Anthropic, the artificial intelligence company behind the popular Claude chatbot, today announced a sweeping update to its Responsible Scaling Policy (RSP), aimed at mitigating the risks of highly capable AI systems.

The policy, originally introduced in 2023, has evolved with new protocols to ensure that AI models, as they grow more powerful, are developed and deployed safely.

This revised policy sets out specific Capability Thresholds—benchmarks that indicate when an AI model’s abilities have reached a point where additional safeguards are necessary.

The thresholds cover high-risk areas such as bioweapons creation and autonomous AI research, reflecting Anthropic’s commitment to prevent misuse of its technology. The update also brings more detailed responsibilities for the Responsible Scaling Officer, a role Anthropic will maintain to oversee compliance and ensure that the appropriate safeguards are in place.

Anthropic’s proactive approach signals a growing awareness within the AI industry of the need to balance rapid innovation with robust safety standards. With AI capabilities accelerating, the stakes have never been higher.

Why Anthropic’s Responsible Scaling Policy matters for AI risk management

Anthropic’s updated Responsible Scaling Policy arrives at a critical juncture for the AI industry, where the line between beneficial and harmful AI applications is becoming increasingly thin.

The company’s decision to formalize Capability Thresholds with corresponding Required Safeguards shows a clear intent to prevent AI models from causing large-scale harm, whether through malicious use or unintended consequences.

The policy’s focus on Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) weapons and Autonomous AI Research and Development (AI R&D) highlights areas where frontier AI models could be exploited by bad actors or inadvertently accelerate dangerous advancements.

These thresholds act as early-warning systems, ensuring that once an AI model demonstrates risky capabilities, it triggers a higher level of scrutiny and safety measures before deployment.

This approach sets a new standard in AI governance, creating a framework that not only addresses today’s risks but also anticipates future threats as AI systems continue to evolve in both power and complexity.

How Anthropic’s capability thresholds could influence AI safety standards industry-wide

Anthropic’s policy is more than an internal governance system—it’s designed to be a blueprint for the broader AI industry. The company hopes its policy will be “exportable,” meaning it could inspire other AI developers to adopt similar safety frameworks. By introducing AI Safety Levels (ASLs) modeled after the U.S. government’s biosafety standards, Anthropic is setting a precedent for how AI companies can systematically manage risk.

The tiered ASL system, which ranges from ASL-2 (current safety standards) to ASL-3 (stricter protections for riskier models), creates a structured approach to scaling AI development. For example, if a model shows signs of dangerous autonomous capabilities, it would automatically move to ASL-3, requiring more rigorous red-teaming (simulated adversarial testing) and third-party audits before it can be deployed.

If adopted industry-wide, this system could create what Anthropic has called a “race to the top” for AI safety, where companies compete not only on the performance of their models but also on the strength of their safeguards. This could be transformative for an industry that has so far been reluctant to self-regulate at this level of detail.

The role of the responsible scaling officer in AI risk governance

A key feature of Anthropic’s updated policy is the expanded responsibilities of the Responsible Scaling Officer (RSO)—a role that Anthropic will continue to maintain from the original version of the policy. The updated policy now details the RSO’s duties, which include overseeing the company’s AI safety protocols, evaluating when AI models cross Capability Thresholds, and reviewing decisions on model deployment.

This internal governance mechanism adds another layer of accountability to Anthropic’s operations, ensuring that the company’s safety commitments are not just theoretical but actively enforced. The RSO has the authority to pause AI training or deployment if the safeguards required at ASL-3 or higher are not in place.

In an industry moving at breakneck speed, this level of oversight could become a model for other AI companies, particularly those working on frontier AI systems with the potential to cause significant harm if misused.

Why Anthropic’s policy update is a timely response to growing AI regulation

Anthropic’s updated policy comes at a time when the AI industry is under increasing pressure from regulators and policymakers. Governments across the U.S. and Europe are debating how to regulate powerful AI systems, and companies like Anthropic are being watched closely for their role in shaping the future of AI governance.

The Capability Thresholds introduced in this policy could serve as a prototype for future government regulations, offering a clear framework for when AI models should be subject to stricter controls. By committing to public disclosures of Capability Reports and Safeguard Assessments, Anthropic is positioning itself as a leader in AI transparency—an issue that many critics of the industry have highlighted as lacking.

This willingness to share internal safety practices could help bridge the gap between AI developers and regulators, providing a roadmap for what responsible AI governance could look like at scale.

Looking ahead: What Anthropic’s Responsible Scaling Policy means for the future of AI development

As AI models become more powerful, the risks they pose will inevitably grow. Anthropic’s updated Responsible Scaling Policy is a forward-looking response to these risks, creating a dynamic framework that can evolve alongside AI technology. The company’s focus on iterative safety measures—with regular updates to its Capability Thresholds and Safeguards—ensures that it can adapt to new challenges as they arise.

While the policy is currently specific to Anthropic, its broader implications for the AI industry are clear. As more companies follow suit, we could see the emergence of a new standard for AI safety, one that balances innovation with the need for rigorous risk management.

In the end, Anthropic’s Responsible Scaling Policy is not just about preventing catastrophe—it’s about ensuring that AI can fulfill its promise of transforming industries and improving lives without leaving destruction in its wake.

Early is a Tel Aviv-based startup that uses generative AI to generate unit tests, helping programmers catch potential bugs early in the development cycle. The company, which launched in August, today announced that it has raised a $5 million seed funding round led by Zeev Ventures, with participation from Dynamic Loop Capital.

In its current form, Early supports JavaScript and TypeScript and integrates with the Visual Studio Code IDE. From there, developers can quickly see how much of their code is covered by tests and then automatically generate validated tests right from within the IDE. Those tests, the company says, include mocks and aim to cover a wide variety of scenarios like happy paths and edge cases, which developers would otherwise have to code by hand.

While its focus right now is on helping developers create unit tests, Early CEO and co-founder Sharon Barr (pictured above, right) tells me that the overall mission is significantly broader. In an interview ahead of today’s announcement, Barr stressed that he doesn’t think of Early as a testing company. “I like to call us a code quality company,” he said.

Code quality is something Barr surely knows about. Before founding Early, he was the VP of Engineering for Couchbase from 2010 to 2013 and then became the CTO of biotech company Bina. Bina was later acquired by Roche, where Barr held the role of VP of Software Engineering until 2018. He then joined EY Global, where he held a number of executive roles, reporting directly to the CTO.

His co-founder and CTO, Lior Froimovich (pictured above, left), was an engineering lead at EY Global — a role Barr hired him for — and before that, he co-founded two startups.

“A year ago, I left EY together with my co-founder, Lior, whom I hired six years ago, and we said, ‘Okay, let’s see what we can do with this new, exciting technology of GenAI — and one of the problems that we faced ourselves on our career is code quality,” Barr told me. “And then we said, ‘Okay, let’s start with testing.’ Let’s see if you can generate code for testing — and in the world of testing, let’s start with unit tests. We experimented with it. We ended up raising money very quickly from Zeev Ventures, much faster than we expected, and have focused on the product since then.”

Barr, like most of the AI startup founders I talk to these days, does not believe that AI and AI agents will replace humans anytime soon. But he does believe that a service like Early can free developers to focus on the more creative parts of coding.

“The Early team’s deep understanding of both AI’s potential and the nuances of software development puts them at the forefront of this revolution,” said Oren Zeev, founder of Zeev Ventures. “They’re not just using AI; they’re applying it strategically to solve one of the most persistent and costly challenges in coding. I believe Early will become an indispensable tool for developers, dramatically reducing the time and cost associated with bug detection and fixing, and ultimately accelerating innovation across the tech industry.”

Amazon just announced four new Kindle e-readers. The Colorsoft Signature Edition is the first color Kindle, there’s a new Kindle Scribe note-taker, a faster version of its most popular Paperwhite, and a new entry-level Kindle.

The Spanish-language announcement with US pricing seems accidental as none of the links to the Amazon store currently work. Nevertheless, here’s what we know.

The Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition is “designed to offer a rich and paper-like color” for book covers and highlighted text. Images can be zoomed in “without worrying about pixelation” with both standard and vibrant color styles. It’s waterproof and features fast page turns, wireless charging, up to 8 weeks of battery, and new light guide with nitride LEDs. It’ll cost $279.99 and ship on October 30th. 

The new Kindle Scribe is an e-reader and note-taker. The 300ppi screen has new white edges and is designed to feel like paper when writing on it when using Amazon’s Premium Pencil with new soft-tip eraser. 

It also offers a “first-of-a-kind book writing experience” in addition to note-taking. Active Canvas lets you add notes directly to the pages of a book and the text flows around them. You’ll also be able to add notes in the side panel soon, which can be hidden later. The integrated notebook is infused with AI to summarize pages into concise points. Notes can also be made readable in preparation for export with a handwritten-style font.

The $399.99 Kindle Scribe will be ready for December 4th delivery with preorders starting today, according to the rogue announcement.

The Kindle Paperwhite is the “fastest kindle yet,” according to Amazon. The best-selling Kindle has a larger 7-inch screen, as rumored, allowing it to be thinner than previous generations while boasting a battery life of up to three months. It’s water resistant with 16GB of storage. Kindle Paperwhite “is now available” from $159.99. The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is available for $199.99 with 32GB of storage and optional wireless charging and auto-adjusting front light.

The entry-level Kindle is also meant to be available today from $109.99 and weighs just 5.6 ounces. It offers a non-reflective 300ppi screen with faster page turns and 16GB of storage that can easily be held in one hand or slipped into a back pocket.

We’ll probably know more soon as details emerge, with links to actually buy or preorder the latest Kindles — so stay tuned. 

As applications have migrated to the cloud and employees have demanded the flexibility to work from anywhere, maintaining a secure, efficient, and scalable network infrastructure, while providing a consistent user experience, has become a top priority for IT leaders. 

However, many organizations find themselves facing a patchwork of security tools and struggling with the convolutedness and vulnerabilities of legacy Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), which were designed for a very different era of remote access computing. Network leaders are looking for clarity on how to enable them to support their businesses to scale and grow while reducing the attack surface exposing their data to risk.

Complexity brings vulnerability

Strands is a brand new daily puzzle from the New York Times. A trickier take on the classic word search, you’ll need a keen eye to solve this puzzle.

Like Wordle, Connections, and the Mini Crossword, Strands can be a bit difficult to solve some days. There’s no shame in needing a little help from time to time. If you’re stuck and need to know the answers to today’s Strands puzzle, check out the solved puzzle below.

How to play Strands

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strand answers

Today’s spanagram

We’ll start by giving you the spangram, which might help you figure out the theme and solve the rest of the puzzle on your own:

Today’s Strands answers

• NEVERMORE
• DREARY
• PONDERED
• MIDNIGHT
• WEAK
• WEARY

UPDATE (October 16, 2024): Samsung has started rolling out the October 2024 Android security patch to the Galaxy Z Flip 6. Read more about it at the very end of the article

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 arrived in July 2024 during Samsung’s second Unpacked event of the year. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 launched during that event too, and the same goes for some other devices that the company announced. Do note that the Galaxy Z Flip 6 Olympic Edition also arrived (later on). With that in mind, the all-new ‘Flip’ handset is rather similar to last year’s model. Samsung opted not to do a huge revamp of the phone, and that goes for both its design and its internals.

Sure, this one is more powerful, but several aspects that users expected to be upgraded did not get that treatment. The camera hardware remained the same, for example, and that is true for some other internals. Still, this phone has plenty to offer, so let’s get to it. We will first talk about its specifications, and we’ll take it from there.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 specs

The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is fueled by the same processor as the Galaxy Z Fold 6. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chip fuels the device. That is essentially an overclocked variant of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. Samsung opted to include 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM this time around. It also included 256GB or 512GB of non-expandable UFS 4.0 internal storage. The phone includes a 6.7-inch fullHD+ (2640 x 1080) Dynamic AMOLED 2X display. It offers up to 120Hz refresh rate. The cover display measures 3.4 inches and offers a 720 x 748 resolution. That is a Super AMOLED display, though, and it has a 60Hz refresh rate.

A 4,000mAh battery is included here, a slightly larger battery pack than in the Galaxy Z Flip 5. The charging remains the same, however. The phone supports 25W wired, 15W wireless, and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. A charger is not included in the retail box. A 50-megapixel main camera (f/1.8 aperture, OIS, 2x “optical quality zoom”, digital zoom up to 10x) is backed by a 12-megapixel ultrawide snapper (f/2.2 aperture). There is also a camera on the main display, in the form of a hole punch. That is a 10-megapixel camera, by the way.

Android 14 comes pre-installed on the device, along with One UI 6.1.1, Samsung’s Android skin. Bluetooth 5.3 is supported here, while the phone supports dual SIM functionality. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 weighs 187 grams. So, it weighs the same as last year’s model. The device is IP48 certified for water resistance. When unfolded, the device measures 165.1 x 71.9 x 6.9mm. In the folded state, it measures 85.1 x 71.9 x 14.9mm.

How much does the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 cost?

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 will set you back $1,099.99 should you choose to buy it. Well, that’s where the pricing starts, that’s the price for the 256GB storage option. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 cost $999.99 for the same model when it launched, so we’re looking at a $100 price bump here.

Are there any deals available?

Samsung did announce some deals for the Galaxy Z Flip 6, initial ones. If you pre-order a carrier version of the device in the US, you’ll get 12 months of Samsung Care+ for free. Also, if you pre-order the device by July 23, you can also get up to $1,000 off with an eligible trade-in, and double the storage from 256GB to 512GB.

In addition to deals from Samsung.com, there are also deals from carriers and retailers. There’s plenty on offer, including great trade-in deals. If you’re interested, check out the links below, and see if any of the deals suit you.

Where can I buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6?

You’ll be able to buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 at all of the usual places. That goes for both the carriers and the retailers. First and foremost, it’s available directly from Samsung. All major US carriers are offering the device, and you’ll also be able to get it from Amazon, Best Buy, and so on. It will be available in a ton of places. We’ll leave a list of the most popular sources of Galaxy Z Flip 6 availability below.

– Samsung
– Amazon
– Best Buy
– Verizon
– AT&T
– T-Mobile

What carriers does it work on?

The Galaxy Z Flip 6 will actually work on all US carriers. That is something you could have expected. Those carriers are AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and all MVNOs that run on their networks. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 will work just fine on Visible, Metro by T-Mobile, Cricket, US Mobile, and more.

What colors does the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 come in?

Unlike the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 comes in seven color variants. So, two more than the Galaxy Z Fold 6. Do note that three of those colors are Samsung.com exclusive, however. The non-exclusive colors are Blue, Mint, Silver Shadow, and Yellow. Those are the colors you’ll be able to get from carriers and retailers. The three exclusive ones are Crafted Black, Peach, and White.

What new upgrades does the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 have over the Galaxy Z Flip 5?

Many of you are probably wondering what are the main selling features of the Galaxy Z Flip 6. Also, what are its advantages over the Galaxy Z Flip 5? Well, the two phones are quite similar (maybe even too similar), so there are not many, but we’ll highlight some features below, read on.

It’s more powerful than its predecessor

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 is more powerful than its predecessor. The difference here is not only in the all-new SoC, but the RAM situation too. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy fuels this smartphone. That is essentially Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, but an overclocked one. In addition to that, however, the phone offers 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM. Its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Flip 5, shipped with 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM.

AI-powered features

The Galaxy Z Flip 6 comes with a bunch of AI-powered features, thanks to Galaxy AI. Suggested replies, for example, analyze your latest messages and suggest tailored responses. That should make the cover display more useful. FlexWindow is another really useful feature that Galaxy Z Flip users are probably familiar with It provides access to Samsung Health updates and notifications, while it also allows you to select the next track you want to listen to. It now offers more widgets than ever, by the way. FlexCam is now more useful too, thanks to Auto Zoom. FlexCam can find the best framing for your shot, and also handle the zooming so that you and all your friends fit in the shot.

Upgraded camera software

Samsung didn’t really move the Galaxy Z Flip 6 forward when it comes to camera hardware. The company is promising camera updates, so the software has been improved, it seems. Samsung says that we’re getting an “upgraded camera experience with clear and crisp details in pictures”. Thanks to AI zoom, you can get up to 10x digital zoom with the main camera.

Better low-light videos

The company is also promising upgrades to video recording in low-light conditions. ‘Nightography’ has been enhanced with video HDR. Samsung did not elaborate anymore, though. The company did say that night mode is now available in-app on Instagram Story, however.

The hinge has been improved

The hinge on the Galaxy Z Flip 6 feels better to use compared to the Galaxy Z Flip 5. In what way? Well, it’s kind of stiffer, and gives off more confidence while you’re using it. Using the phone in a half-closed format will also make more sense thanks to this.

7 years of software updates

Samsung has promised 7 years of OS and security updates for the Galaxy Z Flip 6. The company basically did the same thing Google did for the Google Pixel 8 series. Those are great news for consumers, of course. Samsung is also very timely with its updates lately.

The display crease is better, but not great

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 was notorious for its very noticeable display crease. Samsung has made a move in the right direction when that is concerned, but still… things could be better. Some other, competing devices offer a less noticeable crease than the Galaxy Z Flip 5.

What cases are available for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6?

In case you’re planning to get the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6, chances are you’ll need a case to put it in. Well, Samsung did list 5 cases on its website, along with a screen protector for the cover display. We’ll go over them below, where you’ll also find links for purchasing them. Do note that all of this comes from Samsung’s US website, the pricing and offerings in other markets may vary.

Clear Case

The Clear Case for the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is the basic silicone see-through case. It offers solid protection, and has a ring on the back, which you can use to grip the phone, or attach it to your belt or something like that. This case is priced at $29.99 at launch ($10 off).

Kindsuit Case

The Kindsuit Case is a case made out of vegan leather aka eco leather. It comes in three colors, Gray, Mint, and Yellow. It will set you back $74.99 ($25 off), should you choose to buy it. This is a special launch offer.

Flipsuit Case with LED

The Flipsuit Case with LED is arguably the most fun case out of the bunch. This case matches your screen and provides cool animations. It’s interactive. The LEDs on the Flipsuit card also light up and sparkle. The Flipcuit Case with LED is priced at $44.99 ($15 off) at the moment.

Flipsuit Case

The Flipsuit Case is basically the same as the case above it, but it does not include the LED aspect. This case has the same price tag as the one above, at launch it costs $44.99 ($15 off).

Slim Clear Case

The Slim Clear Case is the thinnest case Samsung has to offer. Still, this case offers all around protection for the device. Its standard price is $24.99, but at launch, it costs $12.49.

Silicone Case

The Silicone Case is very similar to the Clear Case, but it’s not see-through, it comes in several colors. The ring on the back is still here, though. It comes in Blue, Navy, Mint, Yellow, and Gray colors. This case’s standard price is $39.99, but at launch, it costs $29.99.

Anti Reflective Film

The last item on this list is a screen protector… for the phone’s cover display. It’s called the Anti Reflective Film, and it’s priced at $22.49 at launch ($7.50 off).

Third-party cases

In addition to all the first-party cases that Samsung announced, there are quite a few third-party options. UAG, OtterBox, Latercase, Thinborne, and many others shared their very own takes on Galaxy Z Flip 6 cases. If you’re interested in any of them simply visit the links provided in the previous sentence.

Should I buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6?

If you’re wondering whether you should buy the Galaxy Z Flip 6, well, that’s always your decision. We can only try and help a bit. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is quite similar to its predecessor. Samsung didn’t really differentiate this phone enough to warrant an upgrade from the Galaxy Z Flip 5. It has the same charging speed, a very similar design, and so on. It is, however, more powerful, of course. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is still a very compelling purchase in the general sense, though. It has less competition than the Galaxy Z Fold 6, but still, there are some compelling options. If you’d like to know more about the device’s actual performance, check out our Galaxy Z Flip 6 review.

Updated August 26, 2024:

Samsung has started rolling out the very first update to the Galaxy Z Flip 6. This update does include the August 2024 Android security patch. It fixes 50 major security problems, both Android OS ones, and One UI ones. There are no new features included with this update, unfortunately. It is worth noting that the update has started rolling out in South Korea, Samsung’s homeland. However, it is spreading to other markets as we speak.

Updated September 24, 2024:

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 is now receiving the September 2024 security patch. The rollout started in the US, but it spread to a ton of other markets by now. It is rolling out in stages, though, so if you haven’t received it yet, which is highly unlikely, it’s coming soon. This update weighs around 400MB, it all depends on the market. It brings fixes for 67 security vulnerabilities. 44 of those are for Android OS, while the remaining 23 are for Samsung’s One UI skin.

Updated October 16, 2024:

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 is now getting the October 2024 Android security patch. This update fixes over 30 vulnerabilities in Android and One UI. Do note that the rollout of this update is staged, so it may take a while before it reaches your device. It also didn’t initially launch in all countries, but at this point it’s quite widespread. If you didn’t get the update it will land soon. There are no new features included here, only security improvements.