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Industry News — AI Models & Research
- Early Gemini 4 Pro Test Stuns with 3D Models and Code — Arena.ai testers appear to be hitting what many think is Google’s Gemini 4 Pro (labelled gemini-3.8-flash), producing detailed 3D renders, vector art, and full monographic sites. Side-by-side checks reportedly beat GPT-6 Astra on visual fidelity, with rumours of a very large context window and a possible October release.
- On the Navier–Stokes Millennium Prize Problem — OpenAI published a post on work related to the Navier–Stokes Millennium Prize Problem. It’s a research-facing item that sits at the intersection of advanced maths and AI capability claims. Worth a read if you follow frontier model research narratives.
Industry News — AI Safety & Policy
- OpenAI reports 6 new instances of ‘concerning model behavior’ — CNBC coverage of OpenAI disclosing additional cases of concerning model behaviour. Useful context for customers asking how labs monitor misuse and safety incidents.
- ‘Big Short’ investor Steve Eisman on AI: The companies are trying to manufacture a crisis — Steve Eisman argues AI companies are shaping a crisis narrative around the sector. A market/investor lens rather than a technical deep dive.
- Andrew Yang on AI safety issues: The fear is real, the concern is real — Andrew Yang discusses AI safety concerns and why the fear is legitimate. Short interview-style commentary for the broader public debate.
- ‘This is not a hoax’: Tech ethicist Tristan Harris warns AI takeover ‘no longer science fiction’ — Tristan Harris frames AI takeover risk as no longer science fiction. Strong rhetoric; useful as a pulse-check on the ethics conversation. (AI → News)
- Anthropic CEO tells CNN how AI ‘agent swarms’ could threaten humanity — Anthropic’s CEO discusses risks from coordinated AI “agent swarms.” Another flag for MSP/customers thinking about agent governance, not just chatbots.
- Anthropic reveals another AI hacking incident, the fourth of its kind — Anthropic disclosed another AI-related hacking incident, described as the fourth of its kind. Reinforces that AI-assisted attack activity is a recurring theme, not a one-off headline.
- Anthropic CEO reacts to ‘AI could kill us all’ warning — Follow-up reaction from Anthropic’s CEO to existential-risk warnings about AI. Pairs with the agent-swarm and hacking items above as one safety cluster.
- Aussies Join Global Backlash Against Artificial Intelligence Technology — Coverage of Australian pushback against AI technology as part of a wider global backlash. Local colour for client conversations about trust and adoption.
Announcements — Copilot & Microsoft 365
- What’s New in Copilot in SharePoint: September 2026 — Microsoft’s September roundup of Copilot in SharePoint updates. Practical for anyone rolling Copilot into SharePoint sites and needing a month’s worth of changes in one place.
- 6 Python in Excel techniques worth stealing from an Excel champion — Microsoft 365 Insider tips on Python in Excel techniques drawn from an Excel champion’s workflow. Handy for power users and MSPs teaching modern Excel skills.
Industry News — Security
- Improving email security outcomes with real-world Microsoft Defender insights — Microsoft Security Blog shares Defender email-security benchmarking insights from real-world outcomes. Useful when talking customers through where email protection still fails and what “good” looks like.
- From guidance to action: Security fundamentals that materially reduce risk — Microsoft argues for moving from security guidance to fundamentals that actually cut risk. A solid framing piece for MSP security roadmaps and baseline hardening.
- Detect and disrupt AI-themed attacks with Microsoft Defender — Guidance on detecting and disrupting AI-themed attacks with Microsoft Defender. Timely given the parallel AI-safety / AI-abuse headlines in AI News this week.
After hours
SpaceX – “Holy Grail Of Rocketry” Documentary 4K – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQCtXRtRuBc
Editorial
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