Technology

Netflix is cleaning house this year and making some sweeping cuts to its library of content. The streaming giant has confirmed numerous shows that are either canceled altogether or are concluding with their final seasons.

If you're primed to fear AI-driven robots replacing human workers at complex physical tasks, consider this your trigger warning.

A robot arm built by Sony, and named Ace, has just been dubbed "the first autonomous system to be competitive with elite human table tennis players." That's a quote from the study splashed across the front page of Nature, the world's most venerable peer-reviewed science journal.

SEE ALSO: A robot runner just beat a half-marathon record

The Ace researchers brought receipts. As you can see in the video above, the eight-jointed robot arm is able to make split-second decisions via an AI that's being fed real-time data from nine cameras. It scored a lot of points and won a few games against some of the world's top ping-pong players at Sony HQ in Tokyo.

But here's the good news buried in all the data. Yes, within the confines of this study, Ace was competitive. That doesn't mean Ace could figure out how to win every time; it's nothing like the half marathon-running robot that simply has to master one speed. And, crucially, the human players started to spot flaws in Ace's ping-pong strategy.

Ace isn't the first ping-pong playing robot. Researchers have long been interested in the sport because of its speed and real-time decision-making, which is a major frontier in robotics. In this respect, Ace marks a milestone for the AI system and for the highly reliable arm.

That arm was able to track a ping pong ball with 10 milliseconds of latency — more than 10 times faster than the human brain can manage.

"Ace’s striking skills are trained entirely in simulation using reinforcement learning, then transferred directly to the real robot," Sony explained in a blog post. "This is analogous to a player who practices endlessly in a virtual training hall and then walks onto a real court without needing to relearn anything."

But that's just the thing — ping-pong players learn on the go, and they're looking at more than just the ball.

Mayuka Taira, who lost a match to Ace last December, told Sony the robot effectively intimidated her at first. "Because you can't read its reactions, it's impossible to sense what kind of shots it dislikes or struggles with, and that makes it even more difficult to play against," she said.

SEE ALSO: 23 of the best AI courses you can take for free this month

But then Rui Takenaka, who has both lost and won against Ace, went that crucial human step further. Here's what he told the company, emphasis ours:

If I used a serve with complex spin, Ace also returned the ball with complex spin, which made ​it difficult for me. But ⁠when I used a simple serve, what we call a knuckle serve, Ace returned a simpler ball. That made it easier for me to attack on the third shot, and I think that was the key reason why I was able to win.

Got that? Ace, a profoundly smart system, was suckered by a knuckle serve.

"Professional human athletes are very good at adapting to their opponent and finding weaknesses, which is an area that we are working on," Ace project leader Peter Dürr told Reuters.

So we shouldn't exactly hang up our ping pong rackets just yet. But we should certainly be very concerned about the mentions of security applications through the various reports and blogs about Ace.

Because the most lucrative real-world application of speedy systems like this isn't at the Olympics. It's on the battlefield — where being faster than the human eye may mean game over for human soldiers.

Everyone seems to love recaps. Spotify popularized them with Wrapped, and now dozens of apps have their own version. You may not know that Google Maps does, too, and it’s pretty cool to see your travel history every month.

Walking through BookCon was a sort of literary haven. As I approached the exhibition floor, a string ensemble filled the Javits Center as if we'd been dropped into an episode of Bridgerton. The show floor was packed with exhibits from the big five to indie publishers, as attendees hoped to get their hands on a sought-after advanced copy. Before the event even began, as I approached the convention center nearly two hours before its start, the line stretched around several city blocks.

Attendees were ready and waiting for the show floor to open right at 9 a.m. and the lines started early. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Yet on the show floor, despite the long lines, there was a sense of camaraderie among attendees. There was an immediate rush to the HarperCollins booth as the publisher was giving away tickets to author signings, but attendees were respectful, asking and answering each other's questions, and excitedly sharing which author's signing they were hoping to score. This is a convention for fans, celebrating the shared passion of reading, and it felt like people came ready to bask in that community.

BookCon's return to New York City comes after a six-year hiatus. From last BookCon, which took place in 2019, to 2026, the book industry has undergone seismic shifts, no doubt due to the effects of BookTok, which has helped revive print book sales. Romance and fantasy, the two most popular genres, have enthusiastic fandoms, and all of it came alive at BookCon.

In the past six months, books have been having a big moment, with the success and excitement around Rachel Reid's Heated Rivalry following its HBO Max adaptation. It's hard not to compare it to the fervor of the Harry Potter fandom. At the opening panel of BookCon, Reid was joined by Jacob Tierney, the creator of the adaptation, for their first public conversation about the show, and the room was packed with 3,000 fans — you could have thought it was for a ComicCon panel for Marvel's Avengers. Reid put it best, saying that this level of fame for an author feels like an anomaly, and that "authors don't get recognized."

BookCon was a place for uninhibited, pure book joy. A place for fans to connect with other fans and be book nerds together — I even spotted authors fanning out over each other. There were hoards in every type of Heated Rivalry hockey jersey or T-shirt. If you weren't familiar with Connor Storie and Hudson Williams's faces before BookCon, you sure would be after. But in equal amounts, people were sporting gear to celebrate all their favorite authors, especially Andy Weir and Sarah J. Maas. Attendees came for the free books, too, rolling up with foldable shopping carts that they toted around with their loot.

The two-day event was a marathon, and even covering the event, I didn't feel like I could get to all of it. But with the first BookCon in six years in the rearview and next year's on the horizon, these are my takeaways.

Amazon noticeably absent

The most popular e-reader is by far Amazon's Kindle. Yet Amazon was mostly absent from the event, which is odd given that it is the largest bookseller in the United States. But at BookCon, other retailers were front and center, including Barnes and Noble and New York-based stores Greenlight Books and The Ripped Bodice. The main stage was presented by Thrift Books, and before each event, a reel of the event's sponsors rolled, including Binc, the Book Industry Charitable Foundation, a non-profit that helps struggling independent bookstores. Having these businesses centered at the event felt like a statement against Amazon, which has a history of working against independent bookstores.

Amazon wasn't totally absent, though; it was represented by its subsidiary Audible, which hosted the "Audible Story House."

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Print books still reign supreme Rakuten Kobo was the only e-reader maker at BookCon 2026, showing of its Kobo Clara and Kobo Remote. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

As a reporter covering e-readers, I anticipated seeing them in attendees' hands and on display on the show floor. Rakuten Kobo was the only e-reader maker at BookCon 2026.

It turned out, BookCon was a surprisingly analog event. At any convention, you'll find attendees taking breaks along the long hallways, and when people were reading, it was always with a physical book. So while I may have gone into the event planning to ask what e-readers attendees brought, I ended up witnessing the joy of print being celebrated.

Fans have thoughts about the future of BookCon Reviews of BookCon 2026 are mixed across Instagram and Reddit. Credit: Mashable Photo Composite

While attending BookCon 2026 as a member of the press, I had an overwhelmingly positive experience, but as always, fans will let you know where things fell short. In the comments on BookCon's Instagram, fans are sharing disappointment about the long lines and not getting reservations for author signings. Crowds were packed at the event, which was a common complaint, though many noted that the crowds thinned out on Sunday for a more enjoyable experience.

Negative voices are often the loudest, and there has still been positive feedback about the event, which I spotted on the BookCon subreddit. It's unrealistic to expect a perfect event after a near-seven-year hiatus, and with next year's dates already on the books for April 10 and 11, 2027, BookCon's organizers, ReedPop, have a year to listen to attendees' feedback for an improved event.

Netflix is home to a large library of exclusive content: from Netflix Original shows and movies to documentaries, this catalog is available to stream only on this platform. You can find many genres, tropes, and styles within this exclusive library, but how good are the titles?

Your next favorite rock star isn't an indie heartthrob or a heavy metal thrasher. He's a centuries-old French vampire with some serious baggage to unpack.

SEE ALSO: 'The Vampire Lestat' clip sees him find out about Louis' interview

That vampire is none other than Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid), who's been a reliable scene-stealer throughout the first two seasons of AMC's rapturous Interview with the Vampire adaptation. However, we've never actually been seeing him, only his former lover Louis de Pointe du Lac's (Jacob Anderson) retelling of their turbulent relationship.

That's all about to change in The Vampire Lestat. Based on the second novel in Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles, The Vampire Lestat lets the Brat Prince take center stage — literally. He's moved out of the shadows and into the spotlight as a rock god. (Need proof? You can listen to his singles "Long Face" and "All Fall Down" now.)

Lestat has taken his newfound stardom as an opportunity to tell his side of the story Louis told journalist Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian). As he brings his act from city to city, he's haunted by "muses" from his troubled past. Here's hoping they don't ruin the tour.

SEE ALSO: The Vampire Lestat's fang-tastic single 'Long Face' is now streaming on major music platforms

While The Vampire Lestat is, naturally, focused on Lestat, that doesn't mean the series is turning away from Louis. He is highly present in The Vampire Lestat's trailer, alongside Daniel and Armand (Assad Zaman).

Also spotted in the trailer? Lestat bringing the house down at his rock shows, drenching himself in blood, and even sharing a passionate kiss with his mother Gabriella (Jennifer Ehle). It's a lot, but when has Lestat ever been anything less?

The Vampire Lestat premieres June 7 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on AMC and AMC+.

Thunderbolt and USB4 have an equally capable alternative, Oculink. Although it can ensure external peripherals work as if they were installed on the motherboard, adoption has remained a challenge. After announcing the first ever modular laptop with a touchscreen, Framework has confirmed it will support Oculink. This will allow laptop users to connect eGPUs, NVMe drives, and other high-speed peripherals at speeds exceeding 120Gbps.

An anonymous group of Discord users says it hacked its way into accessing Claude Mythos Preview, the new AI model Anthropic claims is too powerful for a public release.

Anthropic says Claude Mythos "is capable of identifying and then exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities in every major operating system and every major web browser," and has granted access to the model to a select group of partners via an initiative called Project Glasswing.

The AI company said this invite-only approach would let tech leaders "secure the world's most critical software." But it might need to pay more attention to its own software security.

As Bloomberg reports, the Discord users didn't gain access through a sophisticated hack, but by guessing the online location for the model based on past Anthropic naming conventions — as found in the recent data breach at Mercor, an AI startup, earlier this month.

SEE ALSO: Is Anthropic's Claude Mythos a big stunt, or a real security threat? What the experts say.

Once they identified where to access Claude Mythos, the group had to employ additional tactics. One member of the group already had privileged access as a worker at a third-party contractor for Anthropic, Bloomberg reports.

The group was part of a private Discord channel that focuses on hunting information about unreleased models.

A member of the group told Bloomberg that they were not using Claude Mythos for nefarious purposes, but for tasks like building simple websites. However, they also claimed to have access to even more unreleased Anthropic models.

The group provided enough evidence to convince Bloomberg they had indeed breached Anthropic's security. Anthropic confirmed in a statement to Bloomberg it was aware of the claim and investigating.

At this time, there is no indication that Claude Mythos has been breached by other unauthorized parties. Still, given that Anthropic described Claude Mythos as a paradigm-shifting security threat that could "reshape cybersecurity" as we know it, any unauthorized access is —to say the least — concerning.

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Retailers always put Lego Star Wars sets on sale around May 4 (aka May the 4th, aka Star Wars Day) — and this year, Amazon is getting a head start. As of April 22, over a dozen Star Wars-themed Lego builds for kids and adults are marked down there by at least 20%, starting from just $15.98.

A quick look at Amazon's best deals on Star Wars Lego sets: Save 29% Lego Star Wars Home One Starcruiser (75405) $49.99 (save $20) Get Deal Save 23% Lego Star Wars Tantive IV (75376) $61.86 (save $18.13) Get Deal Save 20% Lego Star Wars Millennium Falcon (75375) $67.99 (save $17) Get Deal Save 20% Lego Star Wars R2-D2 (75379) $79.99 (save $20) Get Deal Save 20% Lego Star Wars 501st Clone Troopers Battle Pack (75345) $15.98 (save $4.01) Get Deal

The very best deals are going to Home One Starcruiser and Tantive IV sets, which are 29% and 23% off, respectively. The other sets that are sitting at a flat 20% off include a 921-piece Millennium Falcon, a 1,050-piece R2-D2, and a 1,138-piece C-3PO that were released in 2024 for the 25th anniversary of Lego's Star Wars collection. (The first two are chilling at their lowest prices on record.) There are also a couple of bestselling battle packs for kids ages 6 and up.

SEE ALSO: Lego’s May the 4th Star Wars drop is here, and half the sets are under $50

Target and Walmart were matching most, but not all of Amazon's Lego Star Wars deals (I cross-checked everything), and none of them were available directly through Lego at the time of writing (if they were still in stock on its website — some are sold out or retired). Walmart only managed to beat Amazon's pricing on one kid-friendly build of Ahsoka's Jedi Interceptor... by two cents.

I haven't spotted any discounts on the new Star Wars sets Lego is releasing later this week, nor its Star Wars Smart Play sets, but that could change closer to May the 4th. In the meantime, read on to see what's up for grabs. Again, with everything on sale for at least 20% off, these are the deals you're looking for:

Deals on Lego Star Wars sets for adults Credit: Lego

• Lego Star Wars Acclamator-Class Assault Ship (75404) — $39.98 $49.99 (save $10.01)

• Lego Star Wars Home One Starcruiser (75405) — $49.99 $69.99 (save $20)

• Lego Star Wars Tantive IV (75376) — $61.86 $79.99 (save $18.13)

• Lego Star Wars Millennium Falcon (75375) — $67.99 $84.99 (save $17)

• Lego Star Wars C-3PO (75398) — $116.99 $139.99 (save $23)

Deals on Lego Star Wars sets for kids Credit: Lego

• Lego Star Wars 501st Clone Troopers Battle Pack (75345) — $15.98 $19.99 (save $4.01)

• Lego Star Wars Death Trooper & Night Trooper Battle Pack (75412) — $18.39 $22.99 (save $4.60)

• Lego Star Wars Clone Trooper & Battle Droid Battle Pack (75372) — $23.99 $29.99 (save $6)

• Lego Star Wars Jedi Bob’s Starfighter (75388) — $31.99 $39.99 (save $8)

• Lego Star Wars 327th Star Corps Clone Troopers Battle Pack (75431) — $35.95 $44.99 (save $9.04)

• Lego Star Wars The Force Burner Snowspeeder (75414) — $43.95 $54.99 (save $11.04)

• Lego Star Wars TIE Bomber (75347) — $51.97 $64.99 (save $13.02)

• Lego Star Wars V-19 Torrent Starfighter (75432) — $51.99 $64.99 (save $13)

• Lego Star Wars ARC-170 Starfighter (75402) — $55.95 $69.99 (save $14.04)

• Lego Star Wars Jango Fett's Starship (75433) — $55.99 $69.99 (save $14)

• Lego Star Wars Rebel U-Wing Starfighter (75399) — $55.99 $69.99 (save $14)

• Lego Star Wars R2-D2 (75379) — $79.99 $99.99 (save $20)

When I upgraded my PC a couple of years ago, I had all sorts of good hardware at my disposal. My new PC was better in every way imaginable, with one glaring exception: noise levels. Turns out that powerful components that generate a lot of heat and draw a lot of power also make quite a bit of noise, no surprise there.

Best Earth Day mattress deals Best mattress deal overall Purple Spring Savings Event Save on Queen mattresses and get up to 20% off mattress bundles. Shop Now Best organic mattress deal Essentia Beyond Organic Sleep Sale Get 20% off their full collection of certified organic mattresses. Shop Now Best luxury mattress deal Saatva Earth Day Sale Get 15% off any order of $1,000 or more. Shop Now Best bundle deal DreamCloud Bundle Sale Get up to 67% off the DreamCloud Premier Adjustable Bundle. Shop Now

Everyone says Presidents' Day and Memorial Day are the best times to buy a mattress, and they aren't wrong, but if you need a new bed right now, you don't have to suffer on a lumpy spring box for another month. I've been doing some digging, and it turns out there are a handful of Earth Day mattress sales happening right now that are totally worth your time.

SEE ALSO: Best Earth Day 2026 deals so far: Blueland cleaning products, Pela phone cases, electric composters

Here are the best mattress deals to shop right now, from my personal favorite (spoiler: It's Purple!) to organic options.

Best mattress deal overall Opens in a new window Credit: Pruple Purple Spring Savings Event Save on Queen mattresses and get up to 20% off mattress bundles. Shop Now Why we like it

Purple is my all-time favorite mattress brand. I've had two Purple mattresses in my lifetime, and both were super comfy (heavy AF, but comfy nonetheless).

Right now, Purple is running a Spring Savings event with Queen mattresses starting at $999. The brand's also offering up to 20% off mattress bundles.

Pro tip: If you can hold off just a few more days, Purple's official Memorial Day Sale kicks off early on April 28, offering up to $700 off mattresses.

Best organic mattress deal Opens in a new window Credit: Essentia Essentia Beyond Organic Sleep Sale Get 20% off their full collection of certified organic mattresses. Shop Now Why we like it

Since it is Earth Day, it only makes sense to include Essentia. The brand is running its Beyond Organic Sleep Sale where you can take 20% off its full collection of certified organic mattresses.

Essentia's beds are crafted using a patented Beyond Latex organic foam, which is designed to support your body without the harsh toxins typically found in conventional mattresses. On top of the clean materials, every mattress comes with a generous 120-night sleep trial, a 20-year warranty, and free shipping straight to your door. (Plus, if you have an HSA or FSA account, you can use those funds toward your purchase!).

You have a little bit of time to decide on this one — the sale runs through May 11, 2026.

Best luxury mattress deal Opens in a new window Credit: Saatva Saatva Earth Day Sale Get 15% off any order of $1,000 or more. Shop Now Why we like it

If you want a premium, hotel-style sleep experience, Saatva is the way to go. Right now, you can get 15% off any order of $1,000 or more.

Saatva mattresses are made to order and assembled in the U.S. using globally sourced, high-quality materials. Because you're investing in a luxury build, the company treats you to a full 365-night home trial and a lifetime warranty. You'll also get free delivery, setup, and mattress removal (which, if you've ever moved a mattress before, you know is a big deal).

But you'd better hurry: this Earth Day sale officially ends on April 23.

Best bundle deal Opens in a new window Credit: DreamCloud DreamCloud Bundle Sale Get up to 67% off the DreamCloud Premier Adjustable Bundle. Shop Now Why we like it

Bundling isn't always the best way to save, but at DreamCloud, the bundles are where you really get your money's worth. Right now, the brand's offering 67% off its Premier Adjustable Bundle.

For $1,398 (a $4,219 total value), you'll get a DreamCloud mattress of your choice, plus a high-tech adjustable base that features independent head and foot elevation, zero-gravity settings, under-bed LED lighting, USB charging ports, and a whisper-quiet massage mode (bougie).

The bundle also includes a luxury sheet set, pillows, a mattress protector, and 10 years of extra insurance. Like Saatva, DreamCloud also offers a full 365-night trial and free shipping and returns.

After days of teasing, BMW has revealed the 2027 7 Series. It's a major overhaul for the luxury sedan, particularly for eco-conscious drivers buying the i7 EV.

Like many technical users, I tend to gravitate toward the terminal. The reason is that there are a lot of tools that help me be productive, or in the case of games, unproductive. Here are some of my favorite tools that help me live in the Linux terminal.

SAVE $90: As of April 22, get the DJI Neo Fly More Combo for $259 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $349 with an on-page coupon. That's a discount of 26%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon DJI Neo Fly More Combo $259 at Amazon
$349 Save $90 Clip on-page coupon Get Deal

Whether you're looking to get into flying drones or just want to add another to your collection, DJI is the brand to shop. Despite news of DJI drones being banned in the United States, there are still ways to get around the ban if you look hard enough. You can still keep the drones you own, and you can still shop those on sale at retailers like Amazon. And we've got one that you can snap up right now for an excellent price.

As of April 22, get the DJI Neo Fly More Combo for $259 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $349 with an on-page coupon. That's $90 off and a discount of 26%.

SEE ALSO: The DJI Mini 5 Pro drone is at a record-low price at Amazon — save $550 on this beginner-friendly drone

This bundle includes the DJI Neo drone, a remote controller, RC cable, flight battery, two-way charging hub, propeller guards, spare propellers, spare propeller screws, a screwdriver, gimbal protector, and a Type-C to Type-C cable.

The DJI Neo Fly More Combo is a lightweight and simple to fly option for users of any skill level. It's lighter than your phone, in fact, and small enough that you don't need to register with the FAA to fly it. You can use your phone to operate it, and it can take off from your hand with a single button push, so it's already simple to use right out of the box.

You can just fly the drone around, or you can take photos from a bird's eye point of view with smart subject tracking and quickshots that your drone can take all on its own. You can also control it via voice or RC depending on your preference.

With 4K ultra stabilized video, you can also stack plenty of crisp, high definition video while flying, all without complex setups that confuse and potentially frustrate.

if you're ready to get into drone photography or just want a chance to fly one without breaking the bank, this combo is well worth splurging on.

Google just made life a tiny bit easier for Android users who love to travel.

9to5google spotted a new lock screen widget for Android 16 that gives you persistent progress updates on your flights. It's very simple and straightforward: It shows your departing airport, your destination airport, your estimated arrival time, and a progress bar measuring how deep into the flight you are.

As 9to5google noted, this is on top of some already-existing features for travelers who add their boarding passes to the Google Wallet app. Those include push notifications about flight changes, but the flight progress widget is brand-new, having been promised by Google last year.

SEE ALSO: Google could pay $135 million settlement to U.S. Android users. How to get your money.

If you want to try it, well, you'd better have a flight lined up first. Add the boarding pass to Google Wallet, and the widget should appear shortly before takeoff. In other words, you don't really have to do anything other than put your boarding pass in your phone.

This marks another step forward for Google Wallet, which replaced Google Pay in 2024 as the go-to destination for credit cards and other important kinds of digital documentation on Android devices. By all accounts, it's been a successful transition for Android users, and if Google keeps adding neat little conveniences like this flight tracker widget, it'll only get better.

Ask any binge-watcher, and they'll be quick to rattle off the name of their favorite cult-classic show. In recent years, my go-to answer is The OA, a mysterious Netflix drama that ran for two seasons before its cancellation.

SAVE UP TO $30: Aura digital picture frames are on sale at Amazon for up to $30 off depending on size. The 10-inch Aura Carver digital frame is on sale for $159, down from the normal price of $179 and the 12-inch Aura Aspen is on sale for $199, down from the standard price of $229.

Opens in a new window Credit: Aura 10-inch Aura Carver Mat digital picture frame $159 at Amazon
$179 Save $20   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Aura 12-inch Aura Aspen digital picture frame $199 at Amazon
$229 Save $30   Get Deal

It's a struggle to land on the perfect Mother's Day gift. Moms have a tendency to either say they don't want anything (do not fall for this) or actually own pretty much everything you can think of gifting them. Instead of buying them another pair of pajamas, go big this year and get a digital photo frame. Some great options are on sale today at Amazon.

As of April 22, Aura digital picture frames are on sale at Amazon for up to $30 off depending on size. The 10-inch Aura Carver digital frame is on sale for $159, down from the normal price of $179 and the 12-inch Aura Aspen is on sale for $199, down from the standard price of $229. That's an 11% and 13% discount, respectively. The sale price on the 12-inch Aura Aspen matches the lowest we've ever seen at Amazon.

Photo memories are always cherished, and opting for a digital picture frame means you can add thousands of images to the collection. Aura makes it simple to upload pictures to any frame from anywhere in the world. Multiple family members can have access to a single frame for uploads that mom will enjoy everyday.

SEE ALSO: Best Earth Day 2026 deals so far: Blueland cleaning products, Pela phone cases, electric composters

The Aura app is fantastic for mom to control her photo preference, set display times, and add her own favorites to the frame. Both the Aura Carver and the Aura Aspen have a built-in speaker, so you can even upload videos and voice notes to the frame for mom to enjoy.

Keep in mind the frame requires a WiFi connection and it needs to be plugged in to operate. If you're gifting the Aura frame, you can even upload photos, videos, and a gift message through the Aura app without opening the premium gift box the Aura frame comes in.

Before these sale prices disappear, gift mom an Aura frame for Mother's Day this year. It's a gift she'll be able to enjoy all day, everyday.

Many of us rely on Google Maps (or your navigation app of choice) running through Android Auto to get from point A to point B. It makes sense—navigation is one of the most fundamental features any modern car can offer, and it's only made better by Android Auto because it ditches the clunky built-in systems in favor of something familiar.

The Toyota Crown has carved out a unique space in the sedan market by blending premium comfort, hybrid efficiency, and upscale styling without wearing a traditional luxury badge. For buyers who want near-luxury refinement with everyday practicality, it makes a strong case. But it isn’t the only option delivering that formula, and it may not be the best value.

Meta is about to ramp up surveillance of its employees, Reuters reports, but in a very 2026 twist, it's not meant to catch people slacking off.

Reuters reports that Meta is installing tracking software that can capture mouse movements and keystrokes on U.S.-based employees' computers. While this sort of surveillance isn't unheard of in corporate America, the motivation here is slightly novel: Meta is reportedly going to use the data to train AI agents, per a company memo seen by Reuters.

This will be done through a tool called Model Capability Initiative, or MCI.

SEE ALSO: Meta finally adds direct messages to the web version of Threads

Meta's memo said the idea is to help AI agents improve at tasks they currently struggle with, such as using keyboard shortcuts. And in a different memo reportedly sent to employees on Monday, CTO Andrew Bosworth said to expect more internal data collection in order to make agents better at replicating human work. The goal, per Bosworth, is for agents to do most of the work while humans sit back and monitor the situation.

“The vision we are building towards is ​one where our agents primarily do the work and our role is to direct, review and help them improve," Bosworth said, per Reuters.

While Meta did not explicitly say any of this was meant to replace human workers down the line, it's reasonable to wonder if that's where this is eventually going. Tens of thousands of people lost their jobs because of AI last year, and Meta has already laid off a quadruple-digit number of people (though those were unrelated to AI) earlier this year, with more cuts coming later in May.

If, at some point in the future, Meta reduces its workforce with the aim of having AI agents do the work instead, it may have been those same Meta employees who trained the AI in the first place.

In the meantime, Reuters reports that Meta assured employees that the data will not be used in performance reviews.

Meta hasn't had a great year, privacy-wise, and we're only four months into 2026.

In March, the company was accused of sending Meta Ray-Ban user recordings, including intimate images, to offshore Meta workers, also for AI training. Earlier this month, we reported on the case of a former Meta employee under criminal investigation for downloading private Facebook photos. And after a report that Meta was planning to add facial recognition technology into its smart glasses, a group of 70 organizations, including the ACLU, signed a public letter urging Meta to reverse course.