If you asked me what I’d change about the Xbox Ally X handheld — aside from fixing Windows, I mean — I’d tell you two key things.
Technology
These robot dogs paint like Picasso and fetch up to $40K for their art
Agnieszka Pilat is not your typical artist.
She doesn’t use brushes, pencils or even her own hands to create her artwork.
Instead, she uses robots — specifically, robot dogs made by Boston Dynamics
Artist Agnieszka Pilat with robot dogs (Agnieszka Pilat)
The robot dogs that paint like humans
Pilat, who was born in Poland and now lives in the U.S., spent months teaching three of these four-legged machines named Basia, Vanya and Bunny to hold a paintbrush in their “mouths” and move them across a large canvas, turning the paint into abstract art.
They use sensors, cameras and artificial intelligence to perceive and navigate their surroundings.
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Pilat said she first became fascinated by the robot dogs when she saw them on YouTube. She contacted Boston Dynamics and asked if she could collaborate with them. The company agreed and taught her how to use the robot dogs. She then painted a few portraits of one of them before she started actively working with them as her creative companions.
Robot dog artist (Agnieszka Pilat)
The robot dogs are rewarded with a residency
The robots have been rewarded with a four-month residency at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) in Melbourne, Australia, where they are creating art in their custom-built studio.
WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?
The exhibit is called “Heterobota,” and the robots are fully autonomous. Pilat says this was a significant shift in her practice. Previously, she was always in the studio with the robots, where they felt more like an extension of her arm.
Robot dog artist (Agnieszka Pilat)
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How the robot dogs paint autonomously
To navigate the space, the robots rely on little cubes of QR codes that are scattered about the space. When they need to rest and recharge, they return to their docking stations. Pilat worked with engineers and the museum to bring her vision to life. The result is a series of 36 paintings that resemble human works of art.
Some of these paintings have sold for up to $40,000 at auction.
Robot dogs at the exhibition (Agnieszka Pilat)
The robots can be seen painting, navigating their environment and self-charging in the show, which runs until April 7. The exhibition’s theme is generative AI. Pilat said a language is embedded in the 16 symbols featured in the paintings.
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Giving technology a voice
Pilat says she wanted to use her art skills to train a new generation of painters and to give technology a voice. She says she sees technology as a form of life, and she wants to explore its potential for creativity and expression. She says she also wanted to challenge the perception that technology is cold, impersonal or even threatening. Instead, she says she wants to show that technology can be warm, playful and even artistic.
MORE: THIS CHINESE COMPANY THINKS IT CAN MAKE A MORE POWERFUL PET ROBOT DOG THAN THE U.S.
Kurt’s key takeaways
Agnieszka Pilat is an amazing artist who uses robot dogs as her collaborators. She taught them how to paint, and now we get to see the awesome art they are creating. She also shows us through her exhibit that technology can be creative and expressive, not cold or threatening. Her exhibition, “Heterobota,” is a unique and inspiring showcase of the fusion of art and technology.
What do you think of the paintings created by the robot dogs? Do you like them, dislike them or find them intriguing? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact
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We may just have gotten an early look at the Google Pixel Watch 5 — and from an unusual source. Randy Pitchford, the creator of the Borderlands game franchise, posted a pair of images of a watch on X, saying that his friend found it underwater while scuba diving near Saint Martin, as reported earlier by Kotaku.
“He noted that the reverse of the watch indicates that it is a Google Pixel 5, which has not yet been announced, let alone released,” Pitchford writes. “It seems to be fine. The face indicates an empty battery, but seems to have enough reserve power to display the correct time.” After putting out a call to find its owner, Pitchford said someone contacted him and that he’s “arranged for its return.” Google didn’t immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.
Google typically shows off its newest Pixel devices in August. That means we’ll find out if someone really dropped a not-yet-revealed Pixel Watch 5 into the ocean in just a few short months.
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Apple devices have earned a reputation for being tough to break into. That comes from Apple’s tight control over the hardware, software and many of the protections standing between you and an attacker. However, a new claim from security startup Calif shows how quickly the cybersecurity world may be changing.
Calif says a small team of researchers used a preview version of Anthropic’s Claude Mythos to help build a working macOS kernel exploit against Apple’s new M5 chip protections in less than a week. A kernel exploit targets the core part of an operating system, which controls how your device runs and what apps can access.
The company says the exploit survived Apple’s Memory Integrity Enforcement, or MIE, a security feature designed to make memory-based attacks much harder on newer chips. The bigger concern is speed. Artificial intelligence may help skilled researchers find serious software flaws faster than ever before, which means scammers and cybercriminals could eventually use similar tools to find weak spots before companies have time to patch them.
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Security researchers claim an AI-assisted tool helped build a working macOS kernel exploit against Apple’s M5 chip protections in less than a week. The report raises new questions about how quickly AI could accelerate vulnerability discovery. (Annette Riedl/picture alliance via Getty Images)
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Apple M5 AI exploit claim explained
Calif says its researchers built what it describes as the first public macOS kernel memory corruption exploit on M5 silicon with MIE enabled. The company says the attack targets macOS 26.4.1 on Apple M5 hardware.
It begins with a regular local user account and ends with root access. Root access gives someone the highest level of control on a Mac. That could let an attacker change system settings, reach sensitive files or run commands with powerful permissions.
That sounds alarming, but it needs context. Calif described this as a local privilege escalation chain. In everyday terms, an attacker would already need some way to get code running on the Mac first. This type of attack would more likely follow another step, such as a malicious download or compromised installer. Once bad code gets that first foothold, a privilege escalation bug can help it dig much deeper.
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Why Apple M5 security protections matter
Memory corruption bugs have been a favorite target for attackers for years. These flaws can let attackers crash software, steal data or take over parts of a system.
Apple’s Memory Integrity Enforcement was designed to make that type of attack far more difficult. Apple says MIE uses hardware-assisted memory safety protections on A19 and M5 processors or later. In simpler terms, MIE helps the chip and operating system check whether software touches memory in suspicious ways. That makes many older attack tricks harder to pull off.
That is why Calif’s claim warrants attention. The researchers say they found a way around those protections with help from Mythos Preview. That suggests AI could speed up the hunt for flaws, even in systems with advanced built-in defenses.
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How Claude Mythos helped find Apple bugs
Calif says Mythos Preview helped identify the bugs and assisted throughout exploit development. The company also made clear that human expertise still mattered.
According to Calif, Mythos found the bugs quickly because they belonged to known bug classes. However, bypassing Apple’s new protection required experienced researchers.
Think of it this way: AI helped point the researchers toward weak spots. People still had to understand how to turn those findings into a working exploit. That makes the story more concerning because AI may help skilled teams move much faster.
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Mozilla has already seen similar potential. The organization said an early version of Claude Mythos Preview helped identify 271 vulnerabilities fixed in Firefox 150. Mozilla said those findings came during an evaluation of the model’s ability to help with security work.
So the bigger story goes beyond Apple. Advanced AI tools may give security researchers more speed. Those same tools could eventually help attackers search for software flaws faster, too.
Why the Apple M5 AI exploit should worry Mac users
Most people do not think about kernel exploits when they open up their laptops. They think about email, work and family photos. That is exactly why this story hits closer to home than it may seem.
If researchers can find high-impact bugs faster with AI, attackers may eventually try to do the same. The unsettling part is the speed. A flaw that once took months to discover might surface much sooner when AI helps scan code and suggest attack paths.
Calif called its work “a glimpse of what is coming.” That may sound dramatic, but the warning is easy to understand. Cybersecurity teams may need AI to defend systems as quickly as attackers use AI to search for weak spots.
MAC MALWARE MAYHEM AS 100 MILLION APPLE USERS AT RISK OF HAVING PERSONAL DATA STOLEN
A cybersecurity startup says researchers used Anthropic’s Claude Mythos Preview to uncover flaws that bypass Apple’s Memory Integrity Enforcement on M5-powered Macs. (Photo by Annette Riedl/picture alliance via Getty Images)
What the Apple M5 exploit means to you
This does not mean your Mac has suddenly become unsafe. Apple’s security model remains one of the strongest in consumer tech. It also does not mean MIE failed as a protection. No security feature blocks every attack forever.
DON’T IGNORE APPLE’S URGENT SECURITY UPDATE
However, updates now matter more than ever. Calif says it shared its findings with Apple and plans to release full technical details after Apple ships a fix. That is how responsible disclosure should work. Researchers report the issue first, the company investigates it, and users get a patch before attackers get a roadmap.
We reached out to Apple for comment, but did not hear back before our deadline.
That brings us to this: what you can do now to lower your risk.
10 SIMPLE CYBERSECURITY RESOLUTIONS FOR A SAFER 2026
How to protect your Mac from AI-powered attacks
You do not need to become a cybersecurity expert to lower your risk. A few smart habits can make it much harder for attackers to get the access they need.
1) Keep macOS updated
Start with software updates. On your Mac, go to Apple menu > System Settings > General > Software Update. Install any available macOS updates. Also, turn on automatic updates where possible. This helps your Mac get important security fixes without waiting for you to remember.
2) Avoid suspicious downloads
Be careful with apps from links, pop-ups or unfamiliar websites. If an attacker needs code running on your Mac first, a fake app can become the front door. Download apps from the Mac App Store or directly from trusted developers. Also, pause before opening installers sent through email or social media links. Strong antivirus software can add another layer of protection by helping detect malicious downloads, suspicious links and scam websites before they put your Mac at risk. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at CyberGuy.com.
3) Check app permissions
Review which apps have access to sensitive parts of your Mac. Go to Apple menu > System Settings > Privacy & Security and check permissions for areas such as Accessibility, Camera, Microphone and Screen Recording. Remove access for apps you do not recognize or no longer use. These permissions can give apps powerful reach across your device.
4) Use strong Apple Account protection
Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) for your Apple Account. This adds another layer of protection if someone steals or guesses your password. Also, use a strong, unique password. Do not reuse the same password you use for email or banking. A password manager can help create and store unique passwords for each account, so you do not have to remember them all yourself. Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at CyberGuy.com.
5) Keep browsers and extensions updated
Your browser is one of the most common places where attacks begin. Keep Safari, Chrome, Firefox or any other browser updated. Then, review your browser extensions. Remove anything you do not use or do not recognize. A shady extension can track your activity, inject ads or collect sensitive data.
Safari: Open Safari > Settings > Extensions. Uncheck any extension you do not recognize or select it and click Uninstall. Safari extensions update automatically with their apps.
Chrome: Open Chrome > three dots > Help > About Google Chrome to check for updates. To review extensions, go to Chrome > three dots > Extensions > Manage Extensions. Remove anything suspicious or unnecessary.
Firefox: Open Firefox > Firefox menu > About Firefox to check for updates. To review add-ons, go to Firefox > Add-ons and themes > Extensions. Remove anything you do not recognize. Firefox recommends keeping add-ons set to update automatically.
6) Watch for fake security alerts
Scammers love fake pop-ups that claim your Mac has a virus. These alerts often push you to download software or call a fake support number. Do not click the warning or call the number on the screen. Close the tab or quit the browser. If you feel unsure, restart your Mac and check for updates through System Settings.
7) Back up your Mac
Use Time Machine or another trusted backup method. A recent backup can help you recover if malware damages files or locks you out. Keep at least one backup separate from your Mac. That way, a device problem does not take your backup down with it.
8) Restart your Mac regularly
Many people leave their Macs running for weeks. A restart can help clear temporary processes and apply pending updates. A restart will not solve every security problem, but it can help your Mac finish updates and clear out processes that no longer need to run.
FBI WARNS OVER 1 MILLION ANDROID DEVICES HIJACKED BY MALWARE
Apple’s latest chip security features are under scrutiny after researchers claimed an AI-assisted exploit achieved root access on M5 hardware running macOS 26.4.1. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Kurt’s key takeaways
Apple built serious protections into its newest chips, and that still matters. But Calif’s claim shows that even the strongest consumer security systems now face a new kind of pressure. AI is starting to change the speed of vulnerability research. For you, the lesson is this. Keep your Mac updated. Be careful what you install. Review the apps that have deep access to your system. The age of “set it and forget it” security is fading fast. Your device may be smart, but the tools looking for its weak spots are getting smarter too.
If AI can help a small team challenge Apple’s newest defenses in days, should companies be required to disclose how they are using AI to find and fix security flaws before attackers do? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.
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First, give me a bigger, better screen. Even a little bit bigger, so games feel less claustrophobic and with less ugly bezel. Second, get rid of the “Library” button. I am so tired of an accidental press booting me out of my game and into the Xbox library without a simple way to get back.
With the just-announced ROG Xbox Ally X20, Asus did both — and then some. It’s now a slick translucent handheld with drift-resistant GuliKit TMR joysticks, a transforming D-pad that goes from 8-way to 4-way by dropping its corners when you rotate it, button tweaks, haptic feedback tweaks, fan tweaks… and what could now be the best screen on a handheld yet.
Image: Asus
Not only does the Xbox Ally X20 upgrade from an 7-inch IPS display to a 7.4-inch 120Hz OLED at the same performance-friendly 1080p resolution, the screen sounds fantastic. It’s a 600-nit panel in SDR with HDR peaks of 1400 nits, even higher than the Lenovo Legion Go 2, though both are certified VESA DisplayHDR TrueBlack 1000. And, it supports Dolby Vision.
Image: Asus
Like the Legion Go 2, it’s also got an improved variable refresh rate (VRR) that goes down to 30Hz instead of the 48Hz on the original Ally, which could make games feel smoother when the AMD Z2 Extreme chip can’t quite make a game hit 48fps to begin with. It’s the same chips here as in the original Xbox Ally X, by the way: AMD Z2 Extreme, with 24GB of 8000MT/sec RAM and 1TB of storage.
The handheld is slightly bigger to help accommodate the changes: 9mm wider, half a millimeter thicker, and 41 grams heavier.
Not only is that “Library” button gone, it’s been replaced with a new “Action” button that sounds genuinely useful: It’ll take a screenshot with a single press or a recording with a long press, like today’s console controllers typically do.
The ABXY buttons now sit flush against the casing when you press them down, the bumper switches are relocated and have a longer, quieter throw for better feedback, and the fans have been slightly redesigned to channel more fresh air through the chassis for lower touchscreen temps, Asus spokesperson Anthony Spence tells me.
Plus, the Xbox button now lights up green, which just sounds cool — and it has a far faster microSD Express card slot, like the Nintendo Switch 2.
Image: Asus
What’s not so cool, and frankly doesn’t make a lot of sense to me, is that Asus won’t let you buy it alone. This holiday, it’ll exclusively come as part of a bundle with a pair of Asus and Xreal’s pricey R1 glasses, which (at $849) cost almost as much as a $1,000 Xbox Ally X all by themselves.
Asus isn’t pricing the bundle yet, but I suspect the bundle is more to help cushion the high price of the handheld — at a time every other handheld is getting pricier — rather than to help sell glasses at a discount.
Image: Asus
Image: Asus
Image: Asus
I actually think a set of Xreal glasses are a good way to improve on smaller, more claustrophobic handheld screens, but if I’m buying a new Ally to get a better screen, do I really need the glasses too?
I guess I’ll dream on. For what it’s worth, Spence says he still hasn’t heard of any plans to increase the price of the original Xbox Ally X. It’s still at $1,000 for now. I’ve asked whether Asus will offer a way to remap the original handheld’s Library button, too.
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