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September 23, 2026
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Today's Tech Buzz
 
30,000 devices infected by Contagious Interview
A hacking campaign called Contagious Interview, orchestrated by North Korea-linked WaterPlum, has infected more than 30,000 devices in more than 100 countries, according to a joint advisory from authorities in the US, Japan, Australia and Germany. The campaign has hackers posing as recruiters to target freelance developers and blockchain specialists, and it has stolen funds or credentials from more than 7,000 cryptocurrency wallets, funneling $10.71 million to North Korea.
Full Story: Security Affairs (9/22)
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Stuck in reactive IT? It's time to shift left.
Shift left focuses on identifying, resolving, and preventing issues earlier in the lifecycle, before they impact employees and generate support tickets. With better visibility, automation, and experience insights, organizations can reduce recurring incidents, improve digital employee experience (DEX), and free IT teams to focus on higher-value work.
 
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Technology & Trends
 
Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite chips enhance AI capabilities
 
The Snapdragon corporate logo is illuminated at the Qualcomm pavilion in Hall 3 of the Fira Gran Via, representing the launch of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (SM8850-AC) mobile platform during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, on March 5, 2026. The 3nm architecture processor features the new Oryon V3 CPU and an enhanced Hexagon NPU capable of delivering over 80 TOPS for on-device generative AI. The branding highlights the expansion of the Snapdragon ecosystem into automotive with the Snapdragon Cockpit Elite and computing with the Snapdragon X Elite Gen 2, which powers the latest Windows 11 Copilot+ PCs. The exhibit showcases seamless multimodal AI processing across smartphones, XR glasses, and connected vehicles, emphasizing the Qualcomm AI Stack and ultra-low latency 5G-Advanced connectivity through the Snapdragon X85 Modem-RF System. (Photo by Joan Cros/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
(NurPhoto/Getty Images)
Samsung and Motorola are among the smartphone vendors expected to adopt Qualcomm's first 2nm Snapdragon chips, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6. Designed to handle complex AI workloads efficiently, the chips introduce a 6G modem to the mass market, with the Extreme featuring 18MB of high-performance memory, a 50% larger shared memory bank and 18MB of high-performance memory, supporting demanding tasks like gaming and professional video capture.
Full Story: PC Magazine (9/22)
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Claude handles 26% of AI R&D at Anthropic
To quantify AI involvement in its research and development, Anthropic introduced the R&D Automation Index, a measurement system that catalogs and rates tasks by automation level on a scale from AL0 to AL5. The index, informed by internal records and a random sample of R&D staff, showed that 26% of tasks were at AL4 or higher—meaning Claude led those tasks, while over 90% reached at least AL3, indicating substantial AI collaboration. The index aims to provide transparent tracking of AI's role in Anthropic's R&D and facilitate industry-wide comparison.
Full Story: BetaNews (9/18)
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How did Macs become AI computing darlings? It's in the chip
Macs have transformed from underpowered machines to sought-after AI workhorses, thanks to the introduction of Apple Silicon, writes ZDnet's David Gewirtz. The system-on-a-chip design, starting with the M1 processor in 2020, integrates the CPU, GPU and neural engine, making Macs highly efficient for AI tasks, Gewirtz says. This shift has made local AI processing more accessible and powerful.
Full Story: ZDNet (9/22)
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AI Agent Trends 2026 Report
The era of simple prompts is over. Explore the five trends driving business transformation in 2026 based on insights from 3,466 global executives. View the trends »
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Cybersecurity
 
Why vibe coding should be filed under "shadow IT risks"
Vibe coding should be categorized as a form of shadow IT, according to Tricentis CISO Erika Dean, as vibe-coded applications are often developed outside traditional oversight, with the potential of introducing vulnerabilities and accessing sensitive data without proper controls. Dean emphasizes the need for enterprises to establish governance, provide approved AI development environments and ensure all applications undergo rigorous security reviews.
Full Story: International Security Journal (UK) (9/22)
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IT Workforce
 
Employees not clued into why they should use AI
 
ITPro
A Culture Amp survey finds that 85% of employees are encouraged to use AI, but 42% are unsure why. The survey also finds that 58% of employees have had the purpose of AI explained to them, while 71% say AI tools boost productivity. This lack of clarity persists even as most employees report being aware of AI risks and trusting their employers to use the technology responsibly.
Full Story: IT Pro (9/22)
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Ways to prepare for 4 potential AI labor scenarios