There Is No Off Switch for Google's AI Overviews. These Workarounds Do the Job.

Google has no official switch to turn off AI Overviews, but you can hide them: tap the Web filter, add &udm=14 to the search address, set a custom search engine, or use a browser extension. Step-by-step instructions.

By the UISC BD Editorial Desk · United Information Service Center · Published 13 September 2026 · 4-minute read

"How to get rid of AI Overview" is one of the rising AI-related searches on Google this week. Some people want links instead of summaries; others have been caught out by an AI answer that was wrong. Here is what works.

First, the Honest Answer

Google does not offer a universal setting that permanently removes AI Overviews from every search on every device. Every method below is a workaround — but several are simple and reliable.

Method 1: Tap the "Web" Filter

After searching, look at the filter tabs under the search bar (All, Images, News and so on). Choose Web, which may sit under "More". The page reloads with traditional link results and no AI Overview.

Best for: occasional use, on any device.

Method 2: Add &udm=14 to the Address

After a search, click the address bar, add &udm=14 to the end of the URL and press Enter. The results reload as Web-only results.

Best for: a quick fix on desktop.

Method 3: Make It Permanent With a Custom Search Engine

This makes every search from your browser's address bar skip AI Overviews automatically. In Chrome:

1. Open Settings and go to Search engine, then Manage search engines and site search.
2. Next to site search, choose Add.
3. Give it a name (for example "Google Web") and a shortcut.
4. For the URL, enter: https://www.google.com/search?q=%s&udm=14
5. Save it, then use the menu beside it to make it the default.

Other desktop browsers offer similar custom search options.

Best for: anyone who wants a set-and-forget solution. Guides tracking these methods consider this approach more reliable over time than extensions.

Method 4: Browser Extensions

Free Chrome extensions such as Hide Google AI Overviews and Bye Bye, Google AI remove the box automatically.

A caution: extensions can read the pages you visit. Check the permissions requested, reviews and how recently the extension was updated before installing.

On Your Phone

The Web filter works in mobile browsers and the Google app. In mobile browsers that allow custom search engines, the udm=14 address from Method 3 works too.

When AI Overviews Are Actually Useful

For quick, low-stakes questions, a summary can save time. For health, money, legal or safety questions, go to the original sources — AI summaries can be confidently wrong, as explained in why AI makes things up and how to check.

For more practical AI guides this week, see the 1980s AI photo trend and which AI assistant to use.

Related reading

• Google Pixel 11 Series: Prices, Features and What Changed
• The Fastest-Growing Jobs of 2026 Are in AI. Here Are the Skills Behind Them.
• iPhone Duo: Price, Specs and Release Date of Apple's First Foldable
• Galaxy Z Fold 8 vs iPhone Duo: How the Two Big Foldables Compare

Sources

• "How to turn off AI Overviews: what actually works in 2026," GeoToolbox — geotoolbox.ai
• "How to turn off Google AI Overviews: 7 methods (2026)," Stackmatix — stackmatix.com
• "How to turn off Google AI Overview in 2026: every method that works," Memeburn — memeburn.com

Meta's Muse Wants to Do Your Errands. Here Is How It Works.

Meta launched Muse on 8 September 2026, a personal AI agent that can shop, book appointments and fill in forms on your behalf across the web, iOS, Android and WhatsApp. It is free up to a weekly limit, with $20 and $100 plans. How it works and what to consider.

By the UISC BD Editorial Desk · United Information Service Center · Published 13 September 2026 · 5-minute read

Most AI assistants answer questions. Muse is designed to act. Searches for "Meta Muse AI agent" rose sharply on Google in the days after launch, as people tried to work out what it actually does.

What Muse Does

Meta describes Muse as a personal agent that takes tasks off your plate and turns long-term goals into action plans. Examples Meta and launch coverage have given include:

• Online shopping and buying cinema tickets.
• Scheduling appointments, such as tennis lessons.
• Filling in forms — even a school trip permission slip.

Where and Who

• Launch date: 8 September 2026.
• Available on: the web at muse.ai, iOS and Android apps, and chats in WhatsApp.
• Who can use it: adults aged 18 and over in the United States, for now.

What It Costs

• Free: usage up to 100 million tokens a week.
• Power: $20 a month.
• Maximum: $100 a month.

Tokens are the units AI systems use to measure text processed — explained in our guide to AI tokens and pricing.

How It Works Behind the Scenes

Muse runs on what Meta calls Muse Secure VM — a dedicated, secure virtual computer with its own browser. The agent uses that environment to work across the websites and apps you use, rather than operating directly on your own device.

Meta says Muse does not share your conversations or the data in your virtual machine with its advertising systems.

The Trust Question

An agent that can log in, buy things and fill in forms needs a higher level of trust than a chatbot. Launch coverage has focused on that question, and Forbes reported that some Meta staff flagged security concerns about the product ahead of release.

That does not mean Muse is unsafe, but it is a reason to start carefully.

Sensible Ways to Start

• Begin with low-risk tasks — research, reminders, drafting — before anything involving payments.
• Review before confirming any purchase, booking or form submission.
• Use a card with a low limit or virtual card numbers where your bank offers them.
• Check connected accounts regularly and remove access you no longer need.
• Never share passwords in chat. Use the official sign-in flows instead.

New to agents? Start with what an AI agent is. For the wider wave of AI launches this month, see our September 2026 model guide.

Related reading

• GPT-6 Astra Explained: What OpenAI's New Model Can Do and What It Costs
• iPhone Duo: Price, Specs and Release Date of Apple's First Foldable
• iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max: What's New, Price and Should You Upgrade
• Galaxy Z Fold 8 vs iPhone Duo: How the Two Big Foldables Compare

Sources

• "Introducing Muse: the world's first personal AI agent built for everyone," Meta — about.fb.com
• "Meta debuts its Muse AI agent. Will consumers trust it?," TechCrunch — techcrunch.com
• "Meta launches personal AI agent, Muse, to help with everyday tasks," PBS News — pbs.org
• "Meta launches Muse personal AI agent as staff flag security flaws," Forbes — forbes.com

Everyone Is Turning Their Selfies Into 1980s Portraits. Here Is How.

Retro 1980s portraits made with ChatGPT and Google Gemini are the fastest-rising AI search on Google this week. How the trend works, a prompt structure that keeps your face recognisable, and the privacy checks to make before uploading a photo.

By the UISC BD Editorial Desk · United Information Service Center · Published 13 September 2026 · 5-minute read

Google Trends data for the past week shows "1980s AI photo prompt" as by far the fastest-rising AI-related search worldwide. Social feeds are filled with voluminous hair, statement sunglasses and soft studio lighting — all generated from ordinary selfies.

What the Trend Is

Users upload a clear photo of themselves to ChatGPT or Google Gemini and ask for a 1980s-style portrait. Unlike a simple filter, the AI reconstructs the clothing, hairstyle, backdrop and lighting from scratch, which is why results can look closer to a genuine old photograph than a tinted modern one.

It follows earlier viral image crazes such as Studio Ghibli-style portraits and AI action figures.

How to Make One

1. Choose a good photo. Face the camera, use even light, and avoid heavy filters or sunglasses.
2. Open the image tool in ChatGPT or Gemini and upload the photo.
3. Write a structured prompt (below).
4. Refine in small steps. If the face drifts, ask it to keep your facial features exactly the same and change only the styling.

A Prompt Structure That Works

Guides circulating with the trend share the same core instructions: keep the face recognisable, then change hair, clothes and setting to match the decade. A simple template:

"Using my uploaded photo, create a 1980s studio portrait. Keep my face, facial features and identity exactly the same. Give me a period-accurate 1980s hairstyle and fashion, a soft gradient studio backdrop, warm studio lighting and subtle film grain, like a photo printed in 1986."

Swap in details — a denim jacket, a neon-coloured tracksuit, a shopping-mall portrait studio, a Polaroid border — to make it your own.

Privacy Checks Before You Upload

Know where your photo goes. Check the app's data settings and whether uploaded images may be used to improve its models, and change the setting if you prefer.

Only upload people who agree. Do not create images of friends, partners or colleagues without asking.

Think twice about children. Images of minors are best kept out of AI tools altogether.

Avoid ID-style images. Clean, front-facing headshots are also the images most useful for identity fraud. Keep the original and the output private if you are unsure.

Label it as AI. A caption like "AI-generated" avoids confusion when an image is shared out of context.

Why It Matters Beyond the Fun

The same technology that makes a harmless retro portrait can also create convincing fakes of real people. Understanding how easily faces can be restyled is useful protection — see how deepfake fraud works.

For which assistant to use, see our September 2026 AI model guide, and for better results in general, how to write AI prompts.

Related reading

• Gemini, ChatGPT or Claude? A Plain Guide to September 2026's AI Model Wave
• GPT-6 Astra Explained: What OpenAI's New Model Can Do and What It Costs
• iPhone Duo: Price, Specs and Release Date of Apple's First Foldable
• Galaxy Z Fold 8 vs iPhone Duo: How the Two Big Foldables Compare

Sources

• "How to create your own 1980s AI photo using ChatGPT or Google Gemini," Free Press Journal — freepressjournal.in
• "80s AI photo trend prompt: copy-paste for ChatGPT/Gemini," explainx.ai — explainx.ai
• Google Trends, AI searches worldwide, past 7 days — trends.google.com

An AI Model May Have Cracked One of Mathematics' Hardest Problems

On 8 September 2026 OpenAI said an unreleased AI model proved that the 3D Navier–Stokes equations can blow up in finite time, backed by a 166-page paper and a Lean formal proof. Mathematicians are still checking it, and no Millennium Prize has been awarded.

By the UISC BD Editorial Desk · United Information Service Center · Published 13 September 2026 · 6-minute read

"OpenAI Navier–Stokes" became one of the fastest-rising AI searches on Google this week. The reason: a claim that artificial intelligence has settled a question mathematicians have worked on for generations.

What the Navier–Stokes Equations Are

The Navier–Stokes equations describe how fluids move — water in a pipe, air over a wing, weather systems, blood in arteries. Engineers use them every day.

Yet mathematicians have never proved a basic fact about them in three dimensions: whether smooth, well-behaved solutions always stay smooth, or whether they can "blow up" — develop a singularity — in a finite time. The Clay Mathematics Institute lists this as one of its seven Millennium Prize Problems, each with a $1 million award.

What OpenAI Claims

• On 8 September 2026, OpenAI announced that an unreleased internal model proved that a finite-time singularity occurs in the three-dimensional incompressible Navier–Stokes equations.
• It published a 166-page paper with public proof files.
• It says the proof was formally verified using Lean, an interactive theorem prover in which every logical step is checked by software.
• The effort reportedly used about $22 million of computing power over six days, with 10,000 AI agents.

Why Formal Verification Matters

A traditional proof of this length could take experts months or years to check. A Lean proof is different: if the statement is formalised correctly, the software confirms each step follows from the last.

The key caveat is that phrase "formalised correctly". Mathematicians still need to confirm that the formal statement matches the real problem, with no hidden assumptions.

The Dispute Over Credit

Just before OpenAI's announcement, Tristan Buckmaster, a mathematician at New York University's Courant Institute, released a statement saying that he and Levent Alpöge, a mathematician working at Anthropic, had used AI models from both Anthropic and OpenAI to find solutions to related problems — including a strikingly similar result for part of the Navier–Stokes question.

That has turned a scientific milestone into a debate about who got there first and how AI-assisted discoveries should be credited.

Where Things Stand

A proof artefact is public and can be scrutinised. But broad independent verification, formal publication and recognition by the Clay Mathematics Institute have not happened yet. The accurate description today is a machine-verified proof claim, not a settled Millennium Problem.

Why It Matters Either Way

Even if details are revised, the episode shows AI systems moving from answering questions to producing original, checkable research at the frontier of mathematics. Combined with formal verification, that could speed up discovery in physics, engineering and beyond.

For the model behind the headlines, see GPT-6 Astra explained. For why AI output still needs checking outside formal proofs, see why AI makes things up.

Related reading

• Tesla Robotaxi Passes 1 Million Unsupervised Miles: What It Means
• GPT-6 Astra Explained: What OpenAI's New Model Can Do and What It Costs
• iPhone Duo: Price, Specs and Release Date of Apple's First Foldable
• iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max: What's New, Price and Should You Upgrade

Sources

• "OpenAI says it cracked Navier-Stokes, one of math's grand challenges," Fortune — fortune.com
• "OpenAI claims blockbuster math breakthrough amid swirl of controversy," Scientific American — scientificamerican.com
• "OpenAI's claimed Navier-Stokes proof raises the ceiling for AI research," The Rundown AI — therundown.ai
• "OpenAI's Navier–Stokes claim awaits independent review," Quasa — quasa.io

OpenAI Calls GPT-6 Astra a "Generational Leap". Here Is What That Means.

OpenAI released GPT-6 Astra on 3–4 September 2026, calling it a generational leap for coding, science and professional work. It is rolling out to paid ChatGPT plans, costs $10 per million input tokens in the API, and has raised questions from safety researchers.

By the UISC BD Editorial Desk · United Information Service Center · Published 13 September 2026 · 6-minute read

September 2026 opened with the busiest stretch of AI releases in months, and OpenAI's GPT-6 Astra was the headline. Here is what has been confirmed, what is claimed, and what remains open.

Release and Availability

• 3 September 2026: released to a limited group of approved organisations.
• 4 September 2026: general availability began, rolling out over the following days to ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Business and Enterprise users, the OpenAI API and AWS.
• Its most advanced cybersecurity capabilities were initially restricted to limited testers.

What OpenAI Says It Does Better

OpenAI describes Astra as a leap for cybersecurity, professional work, software engineering and science, with faster and more reliable computer use for multi-step workflows. Examples given include preparing tax returns, building video game scenes and handling job searches.

OpenAI president Greg Brockman went further, suggesting the model could eventually be seen as the arrival of artificial general intelligence. That is a claim, not a consensus.

Reported Benchmarks

According to launch coverage of OpenAI's figures, Astra scored 98 percent on FrontierMath Tier 4, 99.9 percent on ARC-AGI-3 and 100 percent on ExploitBench, ahead of OpenAI's previous GPT-5.6 Sol and Anthropic's Claude Fable 5.

Benchmarks measure narrow tasks under test conditions. They are useful signals, but they do not guarantee reliability on your own work — covered in why AI still makes things up.

What It Costs

In the standard API, GPT-6 Astra costs $10 per million input tokens and $50 per million output tokens — about 2.5 times the promotional price of GPT-5.6 Sol ($4 and $20). For how token pricing translates into real bills, see our guide to AI tokens and pricing.

How It Was Built

OpenAI trained Astra on more than 100,000 GPUs at its Stargate facility in Texas — by far its largest training run.

The Safety Debate

Astra uses a reasoning technique OpenAI calls recurrent depth. OpenAI itself notes that it makes some of the model's reasoning less visible, and AI safety researchers have raised concerns about how well such reasoning can be monitored. OpenAI publishes a system card describing its safety testing.

What It Means for You

• Paid ChatGPT users should see Astra appear in their model options as the rollout completes.
• Developers should test cost against quality — a cheaper model may be good enough for many tasks.
• Everyone should still check important answers, especially figures and citations.

Astra arrived in a crowded month: compare the options in our September 2026 AI model guide, and see OpenAI's disputed Navier–Stokes claim.

Related reading

• Gemini, ChatGPT or Claude? A Plain Guide to September 2026's AI Model Wave
• Meta Muse: What the New Personal AI Agent Does and What It Costs
• The 1980s AI Photo Trend: How to Make One Safely in ChatGPT or Gemini
• Did OpenAI's AI Solve Navier–Stokes? What the Claimed Proof Means

Sources

• "GPT-6 Astra," Wikipedia — en.wikipedia.org
• "OpenAI launches GPT-6 Astra, 'the world's most intelligent and aligned model'," 9to5Google — 9to5google.com
• "OpenAI releasing major upgrade to ChatGPT and Codex with GPT-6 Astra," 9to5Mac — 9to5mac.com
• "OpenAI unveils GPT-6 Astra amid rising scrutiny and safety concerns," Al Jazeera — aljazeera.com
• "GPT-6 Astra system card," OpenAI — deploymentsafety.openai.com

Google's Pixel 11 Range Drops the 128GB Model and Leans Into Gemini

Google's Pixel 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro XL start at $899, $1,099 and $1,299, with the Pixel 11 Pro Fold at $1,899. Google dropped its 128GB models and added a glowing HiLight ring on the Pro phones that lights up for Gemini.

By the UISC BD Editorial Desk · United Information Service Center · Published 13 September 2026 · 4-minute read

Google announced the Pixel 11 family on 12 August and put the phones on shelves on 20 August. With Apple's iPhone 18 now announced too, this is the moment many buyers compare the two.

Prices

• Pixel 11: from $899
• Pixel 11 Pro: from $1,099
• Pixel 11 Pro XL: from $1,299
• Pixel 11 Pro Fold: from $1,899

Google discontinued the 128GB versions, so the cheapest configurations offered in previous years are no longer available. That raises the real entry price for anyone who used to buy the base model.

What's New

A new camera bar. The phones carry an edge-to-edge glass camera bar across the back.

HiLight on the Pro models. A circular cluster of LEDs on the back glows when you talk to Gemini, Google's AI assistant, or when a notification arrives.

Display. The Pixel 11 has a 6.3-inch Actua display with up to a 120Hz refresh rate.

Camera. Google lists a 48MP main sensor with improved light sensitivity and a 5x telephoto lens supporting up to 30x Super Zoom.

Charging. Faster charging, including Qi2.2 wireless charging at up to 25 watts.

Pixel 11 or iPhone 18 Pro?

The Pixel 11 Pro starts well below the iPhone 18 Pro Max's $1,299, and the base Pixel 11 at $899 offers a telephoto lens at a lower price point.

The iPhone 18 Pro brings a variable-aperture main camera and Apple's A20 Pro chip — see our iPhone 18 Pro guide.

As with any flagship choice, the operating system you already live in usually matters more than any single specification.

And the Fold?

At $1,899, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold matches the price of Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 and sits $100 below Apple's iPhone Duo. The wider foldable picture is in our Fold 8 vs iPhone Duo comparison.

Buying Tips

• Watch for discounts. Pixel phones have often been discounted within weeks or months of launch.
• Compare trade-in offers from Google, carriers and retailers.
• Check update commitments — long software support adds real value over a phone's life.

Related reading

• iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max: What's New, Price and Should You Upgrade
• Galaxy Z Fold 8 vs iPhone Duo: How the Two Big Foldables Compare
• iPhone Duo: Price, Specs and Release Date of Apple's First Foldable
• Apple Watch Series 12: New Heart Sensing, Readiness Score and Same $399 Price
• How to Turn Off Google AI Overviews: What Actually Works in 2026

Sources

• "Google introduces Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL," Google — blog.google
• "Google Pixel 11: specs, release date, price, and everything you need to know," Android Central — androidcentral.com
• "Pixel 11 series release date, price, specs," Droid Life — droid-life.com

Noise Cancellation Is Now Standard on Apple's Everyday Earbuds

Apple's AirPods 5 start at $129, make active noise cancellation standard with up to 50% more noise removed than AirPods 4, and support Live Translation with a compatible iPhone. They go on sale on 18 September.

By the UISC BD Editorial Desk · United Information Service Center · Published 13 September 2026 · 4-minute read

Apple announced the AirPods 5 at its 9 September event alongside new iPhones and Apple Watches, and "AirPods 5" quickly became one of the rising Apple-related searches on Google. For most people, these are the AirPods that matter — the mainstream model rather than the Pro.

Price and Models

• AirPods 5 — $129, with a standard charging case.
• AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case — $149, adding swipe-based volume controls on the stems and longer battery life.
• On sale: 18 September 2026.

What's New

Stronger noise cancellation. Apple says AirPods 5 remove up to 50 percent more external noise than AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. This generation makes noise cancellation a standard feature.

Better sound. A redesigned acoustic architecture and updated Adaptive EQ are intended to deliver richer, more detailed audio.

More natural Transparency mode. Nearby voices and sounds are meant to sound more natural when you need to hear your surroundings.

Adaptive Audio and Conversation Awareness. Both models blend noise cancellation and Transparency automatically, and lower playback volume when you start speaking.

Live Translation. With a compatible iPhone running Apple Intelligence, AirPods 5 support live translation of conversations.

Which One to Buy

Choose the $129 model if you charge by cable anyway and want the lowest price.

Choose the $149 model if you already use wireless chargers, want volume controls on the earbuds, or need the longer battery life.

Keep your current AirPods if they still hold a charge and you rarely use them in noisy places. Noise cancellation is the main upgrade; if you do not need it, the difference is smaller.

A Practical Note on Hearing

Noise cancellation has a health benefit that is easy to overlook: when background noise is reduced, people tend to listen at lower volumes. Keeping volume moderate protects hearing over years of daily use.

More from Apple's September launches: the iPhone 18 Pro, the foldable iPhone Duo and the Apple Watch Series 12.

Related reading

• iPhone Duo: Price, Specs and Release Date of Apple's First Foldable
• iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max: What's New, Price and Should You Upgrade
• Galaxy Z Fold 8 vs iPhone Duo: How the Two Big Foldables Compare
• GPT-6 Astra Explained: What OpenAI's New Model Can Do and What It Costs

Sources

• "AirPods 5 announced with improved noise cancellation, audio quality, and more," MacRumors — macrumors.com
• "Apple AirPods 5 announced for late September 2026, starting at $129," Shacknews — shacknews.com
• "Apple AirPods 5 officially announced — here are the upgrades," Tom's Guide — tomsguide.com
• "AirPods 5 pre-orders: Pro 3 features for $129," Consequence — consequence.net

Samsung Has Led Foldables for Years. Now Apple Is Here.

Samsung's wide Galaxy Z Fold 8 costs $1,899 and is already on sale; Apple's iPhone Duo costs $1,999 and arrives on 23 October. Both open to a 7.6-inch screen. A side-by-side look at price, design, battery and software.

By the UISC BD Editorial Desk · United Information Service Center · Published 13 September 2026 · 5-minute read

Apple's entry into foldables has sent searches comparing Samsung and Apple sharply higher on Google this week. For the first time, buyers can choose a book-style foldable from both companies. Here is how they line up on the published specifications.

At a Glance

• Price (256GB): Galaxy Z Fold 8 $1,899 · iPhone Duo $1,999. Samsung also sells a Fold 8 Ultra from $2,099.
• Outer screen: Fold 8 5.5-inch · Duo 5.4-inch.
• Inner screen: 7.6-inch on both.
• Chip: Fold 8 Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy · Duo Apple A20 Pro.
• Battery: Fold 8 4,800 mAh · Duo 4,883 mAh across two cells.
• Memory: Fold 8 up to 16GB RAM.
• Main camera: Fold 8 50MP.
• Software: Fold 8 Android 17 with One UI 9 and seven years of updates · Duo iOS.
• Availability: Fold 8 on sale since 5 August · Duo on sale 23 October.

Design: Two Different Ideas of "Wide"

Samsung redesigned the Fold 8 around a wider, squatter shape — its first wide-screen foldable. It aims to feel more like a normal phone when closed and more like a widescreen tablet when open, with a slimmer crease and improved anti-reflective coating.

Apple built the Duo around a titanium hinge of more than 100 components and claims IP68 water resistance, which it describes as a first for a book-style foldable.

Software Is the Real Decision

On paper the two phones are close. In practice, most people will choose based on the system they already use.

• Already on iPhone, Mac and Apple Watch? The Duo keeps everything connected, and switching away costs time and money.
• Already on Android? The Fold 8 has years of foldable-specific software refinement and a seven-year update promise.

Value

The Fold 8 is $100 cheaper and available now, and Samsung phones are often discounted within months of launch. The Duo is Apple's first attempt, and first-generation hardware carries more uncertainty about long-term durability until independent testing arrives.

Our Take

There is no universal winner. Anyone who wants a foldable today, or prefers Android, has a mature option in the Fold 8. Anyone committed to Apple's ecosystem should wait for Duo reviews before paying $1,999.

Full details: everything confirmed about the iPhone Duo. Prefer a regular flagship? See the iPhone 18 Pro and Google's Pixel 11 range.

Related reading

• iPhone Duo: Price, Specs and Release Date of Apple's First Foldable
• Google Pixel 11 Series: Prices, Features and What Changed
• Chandra's II Zw 096 Image: Two Galaxies Colliding in a Burst of Star Birth
• iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max: What's New, Price and Should You Upgrade

Sources

• "Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 launch: price, specs, availability," CNBC — cnbc.com
• "Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 goes official with wide redesign, $1,899," 9to5Google — 9to5google.com
• "Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 (Wide & Ultra): release date, price and specs," Tech Advisor — techadvisor.com
• "iPhone Duo: price, release date, specs, and features," TechCabal — techcabal.com

The iPhone 18 Pro Brings Five Real Changes and a $100 Price Rise

The iPhone 18 Pro line adds a variable-aperture main camera, Apple's A20 Pro chip and C2 modem, and up to 45 hours of battery on the Pro Max, with prices up $100. Pre-orders opened on 12 September and the phones arrive on 18 September.

By the UISC BD Editorial Desk · United Information Service Center · Published 13 September 2026 · 5-minute read

The foldable iPhone Duo took the headlines at Apple's 9 September event, but the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are the phones most buyers will actually choose. "iPhone 18" and "iPhone 18 Pro Max" sit among the top iPhone searches on Google this week.

Price and Dates

• iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299.
• Both Pro models cost $100 more than last year's equivalents.
• Pre-orders opened on 12 September; phones arrive in stores and to customers on 18 September.
• Storage runs from 256GB to 2TB, in black, silver, glacier and burgundy.

The Five Biggest Changes

1. A variable-aperture main camera. The 48MP Fusion main camera can now change its aperture, which gives more control over depth of field and light. It sits alongside 48MP ultra wide and 48MP telephoto cameras. The front camera moves to 24MP.

2. The A20 Pro chip. Built on a 2-nanometre process with a next-generation vapour chamber for cooling and a dual 16-core Neural Engine for on-device AI.

3. Longer battery life. Apple quotes up to 45 hours on the Pro Max, with faster wired charging.

4. Apple's own C2 modem. Apple continues replacing third-party cellular chips with its own design.

5. A redesigned Dynamic Island. It is smaller and can show three Live Activities at once.

Should You Upgrade?

From an iPhone 15 Pro or older: this is a meaningful jump — a better camera system, a much newer chip and clearly longer battery life.

From an iPhone 16 Pro: worthwhile if photography or battery life matters most to you; otherwise your phone remains very capable.

From an iPhone 17 Pro: hard to justify. The changes are real but incremental, and the price has gone up.

Getting the Best Price

• Check trade-in values from several sources, not just the retailer.
• Read carrier deals carefully — many "free" offers require a long contract or a more expensive plan.
• Choose storage honestly. Buying more than you need is the easiest way to overspend.

Considering something bigger? See everything confirmed about the iPhone Duo, or how it compares with Samsung in our foldable comparison. Apple's other launches are in our AirPods 5 guide and our Apple Watch Series 12 report.

Related reading

• iPhone Duo: Price, Specs and Release Date of Apple's First Foldable
• Google Pixel 11 Series: Prices, Features and What Changed
• AirPods 5: Price, Noise Cancellation and Release Date
• Galaxy Z Fold 8 vs iPhone Duo: How the Two Big Foldables Compare

Sources

• "iPhone 18 Pro & Max guide: release date, price, specs and features," Macworld — macworld.com
• "iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max: price, release date, specs, colors," AppleScoop — applescoop.org
• "Apple's September 2026 event: everything about the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo," Digital Trends — digitaltrends.com
• "Apple event 2026: folding iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, added AI features," CNBC — cnbc.com

Apple Finally Folds: Everything Confirmed About the iPhone Duo

Apple's first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, starts at $1,999 for 256GB, opens from a 5.4-inch phone into a 7.6-inch screen and goes on sale on 23 October in more than 70 countries. What it offers and who it is for.

By the UISC BD Editorial Desk · United Information Service Center · Published 13 September 2026 · 5-minute read

For years, Samsung, Google and others sold folding phones while Apple waited. On 9 September, at an event it called "Surprise and shine", Apple finally showed its answer. "iPhone Duo" has since become one of the fastest-rising phone searches on Google worldwide.

The Design

The iPhone Duo opens like a book. Closed, it is a compact phone with a 5.4-inch outer display. Open, it becomes a 7.6-inch screen — the largest display Apple has put on an iPhone.

• The inner screen has 50 percent more screen area than the iPhone 18 Pro Max.
• The outer screen offers more than 90 percent of the screen area of an iPhone 18 Pro.
• A titanium hinge made of more than 100 components allows an IP68 water-resistance rating — a first for a book-style foldable.

Inside

Chip. The Duo uses the same A20 Pro chip as the iPhone 18 Pro, built on a 2-nanometre process.

Battery. There is one battery cell in each half of the phone, totalling 4,883 mAh. With a 60-watt or stronger USB-C adapter, Apple says it can charge to 50 percent in about 20 minutes.

Price

• 256GB: $1,999
• 512GB: $2,199
• 1TB: $2,599
• 2TB: $3,199

That makes the base Duo $100 more than Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 — compared in detail in our Fold 8 vs iPhone Duo guide.

Release Dates

• Pre-orders: 16 October 2026
• On sale: 23 October in more than 70 countries and regions
• Second wave: 28 more countries on 30 October

Should You Buy One?

It suits people who want a tablet-sized screen for reading, video, spreadsheets or split-screen work without carrying a second device — and who are already comfortable in Apple's ecosystem.

It is less suited to anyone who wants the best value. At $1,999 it costs far more than an iPhone 18 Pro, and first-generation products have historically improved quickly in their second year.

Worth waiting for: independent reviews of hinge durability and battery life in daily use. Apple's claims are specific, but real-world testing will show how the Duo holds up over months, not days.

If a foldable is more than you need, the rest of Apple's September line-up is covered in our iPhone 18 Pro guide and our AirPods 5 guide.

Related reading

• Galaxy Z Fold 8 vs iPhone Duo: How the Two Big Foldables Compare
• iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max: What's New, Price and Should You Upgrade
• AirPods 5: Price, Noise Cancellation and Release Date
• Apple Watch Series 12: New Heart Sensing, Readiness Score and Same $399 Price
• How to Turn Off Google AI Overviews: What Actually Works in 2026

Sources

• "iPhone Duo: price, release date, specs, and features," TechCabal — techcabal.com
• "iPhone Duo guide: release date, price, specs and features," Macworld — macworld.com
• "iPhone Duo is official — price, release date, specs," Tom's Guide — tomsguide.com
• "Apple announces iPhone 18 Pro and foldable iPhone event: 'Surprise and shine'," 9to5Mac — 9to5mac.com
• Google Trends, iPhone searches worldwide, past 7 days — trends.google.com

The Technology Behind Scams Keeps Changing. The Warning Signs Barely Do.

Regulators in the US, UK and EU describe the same warning signs again and again: guaranteed returns, pressure, unregulated firms, crypto-only payments and fees to withdraw. A ten-point checklist built from official warnings and 2025 fraud data.

By the UISC BD Editorial Desk · United Information Service Center · Published 13 September 2026 · 7-minute read

In 2025, Americans alone reported $20.9 billion in internet crime losses to the FBI, more than half of it involving cryptocurrency. Fake forex brokers, AI trading bots, romance-investment schemes and deepfake calls look different on the surface. Underneath, they share the same handful of signals.

This checklist draws on warnings from the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the FBI, the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA).

1. Guaranteed or Unusually High Returns

Real investments carry risk and have losing periods. The Mirror Trading International scheme promised around 10 percent a month; its founder was ordered by a US court to pay more than $3.4 billion. More on that case.

2. Contact You Did Not Ask For

A call, message, social media approach or "wrong number" text that leads toward investing. The FCA advises contacting any firm only through the details on its official register, not those in the message.

3. Pressure to Act Now

Limited-time bonuses, "only a few places left", or a claim that the opportunity disappears tomorrow. Urgency exists to stop you from checking.

4. A Firm You Cannot Find on a Regulator's Register

Or one whose website, phone number or email does not match the register — the signature of a clone firm. Here is how to check.

5. Payment Only by Crypto, Gift Cards or Personal Transfer

These methods are fast and very hard to reverse. Legitimate regulated firms do not require them.

6. Fees or "Taxes" Before You Can Withdraw

This is the defining final stage of fake investment platforms. Paying never releases the money; it only leads to the next demand. How pig butchering scams work.

7. A Secret AI or Bot That Cannot Lose

The CFTC's advice is direct: AI cannot predict the future or sudden market changes. A system that "never loses" does not exist.

8. Leverage Far Above Regulated Limits

In the EU, ESMA limits retail leverage to 30:1 on major currency pairs and 2:1 on crypto. Offers of 500:1 or more usually mean a firm operating outside those protections. Leverage explained.

9. An Online Relationship That Turns to Money

A new friend or partner you have never met, who eventually introduces an investment platform. The FBI's largest loss category in 2025 was crypto investment fraud, at $7.2 billion. The FBI figures.

10. A Familiar Voice or Face Urgently Asking for Money

Voice cloning can work from a few seconds of audio, and live deepfake video is now used in fraud. Hang up and call back on a number you already know. Deepfake fraud explained.

One More: The Recovery Scam

After a loss, victims are often contacted by "recovery agents", "lawyers" or even fake officials offering to get the money back for an upfront fee. It is very often the same criminals, or others who bought the victim's details.

If You Spot the Signs

1. Stop. Do not send more money, whatever you are told.
2. Save everything — messages, website links, wallet addresses and payment records.
3. Call your bank using the number on your card.
4. Report it to the police and to your national fraud reporting service. In the US, that includes the FBI's IC3; in the UK, the FCA takes reports of suspected scam firms.
5. Talk to someone you trust. Scams depend on secrecy and shame.

Anyone can be targeted. The people who avoid losses are rarely the ones who know the most about markets — they are the ones who stop and check.

Related reading

• Pig Butchering Scams: The Long Con Now Run by AI
• How to Check a Forex Broker Is Really Regulated, and Spot a Clone Firm
• AI Trading Bots: What They Can Do, and Why Regulators Keep Warning
• FBI: $11.4 Billion Lost to Crypto Scams in 2025, Over Half of All Fraud

Sources

• "AI Won't Turn Trading Bots into Money Machines," US Commodity Futures Trading Commission — cftc.gov
• "2025 IC3 annual report," FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center — ic3.gov
• "Forex trading scams," Financial Conduct Authority — fca.org.uk
• "FCA Warning List of unauthorised firms," Financial Conduct Authority — fca.org.uk
• "ESMA agrees to prohibit binary options and restrict CFDs to protect retail investors," European Securities and Markets Authority — esma.europa.eu

From a Committee Room to Your Credit Card Bill: How Rate Decisions Travel

When a central bank changes its policy rate, variable loans and credit cards usually reprice quickly, savings rates tend to follow more slowly, and fixed mortgages respond to bond markets. How the chain works, ahead of the Fed's 16 September decision.

By the UISC BD Editorial Desk · United Information Service Center · Published 13 September 2026 · 6-minute read

This article explains how interest rates work. It is general information, not financial advice.

"The central bank raised rates by a quarter point" sounds remote from daily life. It is not. Within weeks, that decision can change what you pay on a credit card and what you earn on savings — though not always in the way people expect.

Where It Starts

Every major central bank sets a policy rate — the benchmark for the cost of short-term borrowing between banks. In the United States, that is the federal funds target range, currently 3.50 to 3.75 percent.

The Federal Reserve's next decision comes on 16 September 2026, with markets pricing a significant chance of a rise — the background is in our preview of the decision. The European Central Bank, the Bank of England and others use the same basic tool.

Step One: Variable-Rate Borrowing Moves First

Many loans are tied directly to a benchmark. In the US, banks set a prime rate that typically sits 3 percentage points above the top of the Fed's range and moves when the Fed moves.

• Credit cards with variable rates usually follow within one or two billing cycles.
• Variable-rate personal and business loans reprice on their scheduled dates.
• Adjustable-rate mortgages change at their next reset.

A simple example: a 0.25-point rise on a $10,000 variable-rate balance adds about $25 a year in interest. On larger or higher-rate debts, the effect grows.

Step Two: Fixed-Rate Loans Follow the Bond Market

Existing fixed-rate loans do not change. New fixed-rate mortgages, however, are priced mainly off longer-term government bond yields, which reflect what markets expect central banks to do over years.

That is why fixed mortgage rates often move before a decision is announced — and sometimes barely move when it happens, because the change was already expected.

Step Three: Savings Rates Follow, Usually More Slowly

When rates rise, banks tend to raise what they charge borrowers faster than what they pay savers. When rates fall, savings rates can drop quickly.

Accounts that compete for deposits — online savings accounts, fixed-term deposits and money market funds — usually track policy rates more closely than traditional current accounts.

Step Four: The Wider Economy

Higher rates make borrowing more expensive for households and businesses, which slows spending and, over time, inflation. Lower rates do the opposite. This is the purpose of the tool — and it works with a delay that can run to a year or more.

Rates also move currencies and asset prices, from shares to crypto — part of why highly valued stock markets watch every decision closely.

What You Can Check Now

• Which of your debts are variable and would reprice after a change.
• What your savings actually earn compared with competing accounts.
• When any fixed rate you have ends, since that is when a new rate environment reaches you.

Rate decisions are one of the few pieces of economic news that reach almost every household. Understanding the chain makes the headline far less abstract.

Related reading

• What Moves Exchange Rates, and Why the Fed's 16 September Decision Matters
• What Forex Trading Is, and Why 71% of Retail Accounts Lose Money
• Prop Firm Challenges: Only About 7% of Buyers Ever Get Paid
• Central Bank Digital Currencies: 134 Countries Exploring, 3 Fully Launched

Sources

• "FOMC minutes, July 28–29, 2026," Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System — federalreserve.gov
• "Federal Open Market Committee," Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System — federalreserve.gov
• "Next Fed interest rate decision: 16 September 2026 preview," Cambridge Currencies — cambridgecurrencies.com
• "Fed rate decision: Wednesday, September 16, 2026," FedRateCalc — fedratecalc.com

Government Bonds Are Moving Onto Blockchains, and the Market Nearly Tripled in a Year

Tokenised real-world assets reached about $32 billion by June 2026, up from $11.8 billion a year earlier, led by roughly $15 billion in tokenised US Treasuries. BlackRock's BUIDL fund alone passed $2.8 billion. What tokenisation is, and what it is not.

By the UISC BD Editorial Desk · United Information Service Center · Published 13 September 2026 · 6-minute read

This article explains tokenisation. It is general information, not financial or investment advice.

Much of the crypto conversation is about coins with no underlying asset. Tokenisation is the opposite: taking assets that already exist — government bonds, money market funds, loans — and recording their ownership on a blockchain.

What Tokenisation Means

A tokenised asset is a digital token that represents a claim on a traditional asset held somewhere else. The bond or fund still exists in the regular financial system; the token records who owns it and lets that ownership move on a blockchain.

The appeal is practical: transfers that can happen at any hour, faster settlement, and assets that can be used directly inside digital systems — for example as collateral, or as reserves for stablecoins.

The Growth

• Tokenised real-world assets reached about $32.22 billion by June 2026, up from $11.8 billion a year earlier.
• Tokenised US Treasuries are the largest category, at around $15 billion.
• Private credit is another fast-growing segment.

Trackers count the market differently — another measure put it at $33.69 billion as of 15 May 2026 — so exact totals vary. The direction does not.

For scale, that is still tiny compared with the tens of trillions of dollars in the conventional US Treasury market.

Why Treasuries Lead

Short-term US government debt is simple, familiar and pays interest. For crypto firms and funds holding large dollar balances on-chain, a tokenised Treasury fund offers a way to earn a yield without leaving the blockchain.

BlackRock's BUIDL

The best-known example is BlackRock's USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund (BUIDL), launched in March 2024.

• It passed $2.8 billion in assets by July 2026.
• It has paid more than $100 million in dividends.
• It operates across several blockchains, including Ethereum, Solana, Polygon, Avalanche, Arbitrum, Optimism, Aptos and BNB Chain.

When the world's largest asset manager uses public blockchains for a fund, it signals that tokenisation has moved beyond experiment.

What Tokenisation Is Not

It is not open to everyone. Many tokenised funds are restricted to institutional or qualified investors.

It does not remove legal risk. The token is only as good as the legal structure linking it to the real asset, and the custodian holding that asset.

It adds technology risk. Smart contract bugs, wallet security and blockchain outages are new risks that a traditional bond does not carry — see our wallet security guide.

It is a favourite word for scammers. Offers of "tokenised" gold, property or bonds with high guaranteed returns, sold directly to the public, are a warning sign rather than an opportunity. See our scam red flags checklist.

The Bigger Picture

Tokenisation, stablecoins and central bank digital currencies are three versions of the same shift: money and assets increasingly recorded and moved digitally, with regulators working to decide who is allowed to issue what.

Related reading

• Bitcoin ETFs Explained: $5.4bn Out in Six Months, $3.5bn Back in August
• Leverage Explained: How 30:1 Turns a Small Move Into a Wiped Account
• Stablecoins Explained: USDT, USDC and America's GENIUS Act
• Is the AI Stock Boom a Bubble? The Numbers on Both Sides

Sources

• "Tokenized real-world assets: reading the 2026 numbers behind the headline growth," Finextra — finextra.com
• "Real-world asset tokenization: trends and outlook for 2026," InvestaX — investax.io
• "Tokenized RWA market size 2026," Eco — eco.com

Almost Every Major Economy Is Studying Digital Cash. Very Few Have Issued It.

134 countries representing 98% of global GDP are exploring central bank digital currencies, up from 35 in 2020, but only the Bahamas, Jamaica and Nigeria have fully launched retail versions. Where China, Europe and the United States stand.

By the UISC BD Editorial Desk · United Information Service Center · Published 13 September 2026 · 6-minute read

Cash use is falling in much of the world, and private companies increasingly run the digital payment systems that replaced it. Central banks have responded by asking whether they should issue digital money themselves.

What a CBDC Is

A central bank digital currency (CBDC) is a digital form of a country's official money, issued and backed by its central bank.

That makes it different from the money in a bank account, which is a claim on a commercial bank, and from a stablecoin, which is a claim on a private company. It is also different from cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin, which no central bank issues or backs.

There are two broad types: retail CBDCs for the public, and wholesale CBDCs used between banks and financial institutions.

The Global Picture

According to the Atlantic Council's CBDC tracker:

• 134 countries, representing 98 percent of global GDP, are exploring a CBDC — up from 35 in 2020.
• 66 are in an advanced phase of development, pilot or launch.
• Only three have fully launched a retail CBDC: the Bahamas, Jamaica and Nigeria.
• All 11 BRICS members are exploring one.

China

China's digital yuan, the e-CNY, is the largest pilot by far. Cumulative transactions have passed 16 trillion yuan, and in January 2026 it was reclassified as a deposit liability — a significant change in how the money is treated within the banking system.

Europe

The euro area has been moving toward a decision on issuing a digital euro, with 2026 a key year in that process. Supporters see it as a way to keep a public payment option in a market dominated by non-European card networks and tech firms.

The United States

The US has gone the other way. A January 2025 executive order barred federal agencies from establishing or promoting a CBDC, and US policy has instead focused on regulating private dollar stablecoins through the GENIUS Act.

Cross-Border Money

Some of the most active work is wholesale and international. There are 13 cross-border wholesale CBDC projects, including mBridge, which has handled about $55.49 billion in volume. The aim is faster, cheaper settlement between countries without relying on traditional correspondent banking chains.

The Debate

Arguments for: a public digital payment option, potentially cheaper payments, faster cross-border settlement, and access for people without bank accounts.

Arguments against: privacy concerns about a state-issued digital record of spending, the risk of drawing deposits away from commercial banks, cybersecurity, and the question of whether existing instant-payment systems already solve the problem.

Design choices — such as holding limits, offline use and privacy protections — largely decide which of those concerns apply.

A Related Trend

While central banks study digital currencies, the private sector is putting traditional assets such as government bonds onto blockchains — covered in our report on tokenised Treasuries.

Related reading

• What Moves Exchange Rates, and Why the Fed's 16 September Decision Matters
• How a Central Bank Rate Decision Reaches Your Loan and Savings Account
• Stablecoins Explained: USDT, USDC and America's GENIUS Act
• What Forex Trading Is, and Why 71% of Retail Accounts Lose Money

Sources

• "Central Bank Digital Currency Tracker," Atlantic Council — atlanticcouncil.org
• "CBDC updates 2026: what changed this year," Eco — eco.com
• "Central bank digital currencies: policy issues," Congressional Research Service (IF11471) — congress.gov

The AI Boom Looks Like a Bubble in Some Ways and Nothing Like One in Others

The five largest companies made up about 30% of the S&P 500 in late 2025, the highest concentration in 50 years, and the index traded at 23 times forward earnings. Unlike the dot-com era, today's leaders are highly profitable. The case on each side.

By the UISC BD Editorial Desk · United Information Service Center · Published 13 September 2026 · 7-minute read

This article sets out publicly reported data and arguments. It is general information, not financial or investment advice, and it does not predict market direction.

"Is this a bubble?" is the question hanging over global markets. The honest answer is that the evidence points both ways, and anyone who sounds certain is guessing.

The Case That It Looks Stretched

Concentration. By late 2025, the five largest companies made up about 30 percent of the S&P 500 — the greatest concentration in 50 years. The ten largest accounted for roughly 35 to 41 percent, depending on the date, and the so-called Magnificent Seven about 35 percent.

Valuation. In early 2026, the S&P 500 traded at around 23 times forward earnings, the most stretched level since the dot-com era.

Spending ahead of revenue. Estimates put AI infrastructure spending at roughly $400 billion, against about $100 billion in AI revenue. Data centres, chips and power have to earn a return eventually — and their electricity demands are substantial.

The Case That It Is Different

Profits are real. At the peak of the dot-com bubble, only around 14 percent of the companies involved were profitable. Today's leaders are among the most profitable businesses in history.

Nvidia as the example. The chipmaker at the centre of the boom reported fiscal 2026 revenue of $215.9 billion, up 65 percent, with a net margin of about 53 percent. That is not a company selling a promise.

Demand is visible. Businesses and consumers are actually using AI tools at scale — the question is how much they will pay over time, not whether the technology exists.

Both Can Be True

A technology can be transformative and its shares can still be overpriced. The internet changed the world, and many internet stocks still collapsed in 2000. Railways, electricity and cars all went through investment booms that overshot before the technology delivered.

The useful question is not "Is AI real?" It is "Are today's prices already assuming more growth than will arrive?" Markets will answer that over years, not weeks.

What It Means for Ordinary Investors

Index funds are more concentrated than they look. Someone holding a broad US index fund has a large share of their money in a handful of technology companies, whether they chose that or not.

Interest rates matter. High valuations are especially sensitive to rate expectations — relevant ahead of the Federal Reserve's 16 September decision, and explained further in how rate changes reach your money.

Hype attracts scams. Every boom produces fake "AI investment" schemes riding the headlines — see what regulators say about AI trading bots.

Diversification is the traditional answer to uncertainty. No one knows how this ends, which is exactly why spreading risk exists.

Related reading

• Stablecoins Explained: USDT, USDC and America's GENIUS Act
• Tokenised Treasuries: Wall Street's Quiet Move Onto the Blockchain
• What Forex Trading Is, and Why 71% of Retail Accounts Lose Money
• What Moves Exchange Rates, and Why the Fed's 16 September Decision Matters

Sources

• "AI bubble vs dot-com comparison," IntuitionLabs — intuitionlabs.ai
• "AI mania is fueling bubble-like concentration in the S&P 500," Yahoo Finance — finance.yahoo.com
• "2026 market outlook: if we're in an AI bubble, it's a profitable one," Seeking Alpha — seekingalpha.com
• Nvidia earnings and the AI trade, Yahoo Finance — finance.yahoo.com

A Robo-Advisor Is Software That Manages a Portfolio. Here Is What It Costs.

Robo-advisors build and rebalance an investment portfolio from a short questionnaire, typically for about 0.25% of assets a year plus fund costs. How they work, what they cost in real numbers, and where their limits are.

By the UISC BD Editorial Desk · United Information Service Center · Published 13 September 2026 · 6-minute read

This article explains how robo-advisors work. It is general information, not financial or investment advice, and it does not recommend any provider.

"Robo-advisor" sounds futuristic. In practice, it describes something fairly simple: an online service that uses software to do the routine parts of portfolio management at a low cost.

How It Works

1. The questionnaire. You answer questions about your goals, your time frame and how much risk you can tolerate.
2. The portfolio. An algorithm uses your answers to recommend a mix of investments, usually low-cost index funds covering shares and bonds.
3. The upkeep. As markets move, the mix drifts. The service rebalances automatically to bring it back to target.

Some providers add features such as automatic tax management or goal tracking. The core idea is the same: set a strategy, then keep to it without emotional decisions.

What It Costs

• The median robo-advisor management fee is about 0.25 percent of the money invested per year, with most in a range of 0.20 to 0.30 percent.
• The funds inside the portfolio charge their own expenses, typically 0.10 to 0.50 percent.
• Together, the all-in cost is usually about 0.3 to 0.6 percent a year.

In real money: $10,000 invested at a 0.25 percent management fee costs $25 a year before fund expenses.

Some services instead charge a flat monthly fee, commonly $3 to $12. On small balances that can be expensive: $3 a month on a $1,000 account is $36 a year — 3.6 percent. Always convert a flat fee into a percentage of your balance.

Why Small Fees Matter

Fees are charged every year, whether markets rise or fall, and they compound. Traditional human advisers commonly charge around 1 percent a year. Over decades, the difference between paying 0.3 and 1 percent can add up to a meaningful share of a portfolio's final value.

What a Robo-Advisor Cannot Do

Protect you from losses. A diversified portfolio still falls when markets fall.

Understand a complicated life. Inheritance, business ownership, debt decisions or cross-border tax situations need more than a questionnaire.

Know your true risk tolerance. Many people say they are comfortable with risk until markets drop sharply. The portfolio is only as good as the answers you give.

Beat the market. Most robo-advisors are designed to track markets at low cost, not to outperform them.

"Robo" Is Not the Same as Generative AI

Most robo-advisors are rules-based systems, not chatbots. They are also different from "AI trading bots" that promise high returns — a category regulators repeatedly warn about, covered in our report on AI trading bots.

Before Signing Up

• Check the provider is regulated in your country — the steps in our guide to checking a firm's regulation apply to investment services too.
• Add up the full cost, including fund expenses and any flat fees.
• Understand what the portfolio holds. Broad index funds are more concentrated in a few large companies than many people realise — see our look at AI and market concentration.
• Check how withdrawals work and whether there are exit charges.

Related reading

• Bitcoin ETFs Explained: $5.4bn Out in Six Months, $3.5bn Back in August
• AI Trading Bots: What They Can Do, and Why Regulators Keep Warning
• Ten Red Flags of a Financial Scam, From Forex to Crypto to AI
• What Forex Trading Is, and Why 71% of Retail Accounts Lose Money

Sources

• "What is a robo-advisor?," NerdWallet — nerdwallet.com
• "Robo-advisor fees," SoFi — sofi.com
• "Robo-investing," MoneyRates — moneyrates.com
• Robo-advisor explainer, Yahoo Finance — finance.yahoo.com

Every Payment You Make Is Scored for Fraud in Milliseconds

91% of financial firms now use AI, and fraud detection is the top use case for 53% of bankers. Yet only 17% of US organisations use AI against payments fraud, even though 76% were hit by it in 2025. How the systems work, and why criminals use AI too.

By the UISC BD Editorial Desk · United Information Service Center · Published 13 September 2026 · 6-minute read

Most people only notice fraud detection when it gets in the way — a declined card abroad, or a text asking "Did you make this purchase?" Behind those moments is one of the most widespread practical uses of AI in the world.

The Scale of Adoption

• 91 percent of financial firms use AI in some form.
• Fraud detection is the top AI use case for 53 percent of bankers.
• Yet while 76 percent of US organisations faced payments fraud in 2025, only 17 percent use AI to fight it.

The gap is largely between big banks, which have invested heavily, and the many businesses and smaller institutions that still rely on fixed rules and manual review.

How the Scoring Works

Older fraud systems used fixed rules: block any purchase above a set amount, or any transaction from a certain country. Criminals learned the rules and worked around them.

Machine learning models instead look at patterns. For each transaction they weigh many signals at once, such as:

• The amount compared with your usual spending.
• The merchant and the type of purchase.
• The location and whether it fits your recent movements.
• The device being used, and whether it has been seen before.
• The timing — for example several rapid purchases in a row.
• The recipient of a transfer, and whether that account has been linked to other suspicious activity.

The model produces a risk score. That score allows a tiered response rather than a simple yes or no: approve silently, ask for extra verification, hold for review, or decline.

Why Your Card Sometimes Gets Blocked

No model is perfect. A genuine purchase that looks unusual — a trip abroad, an unexpectedly large payment — can score as risky. That is a false positive. Banks tune their systems to balance catching fraud against annoying customers, and better models reduce both errors at once.

Criminals Are Using AI Too

Fraud-prevention firm ACI Worldwide warns that synthetic identity fraud — accounts built from a mix of real and invented personal details — is reaching a "tipping point" as generative AI makes convincing fake identities easier to produce.

Voice and video deepfakes are also being used to defeat identity checks and to trick staff into approving payments, as covered in our report on deepfake fraud.

The Limit: When You Authorise the Payment

Fraud models are best at spotting payments you did not make. They are weaker when a scammer persuades you to make the payment yourself, because the device, location and login all look genuine.

That is why investment scams, romance scams and fake "bank security team" calls are so damaging — see how pig butchering scams work.

How to Help Your Bank Protect You

• Keep your phone number and email up to date so alerts reach you.
• Respond to fraud alerts through your banking app or the number on your card, not through links in a message.
• Never share a one-time passcode. Your bank will not ask for it.
• Slow down when someone is pressuring you to pay. A bank's warning screen is worth reading.
• Report fraud immediately. Speed makes recovery more likely.

Related reading

• FBI: $11.4 Billion Lost to Crypto Scams in 2025, Over Half of All Fraud
• AI Trading Bots: What They Can Do, and Why Regulators Keep Warning
• Deepfake Fraud: Three Seconds of Audio Can Clone a Voice
• What Forex Trading Is, and Why 71% of Retail Accounts Lose Money

Sources

• "AI fraud detection in banking," Emburse — emburse.com
• "Exclusive research: is AI an effective tool to fight fraud?," American Banker — americanbanker.com
• "2026 fraud trends banks must prepare for," ACI Worldwide — aciworldwide.com
• "Fraud detection using AI in banking," Fraudio — fraudio.com

The Voice on the Phone Sounds Exactly Like Them. It May Not Be Them.

Deepfakes now account for 6.5% of fraud attempts, up from 0.1% in 2022, with at least $3.7 billion in documented losses. How voice and video cloning scams target families and finance teams, and the simple checks that stop them.

By the UISC BD Editorial Desk · United Information Service Center · Published 13 September 2026 · 6-minute read

A panicked call from a relative who needs money now. A video meeting where the finance director asks for an urgent transfer. Both used to be reasonably safe to believe. Neither is any more.

How Fast It Has Grown

• Deepfakes make up 6.5 percent of fraud attempts, up from 0.1 percent in 2022.
• An estimated 8 million deepfakes are expected in 2026, compared with about 500,000 in 2023.
• At least $3.7 billion in losses has been documented, 89 percent of it from 2025 to the first half of 2026.
• Fewer than 5 percent of voice-clone victims report the crime, so the real figure is higher.

In 2025 the FBI also began tracking AI-related crime as its own category, logging more than 22,000 complaints and about $893 million in losses — part of the wider picture in our report on the FBI's 2025 figures.

Why Voice Cloning Is So Effective

Current tools can produce a voice match of around 85 percent from just three seconds of audio. A short social media video, a voicemail greeting or a recorded talk can be enough.

The attack works because it targets trust and urgency at the same time. A familiar voice in distress short-circuits the instinct to check.

The Business Version

For companies, the losses per incident are far larger. The average voice deepfake incident costs around $600,000, and 23 percent of cases exceed $1 million.

The best-known case came in Hong Kong in January 2024, when an employee of the engineering firm Arup joined a video call with what appeared to be the company's chief financial officer and other colleagues. Every other participant was a deepfake. The employee made 15 transfers totalling about $25 million.

The Family Version

Consumer deepfake scams are usually simpler: a cloned voice claiming an accident, an arrest or a stolen phone, and a request for money by transfer, gift card or crypto. The same technology now appears in romance and investment fraud, where fake live video calls help convince victims — see how pig butchering scams use AI.

Checks That Work

For families:

• Agree a code word that only close family knows, and ask for it in any urgent request for money.
• Hang up and call back on the number you already have for that person.
• Ask a question only the real person could answer — not something visible on social media.
• Treat any demand for gift cards or crypto as a near-certain scam.

For businesses:

• Require two people to approve large or unusual payments.
• Verify requests through a separate channel — never through the call, email or chat that made the request.
• Make it safe to question senior staff. Deepfake fraud relies on employees not wanting to challenge the boss.
• Train finance teams with real examples like the Arup case.

Can Detection Tools Catch It?

Banks and security firms are deploying AI to spot synthetic voices and faces, and some of those defences are covered in our guide to how banks use AI against fraud. But detection is an arms race. The most reliable protection is a process that does not depend on recognising a voice or face at all.

Related reading

• How to Check a Forex Broker Is Really Regulated, and Spot a Clone Firm
• Pig Butchering Scams: The Long Con Now Run by AI
• AI Trading Bots: What They Can Do, and Why Regulators Keep Warning
• Ten Red Flags of a Financial Scam, From Forex to Crypto to AI

Sources

• "Deepfake statistics and trends," Keepnet Labs — keepnetlabs.com
• "Deepfake fraud losses 2026," BR Side — brside.com
• "Deepfake statistics 2025," DeepStrike — deepstrike.io
• "2025 IC3 annual report," FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center — ic3.gov

No AI Can See Tomorrow's Prices. Bot Sellers Keep Claiming Otherwise.

The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission warns that AI cannot predict the future or sudden market changes, and that bots sold with promises of high returns are often fraud. The man behind one such scheme was ordered to pay more than $3.4 billion.

By the UISC BD Editorial Desk · United Information Service Center · Published 13 September 2026 · 6-minute read

This article is general information, not financial or investment advice.

AI has made real progress in writing, coding and analysis. That progress has given scammers a perfect sales line: our AI trades for you, and it does not lose. Regulators have been unusually blunt about it.

What the Regulator Says

The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) published a customer advisory titled "AI Won't Turn Trading Bots into Money Machines". Its central point is simple: AI tools cannot predict the future or sudden market changes.

The advisory warns that fraudsters use the excitement around AI to sell trading bots, signal services and automated platforms that promise unrealistically high or guaranteed returns.

The $3.4 Billion Example

The CFTC points to the case of Cornelius Johannes Steynberg and Mirror Trading International, a scheme that claimed to use an automated trading system to generate profits for customers.

• Customers could join with as little as $100 in bitcoin.
• The scheme promised returns of around 10 percent a month — more than 200 percent a year when compounded.
• A US federal court ordered Steynberg to pay more than $3.4 billion.

No legitimate trading strategy produces returns like that consistently. The promise itself was the warning sign.

What Automated Trading Really Is

Algorithmic trading is real and widespread. Banks, market makers and hedge funds use software to execute orders, manage risk and trade at speeds no human can match. They also spend heavily on data, infrastructure and research — and still have losing periods.

A retail trading bot usually does something much narrower: it follows rules you set, or rules someone else wrote, and places trades automatically. That can remove emotion and save time. It cannot create an edge that the rules do not have.

Why "Backtested Results" Prove Little

Bot sellers often show impressive historical performance. A strategy can be tuned until it fits past data almost perfectly and then fail as soon as it meets new market conditions. Past results shown by a seller are marketing, not evidence.

Where Chatbots Fit In

General-purpose AI chatbots are increasingly asked for trading ideas. They can explain concepts well. They can also state wrong figures with complete confidence — see why AI makes things up — and they have no special knowledge of where prices are going next.

Agents that can take actions, including placing trades, raise the stakes further. How they work is explained in our guide to AI agents.

Red Flags in Any Bot Offer

• Guaranteed, fixed or consistently high returns.
• A secret or proprietary AI that cannot be explained or independently checked.
• You must deposit money on their platform rather than connecting to a regulated broker you already use.
• Bonuses for recruiting friends and family.
• Payment in crypto only.
• Withdrawals that are delayed or require new fees.

A fuller checklist is in our guide to financial scam red flags.

The Honest Bottom Line

Markets are hard to beat even for professionals — most retail forex and CFD accounts lose money. A bot does not change those odds. If a product claims it does, the most reliable profit in the arrangement belongs to whoever is selling it.

Related reading

• Pig Butchering Scams: The Long Con Now Run by AI
• Ten Red Flags of a Financial Scam, From Forex to Crypto to AI
• FBI: $11.4 Billion Lost to Crypto Scams in 2025, Over Half of All Fraud
• Deepfake Fraud: Three Seconds of Audio Can Clone a Voice
• Robo-Advisors Explained: What 0.25% a Year Actually Buys You

Sources

• "AI Won't Turn Trading Bots into Money Machines," US Commodity Futures Trading Commission — cftc.gov
• CFTC press release 8854-24, US Commodity Futures Trading Commission — cftc.gov
• Warning on AI crypto trading bots, Yahoo Finance — finance.yahoo.com

Europe's Crypto Rulebook Is Fully in Force, and Most Firms Did Not Qualify

The EU's MiCA transition period ended on 1 July 2026. By April, 199 crypto firms across 23 countries had been authorised, while roughly 80% of the 1,200-plus firms registered under national rules failed to secure a licence. What changed for users.

By the UISC BD Editorial Desk · United Information Service Center · Published 13 September 2026 · 6-minute read

This article explains crypto regulation. It is general information, not financial or legal advice.

For years, a crypto company could operate in one EU country under one set of rules and in the next country under entirely different ones. The Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation, known as MiCA, replaced that patchwork with a single licence. This summer, the grace period ran out.

What MiCA Is

MiCA is the European Union's comprehensive law for crypto-assets. It came into application in stages: rules for stablecoin issuers first, followed by rules for crypto-asset service providers (CASPs) — the exchanges, brokers, custodians and wallet providers most people actually use.

It sets requirements on how these firms are authorised, governed and capitalised, how they hold client assets, what they must disclose and how they handle complaints.

The Deadline That Just Passed

Firms already operating under national rules were allowed a transitional period to keep serving customers while they applied for a MiCA licence. That period ended on 1 July 2026.

Several countries, including France, Malta, Luxembourg and Estonia, used the full 18-month grandfathering window. After the deadline, unlicensed CASPs must stop serving EU clients.

The Numbers

• 199 CASPs had been authorised across 23 countries as of April 2026.
• About 80 percent of the more than 1,200 firms previously registered under national regimes failed to obtain a licence.

Some of those firms merged, some withdrew from the EU market, and some had never been more than a registration on paper. Either way, the number of companies legally serving European customers has fallen sharply, and the survivors face a much higher bar.

Passporting: One Licence, the Whole EU

A MiCA licence granted in one member state can be passported across the European Union. A firm authorised in, say, Luxembourg can serve customers in every other EU country without applying again.

That is a major commercial advantage, and it is one reason large exchanges invested heavily in authorisation.

What It Means If You Use Crypto in the EU

• Check that your provider is authorised. The EU's securities regulator, ESMA, publishes a register of MiCA-authorised service providers, and national regulators list the firms they have licensed.
• Watch for notices from your exchange. Firms that failed to secure a licence should have told customers how to withdraw or move their assets.
• Be wary of firms claiming a licence they do not have. The same clone tactics used by fake forex brokers apply — see how to verify a firm on a regulator's register.

What MiCA Does Not Do

It does not protect you from price falls. A licensed exchange can still sell you an asset that loses most of its value.

It is not deposit insurance. Crypto held with a licensed provider is not protected the way a bank deposit is.

It does not make a provider unhackable. Security standards reduce risk; they do not remove it, as the record Bybit theft showed.

It does not cover everything. Fully decentralised services and most NFTs fall largely outside its scope.

The Wider Picture

MiCA is the most complete crypto framework among major economies. The United States has taken a different route, legislating first for stablecoins through the GENIUS Act. For users anywhere, the direction is the same: fewer, larger, regulated providers — and a shrinking space for firms that cannot show who regulates them.

Related reading

• Prop Firm Challenges: Only About 7% of Buyers Ever Get Paid
• Stablecoins Explained: USDT, USDC and America's GENIUS Act
• Bitcoin ETFs Explained: $5.4bn Out in Six Months, $3.5bn Back in August
• Pig Butchering Scams: The Long Con Now Run by AI

Sources

• "MiCA in April 2026: the state of the EU crypto market," Binar — binar.com
• "Crypto regulations in the European Union: Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA)," Sumsub — sumsub.com
• "MiCA-licensed crypto exchanges," Paybis — paybis.com