Anthropic has named Accenture as the first embedded evaluator of its frontier models, with each company expecting to invest at least $1bn over five years. Anthropic will fund the work directly and says in the same announcement that funding should come from pooled or government sources instead, because neither exists yet. Accenture is already Anthropic’s largest Claude Code deployment, and there are still no standards for what embedded evaluators may access or must report.

Anthropic said on Friday that Accenture will embed evaluators inside the company to red-team its newest models, run alignment assessments and test safeguards. Samantha Oltman and Lynn Doan reported it for Bloomberg, noting the evaluators will hold access comparable to Anthropic’s own staff.

Each company expects to invest at least $1bn over five years. It is the first concrete implementation of a commitment made in Dario Amodei’s essay six days earlier, which TNW covered when it was published.

The funding line is the one to read

Anthropic states plainly that it will fund Accenture’s work directly. It also says that is not the right long-term arrangement, and that funding should come from pooled or government sources.

Its reasoning is that neither of those exists yet. The company argued for them in its own policy framework in June, and in the meantime intends to work with different evaluators under different funding arrangements.

That is a candid thing to publish. It is also a description of a structural problem that an announcement cannot solve, because the evaluator’s invoice still goes to the evaluated.

METR has not been dropped

The essay that prompted this named METR, a nonprofit, as the kind of body it had in mind. Anthropic says it is in dialogue with METR and other nonprofit evaluators to pilot elements of embedded evaluation using their own funding.

So the picture is two-track rather than a substitution. A consultancy paid by Anthropic starts now, and self-funded nonprofits are in discussion.

Which track produces the first critical finding will tell you more than the announcement does.

The commercial relationship is substantial

Accenture and Anthropic already run a joint business group. Around 30,000 Accenture professionals are being trained on Claude, and tens of thousands of its developers use Claude Code in what Anthropic has called its largest ever deployment.

They also fund a Claude centre of excellence inside Accenture and co-develop offerings for regulated industries. Accenture is a customer, a reseller, an implementation partner, and now the evaluator.

Anthropic does not treat this as awkward. It presents Accenture’s enterprise deployment experience as a qualification, on the grounds that understanding how AI is used in practice informs how you assess it.

The case for that is not weak

The work will be led by Faculty, the British AI company Accenture bought in January. Faculty had already worked with leading labs including OpenAI and Anthropic on model safety before the acquisition.

Scale matters too. Embedding a standing team with employee-level access is a staffing problem nonprofits the size of METR cannot solve, and $1bn over five years buys people rather than announcements.

Anthropic has also made the arrangement non-exclusive. More evaluators are promised within weeks, and Accenture is to do the same work for other developers.

What is genuinely unresolved

Anthropic says there are no standards yet for what information embedded evaluators should have access to, or how they should report what they find. That is the admission underneath the money.

An evaluator with employee-level access and no reporting obligation is a governance arrangement defined entirely by the company being examined. Anthropic says independent evaluators make its accountability more verifiable rather than reducing it, and that the safety of its models remains its own responsibility.

The open question is what happens to a finding that would delay a release, inside a firm whose larger business is selling that release to clients.

The same shape keeps appearing

Independent evaluation keeps ending up owned by interested parties. Hugging Face volunteered to audit the AI labs, and Nvidia is buying Hugging Face.

The organisations technically capable of auditing frontier models are the ones the industry wants to acquire or contract. That is the constraint every version of this runs into.

Why it is being built now

External testing has had a bad summer. A single testing vendor sat behind breaches disclosed by OpenAI, Anthropic and Meta, with Google since added.

Anthropic reported three incidents on 30 July in which its models gained unauthorised access to real systems, and said it planned to work with METR on an independent review. It has since resumed the external tests in which its models attacked real companies.

The European detail

Faculty is a London company with a public sector history, bought in January by an Irish-domiciled consultancy, and now the embedded evaluator for an American lab. European AI assurance capability is consolidating into large integrators.

The EU’s own framework leans on independent conformity assessment by bodies without a commercial stake in the product. This is a different model arriving first.

What to watch

Watch whether the nonprofit track materialises and on what terms. Anthropic says more names are coming, and whether any arrives self-funded is the test of whether plurality is real.

Watch who OpenAI picks. Sam Altman said OpenAI would match the commitment, and its choice will show whether a paid consultancy becomes the template or the exception.

Our current ticket pricing window for TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 ends next Friday, Sept. 25 at 11:59 p.m. PT. After that, prices increase. Save up to $200 when you register before the deadline.

Why Disrupt?

From October 13-15 at San Francisco’s Moscone West, 10,000+ founders, investors, operators, and tech leaders will walk into TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 looking for companies to invest in, products to use, partners to work with, and technologies worth paying attention to.

At Disrupt, you can:

• Learn what’s next from leaders across AI, fintech, robotics, infrastructure, and more.
• Meet the right people through 1:1 meetings, AI-powered matchmaking, and dedicated networking opportunities.
• Find your next opportunity in the Expo Hall, the Startup Battlefield 200, and across the Disrupt community.
• Get practical insights on building, funding, and scaling a company in today’s tech landscape.
• Build connections that move your business forward with founders, investors, operators, partners and potential customers.

Whether you’re building, investing, scaling, or looking for what’s next, Disrupt puts the people and ideas you need in the same room.

October 13–15. Moscone West, San Francisco. Don’t miss out.

1 week. Then prices go up.

Don’t wait until the last minute and pay more for the same three days.

Get your ticket by Sept. 25 at 11:59 p.m. PT and save up to $200.

There are enough Nat King Cole reissues in circulation to fill several record shelves, so another one needs a better reason to exist than an anniversary sticker and 180 grams of vinyl.

Blue Note Records has a considerably stronger case with After Midnight: The Complete Sessions, a new 2LP mono Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Series edition arriving November 13, 2026 for $54.98. The expanded release includes all 18 performances from Cole’s four 1956 Capitol sessions, rather than simply reproducing the original 12-track LP.

Joe Harley produced the new edition, Kevin Gray mastered it at Cohearent Audio from the original analog phono reels, and RTI is pressing the records on 180-gram vinyl. The set also includes a deluxe tip-on gatefold jacket and booklet with archival photographs and a new essay by Nat King Cole biographer Will Friedwald.

That is a rather more convincing reason to revisit an album than turquoise vinyl.

Related Reading:

Why Does After Midnight Matter?

By 1956, Nat King Cole had become one of America’s biggest vocal stars, and Capitol was increasingly surrounding him with orchestras and polished arrangements. After Midnight pulled things back toward his jazz roots.

Cole worked with guitarist John Collins, bassist Charlie Harris and drummer Lee Young, with guest appearances across the four sessions by trumpeter Harry “Sweets” Edison, alto saxophonist Willie Smith, valve trombonist Juan Tizol and violinist Stuff Smith.

The smaller ensemble matters because Cole was an exceptional jazz pianist long before recordings such as “Unforgettable” transformed him into a mainstream vocal star. After Midnight lets both sides of his musical personality coexist.

Cole still sings, but the piano is not furniture.

The performances of “Sweet Lorraine,” “It’s Only a Paper Moon,” “Caravan,” “Route 66” and “When I Grow Too Old To Dream” are intimate, loose and filled with enough musical interaction to remind listeners that Cole could sit down with elite jazz musicians and more than hold his own.

What Is Different About the Tone Poet Edition?

The original album contained 12 tracks. The forthcoming edition expands that to 18 performances, adding “I Was A Little Too Lonely,” “You Can Depend on Me,” “What Is There To Say,” “Two Loves Have I,” “Candy” and an alternate take of “You’re Looking At Me.”

That makes the “Complete Sessions” label meaningful.

The mastering chain is equally important. Blue Note’s Tone Poet series uses all-analog mastering from original analog sources when available, and Kevin Gray has mastered this edition directly from the original analog phono reels.

Collectors should also note that After Midnight has received excellent audiophile treatment before, including the Analogue Productions 45 RPM edition mastered by Steve Hoffman and Kevin Gray.

Why Is This One Worth Buying?

Because the music deserves it.

After Midnight offers a different perspective on Nat King Cole than the orchestral recordings that made him one of the most recognizable voices of his generation. The arrangements leave room for his piano playing, the guest musicians bring genuine personality to each session, and the repertoire remains remarkably accessible even for listeners who do not own 400 jazz records and argue about matrix numbers before breakfast.

For anyone who does not already own a strong pressing, this looks like one of the more compelling jazz reissues coming this fall.

The expensive jacket is merely a bonus.

Pressing Details

• Price: $54.98
• Release Date: November 13, 2026
• Format: 2LP, 180-gram mono vinyl
• Label: Capitol Records / Blue Note Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Series
• Producer: Joe Harley
• Mastering: Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio
• Pressing: RTI

Where to buy:

Related Reading:

Following the success of the Mix Bluetooth Party Speaker, Danish audio brand SOUNDBOKS has introduced the Rider, which retains some of the Mix’s key features in a smaller, more portable design.

The Rider delivers the same maximum amplifier output as the Mix at up to 72 watts, along with a claimed maximum SPL of 118 dB, up to 35 hours of battery life, and an IP66 rating for protection against dust and water. Its more compact, strap-friendly design is intended to make it easier to carry between locations without giving up the output expected from a larger party speaker.

That is really the problem SOUNDBOKS is trying to solve with the Rider. Many compact Bluetooth speakers are easy to throw into a bag, but their size can limit bass extension and maximum volume when the gathering moves beyond a few people. Traditional party speakers can provide substantially more output, but their larger cabinets and heavier construction make portability more complicated.

The Rider is positioned between those two categories, offering much of the output and durability associated with a party speaker in a form factor designed to be considerably easier to carry.

“Typically, speakers make you trade volume for convenience. We built Rider so you’d never have to choose again,” said Jesper Santon Thomsen, CEO of SOUNDBOKS. “Wherever the moment happens, your sound shows up in full. It’s the smallest speaker we’ve ever made, yet it’s still loud enough to turn an ordinary afternoon into the story everyone tells later. Why plan harder when you can be freer?”  

SOUNDBOKS Rider Key Features

Compact and Lightweight: Measuring 13.8 x 9.4 x 7.9 inches and weighing 6.5 kilograms (14.3 pounds), the SOUNDBOKS Rider is the smallest and lightest Bluetooth party speaker in the company’s lineup. That more compact footprint is intended to make the Rider easier to carry without giving up the output expected from a larger party speaker.

Durable Design: Rounded ball corners and an impact-resistant PC/ABS cabinet are designed to withstand bumps, transport, and typical outdoor use without requiring overly careful handling. The Rider also carries an IP66 rating for water and dust resistance, along with a steel grille and SOUNDBOKS’ signature shock-resistant ball corners for additional protection.

Room-Filling Sound: The Rider uses two Texas Instruments Class D amplifiers to drive an 8-inch woofer and 1.2-inch tweeter, with a claimed maximum output of 118 dB SPL. The speaker has a specified frequency range of 40 Hz to 20 kHz and incorporates SOUNDBOKS Adaptive Bass Enhancer DSP to manage low-frequency performance. And because this is SOUNDBOKS, the volume control naturally goes all the way to 11.

Companion App and Control Panel: The SOUNDBOKS APP provides control over EQ adjustments, sound profiles, and speaker locking, allowing users to manage settings from a mobile device (smartphone, tablet). The Rider also provides a control panel with a volume knob and auxiliary input. 

Up to 35-Hour Swappable Battery: Battery life is rated at up to 35 hours at mid-volume and approximately 8 hours at maximum output. The removable battery can be swapped out when depleted, while additional battery packs are available separately for extended use. The battery can be recharged via USB-C, with SOUNDBOKS claiming a full recharge in approximately two hours when using its optional charger.

Handle and Strap: The SOUNDBOKS Rider includes an integrated carry handle and is compatible with the optional Strap 2.0. Combined with its 14.3-pound weight and compact dimensions, those options make the Rider considerably easier to carry than a traditional party speaker.

Comparison

The Bottom Line 

SOUNDBOKS is not trying to win the feature-count war with the Rider. Its strongest argument is the combination of a claimed 118 dB maximum output, a 14.3-pound cabinet, IP66 durability, and a swappable battery rated for up to 35 hours at mid-volume. At $599, it is the entry-level model in the current SOUNDBOKS lineup, but there is nothing particularly entry-level about the price.

That portability comes with some meaningful compromises. Unlike the SOUNDBOKS Mix and SOUNDBOKS 4, the Rider does not support SKAA-powered TeamUp for linking multiple speakers. There is also no Pro Panel, dedicated microphone or guitar input, included microphone, or built-in light show. The optional Strap 2.0 and SOUNDBOKS fast charger also cost extra. What you do get is a 3.5mm auxiliary input, app-based EQ and sound profiles, and the same removable battery concept used by the larger models.

Competition at this price is substantial. The $549.95 JBL Boombox 4 weighs just 12.8 pounds and adds IP68 protection, Auracast, and a user-replaceable battery, while the $419.95 JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus weighs roughly the same as the Rider and adds a wireless microphone, karaoke features, a light show, and Auracast support. The $649 Sony ULT Tower 7 offers considerably more party-oriented functionality, although at roughly 50 pounds it belongs in a very different portability class.

We have also covered the $349 Tronsmart Halo 300, $499.99 TCL TP300K, and $399.99 Hisense Party Thunder Pro, all of which underscore just how crowded this category has become.

The Rider therefore makes the most sense for someone who wants a genuinely portable, rugged speaker that can get very loud without hauling around 30 to 50 pounds of hardware. Buyers looking for karaoke, synchronized lighting, microphone and instrument connectivity, or expandable multi-speaker systems will find more features elsewhere. SOUNDBOKS is betting that some people would rather carry 14 pounds of speaker than a rolling karaoke machine with its own light show. That might be the Rider’s most compelling feature.

Price & Availability

Related Reading:

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,500 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today — or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc’s Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

I’ve spent decades testing, reviewing, and (most importantly) using different to-do list applications. It’s a career, yes, but it’s also a bit of an obsession.

And I think we can all admit that most of these apps are way too complicated. A to-do list is just a list. Humans have been making lists for thousands of years, long before computers existed. Paper works well, but so does a stone slate if that’s what you’ve got handy.

It’s possible that you, a modern human, absolutely need a to-do list application with bells and whistles—due dates, recurring tasks, sharing features, and maybe even an AI integration. But there’s a good chance all you need is the digital equivalent of a piece of paper: A simple list of things that need to get done.

And that’s what Tasks.txt, a totally free Mac app, offers. From Ukrainian programmer Yevhen Kharkivskyi, this tool is based on the todo.txt system developed by Gina Trapani. It’s a complete alternative to a to-do list app that is based on a single text file.

The important thing here, though, is that it offers more than just a text file. This is a well-executed app. Open Tasks.txt and you’ll see a simple list broken down into three categories: Done, Next, and Backlog.

Screenshot: Justin Pot

The general idea is to use “Next” for the tasks you want to accomplish today and “Backlog” for the things you want to do later. The “Done” section is populated as you check things off, then cleared out at the beginning of every day.

It’s possible to use this application using only the keyboard, which I love. Open the window and you can just start typing tasks—your cursor is already active in the text box at the bottom. Hit Enter and your task will be added either to Backlog or Next, depending on what you choose in the drop-down menu to the right of your text box. Press the Tab key to switch from the text box to your task list. You can use the arrows to change which task is currently selected. Pressing the Enter key adds a note below the name of a task, and Cmd+Enter marks a task complete. You can also move tasks up and down the list using Cmd+Up/Down.

There are no unnecessary controls or interface elements in your way. You can open this application, decide what you need to do, then get to it. And you aren’t stuck using keyboard shortcuts—using the mouse is just as intuitive, if that’s what you prefer.

Smart feeders have become one of the most crowded categories in pet tech, with companies racing to add AI cameras and health tracking to devices that used to just dispense food on a schedule. I enjoyed testing Petlibro’s wet food dispenser a couple of years ago, so this time I wanted to try something from the company’s newest automatic feeder lineup: the Granary 2 series, designed specifically for dry food.

I was not disappointed. Building on the brand’s Granary line, the Granary 2 series lineup is designed to give cat parents a clearer picture of what their pets are actually eating, from how much food they consume to how long they spend eating and whether their habits change over time. 

The series includes four models, priced from $129.99 to $249.99. The Granary 2 is the entry-level option, offering app-controlled feeding, precise portioning, and intake tracking. The $189.99 Granary 2 Vision, which is the one I tested, adds an AI-powered camera capable of recognizing up to 10 cats and tracking each pet’s individual eating habits. 

The $199.99 Vision Duo is aimed at multi-pet households, with two separate dispensing chutes and bowls so each pet can receive its own portion, and the company says that its most expensive model, the Granary 2 X ($249.99), uses AI recognition to provide individualized portioning for pets with specific dietary needs.

The biggest upgrade across the Granary 2 series is its built-in scale. The feeder can measure food in the tray, allowing it to track not only how much food was dispensed but also how much remains in the bowl. That gives it a better way to estimate how much your pet actually ate. While a traditional automatic feeder can tell you that it released a meal at 7 p.m., it can’t necessarily tell you whether your cat ate it, how much it ate, or how long it took to finish. 

The Granary 2 tracks intake, eating duration, feeding frequency, as well as favorite eating times and eating speed. Over time, the companion app builds a picture of your pet’s normal eating patterns, with daily, weekly, monthly and yearly views, which could make it easier to notice subtle changes in appetite or routine that might otherwise go unnoticed. For pet parents who closely monitor weight, portion sizes, or eating behavior, this could be the feature that makes the Granary 2 worth considering. 

The Granary 2 offers two primary feeding modes: Smart Refill Mode and Scheduled Mode. 

Smart Refill Mode keeps the bowl supplied with smaller, fresh portions throughout the day while automatically stopping once the daily food limit you’ve set has been reached. This could be particularly useful for cats that prefer to graze rather than eat one or two larger meals. 

Scheduled Mode offers more traditional control, allowing you to set specific feeding times and portion sizes. There’s also a manual feeding button for those times when you want to dispense food outside of the normal schedule.

The version I tested adds another neat layer, with an AI-powered camera that can recognize which pet is eating and automatically associate the meal with the correct profile, which is especially useful in a multi-pet household. If one cat is on a special diet, needs to manage their weight, or has different nutritional requirements from the others, being able to track individual meals is super helpful. It will only open the feeder when the correct pet is recognized by the camera.

The 1080p camera also includes night vision, allowing you to check in on your cat while you’re away and see what’s happening around the feeder. There’s two-way audio as well, so you can communicate with your pet remotely. And if you’re the type of pet parent who likes to call your cat to dinner, you can record a short message that plays directly from the feeder.

Additionally, the feeder can send instant app alerts for issues such as low battery power, low food levels, and if food jams in the feeder. Those notifications provide some added reassurance when you’re away from home, since you don’t have to wonder whether the feeder is still working properly or whether a problem has prevented your pet from getting its meal. It also has a built-in rechargeable backup battery for when there’s a power outage. 

It’s important to note, however, that some of the Granary 2’s more advanced features are tied to Petlibro’s subscription services. Certain health tracking and monitoring features require a Petlibro Care subscription (starting at $59.99 per year), while cloud recording and playback on camera-equipped models require paying for a Video Cloud plan ($119.99 per year).

Overall, I do think this is one of the best feeders I’ve tested, but if you’re looking for a more affordable option, the closest comparison is Pawsync’s $79.99 feeder. It uses a built-in scale to ensure accurate portions, along with settings designed to help prevent both underfeeding and overfeeding.