Quantum computing is no longer a distant concept. It is already shaping how governments and businesses think about security. Encryption systems that protect banking, healthcare, and government data will eventually fail once quantum machines mature. The timeline is uncertain but the risk is clear and companies that delay preparations may fall years behind.
The race toward post quantum cryptography
Regulators are already setting the stage. The US Department of Commerce’s NIST finalized its first set of quantum resistant encryption algorithms this year. The UK National Cyber Security Centre has urged organizations to migrate by 2035. The European Union is coordinating its own framework. These standards will not stay optional. They will reshape how IT systems are built and maintained.
The work required is significant. Every application and service that relies on cryptography will need to be reengineered. This includes payments, authentication, messaging platforms, operating systems, and cloud services. Updating older systems is one hurdle while ensuring that modern cloud native tools are ready for a post quantum environment is another. Kubernetes has already added post quantum support showing how far reaching the transition will be.
Building centers of excellence
Experts suggest that businesses should not rely on ad hoc updates. A dedicated Center of Excellence can guide the transition, bringing together engineers, compliance officers, and product teams. These groups can identify weak points, set priorities, and train workers. With technical skills already stretched thin, structured programs inside organizations may be the most effective way to close knowledge gaps and prepare for the future.
Commoditization is inevitable
Quantum hardware is rare and costly today but history points to rapid change. Artificial intelligence moved from research labs to consumer apps within a few years. Quantum computing will follow a similar path. Once the technology spreads, malicious actors will gain the ability to break current encryption without extraordinary resources.
Critical point
Moving to post quantum security will take years of planning and technical effort. Waiting for a deadline risks being too late. Organizations that experiment early and adopt standards ahead of schedule will be in the strongest position. Those that hold back may discover that in a quantum era catching up is no longer possible.
Americans’ confidence in newspapers, television, and radio has fallen to a new record low, with just 28 percent saying they trust the news media to report events fully, accurately, and fairly. This marks a decline from 31 percent last year and 40 percent five years ago.
At the same time, roughly seven in ten adults now express little or no confidence in the media, with 36 percent reporting “not very much” trust and 34 percent saying “none at all.”
Gallup first measured trust in the news media in the 1970s, when confidence ranged between 68 and 72 percent. By 1997, it had dropped to 53 percent, and media trust has struggled to reach the majority level since. The highest reading in the past decade was 45 percent in 2018, shortly after confidence collapsed during the 2016 presidential election cycle.
The latest measurement, conducted from September 2 to 16, is the first time the figure has fallen below 30 percent.
Trust Low Across All Political Groups
The decline is evident across all major political affiliations. Republican confidence has dropped to 8 percent, the lowest point in recorded history, and has not risen above 21 percent since 2015. Independents remain skeptical, with just 27 percent reporting trust, matching last year’s record low. Even among Democrats, who have historically been the most trusting of media institutions, only 51 percent now express confidence in reporting.
Generational Differences in Trust
Older adults continue to show more faith in the media than younger Americans. Data from 2023 to 2025 show 43 percent of adults aged 65 and older trust the news media, compared with no more than 28 percent in younger age groups. In the early 2000s, confidence across age groups hovered just above 50 percent, but it has steadily declined since then, with older adults showing the smallest drop.
Among Democrats, younger adults express the least trust. Thirty-eight percent of Democrats aged 18 to 29 and 42 percent aged 30 to 49 report confidence in media, compared with 59 percent of those aged 50 to 64 and 69 percent of those 65 and older. Independents report lower trust than Democrats but higher than Republicans, with the oldest independents showing the most confidence. Republican trust is consistently low across age groups, ranging from six to seventeen percent.
Bottom Line
Media trust in the United States is at historic lows, with less than three in ten Americans expressing confidence in traditional news outlets. Declines span political affiliations and age groups, with the sharpest drops among Republicans and younger adults. These trends highlight a growing skepticism toward information sources and underscore the challenges facing media organizations as they attempt to regain credibility in a divided public landscape.
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Vietnam has begun a large scale shutdown of bank accounts that do not comply with its new mandatory facial verification system. Authorities estimate that more than eighty-six million accounts are at risk out of approximately two hundred million. Citizens and foreign residents are now required to update their identity verification to maintain access to their accounts.
The State Bank of Vietnam introduced rules requiring facial verification for online transfers above ten million VND, roughly three hundred seventy nine dollars, and for cumulative daily transfers over twenty million VND, roughly seven hundred fifty eight dollars. The policy is part of a broader government effort to reduce fraud, identity theft, and scams using manipulated images or digital impersonation.
Fraud Cases Drive Government Action
The crackdown follows several cases of fraud earlier this year. In May, police dismantled a network that used digital facial scans to bypass bank checks, allegedly laundering more than one trillion VND, about thirty eight million dollars. Authorities say biometric verification has reduced some fraudulent incidents, although direct proof is difficult to establish.
Experts note that the crackdown extends beyond fraud prevention. Linh Tran, a financial technology analyst based in Hanoi, says, “This action is not just about security. It is a major reshaping of how citizens can access money in the country.”
Who Is Affected
The measure affects millions of ordinary account holders. Foreign residents and expatriates who cannot easily visit bank branches are among the hardest hit. Dormant accounts that have been inactive for years are also targeted.
Users face logistical hurdles linking one-time passwords to local phone numbers and synchronizing digital payment or cryptocurrency accounts. The disruptions have sparked debate among cryptocurrency advocates who see self custody digital assets as a way to maintain control over funds independently of centralized banking restrictions.
Cryptocurrency as an Alternative
Cryptocurrency supporters note that digital wallets allow users to store and transfer value without government imposed verification. Bitcoin and other self custody assets provide an alternative when traditional banking access is restricted.
However, relying on cryptocurrency comes with risks. Prices can fluctuate widely, users must protect private keys carefully, and converting assets back to local currency often requires access to financial intermediaries.
Vietnam’s enforcement action highlights tensions between security, government control, and individual access to money. While the measures may reduce fraud, they also raise questions about financial freedom and the ability of citizens to manage their own funds.
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Alexa von Tobel is investing heavily in quantum computing, convinced that the technology could unlock scientific discoveries in ways artificial general intelligence cannot. Speaking from the New York City office of Inspired Capital, the venture capital firm she runs with former US Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, von Tobel explained why quantum computing hardware is her current focus.
In addition to backing AI startups such as BrightAI and PreemptiveAI, Inspired Capital manages nearly $1 billion in assets. In 2023, von Tobel began exploring quantum computing and identified it as a potential innovation curve that could rival AI in impact. Her firm recently invested in Logiqal, a startup building one of the first scaled quantum computers.
Von Tobel emphasizes the critical role of hardware. “We need to build the first quantum computers before we can do anything else,” she said. She focused on Logiqal’s founder, Professor Jeffrey Thompson at Princeton, whose team is developing a neutral atom-based quantum computer using ytterbium. This approach, known as erasure conversion, allows for scaling tens of thousands of qubits efficiently.
Inspired Capital sees quantum computing as a phased evolution. Early stages focus on hardware, establishing reliable qubits, and achieving consistent operations. If successful, these devices could eventually support simulations and computations currently impossible with classical systems.
The potential applications are broad. Von Tobel highlights pharmaceutical innovation, material science breakthroughs, logistics optimization, and even long-term projects such as space exploration. Each application relies on quantum’s ability to perform highly complex calculations simultaneously across vast states, which conventional computers cannot achieve.
“Quantum is today where AI was back in 2015,” von Tobel said. At that stage, AI research was concentrated in labs, but practical applications were beginning to emerge. Quantum is entering a similar inflection point: theoretical breakthroughs are converging with experimental progress.
Von Tobel also discussed the competitive landscape. Unlike AI, where expertise can be somewhat simulated, quantum computing requires deep specialization. PhDs with decades of experience dominate the field, making it difficult to overstate the importance of selecting the right talent and technology.
Inspired Capital evaluates potential quantum investments through a combination of hardware potential and talent assessment. “If you’re backing the right hardware and the right people, the upside is exponential,” von Tobel explained. Convexity drives their investment thesis: most bets may fail, but successful breakthroughs could yield hundreds of times the initial value.
Von Tobel continues to apply AI tools extensively in her work, from research to sourcing investment opportunities. While quantum may become the next big frontier, she acknowledges that AI remains integral in assessing complex technical systems and predicting future trends.
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The U.S. Secret Service announced the seizure of a sophisticated telecommunications network capable of disabling cell phone towers across New York City. The network, reportedly discovered in August, included more than 300 SIM servers and 100,000 SIM cards distributed across multiple sites. Officials said the infrastructure could be used to conduct denial-of-service attacks, facilitate encrypted communications, and potentially send up to 30 million anonymous text messages per minute.
Special Agent Matt McCool described the network as capable of shutting down the cellular network in New York City. Early analysis indicates that communications involved at least one foreign country and individuals known to federal law enforcement, including members of organized crime groups.
“This network had the potential to disable cell phone towers and essentially shut down the cellular network in New York City,” McCool said in a public statement. Due to the investigation’s complexity and sensitivity, he declined to provide further details on the participants or the intended targets.
Photos released by the Secret Service show racks filled with SIM servers and antennas, highlighting the scale of the operation. Cybersecurity researchers have noted the rarity of such a network. James A. Lewis told The New York Times that only a handful of countries, including Russia, China, and Israel, possess the technical capabilities to deploy similar operations at this scale. Anthony J. Ferrante, a security expert at FTI, suggested that the network could also have been used for covert surveillance or eavesdropping.
The confiscated devices were concentrated within a 35-mile radius of the United Nations headquarters ahead of the UN General Assembly, where world leaders are gathering this week. Secret Service officials emphasized that there is no current evidence that the network posed a direct threat to the conference. The agency is responsible for security at the assembly and is continuing its investigation.
“This is an open and active investigation, and we have no arrests to announce today,” McCool said. “The Secret Service will continue to run down all leads until we fully understand the intent of the operation and identify those responsible.”
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Mindstate Design Labs, a startup founded in 2021 and backed by Y Combinator as well as the founders of OpenAI, Neuralink, Instacart, Coinbase, and Twitch, has created a compound designed to produce psychoactive effects without the hallucinatory experience traditionally associated with psychedelics. CEO Dillan DiNardo describes the innovation as “the least psychedelic psychedelic that is psychoactive.”
The startup uses a proprietary AI platform to analyze biochemical data from existing psychoactive drugs alongside more than 70,000 trip reports sourced from clinical trial datasets, online forums, social media, Reddit, and even the dark web. This large-scale analysis helped the team identify key mechanisms in how psychedelics influence the brain, enabling the design of MSD-001, Mindstate’s first compound.
MSD-001 is an oral formulation of 5-MeO-MiPT, also known as moxy. The compound is designed to target the serotonin 2a receptor while minimizing interactions with other neural sites, a step the company says is critical for producing mental effects without hallucinations. Phase I trials conducted at the Centre for Human Drug Research in the Netherlands included 47 participants who received five different doses.
Trial results indicated that MSD-001 is safe, well tolerated, and produces measurable psychoactive effects without inducing hallucinations. Participants reported heightened emotions, enhanced associative thinking, increased imagination, and perceptual effects such as brighter colors. Brain imaging, eye movement monitoring, and validated psychedelic scales confirmed that the compound activated many of the same neural pathways as traditional psychedelics. Psychoactive effects began about 30 minutes after ingestion, peaking between 90 and 120 minutes, with no serious adverse events observed.
Mindstate envisions MSD-001 as a foundational platform for combination therapies. The company aims to pair it with other compounds to achieve precise mental states, including anxiety reduction, improved insight, and heightened aesthetic perception. Potential applications include mood disorders, phobias, and compulsive behaviors. DiNardo emphasized that the approach separates psychoactive effects from hallucinatory experiences, focusing instead on neuroplasticity and therapeutic potential.
The startup is navigating regulatory pathways carefully. FDA approval will require future trials and compliance with evolving psychedelic therapy guidelines. Mindstate’s model differs from existing psychedelic therapies, which often rely on guided talk therapy. Instead, the company aims to create pharmacological tools that deliver measurable mental effects under medical supervision.
This approach aligns with a broader trend of startups in the mental health space seeking safer, more controlled alternatives to classic psychedelics. Backers argue that AI-driven drug design can accelerate discovery while reducing risk, offering patients therapeutic options without the unpredictability of traditional hallucinogenic experiences.
A free to play platformer called BlockBlasters appeared on Steam in late July and quickly gained more than 200 “very positive” reviews. Behind the facade, the game contained code that siphoned cryptocurrency from players’ wallets.
More than $150,000 was stolen before the game was removed. One of the largest losses came from Latvian streamer Raivo Plavnieks, who lost $32,000 while raising money for cancer treatment.
A Targeted Operation
The malicious code was not present at launch. Security researchers reported that it was quietly added on August 30, a month after the game appeared.
Attackers also targeted streamers with spearphishing campaigns, offering fake partnerships to promote BlockBlasters. Once downloaded, the game acted as a cryptodrainer, pulling assets directly from connected wallets.
Steam’s Ongoing Problem
BlockBlasters was published under the name Genesis Interactive. It remained live until September 21, when Steam removed it.
This is the latest in a series of removals linked to malware on the platform. Other titles taken down for similar activity include PirateFi, Sniper Phantom’s Resolution, and Chemia.
Valve has not issued a statement.
UK Needs Major Cybersecurity Overhaul Before Quantum Computers Break Everything
The UK’s digital defenses are in for a rude awakening. According to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), we need a complete and massive overhaul of our cybersecurity systems before quantum computing hits full stride and breaks the encryption we rely on every day.
Speaking at the CYBERUK conference in Manchester, NCSC CTO Ollie Whitehouse didn’t sugarcoat it. He warned that this isn’t just a routine upgrade. It’s going to be a decade-long, country-wide transformation that changes the very foundation of how we secure digital systems.
Why? Because quantum computers could one day blow past the encryption we currently depend on. Financial data, medical records, military communications it’s all potentially vulnerable. The moment quantum machines hit a certain level of power, today’s encryption methods are toast.
Enter Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC)
The solution, at least for now, is something called post-quantum cryptography. PQC is about building new encryption algorithms that can survive both classical and quantum attacks. These are based on hard mathematical problems that even the most powerful quantum computers would struggle to solve.
But rolling this out won’t be a quick fix. Whitehouse emphasized that moving to PQC is far more than a software patch. It’s a national-scale project that could stretch over a decade. Every system, service, and product that uses encryption would need to be updated.
The NCSC already laid out a roadmap in March, advising all UK organizations to fully migrate to PQC by 2035.
The Global Race to Quantum-Proof Cybersecurity
The UK isn’t the only one preparing for a quantum future. Last year, the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released several quantum-resistant algorithms designed to keep systems secure. Meanwhile, startups are springing up to meet the demand for post-quantum solutions.
One of them is PQShield, a UK-based company that raised $37 million to develop both software and hardware designed for PQC. It’s part of a growing movement helping organizations get quantum-ready.
That said, there’s still uncertainty. No one knows how powerful quantum computers will ultimately become or how soon they’ll arrive. So while PQC is the current best defense, some are also exploring more advanced solutions like Quantum Key Distribution (QKD).
What Makes QKD Different
QKD is based on the laws of quantum physics. It sends encryption keys using photons particles of light carrying qubits, the building blocks of quantum information. The key difference? You can’t intercept these messages without disturbing them. Any eavesdropping would immediately alert both parties. In theory, it’s completely untappable.
Still, the NCSC is focused on PQC for now. Whitehouse called the migration effort “a complex change programme that makes fixing the Millennium Bug look easy.” For anyone who remembers the scramble to fix Y2K, that’s saying something.
What’s Next
The bottom line is clear: the quantum era is coming, and it’s coming fast. If the UK doesn’t act now, it risks falling behind or worse, being wide open to next-generation cyberattacks.
So while there’s still time, the window is closing. Building quantum-resilient infrastructure isn’t just a security move it’s a survival strategy.
In 2002, years before ChatGPT was a headline fixture or AI tools were reshaping entire industries, a small group of scientists gathered for a private meeting on a tropical island. Their goal was to figure out how to make machines think like humans. But the host they gathered under would become one of the most disgraced names in modern memory: Jeffrey Epstein.
This was the St Thomas Common Sense Symposium. On paper, it was a serious AI think tank led by Marvin Minsky, one of the most respected minds in the field. Alongside him were other luminaries like Pushpinder Singh, Aaron Sloman and Doug Lenat. But behind the scenes, Epstein was funding the event, coordinating flights, hosting dinner parties and lurking at the edges of each conversation.
Many of the ideas discussed at that symposium hinted at the tech we now see today. Interactive AI assistants. Systems that could guide you through life decisions. Conversations with computers that felt eerily human. The group even referenced Neal Stephenson’s The Diamond Age, speculating about digital tutors that sound a lot like the tools we use now. In a strange way, they saw the future before the rest of the world did.
But context matters. And here, the context is chilling.
While scientists wrestled over how to give machines common sense, Epstein played host like a man who knew his money bought access. In some accounts, he floated in and out with young women on his arm. In others, he sat back and watched as the brightest minds debated the future. The bigger question is why so many let him stay in the room at all.
It’s uncomfortable to consider how many early-stage ideas in AI were shared under the roof of someone later exposed as a predator. It is even more uncomfortable to consider how rarely this moment in AI history is mentioned.
This wasn’t a conference funded by a neutral institution or a university lab. It was backed by someone whose wealth, connections and manipulation granted him a seat next to world-changing technology.
The irony is brutal. While those researchers imagined systems that could help people make smarter, more ethical decisions, they were enabling one of the least ethical actors in modern science history. Their ideas survived. Their work moved forward. But the setting they were born in should force us to ask harder questions.
What does it mean when the roots of AI, a field that now influences law, education, medicine and national security, were watered in private meetings held by someone like Epstein?
And how many other breakthroughs have similarly murky origins that no one’s willing to revisit?
Original reporting and full deep dive by WIRED’s Steven Levy: Inside Jeffrey Epstein’s Forgotten AI Summit HERE
Running a tech startup is complex, and without the right productivity strategies, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. To help scale your startup from the ground up, here are 10 powerful productivity hacks that every founder should implement to unlock greater efficiency and success.
1. Start with the Most Difficult Task
Tackle the hardest task of your day first. Doing this ensures that you have ample focus and energy to address the most challenging issues, and once you’ve knocked those out, everything else will feel easier.
2. Create a To-Do List
A simple but effective tool for boosting productivity. Use platforms like Google Tasks or Evernote to break down your day into manageable chunks. You’ll get a clearer idea of what needs attention and what can wait, helping you stay on track.
3. Master the Pomodoro Technique
Break down tasks into 20- to 45-minute intervals, followed by short breaks. This helps you stay focused and avoids burnout, especially for tasks that feel daunting or overwhelming.
4. Minimize Meetings
Too many meetings can drain your time. Keep them focused and to the point, or cut them entirely in favor of async communication. For urgent matters, opt for quick walks or standing discussions to keep things light and productive.
5. Delegate Tasks Effectively
As a founder, you can’t do everything. By delegating tasks, you free up time for the strategic, high-priority work that only you can do. Empower your team to take on responsibility so you can focus on bigger goals.
6. Automate Key Processes
Automate repetitive tasks to free up mental energy for more important work. From project management to customer service, automation tools like Zapier or Trello can streamline many aspects of your startup.
7. Say ‘No’ More Often
Learning to say no is essential for maintaining focus. As your startup grows, you’ll be approached with many opportunities and distractions. Be intentional with your time by prioritizing only the most important tasks that align with your goals.
8. Select Employees Carefully
Hiring the right team members is one of the most critical productivity decisions you’ll make. Choose individuals who share your vision, are committed to their roles, and can work autonomously—this will significantly improve your startup’s overall efficiency.
9. Maintain a Healthy Diet and Sleep Schedule
A clear mind and a productive day start with good health. Fuel your body with a balanced diet and ensure you get enough sleep to stay sharp, focused, and energized throughout the day.
10. Establish a Strict Routine
Consistency is key. By creating a strict routine, you can manage your time better, allocate energy for critical tasks, and ensure you’re staying productive while also making room for downtime and personal growth.
In The End
Incorporating these productivity hacks into your daily routine can make a significant difference in your tech startup’s growth. Stay focused, prioritize your time, and continually refine your strategies for maximum efficiency.
