One ITEM we have from TR is the loose info in their support site:
How does AI FTP Detection work?
We used Machine Learning (a subset of Artificial Intelligence) to analyze millions of rides, to understand how FTP changes over time and in response to training. Our system looks at your personal biometrics and the unique details of your recent and past cycling data to detect your FTP without the need for maximal efforts or specific workouts.
Beyond that, you can check the comments from Nate and a few other TR reps in the intro topic that shed some more light:
- Unlikely to be just this, but I believe is one of the factors.
- Highly unlikely since that doesn’t parallel my own experience, not that of others who got DROPS instead of increases.