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AI tools can automate large-scale tasks at a fraction of the usual cost, which makes them a great option for solo or small business setups.

If you can't invest in a sizeable employee headcount just yet, you can now limit your hires to key roles or just have a few contractors while everything else runs automatically. It's not a replacement for an actual large-scale enterprise operation, but it's a good enough solution to get your feet in and expand more thoughtfully.

So, here are 7 accessible AI platforms that I'd personally use if I were launching a new business in 2026.

Do you need AI to run a business in 2026?

No, not strictly. People built profitable small businesses before AI came along, and obviously, plenty still do. What's changed is the cost of not using AI relative to competitors who can automate the bulk of their work to move faster and scale up.

AI works best as a way to reclaim time on repetitive tasks, not as a replacement for anything that requires judgment. A chatbot can draft your customer email, a task manager can organize your daily workflows, a text generator can come up with marketing drafts. It won't replace your judgment in client relationships, but it will take some load off your back.

Businesses that get the most value pick two or three tools that solve a specific problem. Rather than bolting on every AI tool you can find, start with whatever's eating the most hours in your week, and build out from there. Here are my personal picks.

7 useful AI tools for solopreneurs and small businesses

I've picked one standout per category so you're not choosing between five near-identical products. There's plenty of competition in each space, but the ones recommended here are specific to smaller operations and priced accordingly.

Writing: Jasper

Jasper remains one of the most capable AI writing platforms for small teams that need consistent output across blog posts, ad copy, and social content. It works from your brand voice and past content, so drafts sound less generic than what you'd get from a bare chatbot prompt.

Jasper's Creator plan starts at $59 a seat per month when billed annually, or $69 monthly, with a Business tier that adds more seats and workflow features.

It's not the cheapest writing tool on the market, but the output usually needs less editing than lower-cost alternatives, which matters when you don't have a copywriter on staff. If you're only writing the occasional caption or product description, a general chatbot might cover it, but Jasper earns its keep once content becomes a weekly commitment.

Customer support: Tidio

Tidio is built with small teams in mind rather than enterprise support desks, pairing live chat with an AI agent called Lyro that reads your website and builds its own knowledge base automatically. That means you're not stuck writing scripts or training a bot from scratch before it can answer real customer questions.

Tidio's free plan covers 50 handled conversations a month, which is enough to test whether it fits your support volume before paying anything. Paid plans start at $59 a month for higher conversation limits, and Lyro AI costs another $39/month for 50 automated conversations. Setup is straightforward enough that most owners can have it live on their site within an hour.

Bookkeeping: QuickBooks Solopreneur

QuickBooks built a stripped-down tier specifically for people running side gigs or one-person operations who need to separate business and personal spending without a full accounting course. Intuit's AI features categorize transactions, flag anomalies, and estimate quarterly taxes as you go.

Pricing ranges from free to $20 a month for the Lite tier, which adds unlimited invoicing and automated sales tax tracking. It won't replace an accountant once your finances get complicated, but it's a sensible starting point for keeping records clean from day one.

Just don't skip a real bookkeeper once revenue climbs past a side-gig level. AI categorization still makes mistakes that a professional would catch.

Task management: Motion

Motion combines your calendar, task list, and meeting bookings into one AI-managed system that automatically reshuffles your day when priorities shift or meetings run long. It's built for people juggling client work and admin without an assistant to protect their time.

The AI Workplace plan starts at $29 a month. That said, users are split on how intuitive the interface feels at first, so it's worth running the free trial before committing to annual billing. It's most useful if your calendar gets disrupted often, since the automatic rescheduling does the negotiating you'd otherwise do by hand.

Design: Canva

Canva's Magic Studio bundles AI image generation, background removal, and one-click resizing into the same editor most small business owners already know from making social posts and flyers. You can generate a product photo, clean it up, and reformat it for five different platforms without leaving the tab.

Canva Pro costs $18 a month or $180 a year and unlocks the full range of Magic tools, on top of the platform's existing template library.

For businesses without a design budget, it's usually the fastest way to look professional without hiring anyone. It's worth pairing with a proper brand kit setup early, so every asset stays consistent as more people touch your Canva account.

Email marketing: Mailchimp

Mailchimp pairs its email and automation tools with AI content generation that drafts subject lines, full campaigns, and basic segmentation based on your past sends.

The Standard plan, which unlocks the generative AI tools, starts at $11.95 a month for up to 6,000 monthly email sends. The free tier still exists but was cut back sharply in January 2026, so budget for a paid plan if email is core to how you reach customers.

It's a reasonable fit if you're already sending newsletters or promotional emails and want to speed up the drafting stage. But remember to treat the AI drafts as a starting point rather than the finished send, since generic subject lines still underperform ones written with your actual audience in mind.

Workflow automation: Zapier

Zapier connects the other tools in your stack so information moves between them without you copying and pasting. Its newer AI Agents feature goes a step further, letting you describe a workflow in plain language and have it monitor for triggers and act automatically.

The Professional plan starts at $19.99 a month when billed annually, unlocking multi-step workflows and AI-assisted automations. If you've ever manually moved a new customer's details from a form into your CRM and email list, this is the category that fixes it. The free tier is usable for simple two-step automations, so it's a reasonable place to test whether automation actually saves you time before paying for it.

Things you should be aware of

Every tool above collects your data to function, and it's worth reading what happens to it before you upload customer details or draft sensitive documents. Some vendors also train future models on your inputs unless you actively opt out in account settings, which isn't always apparent right away. Check the privacy or data policy page for each tool rather than assuming the default options are safe.

Another thing to keep in mind is that costs can also creep up faster than expected. Several established AI platforms bill per resolution, per credit, or per task rather than charging a flat monthly fee. Usage-based pricing looks cheap right up until it doesn't, so set a spending alert where the platform allows it. Also review your invoice against your actual usage, at least for the first couple of months.

The final problem is accuracy and liability. AI-generated content, whether it's a customer support answer, a bookkeeping category, or an email to a client, can be confidently wrong, and you're the one who has to answer for it if it is. Treat it as a first draft that needs a human check before it reaches a customer, a regulator, or your tax return, especially anywhere money, legal terms, or compliance are involved.

• Vodafone TV is launching in October as a set top box and service
• It will come with access to Freely, Netflix, and HBO, plus Android TV apps
• Users will also be able to stream hundreds of cloud games

Vodafone is moving beyond mobile and broadband services to offer a TV streaming service and box called Vodafone TV, which gives you access to Freely — a free streaming service with over 70 live channels and thousands of hours of on-demand content.

Beyond the big free names like the BBC and Channel 4, Vodafone TV also comes with subscriptions to Netflix Standard with ads and HBO Max Standard with ads, which makes it something of a rival to Sky, as you can get similar subscriptions as part of that company’s Sky Ultimate TV package.

The Vodafone TV hub also runs Android TV, so it includes access to near-endless apps and games on the Google Play Store, including dedicated apps for most streaming services, meaning you’re not limited to what Vodafone itself bundles in.

It's a cloud gaming console too

Vodafone TV is compatible with the Pleio gamepad (Image credit: Future)

And speaking of games, Vodafone TV also comes with access to over 300 cloud games, which you can play using a Bluetooth controller or a smartphone.

You’ll also be able to rent and buy films through Vodafone Box Office, and a companion app will allow you to start watching something at home and then continue elsewhere via the app.

As for the hardware, the Vodafone TV hub has 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, and support for 4K, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos. Vodafone hasn’t yet revealed the pricing, but has said that its Vodafone TV box and service will be available from October to mobile and broadband customers, so we should find out more then.

Vodafone TV launches alongside a new Vodafone mobile plan called SuperMobile, which will supposedly deliver up to 4x faster speeds than Vodafone’s standard plans, and guarantee minimum speeds of 15Mbps at all times.

"Vodafone's double launch is a bid to be your 'everything' provider — one company for your mobile, broadband, telly and streaming, all on a single bill," Ernest Doku, telecoms expert at Uswitch, told TechRadar in a statement.

"Vodafone TV is all about content convenience: streaming subscriptions, live channels and bills brought together in one place, with a companion app to take it on the move. And as the only UK mobile network to bundle TV with a mobile plan, Vodafone has opened this up to millions of households who don't take its broadband.

"But one roof doesn’t mean one option. Do the maths before signing up; remember add-ons can rise mid-contract alongside everything else, and only pay for certainty or convenience you'll actually use."

We'll be testing out Vodafone TV for ourselves over the coming weeks, so stay tuned for our verdict on its value-for-money proposition.

We've always been fans of Sony's high-end noise-cancelling headphones here at TechRadar, so today's excellent price cut on the Sony WH-1000XM5 in the Amazon Labor Day sale is an easy recommendation.

Right now, you can pick up these headphones for just $198 (was $399) at the retailer, which is a match for the previous record-low price. They've only dropped to $198 on one previous occasion back in late June, so this is a fantastic deal all around.

It's a good opportunity to snag a decent pair of noise-cancelling headphones for work, commuting, or even college — although anyone will appreciate just how good these headphones are. Although they've recently been superseded by a sixth-generation model, the Sony WH-1000XM5 are still among the best headphones you can buy right now.

Highlight features for the Sony WH-1000XM5 include rich and detailed sound, superb active noise cancellation, and a comfortable fit that's perfect for all-day use. At the time of release, we thought they were pricey, but today's discount at Amazon definitely addresses that particular issue.

Sony WH-1000XM5 record-low price at Amazon

WH-1000XM5: was $398 now $198
Quite simply, the best in Sony's class-leading wireless over-ear lineup. The older XM4 headphones were outstanding, the XM3 cans before it were excellent, and it'll come as little surprise to know that Sony's XM5 proposition is also incredibly hard to beat — especially with a whopping $150 off. They don't fold up like the XM4, but, as a quick glance at our Sony WH-100XM5 review proves, there's not much else to pick fault with. View Deal

• See more: check out all of today's Labor Day deals at Amazon

When we originally reviewed these headphones, we awarded them a full five out of five stars, calling them "the best headphones in the world thanks to their class-leading noise-cancelling features and well-balanced audio.” Even though a few years have passed, they're still exceptional in terms of performance — and much cheaper than the newer sixth-generation model.

The only real reason to get the newer headphones, in my opinion, is if you're desperate for a folding mechanism. The M5 (unlike the M6 and M4) don't have folding hinges on the headband, which is an annoying oversight that means they're a little less portable overall. If you can live with that, however, there's very little reason to skip today's discount over at Amazon.

Herman Miller is iconic in the world of ergonomic office furniture, and its range of pioneering desk chairs and desks have consistently impressed us during testing. And that includes the Jarvis Bamboo standing desk, currently down to the $994 (was $1325) in Herman Miller's big Fall sale.

This premium desk has some of the highest build quality of any we've reviewed, with all the features a professional requires from a sit-stand model. As befitting an executive-grade desk, this model, with its 25% discount, features a broad 48x27-inch desktop, black frame, a three-stage height range with programmable presets, and powered grommet. In the UK, a smaller Jarvis Bamboo is down to £645 (was £860) at Herman Miller.

• US: Save 25% in the Herman Miller Fall sale
• UK: See the full Herman Miller sale

Jarvis Bamboo Standing Desk: was $1325 now $993.75
The Jarvis combines a 27 x 48-inch bamboo top, three-stage steel frame, 350-pound capacity, programmable OLED handset, four height presets, powered grommet, 1.5-inch-per-second adjustment, sub-50dB operation and seven-year frame warranty.

In the UK: now £645 (was £860)View Deal

Why we recommend it

The Jarvis has earned a strong reputation for its build quality and stability. Its powder-coated steel frame supports a bamboo desktop with a German-made, wear-resistant UV-cured topcoat. The motors can raise or lower it at up to 1.5 inches per second.

In his 4.5-star review, our expert Collin called it “a solid all-around offering with an impressive lifting capacity.” He went on to say: “This standing desk is excellent for those in small spaces or large open offices, who can customize it according to your needs.”

For more top-performing office furniture, see our guide to the best standing desks we've tested.

Also consider

The Jarvis Bamboo Contour adds an ergonomic extra to this excellent desk, with a curved front edge for a more comfortable sit.

In the UK: now £608 (was £810)View Deal

Price context & historical value

At $993.75, you're saving $331.25 against the $1,325 original price, which works out to exactly 25% off. That's a substantial saving on a desk that rarely makes any attempt to compete with the hundreds of more affordable standing alternatives. That said, we have seen it cheaper elsewhere, with the price as low as $881 at other retailers.

Should you buy it?

✅ Buy the Jarvis Bamboo Standing Desk if...

You want a premium standing desk that can handle a substantial setup. Its 350-pound capacity gives you plenty of scope for multiple monitors and other hardware, while four programmable height presets make switching between preferred positions quick and easy.

❌ Skip the Jarvis Bamboo Standing Desk if...

You rarely change position once you've settled down to work. The Jarvis's electric adjustment is a major part of what you're paying for, so a high-quality fixed desk could make more sense if you know you'll spend virtually the entire day sitting.

The Catch: What to know before you buy

Even after the huge discount, this is still a nearly $1000 desk, and there are plenty of electric standing desks available for a fraction of that. You're essentially paying a premium for the materials, lifting capacity, finish and overall quality rather than simply gaining the ability to work standing up.

The warranty also varies by component. The desktop is covered for five years and the frame, motors, mechanical and electrical components for seven years, but the powered grommet and surge protector are only covered for one year.

• Shop all Herman Miller standing desks

In banking and utilities, regulators define certain systems as essential. An essential system is one whose failure would cause intolerable harm to customers, markets, or public safety. A payment platform in a clearing bank or a SCADA network in a power distributor, for example, carries the highest governance obligations: continuous monitoring, validated change control, and demonstrable resilience.

The policy environment – the accumulated rules across firewalls, cloud controls, and microsegmentation – determines which of those systems can reach each other, which connections are blocked, and which exceptions still apply. Collectively, these rules form the security policy control plane: the governance layer that translates business intent into access decisions across distributed enforcement points.

A misconfigured segmentation rule during a cloud migration can sever a payment service from its settlement platform; a temporary rule granting broad access from a development subnet into production can stay in place months after go-live because no one owns the removal.

Every firewall rule, segmentation policy, and access decision directly affects operational risk, and when the policy environment fails, the critical services it governs fail with it.

That makes the policy environment critical infrastructure in its own right.

Still governed like housekeeping

Despite this, many regulated organizations still manage their policy environments as operational tasks. Rules are added through change requests, and the accumulated result is rarely examined against what was intended. Ownership disperses as leaders change roles, and the reason why a specific rule came into being in the first place can only be found in a change ticket, if anywhere at all.

A CISO who would never accept a payment platform running without continuous monitoring or documented dependencies may accept both being absent from the policy environment that determines whether the platform is reachable. We can think of this as infrastructure-grade consequence with housekeeping-grade governance.

In banking, a policy failure that severs connectivity between settlement systems would constitute the disruption of an important business service. The FCA would take an interest in such a failure, since the loss of such a service could lead to intolerable harm.

In healthcare or energy, the consequences are different but the mechanism is the same: a misconfiguration that permits access from a corporate network into clinical systems in an NHS trust, or into operational technology in a power distributor, creates exposure at the level of essential service delivery. These are not hypothetical risks but the operational consequences of treating critical infrastructure governance as a simple housekeeping task.

Regulatory expectations point the same way

UK regulatory expectations increasingly support the same conclusion: the security policies governing access to important services must be managed with infrastructure-grade discipline. The FCA's operational resilience regime requires regulated firms to identify important business services and demonstrate, on an ongoing basis, that the supporting infrastructure remains within defined impact tolerances.

Ofgem assesses operators of essential services against the NCSC's Cyber Assessment Framework, asking whether defined security outcomes are being achieved on a sustained basis. The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, expected to become law later this year, will extend similar obligations to data centers, managed service providers, and critical suppliers.

These frameworks are not prescriptive – none of them specifies which firewall rules an organization should have or how its segmentation policies should be configured. What they require is proof: that what the policy environment permits is what was intended, and that the organization can demonstrate this on an ongoing basis rather than reconstruct the evidence for each assessment.

Why the estate cannot meet that standard

Most policy environments were never built to meet that standard. In fact, most policy environments were never consciously or deliberately built at all. Instead, policy tends to accumulate as a by-product of delivery. Every project and migration adds rules, and almost none take any away.

Over time, the policy surface – the full body of rules and access decisions across enforcement layers – grows larger than the group of people who understand it, and the estate reaches a point where it can be operated but not explained.

Across regulated industries like banking, energy, and healthcare, that was sustainable under earlier regulatory regimes: periodic assessment, control-based audit, compliance frameworks that asked whether controls existed rather than whether they were effective. But this is no longer enough. The new standard requires continuous evidence that access is intentional.

The FCA's findings after a year of operational resilience self-assessments illustrate what this looks like in practice. Where regulated firms reported few or no outstanding vulnerabilities in the infrastructure supporting their important business services, the FCA often deemed the evidence too thin to determine whether there really were no vulnerabilities – or whether the vulnerabilities just hadn't been identified.

The lesson applies directly to security policy governance: an organization cannot credibly claim access-related vulnerabilities are controlled without evidence of what its policies permit, how they were tested, and whether weaknesses were remediated.

What infrastructure-grade governance requires

Too often, the response is to reach for more visibility and more documentation. But documentation will only ever capture a point in time; it cannot provide the continuous assurance regulators are coming to expect.

A CISO in a regulated firm needs more than a record of what the policy environment was configured to permit. Configuration and effective access are not the same thing. Security teams need to understand how rules, routes, objects, and enforcement layers interact to determine what can actually communicate.

Meeting the standard means reconciling the two: showing that what the environment permits in practice is still what it was intended to permit, and being able to show it without notice.

We separate where policy intent is defined from where it is enforced. Intent is held and maintained centrally, while enforcement remains distributed across firewalls, cloud controls, and microsegmentation in hybrid, multi-cloud, and multi-vendor environments.

Validation runs continuously against that intent rather than at review points: proposed changes are tested against policy before they reach production, and effective access is assessed on an ongoing basis for unnecessary exposure, inconsistency between enforcement layers, and divergence from business intent. What was permitted and what changed is retained as evidence.

The same CISO who would never accept a payment platform running without continuous monitoring, validated change control, and documented dependencies has to apply that standard to the policy environment that determines whether the platform is reachable.

The FCA, the NCSC's Cyber Assessment Framework, and the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill all point towards the same underlying question: can this organization demonstrate, continuously, that the infrastructure supporting its critical services is governed to the standard those services demand?

Answering it means knowing (and actually knowing – not assuming, not reconstructing at audit) what the policy environment permits at any given moment, and whether what it permits is what was intended.

We've featured the best antivirus software.

This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives, our channel to feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today.

The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/pro/perspectives-how-to-submit

In banking and utilities, regulators define certain systems as essential. An essential system is one whose failure would cause intolerable harm to customers, markets, or public safety. A payment platform in a clearing bank or a SCADA network in a power distributor, for example, carries the highest governance obligations: continuous monitoring, validated change control, and demonstrable resilience.

The policy environment – the accumulated rules across firewalls, cloud controls, and microsegmentation – determines which of those systems can reach each other, which connections are blocked, and which exceptions still apply. Collectively, these rules form the security policy control plane: the governance layer that translates business intent into access decisions across distributed enforcement points.

A misconfigured segmentation rule during a cloud migration can sever a payment service from its settlement platform; a temporary rule granting broad access from a development subnet into production can stay in place months after go-live because no one owns the removal.

Every firewall rule, segmentation policy, and access decision directly affects operational risk, and when the policy environment fails, the critical services it governs fail with it.

That makes the policy environment critical infrastructure in its own right.

Still governed like housekeeping

Despite this, many regulated organizations still manage their policy environments as operational tasks. Rules are added through change requests, and the accumulated result is rarely examined against what was intended. Ownership disperses as leaders change roles, and the reason why a specific rule came into being in the first place can only be found in a change ticket, if anywhere at all.

A CISO who would never accept a payment platform running without continuous monitoring or documented dependencies may accept both being absent from the policy environment that determines whether the platform is reachable. We can think of this as infrastructure-grade consequence with housekeeping-grade governance.

In banking, a policy failure that severs connectivity between settlement systems would constitute the disruption of an important business service. The FCA would take an interest in such a failure, since the loss of such a service could lead to intolerable harm.

In healthcare or energy, the consequences are different but the mechanism is the same: a misconfiguration that permits access from a corporate network into clinical systems in an NHS trust, or into operational technology in a power distributor, creates exposure at the level of essential service delivery. These are not hypothetical risks but the operational consequences of treating critical infrastructure governance as a simple housekeeping task.

Regulatory expectations point the same way

UK regulatory expectations increasingly support the same conclusion: the security policies governing access to important services must be managed with infrastructure-grade discipline. The FCA's operational resilience regime requires regulated firms to identify important business services and demonstrate, on an ongoing basis, that the supporting infrastructure remains within defined impact tolerances.

Ofgem assesses operators of essential services against the NCSC's Cyber Assessment Framework, asking whether defined security outcomes are being achieved on a sustained basis. The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, expected to become law later this year, will extend similar obligations to data centers, managed service providers, and critical suppliers.

These frameworks are not prescriptive – none of them specifies which firewall rules an organization should have or how its segmentation policies should be configured. What they require is proof: that what the policy environment permits is what was intended, and that the organization can demonstrate this on an ongoing basis rather than reconstruct the evidence for each assessment.

Why the estate cannot meet that standard

Most policy environments were never built to meet that standard. In fact, most policy environments were never consciously or deliberately built at all. Instead, policy tends to accumulate as a by-product of delivery. Every project and migration adds rules, and almost none take any away.

Over time, the policy surface – the full body of rules and access decisions across enforcement layers – grows larger than the group of people who understand it, and the estate reaches a point where it can be operated but not explained.

Across regulated industries like banking, energy, and healthcare, that was sustainable under earlier regulatory regimes: periodic assessment, control-based audit, compliance frameworks that asked whether controls existed rather than whether they were effective. But this is no longer enough. The new standard requires continuous evidence that access is intentional.

The FCA's findings after a year of operational resilience self-assessments illustrate what this looks like in practice. Where regulated firms reported few or no outstanding vulnerabilities in the infrastructure supporting their important business services, the FCA often deemed the evidence too thin to determine whether there really were no vulnerabilities – or whether the vulnerabilities just hadn't been identified.

The lesson applies directly to security policy governance: an organization cannot credibly claim access-related vulnerabilities are controlled without evidence of what its policies permit, how they were tested, and whether weaknesses were remediated.

What infrastructure-grade governance requires

Too often, the response is to reach for more visibility and more documentation. But documentation will only ever capture a point in time; it cannot provide the continuous assurance regulators are coming to expect.

A CISO in a regulated firm needs more than a record of what the policy environment was configured to permit. Configuration and effective access are not the same thing. Security teams need to understand how rules, routes, objects, and enforcement layers interact to determine what can actually communicate.

Meeting the standard means reconciling the two: showing that what the environment permits in practice is still what it was intended to permit, and being able to show it without notice.

We separate where policy intent is defined from where it is enforced. Intent is held and maintained centrally, while enforcement remains distributed across firewalls, cloud controls, and microsegmentation in hybrid, multi-cloud, and multi-vendor environments.

Validation runs continuously against that intent rather than at review points: proposed changes are tested against policy before they reach production, and effective access is assessed on an ongoing basis for unnecessary exposure, inconsistency between enforcement layers, and divergence from business intent. What was permitted and what changed is retained as evidence.

The same CISO who would never accept a payment platform running without continuous monitoring, validated change control, and documented dependencies has to apply that standard to the policy environment that determines whether the platform is reachable.

The FCA, the NCSC's Cyber Assessment Framework, and the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill all point towards the same underlying question: can this organization demonstrate, continuously, that the infrastructure supporting its critical services is governed to the standard those services demand?

Answering it means knowing (and actually knowing – not assuming, not reconstructing at audit) what the policy environment permits at any given moment, and whether what it permits is what was intended.

We've featured the best antivirus software.

This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives, our channel to feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today.

The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/pro/perspectives-how-to-submit

• Belkin unveils SoundForm Isolate and Dot earbuds
• Offer ANC, Multipoint and ear wings for a really low price
• Also, there's a new set of child-focused over-ears

You may know Belkin as a company that typically sells power banks, phone cases and charging cables, but its range is diverse and now includes some potential winners in the audio sector.

At IFA 2026, the brand has expanded its fledgling audio family with two new super-affordable pairs of earbuds, each of which offers Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) at a price far below rivals.

There's the SoundForm Isolate Buds, which sell for a very palatable £39.99 (about $54, AU$80), and the SoundForm Dot Buds, going for £29.99 (around $40, AU$60). Those names are meaty, but hopefully the audio is too.

Don't confuse the SoundForm Isolate Buds for the SoundForm Isolate; rookie mistake. Those are existing over-ears. Add 'Buds' for the new products.

Also, when it comes to the Dot option, you can select a model with or without ANC, because Belkin wants to give customers the choice. And the set that can't cancel noise can be yours for just £19.99 (around $26 or AU$36). Dot Got it? Good.

As luck would have it, we've got feet on the ground in Berlin at IFA, and my colleague Harry Padoan got a quick listen in with the SoundForm Isolate (main image and below).

His early thoughts? "From my brief time using the earbuds, they sounded very bass-heavy out of the box. The low-end was powerful and fairly regimented too, which is ideal for more energetic tracks," Padoan said. "While this could sometimes mean that vocals and mid-range sounds weren't the clearest in the mix, the audio quality seems relatively solid overall for the price you pay."

These options have been released alongside the SoundForm Play, over-ear headphones which are intended for "older kids".

Dot's the deal?

(Image credit: Future)

Both of Belkin's new earbuds are sold on an important promise: ANC for a lot less than Bose, Sony or Apple. But these buds have a few other benefits.

The Isolate offer Multipoint connection, a clear call quality mode, and a 32-hour battery life. They come with a wing-style design, with a ridge that keeps them locked in your ear, which should make them suitable for workouts.

The slightly cheaper Dots miss out on the wings, and have a slightly lower battery life at 30 hours, but still get Multipoint and clear calling. They also come in both ANC and non-ANC versions. The non-ANC model costs £19.99 (about $25, AU$40), so they're super cheap, but do miss a pretty useful tool.

Conspicuously absent? Any mention of the buds' audio architecture. It seems, then, that the feature list is the real selling point here; don't expect incredible sound (perhaps you guessed that from the price).

You'd be forgiven for being apprehensive about buying earbuds from a charging bank company, even a well-known one such as Belkin. However, many similar companies have begun making the jump into audio: Anker's Soundcore now makes some of our favorite earbuds, and Baseus is following suit — and both are also showing products at IFA.

This is because, unlike some spaces within tech, the power bank and charging tech sector is growing quickly (maybe people are holding onto their phones longer in these challenging times?), affording these brands some extra cash to put towards designing new affordable wearables.

What I'm saying is, it's well worth paying attention to Belkin's offerings. I'll be very interested to see if the company's affordable buds can rival our go-to best budget earbuds recommendations.

(Image credit: Belkin)

• Belkin unveils SoundForm Isolate and Dot earbuds
• Offer ANC, Multipoint and ear wings for a really low price
• Also, there's a new set of child-focused over-ears

You may know Belkin as a company that typically sells power banks, phone cases and charging cables, but its range is diverse and now includes some potential winners in the audio sector.

At IFA 2026, the brand has expanded its fledgling audio family with two new super-affordable pairs of earbuds, each of which offers Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) at a price far below rivals.

There's the SoundForm Isolate Buds, which sell for a very palatable £39.99 (about $54, AU$80), and the SoundForm Dot Buds, going for £29.99 (around $40, AU$60). Those names are meaty, but hopefully the audio is too.

Don't confuse the SoundForm Isolate Buds for the SoundForm Isolate; rookie mistake. Those are existing over-ears. Add 'Buds' for the new products.

Also, when it comes to the Dot option, you can select a model with or without ANC, because Belkin wants to give customers the choice. And the set that can't cancel noise can be yours for just £19.99 (around $26 or AU$36). Dot Got it? Good.

As luck would have it, we've got feet on the ground in Berlin at IFA, and my colleague Harry Padoan got a quick listen in with the SoundForm Isolate (main image and below).

His early thoughts? "From my brief time using the earbuds, they sounded very bass-heavy out of the box. The low-end was powerful and fairly regimented too, which is ideal for more energetic tracks," Padoan said. "While this could sometimes mean that vocals and mid-range sounds weren't the clearest in the mix, the audio quality seems relatively solid overall for the price you pay."

These options have been released alongside the SoundForm Play, over-ear headphones which are intended for "older kids".

Dot's the deal?

(Image credit: Future)

Both of Belkin's new earbuds are sold on an important promise: ANC for a lot less than Bose, Sony or Apple. But these buds have a few other benefits.

The Isolate offer Multipoint connection, a clear call quality mode, and a 32-hour battery life. They come with a wing-style design, with a ridge that keeps them locked in your ear, which should make them suitable for workouts.

The slightly cheaper Dots miss out on the wings, and have a slightly lower battery life at 30 hours, but still get Multipoint and clear calling. They also come in both ANC and non-ANC versions. The non-ANC model costs £19.99 (about $25, AU$40), so they're super cheap, but do miss a pretty useful tool.

Conspicuously absent? Any mention of the buds' audio architecture. It seems, then, that the feature list is the real selling point here; don't expect incredible sound (perhaps you guessed that from the price).

You'd be forgiven for being apprehensive about buying earbuds from a charging bank company, even a well-known one such as Belkin. However, many similar companies have begun making the jump into audio: Anker's Soundcore now makes some of our favorite earbuds, and Baseus is following suit — and both are also showing products at IFA.

This is because, unlike some spaces within tech, the power bank and charging tech sector is growing quickly (maybe people are holding onto their phones longer in these challenging times?), affording these brands some extra cash to put towards designing new affordable wearables.

What I'm saying is, it's well worth paying attention to Belkin's offerings. I'll be very interested to see if the company's affordable buds can rival our go-to best budget earbuds recommendations.

(Image credit: Belkin)

• UK legislators propose “kill switch” laws to halt runaway AI, citing critical infrastructure risks
• Lord Clement‑Jones and MP Alex Sobel push amendments and new bills, backed by ControlAI advocacy group
• Similar efforts emerging in US

Sam Altman’s fear-based marketing for AI seems to have backfired, as now multiple legislators in the UK and elsewhere are calling for a “kill switch” law to be introduced.

According to the BBC, Liberal Democrats’ Lord Tim Clement-Jones proposed an amendment to the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill which would see the UK create a “vital safety net” to provide a “democratically accountable means to ‘halt a runaway system before it can compromise our critical national infrastructure’.” The capability would only be used as a last resort, Clement-Jones stressed.

The bill is currently being worked through in the UK Parliament, the BBC said.

Is there reason to worry?

But that’s not the only effort in the UK to put some reigns on AI. Apparently, Labour MP Alex Sobel plans to introduce an AI Security Bill later this month which, according to the BBC, would “effectively halt the development of superintelligent AI” and make the UK the first G7 country to do so.

The bill is supported by a campaign group called ControlAI, a UK-based nonprofit and advocacy organization focused on the risks posed by advanced AI. Its founder and CEO is Andrea Miotti, who previously worked at the AI safety company called Conjecture. Across the pond, US legislators are currently considering an AI Kill Switch Act as well, but the bill is still in very early stages of development.

Ever since the first ChatGPT model that was introduced in 2021, a debate has been raging whether or not AI will be net positive, or net negative, for humanity. While some argue that the discovery rivals the steam machine and that it will transform our lives beyond our wildest dreams, others are fearful of losing jobs, a collapsing economy, and a dystopian future devoid of humanity and emotion.

Marketing campaigns for ChatGPT and, in some measure, Claude, are not helping, either. Both companies have built models focused on cybersecurity which were advertised as “too dangerous” for the general public and instead were only given to a handful of organizations. Despite partial skepticism, many are worried that these models might severely disrupt the security of banking, critical infrastructure, and communications.

Via BBC

Let's say you've got an idea for a new business. A landing page is usually the first piece of "real estate" you invest in, long before you think of retail space or even a marketing brochure.

Websites cost a lot less today than they did ten years ago, but they cost even less if you know what you need (or don't).

In this guide, I'll show you how to set up a professional website for a solo or small business for as little as $13 in setup costs. You'll need a GitHub account, a free or low-cost vibe coding app, and $5 to $20 of spare cash for a domain registration.

But the best part is that you can scale this setup as you grow, adding just what you need without a single cent wasted. Slow season? You can also scale those resources back down. Here's exactly how I would structure it.

Launching a website in a day with $13: What to expect

My stack works best for landing pages, portfolios, small business sites, and simple lead generation forms. You'll end up with a mobile-friendly site on your own domain, built without any coding skills by describing what you want in plain English.

There's always a trade-off with these setups, which is scale. You can't collect payments, running complex workflows will crash your website, and storage is limited if you want to host audiovisual content.

But if you structure it right, you can keep space to expand things later without having to go through an expensive migration to a premium platform. There's no vendor lock-in, your existing stack is designed for scalability, and you're not stuck with any one provider.

Does it really cost $13?

Yes, because you'll only have to pay for the domain and a small subscription fee if you want to access one of the better vibe coding or AI website builders.

A .com domain from a mainstream registrar runs somewhere between $5 and $15 for the first year, which covers the budget in this guide with room to spare.

There's no upcharge for connecting your domain, AI tools don't always bill you for every additional token, and there are no additional monthly charges for hosting or storage, etc.

What tools will I need?

You'll need three things, and possibly a couple more if your site needs to store data or display dynamic content. Each category has many options with generous free plans. None of them require you to enter a credit card to get started.

Here's the exact stack you'll use to build and launch a website using this guide.

• A vibe coding tool. Look for one that supports code sync and export to an external repository, even on the free plan.
• A free GitHub account with a new repository that has GitHub Pages enabled.
• A custom top-level domain, such as a .com or .org, which costs roughly $10 to $20 a year.
• A free Supabase account for handling logins and storing form submissions. This one is entirely optional.
• A free AI code editor, like Cursor or Claude Code, installed on your computer for minor tweaks and updates. Also optional.

Step-by-step instructions for launching a $13 website in one day

All of these steps take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour individually. Work through them in order, and you should have a live site well before dinner.

Step 1: Describe your site to a vibe coding tool

Open your chosen vibe coding platform and describe the site you want in plain language. Mention the type of business, the pages you need (home, about, contact, pricing), and any specific sections like a lead capture form or testimonials block.

Most tools generate a working preview within a minute or two. From there, refine it with follow-up prompts:

• Ask for changes to layout, color scheme, or copy one section at a time, rather than everything at once.
• Request a working contact or sign-up form early, since this is often the trickiest part to get right.
• Check the mobile preview, since most visitors will land on your site from a phone.

Remember that on most free tiers, vibe coding tools will limit the number of prompts you can enter in a day. So make sure to read up on these limits and be certain about what you want so you can describe it verbatim. Also mention that you'll be hosting the website using GitHub Pages in your prompt itself, so that the AI can structure the code to be Pages-compatible.

Step 2: Connect a GitHub repository

Once you're happy with the design, look for the option to sync or export your project to GitHub. Most vibe coding tools have a one-click GitHub connection built in. You can also just export the code as a ZIP file and upload the contents directly to GitHub.

Create a free GitHub account, then create a new repository for the project. Keep it public so you can enable GitHub Pages, because Pages hosting is free for public repositories but requires a Premium plan for private ones.

Step 3: Turn on GitHub Pages

In your repository, go to Settings, then Pages. Choose the branch your site should deploy from (usually main) and save your changes.

GitHub will generate a free web address in the format yourusername.github.io/repository-name. This confirms your site is live, even before you attach a custom domain.

Step 4: Buy your domain

Pick a domain registrar and search for the domain name you want. Prices vary depending on the extension you pick, so a .com will usually cost more than a less common option like .dev or .site.

Stick to a mainstream registrar with clear pricing and no surprise renewal jumps. Skip any add-ons you don't need, like a premium DNS, to keep your total below $10.

Step 5: Point your domain at GitHub Pages

Back in your GitHub repository's Pages settings, enter your custom domain in the relevant field. This creates a small configuration file in your repository that tells GitHub which domain to serve your site from.

Then, in your domain registrar's dashboard, add the DNS records GitHub provides. This usually means a few A records pointing to GitHub's servers, plus a CNAME record if you're using a "www" version of your domain. These changes can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours to fully take effect.

Step 6: Set up Supabase (optional)

If your site needs to collect sign-ups, store bookings, or handle a login system, create a free Supabase project. Supabase gives you a hosted database along with authentication tools, without needing to manage a server yourself.

Most vibe coding tools have a direct Supabase integration, so you can usually connect your project with an API key rather than writing database code by hand. Ask your vibe coding tool to build the specific form or login flow you need. It will typically wire up the Supabase connection for you. When you connect or upload the files and code to GitHub, the integration will stay intact.

Step 7: Test everything before you call it done

Open your site on both desktop and mobile, and click through every link, button, and form. Submit a test entry through any lead capture form to confirm it actually reaches Supabase or your inbox.

Check that your custom domain loads correctly with https:// rather than throwing a security warning, since GitHub Pages issues free SSL certificates automatically once your DNS is set up correctly. Fix anything that looks off before sharing the link with anyone.

For small fixes, like a typo or a button that's misaligned, it's often faster to open the project in a free AI code editor like Cursor or Claude Code and make the change directly, rather than going back through your vibe coding tool's chat interface. Once you push the update to GitHub, your live site refreshes automatically.

What to do when you outgrow your $13 website

At some point, your free tiers will start to feel tight. Maybe you're approaching Supabase's storage or user limits, or your traffic has grown to the point where you want more control over performance and analytics.

The good news is that none of the upgrades below require you to rebuild your site from scratch. Because your code lives in a standard GitHub repository, you can move it to almost any hosting provider without losing your design or content.

• Upgrade your Supabase project to a paid tier once you're close to the free plan's storage, bandwidth, or user limits, rather than waiting until you hit a hard wall.
• Move hosting from GitHub Pages to a platform built for dynamic sites, such as Vercel or Netlify, if you need server-side features GitHub Pages doesn't support.
• Add a content delivery network in front of your site once traffic grows, so pages load quickly for visitors regardless of where they're located.
• Bring in a developer to review and harden any AI-generated code before it handles sensitive customer data, particularly around authentication and payments.
• Set up proper analytics and monitoring so you know when you're approaching a limit, instead of finding out when something breaks.

Low cost alternatives

The approach I have outlined above gives a great level of flexibility and scalability with a small upfront cost. However, there are other options out there if you are looking to create a website on a budget.

For example, you may pick an AI website builder and build your website entirely within that platform. This offers a simpler, all-in-one approach, although it can make it tricky to move your website elsewhere if you find it doesn't meet your needs in the future.

The best AI website builders start at around $2.99 a month, although this price will often rise to anywhere from $10 to $150 a month once the introductory period is over and depending on your website needs.

Let's say you've got an idea for a new business. A landing page is usually the first piece of "real estate" you invest in, long before you think of retail space or even a marketing brochure.

Websites cost a lot less today than they did ten years ago, but they cost even less if you know what you need (or don't).

In this guide, I'll show you how to set up a professional website for a solo or small business for as little as $13 in setup costs. You'll need a GitHub account, a free or low-cost vibe coding app, and $5 to $20 of spare cash for a domain registration.

But the best part is that you can scale this setup as you grow, adding just what you need without a single cent wasted. Slow season? You can also scale those resources back down. Here's exactly how I would structure it.

Launching a website in a day with $13: What to expect

My stack works best for landing pages, portfolios, small business sites, and simple lead generation forms. You'll end up with a mobile-friendly site on your own domain, built without any coding skills by describing what you want in plain English.

There's always a trade-off with these setups, which is scale. You can't collect payments, running complex workflows will crash your website, and storage is limited if you want to host audiovisual content.

But if you structure it right, you can keep space to expand things later without having to go through an expensive migration to a premium platform. There's no vendor lock-in, your existing stack is designed for scalability, and you're not stuck with any one provider.

Does it really cost $13?

Yes, because you'll only have to pay for the domain and a small subscription fee if you want to access one of the better vibe coding or AI website builders.

A .com domain from a mainstream registrar runs somewhere between $5 and $15 for the first year, which covers the budget in this guide with room to spare.

There's no upcharge for connecting your domain, AI tools don't always bill you for every additional token, and there are no additional monthly charges for hosting or storage, etc.

What tools will I need?

You'll need three things, and possibly a couple more if your site needs to store data or display dynamic content. Each category has many options with generous free plans. None of them require you to enter a credit card to get started.

Here's the exact stack you'll use to build and launch a website using this guide.

• A vibe coding tool. Look for one that supports code sync and export to an external repository, even on the free plan.
• A free GitHub account with a new repository that has GitHub Pages enabled.
• A custom top-level domain, such as a .com or .org, which costs roughly $10 to $20 a year.
• A free Supabase account for handling logins and storing form submissions. This one is entirely optional.
• A free AI code editor, like Cursor or Claude Code, installed on your computer for minor tweaks and updates. Also optional.

Step-by-step instructions for launching a $13 website in one day

All of these steps take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour individually. Work through them in order, and you should have a live site well before dinner.

Step 1: Describe your site to a vibe coding tool

Open your chosen vibe coding platform and describe the site you want in plain language. Mention the type of business, the pages you need (home, about, contact, pricing), and any specific sections like a lead capture form or testimonials block.

Most tools generate a working preview within a minute or two. From there, refine it with follow-up prompts:

• Ask for changes to layout, color scheme, or copy one section at a time, rather than everything at once.
• Request a working contact or sign-up form early, since this is often the trickiest part to get right.
• Check the mobile preview, since most visitors will land on your site from a phone.

Remember that on most free tiers, vibe coding tools will limit the number of prompts you can enter in a day. So make sure to read up on these limits and be certain about what you want so you can describe it verbatim. Also mention that you'll be hosting the website using GitHub Pages in your prompt itself, so that the AI can structure the code to be Pages-compatible.

Step 2: Connect a GitHub repository

Once you're happy with the design, look for the option to sync or export your project to GitHub. Most vibe coding tools have a one-click GitHub connection built in. You can also just export the code as a ZIP file and upload the contents directly to GitHub.

Create a free GitHub account, then create a new repository for the project. Keep it public so you can enable GitHub Pages, because Pages hosting is free for public repositories but requires a Premium plan for private ones.

Step 3: Turn on GitHub Pages

In your repository, go to Settings, then Pages. Choose the branch your site should deploy from (usually main) and save your changes.

GitHub will generate a free web address in the format yourusername.github.io/repository-name. This confirms your site is live, even before you attach a custom domain.

Step 4: Buy your domain

Pick a domain registrar and search for the domain name you want. Prices vary depending on the extension you pick, so a .com will usually cost more than a less common option like .dev or .site.

Stick to a mainstream registrar with clear pricing and no surprise renewal jumps. Skip any add-ons you don't need, like a premium DNS, to keep your total below $10.

Step 5: Point your domain at GitHub Pages

Back in your GitHub repository's Pages settings, enter your custom domain in the relevant field. This creates a small configuration file in your repository that tells GitHub which domain to serve your site from.

Then, in your domain registrar's dashboard, add the DNS records GitHub provides. This usually means a few A records pointing to GitHub's servers, plus a CNAME record if you're using a "www" version of your domain. These changes can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours to fully take effect.

Step 6: Set up Supabase (optional)

If your site needs to collect sign-ups, store bookings, or handle a login system, create a free Supabase project. Supabase gives you a hosted database along with authentication tools, without needing to manage a server yourself.

Most vibe coding tools have a direct Supabase integration, so you can usually connect your project with an API key rather than writing database code by hand. Ask your vibe coding tool to build the specific form or login flow you need. It will typically wire up the Supabase connection for you. When you connect or upload the files and code to GitHub, the integration will stay intact.

Step 7: Test everything before you call it done

Open your site on both desktop and mobile, and click through every link, button, and form. Submit a test entry through any lead capture form to confirm it actually reaches Supabase or your inbox.

Check that your custom domain loads correctly with https:// rather than throwing a security warning, since GitHub Pages issues free SSL certificates automatically once your DNS is set up correctly. Fix anything that looks off before sharing the link with anyone.

For small fixes, like a typo or a button that's misaligned, it's often faster to open the project in a free AI code editor like Cursor or Claude Code and make the change directly, rather than going back through your vibe coding tool's chat interface. Once you push the update to GitHub, your live site refreshes automatically.

What to do when you outgrow your $13 website

At some point, your free tiers will start to feel tight. Maybe you're approaching Supabase's storage or user limits, or your traffic has grown to the point where you want more control over performance and analytics.

The good news is that none of the upgrades below require you to rebuild your site from scratch. Because your code lives in a standard GitHub repository, you can move it to almost any hosting provider without losing your design or content.

• Upgrade your Supabase project to a paid tier once you're close to the free plan's storage, bandwidth, or user limits, rather than waiting until you hit a hard wall.
• Move hosting from GitHub Pages to a platform built for dynamic sites, such as Vercel or Netlify, if you need server-side features GitHub Pages doesn't support.
• Add a content delivery network in front of your site once traffic grows, so pages load quickly for visitors regardless of where they're located.
• Bring in a developer to review and harden any AI-generated code before it handles sensitive customer data, particularly around authentication and payments.
• Set up proper analytics and monitoring so you know when you're approaching a limit, instead of finding out when something breaks.

Low cost alternatives

The approach I have outlined above gives a great level of flexibility and scalability with a small upfront cost. However, there are other options out there if you are looking to create a website on a budget.

For example, you may pick an AI website builder and build your website entirely within that platform. This offers a simpler, all-in-one approach, although it can make it tricky to move your website elsewhere if you find it doesn't meet your needs in the future.

The best AI website builders start at around $2.99 a month, although this price will often rise to anywhere from $10 to $150 a month once the introductory period is over and depending on your website needs.

Sam Altman does not like smart glasses. Speaking on the Sources Podcast, the OpenAI CEO said he finds it “very uncomfortable talking to people with a camera and a light” and confirmed that he does not wear smart glasses himself. That is a surprisingly firm position considering where the technology industry appears to be heading and the success of products like Meta’s Ray-Ban glasses.

Then again, Altman is working with former Apple design chief Jony Ive on an entire family of AI devices. OpenAI has kept the Ive project deliberately foggy, but Altman has suggested they are making a range of AI hardware. His comments about smart glasses draw one clear boundary, removing the idea of a camera pointed at everyone as a feature.

Smart glasses have visible drawback

(Image credit: Meta)

Altman does identify a fundamental flaw in smart glasses that has little to do with processors, battery life or AI model choices. Glasses place technology directly between two people looking at each other, and adding a camera turns an ordinary conversation into one where the other person has to wonder whether they are also an unwilling piece of content.

Smartphones established a useful social signal around recording. Someone pointing a phone camera at you is usually fairly conspicuous. Camera glasses erase much of that distinction because their great design achievement is making a recording device look inconspicuous. It's why similar tools have been a staple of James Bond-style spy fiction for decades.

Australia’s eSafety commissioner has already asked manufacturers to make recording indicators impossible to disable and automatically blur faces when informed consent is absent. The regulator cited women being covertly filmed for social content and rejected the idea that telling customers to behave responsibly amounts to a safety policy. The backlash reflects a public tired of paying the social price for somebody else’s convenience.

Important exceptions to the argument against camera glasses exist. The same visual awareness that creates privacy problems can be genuinely transformative for blind and low-vision users, something Australia’s regulator explicitly acknowledged. That makes an outright rejection of the technology too simplistic, but it also strengthens the case that camera glasses may be better suited to particular needs rather than as the default AI hardware.

Wearable, not watchable

Altman’s comments about AI hardware point to an all-encompassing strategy of making devices for tables, pockets, and "on your body,” and that OpenAI will take time to launch all of them. OpenAI has previously described its work with Ive as an attempt to move beyond traditional interfaces. So not just a miniature smartphone strapped to your face.

An audio-first wearable suddenly makes far more sense. An earpiece, pendant, clip or other discreet device could provide persistent access to an AI assistant without placing a camera directly in the sightline of everyone the wearer encounters. It could listen when summoned and respond quietly like wireless earbuds or smartwatches.

Some may prefer the camera and the data an AI assistant gains from it about the physical world. And of course, putting microphones on wearables raises privacy questions just fine without cameras. Making the device unobtrusive yet observant is the trick Ive and Altman have to perform lest it face the same social opprobrium as the AI smart glasses.

Ive built his reputation around products whose complexity receded behind their physical design. But AI assistants will know and hear far more than an iPod ever did. A successful AI wearable cannot merely make advanced computing invisible to its owner. It must make its intentions legible to everyone else.

Meta is betting that the camera can become socially acceptable because they are built into discreet smart glasses; OpenAI may instead bet on a successful AI wearable that won't potentially creep out everyone you pass on the street. The best OpenAI wearable feature may in fact be an absence, and "no camera" its most enticing selling point.

Sam Altman does not like smart glasses. Speaking on the Sources Podcast, the OpenAI CEO said he finds it “very uncomfortable talking to people with a camera and a light” and confirmed that he does not wear smart glasses himself. That is a surprisingly firm position considering where the technology industry appears to be heading and the success of products like Meta’s Ray-Ban glasses.

Then again, Altman is working with former Apple design chief Jony Ive on an entire family of AI devices. OpenAI has kept the Ive project deliberately foggy, but Altman has suggested they are making a range of AI hardware. His comments about smart glasses draw one clear boundary, removing the idea of a camera pointed at everyone as a feature.

Smart glasses have visible drawback

(Image credit: Meta)

Altman does identify a fundamental flaw in smart glasses that has little to do with processors, battery life or AI model choices. Glasses place technology directly between two people looking at each other, and adding a camera turns an ordinary conversation into one where the other person has to wonder whether they are also an unwilling piece of content.

Smartphones established a useful social signal around recording. Someone pointing a phone camera at you is usually fairly conspicuous. Camera glasses erase much of that distinction because their great design achievement is making a recording device look inconspicuous. It's why similar tools have been a staple of James Bond-style spy fiction for decades.

Australia’s eSafety commissioner has already asked manufacturers to make recording indicators impossible to disable and automatically blur faces when informed consent is absent. The regulator cited women being covertly filmed for social content and rejected the idea that telling customers to behave responsibly amounts to a safety policy. The backlash reflects a public tired of paying the social price for somebody else’s convenience.

Important exceptions to the argument against camera glasses exist. The same visual awareness that creates privacy problems can be genuinely transformative for blind and low-vision users, something Australia’s regulator explicitly acknowledged. That makes an outright rejection of the technology too simplistic, but it also strengthens the case that camera glasses may be better suited to particular needs rather than as the default AI hardware.

Wearable, not watchable

Altman’s comments about AI hardware point to an all-encompassing strategy of making devices for tables, pockets, and "on your body,” and that OpenAI will take time to launch all of them. OpenAI has previously described its work with Ive as an attempt to move beyond traditional interfaces. So not just a miniature smartphone strapped to your face.

An audio-first wearable suddenly makes far more sense. An earpiece, pendant, clip or other discreet device could provide persistent access to an AI assistant without placing a camera directly in the sightline of everyone the wearer encounters. It could listen when summoned and respond quietly like wireless earbuds or smartwatches.

Some may prefer the camera and the data an AI assistant gains from it about the physical world. And of course, putting microphones on wearables raises privacy questions just fine without cameras. Making the device unobtrusive yet observant is the trick Ive and Altman have to perform lest it face the same social opprobrium as the AI smart glasses.

Ive built his reputation around products whose complexity receded behind their physical design. But AI assistants will know and hear far more than an iPod ever did. A successful AI wearable cannot merely make advanced computing invisible to its owner. It must make its intentions legible to everyone else.

Meta is betting that the camera can become socially acceptable because they are built into discreet smart glasses; OpenAI may instead bet on a successful AI wearable that won't potentially creep out everyone you pass on the street. The best OpenAI wearable feature may in fact be an absence, and "no camera" its most enticing selling point.

Organizations are investing heavily in artificial intelligence, but technology alone isn’t going to determine success. The businesses that unlock AI's full potential will be those that give governance the same attention as innovation.

In the rush to deploy AI tools, too many organizations are treating governance as something that can be addressed later. AI introduces a level of speed, autonomy and organizational impact that traditional governance frameworks were never designed to manage. Businesses that fail to rethink governance now risk increasing operational risk, slowing future adoption and undermining the value of their investments.

Organizations need to shift their mindset and recognize that implementing AI requires fundamental transformation in how decisions are made. With governance, accountability and transparency to be embedded from the outset, not pulled together after deployment.

AI is transforming organizations, not just technology

Unlike previous technology transformations, AI is influencing how decisions are made across almost every part of the business. From customer service and finance to human resources and operations, AI is becoming embedded in day-to-day processes and increasingly making recommendations, or decisions, with minimal human intervention.

As AI becomes more deeply integrated into business operations, responsibility can no longer sit solely with technology teams. Legal, privacy, risk, compliance and business leaders all have a role to play in ensuring AI is implemented responsibly and consistently.

Successful AI adoption is therefore as much an organizational and cultural shift as it is a technology transformation. Businesses that continue to treat AI as a standalone IT initiative risk fragmented ownership, inconsistent governance and missed opportunities to scale AI effectively.

Traditional governance wasn't built for AI

Many organizations still operate with a "deploy first, govern later" mindset, believing governance can be introduced once AI is established. The reality is that governance becomes significantly harder once AI is embedded across business processes.

Traditional governance models were built for a much slower pace of technology adoption. AI changes that equation. New tools, models and autonomous agents can be introduced into workflows in hours, while governance often still relies on manual reviews, siloed assessments and reactive oversight.

This creates a widening gap between AI innovation and organizational readiness. At the same time, AI is creating entirely new data use cases, while regulatory expectations continue to evolve. AI's use of data can also be dynamic and unpredictable, meaning documented controls are no longer sufficient when outcomes can't be predetermined.

Organizations need AI-ready governance – governance that evolves alongside AI through automated, collaborative assessments, programmatic controls embedded at the data layer, and continuous monitoring of risk across the business. As AI operates 24/7, governance must provide ongoing visibility into an organization's risk posture, rather than relying on point-in-time reviews.

The result is a growing disconnect between AI adoption and governance maturity. While organizations are investing heavily in AI, many have yet to modernize the governance, operating models and cross-functional accountability needed to support it. Closing this gap requires governance that operates at AI speed, enabling organizations to innovate with confidence while managing risk and maintaining trust.

Building the right foundations

One of the biggest misconceptions about AI governance is that it slows innovation. In reality, strong governance is what gives organizations the confidence to innovate, enabling them to deploy, scale and adapt AI responsibly.

The real shift isn’t purely technological or organization, it’s the combination of both. While AI is driving business transformation, organizations also need the right technical foundations to support it. AI can no longer be viewed as a technology initiative owned solely by IT.

Successfully scaling AI requires business leaders, risk teams and IT to work together, with IT embedding programmatic guardrails and controls that reflect business requirements. Without this partnership, organizational governance alone won't be able to keep pace with the speed and complexity of AI.

The organizations that gain the greatest competitive advantage won't necessarily be those that adopt AI first. They'll be the ones that recognize AI success depends as much on leadership, governance and organizational readiness as it does on the technology itself.

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Organizations are investing heavily in artificial intelligence, but technology alone isn’t going to determine success. The businesses that unlock AI's full potential will be those that give governance the same attention as innovation.

In the rush to deploy AI tools, too many organizations are treating governance as something that can be addressed later. AI introduces a level of speed, autonomy and organizational impact that traditional governance frameworks were never designed to manage. Businesses that fail to rethink governance now risk increasing operational risk, slowing future adoption and undermining the value of their investments.

Organizations need to shift their mindset and recognize that implementing AI requires fundamental transformation in how decisions are made. With governance, accountability and transparency to be embedded from the outset, not pulled together after deployment.

AI is transforming organizations, not just technology

Unlike previous technology transformations, AI is influencing how decisions are made across almost every part of the business. From customer service and finance to human resources and operations, AI is becoming embedded in day-to-day processes and increasingly making recommendations, or decisions, with minimal human intervention.

As AI becomes more deeply integrated into business operations, responsibility can no longer sit solely with technology teams. Legal, privacy, risk, compliance and business leaders all have a role to play in ensuring AI is implemented responsibly and consistently.

Successful AI adoption is therefore as much an organizational and cultural shift as it is a technology transformation. Businesses that continue to treat AI as a standalone IT initiative risk fragmented ownership, inconsistent governance and missed opportunities to scale AI effectively.

Traditional governance wasn't built for AI

Many organizations still operate with a "deploy first, govern later" mindset, believing governance can be introduced once AI is established. The reality is that governance becomes significantly harder once AI is embedded across business processes.

Traditional governance models were built for a much slower pace of technology adoption. AI changes that equation. New tools, models and autonomous agents can be introduced into workflows in hours, while governance often still relies on manual reviews, siloed assessments and reactive oversight.

This creates a widening gap between AI innovation and organizational readiness. At the same time, AI is creating entirely new data use cases, while regulatory expectations continue to evolve. AI's use of data can also be dynamic and unpredictable, meaning documented controls are no longer sufficient when outcomes can't be predetermined.

Organizations need AI-ready governance – governance that evolves alongside AI through automated, collaborative assessments, programmatic controls embedded at the data layer, and continuous monitoring of risk across the business. As AI operates 24/7, governance must provide ongoing visibility into an organization's risk posture, rather than relying on point-in-time reviews.

The result is a growing disconnect between AI adoption and governance maturity. While organizations are investing heavily in AI, many have yet to modernize the governance, operating models and cross-functional accountability needed to support it. Closing this gap requires governance that operates at AI speed, enabling organizations to innovate with confidence while managing risk and maintaining trust.

Building the right foundations

One of the biggest misconceptions about AI governance is that it slows innovation. In reality, strong governance is what gives organizations the confidence to innovate, enabling them to deploy, scale and adapt AI responsibly.

The real shift isn’t purely technological or organization, it’s the combination of both. While AI is driving business transformation, organizations also need the right technical foundations to support it. AI can no longer be viewed as a technology initiative owned solely by IT.

Successfully scaling AI requires business leaders, risk teams and IT to work together, with IT embedding programmatic guardrails and controls that reflect business requirements. Without this partnership, organizational governance alone won't be able to keep pace with the speed and complexity of AI.

The organizations that gain the greatest competitive advantage won't necessarily be those that adopt AI first. They'll be the ones that recognize AI success depends as much on leadership, governance and organizational readiness as it does on the technology itself.

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I'm always looking for a good deal, and Amazon's Labor Day sale has revealed plenty of great home office upgrades. So, I've hand-picked 24 top Labor Day deals under $50 if you need to give your home office a refresh without breaking the bank.

Some of my favorite deals here include the ultra-useful (and ultra-cute) Ugreen Uno charging block, an undetectable mouse jiggler (don't tell the boss), and the Logitech MX Anywhere wireless mouse, which works on pretty much any surface, whether you're working at home, in the office, or on the move.

For laptops, monitors, printers, and more stylish WFH upgrades, I've searched the sales and you can check out my guide to the best Labor Day home office deals.

Labor Day deals under $50

Sony Sony WH-CH520 Wireless On-Ear Bluetooth Headphones With Microphone

Pzloz LED Desk Lamp

Nordik By Design Leather Desk Mat

Ugreen Uno 65W 3-Port Fast Charging Block

Logitech MX Anywhere 2s Wireless Mouse | Bluetooth Edition

Supsonic Heated Coffee Mug

Vaydeer Undetectable Mouse Jiggler

Acer 7-In-1 Wireless Charging Station

Stanley Quencher H2.0 Flow State Tumbler

MNN 15.6" Portable Monitor

Wolfbox Megaflow 50 Compressed Air Duster

Anker Zolo USB-C 50W Charger Blocks

Vsdinside Customizable Macro Keypad

Logitech MK270 Full Size Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo

Anker 5-in-1 USB-C hub

Ugreen Portable Adjustable Laptop Stand

Marbrasse Mesh Desk Organizer

Supvan E11 Keyboard & Bluetooth Label Maker Machine

Logitech Brio 101 Webcam | FHD

CloudBliss Under Desk Foot Rest

Vivo Adjustable Dual Monitor Arm

Eurpmask Rotating Clamp-on Headphone Hanger

Lamicall 6 Pack Rotatable Cord Organizer

TP-Link Wi-Fi 6 Router

• Shop all of Amazon's Labor Day Sale

I'm always looking for a good deal, and Amazon's Labor Day sale has revealed plenty of great home office upgrades. So, I've hand-picked 24 top Labor Day deals under $50 if you need to give your home office a refresh without breaking the bank.

Some of my favorite deals here include the ultra-useful (and ultra-cute) Ugreen Uno charging block, an undetectable mouse jiggler (don't tell the boss), and the Logitech MX Anywhere wireless mouse, which works on pretty much any surface, whether you're working at home, in the office, or on the move.

For laptops, monitors, printers, and more stylish WFH upgrades, I've searched the sales and you can check out my guide to the best Labor Day home office deals.

Labor Day deals under $50

Sony Sony WH-CH520 Wireless On-Ear Bluetooth Headphones With Microphone

Pzloz LED Desk Lamp

Nordik By Design Leather Desk Mat

Ugreen Uno 65W 3-Port Fast Charging Block

Logitech MX Anywhere 2s Wireless Mouse | Bluetooth Edition

Supsonic Heated Coffee Mug

Vaydeer Undetectable Mouse Jiggler

Acer 7-In-1 Wireless Charging Station

Stanley Quencher H2.0 Flow State Tumbler

MNN 15.6" Portable Monitor

Wolfbox Megaflow 50 Compressed Air Duster

Anker Zolo USB-C 50W Charger Blocks

Vsdinside Customizable Macro Keypad

Logitech MK270 Full Size Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo

Anker 5-in-1 USB-C hub

Ugreen Portable Adjustable Laptop Stand

Marbrasse Mesh Desk Organizer

Supvan E11 Keyboard & Bluetooth Label Maker Machine

Logitech Brio 101 Webcam | FHD

CloudBliss Under Desk Foot Rest

Vivo Adjustable Dual Monitor Arm

Eurpmask Rotating Clamp-on Headphone Hanger

Lamicall 6 Pack Rotatable Cord Organizer

TP-Link Wi-Fi 6 Router

• Shop all of Amazon's Labor Day Sale

Sonos just announced two new big pieces of hardware to its lineup: a Sonos Beam Ultra soundbar and some Sonos Ace Ultra headphones. And while they both sound like solid upgrades to the manufacturer's top-tier audio tech, you'll have to pay a premium for both products.

Luckily, though, as part of this year's Labor Day sales, several pieces of existing Sonos audio equipment are on offer at Best Buy — including the current Sonos Beam (Gen 2) soundbar and the original Sonos Ace headphones.

• Shop all Sonos deals at Best Buy

Firstly, let's start with the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) at Best Buy for $369 (was $499). We still rate the four-star soundbar as an excellent compact choice that's a smart buy if you need a simple upgrade to underwhelming built-in TV speakers. It offers an impressively wide soundstage in such a small package and requires minimal fuss to get it all hooked up.

Meanwhile, the Sonos Ace at Best Buy for $299 are a much more tempting buy following this $100 discount. We still liked them enough to award them four stars in our review, but only as a top choice if you're exclusively using them to watch movies.

One thing of note: the new model will have better integration with the wider Sonos ecosystem, so if that's important to you, it may be worth waiting for the new model. Just be aware, though, that they will cost up to $449 at launch, so considerably more expensive than this original version.

There are a couple of other Sonos speakers and soundbars on sale for Labor Day, so do check out all of the deals below.

4 best Sonos deals at Best Buy

Beam (Gen 2) Soundbar: was $499 now $369
This second-generation Sonos Beam soundbar is an older model, but this considerable discount drops it to its lowest price outside of Black Friday. Even with its age, it's still a great offer for a compact and stylish soundbar that also drops the subwoofer for another space-saving measure. It offers easy integration with the wider Sonos ecosystem if you want a larger home theater system, and Dolby Atmos support provides a more immersive experience when watching movies or sports. We also found it's great at playing music in our Sonos Beam (Gen 2) review, so it's a good choice if you need an all-in-one soundbar for multiple uses.View Deal

The biggest, best and most powerful soundbar Sonos has ever made just got a $100 discount at Best Buy. As you can read in our Sonos Arc Ultra review, we think it's the best all-in-one Dolby Atmos soundbar you can buy, with strong, detailed and clear audio quality. We did think that a lack of some features, such as HDMI passthrough and DTS-HD support, was a little disappointing. However, the Sonos Arc Ultra offers just about the best home cinematic experience you can buy in a single package — if you're willing to pay the premium price.View Deal

Ace Wireless Headphones: was $399 now $299
The Sonos Ace Headphones deliver powerful, clear, and cinematic sound with excellent Dolby Atmos support, making them fantastic for watching movies, TV shows, or sports, without disturbing the whole house. You get wired or wireless hi-res audio and excellent connectivity options with Sonos soundbars to make it easy to switch between your TV and headphone audio — even if the integration isn't as complete as we'd have liked. And while not the best for music, they're still a solid choice, with up to 30 hours of battery life and a comfortable fit.View Deal

This imposing Sonos Era 300 has been $40 cheaper in the past, but it's still a good price for a Dolby Atmos-powered speaker that offers wide and expansive full-room audio. It's clearly one for the most enthusiastic audiophiles. but it does boast an impressive soundscape, as we found in our Sonos Era 300 review. It's one that's worth the investment at this deal price if you want the best-of-the-best, but most will be happy with the cheaper and greater value Era 100 above for more general use.View Deal

• Forescout researchers showed AI can port RCE exploits to PLCs, achieving DoS and shellcode execution
• Effort required heavy researcher input and $500+ in API usage, making attacks impractical for criminals
• Nation‑state actors remain a concern, as seen in Sandworm’s 2025 attack on Poland’s power grid

If you are worried cybercriminals will use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to automate the discovery and exploitation of zero-day vulnerabilities in Operational Technology (OT) such as Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) you can sleep peacefully, at least for a little longer.

Recently, security researchers from Forescout set off on a simple mission - to understand if crooks can use AI to target the ever-increasing population of exposed industrial devices. The short answer is “yes, but it’s not yet worth the trouble”.

In their mission, they launched an experiment - to port a remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability from one PLC to another. These devices were built on closed-source software and thus were not that easy to manipulate, yet the experiment was a success.

Yes, but...

Not only did they manage to trigger a Denial of Service (DoS) state that crashed the device but ended up with a working RCE capable of executing attacker-supplied ARM shellcode.

It is indeed a worrying development, but one that comes with a huge “but”:

“It required significant researcher input. The final RCE development stage consumed more than $500 in API usage. An attempt to extend the exploit beyond the initial RCE ultimately bricked the PLC,” the researchers said in the report.

“These limitations taught us valuable lessons about AI-assisted exploitation in OT. It can be done, but it’s not as easy as it sounds. For now, the difficulty, cost, and specialist expertise required are likely to make this kind of attack less attractive than easier alternatives.”

In other words, cybercriminals still have easier avenues to explore, and as long as that is the case, OT is relatively safe. What the report, unfortunately, does not discuss, is nation-state attackers with significant resources. For such attackers, industrial devices are a prime target, and spending $500+ in API usage is a drop in a bucket. We’ve already seen it back in 2025 when Sandworm struck Poland’s electricity suppliers.

• Analysis of more than 500,000 used EV battery tests reveals long-term health
• The Hyundai Ioniq 5 emerges as one of the strongest performers 
• The study also reveals huge variation between individual cars

A new study, which has looked at 500,000 independent EV battery health tests, has revealed which electric cars boast the most battery capacity as they age — and which models suffer the biggest losses over time.

The data comes from Austrian battery diagnostics company Aviloo (via InsideEVs), which has analyzed used EVs across 20 popular models between 2022 and 2026.

The company says the new Aviloo Certified EV Battery Report is the world's largest independent study of used EV battery health, drawing on a wider database of more than one million tests from across the globe.

And while the results are broadly good news for EV owners, there are some surprisingly big differences between models.

Cutting to the chase for a second, the standout performer is the Hyundai Ioniq 5, which recorded a median State of Health (SoH) of 97.2% at 50,000 m (31,000 miles) and 95% at 100,000km — or around 62,000 miles. Even at at 150,000km (93,000 miles), it still retained 92.8% of its original Sate of Health.

That puts it comfortably ahead of the Tesla Model Y, which recorded a median SoH of 90.3% at 150,000 km. The Tesla Model 3 was lower still, at 88.94%.

At the other end of the table, smaller EVs with relatively small batteries performed less well.

The Nissan Leaf ZE1 generation with its smaller 40kWh battery, for example, recorded 86.67% at 150,000 km, while the Renault Zoe of the same era managed 87.33% and the first generation Mini Cooper SE 87.11%.

Analysis: Battery health is more complicated than mileage

(Image credit: Nissan)

The really interesting part of Aviloo’s data isn't simply which model wins. It's how much individual cars can vary from the median.

For example, at 150,000km, 99% of Tesla Model Ys in the dataset fell between 82.9% and 94.9% battery SoH. For the BMW i4, the range was 87.5% to 96.9%.

That means two seemingly identical used EVs with the same mileage can have "dramatically different" battery health — and therefore potentially very different real-world ranges and performance.

Marcus Berger, CEO of Aviloo said: "The truth in this data is that averages hide a lot. Yes, EV batteries are aging better than the ‘they wear out fast’ myth suggests — but that's not the most useful thing this report tells you.

"What matters is that battery health varies significantly between models, and even more between individual cars of the same model".

This is where Aviloo says its independent Flash tests are important, rather than used car buyers relying on the State of Health figure displayed by the vehicle’s computer systems.

The company says that climate, charging behavior, battery chemistry and keeping a vehicle at high charge for extended periods are all factors that can easily influence degradation.

But as we have seen with plenty of other EV battery reports like this, the overall message is reassuring.

Most of the EVs in the study retained around 90% or more of their original battery capacity after 150,000km (around 93,000 miles), suggesting that fears of EV batteries clogging up landfill sites are increasingly difficult to square with the real-world data.