cameras, warned this month that it might go out of business after memory costs shot up between 80% and 115% at the end of the first quarter. And shares of speaker maker Sonos
are down 23% this year as memory prices pressure margins.
In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg News’ Mark Gurman highlights two notable Apple developments: a new AI tool being tested in retail stores and previously undisclosed plans for the now-defunct Mac Pro.
AI Recording and Transcription for Genius Bar Appointments
Apple is piloting an AI-powered system called Live Notes at select retail stores. The tool allows Genius Bar employees to record conversations with customers using an iPad. AI then transcribes and summarizes the discussion, automatically adding it to the employee’s notes and the official repair session record.
Key details of the pilot include:
• Opt-in only — Both the employee and customer must agree before recording begins.
• Goal — Reduce manual note-taking so staff can focus more on customer service and problem-solving rather than typing during appointments.
• Integration — Transcripts feed directly into Apple’s internal Genius Bar system for better documentation and follow-up.
This initiative reflects Apple’s broader push to integrate AI across its ecosystem, including retail operations, to improve efficiency while maintaining a personal touch in customer interactions. Privacy safeguards via the opt-in requirement appear designed to address potential concerns.
Apple Once had Bigger Plans for the Mac Pro
Apple discontinued the Mac Pro earlier in 2026, but new reporting reveals the company once had far more ambitious plans for the high-end desktop. Gurman notes that Apple developed — but ultimately shelved — “M2 Extreme” and “M3 Extreme” chip variants specifically intended for the Mac Pro.
These ultra-powerful chips were part of an effort to deliver even greater performance for professional users who rely on the modular, expandable workstation. The decision not to release them contributed to the product’s eventual discontinuation, as Apple shifted focus amid changing market demands and the rise of more portable high-performance options like Mac Studio and MacBook Pro configurations.
The revelations underscore the evolving nature of Apple’s Mac lineup, where even flagship products like the Mac Pro face tough strategic trade-offs in an AI-driven computing era.
MacDailyNews Take: Not everything makes it to market. Conditions change. As always, retail and pro desktop innovations continue to shape the company’s customer and professional user experiences.
For the vast majority of professional users (video editors, photographers, 3D artists, developers, and those running AI/ML workloads) the Mac Studio is the superior choice overall. It delivers an excellent balance of performance, price, compact size, and modern features. The Mac Studio covers 90% (or more) of what the Mac Pro once offered, but at a fraction of the cost and with newer silicon, and the promise of regular updates. The discontinued Mac Pro was only preferable, or truly necessary, in the rare cases that demand heavy internal PCIe expansion that cannot be adequately handled externally via Thunderbolt; a very niche market. – MacDailyNews, March 27, 2026
Apple’s Mac Pro is a dead end. Mac Studio is the high-end Mac future now. Bring on the M5 Ultra Mac Studio and rename it “Mac Pro.” – MacDailyNews, November 17, 2025
Please help support MacDailyNews — and enjoy subscriber-only articles, comments, chat, and more — by subscribing to our Substack: macdailynews.substack.com. Thank you!
Doch zwischen der Einstellung im März 2026 und der Aktualisierung im März 2023 hegte Apple noch andere Pläne für seinen Profi-Mac, berichtet Bloomberg-Redakteur Mark Gurman.
Zum einen experimentierten Ingenieure in Cupertino mit einer weiteren Abwandlung der M3- und M4-Prozessoren. Die Idee war, die doppelte Anzahl an CPU- und der GPU-Kerne als bei M2 Ultra auf einen Chip zu bringen, dieser sollte M2 Extreme heißen. Schon damals wurden Konfigurationen mit gemeinsamem Arbeitsspeicher von 192 GB getestet. Maximal sollten in einem solchen Mac Pro 256 GB an RAM eingebaut werden, bislang ist eine solche Konfiguration nur mit einem Mac Studio mit M3 Ultra möglich.
Der eine zu teuer, der andere zu unattraktiv
Die Experimente mit solchen extrem aufgerüsteten Prozessoren sind im Laufe der vergangenen drei Jahre versandet, da die höchste Stufe des Apple Silicon recht teuer gekommen wäre. Ebenfalls war nicht klar, welche Zielgruppe sich für solche Macs interessieren würde.
Gleichzeitig mit den Experimenten an den M3 und M3 Extreme arbeitete Apple an einer neuen Version des Mac Pro mit Intel-Prozessor. Mark Gurman, der über solche Modelle erfahren haben soll, spezifiziert jedoch nicht, welche Generation der Intel-Chips Apple für seinen Tower angedacht hatte. Der Rechner war für eine bestimmte, wohl recht kleine Zielgruppe gedacht, die von der alten Plattform nicht umsteigen konnte oder wollte.
Warum sich Apple gegen einen Intel-Mac entschieden hat, geht aus Gurmans Artikel nicht hervor. Doch bereits im September 2026 kommt ein Betriebssystem, das ausschließlich mit Apple-Silicon-Macs kompatibel ist. Das Betriebssystem ist zudem kompakter geworden, da es auf Altlasten verzichten kann.
According to Bloomberg News‘ Mark Gurman in his most recent Power On newsletter, Apple is making one of the biggest changes yet to its Apple Silicon roadmap for Macs. The company is prioritizing on-device AI performance and graphics capabilities over its traditional generational cadence, leading to a skipped generation of high-end chips and a faster push toward the M7 family.
Apple’s New Chip Roadmap: M6 (Base Only), Then Straight to M7
Apple plans to release a base M6 chip as early as late 2026 for entry-level Macs. This includes testing in a refreshed 14-inch MacBook Pro (internally codenamed J804). Key improvements expected in the M6 include:
• Memory bandwidth rising to around 200 GB/s (up from 153 GB/s on the M5)
• Enhanced GPU performance with up to 12 cores
• A stronger neural engine for better AI workloads
In a notable departure from past strategy, Apple will skip M6 Pro, M6 Max, and M6 Ultra variants entirely. This marks the first time the company has bypassed higher-end versions of a new chip generation.
Instead, Apple is fast-tracking the M7 series to deliver major advancements in on-device AI processing and graphics performance sooner. According to Gurman’s reporting:
• Base M7 — Expected in the first half of 2027
• M7 Pro and M7 Max — Targeted for late 2027
• M7 Ultra — Slated for 2028 (with support for up to 1.5 TB of memory in high-end configurations)
The M7 lineup (with codenames like Delos for the base and Andros for the higher variants) represents Apple’s effort to meet surging demand for AI features and more graphics-intensive software by accelerating technologies originally planned for later generations.
Gurman also notes that M8 chips are already in active development, with high-end variants expected around 2028 on an advanced manufacturing process.
First-Ever Touch MacBook Pro Coming Soon
Gurman’s newsletter also covers Apple’s long-rumored touchscreen MacBook Pro models (14-inch and 16-inch, codenamed K114 and K116). These represent the biggest hardware overhaul of the high-end MacBook Pro lineup since the transition away from Intel chips.
Key details:
• Expected launch window: Late 2026 or early 2027
• Initial models will use current-generation M5 Pro and M5 Max chips (aligning with the decision to skip high-end M6 variants)
• First MacBooks to feature OLED displays
• Adoption of an iPhone-style Dynamic Island interface (with a hole-punch camera cutout replacing the current notch)
• Touch support designed as a “bonus” feature rather than a primary input method — macOS updates will allow seamless switching between touch and traditional trackpad/keyboard use, with adaptive UI elements
Later follow-up models are expected to transition to the new M7 chips once available. The redesigned laptops are also described as potentially thinner and lighter, with reinforced components to handle touch input without screen bounce.
Why the Change? AI Is Reshaping Apple’s Priorities
Gurman explains that this unusual strategy shift allows Apple to focus engineering resources on the more significant architectural leap in the M7 generation. By skipping incremental high-end M6 chips, the company can deliver stronger on-device AI capabilities and graphics performance to its most powerful Macs faster.
This aligns with broader industry trends and Apple’s ongoing push into AI across its ecosystem (including new Apple Pencil models also mentioned in the newsletter).
MacDailyNews Take: M6, we hardly knew ya!
Please help support MacDailyNews — and enjoy subscriber-only articles, comments, chat, and more — by subscribing to our Substack: macdailynews.substack.com. Thank you!
Brings new intelligence-based features to Final Cut Pro. ($299.99/$49.99/$49.99 new or $129.99 annually with Apple Creator Studio subscription, free update, various sizes, macOS 15.6+)
The long-awaited M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pros have finally arrived, taking Apple Silicon ‘Books to a whole new level. Each takes the already successful aluminum unibody from prior generations, ups the speed a bit, increases core count, as well as doing a bit of a name change for the types of CPU cores. […]
Ukraine’s Stetman prepares a 360-satellite network with SpaceX launch support
New leadership keeps Ukraine’s ambitious satellite project moving forward
The billion-euro constellation aims to strengthen Ukraine’s communication independence
Ukrainian company Stetman is currently preparing to launch its own low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation, with service set to begin in 2027.
The company recently lost its founder, Dmytro Stetsenko, but the project is still on course after the appointment of a new CEO, Kateryna Diachenko.
According to the company, its planned constellation will orbit at an altitude of approximately 550 kilometers, with a test satellite currently scheduled for launch in October 2026 to validate the underlying technology together with SpaceX engineers.
Constellation with Danish and American partners
Full deployment of the constellation is expected to begin in 2027 and take three full years to complete entirely across the network.
The finished network will ultimately consist of 360 satellites manufactured by the Danish company GomSpace under an ongoing partnership.
Stetman has chosen SpaceX to handle the launches, citing the company's lower cost and stronger reliability compared with rivals.
"SpaceX is the best option, as they are the cheapest and the most reliable," Stetsenko had previously told reporters directly.
No formal agreement has yet been reached covering delivery of the remaining constellation satellites beyond that initial test satellite launch.
Ukraine itself would require roughly 150 satellites, according to Andrii Kolesnyk, a former adviser to the head of Ukraine's State Space Agency.
Diachenko has already met personally with GomSpace representatives to confirm continuity of their joint manufacturing plans going forward into the future.
A billion-Euro project
The total project cost reportedly exceeds one billion euros, though financing will proceed in several separate stages, a Stetman representative said.
That budget reportedly covers the satellite constellation itself, software development, launch services, broker fees, and staff salaries across the entire company workforce.
Manufacturing and launching a single satellite reportedly cost between $2 million and $3 million per unit.
A single SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket can carry several dozen satellites into orbit, and each launch typically costs between $60 million and $70 million depending on payload size.
With a target of 360 satellites, those per-unit costs alone would account for roughly $720 million to over $1 billion of the total budget
Stetman also plans a joint satellite manufacturing facility inside Ukraine alongside GomSpace, expected to fully open next year if funding arrives on schedule.
The factory could require several hundred million euros in investment, although details about funding sources remain undisclosed.
The company currently supplies communication equipment to Ukraine’s military, emergency services, police, medical personnel, and government institutions.
The company also produces modified communication terminals, including Starmod systems designed for military conditions and UASAT satellite terminals operating through existing satellite networks.
These products support Ukraine’s broader effort to strengthen communication independence during wartime.
The smartphone market is dominated by two main operating system players — with Apple's iOS leading the charge in the mid-2000s and Google's Android following suit, only maturing relatively recently. But Steve Jobs took the news of Android's launch personally, frustrated and betrayed at its development.
Eating machines
The Apple chief was speaking with Walter Isaacson, his biographer, when he shared his exact feelings about Google's development of Android.
Quote of the day
This article is part of TechRadar Pro's QOTD project to provide an insight into the minds of the brightest and most recognized figures in the technology industry today and in years gone by. Read the full series here.
Published very shortly after Jobs' death in October 2011, Steve Jobs was based on several exclusive interviews conducted over two years, alongside conversations with more than 100 people who knew the Apple co-founder.
One of the most spicy exchanges involved Jobs vowing to destroy Google for its work developing Android in secret, while Eric Schmidt was also serving on the Apple board. Schmidt offered to resolve the issues with a settlement, but Jobs took it more than personally.
Energy efficiency
Jobs was apparently angry after learning in January 2010 that HTC had introduced an Android smartphone with many of the same popular features in an iPhone.
Reports from the time the comments were made public suggest the episode reflected Jobs' own perspective on a particular breed of profit-driven executives who only cared about making money.
Although iOS enjoyed a reputation for many years during the 200s of being a better platform in most, if not all, quarters, including its overall design philosophy, Android-powered smartphones were significantly cheaper. In the modern era, the Android OS is incredibly intuitive, with different smartphone makers usually looking to Apple for inspiration in designing features for their own custom flavors.
During his tenure as CEO, Tim Cook also pivoted on this approach, softening Apple's stance and settling many of the ongoing legal disputes, including the long-running battle with Samsung.
US Air Force drone fires live missile during landmark autonomous aircraft test
Human pilots remain in control despite growing drone autonomy capabilities
YFQ-44A advances America’s plans for future robotic fighter operations
The US Air Force has successfully tested a Collaborative Combat Aircraft firing a live AIM-120 AMRAAM missile, marking a major step for autonomous combat systems.
The YFQ-44A drone, developed by Anduril Industries, launched the weapon against a digital target over the Mojave Desert during the historic test.
The event moves the Air Force closer to deploying unmanned aircraft designed to support human pilots during future air operations.
AI wingman drone moves from carrying weapons to firing them
The missile launch followed earlier testing phases where engineers confirmed the aircraft could safely carry the weapon and maintain stable flight.
The drone first carried an inert version of the AMRAAM before validating the communication links required between the aircraft, weapon systems, and human operators.
Air Force officials said the test involved more than simply releasing a missile because the weapon successfully tracked the simulated target during the engagement.
General Ken Wilsbach described the event as an important development toward delivering Collaborative Combat Aircraft capabilities to military operators.
"It wasn’t just an AMRAAM that came off, it was tracking the target," Wilsbach said while discussing the test.
The Air Force has stressed that autonomous systems will not independently decide when to fire weapons, as human authorization remains required before any engagement.
The YFQ-44A, also known internally as Fury, is part of the first CCA development phase alongside General Atomics' YFQ-42A Dark Merlin.
These aircraft are designed to operate with crewed fighters such as the F-35 and F-22 by providing additional sensors, weapons, and operational support during missions.
The Air Force expects CCA platforms to perform multiple roles beyond missile carriage, including electronic warfare, reconnaissance, and other battlefield tasks.
Officials believe these aircraft could increase combat effectiveness by allowing pilots to manage several unmanned systems during complex operations.
Air Force expands autonomous aircraft program
The successful missile test comes after the Air Force approved both CCA designs to move toward production in June 2026.
Anduril, Shield AI, and Collins Aerospace are competing to provide autonomous software for the aircraft, while the service continues developing future versions through multiple program increments.
Air Force officials have not disclosed total program costs or production numbers for the first manufacturing phase.
However, budget documents show the service requested about $1.4 billion for CCA development and nearly $1 billion for procurement during fiscal 2027.
The Air Force estimates the drones have reached a cost goal of about one-third of an F-35A fighter, which has an average flyaway cost of around $83 million in its current production lot.
Future CCA designs may require greater range, speed, and electrical power, especially for potential operations in regions where long-range weapons threaten U.S. bases.
However, American lawmakers have argued that future systems will need the ability to deploy from the continental United States and reach distant combat areas.
Modified ultralight aircraft now carry full-sized aerial bombs into combat
Ukraine has publicly revealed what appears to be a previously undisclosed squadron of Horynych reusable bomber drones converted from civilian light aircraft for long-range strike operations.
Official images show at least ten modified aircraft carrying Soviet-designed OFAB-100-120 aerial bombs, suggesting the program has expanded beyond isolated experimental missions.
The aircraft are based on SkyRanger Swift and Nynja ultralight airframes originally developed for civilian recreational flying before undergoing military conversion.
Civilian aircraft converted into reusable bomber drones
Engineers replaced conventional cockpit controls with remote piloting equipment and electro-optical cameras, allowing operators to guide the aircraft from the ground throughout bombing missions.
Each aircraft appears to carry one OFAB-100-120 bomb weighing approximately 100kg beneath the fuselage during long-range operations.
Unlike one-way attack drones that are destroyed after striking their objectives, these aircraft are designed to return safely for repeated missions after releasing their payloads.
The appearance of at least ten drones together indicates the capability may have developed into a larger operational force rather than remaining a limited experimental effort.
The absence of leaves on nearby trees suggests the images may have been taken several months before their public release.
If that assessment proves accurate, Ukraine may have maintained this reusable bomber fleet for an extended period before officially revealing its existence.
Reported strike focused attention on expanding deep attack capability
According to Serhii Sternenko, adviser to Ukraine's Defense Minister, the aircraft participated in an overnight strike against an underground Russian logistics facility near Armyansk in occupied Crimea.
Armyansk lies close to the Perekop Isthmus, an important land corridor linking occupied Crimea with Russian-controlled territory and supporting military supply movements across the region.
These underground facilities serve as hardened storage and distribution sites for fuel, ammunition, and military equipment supporting Russian military operations.
The strike was reportedly carried out jointly by Ukraine's Air Force, the Lazar Group, and the Venom Unmanned Systems Center.
Neither Ukraine's military nor its Ministry of Defense has officially confirmed the number of aircraft involved or the extent of damage.
Independent assessments of the reported attack have not yet been published, leaving several key operational details unverified by outside observers.
Ukraine has previously used modified civilian aircraft in long-range strikes, including a June 2025 attack using an A-22 Foxbat towing an unpowered glider.
That glider carried a 100-kilogram warhead and struck a Shahed drone production facility in Alabuga, marking an earlier tandem strike configuration.
Ukraine has also used converted SkyRanger aircraft since 2024, although earlier sightings typically involved individual aircraft rather than a larger operational group.
Whether this expanded Horynych fleet can sustain repeated missions deep inside Russian territory remains unverified without independent confirmation of results.
Ukrainian officials have offered no additional public timeline for when the broader Horynych program might expand its operations further significantly.
There is also no information on the size of the fleet or the extent of damage that it can cause.
Apple’s next iPad lineup refresh could begin this fall with a new iPad mini, followed by updates across the rest of the tablet family during 2027. The reported schedule would give Apple a rolling series of launches rather than one event covering every iPad at once.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Apple is preparing replacements for the iPad mini, entry-level iPad, iPad Air and iPad Pro. The compact model is expected to arrive first, potentially as early as October, while the remaining tablets would follow over the next several months.
Apple has not announced any of the devices, and release timing can change. The report nevertheless gives prospective buyers a clearer picture of where each current model sits in its cycle. The first update could also bring one of the most requested display improvements to Apple’s smallest tablet.
iPad Lineup Refresh Starts With the Mini
The iPad lineup refresh is expected to begin with the iPad mini, which has received fewer updates than Apple’s larger tablets. The current design remains popular because it offers an 8.3-inch screen in a device small enough to hold comfortably with one hand, place in a small bag or use as a portable reading and note-taking tool.
The next model is reportedly moving to an OLED display. That would give the iPad mini deeper black levels, stronger contrast and more vivid color than its current LCD panel. OLED would be particularly noticeable when reading in dark environments, watching video or working with images.
The new display is expected to measure approximately 8.4 inches without producing a major change to the overall design. Apple may retain a 60Hz refresh rate rather than bringing the 120Hz ProMotion technology used by the iPad Pro. That could disappoint buyers hoping the mini would become a compact Pro model, but OLED alone would represent a visible upgrade.
Reports have also pointed to an A19 Pro chip. That would give the smaller tablet more performance for games, creative apps, Apple Intelligence and longer-term software support. The current iPad mini already occupies an unusual position between a reading device and a compact professional tool. A stronger chip and OLED screen would push it further toward the second category.
Price may become the less attractive part of the update. Apple could raise the starting cost as display and memory expenses increase. Buyers interested mainly in portability may accept a higher price, but the iPad mini would need to avoid moving too close to the iPad Air.
The Entry-Level iPad May Stay Familiar
Apple’s least expensive iPad is expected to receive a more modest update in early 2027. The company reportedly plans to preserve the current design while replacing the processor with a newer chip.
That would fit the role of the entry-level model. Apple uses it for education, families, basic productivity, streaming, games and first-time tablet buyers. A dramatic redesign could increase the cost without improving the tasks most customers use it for.
The processor update could bring Apple Intelligence compatibility, depending on the chip and memory configuration Apple chooses. The current model’s position outside some advanced AI features creates an increasingly visible separation from the rest of the lineup.
A newer chip would also extend the useful life of the device. Entry-level iPads are often kept for several years, passed between family members or deployed in schools and businesses. Long software support can be more valuable in that segment than a thinner body or new camera arrangement.
Anyone considering the current base iPad should decide whether price or longevity has greater value. The current model remains suitable for ordinary use, particularly when discounted. Buyers who want the longest possible support window may prefer to wait.
iPad Air Could Receive the Larger Display Upgrade
The iPad Air is also expected to receive an update in 2027, with OLED display technology reportedly planned for the range. That would narrow one of the most obvious visual differences between the Air and the iPad Pro.
Apple currently positions the Air as the balanced choice: stronger than the entry model, less expensive than the Pro and available in 11-inch and 13-inch sizes. It supports Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard while offering M-series performance for demanding apps.
An OLED display would make that value proposition more aggressive. The Air could offer improved contrast and image quality without requiring buyers to move to the Pro tier. Apple would still have several ways to distinguish the Pro, including ProMotion, brighter displays, thinner hardware, advanced cameras and newer processors.
The processor is likely to receive another M-series upgrade as well, though the exact chip remains uncertain. For most users, the Air already has far more processing power than routine tablet work demands. The screen may provide the stronger reason to wait.
The risk for Apple is pricing. OLED panels could push the Air upward, especially in the 13-inch configuration. If the gap between Air and Pro becomes too narrow, buyers may move directly to the flagship. Apple will need to preserve a convincing middle tier.
iPad Pro May Focus on Power and Accessories
The next iPad Pro is reportedly planned for spring 2027. Apple may use a new M-series processor while leaving the current thin design largely intact.
That would make the Pro refresh more evolutionary than transformative. The current generation already includes OLED displays, high-end performance, Face ID, ProMotion and support for Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard.
Apple is also reportedly preparing two updated Apple Pencil models. Those accessories could arrive alongside the next iPad Pro, with changes potentially related to battery design and regulatory requirements.
The larger question is what additional processor power will do for the tablet. iPadOS 27 has expanded multitasking and window management, but buyers continue to evaluate the Pro against MacBook models at similar prices. A faster chip alone will not settle that comparison.
Apple may rely more heavily on AI, professional applications and accessory integration to justify the update. The Pro has become a platform for illustration, video editing, music production, 3D work and specialized enterprise apps. New hardware needs to strengthen those uses rather than simply win another benchmark.
Should Buyers Wait?
The answer depends on the model. Prospective iPad mini buyers have the strongest reason to pause because the reported fall update could introduce a substantially better display within months.
Entry-level buyers can still consider the current iPad when pricing is attractive. Its expected replacement appears focused on performance rather than design. Waiting becomes more sensible for anyone who wants Apple Intelligence support or maximum longevity.
The current iPad Air remains a capable option, particularly for users who need a tablet now. OLED would improve the experience, but a 2027 release leaves a longer wait. The same logic applies to the iPad Pro. Its successor may be faster, though the existing model already covers demanding work comfortably.
Apple’s gradual schedule could keep the iPad in the hardware conversation from fall through spring. It also means there will be no single perfect moment when every model is equally new.
The iPad mini may open the cycle because it has the most obvious opportunity for visible improvement. After that, Apple can use the base iPad for reach, the Air for broader OLED adoption and the Pro for its latest silicon and accessories.
The tablet lineup is not expected to change all at once. It may instead evolve model by model, giving buyers repeated reasons to reconsider which iPad fits their needs.
Copenhagen-based Triton Depth, founded in 2025 by three DTU engineering students, has raised €1 million in pre-seed funding
It aims to address one of the EU's most underserved security concerns: the seabed, as Baltic cable sabotage, shadow-fleet activity, and underwater drone warfare are increasingly growing concerns
Triton Depth intends to build a scalable network of passive acoustic sensors it calls 'Triton Nodes' to address the issue, leveraging AI to identify vessels and objects in real time
A three-man Danish company founded by students is venturing into a somewhat interesting industry for an EU-based startup: underwater defense.
Triton Depth has received €1 million in pre-seed funding from investors including London-based The Creator Fund and Denmark's state-owned Export and Investment Fund (EIFO), with aims to focus on acoustics to answer what is arguably Europe's biggest security threat in the days to come: drone-based naval warfare and sabotage.
With growing concerns about the vulnerability of the European Union, and by extension, Denmark, to a variety of sea-borne threats, EIFO's investment in Triton Depth might be more than just a value play, but a hallmark of a realization that it needs to tend to its own defense needs even as NATO continues to meander, with the US proving to be a volatile partner of late, to say the least.
Using affordable dual-use acoustic technology as the first line of defense
Triton Depth's approach is appealing for a domestic defense industry that does not share the budgets that larger naval players such as the US, Russia, or China possess: it is simple, yet elegant in its premise, and even partial wins when it comes to its claims would go a long way to safeguard Denmark and the EU's regional interests.
Triton Depth's approach centers around the use and deployment of its 'Triton Nodes', a scalable cluster of low-maintenance passive acoustic sensors that measure sound underwater before feeding information back to an AI model that assesses and classifies signatures it detects in real time.
The company intends to market its product line as a dual-use technology play, with CEO and Co-Founder Carl Borg stating that they aim to build "the intelligence layer for the ocean" for both civilian and defense use cases.
The focus on defense stems from Denmark's own vulnerabilities in the Baltic Sea, which has previously suffered significant economic damage from sabotage, including the destruction of Nord Stream 1 and 2.
With an increasing share of its critical infrastructure, including power interconnectors, data cables, and offshore wind, lying underwater, it could be argued that EIFO's investment is the Danish state safeguarding its own maritime security and intelligence interests by investing in an intelligent tripwire for the future.
Other European governments are also actively seeking scalable, affordable ways to monitor coastal and subsea infrastructure, even as Nordic defense budgets continue to rise, with Triton Depth among many defense infrastructure companies poised to benefit from a renewed focus on maritime security in the region, even as acoustics are seen as a reliable metric to monitor for a variety of infrastructure plays.
It goes without saying that it takes a lot to win the Tour de France, as those who conquer cycling's greatest race have scarified so much in their quest for glory, with every single second counting.
The 2026 race has already started strongly for Tadej Pogačar and his UAE Team Emirates-XRG team, with the Slovenian building a seemingly unsurpassable lead as he bids for his fifth triumph.
But asides from his incredsible physiology and stamina, Pogačar is also boasting another major advance for the 2026 Tour - a customized 3D-printed fizik One-to-One saddle, possibly the most detailed ever made - I spoke to the company to find out more.
Marginal gains
"Small details in the technology might make the difference," Alex Locatelli, Head of Brand at Fizik says, "the marginal gains in this case - comfort is strictly related to performance, as if you are able to forget about this, it's less thought you need to give while you have to focus on another part of training and racing."
3D-printed and adaptive saddles have been around for some time, but Fizik's one-to-one product goes beyond a standard mould, using the company's proprietary pressure-mapping sensor technology (pictured below) to create a hyper-customized product designed specifically for an individual rider's anatomy and riding style.
(Image credit: fizik)
Locatelli notes each saddle takes around two to three weeks to produce, but certain VIPs (such as a multi-Tour winner) can get their products rushed through.
"We have a very good relationship with Tadej," he says, "that's something that's not easy to achieve...as a matter of fact, the team principal told me it's very rare that Tadej is so enthusiastic about a product - sometimes he's not even happy after winning the Tour de France, he's so demanding to the team and to himself."
"We are offering thr top of the pyramid when it comes to the technology," Locatelli says, noting that the saddle may be the next in a series of upgrades used by Pogačar that his rivals may soon look to copy.
But even the standard saddles Fizik produces in the future will benefit from the pressure-mapping data the company is collecting now, as it all goes in to future production and product development.
The technology is so precise and advanced right now that it may be a while before we see such innovations trickle down to us everyday cyclists, but I have to ask Locatelli if there's a future for park cyclists like myself ever getting hyper-personalized 3D-printed components.
He notes that it may take a few years, but adds, "general customization in cycling is expanding," highlighting how some smaller manufacturers are offering more options in terms of custom frames and saddles.
So you never know - the next bike you buy could be the most personal ever - but it might not let you ride quite as fast as Tadej Pogačar.
And an AI-designed helmet for good measure
However Pogačar won't just have fizik's individually-sculpted saddle to help him try and win this year's Tour. For stage 5 of the 2026 race, UAE Team Emirates-XRG also revealed a new helmet designed by AI.
Specifically designed by Helmetverse, the AI-powered design platform of tech group and team sponsor G42, and built by MET Helmets, the helmet was created in collaboration with AI artist Gizem Akdag, who says they were, "inspired by the transition from city to signal and from data to light", as the kit's "visual language captures the speed, energy and flow of professional cycling, translating movement and performance".
(Image credit: G42)
“The reaction to Helmetverse last year showed how passionate cycling fans are about engaging with our sport in new ways. As a team, we are always looking to push boundaries, whether that's through performance, innovation or fan engagement," said Mauro Gianetti, Team Principal and CEO of UAE Team Emirates-XRG. "Helmetverse reflects that mindset and gives cycling fans an opportunity to leave their mark on the team.”
Fans of the team can also now submit their own helmet designs, including creating their own using Helmetverse AI, with the winning design worn by UAE Team Emirates-XRG at the UAE Tour in February 2027.
NHS warns curiosity over patient records could end healthcare careers permanently
Jail time now joins dismissal for unlawful access to confidential medical records
High-profile crime victims' records triggered tougher NHS privacy enforcement nationwide
NHS England has launched a nationwide campaign warning staff that accessing patient records without proper legal justification could end their careers.
The initiative includes screensavers and posters across NHS organisations reminding workers not to let curiosity override professional and legal boundaries.
Staff who breach these confidentiality rules risk disciplinary action, dismissal, regulatory referral, or even imprisonment under existing data protection legislation.
A response to recent high-profile breaches
The campaign follows several recent dismissals linked to staff who unlawfully viewed records connected to victims of high-profile crimes nationwide.
NHS England specifically cited unlawful access incidents involving the 2023 Nottingham attacks and the 2024 Southport knife attack, both of which drew significant national attention.
“Patients must be able to trust that their personal information is kept confidential by the NHS – any instance of staff looking at records without a valid reason is wholly unacceptable, a disgraceful breach of patients’ trust and against the law,” said Sir Jim Mackey, NHS Chief Executive.
He added that most staff manage patient information appropriately, although a limited group has seriously damaged that confidence through inappropriate access.
New guidance has now been issued outlining different categories of unlawful access, alongside advice on monitoring and conducting regular audits.
Some newer electronic patient record systems can reportedly flag suspicious activity in real time, helping organisations identify unauthorised access quickly.
Breaches can be reported to both the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) and police, who may pursue criminal prosecution under the Data Protection Act 2018.
Legal consequences and independent findings
The ICO reiterated the expectations of patients and staff, as well as the consequences of this illegal action.
“When people seek medical care, they share some of their most sensitive personal information in the trust that it will be kept safe,” said Paul Arnold, Chief Executive of the ICO.
“Unauthorised access to those records is not just a breach of data protection law — it is a betrayal of that trust, with real and lasting consequences for patients and their families…Staff who breach that trust face serious consequences: loss of employment, removal of professional accreditation and criminal prosecution.”
The temptation to access patient records unlawfully often increases when cases attract widespread public attention.
"When a local incident becomes national news – a serious crime, a public tragedy, a story that captures widespread attention – there is an increased risk that healthcare staff could be tempted to look at records they have no reason to view," Arnold added.
“Anyone considering accessing records for personal reasons or out of curiosity should be in no doubt they could be putting their career at risk, and may face disciplinary action, dismissal, referral to the regulator or even time in prison,” said Sir Jim Mackey.
Findings show that 18 staff members at York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals wrongfully accessed patient records since 2021.
Eight of those 18 cases were subsequently referred onward to the ICO for further formal investigation.
Another investigation began after up to 40 staff members reportedly accessed the medical records of a three-year-old boy injured in a crocodile enclosure incident near Huntingdon.
Cambridge University Hospitals said restrictions had already been placed on the child's records and confirmed any staff lacking legitimate clinical or operational reasons would face disciplinary action, including dismissal.
Offences under the Data Protection Act 2018 and Computer Misuse Act 1990 can carry fines and prison sentences for those convicted.
The scale of these repeated incidents suggests that existing safeguards have not consistently deterred staff from unlawfully viewing sensitive records.
“Having the ability to view a record is not the same as having a legitimate need to do so. Every member of staff has a personal responsibility to respect that boundary…” Arnold added.
Conducted during June 2026 by the nonpartisan survey research company Verasight, the survey consisted of 17 questions sent to 1,690 adults (18 and above), finding over two-thirds (69%) supporting Sanders’ policy – a figure that only drops to 64% once it is revealed which politician the idea is associated with.
The bad news for the AI industry doesn’t end there, as respondents demonstrated a notable distrust for how AI companies conduct themselves, with nearly half (43%) believing that the regulations proposed by the AI companies are designed to benefit those same companies. Incredibly, 30% of respondents trust the US federal government more than companies like OpenAI and Anthropic.
How does AI wealth distribution work?
(Image credit: Getty Images / Tasos Katopodis)
Senator Bernie Sanders’ plan gives the public a direct stake in America’s largest AI companies, with a one-off tax paid not in cash, but in stock. "Since AI is built on the collective knowledge of humanity, the wealth it generated must benefit humanity," he said, announcing his planned Act on social media.
This would, according to Sanders’ proposal, deliver an annual $1000 check to U.S. citizens, and fund healthcare and education.
"The findings from our latest survey demonstrate a rare instance of bipartisan agreement," noted Ben Leff, CEO and Co-Founder of Verasight.
"There is an undeniable desire among Americans of both parties for federal oversight, absolute transparency, and accountability to ensure AI safety and to enable all Americans to participate in the economic benefits of AI."
Even with a polarizing figure like Bernie Sanders attached, the wealth fund idea retains support, which suggests that while people are happy to use AI to answer questions, streamline processes, and make tasks quicker, they’re less comfortable with the industry’s wider impact.
A poor public perception
While AI companies are becoming increasingly unpopular, it isn’t all bad news. The survey quizzed subjects about their feelings on other industries, including tobacco, pharmaceuticals, and casinos, along with social media. If the tide is turning against AI, it still isn’t regarded as poorly as casinos or tobacco.
Feelings about AI companies are also notably more positive than social media. Given the concerns expressed about federal oversight and public wealth funds, there could be an avenue for OpenAI, Google Gemini, Anthropic, Microsoft, and others to improve the general feeling about AI: accepting a degree of social responsibility.
Now, the CEO of JPMorgan has described the risks the technology poses as a “real issue,” and likened wide access to the AI as “giving ballistic missiles to individuals.”
Speaking at the Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit, JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon underscored the risks posed by the AI, which has already been shown to both identify and exploit cybersecurity challenges.
Mythos isn’t Skynet
Currently, Claude Mythos is limited to a small selection of organizations, companies, and federal and military departments. Public access to the AI has been blocked, and worldwide access has been blocked due to the potential security issues of this powerful AI.
Claude Mythos is not the type of threat that can become self-aware and take over military appliances like the fictional Skynet of the Terminator movie series. However, it does have the capacity to cause immense damage in the wrong hands.
The AI is capable of detecting cybersecurity vulnerabilities and reporting on them; it is also able to generate automatic exploits. So, for white hat cybersecurity analysts, it is a powerful defensive tool, but in the wrong hands, it is a destructive power. In addition, its automated capabilities make it easy for black hats to scale their cybercrime operation and make ransomware, phishing, and other data-based scams more profitable.
It isn’t just cybersecurity where Anthropic’s Claude Mythos AI has demonstrated such incredible capacities. Scientific research, specifically biology, can be targeted by attackers using AI to turn complex concepts into terms, potentially to misuse the information.
There is also the challenge of a strategic imbalance between single nations or bodies having exclusive access to the technology.
Will the public ever access Anthropic’s Claude Mythos?
Given the security considerations, it seems unlikely that Claude Mythos will be publicy available anytime soon. However, Anthropic has already stated that it intends Mythos-level features and capabilities to become more widely available.
For this to happen, however, it needs to develop and apply various safeguards.
The most likely scenario is that public access to Mythos is eventually unblocked, with restrictions to specific features that relate to cybersecurity and biological/medical tasks and research.
Project Glasswing is already in operation with a handful of key partners (including Amazon Web Services, Anthropic, Apple, Broadcom, Cisco, CrowdStrike, and others), and will probably be expanded until the safeguards are demonstrated to be fit for purpose, and public use.
The portable power station (which is the same hardware sold elsewhere as the Explorer 3000 V2), is a practical investment for home backup, camping, RV travel, and job sites.
The HomePower 3000 packs a huge 3072Wh battery and delivers 3600W of continuous AC output with a 7200W peak surge. That's enough to run everything from refrigerators and microwaves to power tools, air conditioners, and other demanding appliances.
Today's top Jackery portable power station deal
This portable power station delivers reliable backup power for almost any appliance, with fast recharging, solar compatibility, app control, quiet operation, and enough output for emergencies, RV trips, campsites, and more.
Despite its large capacity, the unit can recharge from a standard AC outlet in around 2.4 hours, while solar charging is also supported through Jackery's SolarSaga panels.
Pairing it with compatible solar panels gives you a renewable way to keep the battery topped up when you're away from a mains electricity supply.
There's no shortage of connectivity either. You get five AC outlets, including a NEMA TT-30 outlet for RVs, alongside two 100W USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, two DC5521 outputs, and a 12V car socket.
The power station can supply up to 10 devices simultaneously, making it useful for families, remote workers, photographers, and tradespeople.
Jackery has also focused on usability and durability. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity allow you to monitor battery levels, charging status, and power usage through the companion smartphone app, while a quiet charging mode operates at under 30dB, making it suitable for indoor use.
Advanced battery management, UL certification, and a battery rated for 4,000 charge cycles help ensure long-term reliability.
Weighing 27kg, the HomePower 3000 is still portable enough to transport between locations while offering enough energy storage to handle extended outages or demanding workloads.
In his review of the Explorer 3000 V2 (same as the HomePower 3000), our expert Jack said, "High output and high storage mean that this is superb for most home uses in an emergency or using off peak charging to use during the day."
If you've been considering a high-capacity portable power station that combines fast charging, strong output, and broad connectivity, I can wholeheartedly recommend this model.
This compact portable power station, on sale at Wellbots, delivers 2042Wh capacity, 2200W output, fast 1.7-hour charging, UPS backup, long-lasting LiFePO4 battery, smart app control, and enough power for appliances, camping, RVs, emergencies, and everyday use.
Whole-home backup system delivers 7200W output with expandable 6kWh to 90kWh capacity, fast solar charging, seamless UPS protection, smart app control, and enough power to keep essential appliances running during extended outages.
Expandable portable power station includes a 500W solar panel, delivers 3000W output, scales from 2kWh to 24kWh, features a long-lasting LiFePO4 battery, fast solar charging, quiet operation, and smart app control.
DataDome analysis claims agentic traffic has surged by 45% in Q2 2026
Meta AI bots have grown over 163% on the previous quarter
The analysis was conducted by bot management and agent control platform DataDome
If you run a website, every crawl costs bandwidth, resources, logging, and creates CDN transactions, and while search engine crawlers offered the promise of sending visitors, AI bots do not.
Analysis in a report from cybersecurity firm DataDome has shown that while bots from Meta AI have increased activity, they’re not delivering any significant returns to websites.
Conversely, ChatGPT crawlers have reduced in traffic, but are sending more referrals.
AI agent traffic is growing
While Meta AI is usually considered to be the “chatbot within Facebook” it seems that it is becoming something more – and the emergence of the Meta-WebIndexer bot (which grew 163% on Q1) suggests that Meta may be indexing a library of websites, in much the same way Google has done for the past few decades.
The growth of Meta AI as an active crawler is only part of the story, as is ChatGPT’s comparative efficiency. The OpenAI tool seems to know enough about websites, so can provide the answers it already “knows.” Conversely, Meta AI’s activity indexing the web seems to explain its heavy impact in Q2 2026.
But also emerging is the Model Context Protocol (MCP) signal, which connects AI agents with external tools, and differs from standard crawler traffic.
“Q2 showed us that the ground is shifting faster than most organizations realize. Meta now dominates AI traffic on our network, MCP traffic has emerged as a real signal, and ChatGPT is driving more referral value with fewer crawls," noted Jérôme Segura, VP of Threat Research at DataDome.
The differences in the way the AI agents are interacting with websites – some behaving like users, others scraping content – means that organizations need to act accordingly.
“What the data makes clear is that not all agents are created equal. The organizations building policy around these distinctions are the ones gaining an edge, and that's exactly why agent trust adoption is accelerating."
Unfortunately, MCP’s existence and growth into a significant, measurable quantity, means that it should also be treated as part of an organization’s attack surface.
Allocating resources
Given the origins of the report, there is naturally a cybersecurity aspect to this. While ransomware, malware, and phishing are not going anywhere, autonomous software on the web needs addressing in a different way.
Those “organizations building policy” that Segura mentions might, for example, give full crawl access to Google, allow ChatGPT to retrieve results, but rate-limit Meta AI based on its poor return.
Meanwhile, unknown agents – perhaps cybersecurity threats – would require additional verification or be blocked entirely.
Login
