Antares Nuclear, Inc. announced Thursday that its Mark-0 microreactor achieved criticality at Idaho National Laboratory, becoming the first advanced reactor to reach the milestone under a U.S. Department of Energy pilot program established after President Donald Trump’s 2025 executive order aimed at accelerating nuclear development.

The Torrance, California-based company said the reactor reached initial criticality under DOE authorization, making Antares the first private company to bring an advanced reactor to criticality through the Department of Energy’s Reactor Pilot Program.

“Hitting our commitments is everything to us. Nuclear in America has been defined for too long by delays, by companies that said they would and then didn’t,” Antares CEO Jordan Bramble said. “We said criticality in 2026, electricity production in 2027, and power to the warfighter in 2028. Today is the first of those commitments delivered on the schedule we set.”

Criticality occurs when a reactor achieves a self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction, a major milestone in reactor development. Antares said the demonstration validated key reactor physics parameters and produced testing data and control system performance information that will support future reactor development.

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The Department of Energy confirmed the achievement Thursday, describing it as the first privately developed non-light-water reactor to reach criticality in the U.S. in more than four decades.

“Today’s achievement is a historic moment for American nuclear energy,” Energy Secretary Chris Wright said in a statement. “By bringing the first American non-light water privately developed reactor to criticality in more than four decades, Antares has shown what is possible when American innovation is unleashed.”

The milestone comes just over a year after Trump signed four executive orders directing the federal government to accelerate reactor testing, expand domestic nuclear fuel production and streamline pathways for advanced nuclear technologies.

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One of those orders, Executive Order 14301, directed the Department of Energy to establish a pilot program designed to speed testing and demonstration of advanced reactor designs. The administration set a goal of achieving criticality for advanced reactor concepts by July 4, 2026.

“The President and DOE set an ambitious timeline for reactor testing, and we met that challenge,” Bramble said. “I want to thank our partners at the Department of Energy, Idaho National Lab, BWXT, and the U.S. Army. This is what happens when industry and government work together to accomplish big things.”

Antares said the criticality demonstration was conducted in partnership with the Department of Energy, Idaho National Laboratory and BWX Technologies, while the U.S. Army participated as a future end user of the technology.

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The company said the Mark-0 used TRISO fuel fabricated by BWXT and benefited from fuel technology developed through Project Pele, a Defense Department effort to build transportable microreactors for military applications.

DOE officials said the achievement demonstrates the potential of the Reactor Pilot Program.

“The skeptics didn’t believe President Trump’s Reactor Pilot Program could achieve criticality in less than a year,” Assistant Secretary of Nuclear Energy Ted Garrish said. “Today, we celebrate the first of the pilot projects to reach criticality and the people who rolled up their sleeves to shape the future of nuclear energy in the United States.”

The company said engineers gained critical insight into reactor physics, control systems and supply chain performance during the demonstration. The data will be used to support future reactor development and eventual commercial licensing.

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“We went from concept to a critical reactor, safely, in less than 12 months. That doesn’t happen by accident. The team treated the schedule as non-negotiable,” Bramble said. “For the American nuclear renaissance to succeed, we need efficient, iterative reactor testing, not a decade per design.”

Antares said it expects to begin producing electricity from the same facility in 2027 and remains on track to deploy electricity-generating microreactors to U.S. military installations by 2028.

Both Sony and Microsoft used their showcases as a way to confirm they’re refocusing on tried-and-true strategies like exclusive games and single-player blockbusters. Meanwhile, every publisher in existence seemed to be avoiding going up against Grand Theft Auto VI on the release calendar, and there were some very welcome game announcements, particularly if you’re a fan of Final Fantasy or Persona.

If you couldn’t keep up with everything live, here are the most important storylines to catch up on.

After an ill-fated — and very expensive — foray into live-service games, it appears that Sony’s gaming division has a renewed focus on the single-player epics it’s known for. The company’s showcase was dominated by Insomniac’s Wolverine and the surprise announcement of God of War Laufey.

The next Grand Theft Auto wasn’t featured in any of the SGF showcases, but its presence was still felt. While lots of games got release dates, virtually none of them were during November, which just so happens to be when GTA VI launches. Instead, we have a very busy September and plenty of titles pushed into 2027.

Alan Wake studio Remedy hit a snag with the disastrous launch of the multiplayer shooter FBC: Firebreak. But based on our time with the upcoming sequel Control Resonant, it appears the developer is getting back to what it’s best at: mind-bending single-player action games.

Indie duo Metanet is back with yet another return to its N series of platformers, but this time the focus is on multiplayer. And for fans of the hidden object game Hidden Folks, it’s also getting a sequel, which will launch a full decade after the original.

We knew it was coming, and now it’s official: The third and final installment of the FFVII remake trilogy is coming. It’s called Revelation, and it launches next spring across basically all platforms simultaneously. And yes, Queen’s Blood is coming back.

It’s been a long wait since Persona 5, and it’ll likely still be a while longer. Atlus confirmed Persona 6 exists, but the developer didn’t provide much in the way of detail, suggesting that the RPG is still fairly early in development.

After years of pushing on a multiplatform strategy, Microsoft is reversing course — at least a little bit. Its next big Xbox Game Studios title, Gears of War: E-Day, will be an Xbox console exclusive, whereas many expected it to come to the PS5, much like last year’s Gears remake. However, outside of Gears, many first-party titles from Xbox — like Fable and Halo — are still coming to PlayStation, so it’s unclear just how significant this change is.

Apple has spent years telling us that privacy starts on the device. For many users, that message feels reassuring. Your messages, photos, emails and app data sit in your hand, protected by Face ID, passcodes and Apple’s security layers. Now, new research gives Apple’s on-device AI a reality check.

Researchers with RSAC Research found a way to manipulate Apple Intelligence using prompt injection, adversarial prompts and Unicode tricks. In 100 tests, they reported a 76% success rate against the on-device model used by Apple Intelligence. The researchers disclosed the findings to Apple on October 15, 2025. Apple later hardened protections in iOS 26.4 and macOS 26.4, according to RSAC.

Here’s the part that should get your attention: this kind of attack may not require someone to steal your iPhone, crack your passcode or break into Apple’s servers. It could start with carefully crafted text that tricks the AI into doing something you never asked it to do. If your phone’s AI can read, summarize, rewrite or help apps take action, attackers will try to trick it into doing things you never intended.

So what can you do? Start by understanding how this attack works, why Apple patched it and which settings can lower your risk.

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What researchers found in Apple Intelligence

RSAC researchers tested the on-device large language model built into Apple’s operating systems. That’s important because third-party apps can access Apple Intelligence through system tools and APIs.

Their attack used two main techniques. The first, called Neural Exec, used strange-looking prompts designed to confuse the model and push it toward a specific response. The second used Unicode’s right-to-left override feature. That feature can make text appear in a different direction, which may help hide malicious instructions from filters while still influencing the model.

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In simple terms, the attack tried to sneak instructions past Apple’s AI safeguards. The prompts may look meaningless to you and me. Yet the model may still interpret them as commands. That is where the risk grows. Apple Intelligence can connect to apps and system features. So a manipulated response could do more than produce a strange answer. In a worst-case scenario, attackers could try to manipulate data or functions available to an Apple Intelligence-enabled app, especially if that app has access to sensitive information.

Why Apple Intelligence prompt injection matters

Prompt injection is one of the biggest security problems facing AI tools. It happens when attackers hide instructions inside text that an AI model later reads. Think about a suspicious email, a strange document or a webpage with hidden text. You may see one thing. The AI model may process something else.

That creates a new kind of risk. An attacker may not need to break into your iPhone. They may only need to get a carefully crafted message, file or app input in front of the AI model.

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If an app asks Apple Intelligence to summarize that content, rewrite it or act on it, the hidden prompt could try to steer the response. For you, that means AI safety now depends on more than strong passwords and software updates. It also depends on how well AI tools handle hostile instructions.

How Apple Intelligence works on your iPhone

Apple Intelligence uses a hybrid design. Some tasks run directly on your iPhone, iPad or Mac. More complex requests may move through Apple’s Private Cloud Compute system.

Apple has framed that setup as a privacy-focused alternative to cloud-only AI tools. That approach makes sense. Keeping more processing on your device can reduce how much personal data leaves your phone.

However, local AI does not automatically mean risk-free AI. RSAC’s research shows that deeper system access can create a larger attack surface. The more Apple Intelligence connects with apps and system features, the more important the guardrails become.

A simple writing tool carries one level of risk. An AI tool that understands personal context and works across apps carries a higher one.

Why this Apple AI security flaw raises concerns

The concern here goes beyond strange chatbot responses. Apple Intelligence can connect directly to apps through system-level tools. That means manipulated responses could affect how an app behaves. Researchers said the model could be pushed into generating offensive or unintended responses. They also warned that attackers could potentially manipulate data and functionality available to an affected Apple Intelligence-enabled app.

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RSAC estimated that between 100,000 and 1 million users may already be using apps with potential exposure. That estimate was based on apps Apple had identified as using the on-device LLM and RSAC’s rough calculations from App Store review data. That does not mean criminals are actively using this exact attack right now. RSAC said there was no public evidence of active exploitation when the research appeared. Still, the high success rate makes the findings hard to ignore.

What Apple has done about the iPhone AI risk

RSAC shared its findings with Apple before making the research public. According to RSAC, Apple hardened the affected systems against this attack in iOS 26.4 and macOS 26.4. Apple has not publicly detailed every change. That is common with security fixes, since companies often avoid giving attackers a roadmap.

The research appears to be a proof of concept, not a known active attack against everyday users. The most important takeaway for users is simple: keep your devices updated. Security patches only help if they reach your phone. If you delay updates for weeks or months, you may miss protections that close known gaps.

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Ways to stay safe with Apple Intelligence

You do not need to stop using Apple Intelligence, but you should treat it like any powerful phone feature: keep it updated, limit what it can access, and stay careful with unfamiliar content.

1) Update your iPhone, iPad and Mac

Start with the easiest protection. Make sure your device runs the latest software.

On iPhone: Settings > General > Software Update

On Mac: Click the Apple menu in the upper-left corner of your screen > System Settings > General > Software Update

Turn on automatic updates when possible. That helps your device receive security fixes as soon as Apple releases them.

2) Review your Apple Intelligence settings

If you do not use certain Apple Intelligence features, consider turning them off or limiting them. This can reduce how often AI tools interact with your apps, messages, summaries and personal content.

On iPhone: Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri

From there, review which features are enabled. Turn off anything you do not need. 

3) Be selective with AI-powered apps

Do not give every app access to sensitive information just because it offers an AI feature. Before installing an app, check the developer, reviews and privacy details. Also, ask yourself whether the app really needs access to your messages, files, photos or contacts. If the answer feels unclear, skip it.

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4) Watch what you ask AI to summarize

Prompt injection can hide inside content that looks harmless. That could include emails, webpages, documents, notes or copied text. Be careful when asking AI to summarize unfamiliar content. A malicious file could contain hidden instructions meant for the AI rather than you.

5) Review app permissions

Take a few minutes to check which apps can access your private data.

On iPhone: Settings > Privacy & Security

Then review categories such as Photos, Contacts, Location Services, Microphone and Files. Remove access when an app no longer needs it.

6) Avoid pasting sensitive details into AI tools

Keep your most sensitive information out of AI prompts when possible. That includes Social Security numbers, banking details, tax documents, medical records and passwords. AI can help with many tasks. It should not become a dumping ground for your private life.

7) Delete apps you no longer use

Unused apps can put your data at risk. If you downloaded an app months ago and forgot about it, remove it.

On iPhone: Touch and hold the app > Remove App > Delete App > Delete

The fewer apps you keep, the fewer ways your personal data can move around. 

8) Add strong antivirus software

Strong antivirus software adds another layer of protection against malicious links, scam websites, infected downloads and phishing attacks that may try to steal your personal information. While antivirus software will not directly stop every AI prompt injection risk, it can help block threats before they reach your device or trick you into handing over sensitive data.

The best antivirus software can also warn you about suspicious emails, dangerous attachments and fake websites. That extra protection becomes more important as scammers use AI to make attacks look more convincing. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com

9) Consider identity theft protection

Identity theft protection will not stop a prompt injection attack. Still, it can help if your personal information gets exposed or misused. A good identity theft protection service can monitor your personal data, alert you to suspicious activity and help you respond if someone tries to open accounts or use your identity. As AI tools become more integrated with apps and personal data, that extra monitoring can provide another layer of protection. See my tips and best picks on Best Identity Theft Protection at Cyberguy.com

10) Use stronger iPhone security settings

Keep Face ID or Touch ID enabled. Use a strong passcode instead of a simple four-digit code. Also, turn on Stolen Device Protection if your iPhone supports it.

On iPhone: Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Enter your passcode if prompted > Stolen Device Protection

This will not stop prompt injection by itself. However, it adds another layer if someone gets physical access to your phone.

Kurt’s key takeaways

Apple Intelligence still has a strong privacy story. Running more AI tasks on your iPhone and using Private Cloud Compute for tougher requests gives Apple a real advantage over many cloud-only AI tools. But this research is a reminder that private does not always mean untouchable. If an AI model can read prompts, summarize content and connect with apps, attackers will look for ways to bend it to their advantage. For you, the takeaway is simple. Keep your devices updated, be selective about AI-powered apps and think twice before letting AI process sensitive information. Apple can build strong walls around your data, but you still decide what you invite inside.

Would you trust an AI assistant more because it runs on your iPhone, or does deeper access to your personal data make you more cautious? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

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