Sep 24, 2026 3 Skills That Will Matter More in the Age of AI AI is reshaping knowledge work, making foundational skills more valuable rather than obsolete. Strong writing, confident communication, independent thinking, emotional intelligence and creativity can help students use AI effectively without outsourcing their judgment or originality. IEEE Spectrum

Sponsor New SELECT Synchro soldering system A multi-station selective soldering system that uses a unique, synchronous motion to increase throughput, improve cost-of-ownership, and provide flexibility for electronics manufacturers. Nordson Electronics Solutions

Whole-of-industry approach needed to drive India's electronics, semiconductor ambitions Industry leaders at SEMICON India 2026 called for stronger coordination among associations to connect semiconductors, electronics, materials, design, packaging and applications. They proposed a permanent collaboration platform to advance India's "Silicon to Systems" vision. DD India

Unlocking Academic-Industry Synergy: A Collaborative Model for Hands-On Electronics Manufacturing Education KYZEN Corporation and the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) have established an academic-industry collaboration to integrate real-world electronics manufacturing challenges directly into engineering education. Technical Paper

Meta's standoff with Amazon over Muse could be a sign of things to come Meta's Muse AI agent has gained strong consumer and investor attention, but Amazon's shopping restrictions, privacy concerns and broader AI safety challenges could hinder its growth as Zuckerberg seeks to establish Meta as a leader in personal AI. CNBC

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OpenAI and Anthropic CEOs push for AI cooperation at UN after Trump rebuffs 'globalist scheme' to control it OpenAI's Sam Altman and Anthropic's Dario Amodei urged UN Security Council members to coordinate on AI risks, backing a measured pace for frontier AI development that balances safety, competition and commercial interests as development accelerates. CNBC

How Do You Evaluate a New Solder Paste? What are the latest developments going on regarding solder paste development and qualification? How should you evaluate the new solder pastes entering the market? The Assembly Brothers, Jim Hall and Phil Zarrow answer these questions. Board Talk

Technical Papers ■ Oxide Reduction for Reliable Electronics Manufacturing ■ UHDI Fabrication for IC Substrates: SAP and mSAP Processes ■ Flux-Free, Reliable, Efficient: Soldering with Formic Acid ■ Redesigning Material Logistics for High-Mix EMS Production ■ Unlocking Academic-Industry Synergy: A Collaborative Model for Hands-On Electronics Manufacturing Education ■ Viscosity Does Not Equal Rheology: What Solder Paste Measurements Really Tell You ■ Salvaging Electronic Components: A Reliable Method for Reducing Electronic Waste and Ensuring Economic Reuse ■ Digital Warehouse Automation in High-Mix PCB Assembly MORE TECHNICAL PAPERS

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Is AI coming for us? AI doomsday fears range from nuclear war and engineered pathogens to internet takeovers. Researchers increasingly focus on humans misusing powerful AI systems, while experts debate whether catastrophic scenarios are realistic or exaggerated by companies promoting AI safety. Taipei Times

Meta's AI Agent Tried to Shop on Amazon. Amazon Wasn't Having It. Meta's Muse AI agent faces a barrier at Amazon, which blocks unauthorized agents from shopping on its platform. The move reflects competitive concerns and worries about AI errors, highlighting tensions between rival AI ecosystems and their increasingly automated services. Entrepreneur

Board Level Reliability Comparison of BGA and LGA Packages Study compares board level reliability of BGA and LGA packages mounted with an LGA footprint. Yield, drop test and thermal performance were evaluated. Technical Paper

Sponsor Affordable Profiling Excellence Four channels of precision data capture from the most trusted name in thermal profiling. New and improved V-M.O.L.E.™ 2 is the ideal solution for budget-conscious electronics pros. Learn more here. ECD

Researchers found malware that uses four different AI chatbots to run itself, no human hacker needed Cisco Talos discovered CLOSEDQUORUM, malware that uses multiple LLMs to autonomously direct actions on Windows systems. Its credential and crypto theft capabilities highlight a shift toward AI-powered, resilient command-and-control infrastructure. TechSpot

Trump-Xi meeting: Why China's self-sufficiency changes the calculus China's trade surplus stays resilient despite U.S. tariffs as AI demand and global supply-chain ties sustain exports. But weak domestic demand, property declines, rising losses and fierce competition pressure the economy, driving self-sufficiency. CNBC

Investigation Into the Durability of Stencil Coating Technologies Paper addresses durability of coatings in relation to the number of print cycles and underside wipe cycles and materials used on the underside wipe process. Technical Paper

Sponsor Thermally Conductive, Low Outgassing Epoxy Master Bond EP21AOLV-2LO is an electrically insulating adhesive that meets NASA low outgassing requirements for sealing, coating and encapsulation applications. Ask an expert. Master Bond

Smarter Buildings, Safer Occupants: Intelligence Meets Privacy Modern building automation combines AI, IoT sensors, surveillance, and energy harvesting to improve safety, efficiency, and emergency response. The report examines privacy, cybersecurity, edge intelligence, and powering connected devices while protecting occupants. EE Times

Trump-Xi summit puts AI safety talks on the table but neither side wants to slow down Trump and Xi are weighing a U.S.-China AI dialogue as autonomous systems raise cybersecurity risks. Both sides may establish safety and emergency communication channels, but disputes over advanced chips, export controls & AI competition continue to complicate cooperation. CNBC

Sponsor actnano Materials with Nordson Equipment actnano's PFAS-free, cure-free coatings save energy and boost safety. And they are compatible with Nordson conformal coating systems. Upgrade your system today. Learn more! Nordson Electronic Solutions

AI is killing the grunt work, forcing companies to rethink entry-level hiring AI is reshaping entry-level work by automating research, drafting and administrative tasks. While productivity rises, fewer junior hires may limit experience-building, pushing employers to value adaptability, critical thinking and AI oversight. CNBC

AXI Applications with BTC and Connectors What is the best way to use test and inspection techniques? How does one obtain accurate AXI data and images for surface mount technology process improvement? Technical Paper

China rare earth giant builds moat Western rivals struggle to cross China is using its dominance in rare earths as leverage in its strategic competition with the US. Restrictions on exports could pressure American industries, highlighting the minerals’ importance to advanced technology, defense and global supply chains. Digitimes

Qualcomm launches two new smartphone chips with emphasis on AI Qualcomm unveiled Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and Elite Extreme Gen 6 processors, boosting on-device AI capabilities, personalization, voice agents, and camera performance. The Extreme variant supports 30-billion-parameter AI models, 8K video, advanced stabilization, and professional recording. Tech Crunch

Sponsor Dedicated Tool for Process Development Advanced plating capability at Uyemura Tech Center: Process Development, UBM, pilot production. ENIG, ENEPIG, EPIG/EPAG, RAIG immersion gold; all substrates. On-site analysis. Uyemura

What's The Difference Between Data Centers And Crypto Mining? Data centers and crypto mines both perform massive parallel computations, but they serve different purposes and have distinct hardware needs. AI-focused data centers require more RAM, electricity, cooling, and water, creating greater environmental impacts despite quieter operations. BGR