## Short Segments Cloudflare is set to issue quantum-safe TLS certificates, marking a significant shift in web security infrastructure. Today, we'll explore Pharos Network's AI agents going onchain, Aspirity's investment in IoT, Meta's new AI assistant for Instagram, Ascerta's funding to evaluate AI, Yahoo's AI search strategy, and Apple's upcoming smart home hub. First, Pharos Network's Agent Native upgrade brings AI agents onchain, transforming how they interact with decentralized finance. Pharos Network has announced an Agent Native upgrade, enabling AI agents to operate as native participants in onchain finance. This upgrade introduces protocol-level infrastructure and AI-powered tools, allowing AI agents to engage directly with decentralized finance systems. The rollout, which begins today and continues through the fourth quarter, includes sponsored transactions on the Pharos Testnet and a new Pharos Port Agent Widget for natural-language interactions. This development is significant as it integrates AI more deeply into blockchain ecosystems, potentially enhancing efficiency and accessibility in decentralized finance. By embedding AI at the protocol level, Pharos Network is paving the way for more sophisticated and autonomous financial operations on the blockchain. Aspirity Partners is acquiring a majority stake in Danish IoT company Onomondo, marking a major investment in IoT infrastructure. The London-based private equity firm, alongside Denmark's state investment fund EIFO, is investing over €100 million to scale Onomondo's global IoT network. Onomondo, known for its proprietary network connecting machines and sensors, will use this investment to expand its infrastructure across global markets. This acquisition highlights the growing importance of IoT in connecting devices and systems worldwide, and Aspirity's investment underscores the potential for IoT to drive innovation and efficiency in various industries. Meta has introduced a new AI assistant for Instagram creators, offering personalized guidance based on audience engagement and content performance. The Edits assistant, part of Meta's standalone video editing app, provides creators with tailored feedback by analyzing Instagram metrics such as follows, views, and likes. This AI-driven tool aims to help creators optimize their content strategy and enhance their reach on the platform. By leveraging AI to offer data-driven insights, Meta is empowering creators to make more informed decisions about their content, potentially increasing their visibility and engagement on Instagram. Ascerta, formerly known as Pay-i, has raised $18 million in a Series A funding round led by Dell Technologies Capital. The Bellevue-based startup focuses on helping enterprises determine which AI initiatives are worth scaling by measuring their return on investment. With the new funding, Ascerta plans to expand its platform beyond AI cost tracking to provide comprehensive business ROI insights. As companies increasingly invest in AI, Ascerta's platform addresses a critical need for evaluating the effectiveness and profitability of AI projects, enabling businesses to make more strategic decisions about their AI investments. Yahoo's CEO Jim Lanzone has outlined plans to enhance AI search with more links to publishers, aiming to improve content attribution and support for publishers. Speaking at HumanX in Amsterdam, Lanzone emphasized the importance of linking back to original content sources, contrasting Yahoo's approach with other AI models that often omit such links. By maintaining a focus on content attribution, Yahoo seeks to foster a more sustainable ecosystem for publishers while enhancing the user experience with more reliable and diverse search results. Apple's smart home hub, featuring a six-inch display, is expected to launch next month, marking the company's entry into the smart home market. According to reports, the device will be unveiled on October 13 and will serve as a central component of Apple's smart home strategy. This move positions Apple to compete with other tech giants in the smart home space, offering consumers a new option for integrating and managing their smart devices. The launch of this hub could significantly impact the smart home market, potentially driving innovation and adoption of smart home technologies. ## Feature Story Cloudflare's plan to issue quantum-safe TLS certificates represents a pivotal shift in web security, preparing for a future where quantum computers could compromise current encryption methods. By utilizing Merkle Tree Certificates, Cloudflare aims to protect millions of websites from potential quantum threats without sacrificing performance. This initiative is part of a broader overhaul of the web public key infrastructure, which will require collaboration across the tech industry to implement quantum-proof cryptography. The transition to quantum-safe certificates is crucial as quantum computing advances, posing a risk to traditional encryption. Cloudflare's approach involves acquiring a trusted certificate root from CA GlobalSign, enabling seamless adoption of post-quantum certificates. This move not only enhances security but also sets a precedent for other certificate authorities to follow suit. As the internet evolves, ensuring robust encryption is vital to maintaining trust and security online. The adoption of quantum-safe certificates will likely influence how operating systems, browsers, and internet infrastructure are designed, requiring significant engineering efforts. While the transition will take years, Cloudflare's proactive stance highlights the importance of preparing for the quantum era. As more organizations recognize the potential threats posed by quantum computing, the demand for quantum-safe solutions will grow, driving innovation and collaboration in the cybersecurity landscape.