Tech & AI News Roundup — October 18, 2026, 1:01 AM UTC

Quick links to what's actually happening in AI, tech, and IT right now — curated from real reporting, not rewritten, so you can go read the full story wherever it's genuinely worth your time.

Anthropic says its workforce has become less junior and is spending more time in meetings

The composition of Anthropic’s workforce and the type of work getting done have changed significantly in the past year. — TechCrunch

SpaceX’s ambitious, expensive gamble to replace AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon

Today, I’m talking with Walter Piecyk, a partner and analyst at LightShed Partners who covers tech, media, and telecom, about SpaceX’s recently announced plan to become a major wireless carrier. Last week, SpaceX agreed to buy a big chunk of low-band spectrum to expand the Starlink network, spectrum that’s been traded around the telecom business for decades now. SpaceX’s ambitious plan is to use t — The Verge

It’s a dream week for tech docs

Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 148, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you're new here, welcome, hope you're enjoying all your pumpkin-flavored everything, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.) This week, I've been reading about Marc Andreessen and the future of math and Mike Tomlin and Citizens United, reminiscing about the heyday — The Verge

This Week in Tech: AI Gets Bigger, Gadgets Get Smarter, and Security Risks Mount

See what you missed in Daily Tech Insider from Oct. 12–16. The post This Week in Tech: AI Gets Bigger, Gadgets Get Smarter, and Security Risks Mount appeared first on TechRepublic. — TechRepublic

Veritas expands its anti-counterfeit chip to jewelry, trophies, and fragrance bottles

Counterfeiters are getting better at replicating brands' marks and passing off dupes, known as "superfakes," as genuine items. A startup called Veritas wants to tackle the problem with its own chip that verifies goods. — TechCrunch

Onafriq shuts down its Nigerian agent banking business after five years

Baxi was one of Onafriq's large bets on Nigeria's offline payments economy, built around the idea that a vast network of agents could bring financial services to customers who still relied heavily on cash. — TechCabal

Galaxy S23 Gets One UI 9 With Android 17 — but Not Everywhere Yet

Samsung's Galaxy S23 One UI 9 rollout has begun in South Korea, but US owners are still waiting for a confirmed Android 17 release date. The post Galaxy S23 Gets One UI 9 With Android 17 — but Not Everywhere Yet appeared first on TechRepublic. — TechRepublic

The Surface Laptop Ultra delivers on most of Microsoft's promises

Microsoft promises one machine for dev, AI, and gaming, and mostly gets there. — Ars Technica