The Feed November 17th

Merge 104.8  |  17 November 2025

Apple has raised the prize money to $2 million for anyone who can break its high-security Lockdown Mode. The program now includes more advanced exploit categories, like one-click and wireless attacks, with bonuses that can push rewards above $5 million. The goal is to strengthen iPhone security and attract top researchers to find vulnerabilities before attackers do.

 

The CEO and co-founder of OpenAI, Sam Altman, recently shared some blunt thoughts on which jobs are most vulnerable to AI—and customer support roles top his list. He believes these positions will be “totally gone” as AI systems get better. It may sound alarming, but the shift is already underway: many companies have begun replacing support staff with AI tools, and that trend is expected to accelerate in the coming years.

 

If you’re a business owner, Instagram just rolled out a new feature that lets you see how you stack up against your competitors. The tool, called Competitive Insights, allows you to compare your account with up to 10 others and track growth, posting frequency, and engagement—all in one place. You’ll find it inside the Professional Dashboard on business and creator accounts.