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Artificial intelligence has rapidly become a cornerstone of modern business, driving innovation and efficiency across industries. Yet, as companies increasingly rely on AI to handle sensitive tasks, they are also opening themselves up to new security vulnerabilities.

Businesses integrating AI into their operations means AI entities are becoming more autonomous and gaining access to more sensitive data and systems. As a result, CISOs are facing new cybersecurity challenges. Traditional security practices, designed for human users and conventional machines, fall short when applied to AI. So, it’s vital for companies to address emerging vulnerabilities if they are to prevent security issues from unchecked AI integration and secure their most valuable data assets.

AI: More than just machines

Every single type of identity has a different role and capability. Humans usually know how to best protect their passwords. For example, it seems quite obvious to every individual that they should avoid reusing the same password multiple times or choosing one that’s very easy to guess. Machines, including servers and computers, often hold or manage passwords, but they are vulnerable to breaches and don’t have the capability to prevent unauthorized access.

AI entities, including chatbots, are difficult to classify with regard to cybersecurity. These nonhuman identities manage critical enterprise passwords yet differ significantly from traditional machine identities like software, devices, virtual machines, APIs, and bots. So, AI is neither a human identity nor a machine identity; it sits in a unique position. It combines human-guided learning with machine autonomy and needs access to other systems to work. However, it lacks the judgment to set limits and prevent sharing confidential information.

Rising investments, lagging security

Businesses are investing heavily in AI, with 432,000 UK organizations – accounting for 16% – reporting they have embraced at least one AI technology. AI adoption is no longer a trend; it’s a necessity, so spending on emerging technologies is only expected to keep rising in the coming years. The UK AI market is currently worth over £16.8 billion, and is anticipated to grow to £801.6 billion by 2035.

However, the rapid investment in AI often outpaces identity security measures. Companies don’t always understand the risks posed by AI. As such, following best practices for security or investing enough time in securing AI systems is not always top of the priority list, leaving these systems vulnerable to potential cyberattacks. What’s more, traditional security practices such as access controls and least privilege rules are not easily applicable to AI systems. Another issue is that, with everything they already have going on, security practitioners are struggling to find enough time to secure AI workloads.

CyberArk’s 2024 Identity Security Threat Landscape Report reveals that while 68% of UK organizations report that up to half of their machine identities access sensitive data, only 35% include these identities in their definition of privileged users and take the necessary identity security measures. This oversight is risky, as AI systems, loaded with up-to-date training data, become high-value targets for attackers. Compromises in AI could lead to the exposure of intellectual property, financial information, and other sensitive data.

The threat of cloud attacks on AI systems

The security threats to AI systems aren’t unique, but their scope and scale could be. Constantly updated with new training data from within a company, LLMs quickly become prime targets for attackers once deployed. Since they must use real data and not test data for training, this up-to-date information can reveal valuable sensitive corporate secrets, financial data, and other confidential assets. AI systems inherently trust the data they receive, making them particularly susceptible to being deceived into divulging protected information.

In particular, cloud attacks on AI systems enable lateral movement and jailbreaking, allowing attackers to exploit a system’s vulnerabilities and trick it into disseminating misinformation to the public. Identity and account compromises in the cloud are common, with many high-profile breaches resulting from stolen credentials and causing significant damage to major brands across the tech, banking and consumer sectors.

AI can also be used to perform more complex cyberattacks. For example, it enables malicious actors to analyze every single permission that’s linked to a particular role within a company and assess whether they can use this permission to easily access and move through the organization.

So, what’s the sensible next step? Companies are still at the beginning of the integration of AI and LLMs, so establishing robust identity security practices will take time. However, CISOs can’t afford to sit back and wait; they must proactively develop strategies to protect AI identities before a cyberattack happens, or a new regulation comes into place and forces them to do so.

The key steps for strengthening AI security

While there is no silver bullet security solution for AI, businesses can put certain measures in place to mitigate the risks. More specifically, there are some key actions that CISOs can take to enhance their AI identity security posture as the industry continues to evolve.

• Identifying overlaps: CISOs should make it a priority to identify areas where existing identity security measures can be applied to AI. For example, leveraging existing controls such as access management and least privilege principles where possible can help improve security.

• Safeguarding the environment: It’s crucial that CISOs understand the environment where AI operates to protect it as efficiently as possible. While purchasing an AI security platform isn’t a necessity, securing the environment where the AI activity is happening is vital.

• Building an AI security culture: It’s hard to encourage all employees to adopt best identity security practices without a strong AI security mindset. Involving security experts in AI projects means they can share their knowledge and expertise with all employees and ensure everyone is well aware of the risks of using AI. It’s also important to consider how data is processed and how the LLM is being trained to encourage employees to think of what using emerging technologies entails and be even more careful.

The use of AI in business presents both great opportunities and unprecedented security challenges. As we navigate this new landscape, it becomes clear that traditional security measures are insufficient for the unique risks posed by AI systems. The role of CISOs is no longer simply about managing conventional cybersecurity threats; it now involves recognising the distinct nature of AI identities and securing them accordingly. So, businesses must make sure they invest time and resources in finding the right balance between innovation and security to keep up with the latest trends while protecting their most valuable assets.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we 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/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

We now know why some blood is missing a key antigen—leading to the creation of a new blood-grouping system. Experts believe even more discoveries are on the way.

Amazon has plenty of options to outfit your new Apple phone with added protection, all at a discount.

This is Part 2 of a two-part series on cloud repatriation.  In The Shift to Cloud Repatriation: Why Organizations are Making the Change - Part 1 we delved into the significance of edge computing and data sovereignty when considering repatriation highlighting the strategic benefits of maintaining control over data. But another key factor is the growing popularity of Kubernetes, the next evolution in application deployment and management. An open source container orchestration platform that offers organizations an appealing combination of flexibility and control, Kubernetes helps companies more dynamically size for each application, while managing costs and improving performance.

Kubernetes and containers: A new era of flexibility and efficiency

Although containers are billed as lightweight alternatives to full virtual machines, they pack a massive punch. From small ephemeral apps to large scale stateful workloads, containers give organizations the ability to encapsulate applications in a consistent environment, eliminating software configuration conflicts and ensuring reliable performance across different platforms. Kubernetes serves as a powerful open-source controller or orchestration platform for containers, enabling developers to manage and scale applications seamlessly.

Because Kubernetes is open source, it is accessible to anyone at any time. Whether you are operating racks of enterprise-class servers or a couple of mini PCs in a retail closet, Kubernetes can adapt and function seamlessly. This universal compatibility, flexibility, and ease of use allows developers to create, manage, and scale applications, free of the constraints traditionally imposed by specific hardware or software environments.

An additional point of appeal is the standardization that Kubernetes offers. Developers can write applications, encapsulate them into containers, and replicate these containers endlessly with consistent results. This eliminates the headache of dealing with conflicting operating systems or applications that might override critical data. Containers ensure a digitally perfect copy of a known good application, which can be deployed as many times as needed without variation.

All of the major hyperscalers have developed advanced tools around Kubernetes, but the core value of Kubernetes remains its open-source foundation and the fact that it doesn’t bind organizations to a single cloud provider. Kubernetes also provides organizations with the ability to move configurations across different environments – including public clouds, private clouds, or even on-premises servers – that is the true game-changer. This enables businesses to avoid a lock-in with any single cloud provider, offering the freedom to choose the most cost-effective and efficient solution for each workload.

Workload portability: the Kubernetes advantage

Prior to Kubernetes, moving applications and workloads between different environments was cumbersome and costly, and continuously using public cloud resources for stable, long-running applications was not cost-effective. Now organizations can evaluate their computing needs and optimize costs by transferring workloads to the most appropriate channel, balancing cost and performance. Stable applications with predictable usage patterns can benefit from the cost savings of a private cloud, avoiding the premium costs associated with on-demand public cloud resources.

Still, not all applications are suited for private clouds. Applications with sporadic, high compute needs, such as running one-time machine learning algorithms on large datasets, are ideal for the public cloud because they allow businesses to leverage significant computing power for short periods without long-term commitments. Conversely, applications that require continuous operation and low latency, such as incident management systems or real-time financial applications, are better suited for private clouds.

Think about it this way: public clouds excel in providing resources for applications that can be turned off when not in use, saving costs during idle periods. But for applications that must run 24/7, private clouds offer more predictable pricing and lower total cost of ownership. Additionally, private cloud provides greater flexibility and lower costs for data transfer and connectivity, making them more cost effective for moving large volumes of data between different locations.

The multi-cloud paradigm is here to stay, driven by the need for flexibility, cost optimization, and performance. During the pandemic, many organizations rushed to public clouds due to immediate needs and external pressures. But it has become clear that relying on a single provider is not a sustainable long-term strategy. Cost concerns, latency issues, and the inability to move workloads freely have underscored the limitations of a one-size-fits-all approach.

By carefully evaluating workloads and leveraging the strengths of both public and private clouds, businesses can achieve the best performance, lowest cost, and ultimately drive better business outcomes. The future lies in this hybrid, multi-cloud approach, where the right strategy can make all the difference.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we 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/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

TechRadar Pro is live in San Francisco for Dreamforce 2024!

We're here in California for what will no doubt be a packed few days of news, features, and much more as Salesforce shows off all it's newest and most exciting releases.

Expect surprises and celebrity guests during Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff's keynote, plus all the latest Slack and AI news as well. We'll be here covering the event live, so stay tuned for all the latest and greatest updates as they happen!

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of Dreamforce 2024!

TechRadar Pro is here in San Francisco after flying in last night, and we're looking forward to a busy week of news and announcements.

Dreamforce 2024 begins tomorrow (Tuesday 17 September) - so we'll be in the opening keynote to report everything going on!

The Windows operating system (OS) had a vulnerability that allowed people to hide a file’s true extension, which hackers were able to use and distribute files that looked like .PDF documents, but were in fact weaponized .HTA files.

In the most recent Patch Tuesday cumulative update, Microsoft addressed a flaw described as "Windows MSHTML spoofing vulnerability", and tracked as CVE-2024-43461. This flaw was apparently used by a threat actor known as Void Banshee to deploy the Atlantida infostealer.

In the attack, the crooks would first create a malicious .HTA file. An .HTA file stands for HTML Application, and it is a file type that allows HTML to be executed as a standalone application. Unlike typical web pages that run in a browser, .HTA files are executed with more privileges, similar to desktop applications, and can access system resources.

Atlantida infostealer

Then, they would abuse the vulnerability to add twenty-six repeated encoded braille whitespace characters to the file’s name. That way, when a user views a file on their computer, the actual file type would be hidden, tricking the victim into believing they were looking at a .PDF file, instead. Running the file would install the Atlantida infostealer, which would pick up and exfiltrate sensitive data, login information, and more.

Deploying the .HTA file to the device was done through a weaponized shortcut file (.URL). This file was most likely delivered with phishing, or social engineering.

"Specifically, the attackers used special Windows Internet Shortcut files (.url extension name), which, when clicked, would call the retired Internet Explorer (IE) to visit the attacker-controlled URL," Check Point Research explained in a recent paper, BleepingComputer reports.

The bug was fixed with the latest Patch Tuesday update. Now, when a user tries to open the .HTA file, the actual file type will not remain hidden. However, it will still be pushed to the right, thanks to multiple braille whitespace characters, which might still confuse some people.

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From the creator behind Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, which was once one of the best Netflix series, Ryan Murphy is returning to another one of our best streaming services with his upcoming limited series Grotesquerie. The recent teaser trailer for the new Hulu show (see below) packs everything you can expect from a Ryan Murphy production, including a true crime backdrop, a token nun character, and Taylor Swift’s boyfriend Travis Kelce.  

Following the release of the show’s official trailer (see below), which is introduced by Kelce himself, Hulu and FX have been dropping teaser trailers in the lead up to its release on September 25. Going off what we’ve seen so far in its teasers, Grotesquerie will have a crime-centric storyline with elements of gory cults and rituals across the 10-episode first season carried by a cast of new additions to the Murphy family of actors, as well as those who have worked with him on previous projects.

As well as newcomer Travis Kelce, Grotesquerie brings Academy Award nominee Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread and Netflix’s The Crown) into Murphy’s circle. Tony Award nominee Micaela Diamond will also be swapping the stage for the screen in her Ryan Murphy production debut as Sister Megan, performing alongside Nicholas Chavez who’ll be starring as Lyle Menendez in Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, the second series in Murphy’s Netflix show.

If you’re familiar with the works of Murphy, you’ll know that his productions often feature recurring actors, and in the case of Grotesquerie, Niecy Nash will be returning following appearances in shows such as Scream Queens and Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. 

Grotesquerie will undoubtedly be one of the most talked about shows this spooky season, however its many trailers suggest that we won’t see anything that we haven’t already from Murphy.

 What does Ryan Murphy have in store for us this time?  

“Something hellish is here”, Nash says to set the tone of Grotesquerie’s main trailer. Following a series of crimes that shake up a small community, Detective Lois Tryon (Nash) senses that there’s a personal element attached to the crimes, convincing herself that she’s being targeted. While she comes face-to-face with the murder case, she must learn to juggle a complicated relationship with her daughter Merritt (Raven Goodwin), and cope with the struggles of absent husband in long-term hospital care. 

Having nowhere to turn, she meets Sister Megan (Diamond), a nun and journalist with a history of witnessing the worst kinds of evil. The two women band together to gather clues with hopes of getting to the bottom of the cases, but it proves to be difficult when their questions become more puzzled and evil forces grow stronger.  

You can watch the full trailer for Ryan Murphy's drama series Grotesquerie below. 

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Apple has refreshed its cheapest wireless earbuds and split features into two models. The AirPods 4 raise more questions than answers.

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AirPods are getting some important new updates today as part of iOS 18, especially the AirPods Pro 2: there are new gesture controls, improved audio quality for gaming and calls, more control over Adaptive Audio, and spatial audio for gaming. 

There are some differences depending on what AirPods model you have.

The new Siri interactions, which enable you to accept or silence calls and notifications with head movements, are available for all AirPods. The new Voice Isolation for clearer calls is for all AirPods too.

Personalized Spatial Audio for gaming requires AirPods (3rd generation), AirPods Pro and AirPods Max.

How to get the new AirPods update

In most cases, your AirPods will get the update automatically when the appropriate update is launched, they're within Bluetooth range of your Wi-Fi-connected iPhone, iPad or Mac and they're charging. Once the update is installed, you'll get a cheerful welcome message the next time you use your earbuds or headphones. 

If you have AirPods Pro 2, you may have the update already: my pair automatically updated over the weekend to version number 7A294. 

If you're not sure whether or not you have the latest version, it's easy enough to check on all of the best AirPods models.

If you connect your AirPods and look at the about information (in Settings > Bluetooth; tap on the info button next to your AirPods and then scroll down to About) on your iPhone or iPad, you should see the name of the currently installed firmware. 

On a Mac, the same information is under the Apple menu  > System Information > Bluetooth and then your AirPods' name. The most recent firmware for each model of AirPods is always listed on this page on the Apple website.

If you don't appear to have the correct firmware version for your model, you can force an over-the-air update by connecting them to your Mac: for AirPods Max that means connecting them directly via the lightning to USB cable, and with AirPods and AirPods Pro it means putting your earbuds into their charging case and then connecting the case to your computer. That should start the update process for you – you can read a more step-by-step process in our full guide to how to update your AirPods' firmware.

If you make sure you're up to date even before iOS 18 lands, then you should get access to the new features immediately. Or, if iOS 18 arrives and things don't seem to be working, check your firmware in case the software hasn't landed on your AirPods yet.

The effects of the recent cyberattack on Transport For London (TfL) systems continue to be felt, with employees now being asked to attend an in person meeting to verify their identities and reset their passwords.

The organization has confirmed customer data was accessed during the attack, and one person has been arrested in relation to the incident, with the leaked data possibly including the bank details for around 5,000 customers, with applications for new Oyster photo and zip cards temporarily suspended.

Public transport itself remained largely unaffected in the incident, which primarily disrupted internal systems and the refund process for the transport agency, but the impact is still causing delay for some of TfL’s systems.

Ongoing disruption

TfL has confirmed it will be in touch with any customer whose information was compromised, and the organization is monitoring anyone who uses their system to ensure only those with authorisation can gain access,

"Some customers may ask questions about the security of our network and their data. First and foremost, we must reassure that our network is safe," TfL added on its employee hub. "Secondly, we're contacting customers directly about steps being taken regarding their data."

This attack reinforces the current trend of critical infrastructure as the target for cyber criminals. Organisations such as hospitals and energy companies which provide a public service are particularly vulnerable since they don’t tend to have the budget for top of the range cyber security.

Via BleepingComputer

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Social media and Reddit has been abuzz with a Cybertruck owner’s tale of tire woe, as the Cyberbeast driver suggested in a post that the rubber shrouding the polygonal EV’s 20-inch wheels has worn to a point where it needs replacing after just 6,000 miles.

The rate at which a tire wears is heavily dependent on the vehicle in question and how it is driven, but in general, having to replace a set after this sort of low mileage driving on public roads is not commonplace.

According to most sources of motoring information (your local tire supplier, or breakdown services), most drivers will get a minimum of 20,000 miles out of a set of tires in a front-wheel-drive car, extending to 40,000 for rear-wheel-drive machines.

Again, this is all highly dependent on the vehicle in question and the driving style, so the fact that forums have been alive with suggestions that Cybertruck chews through tires prematurely is probably giving Tesla an unduly hard time.

Without knowing all of the facts surrounding Cyber Truck Owners Club user Santoshm’s Cyberbeast (camber, wheel alignment, wheel balancing and tire pressures could be off, causing premature wear), it is difficult to say why they are experience such a poor return on rubber.

(Image credit: Tesla)

But the fact of the matter is, a truck that weighs 6,920lbs (that’s over three tonnes, metric fans) and produces 833bhp with a staggering 10296 lb-ft (13959 Nm) of torque is going to chew through tires – even if owners go easy on the throttle.

It comes as no surprise that similarly large electric EVs are also running into issues when it comes to tire wear. Last year, Rivian owners took to Facebook and other social media channels to complain of similarly poor tread-life on the R1T.

Again, this could have easily been down to a number of contributing factors, but many posited that 'Conserve Mode', which cuts power to the rear axle and lowers the ride height for increased aerodynamic efficiency, forces the front tires to do all the work – and messes with the overall geometry that can lead to incorrect wheel alignment and uneven wear.

But really, it could just be that this big, heavy and massively powerful truck tears off the line at every traffic light opportunity, just because it can.

Analysis: With great power comes great responsibility

(Image credit: Rivian)

The Tesla Cybertruck, particularly the range-topping Cyberbeast variant, is automotive hyperbole incarnate. Over-powered, over-weight and over-styled (or should that be under-styled?), it pushes the very boundaries of automotive design and engineering.

But while it is often easy to poke fun at Musk and his, at-times, madcap EV outfit, Tesla isn’t alone in bestowing extremely heavy electric vehicles with insane performance figures. 

As is the way with electric motors in general, the amount of torque they can put down near-instantaneously means that the modern tire has to work harder than it ever has... and modern tires aren't cheap.

There was a time when investing in a 500bhp+ performance car came with the unwritten rule that tire bills would be financially crippling, but it feels like this has been lost in the world of EVs.

Take the frankly ridiculous Smart #1 Brabus model, as an example. This compact, largely generic family SUV develops 428bhp and 584Nm (431ft lb) of torque, it can accelerate from 0-62mph in 3.2 seconds and yet it weighs 2,325kg (5,126lbs).

Having driven said car, I was shocked at how often it spun its wheels under some 'spirited' throttle input. As a result, I would bet good money tire bills won’t be cheap on the Smart car, either.

So it begs the question – just because they are capable of it, do modern EVs really need this sort of power? 

And surely the number of rubber particulates that something like a Cybertruck is kicking into the atmosphere is undoing some of the work battery packs and electric motors are carrying out in order to to reduce local emissions?

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Not only did Baby Reindeer become a cultural phenomenon after becoming one of the best Netflix shows, but it also called attention to the outstanding acting talents of Jessica Gunning. While her unnerving portrayal of stalker Martha Scott in Baby Reindeer has won her critical acclaim, she also steals the show in The Outlaws, which is streaming on Prime Video in the US and Australia (those in the UK, can catch it on Sky or the BBC iPlayer).

Baby Reindeer has taken the 2024 Emmy Awards by storm, with Gunning winning the award for 'Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series'. Now that Gunning's scene-stealing ability has been recognized on a global scale, it's the perfect time for a bigger audience to watch her in the comedy drama series The Outlaws, which has arguably flown under the radar since it aired on one of the best streaming services in 2021.

Written by The Office co-creator Stephen Merchant, The Outlaws follows seven petty criminals who become involved in a drug money-laundering scheme while on community service in Bristol. It's not just The Outlaws' 86% Rotten Tomatoes score that makes it one of the best Prime Video shows, it's Gunning's role as community service supervisor Diane Pemberley that proves to be an unmissable watch just like Baby Reindeer.

Gunning for glory in The Outlaws

Gunning's comedic muscles come out to play in The Outlaws, where she takes on the role of community payback officer Diane, who was once a juvenile delinquent and is now a supervisor of The Outlaws. 

Now a fully qualified police community support officer (PCSO) in season three, a shades-wearing Gunning policing the streets on an electric scooter and exerting her newfound authority over motorists is definitely one of the best things you'll see on TV. However, her no-nonsense and by-the-book attitude becomes hilariously undone when she often misses criminal tricks right under her nose.

The Outlaws is an ideal watch if you want a break from the intensity of Baby Reindeer, which is based on Richard Gadd’s autobiographical one-man stage play of the same name. Gadd plays Donny Dunn, a struggling stand-up comedian who is forced to confront a dark trauma when a woman called Martha Scott (Gunning) starts stalking him.

Jessica Gunning as Diane Pemberley in The Outlaws. (Image credit: Alistair Heap/BBC Worldwide Americas)

But while there are stark differences between Diane and Martha, the jobsworth channels an inner Martha with her forceful ways and heightened sense of self-importance when she has her eager protégé by her side. Much like Martha in Baby Reindeer, Diane tends to break social boundaries, use vulgar phrases, and arouses sympathy for a character that might not show it, but in a comedic setting.

The Outlaws is worth watching to see Gunning's impressive ability to morph into whatever character is thrown at her, whether it's a disturbing stalker or a bumbling PCSO, which is just another show-stopping performance to count towards her astronomical rise to stardom.

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New research has claimed despite the buzz around Artificial Intelligence, the vast majority of workers don't use AI all that often, with only 4% using it daily.

Most employees have tested it out, with 84% of us having used AI at work at some point, but only 27% report using it ‘a few times a month’, and a further 24% only using AI once a month or less, a report from 3M found.

The consensus on AI seems to be hopeful, but evidence suggests that the technology is not there yet. Whilst 77% of people believe AI will transform our world, studies show most people don’t trust it, and are less likely to engage with products that use the technology.

Untapped potential

Almost half (48%) think the implementation of AI will lead to faster analysis and data processing, with 40% believing it will handle menial tasks and could free up time for workers to focus on other tasks.

Most believe it will play a big role in the future, with 61% expecting AI will complete 50% of their work in the next 10 years, but 80% of UK adults believe AI needs to be heavily regulated.

The gap between the perceived potential of AI and it’s current capabilities is significant, and most businesses feel unprepared and under equipped to implement the tech.

“If we’re to unlock this in the day-to-day, we need to dispel the fear that AI will replace jobs. Instead, we need to assure employees that AI will work alongside them to help productivity with daily tasks, while providing thorough training so that they feel confident with new AI tools, instead of fearful," noted Global Digital Automation & Innovation Senior Manager at 3M, Paul Cardno.

Whilst the AI takeover may seem inevitable, the vast majority (80%) of projects fail, largely due to a gap in expectations and capabilities of the technology. Research shows that over eagerness has led to a tendency to overestimate its ability and use AI as a fix-all to problems it cannot solve.

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Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation: Two-Minute Review

When they're in the ear, at first glance the Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation might not look much different to the third-generation AirPods. However, the design has been streamlined for a better fit, while the internal hardware has been upgraded, with many of the best features of AirPods Pro 2 trickling down to Apple's new entry-level earbuds, making them a tempting option among the best AirPods.

For one, both styles of AirPods 4 – these and the standard version, which don’t offer noise cancellation – are powered by the Apple-made H2 chip that stretches the battery life, delivers excellent audio playback, and provides enough horsepower for Apple to offer Adaptive Audio on the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. 

While it doesn't entirely block out the world around you in the way that the best noise cancelling earbuds do – remember these are open-ear earbuds – when paired with music, it can reduce loud rumbles, like a jet engine, down to a drastically reduced sound. 

I think folks who desire the ability to block out the world around them without fully sealing off the ear will find a nice middle ground here. The Transparency mode, as well as how these pick up the user's voice, is very well done and sounds incredibly natural.

You'll also be able to answer or decline calls with a shake of your head and press the stems for easy control, other than for adjusting the volume. Sadly, the ability to swipe to change the volume didn't trickle down from AirPods Pro 2. However, excellent audio quality with a wide soundstage did, and that's paired with support for Personalized Spatial Audio. 

Overall, the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation make a bit more sense over the entry-level for the price and provide some future-proofing, but they also make an impact as powerful open-ear earbuds.

Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation review: Pricing and Availability

The Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation are priced at $179 / £179 / AU$299. They're available from September 20th, 2024, though are available to order already. 

The $129 / £129 / AU$219 entry-level AirPods 4 do not offer noise cancellation, or, as their pricier siblings do, a Find My-enabled case and a couple of other features, but they still offer excellent audio quality and spatial audio support.

Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation review: Specs Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation review: Features

(Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanoff)

Much like the AirPods Pro 2nd Generation, AirPods Max, or even the third-generation model that they replace, the AirPods 4 – with or without active noise cancellation – offer several useful features, which make them an excellent choice for anyone with an iPhone, or who’s otherwise invested in Apple’s device ecosystem.

After unboxing, you need to flip the lid open and hold the AirPods 4 near your iPhone to start the pairing process. You’ll see a prompt appear on the bottom half of your screen and can click ‘Connect’ to pair the AirPods 4 with your iPhone and your iCloud account for easy syncing between devices. I found that this process took just a few seconds to complete. 

Fast-pairing and quick switching between devices have long been staples of AirPods, with the former dating back to the first generation, and they perform well here. Right after pairing, I was able to begin listening on my iPhone, and I could quickly switch to listening to audio on a 14-inch MacBook Pro or an iPad. Apple’s various platforms will even automatically switch your AirPods between devices based on what you’re actively using or playing audio on,, but I found this to be a little less helpful. 

One very helpful feature here, though, is the arrival of gesture controls. First announced as an upgrade for the AirPods Pro 2nd Generation at Apple’s WWDC in June, these head gestures launch on day one with AirPods 4, allowing you to easily answer or dismiss a call with a simple head shake. Just in my few days of using the AirPods 4 this has come in handy several times, especially when my hands are full or I’m walking around town. It works for phone calls, FaceTime, and other calling apps that use Apple’s APIs.

(Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanoff)

Aside from nodding your head or saying “yes” or “no”, you can also press the stems, or press and hold, to trigger a few actions. A single press lets you play or pause, while a long press lets you select listening modes. While these open-ear earbuds won’t fully isolate you from your surroundings, the AirPods 4 offer active noise cancellation, transparency, and Adaptive Audio (blending those two) modes. You cannot, however, swipe or down on the stem to adjust the volume – the ability to do this on the AirPods Pro is super-handy, but seemingly, Apple wants to keep that feature for its flagship earbuds.

Apple’s H2 chip – the same chip found in AirPods Pro – powers all of these features, as well as the microphones, custom algorithms, and sensors. As I wrote in my hands-on review, after I tried the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation right after the launch event to quiet down a noisy space, they offer seriously impressive noise cancellation for open-ear earbuds or buds that don’t fully seal off the ear. In that space, with ANC engaged, the sound of the crowded space was muffled, and when music playback began, it was mostly quieted down.

On an airplane, it was much the same experience – you can get some peace and quiet with them, but they won't fully drown out the environmental noise as the AirPods Pro can. Part of this might be due to the fact that your body is feeling vibrations and wants to match them with sound, but I think another factor is that without the full seal and as you move your head, ambient sound has more opportunity to enter your ear. The result is that AirPods 4 block out most sound, but on an airplane – or a train – you’ll still hear the engine roar and even some cabin noise. Still, though, these effectively block out a lot of noise.

I’ve long thought that the AirPods Pro offered the best transparency mode, in which they intelligently let environmental sounds in and lower the decibels so as not to harm your ears. I think the AirPods 4 outpace those, though – with transparency mode enabled here, any sense of roboticness or noise being piped in is pretty much removed; with Conversation Awareness turned on, you can also effectively have conversations with folks quite naturally, at times even forgetting these are in your ears. Your own voice, or in this case my voice, sounds a bit more natural and less processed as well.

Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation review: Design

(Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanoff)

The AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation don’t stray too far from the working formula of Apple’s other true-wireless earbuds. They opt for short stems like the AirPods Pro or the AirPods 3rd Generation that these directly replace. The curved portion of hard plastic that sits in your ear has been slightly redesigned and is now more curved, to provide a better fit in the ear.

I found the AirPods 4 to be pretty cozy in my ears. I comfortably wore them for over four and a half hours while on a flight and for countless hours with intermittent usage while working. They still just kind of plop in your ear and rest there. I didn’t have them fall out on any occasion, whether on a turbulent flight, while working out, or while walking indoors and outside in a bustling city. 

(Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanoff)

The case is downright tiny given the smaller footprint that the left and right AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation take up. It’s much smaller than the AirPods Pro 2nd Generation case, and even the case for the cheaper AirPods 4, and is shorter than the AirPods 2nd Generation’s case. You still flip it open to take out or put back your AirPods 4, and there’s a multi-purpose indicator light on the front.

There’s no back button on the back case for easy pairing, though. Instead, you’ll double-press the back to trigger pairing for other devices, including non-Apple ones. It’s an easter egg that Apple needs to publicize a bit more.

To charge the AirPods 4, you can plug them in via USB-C, though there’s no longer a charger in the box. If you get the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, you can also place them on any Qi-wireless charger or Apple Watch charging puck.

In my testing, I found that with active noise cancellation, transparent, or Adaptive Audio enabled, you’ll get around four hours and 15 to 20 minutes of usage. That’s beyond Apple’s promised four hours of playback with a listening mode enabled. With no mode on, you can get about five to five-and-a-half hours of playback, depending on the volume you’re listening at. A quick five minutes of charging in the case also provides at least an hour of listening.

Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation review: Sound Quality

(Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanoff)

To sum up, the AirPods 4 essentially sound as good as AirPods Pro 2nd Generation, and, as with their predecessors, that’s without the buds providing a true seal of the ear. There’s a clear and rich audio mix with a fairly wide sound stage, but the real chef’s kiss here would be the Spatial Audio support.

Powering the audio experience is Adaptive EQ via the H2 chip, and pushing out sound is a custom high-excursion drive and a high-dynamic range amplifier. It’s also worth noting that there’s a single H2 chip in each bud, with audio sent over Bluetooth 5.3 from the connected device. 

This all comes together to give you a balanced representation of the track you’re listening to, but if you’re listening to something that bops with more oomph the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation won’t shy away from raising the lower-end or really offering a surprising amount of bass for earbuds of this size. For instance, with Burnin’ Train by Bruce Springsteen, the track starts off with a rising guitar riff that’s quickly joined by drums, piano, and vocals all across the sound spectrum – it sounds sonically here and in lossless via Apple Music I didn’t notice any distortion or dropouts. 

With a pop/EDM track like Apple by Charli XCX, you can see how the AirPods 4 handle layering of sound, with a surprisingly sharp bass track that doesn’t distort with the singer’s vocals on top at higher frequencies, with various electrical beats in between. The AirPods 4 tend to handle almost all genres well, and even without a full seal, deliver a great balanced mix, although at higher volumes you will have some sound leakage. 

Spatial Audio here essentially gets rid of stereo’s left and right channels, with various elements of a track flowing around you. It’s a more immersive listening experience, and Apple’s implementation here is excellent. I particularly like spinning it with a live track, but I think the album version of Down On The Corner by Creedence Clearwater Revival is one of the best examples. Not to mention, it also works with some movies and TV shows to put you right in the middle of the action.

Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation review: Value

(Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanoff)

At $179 / £169 / AU$279 with active noise cancellation or $129 without, AirPods 4 offers a variety of features previously found only on Apple’s most high-end earbuds. The new design language streamlines the AirPods' appearance, as they all look similar. 

If you’re sold on open-ear earbuds or ones that lack silicone tips, AirPods 4 are likely your best bet if you want to be within Apple’s ecosystem. The higher price might only be $70 away from AirPods Pro, but you still get a lot of value for the price: three listening modes, a comfortable open-ear design that doesn’t fall out, solid battery life, and a findable case should they go missing. 

The $129 / £129 edition of AirPods 4 will lose the listening modes and the Find My enabled case, but it still offers a rich, crisp audio experience, all of the handy Apple ecosystem features, and support for Spatial Audio. 

Should I Buy Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation? Buy them if...

If you want an open-ear fit that works in the Apple ecosystem

Replacing AirPods 2nd and 3rd gen, AirPods 4 are the new open-ear, non-ear sealing earbuds that work extremely well with the iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac.

Don't buy them if...

If you want the best noise cancellation in an earbud

Considering AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation don't seal off your ear with a silicone ear-tip, these earbuds won't block out all environmental sound. So if you're looking for that consider another pair like AirPods Pro 2nd Gen or one of the best wireless earbuds from elsewhere.

How I tested Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation

For the past several days, I've been living with and using Apple's AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation with an iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPad Mini, iPad Pro, 14-inch MacBook Pro, Apple Watch Ultra 2, and Apple TV 4K. 

I tested audio playback, standard, and Spatial Audio tracks in various locations to gauge and track performance and see if there was sound leakage since these are open-ear earbuds. I threw various tracks across genres at AirPods 4, streamed from Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Music, and Nugs.net. 

I used active noise cancellation, transparency, and "Adaptive Audio" listening modes in various locations, including at home, in an office environment, while walking around a city, on a train, in a car, and on a plane. I tracked and measured how long the battery lasted with these modes on and off and the charging time. 

• First reviewed September 2024.