Large language models (LLMs) might be the most accessible and flexible technology we've ever had access to. By default, they're presented as chatbots—but that's just one way to interact with them. With the right prompts, you can transform an LLM into something that behaves like an entirely different app, complete with its own custom interface.

The way to use a chatbot is given in the name. They are designed to be used by having two-way conversations with the LLM using natural language. You type something into the chatbot, and it replies. In some cases, continually typing stuff into a chatbot isn't the most efficient way to do things, so I set up a system that does it for me.

You probably won't notice the next Model Context Protocol update, but it could make AI assistants much better at connecting to the apps and services you use every day.

Improve your brand’s visibility and overall GEO with a lifetime subscription to BeeSeen for almost $400 less.

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Improve your brand’s visibility and overall GEO with a lifetime subscription to BeeSeen for almost $400 less.

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I used to spend far too much time building and debugging complex Excel formulas. Now, I can describe a problem to AI and get a working answer in seconds. But when I asked ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini for the "best" Excel formula, they all gave me different answers.

The more comfortable I get using AI to help me code, the more curious I become about how the major platforms compare when they're given the exact same job. It's easy to ask Claude, ChatGPT, or Gemini to create a simple app and come away impressed when something functional appears a few seconds later. But that doesn't necessarily tell you whether the code is secure, well structured, or capable of handling situations beyond the most obvious use case.

If there are three things folks typically know about me, it's that I love Linux, I'm an avid reader and I have a bit of an obsession with modding Kindles and Fire Tablets. I would say, "Hey, I resemble that remark!" and then wait patiently while no one catches the reference. One Kindle has eluded me all these years, but I finally found one: a Kindle Fire 7 (2012). I tried to mod it, with a little help from Claude.

1Password's new Claude integration lets AI agents sign in to websites without exposing passwords, adding user approval and credential protection.

The post 1Password Lets Claude Sign In Without Revealing Passwords appeared first on TechRepublic.

1Password's new Claude integration lets AI agents sign in to websites without exposing passwords, adding user approval and credential protection.

The post 1Password Lets Claude Sign In Without Revealing Passwords appeared first on TechRepublic.

AI is finding vulnerabilities faster, whether the industry is ready for it or not. Mitigation is the only way for defenders to regain control.

© Getty Images/amgun

When I first installed a local LLM, I expected to use it the same way that I'd been using ChatGPT. It soon became apparent that on my modest hardware, this wasn't going to work. By changing the way I use my local LLMs, they've become much more useful.

1Password can now sign Claude into websites without exposing passwords or one-time codes, but the protection ends after login when the AI begins operating inside your account.

Windows has a way of breaking in ways that feel almost personal. What makes these issues so draining isn't that the problems are complicated; it's that the built-in tools Microsoft gives you to fix them either don't work or don't even come close to addressing what's actually wrong. I started handing these problems to Claude instead, to see if it can do more than just free up space on your Windows PC. I was surprised at how good it was at finding a reasonable solution.

AI promises to make tedious work easier, but I wanted to know whether it could deliver in real Excel projects. Rather than asking Claude for formulas or snippets of code, I tested whether it could handle three types of automation: creating a workbook from scratch, building a reusable reporting system, and developing a tool that analyzes existing spreadsheets. The goal was to see how much of the work Claude could handle and where I would still need to step in.

Researchers say a Claude for Chrome flaw lets rogue extensions trigger Gmail, Docs, and Calendar tasks, with greater risk in unattended mode.

The post Claude for Chrome Flaw Puts Gmail at Risk From Rogue Extensions appeared first on TechRepublic.

Researchers say a Claude for Chrome flaw lets rogue extensions trigger Gmail, Docs, and Calendar tasks, with greater risk in unattended mode.

The post Claude for Chrome Flaw Puts Gmail at Risk From Rogue Extensions appeared first on TechRepublic.

A one-click Claude Desktop flaw allowed attackers to submit concealed instructions without review, exposing chats and enabling code execution on some systems remotely.

A ClaudeBleed-linked vulnerability reportedly persists across eight patches, exposing potentially sensitive data to other extensions. 

The post Unpatched Claude for Chrome Flaw Lets Extensions Read Gmail, Calendar appeared first on SecurityWeek.

A cryptic error code had me convinced my washing machine was done for. Instead, Claude asked the right questions, helped me find the real problem, and saved me from an unnecessary replacement.