DIGITAL LIFE

Agentic AI threatens research funding system

In a new analysis, two UCL researchers argue that the present system used to allocate billions in research funding was designed for a world without AI agents and may no longer be fit for that purpose.

In their Comment published in Nature, Professors Geraint Rees and James Wilsdon highlight how this new breed of AI tools could fundamentally upend how research is funded and provide recommendations as to how funders can adapt.

AI agents—also referred to as agentic AI—are more advanced capabilities within large language models that don't respond to a single prompt but pursue goals across multiple steps. They can search the web, read documents, write and execute code, call external services and more to deliver a specified goal.

When it comes to writing a grant proposal, AI agents can be trained on a researcher's publicly available body of work, grant criteria, and previously successfully funded grants to generate ideas and even fully formed applications. Because of this, a seemingly high-quality grant proposal can be created in a tiny fraction of the time it once took, with minimal effort.

This runs the risk of overwhelming funding agencies with huge volumes of high-quality submissions to assign to a limited number of awards, who will have to make largely arbitrary choices about what or who to fund.

Lead author Professor Geraint Rees, UCL Vice-Provost of Research, Innovation & Global Engagement, said, "Funding panels have always faced hard choices, but they could at least claim to be distinguishing excellent ideas from merely good ones. Agentic AI is making that claim increasingly hollow. Funders aren't facing a distant threat—the data suggest the system is already under strain. The good news is that better approaches exist, but the window to act is narrowing."

Additionally, new research carried out by Professors Rees and Wilsdon, found that the number of grant applications has been increasing in recent years.

In a survey of hundreds of thousands of grant applications from 12 multidisciplinary research funders in six countries that are partners in the Research on Research Institute (RoRI), the funders reported an increase of 17% in application numbers between 2022 and 2024, growing to a 57% increase between 2022 and 2025.

This growth ranged from 14% for postdoctoral fellowship applications at the British Academy to 142% for EU Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowships. There could be several explanations for some of these changes, but the researchers think that AI has played a significant part.

Co-author Professor Wilsdon (UCL Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy and Executive Director of the Research on Research Institute), said, "These sharp increases in the volume of funding applications begin soon after the launch of ChatGPT, so it's likely that a significant portion of this increase is linked to the use of generative AI. This is just the product of earlier versions of large language models: the capabilities of newer agentic systems will drive volumes even higher in 2026.

"Meanwhile, peer reviewers will be using the same agentic tools to assess proposals—so we quickly reach a point where systems of grant funding and review will collapse, unless funders adopt new strategies for managing volume and demand, and for assessing quality."

However, the researchers caution against clamping down on the use of generative AI by applicants, which would likely be impossible to enforce and inadequate to the challenge at hand. Instead, they urge funders to deploy the power of agentic AI systems to reinvent the funding system, rather than to suppress their use.

This could include using AI to profile applicants from multiple perspectives, allowing funders to identify and compare candidates more completely than a funding panel. It could also include prioritizing and shortlisting applications by identifying candidates whose record is consistent with the claims in their application, or by using predictive heuristics that look for novelty and potential impact.

Researchers conclude that when developing these kinds of systems, care is required to avoid reinforcing many of the pitfalls that current funding systems face, such as concentrating resources on those who have already been successful. Transparency would be key to avoid exacerbating biases against early-career researchers, under-represented groups, less established or prestigious institutions, or interdisciplinary and emerging fields.

Agentic AI, or AI agents capable of planning and executing tasks autonomously, is posing a significant, near-term threat to the traditional research funding system. A April 2026 report in Nature by researchers at UCL and the [Research on Research Institute (RoRI)] argues that the current system of grants and peer review, designed for a world without such technology, risks collapse due to an unsustainable influx of AI-assisted, high-quality proposals. 

Overwhelming application volumes: Research agencies are being flooded with proposals; RoRI found a 57% increase in applications between 2022 and 2025 across 12 funders.

Degradation of peer review: As both applicants and reviewers start using agentic AI to write and assess proposals, the system risks becoming a closed loop that evaluates how well agents mimic previously successful proposals rather than genuine scientific merit.

"Garbage In, garbage out" risks: If an agent's foundational assumptions are incorrect, entire research proposals could be flawed, yet disguised in high-quality, persuasive writing.

Systemic bias: Existing biases might be reinforced, with resources disproportionately concentrated on established researchers, early-career researchers and novel research fields, potentially missing out.

Replacement of scientific training: The rigorous process of learning scientific reasoning could be replaced by prompting, turning future researchers into "prompt engineers" rather than independent thinkers. 

Impact on the funding landscape...The rapid rise of AI-generated grant writing threatens to make traditional funding panels, which were designed to differentiate good ideas from excellent ones, redundant or unable to identify truly transformative research. 

Massive rise in applications: Prestigious grants, such as the [EU Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowships], have seen increases of over 140% in applications in recent years.

Increased costs: The use of advanced agentic AI can also lead to higher operational costs for researchers, further complicating the funding landscape.

Need for new strategies: Rather than banning AI—which is likely impossible—researchers suggest funders must adopt AI-native methods to evaluate applications and track records. 

Potential solutions...Experts argue that the solution is not to fight the technology but to harness it(below): 

AI-Powered assessment: Funders should use agents to profile applicants and compare candidates, analyzing their entire body of work.

Focus on track records: Shifting from evaluating detailed, long-term plans to evaluating the past performance and reputation of research teams.

Enhanced verification: Employing AI to verify that the proposed work is consistent with a researcher's past achievements

Provided by University College London

APPLE

Apple wants to push “Ultra” to the price limit, and the competition will love it

Get ready, because Apple seems determined to push its bank account to the limit with a new luxury strategy. The watchword in Cupertino is “Ultra,” and according to the latest rumors circulating in tech circles, this brand will not just be a pompous name for what we already know. We are talking about a radical change in the hierarchy of Apple products, starting with the long-awaited foldable iPhone and extending to a MacBook that breaks one of Steve Jobs' biggest taboos: the touchscreen.

There has been much speculation about when Apple would enter the foldable market. Well, it seems that the moment is approaching, but forget the idea of ​​an “iPhone 18 Fold.” The new leak confirms that the device will simply be called iPhone Ultra. This choice is not innocent. By decoupling the foldable from the annual numbering line (like the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max), the brand gains the freedom to launch new generations at its own pace, without the pressure of a mandatory renewal every September.

Although Apple's goal is to present this luxury machine at the big September event, alongside the iPhone 18 family, the reality of production may force a wait. It is very likely that the iPhone Ultra will reach your hands just a few weeks after the official launch, marking a new era of exclusivity.

If you thought the MacBook Pro was the top of the mountain, think again. Apple is preparing the MacBook Ultra, and this notebook promises to be a game-changer for two reasons that brand purists will feel immediately:

Touchscreen: For the first time in the history of the Mac line, you will be able to interact directly with your fingers on the panel. It's the end of the barrier that separated the iPad from the MacBook.

Even with the thinner structure, the camera setup seems to follow an opposite direction. The documents highlight a rather protruding rear module, capable of increasing the total thickness to approximately 13.9 mm. The expectation is that this space will be occupied by two 48 MP sensors, possibly in the main and ultrawide functions, maintaining the brand's focus on premium photography.

Another detail that draws attention is the internal front camera. And, for the first time, there is an indication of a hole-punch notch in the display for the front camera, a common implementation in Android devices, but unprecedented for Apple.

Positioned in the left corner of the screen when open, the element also suggests the absence of Face ID. In this context, the return of Touch ID is practically confirmed, but positioned on the side, being a simpler solution to enable the foldable design. Although it seems like a conservative decision, it can contribute to reducing internal complexity, optimizing space, and balancing the price.

Finally, the documents indicate that Apple will market the product in two colors: black and white. With an announcement expected in September, the iPhone Fold — or iPhone Ultra — should share the spotlight with the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro line.

Until then, new details are likely to continue emerging, fueling anticipation for one of Apple's most awaited releases in recent years.

OLED Technology: After years of relying on LCD and Mini-LED, the MacBook Ultra will be the first to adopt OLED screens, guaranteeing deep blacks and contrast that until now was exclusive to high-end iPhones and iPads.

Initial forecasts pointed to a launch this year, but problems with RAM supply have pushed the debut to the first half of 2027. This delay suggests that the processor and the set of specifications will be so advanced that the production chain is still trying to keep up with the ambition of the engineers.

The era of John Ternus and the priority given to the iPad Ultra... With Tim Cook's departure from the company's helm increasingly imminent, John Ternus, seen as the natural successor to the CEO position, already seems to be making his mark. Under his leadership, the development of a foldable iPad Ultra has become one of Apple's top priorities.

This will not just be a larger tablet. It will predictably be the most expensive iPad ever made, positioned somewhere between elite entertainment and extreme productivity. The strategy is clear: create an “Ultra” category that sits above the “Pro,” justifying prices that will make the current MacBook Pro seem like an affordable deal.

This aggressive segmentation shows that Apple is no longer satisfied with dominating the premium market; it wants to create a super-luxury market. By adopting the Ultra nomenclature, the brand follows in the footsteps of what it has already done with the Apple Watch Ultra, where durability and exclusive features came with a significantly higher price.

For you, who use these devices daily, the choice will be more complex. The “Pro” will no longer be the best you can buy, becoming the balanced option for professionals. Those who want true innovation — whether in the foldable format, the Mac's touchscreen, or the most powerful processor on the market — will have to pay the “Ultra tax.” It remains to be seen whether the set of completely new features that Apple promises will be enough to convince users to make the leap to this new price level.

mundophone

SAMSUNG

Samsung's "ace in the hole" to face the future foldable iPhone

Samsung appears to be preparing a fierce counterattack in the foldable device market, and its secret weapon for 2026 is not just a new form factor, but the triumph of miniaturization. If you follow the market, you know that the South Korean brand has been pushing to make its flagship phones more elegant and less visually "heavy." The new Galaxy Z Wide Fold, which promises to be the great rival of the future foldable iPhone Ultra, will share with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 a technical innovation that draws attention: a drastically reduced front camera. This design change, which requires complex hardware engineering, suggests that Samsung is accelerating its pace to offer a completely clean and uninterrupted viewing experience.

The latest rumors indicate that Samsung wants to establish almost absolute parity between its two upcoming foldable flagships. Aside from how they open and the aspect ratio of their screens, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the Galaxy Z Wide Fold should be twins when it comes to internal specifications.

This technical “mirroring” strategy is curious. By all indications, the Galaxy Z Wide Fold is born with a very specific purpose: to curb Apple's entry into this segment. With Huawei gaining ground with the Pura X Max, Samsung cannot afford to have an “experimental” model with inferior cameras. Therefore, it decided to transfer the cutting-edge technology developed for the Fold 8 directly to the new wider-format model.

The physical reduction in the size of the front camera is not just a matter of aesthetics; it is a necessary intermediate step towards something much more ambitious. Users have long been asking for the end of the “punch-hole” (the small hole in the screen), and this extreme miniaturization indicates that Samsung is refining the components to eventually hide them completely under the pixel panel.

According to Ice Universe, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide and Z Fold 8 will have the smallest selfie camera cutouts ever seen on Samsung phones.

The hole should have a radius of only 2.5 mm, considerably smaller than the 3.7 mm hole for the front camera on the Galaxy Z Fold 7's external screen.

This would be a different approach from that adopted in the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which increased the size of the hole to widen the angle of the front camera. Following this new strategy raises concerns about image quality, although Samsung did not use a hidden camera under the display, which could be even worse.

We expect more details to be revealed in the coming weeks, as the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Wide are expected to be announced in July 2026.

Possible specifications of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide (below):

Internal screen: 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with 120Hz refresh rate and QXGA+ resolution

Aspect ratio: possibly 4:3 or close to 16:10

Platform: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5

12 GB or 16 GB of RAM

256 GB, 512 GB or 1 TB of internal storage

Nominal battery: 4,660 mAh (dual cell)

Estimated typical capacity: around 4,800 mAh

Cell configuration: 2,267 mAh + 2,393 mAh

5G connectivity, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 and NFC

Android 16 running under One UI 9.0

Hardware miniaturization: New, denser sensors that occupy less physical space.

Sleeker design: A more discreet bezel and cutout area, increasing immersion.

Direct competition: Immediate response to Apple's plans for the iPhone 18 and 20 Pro.

Technological evolution: Continuation of the innovation work started with the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

Although the under-display camera (UDC) has existed in previous generations, image quality has been its Achilles' heel. By shrinking the traditional camera so significantly, Samsung manages to maintain the photographic quality you demand, while reducing the negative visual impact on the panel.

The race against Apple's plans for 2027... It's no secret that Apple has a "perfect" iPhone on the horizon for the brand's 20th anniversary in 2027. This model should abandon any type of notch, including the Dynamic Island, moving Face ID and the camera under the glass. However, reports from the supply chain suggest that the Cupertino giant is facing considerable technical challenges.

This is where Samsung sees its window of opportunity. By achieving a reduction in camera hardware as early as 2026 with the Fold 8 and Wide Fold, the brand is positioning itself a step ahead in practical execution. While Apple tries to solve panel transparency issues, you may have devices that, although still with a small notch, feature such a tiny bezel that the screen seems to float.

The decision to seriously invest in the processor and optics of these new models shows that Samsung has realized that foldable users no longer accept compromises. If you're going to pay a premium price, you want the best technology available, not a "stretched" version of a conventional phone. The Galaxy Z Wide Fold seems to be the definitive answer for those who want maximum usable area without sacrificing the sophistication that miniaturization allows. If this trend continues, the days of obvious notches and holes in our screens are numbered.

mundophone

DOSSIER

DIGITAL LIFE

The future of cryptocurrencies may be closer to a real challenge

Over the past decade, the cryptocurrency sector has undergone a transformation so profound that it is barely recognizable today. Compared to the movement that first emerged with Bitcoin in 2009, there are virtually no common denominators left in the present state of the crypto industry.

Bitcoin, and the early cryptocurrencies that soon followed, began as a rebellion against the centralized monetary system. They served as a protest against uninvited, unnecessary third parties who forced themselves into voluntary transactions between individuals. Perhaps most important, they sought to restore privacy in financial activity.

By now, however, crypto has morphed into something that its early adopters and true believers would probably have disavowed. Today, the sector is a heavily intermediated, regulated and increasingly institutional domain. While this radical departure might be seen as a betrayal of the original vision by many, it has also brought considerable benefits.

For years, quantum computing was treated as a distant threat to the world of cryptocurrencies — something reserved for advanced laboratories and futuristic scenarios. But a new experiment has subtly and unsettlingly changed this scenario. Without directly attacking large networks, a researcher managed to demonstrate something that, until recently, seemed improbable outside the theoretical field.

What happened was not a massive attack or a collapse of digital financial systems. On the contrary, the experiment was limited, controlled, and focused on a relatively simple cryptographic key. Still, the impact was immediate.

An independent researcher managed to break a key based on elliptic curve cryptography using quantum computing available in the cloud. It wasn't a secret or inaccessible supercomputer, but commercial infrastructure that is already beginning to become popular.

The achievement involved a key of only 15 bits — extremely small when compared to those used in networks like Bitcoin, which operate with 256-bit keys. In practical terms, this means there is no immediate risk to users or to the integrity of the network.

But the central point is not the size of the broken key. It's the speed of the advancement.

Not long ago, similar experiments had only reached 6 bits. The leap to 15 bits represents an exponential growth in the capacity of quantum processing applied to cryptography. Instead of discussing whether this will ever be possible, experts are beginning to wonder when this could scale to truly critical levels.

The distance between theory and reality is beginning to decrease... Another factor that caught the community's attention was the context in which the experiment took place. It was not an isolated test in a restricted academic environment. The execution took place using quantum resources offered as a service in the cloud, which indicates an advance in the democratization of this technology.

This changes the perception of risk. Quantum computing ceases to be a distant concept and becomes an evolving tool, with increasingly wider access.

Furthermore, recent studies indicate that the technical requirements to break real cryptographic keys may be lower than previously estimated. Although thousands—or even tens of thousands—of stable cubits are still needed, the trend is toward a reduction in these barriers with the advancement of quantum architectures.

In the case of cryptocurrencies, the potential impact is significant. Systems like Bitcoin and other modern blockchains rely heavily on elliptic curve cryptography to ensure the security of transactions and digital wallets.

There is also an important detail: a portion of the assets is associated with addresses whose public keys are already visible on the blockchain. In a future scenario with advanced quantum capabilities, these funds could become more vulnerable.

An early warning—and the challenge of adapting in time...Despite the alarm generated, experts agree on one essential point: there is no reason for immediate panic. Current networks remain secure within existing technological capabilities.

However, the experiment serves as an early warning. The industry is already working on post-quantum cryptography solutions, designed to withstand this type of attack. The challenge lies not in creating these alternatives, but in the transition.

Migrating global systems that handle billions—or even trillions—of dollars is no simple task. It involves compatibility, consensus among network participants, and, above all, user trust.

What this episode makes clear is that the clock has started ticking. The threat has not yet materialized, but it is no longer purely theoretical.

And, when it comes to technology, ignoring early signs is usually the most costly mistake.

Leaving the original vision behind...The original idea of Bitcoin was simple: a peer-to-peer digital transaction network resistant to surveillance, censorship, arbitrary monetary expansion and other external interventions. To achieve this, three core conditions had to be met: decentralization, anonymity (or at least pseudonymity difficult to pierce) and the removal of intermediaries or third parties. In the first few years, it worked exactly as advertised. Transactions were borderless and non-custodial, exchanges were lightly (if at all) regulated and blockchain technology attracted those skeptical of state authority, centralized banking and fiat money.

The architecture that made it all possible has been progressively dismantled. Regulatory measures such as compulsory, extensive know-your-customer (KYC) and anti-money laundering (AML) requirements, licensing rules for exchanges, disclosure requirements and tax burdens, have forced the majority of crypto activity into identifiable, heavily monitored channels. As a result, the landscape has shifted dramatically from the crypto Wild West of years past. Nowadays, most crypto holders cannot transact meaningfully without submitting government-verified proof of identity documents, consenting to tracking of their wallets and filling out disclosure forms.

The change has been transformative on the infrastructural level, too. Crypto mining, once a core element of cryptocurrency’s decentralized nature, is now concentrated among a handful of industrial operators. It no longer makes financial sense for an individual to compete against the immense computational power of these mining farms and their massive electricity requirements.

Another essential element in guaranteeing decentralization and anonymity was crypto owners holding their own keys in self-custody wallets, embodied in the community principle “not your keys, not your coins.” For various reasons, mainly convenience, fear of loss and lack of technical skills on the part of many investors that joined the crypto space later, crypto holders now increasingly rely on custodial platforms that replicate the very third-party dependence Bitcoin was designed to eliminate. Even stablecoins, the most widely used crypto instruments today, are explicitly reliant on centralized issuers, commercial bank accounts and state-regulated custodians.

The future of cryptocurrencies points to the consolidation of Bitcoin as a digital store of value and greater institutional integration. The market is expected to mature with lower volatility, new price highs by 2026, and the tokenization of real assets, despite geopolitical uncertainties and downturns.

Trends for the future of cryptocurrencies (below):

Bitcoin as "digital gold": The view that Bitcoin is an emerging digital store of value tends to consolidate, with the possibility of being adopted in central bank reserves.

Institutional adoption: Institutional interest remains strong, with Bitcoin being seen as safe due to its mining power, while Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL) lead in DeFi and practical applications.

New highs (2026): Projections suggest that, after periods of decline, Bitcoin may surpass historical records by 2026, ending traditional four-year cycles.

Regulation and maturity: Regulation is becoming clearer, with central banks debating tariffs and capital requirements, which brings more security to the market.

Technology and usability: The focus is shifting to usability and scalability (Solana) and tokenization of real assets, making the market less focused solely on speculation.

Risks and challenges:

-Persistent volatility: Despite the long-term trend, the market remains volatile, with risk correlations, especially with technology stocks (Nasdaq).

-Geopolitical uncertainty: Global events can generate extreme scenarios, from Bitcoin reaching very high values ​​to facing significant drops.

In short, the crypto future tends to be a mix of financial maturity with blockchain technology, moving from a purely speculative environment to integration into the traditional financial system.

mundophone

TECH

The EU is preparing to open Android to rival AI assistants

The opening of Android to rival AI assistants is at the heart of one of the European Commission’s most ambitious regulatory offensives. Under the Digital Markets Act, Brussels is preparing to impose binding obligations on Google that could transform how two billion devices interact with artificial intelligence.

The European Commission opened two specification processes on January 27, 2026, each focusing on a separate obligation under the Digital Markets Act. The first, under Article 6(7), requires Google to ensure third parties “free and effective interoperability” with the Android hardware and software features that Gemini uses exclusively. The second, under Article 6(11), obliges the company to share anonymized search data with competing search engines and artificial intelligence vendors, on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms.

On April 16, the Commission published preliminary findings on data sharing, in a 29-page document detailing what data to transmit, how it should be anonymized and what audit regime governs it. The public consultation ran until May 1st. The process related to Android interoperability follows a parallel timeline, with imminent conclusions, according to Bloomberg.

In practice, opening Android to competing AI assistants could mean that any user can now set ChatGPT or Claude as the system's default assistant, with the same privileges that Gemini holds. This includes voice activation, access to always-on features, and integration with apps like Gmail or Google Calendar, something that rivals cannot do with the same depth.

Brussels' position is clear. A company that controls about 65 percent of the mobile operating system market in Europe cannot be the sole arbiter of which AI speaks to the phone.

The race between Brussels and Gemini...The timing of this dispute is not accidental. Google completed the transition from Google Assistant to Gemini on Android devices in March 2026, just as the specification processes were gaining momentum. Each software update deepens the integration of Gemini into the ecosystem, which makes the regulatory task more complex as the binding decision approaches.

This decision must be adopted by July 27, 2026. If Google fails to comply, the Commission may open a formal investigation that could result in fines of up to 10 percent of annual revenue globally.

Google does not accept demands passively. The company claims that the measures could "compromise the privacy, security, and innovation" of users, further arguing that the data-sharing proposals "impose ineffective anonymization to increase data volume," putting privacy at risk to satisfy what it describes as "unlimited demands from competitors."

The skepticism is partially justified. Opening access to features such as voice-activated word detection and on-screen content reading to any artificial intelligence vendor creates a wider attack surface. The question of how to audit, in practice, the fulfillment of anonymization obligations remains, for now, without a clear answer from Brussels.

There is also legitimate market tension. OpenAI and Anthropic, the main beneficiaries of these measures, are for-profit companies with commercial interests as pronounced as those of Google itself.

A precedent with global reach...The July decision is not confined to the borders of the European Union. The UK's Competition and Markets Authority is closely monitoring developments, and regulatory pressure on digital markets in the United States, although less structured, is growing in Congress.

If Brussels confirms that the Digital Markets Act can effectively, and not just formally, impose the opening of Android to AI assistants, it creates a model that other regulators can adapt. The real test is not the decision itself. It's the implementation.

The European Union (EU) is stepping up measures to compel Google to open the Android operating system to third-party artificial intelligence (AI) assistants. The goal is to ensure that competitors have the same access to device features as Gemini. The European Commission's decision, based on the Digital Markets Act (DMA), is scheduled for July 2026.

Key points of the EU intervention(below):

Interoperability access: The European Commission has initiated procedures to ensure that assistants such as ChatGPT and Claude can use Android features, such as voice activation and on-screen content monitoring. These features are currently reserved for Gemini.

Data sharing: Google has been instructed to share search data (ranking, query, clicks) with rival search engines on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms (FRAND).

Deadline and penalties: The EU has set a six-month deadline from January 2026 (ending in July) for Google to implement these changes. Non-compliance may result in fines of up to 10% of global annual revenue.

Antitrust investigation: In addition to the DMA, the EU is also investigating whether Google violated competition rules by using YouTube content to train its AI without compensation.

Context of the action...The move is part of the strict enforcement of the DMA. This law classifies tech giants as "gatekeepers," requiring greater competition and options for European consumers. The focus is not only on voice assistants but also on ensuring that search-based AI has an equal chance to compete.

Simultaneously, the EU is also pressing Meta to reverse the blocking of third-party AI assistants on WhatsApp. The goal is to prevent the exclusion of Meta AI competitors from the European market.

mundophone

DIGITAL LIFE

US warns allies about China distilling AI models

The distillation of AI models has reignited tensions between Washington and Beijing, in a new chapter of a years-long technological dispute, after the US State Department sent a diplomatic cable to consular and diplomatic posts worldwide on April 25, 2026, according to a Reuters exclusive. The document instructs missions to warn allied governments about what Washington describes as systematic efforts by Chinese companies to extract American artificial intelligence technology. Companies named include DeepSeek, Moonshot AI, and MiniMax, and a separate request was sent directly to Beijing.

The diplomatic cable was sent a day after DeepSeek launched the V4 model on April 24. The Hangzhou-based startup has unveiled two variants: the V4-Pro, with 1.6 trillion total parameters and 49 billion active parameters per token, and the V4-Flash, a lighter version with 284 billion total parameters and 13 billion active parameters. Both models support a context window of one million tokens and were released under the MIT open-source license, according to technical documentation available on the Hugging Face platform.

The company claims that the V4-Pro rivals the best closed-source systems from OpenAI and Anthropic, namely GPT-5.4 and Claude Opus 4.6. According to independent analysis by Artificial Analysis, the V4-Pro leads open-source models in programming (LiveCodeBench: 93.5%), mathematics (IMOAnswerBench: 89.8%), and autonomous agent tasks (SWE-bench Verified: 80.6%). The open-license launch creates a contradiction that Washington has not directly addressed: any entity can legally study and adapt V4, raising questions about the effectiveness of a purely diplomatic response.

The White House memo and the legislative response...On April 23, a day before the diplomatic cable, the director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), Michael Kratsios, issued a memo accusing entities “primarily based in China” of conducting “deliberate, industrial-scale campaigns” to extract American frontier models, according to the Financial Times and confirmed by Reuters. The document commits the Trump administration to sharing information on extraction tactics with American AI companies and exploring accountability measures.

In Congress, the Deterring American AI Model Theft Act bill, introduced on April 15 by Representative Bill Huizenga and registered on the official GovInfo portal under reference H.R. 8283, proposes the creation of a public list of entities that carry out model extraction attacks, making them eligible for sanctions and inclusion on restricted entity lists. The bill also creates a mechanism for the State Department to collaborate with private industry in sharing best practices and analyzing attacks. On April 16, the chairman of the House Special Committee on China, John Moolenaar, accused Chinese laboratories of resorting to "unauthorized distillation attacks" because they lack sufficient chips to develop models independently [unverified information, requires editorial confirmation].

OpenAI warned Congress in February 2026 about the use of obfuscated proxy accounts created to extract responses from ChatGPT. Anthropic published a report, reported by VentureBeat, that identified approximately 24,000 fraudulent accounts associated with three Chinese companies, but with very different volumes: MiniMax generated more than 13 million interactions with the chatbot Claude, Moonshot AI 3.4 million, and DeepSeek around 150,000. This asymmetry, which the report does not explain, weakens the narrative of a coordinated operation between the three entities.

Both companies have a direct commercial and reputational interest in discrediting Chinese competitors, which does not invalidate the evidence but requires independent scrutiny. To date, this scrutiny has not been carried out by any verifiable external body.

The spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Guo Jiakun, described the accusations as "totally unfounded" and a "slanderous smear campaign against the successes of the Chinese artificial intelligence industry," in statements quoted by Notícias ao Minuto. The Chinese embassy in Washington urged Washington to “respect the facts, abandon its prejudices, and cease its policy of technological containment.” No international judicial or regulatory body has analyzed or confirmed the allegations made by the American companies.

The dispute comes less than three weeks before the summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, scheduled for May 14 and 15 in Beijing, according to the BBC and the South China Morning Post. The distillation of AI models thus enters the agenda of a bilateral relationship already marked by restrictions on chip exports, tariffs, and disputes over intellectual property. The question the technology sector is asking is straightforward: will the administration impose sanctions, or will it use this dossier as a bargaining chip in Beijing?

AI model distillation, a process where a smaller "student" model is trained to replicate the behavior of a larger, more complex "teacher" model, presents significant risks, ranging from ethical and security issues to threats to intellectual property. While useful for optimization, the technique has been exploited for malicious purposes.

Key dangers of AI model distillation(below):

-Intellectual property theft (distillation attacks): Distillation can be used to "steal" advanced models, bypassing the high cost of research and development. This undermines the competitive advantage of companies that have invested significant resources.

-National security risks: Illegally distilled models can be used to bypass security protections. This can enable the development of offensive cyberattacks or facilitate the use of AI to create biological weapons.

-Replication of biases and errors: If the "teacher" model has biases or contains errors, the distilled "student" model will inherit and often amplify these flaws, generating unsafe or discriminatory results.

-Loss of control and reliability: Industrial-scale distilled models may lack the safeguards of the original models, resulting in unstable and unreliable systems.

-Geopolitical issues and unfair competition: There are reports of Chinese companies using intermediary accounts to distill US models (such as Claude and Gemini), generating tensions and investigations into technological espionage.

Threat context: It is difficult to completely prevent distillation, as the basic function of a large language model (LLM) is to answer questions. Companies are focusing on layered security measures, such as API rate limiting and detection of suspicious query patterns.

by mundophone

TAG HEUER

TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph arrives in five pastel shades

TAG Heuer unveiled the pastel collection of the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph 38mm, announced on April 21, 2026 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. The five new references expand the Formula 1 line with a unique color palette, combining the Calibre TH50-00 solar movement with cases in composite materials and sandblasted steel. Availability on exclusive e-commerce begins on April 28, with general sales starting on May 1, 2026.

2025 was indeed a major year for TAG Heuer; not only did they make a triumphant return as the official timekeeper for Formula 1, but they also rolled back the clock and reintroduced the Formula 1 Solargraph, an instant hit with TAG Heuer enthusiasts and collectors, but also a watch that works as a springboard for new TAG Heuer fans to enter the fold. A year on, and the watch world had just about gotten used to the fact that the colourful F1 is back in the catalogue, and so, it would be a perfect opportunity for TAG Heuer to stir things up once more. So, after plenty of stirring and playing with the Polylight colour options at the factory, the Formula 1 Solargraph is back for 2026, this time letting a pastel palette set the tone, without softening the attitude.

The welcomed, slightly beefier proportions of last year’s model carry over to this new pastel collection, measuring 38mm in diameter and 9.9mm thick, with two variations available. First, two models feature a sandblasted stainless steel case, and we’ll get onto why in a moment, while the other three feature cases made from TAG Heuer’s proprietary bio-polamide plastic, Polylight.

These three are finished in pastel blue, beige, and pink, and feature case-matching rubber straps and bidirectional-rotating Polylight bezels. For the sake of durability, all of the F1 Solargraphs come equipped with screw-down crowns and casebacks, ensuring a 100-metre water resistance.

The TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph is powered by the Calibre TH50-00, the brand's proprietary solar movement. Two minutes of exposure to direct sunlight is enough to power the watch for an entire day. A full charge, achieved after less than 40 hours of light exposure, ensures up to ten months of autonomy in total darkness.

After a complete stop, the watch resumes operation with just ten seconds of light exposure. The battery has an estimated lifespan of 15 years. TAG Heuer does not detail in the press release the technical specifications that differentiate the Calibre TH50-00 from solar movements from manufacturers such as Citizen or Seiko, which have been on the market for decades at significantly lower prices.

Since its launch in 1986, the Formula 1 line was the first to bear the TAG Heuer name and introduced the use of composite material cases and bold colors in a sector dominated by conventional metals. The new pastel collection recovers this original chromatic spirit, reinterpreting it with soft tones: beige, pastel pink, pastel blue, pastel green, and lavender blue.

The choice of color palette is not merely aesthetic. By opting for colors that appeal to a younger audience and a female clientele, TAG Heuer is deliberately broadening the spectrum of potential buyers for the Formula 1 line, without abandoning the visual references that define it: the Mercedes pointer, the applied shields, and the bidirectional rotating bezel.

Five references, two price segments...The collection is divided into two distinct groups, with different materials, finishes, and prices.

The three references in TH Polylight cases, available in pastel blue, beige, and pastel pink with a matching rubber strap, are positioned in the entry-level segment of the collection. They are the most accessible and best evoke the original spirit of the 1980s Formula 1 line.

The two references in sandblasted steel, with a three-row bracelet and hour markers set with eight VS diamonds, elevate the design to a more formal level. The pastel green model and the lavender blue model with a pastel pink minute track combine luminosity and understated sophistication. 

The indicated print runs are global, according to the official TAG Heuer statement. The document does not specify distribution by market.

The exclusive online sale begins on April 28, 2026, on the official TAG Heuer website. General sales, in boutiques and authorized points of sale, begin on May 1, 2026. The reference prices by market are as follows: 1,850 to 2,650 CHF in Switzerland, 1,650 to 2,350 GBP in the United Kingdom and 1,950 to 2,800 USD in the United States.

The TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph occupies a precise position in the brand's catalog: above the accessibility of large volume watchmaking groups, but below the barrier of the Carrera and Monaco segments. With prices between 1,950 and 2,800 euros and limited print runs, TAG Heuer creates conditions for controlled demand without compromising the perception of exclusivity. The integration of the Solargraph movement into a collection historically associated with color and youth culture is consistent with the brand's strategy. It remains to be seen whether this technology will be extended to other lines in the catalog in the medium term, or if it will remain a distinctive element of the Formula 1 line.