#ai/ml

Ubuntu speeds up #kernel #security updates because of AI
▻https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/09/ubuntu-kernel-security-updates-faster

https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Ubuntu-security-malware-spy-406x232.jpg

Your Ubuntu kernel updates are about to get more frequent, as #Canonical tries to keep pace with the ‘explosion’ of security vulnerabilities being found with the help of AI. The company has announced it’s adopting a ‘unified’ two-week stable release update (SRU) cycle for kernel updates, which will speed up patching, testing and releasing fixes to users. The distro’s kernel engineers previously used a 4/2 schedule that was introduced in 2023 following criticism over its taridness in patching the Zenbleed issue. It’s new cadence takes effect from 28 September, 2026. Why a change is needed Canonical says the “explosion” in […] You’re reading Ubuntu speeds up kernel security updates because of AI, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

#News #AI/ML

#Calibre ebook manager adds AI-powered writing game
▻https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/09/calibre-ebook-app-ai-ficton-writing

https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/calibre-ebook-manager-app-406x232.jpg

The latest update to Calibre, the popular open-source ebook manager, features an AI-powered writing game. Calibre v9.15’s “Create Your Own Adventure” mode, per the release notes, lets you build a fictional world and hand control of it to an AI who will manage it in real time based on your responses. A bit like old text-based RPGs, I guess. The changelog notes, with understatement, that the feature is “a little different” from Calibre’s usual fare, adding it began as a way for developers to test the tool’s AI backend before developing into “something fun to use”. Like all AI features […] You’re reading Calibre ebook manager adds AI-powered writing game, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

#News #AI/ML #App_Updates

#Canonical joins the Open Secure AI Alliance
▻https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/09/canonical-joins-open-secure-ai-alliance

Canonical recently joined the #linux_foundation’s Open Secure AI Alliance to help make open-source security tools for AI systems and autonomous agents. The alliance formed in July 2026 in response to the security breach at #Hugging_Face, when OpenAI models undergoing a safety test broke out of their sandbox to access Hugging Face’s systems – aided by config errors rather than super-intelligence. Commercial AI models refused to help in assessing attack logs due to their guardrails, so Hugging Face engineers had to run an open-weight model on their own infrastructure to complete their analysis – and underscore the need for […] You’re reading Canonical joins the Open Secure AI Alliance, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

#News #AI/ML

#Arduino’s VENTUNO Q went up for pre-order, sold out
▻https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/09/arduino-ventuno-q-preorder

Arduino’s VENTUNO Q is now up for pre-order, priced from $299. The development board comes with Ubuntu preinstalled and is built around #Qualcomm's Dragonwing IQ8 platform. You’re reading Arduino’s VENTUNO Q went up for pre-order, sold out, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

#Hardware #News #AI/ML #Ubuntu_24.04_LTS

#Firefox 155 brings AI-powered Smart Window to more countries
▻https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/09/firefox-155-released

Firefox 155 is out, the first to arrive as part of the browser’s new twice-monthly release schedule. This update brings Firefox’s AI-powered Smart Window browsing mode to users in the USA, Canada and France. It’s opt-in (for now), requires a Mozilla account and is powered by a choice of AI model from Alibaba, OpenAI and Google. For those already using Smart Window, v155 has new ways to get you to chat more (“personalised resume conversation starters”), the assistant got faster at responding with Exa web search citations and Organise Tabs is better at grouping related tabs. If none of that […] You’re reading Firefox 155 brings AI-powered Smart Window to more countries, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

#News #AI/ML #App_Updates

#openshot 4.0 adds colour grading, recording dock and Qt 6 support
▻https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/08/openshot-4-0-release

OpenShot 4.0 sees the open-source video editor add colour grading tools, a recording dock for audio and screen capture and new AI effects. You’re reading OpenShot 4.0 adds colour grading, recording dock and Qt 6 support, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

#News #AI/ML #App_Updates #Video_Editors

#Calibre ebook manager now lets you generate AI book covers
▻https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/08/calibre-ebook-ai-covers

A new version of open-source ebook manager Calibre is out – and it lets you create custom book covers using generative AI. Calibre 9.14, released August 28, lets you edit metadata for any book in your library and click an “AI Generate button” to make new ebook covers in “styles such as romance, sci-fi, pulp fiction etc”. You need to set an AI provider (with an API key) that supports image generation for the feature to work. A strange feature? Perhaps. Most ebooks I own already have covers. While it might be amusing (for a hot minute) to see a […] You’re reading Calibre ebook manager now lets you generate AI book covers, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

#News #AI/ML #App_Updates

#Postcard is a new email client for GNOME, built with AI
▻https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/08/postcard-gnome-email-client

Postcard is a new email client for GNOME sporting a modern design reminiscent of #geary. The app is the work of a solo developer, gxanshu on GitHub, who is upfront about using AI coding tools to bring this “modern mail client” to life. Postcard is written in Python with GTK4/libadwaita. It uses imaplib and smtplib for networking, a local SQLite index for searching, WebKitGTK for rendering HTML and libsecret for keeping passwords safe. It’s also open source, so the code is inspectable. Visually, Postcard should look familiar to fans of the Geary email client, as it uses a similar multi-column design: folders […] You’re reading Postcard is a new email client for GNOME, built with AI, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

#News #AI/ML #Email_Clients #Vibe_Coded

#pine64 pulls the plug on Linux devices because of AI boom
▻https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/08/pine64-stops-linux-device-production-chip-shortage

If you’ve been eyeing up one of PINE64‘s Linux-friendly single-board computers, phones or tablets, now is the time to buy one. The open-hardware company has announced it will stop “producing more Linux devices” for the time being, and said it expects its existing stock of certain devices, including the PineNote and PineTab 2, to sell out in the next three months. Obviously, RAMaggeddon is to blame. The AI infrastructure boom continues apace, with demand for memory and storage chips continuing to reduce supply and drive up costs. If the price of even modest tech – $350 Raspberry Pi, anyone? – […] You’re reading PINE64 pulls the plug on Linux devices because of AI boom, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

#Hardware #News #AI/ML

#Firefox 154 released with translation, AI feature and UI tweaks
▻https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/08/firefox-154-released

Mozilla has released Firefox 154 with some small AI-related changes, an ‘improved’ full-page translations and faster video seeking on “all operating systems” – or not, as I explain further down. Firefox 154 serves as the final monthly release of Firefox before browser switches to a faster, twice-monthly release schedule early September. That means you’ll be back here, reading “Firefox 155 released” in a couple weeks, rather than the usual four weeks. But enough what’s coming; what’s new now? Firefox 154’s main changes Firefox’s been expanding its range of address bar actions in recent releases. We got tab muting action in […] You’re reading Firefox 154 released with translation, AI feature and UI tweaks, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

#News #AI/ML #App_Updates

Starling is a new Linux desktop built using AI in six months
▻https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/07/starling-ai-built-linux-desktop

Some Linux #desktop_environments were developed over decades, others in just a few years. Starling, which made the rounds online this week, claims to have been built by just one person in six months using AI coding tools. What’s more, a preview build is available as a .deb to install on Ubuntu 26.04 LTS. Yup, this isn’t a ChatGPT mockup but a real working demo. According to the project’s GitHub and website, a developer used AI to rewrite Flutter’s framework layer from Dart to Swift, and left its C++ rendering engine unchanged. A traditional desktop uses a windowing system but […] You’re reading Starling is a new Linux desktop built using AI in six months, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

#News #AI/ML #Starling_Desktop

#Firefox’s new tab page adds AI-powered daily crossword widget
▻https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/07/firefox-new-widgets-crossword

More widgets are coming to Firefox’s New Tab page, including an interactive crossword puzzle powered by the AI #News reader Particle. The mini crossword game is updated daily, with puzzles based around recent content Particle‘s AI has ingested and summarised that day, and links to articles you can read to help deduce crossword answers. You click on a square to activate the row or column (clicking on it again switches between “Across” and “Down”). You read the clue at the bottom, and then you type in your answer. Use the hint button if you get stuck. If you just want […] You’re reading Firefox’s new tab page adds AI-powered daily crossword widget, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

#AI/ML #Mozilla

#codeberg bans hosting ‘mostly’ AI-generated code
▻https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/07/codeberg-bans-ai-generated-code

Codeberg, the nonprofit alternative to GitHub used to host FLOSS projects, will no longer host software that’s “mostly” AI-generated. A vote closed yesterday (22 July, 2026), passing 358 to 144 with 14 abstentions on roughly 50% turnout to stop hosting software that’s largely vibe-coded. A second motion, also passed, commits Codeberg to never training AI models on hosted code or user data. Not that it was ever likely to. A Terms of Use amendment now prohibits projects that “mostly consist of code written by” generative AI tools. In a blog post, Codeberg explains the economic need for a ban, explaining […] You’re reading Codeberg bans hosting ‘mostly’ AI-generated code, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

#News #AI/ML

#flathub’s AI slop ban looks like it was the right call
▻https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/07/flathub-ai-slop-ban-data

When Flathub banned AI-coded app submissions last month, some critics warned the platform was denying the future by dismissing a new wave of “vibe-coded” software as out-and-out “slop”. Well, new data suggests otherwise, as nearly three-quarters of the rejected apps are already dead, existing only a few months. Linux developer Evangelos Paterakis, developer of Tuba, Turntable and others, did the digging, looking at 120 code repositories whose pull requests for inclusion on Flathub were rejected because of their heavy AI usage and given an “AI Slop” tag. Of those rejected, 88 are no longer under active development, many having deleted their […] You’re reading Flathub’s AI slop ban looks like it was the right call, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

#News #AI/ML

#Claude desktop app for Linux enters beta
▻https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/07/claude-desktop-linux-beta

Anthropic has released a beta of its Claude desktop app for Linux, launching alongside an apt repo Ubuntu users can add for ongoing updates. According to the official docs, Claude desktop for Linux offers “the same Chat, Cowork, and Claude Code experience as macOS and Windows: parallel sessions, visual diff review, an integrated terminal and editor, and live app preview”. However, not all of the app’s features are yet available. The Linux beta lacks Computer Use, which lets Claude control apps directly, and voice dictation, both present on macOS and Windows. Anthropic says Computer Use support is coming to Linux […] You’re reading Claude desktop app for Linux enters beta, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

#News #AI/ML #App_Updates

Ubuntu’s ‘Myna’ project lets you talk instead of type – what is it?
▻https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/06/what-is-myna-ubuntu-ai-dictation

Ubuntu is working on speech-to-text AI transcription so you can talk to type. It’s powered by project #Myna. Here’s how it’ll work and why it’s adding it. You’re reading Ubuntu’s ‘Myna’ project lets you talk instead of type – what is it?, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

#News #AI/ML #Explainer #Ubuntu_26.10

#flathub bans AI-coded apps – with some exceptions
▻https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/06/flathub-bans-ai-coded-apps

You’ll have to sift through fewer vibe-coded apps on Flathub in future, as the store has announced a policy change on software made using AI tools. Flathub, the de-facto place to find and install Flatpak applications, is banning the use of “AI” coded applications and automated submissions going forward. It’s not a blanket ban – mature projects with AI code are allowed A change to the store’s policy note says “applications containing AI-generated or AI-assisted code, documentation, or other content are not allowed”. A carve out will allow “mature, well-maintained projects” to include AI generated code and use AI tools […] You’re reading Flathub bans AI-coded apps – with some exceptions, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

#News #AI/ML

Canonical share Ubuntu 26.04 concept build for CIX P1 devices
▻https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/05/ubuntu-cix-p1-support

Canonical has shared a new Ubuntu Concept image for the CIX P1, an Armv9 SoC powering single-board computers like the Radxa Orion O6 and Orange Pi 6 Plus. The image is based on Ubuntu 26.04 LTS and ships with a Linux 7.0 kernel from CIX’s open-source GitHub tree using only open-source drivers. A set of patches sits on top of the mainline kernel, but the goal is for them to be upstreamed too. Canonical is using the same approach it took with its Snapdragon builds by letting the #Hardware describe itself to the OS at boot (ACPI) rather than per-device […] You’re reading Canonical share Ubuntu 26.04 concept build for CIX P1 devices, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

#News #AI/ML #arm #SBCs

Type with your voice on Linux using this #Whisper-based app
▻https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/04/speed-of-sound-linux-voice-typing-app

Your mouth can say things faster than your hands can type them, yet voice typing is rarely used as a primary input method on desktop (most of us think nothing of it on mobile). That’s despite speech-to-text being available on desktop OSes for decades, natively and through dedicated apps. It never caught on because it was inaccurate and slow (and because what you do at a keyboard is less efficient to speak, but that’s a separate point). Then came Whisper, the speech recognition model released by OpenAI in 2022 and built solely to convert audio to text. It’s proven hugely […] You’re reading Type with your voice on Linux using this Whisper-based app, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

#News #AI/ML #transcribe

Thunderbolt is an open-source ‘AI client’ from #Mozilla’s for-profit arm
▻https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/04/mozilla-thunderbolt-ai-client

Thunderbolt is a new open source AI client from the Mozilla-owned MZLA Technologies aimed at enterprises who want to run self-hosted chatbots on their own infrastructure. MZLA Technologies is the for-profit subsidiary of the Mozilla Foundation that develops and maintains the Thunderbird email client. It says Thunderbolt was created with the support of a grant from Mozilla. Terrible name aside (and skipping over the fact that Intel owns a trademark for ‘Thunderbolt’), the AI MZLA Technologies used to write their press release describes Thunderbolt as a “sovereign AI client” that lets organisations run and control AI infrastructure. Companies can pick whichever AI model they fancy, be […] You’re reading Thunderbolt is an open-source ‘AI client’ from Mozilla’s for-profit arm, a blog post (…)

#News #AI/ML

I tried #Firefox’s new AI ‘Smart Window’ in a beta build
▻https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/03/firefox-smart-window-hands-on

Firefox’s new AI-powered ‘Smart Window’ feature is taking shape in development builds – I gave it a hands on in the latest v149.0b7 beta (on macOS). Although Firefox 148 added an AI Switch, #Mozilla is all-in on AI in now it’s part of its double-bottom line and a way to generate money. Firefox’s upcoming Smart Window is key to this, as it makes AI the primary interface for browsing. What follows is a hands-on with Smart Window in Firefox 149 beta, how it works, how it’s activated and why its ‘memory’ feature gave me the ick. Firefox’s new Smart Window […] You’re reading I tried Firefox’s new AI ‘Smart Window’ in a beta build, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without (...)

#News #AI/ML

#Resources 1.10.2 fixes ‘implausible’ #Intel NPU values
▻https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/03/resources-1-10-2-intel-npu-fixes

Several Intel NPU fixes land in the latest update to Resources, which Ubuntu is making the default system monitor in 26.04 LTS. Resources is a GTK4/libadwaita tool that shows more system usage, processes and hardware details than GNOME System Monitor, which it is replacing as Ubuntu’s default in the new LTS. The Resources v1.10 release at the start of February added (among other changes) support for AMD Neural Processing Units (NPUs). The app has supported usage for Intel NPUs since its v1.7.x release in late 2024. The v1.10.2 changelog resolves what is described as “implausible” usage values in Intel NPU […] You’re reading Resources 1.10.2 fixes ‘implausible’ Intel NPU values, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without (...)

#News #AI/ML #App_Updates

#Firefox 148 Released with AI Kill Switch + More
▻https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/02/firefox-148-released-ai-kill-switch

The Firefox 148 update sees its stable release today, bringing with it a much-request ‘AI kill switch’ to easily disable all AI-powered features within the browser. #Mozilla has said future updates to the browser will not re-enable AI features once disabled. Given that Mozilla now measures its success by how much revenue it makes from AI features in its products, Firefox included, that’s a reassuring stance. To disable AI features in Firefox go to Settings > AI Controls. Slide the ‘Block AI Enhancements’ toggle to turn off ChatGPT and other chatbots in the sidebar, AI link previews, the (supposedly) smart […] You’re reading Firefox 148 Released with AI Kill Switch + More, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without (...)

#News #AI/ML #App_Updates

You’ll be able to turn off #Firefox’s AI features this month
▻https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/02/firefox-148-disable-ai-features

Firefox 148 adds a new “AI Controls” panel to granularly disable or entirely block AI features with a kill-switch. Opt out of AI when the update drops in February. You’re reading You’ll be able to turn off Firefox’s AI features this month, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

#News #AI/ML #Mozilla

Ubuntu 26.04 to Include #amd #ROCm in Official Repos (Like CUDA)
▻https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2025/12/ubuntu-26-04-amd-rocm-official-repositories

Canonical is adding AMD’s ROCm to the #Ubuntu_26.04_LTS repos, making it faster for developers to install GPU-accelerated AI and HPC libraries for AMD Instinct and Radeon GPUs. The #News mirrors September’s NVIDIA CUDA announcement, when Canonical said it would package CUDA tools in the official Ubuntu repositories, negating multi-step installation hurdles for developers to get up and running with GPU-accelerated AI/ML tasks on Ubuntu. Now, AMD already provide ROCm for Ubuntu directly via its own website/repo. What this news means is packaging and maintenance duties shift over to Canonical, which has created a dedicated engineering team to shoulder the […] You’re reading Ubuntu 26.04 to Include AMD ROCm in Official Repos (Like CUDA), a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere (...)

#AI/ML