On the Road to Macstock, Allison Sheridan previews her session that features a hands-on spreadsheet workshop comparing Excel, Numbers, and Google Sheets. She explains practical skills like fill-down, fill-right, and possibly pivot tables, while stressing that the goal is not exhaustive training but confidence-building. Our conversation also touches on Copilot i relation to Excel, vibe coding, and why Macstock feels like coming home.
The MacVoices Live! panel examines Spotify adopting Apple-backed video podcast technology, Instagram’s disappearing posts and why anyone would want them, and Microsoft expanding Copilot everywhere, whether it is a good idea or not. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Jeff Gamet, Guy Serle, Web Bixby, Eric Bolden, Marty Jencius, and Jim Rea also look at the risks of putting AI mini data centers in homes, and Plex’s major lifetime Pass price hike.
It’s not every day that attackers can force a frontier AI model to cough up user passwords and other sensitive data without user confirmation. That’s exactly what researchers recently did to Microsoft 365 Copilot for enterprise. Even more unusual is the source they tapped to discover the critical vulnerability that made their exploit possible. Rather than employing reverse engineering or other traditional vulnerability-hunting methods, they asked Copilot. The LLM assistant readily complied.
Researchers at security firm Varonis knew they wanted to create an exploit that would exfiltrate user data when a user did nothing more than click on a link. Like most AI assistants today, Copilot steadfastly refused and made clear that sensitive prompts like that require explicit user consent in the form of a gesture, such as pressing a return key or other key. In response, the researchers peppered Copilot with questions about the guardrails that required user confirmation before the assistant could execute powerful commands.
Loose lips sink ships
The dialog was like a game of 20 questions. Each answer provided a new clue that divulged information about the complex safety mechanism. Why was auto-execution impossible, they asked. What URL structures and deep links were involved? What happens when a page is loaded with input already in the prompt field? Each answer provided a deeper view into the guardrail and its limits. Eventually, Copilot provided a stunning Microsoft trade secret—an undocumented prompt parameter that completely bypassed the requirement for user consent.
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan crashed his Tesla Model S on July 14 while the car was running on Autopilot. He was reaching for a phone that had dropped out of reach, and he took his eyes off the road.
The crash left him with a concussion, a broken nose, three broken ribs, a broken left hand, and 40 stitches over his right eye. And to his credit, he isn’t blaming the car.
It's the year of Linux, haven't you heard? You may as well pack up your PC, study your favorite distro, and get ready to evangelize the open-source platform that will run on all systems in the future.
Joking aside, Linux has grown a bit in popularity and Microsoft continues to embrace it. While the tech giant has several apps and projects on Linux, Microsoft has not released an official Copilot app for Linux.
Sure, you could use Copilot on the web. Heck, you could even open up Microsoft Edge for Linux and install Copilot as a PWA (Progressive Web App). But where is the fun in that?
Instead, you could install the unofficial Copilot app for Linux built by Hayden Barnes. The app opens the Copilot web app in a dedicated GTK window and keeps your login session safely on disk. It also integrates with the desktop for autostart, system downloads, app launcher execution, and accessing hardware permissions like the microphone.
Barnes shared the project on X alongside a link to the app's GitHub page.
Many of the unofficial Copilot app's features overlap with using the web version of Copilot since Microsoft's AI tool is the center of the experience. But building the unofficial app as a native GTK application means its developer can deeply integrate system shortcuts, allow it to run quietly in the system tray, and trigger native OS notifications as opposed to relying on browser notifications.
Other benefits include native support for desktop accent colors and system dark themes. Overall, the app looks and feels far more natural on a Linux desktop than a standard browser window, and keeping Copilot isolated prevents it from slowing down if your main browser gets bogged down with dozens of open tabs.
The unofficial Copilot app for Linux is new, so we'll have to use it for a while to determine its long-term stability and performance. The first publicly available release of the app shipped this week.
We have a few systems running Linux spread across our team, so we'll let you know how the unofficial Copilot app performs over time.
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
A police department in Parker, Colorado, pulled over a Tesla going 64 mph in a 45 mph zone whose driver insisted they weren’t responsible, because the car was running “Full Self-Driving.”
Of course, Tesla will never take responsibility for that incident, but the frustrating part is that Tesla already has the solution and yet it refuses to implement it.
A growing number of Tesla owners running the new Full Self-Driving v14 “Lite” build on Hardware 3 (HW3) vehicles are reporting Autopilot computer overheating alerts — and, in some cases, outright computer failures.
The reports have stacked up in the two weeks since Tesla pushed v14 Lite to wide release, and four owners have contacted Electrek directly about the same problem.
A Adobeanunciou hoje o lançamento de um plugin unificado para o ChatGPT, reunindo mais de 70 ferramentas criativas da seu suíte diretamente na interface do chatbot por inteligência artificial (IA) da OpenAI.
O plugin conta com ferramentas de aplicativos da Adobe que já possuíam integração com o ChatGPT, além de novos recursos do Adobe Express, Photoshop, Firefly, Premiere, Acrobat, Lightroom, Illustrator, InDesign e Adobe Stock, permitindo que os usuários possam criar peças publicitárias ou adaptar um vídeo para diferentes redes sociais sem precisar alternar entre aplicativos.
A novidade faz parte da estratégia da Adobe de expandir a compatibilidade dos seus recursos com as ferramentas de IA generativa; em junho, a empresa já havia mencionado que levaria esses recursos inclusive para rivais do ChatGPT, como o Claude. No Copilot, no Gemini e no Slack eles chegarão “em breve”, segundo a empresa.
Grande novidade: um novo plugin da Adobe já está disponível no @ChatGPT da @OpenAI! Mais de 70 ferramentas — incluindo @Photoshop, @AdobeFirefly, @Lightroom e @Acrobat — reunidas em um único chat. Crie mockups com suas fotos. Adapte vídeos para qualquer plataforma. Transforme um modelo em um PDF com acabamento profissional. Saiba mais: adobe.ly/3TDrxff
Ainda conforme a desenvolvedora, a novidade foi pensada para “facilitar e agilizar a transformação de ideias em conteúdo de alta qualidade dentro do ChatGPT”, mas a empresa destaca que, para necessidades criativas “mais profundas”, os seus aplicativos nativos seguem sendo a primeira opção.
Questionada pela AI Magazine se o uso dos recursos incorporados ao ChatGPT poderia rivalizar com o uso dos aplicativos nativos, a líder de produtos de IA agêntica da Adobe, Deepti Pradeep, respondeu o seguinte:
Dentro do ChatGPT, a experiência é transformadora: em vez de escolher plugins da Adobe separadamente, os usuários podem experimentar uma única experiência da Adobe que traz o Photoshop, Acrobat, Express e mais juntos.
Nós acreditamos que a consolidação adiciona mais valor aos usuários do ChatGPT. Fora dele, nossos aplicativos nativos permanecem essenciais para um controle mais profundo, preciso e avançado dos fluxos de trabalho.
Para iniciar, é possível utilizar algumas funcionalidades do plugin como convidado, embora a Adobe recomende fazer login com a sua conta para “desbloquear recursos adicionais”.
O plugin da Adobe já está disponível tanto no app quanto na versão web do ChatGPT.
DARPA officials said the successful flight of an aircraft category that is still in use for combat operations advances the state-of-the-art technological infrastructure needed to meet the challenges of a rapidly evolving aerial environment and will enable rapid, scalable combat AI pilot development across the broader U.S. military forces.
“These groundbreaking flight tests of VENOM-modified F-16s advance the infrastructure needed to develop trusted, autonomous air combat capabilities,” said Brig. Gen. James “Fangs” Valpiani, Ph.D., DARPA program manager.
AI-Controlled F-16 Test Flights Part of VENOM Program
According to a statement announcing the successful AI-controlled flights, the F-16 used in the tests was specifically converted to an AI testbed under the agency’s joint venture with the U.S. Air Force, the Viper Experimentation and Next-generation Operations Model (VENOM) program. The specific AI pilot installed in the F-16 is known as the VENOM Autonomy Kit, or VAK.
DARPA said VAK utilizes a “novel interface with the aircraft’s flight controls and mission systems.” This component allows an on-board human pilot to toggle between their traditional control systems and VAK “with the flip of a switch,” ensuring pilot safety during the testing phase where a human is still in the loop.
An F-16 Fighting Falcon modified for the Viper Experimentation and Next-gen Operations Model – Autonomy Flying Testbed (VENOM) program conducts flight operations during autonomous systems testing in June 2026 at Eglin Air Force Base. The VENOM F-16s serve as modified airborne test platforms equipped with specialized hardware, software, and instrumentation designed to enable artificial intelligence agents to pilot the aircraft while human pilots remain in the cockpit to monitor the AI agents and ensure flight and mission systems test objectives are met to rapidly evolve autonomous capabilities. Image Credit: U.S. Air Force | Samuel King Jr., 96th Test Wing
Valpiani said that the VENOM team installed the AI-controlled VAK interface, which successfully automated the F-16’s sensors and flight controls “without changing the jet’s core software.”
“This enables an efficient pipeline for developing dominant AI for aerial combat, allowing us to rapidly innovate for the warfighter,” the program manager explained.
Creating Dominant Autonomy Beyond Visual Range
When discussing the significance of the successful AI-controlled test flights, Valpiani once again highlighted the “emerging threat environment” in relation to aerial combat, including its increasing complexity.
“AI has tremendous potential to help humans manage this complexity in beyond-visual-range combat, but many hard questions remain concerning the performance and trustworthiness of combat AI in the extreme fog and friction of modern warfare,” explained the project leader, who was due to conclude his tenure as a DARPA program manager in the weeks after the announcement. “The AIR program aims to apply cutting-edge combat agents to operationally relevant scenarios to address these questions and field war-deterring, war-winning capabilities to our warfighters.”
Incoming program manager, Lt. Col. Patrick “Dice” Highland, Ph.D., highlighted the milestone’s role in “advancing our nation’s combat autonomy,” while also offering an eye toward the program’s future.
“We now have the opportunity to create dominant autonomy for beyond-visual-range, multi-ship combat,” Lt. Col Highland said. “These flights give us an early glimpse of how AI agents may begin actively transforming air warfare.”
Moving VAK’s Capabilities “Out of Simulation and Into the Sky”
Following the successful AI-piloted F-16 tests, the specially designed VENOM aircraft will join DARPA as it moves the entire venture under the umbrella of the agency’s Artificial Intelligence Reinforcements (AIR) program. According to the agency, this new program will use the aircraft in the VENOM fleet to “test multiple AI agents in live-flight scenarios.” If successful, DARPA said the program will “pave the way for human pilots to seamlessly command and orchestrate teams of autonomous, uncrewed aircraft.”
Current deputy program manager Terry Wilson, Ph.D., who will remain with the program, highlighted AIR’s longer-term goals of future joint force operations, including Collaborative Combat Aircraft programs. DARPA said that these efforts will focus on improving the speed and predictive ability of AI model development and “scale in-flight testing to multi-ship operations with increased complexity to unlock novel and robust AI-driven autonomy.”
“I share Gen. Valpiani’s deep appreciation for the incredible dedication of our DARPA and industry teammates, joint engineers, the System Program Office, Eglin’s test and maintenance crews, and the entire AIR and VENOM ecosystem which has made this milestone possible,” said Wilson. “I look forward to unleashing the VENOM platform and moving these capabilities out of simulation and into the sky.”
Christopher Plain is a Science Fiction and Fantasy novelist and has spent the last six years as Associate News Editor and Head Science Writer at The Debrief. Follow and connect with him on X, learn about his books at plainfiction.com, or email him at christopher@thedebrief.org
Tesla reported 207 crashes involving its driver-assist systems in a single month — the most it has ever logged. The figure comes from Tesla’s own crash reports to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The record month lands as Tesla pushes Full Self-Driving harder than ever, and as the company continues to redact nearly every detail of what actually happened in these crashes.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is asking a federal appeals court to wipe out the $243 million verdict a Miami jury handed Tesla over a fatal Autopilot crash.
The attorneys general of Alabama and Georgia joined the July 9 brief, which asks the 11th Circuit to throw out the judgment entirely — or, failing that, cut the $200 million punitive award down to three times compensatory damages.
Pilot travel centers are welcoming America’s summer road trippers with a number of new locations, an expanded, “coast-to-coast” EV charging network that offers 24/7 convenience and healthier c-store snacks and menu items.
The family of a 76-year-old woman killed when a Tesla Model 3 crashed into her Katy, Texas, home has sued Tesla and the driver, alleging the company’s “Autopilot” and “Full Self-Driving” systems are defectively designed.
The wrongful death suit lands just days after the crash — and it leans on the same argument that produced last year’s landmark $243 million Autopilot verdict against Tesla in Florida.
Tesla now confirms that its self-driving system was engaged when a Model 3 left a residential road in Katy, Texas, and killed a 76-year-old woman inside her home — but the company says the driver overrode it by pressing the accelerator to 100%.
Everything points to a pedal misapplication while the car was under “Full Self-Driving.” Does that mean Tesla is not at fault?
Whether the Autopilot system was truly active, overridden, or malfunctioning likely won't be resolved until investigators finish combing through the vehicle's data logs.
Federal safety regulators are now investigating the fatal Tesla crash in Katy, Texas, where a Model 3 left a residential road, tore through a brick home, and killed a 76-year-old woman inside.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Monday it is examining the June 20 crash, after the driver told deputies his Tesla was on Autopilot at the moment of impact.
An elderly Texas woman tragically died Friday after a man who told police he was relying on his Tesla Model 3’s automated driver-assistance mode lost control and crashed his car into her family’s home.
In a statement, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to Ars that Michael Butler said that “he was operating with an automated driving-assistance system engaged at the time of the crash.” Police are currently investigating whether the autopilot feature in any way caused the crash but confirmed that Butler was not intoxicated and is cooperating, partly by helping cops understand how Tesla’s Autopilot feature works.
“Butler failed to drive in a single lane, left the roadway, and struck the residence” at a “high rate of speed,” the sheriff’s office said.
A driver told Harris County investigators that his Tesla was on Autopilot before it left a residential road in Katy, Texas, crashed through the brick wall of a home, and killed a 76-year-old woman inside.
The crash happened around 8 p.m. Friday in the 21300 block of Rose Hollow Lane, according to the Harris County Precinct 5 Constable’s Office and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
O Copilot Cowork, que passa a estar disponível a nível internacional, é um agente de IA que promete tratar do trabalho real e ajudar na produtividade. Tarefas que levavam dias a concluir passam agora a ser finalizadas numa manhã, afirma a Microsoft.
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