Technology

The new Cricut Maker 4 and Cricut Explore 4 offer a new sensor for accuracy and loads of smaller improvements to its excellent platform.

Your CD earnings aren't all yours to keep. Be sure to budget for paying the government their share.

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Thursday, February 27 (game #1130).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1131) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 3*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1131) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 2.

Quordle today (game #1131) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• Yes. One of Q, Z, X or J appears among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1131) - hint #4 - starting letters (1) Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 2.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1131) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• P

• R

• P

• D

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #1131) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1131, are…

• PASTA
• RAZOR
• PLUMB
• DROOL

I made hard work of today’s puzzle, guessing Pasty ahead of PASTA.

Meanwhile, I took forever before I got to RAZOR, despite having most of the word. It’s funny how some letters, Z among them, are almost invisible when you try to work out what you’re missing.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Daily Sequence today (game #1131) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1131, are…

• GUISE
• FLOAT
• GLYPH
• SHARP

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1130, Thursday 27 February: THIEF, CHAIR, ETHER, GRIME
• Quordle #1129, Wednesday 26 February: LOVER, SPIED, VAPOR, METER
• Quordle #1128, Tuesday 25 February: TWIST, TWEAK, MEANT, CLEAR
• Quordle #1127, Monday 24 February: LEASH, LEVER, TOTEM, CREME
• Quordle #1126, Sunday 23 February: RABID, RELIC, SCRAM, BASIS
• Quordle #1125, Saturday 22 February: ETHER, SONIC, VAUNT, ROUSE
• Quordle #1124, Friday 21 February: STIFF, PRIZE, SCOWL, DONUT
• Quordle #1123, Thursday 20 February: HASTY, DRAPE, FICUS, CRAZE
• Quordle #1122, Wednesday 19 February: ABATE, TROVE, VENUE, DRAPE
• Quordle #1121, Tuesday 18 February: TAMER, SCRUB, BRICK, DRIFT
• Quordle #1120, Monday 17 February: SADLY, WAFER, LITHE, IDIOM
• Quordle #1119, Sunday 16 February: GHOUL, AFIRE, COVEN, FIERY
• Quordle #1118, Saturday 15 February: CREEP, CONDO, GRILL, FANCY
• Quordle #1117, Friday 14 February: MEDIA, ELUDE, THUMB, WIDOW
• Quordle #1116, Thursday 13 February: SCALP, DWELL, AMPLE, TRUNK
• Quordle #1115, Wednesday 12 February: SHOOK, GRADE, POLAR, SEEDY
• Quordle #1114, Tuesday 11 February: HEAVY, CIRCA, PESKY, SCION
• Quordle #1113, Monday 10 February: TWIXT, FRESH, GUISE, TABBY
• Quordle #1112, Sunday 9 February: TAPIR, SHAKE, TOKEN, SEVEN
• Quordle #1111, Saturday 8 February: AFOOT, ALIKE, HUMUS, TOWEL

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Thursday, February 27 (game #627).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #628) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• PEACH
• YO-YO
• EGG
• MARBLES
• TOOTHPASTE
• WAFFLE
• DOLL
• MIND
• GENIE
• ANGEL
• SENSE
• HESITATE
• WAVER
• WITS
• BELL
• DEAR

NYT Connections today (game #628) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Willy-nilly
• GREEN: Clarity
• BLUE: Names for your sweetheart
• PURPLE: Featured in sayings

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #628) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: BE INDECISIVE 
• GREEN: LUCIDITY 
• BLUE: LOVELY PERSON 
• PURPLE: COMPONENTS OF METAPHORS FOR THINGS THAT CAN'T BE
• UNDONE 

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #628) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #628, are…

• YELLOW: CONTACT VIA TELEPHONE CALL, DIAL, PHONE, RING
• GREEN: PARTS OF A CAR BELT, HORN, MIRROR, WHEEL
• BLUE: LEVELS OF BIOLOGICAL ORGANIZATION ATOM, CELL, ORGAN, TISSUE
• PURPLE: ENDING WITH UNITS OF MEASURE BIGFOOT, COMPOUND, INSTAGRAM, THERMOMETER

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 1 mistake

You can’t unring a BELL, put the GENIE back in the bottle, make an omelette without breaking an EGG, or put the TOOTHPASTE back in the tube, but if you could, maybe you could come up with a snappier category than COMPONENTS OF METAPHORS FOR THINGS THAT CAN'T BE UNDONE.

While it’s true that you can’t put toothpaste back in the tube, I do have a nice little winding device that means I can get every drop out of mine. I do this because I have very fancy and expensive taste in toothpaste. I can’t afford to waste a single pea-sized squeeze.

Anyway, sorry to WAFFLE on my DEAR.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Thursday, 27 February, game #627)

• YELLOW: CONTACT VIA TELEPHONE CALL, DIAL, PHONE, RING
• GREEN: PARTS OF A CAR BELT, HORN, MIRROR, WHEEL
• BLUE: LEVELS OF BIOLOGICAL ORGANIZATION ATOM, CELL, ORGAN, TISSUE
• PURPLE: ENDING WITH UNITS OF MEASURE BIGFOOT, COMPOUND, INSTAGRAM, THERMOMETER

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Thursday, February 27 (game #361).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #362) - hint #1 - today's theme What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Nautical ink

NYT Strands today (game #362) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• MAID
• LOSER
• PART
• SOLD
• WEST
• CARP

NYT Strands today (game #362) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Seafaring body art

NYT Strands today (game #362) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 4th row

Last side: right, 6th row

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #362) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #362, are…

• EAGLE
• SHIP
• SWALLOW
• ANCHOR
• MERMAID
• COMPASS
• SPANGRAM: SAILOR TATTOO

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

The SAILOR TATTOO made an appearance in Connections recently, so I was well-versed in what I was looking for here.

The subjects that made it to today’s puzzle are among the most popular, but there’s lots of traditional ones that didn’t make the cut – among them is the superstition that having a pig tattooed on your left foot and a chicken on the right would ward off being the victim of a shipwreck.

Over time, the meaning of some of these symbols has been lost or unappreciated by non-sailors. A single SWALLOW, for example, was inked on a seafarer after they had travelled 5,000 nautical miles from home, two were awarded after reaching 10,000.

Maybe tattooists could come up with some similar reward-based tattoos for us land lovers – a tattoo of a cardboard box after 2,000 Amazon deliveries? 100 editions of Strands without a Hint.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Thursday, 27 February, game #361)

• FOOT
• BIRD
• BREAK
• SPENDER
• CHEESE
• LEAGUES
• PICTURE
• SPANGRAM: BIG STUFF

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable and can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

• Pro-Ject's AC/DC deck may set you on the highway to hell
• It's limited edition, so are you ready?
• What (do you do for) money? Around $1,450 / £1,149 / AU$2,319

Rarely on this rock 'n' roll train we call life does a new hi-fi product make me consider whether I want to use it for music or hang it on a wall as art (although Samsung's Music Frame is one other notable example). But make no mistake, Pro-Ject's limited-edition AC/DC turntable is every inch designed for those about to rock.

The deck is the latest addition to Pro-Ject's Artist Collection and if you want one, well… money talks. As you'd expect, it's a big gun; the thunderbolt is of course back in black but there's a red LED-lit sub-platter to make a T.N.T-style visual statement, plus an all-new acrylic tonearm and a heavy glass platter for the full witch's spell effect.

Touch too much? Not for me – unlike the riff raff, I'd be willing to part with the full £1,149 for one when it arrives in the UK in March (which is around $1,450 or AU$2,319, give or take). No, it's not exactly cheap. But if you want blood…

That red tonearm also says 'SuperTed' to me – which only makes me want it more (Image credit: Pro-Ject (AC/DC) ) Who made who?

Pro-Ject started making turntables in 1991 and my beloved Sydney rock screamers formed in the early 1970s, so I think there's your answer to that one.

Back to the jack in hand though, and given Pro-Ject's enviable track record (see the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo for starters, which is still one of the best turntables we've ever tested) this is far from a shot in the dark. This is Pro-Ject, so the build quality will be hard as a rock and your vinyl will be safe (yes, even in New York City) under that pre-fitted Ortofon 2M Red cartridge.

I can't currently afford this big balls Pro-Ject proposition, although the company has recently started making cheaper turntable music systems, which are a whole lotta rosie and might just as readily shake you all night long. For now, I'll have to imagine inviting people over, casually saying "Have a drink on me" and setting Let There Be Rock down on the platter, as they whisper "Girl's got rhythm" among themselves…

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• The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max have been tipped to get 12GB of RAM.
• That's more than the current models 8GB.
• This could be a big power boost for running AI tools on-device.

The rumored iPhone 17 Pro could get a RAM boost, and the next phone is tipped to sport 12GB of random access memory by GFHK Tech Research analyst Jeff Pu.

In an investors note seen by 9to5Mac, Pu corroborated rumors flagged last year by analyst and pseudo-Apple oracle Ming-Chi Kuo that the next-generation Pro iPhone models will get a decent upgrade from the 8GB of RAM the current iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max use.

“Meanwhile iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are expected to migrate to LPDDR5 12GB, this transition alone will contribute to a 3.5% YoY increase in smartphone DRAM content across an estimated 100 million new iPhone units,” Pu said.

Now, in my time with the iPhone 16 Pro Max, with its current suite of 8GB RAM and the fast A18 Bionic chip, I hardly find it to be slow; apps load quickly and the whole iOS experience feels very slick and smooth.

However, more RAM is one way to future-proof next-gen Pro phones, as artificial intelligence features, Apple Intelligence here, tend to require a healthy pool of RAM, especially if they run AI tasks on-device rather than tap into the cloud.

9to5mac observed that such a boost in RAM for AI purposes was also part of Apple's Mac lineup update. Today's new Mac computers come with 16GB of RAM as a minimum. So, this note by Pu and Kuo’s original claim all make sense.

While upping the RAM of the future iPhone is promising to ensure they have a degree of longevity amid the yearly releases of flagship phones, my hope is Apple uses this extra power to also introduce some impressive and smart new AI features to the next Pro iPhones. Right now, Apple Intelligence has some solid features but none feel like groundbreaking, must-use tools.

Just spitballing, I’d love to see Apple Intelligence use both iPhone cameras and Apple Watch data to propose custom workouts for me to bust my gut and get in trimmer shape. Instead, Apple Intelligence has me stuck with being able to rework the tone of emails and messages, or squash two emojis together to create some new abomination… sigh.

Also, as we roundup the best AI phones, I feel Apple needs to bring something special to iPhone 17 fore to beat Google and its Pixel phones on the AI front.

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The new game is accessible to Switch, iOS and Android players, allowing these disparate fanbases to butt heads in cross-platform battles.

• Disa confirms hackers were present for over two months
• They siphoned sensitive data on hundreds of thousands of users
• The company didn't say how it got compromised

American employee screening company Disa has confirmed suffering a cyberattack in which it lost sensitive customer data.

In a breach notification letter sent to affected individuals, as well as in reports filed with Maine and Massachusetts attorney general offices, the company said it discovered a breach, impacting a “limited portion” of its network, on April 22, 2024.

The subsequent investigation determined that the threat actors, who were unnamed, accessed the company’s infrastructure on February 9, and lingered for almost three months, during which time the crooks managed to grab “some information” on Disa’s customers.

3.3 million affected

“Although our forensics investigation could not definitively conclude the specific data procured, DISA conducted a detailed and time-intensive review of the affected files to identify the personal information contained therein,” the letter reads.

The company added there is currently no evidence suggesting the data was misused in other attacks.

In the filing with the Maine Attorney General, Disa said the total number of affected people is 3,332,750. In the filing with the Massachusetts AG, it said that the data stolen included people’s Social Security numbers, financial account information (credit card numbers included), and government-issued identification documents - more than enough data to run phishing scams, identity theft, and even wire fraud.

We don’t know who the attackers were, or what their end goal is. We also don’t know how they managed to infiltrate Disa, and whether or not they tried to extort the company for the stolen information.

DISA Global Solutions is a prominent American company specializing in employee background screening, drug and alcohol testing, and compliance solutions. According to its website, DISA serves over 55,000 customers across various industries, including transportation, energy, manufacturing, and healthcare. Allegedly, approximately 30% of Fortune 500 companies utilize DISA's services.

Via TechCrunch

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The rewards nay not be worth the hassle.

• Warner Bros will retain the rights to Shadow of Mordor's Nemesis system until 2036
• The system was set to be used in Monolith Productions' Wonder Woman game
• Warner Bros shut down Monolith this week, leaving the Nemesis system to be unusable by any other studio for another 11 years

Warner Bros. will retain the patent for Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor's Nemesis system until 2036, following the closure of Monolith Productions.

Earlier this week, Warner Bros. shut down three major studios, including Monolith, Player First Games, and Warner Bros. Games San Diego, as part of a restructuring effort to focus on its key franchises like Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, DC, and Game of Thrones.

Since Monolith is now shuttered, this also means that the developer's Wonder Woman game, which was announced back in 2021, is also canceled.

The DC superhero game was set to see the return of the studio's genius Nemesis system, a gameplay mechanic first featured in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor that generates stronger and more intelligent enemies after they're defeated with knowledge of the player's past actions.

However, now that Monolith no longer exists, the fate of the Nemesis system is seemingly in limbo, and can't be used by any other studio as Warner Bros. holds its patent until 2036.

According to the official patent, the company applied in 2016, gained the rights in 2021, and has an expiration date of August 11, 3036, meaning it will remain Warner Bros' property for another 11 years.

It's unconfirmed if any future Warner Bros. titles will utilize the mechanic, so many fans currently suspect this means the end of the Nemesis system.

"Cancelling the Wonder Woman game is already bad enough but shutting down the studio that created something as good as THE Nemesis system (that WB patented) is evil," one user said on X / Twitter.

Not much was known about Wonder Woman during its development, however following its cancellation comic book writer Gail Simone revealed in an X / Twitter thread that she consulted on the game and that it was "gorgeous and expansive".

We also know that it would have been a single-player action-adventure game, and seemingly have been set on Wonder Woman's island homeland of Themyscira, feature other DC heroes, as well as elements of Greek mythology, according to a leaked synopsis.

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• Sony has announced a permanent PSVR 2 price cut
• The headset will now cost $399.99 / £399.99 down from $549.99 / £529.99
• The Horizon Call of the Mountain bundle will also be that same price, down from $599.99 / £569.99

If you were one of the many PlayStation gamers interested in virtual reality (VR) but put off the PSVR 2 by its almost absurdly high $549.99 / £529.99 price tag, then you're in for a treat.

Sony has announced a new, permanent PSVR 2 price cut taking its retail price all the way down to $399.99 / £399.99 - a mega $150 / £130 discount and close to the massive savings that we saw over the latest Black Friday sales period.

If that wasn't good enough, the PSVR 2 Horizon Call of the Mountain Bundle (which previously cost $599.99 / £569.99) will also be available for that $399.99 / £399.99 price and includes a copy of the Horizon Call of the Mountain game. This honestly sounds like pretty incredible value, especially when you consider the recent release of the PSVR 2 PC Adaptor, which further increases the high spec headset's utility by letting you use it with your PC.

At this price point, the PSVR 2 will be significantly cheaper than the 128GB Meta Quest 3, which comes in at $499.99 / £469.99 and a good middle point between it and the $299.99 / £289.99 price tag of the more budget-oriented Meta Quest 3S.

Although the PSVR 2 hasn't grabbed PlayStation gamers' attention in the way Sony may have wanted, if it had originally launched at this price I think that it would have been a much more popular pick. It still ranks among the best VR headsets right now thanks to stellar performance, so this is a great excuse to take the plunge if you've been on the fence.

According to Sony, the price cut will roll out in March - so expect to see listings updated by the beginning of next week.

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Even as artificial intelligence (AI) has surged into our daily lives, we’ve remained aware that it’s still in its infancy. Incredible demand from both consumers and businesses has come with the caveat that we’re yet to see real practicality in many areas.

That’s particularly true in the B2B enterprise arena. B2B organizations have complex workflows that require deep understanding of cross-functional and sometimes even cross-organizational nuances, rules and logic. Furthermore, the AI of today has to tackle not only vast amounts of data but also the incredibly broad principles of human relationships and organizational rules.

Unfortunately, conventional AI models can’t solve both problems alone. ‘Neural’ AI is incredibly effective at pattern recognition, but faces serious challenges with things like context, or logic-based reasoning. That’s where you’d typically use a ‘symbolic’ AI— designed for contextual decision making, but unsuited to complex patterns.

A synthesis of these two solutions is neuro-symbolic AI: blending the pattern-recognition prowess of neural networks with the rule-based clarity of symbolic systems.

By combining these two perspectives, neuro-symbolic AI delivers robust, context-aware solutions that are explainable, adaptable, and capable of dealing with complex real-world B2B environments.

But first: let’s look at those constituent components in a little more depth, to better understand how neuro-symbolic AI is constructed.

Yin and yang: neural and symbolic AI

Neural AI (neural networks) is inspired by the brain’s ability to detect and learn patterns from large volumes of data. Just as we recognize faces or learn a language, these networks excel at identifying correlations and trends that might elude simpler methods.

These systems, like someone learning a language purely by immersion, struggle when logic-based reasoning or subjective contexts come into play. It can intuit a correct response based on previous answers and experience, but with less transparency and accuracy.

At the other end of the spectrum is symbolic AI—the world of rule-based systems and explicit knowledge representation. This emulates the reflective side of human cognition, making decisions based on specific principles, guidelines, or constraints.

Symbolic models shine when providing explainability and contextual clarity. But they struggle to incorporate critical nuances, complex IFTTT logic, and pattern recognition. The system has deep, specific knowledge—but it’s not flexible.

Neuro-symbolic AI: a whole-brain system

Neuro-symbolic AI combines these two approaches, effectively leveraging the pattern-seeking capabilities of neural systems alongside the logical reasoning of symbolic frameworks.

A conventional AI, for example, could be expected to flag a pattern—like an emerging trend in workforce productivity. But a neuro-symbolic system can apply domain-specific rules (e.g., HR policies or compliance guidelines) to explain why something is happening, and—perhaps even more importantly—what the recommended next steps might be.

In enterprise domains where mistakes can be costly, such as B2B marketing and sales, HR, or financial regulatory compliance, this approach is crucial. By weaving domain knowledge and logical rules directly into its operating framework, a neuro-symbolic system reduces the risk of erroneous outputs. Cross-referencing domain rules and regulations ensures that decisions are consistent, transparent, and ethically robust.

Agentic AI: orchestrating intuition and logic

To help illustrate the advantages of the neuro-symbolic approach, consider the rapid rise of agentic AI.

Modern agentic architectures provide the backbone that harmonizes neural and symbolic processing. An orchestrator agent delegates domain-specific tasks to either the neural system (when pattern analysis is needed) or the symbolic engine (when rules-based reasoning is crucial).

This is reminiscent of how the human brain uses both intuitive leaps and reasoned analysis to reach decisions—enhancing AI’s reliability and adaptability in real-world workflows.

Generative AI: a step further

Finally it’s worth highlighting that neuro-symbolic AI doesn’t exist in a silo from the more prevalent generative AI–far from it.

Generative models—capable of producing text, images, and even synthetic voices—have revolutionized content creation, creative design, and rapid prototyping. Yet these models struggle with explainability and rule-based logic, especially in complex domains.

While generative AI excels at creating content, it often falls short in complex B2B environments where precision and accuracy are crucial. Its outputs can be visually appealing—though that’s all they are—but they remain imprecise and inconsistent, lacking the necessary contextual, adaptive, and parameterized creativity.

The strategic development of next-generation AI solutions relies on industry best practices and the advanced application of disciplines such as lexical semantics, behavioral economics, and neuromarketing—to name a few, depending on the domain. These fields demand the nuanced expertise that only true domain specialists can provide.

Domain expertise: putting intelligence to work

For all of these capabilities, consider this: top engineers may build stunning B2B AI SaaS products with impressive features. But without domain experts on their core teams—whether for legal, marketing & sales, or financial services—they end up creating traditional SaaS platforms powered by conventional generative AI.

Building next-gen tech companies requires a fundamentally different approach. Traditional SaaS companies like Grammarly, Lemlist, and HubSpot cater to a broader audience and were built with an entirely different purpose. Integrating neuro-symbolic AI demands a complete overhaul—a shift to an AI-native architecture, a dedicated team of domain experts, and a commitment to specialized research.

Even Marc Andreessen, co-founder of one of the first internet browsers in Mosaic, supports this view. In a recent podcast, he stated, “if a technology transformation is sufficiently powerful, then you actually need to start the product development process over from scratch, because you need to reconceptualize the product, and then usually what that means is you need a new company, because most incumbents just won’t do that.”

So what happens is that people start using bog-standard horizontal AI for specific domain verticals. Imagine asking your local baker to manage corporate finance, or seeking legal advice from a cousin who runs a pet shop. Yet even the most brilliant technical founders of next-gen AI companies often overlook the crucial element of domain research; they miss the neuro-symbolic blueprint upon which robust AI should be built.

Without deep domain expertise and rule-based logic, the consequences can be severe. Financial losses mount. Compliance issues emerge. Marketing and sales strategies fall flat. Legal breaches occur, reputations suffer, growth stagnates—and sometimes, businesses close.

Generative, neuro-symbolic, agentic AI: unlocking superpowers!

The Valhalla of AI, at least for the B2B market, is bringing all these strands together into what they call a Generative Neuro-symbolic Agentic AI System.

At its best, such a system can capture complex interhuman complexities and nuances, using them to augment workflows even in complex working environments. By fusing generative capabilities with symbolic reasoning and agentic orchestration, this architecture can go beyond mere function. It can simultaneously reason, create, and explain its decisions, allowing data-driven “superpowers” to power meaningful change.

In doing so, neuro-symbolic AI stands poised to reshape how we build and integrate AI and our businesses as a whole—ushering in a new era of technology in the upcoming decade that feels both deeply insightful and remarkably empowering.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

• Copilot has access to private GitHub repositories, researchers found
• The repositories were public at some point, and Bing cached them
• The caching behavior is "acceptable" says Microsoft

Thousands of private GitHub repositories, some of which possibly contained credentials and other secrets, are being exposed through Microsoft Copilot, the company’s Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) virtual assistant, experts have warned.

Cybersecurity researchers from Lasso reported their findings to Microsoft but got a mixed response.

Lasso is a cybersecurity company focusing on threats emerging from the use of new AI tools, and reported Copilot was able to retrieve one of its own GitHub repositories which should have been private and inaccessible on the wider internet. Indeed, navigating directly to GitHub returns a “page not found” error. However, at one point the team mistakenly left the repository public for a short period of time - long enough for Microsoft’s Bing search engine to index it. That allowed Copilot access to the data, even though it shouldn’t have.

Severe implications

Lasso further investigated, compiling a list of tens of thousands of repositories that were public at one point, and set to private today, finding more than 20,000 which can still be accessed through Copilot, belonging to tens of thousands of organizations, including some of the technology sector’s biggest players.

The implications of the findings could be quite severe. Speaking to TechCrunch, Lasso’s co-founder Ophir Dror said it used the flaw to retrieve a GitHub that hosted a tool allowing them to create “offensive and harmful” AI images using MIcrosoft’s cloud AI service. Different company secrets could also be exposed this way, prompting Dror to advise victims to rotate or revoke their keys.

Microsoft allegedly told the company that the issue is “low severity” and that the caching behavior was “acceptable.” However, as of December 2024, Microsoft no longer includes links to Bing’s cache in its search results. Copilot can still access the data.

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From the UK to Sweden, encrypted communications are increasingly under attack as authorities seek ways to better monitor people's chats to combat crime. Signal, one of the best encrypted messaging apps, however, isn't willing to compromise its privacy and security.

"Signal's position on this is very clear – we will not walk back, adulterate, or otherwise perturb the robust privacy and security guarantees that people depend on," said Signal President Meredith Whittaker during a panel at RightsCon 25 conference on Tuesday, February 25.

"Whether that perturbation or backdoor is called client-side scanning or the stripping of the encryption protections from one or another features similar to what Apple was pushed into doing in the UK," she added.

Whittaker's comments come days after Apple was forced to kill its iCloud's end-to-end encryption feature in the UK following a government's order to create an encryption backdoor to allow law enforcement access to users' data. Sweden is also considering introducing a new law requiring all encrypted communications apps to create a similar backdoor.

UK's attack on encryption

For almost a week—since Friday, February 21, to be exact—people in the UK have been unable to use Apple's Advanced Data Protection (ADP) feature on iCloud.

While it's not a default feature, Apple launched ADP in 2022 to provide an extra layer of protection on all iCloud-stored data via end-to-end encryption technology. This means not even the provider can access these files.

The Big Tech giant removed the feature instead of complying with the UK's encryption backdoor order, ensuring this decision won't affect iCloud data categories that are end-to-end encrypted by default. These include users' health data, passwords, iCloud messages, and Apple card transactions. You can see all the others on Apple's support page.

If you're currently using ADP protections, you'll soon receive further guidance from Apple on what to do next as the provider cannot automatically disable the option for users. A timeframe will be provided to disable the option to keep using your iCloud account. (Image credit: Shutterstock / nikkimeel)

"As we have said many times before, we have never built a backdoor or master key to any of our products or services and we never will," explained Apple in a written statement at the time.

However, it isn't yet clear the impact this move will have on users' privacy in and out of the country. What would happen when UK users go abroad, for instance? And what about foreign users traveling in the UK? Most importantly, perhaps, will removing ADP be enough for UK authorities?

These are some of the questions that still need an answer. For Signal, however, it isn't negotiable and ensures, once again, that the company is ready to leave the UK market instead of undermining encryption.

Sweden and further anti-encryption efforts

The UK isn't the only country pushing to pick the lock of encrypted communications to facilitate criminal investigations.

Sweden has recently joined the list of governments considering passing legislation to make it mandatory for the likes of Signal, WhatsApp, and iMessage to create an encryption backdoor into their software. If successful, the new rules could come into force as early as March 2026.

Again, talking to Swedish media SVT Nyheter, Whittaker has recently reiterated the company's stance. She said: "This means asking us to break the encryption that is the foundation of our entire business. Asking us to store data would undermine our entire architecture and we would never do that. We would rather leave the Swedish market completely.

This is because, Whittaker added: "Our responsibility is to offer technology that upholds human rights in an era where those rights are being violated in more and more places."

Do you know?

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Encryption refers to the scrambling of data into an unreadable form to prevent third-party access. End-to-end encryption is the reiteration that messaging apps and secure email services, among other tools, use to protect data in transit by keeping private between the sender and the receiver – end to end.

Outside Sweden, the EU has also been trying to pass a proposal to scan citizens' private communications, those encrypted included, since 2022 to halt the spread of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Deemed Chat Control by its critics, the bill keeps receiving pushback from experts and lawmakers alike, who couldn't yet find a compromise after almost three years and two lighter versions.

In January, Europol's chief Catherine De Bolle reiterated such efforts to break encryption, arguing "anonymity is not a fundamental right" and technology giants have a "social responsibility" to give the police access to encrypted messages used by criminals.

At the same time, however, recent events like the Salt Typhoon attack on all the major US telecoms have shown how encryption is crucial for the privacy and safety of everyone's data. On that occasion, even FBI and CISA experts have been calling citizens to switch to encrypted services in the aftermath of this unprecedented cyberattack.

What's next?

Signal isn't alone among the tech community calling out on the campaign against encryption. For instance, a group of over 100 civil society organizations, tech companies, and cybersecurity experts have also been urging the UK government to rescind its order to Apple, warning how an iCloud backdoor "jeopardizes the security and privacy of millions."

The path to mitigate legal actions against encryption is certainly filled with challenges for privacy and tech experts. Yet, users can be reassured Signal is committed to fighting back.

"We'll we continue to push back," said Whittaker, pointing out how incidents like Salt Typhoon are a tangible example of what cryptographers, human rights experts, journalists and the technical community at large have been saying for decades – "you cannot build a safe backdoor."

She added: "Our position doesn't change. It doesn't change based on the year, it doesn't change based on jurisdiction. It's actually fairly simple."

Are we all living in a fast-paced business environment? Of that, there’s no doubt, and every second counts, right? And as ever-increasing volumes of data flow from point to point, security is critical. With that backdrop, it’s clear that optimizing workflows is no longer just a competitive advantage—it's a necessity.

Among the various components that contribute to effective workflow management, strategic print management stands out as a critical, yet still overlooked, element. Therefore, it’s worthwhile exploring how a well-planned approach to print management can significantly enhance organizational efficiency, safeguard sensitive information, and support sustainability objectives.

Workflow efficiency through centralized print management

In many organisations, printing systems are fragmented and poorly managed, leading to bottlenecks that disrupt workflow efficiency. Experiences many can relate to include those times when a printer has stopped working, and employees must re-route their print jobs elsewhere. Or there’s no restock plan for print consumables, which leads to delays, downtime and user frustration. Or there’s a mixed fleet of printers, and staff struggle with the varying user experiences and different interfaces. As you can see, any number of printer challenges result in delays, wasted resources, increased operational costs and unhappy users.

That’s where centralized print management plays an essential role. It addresses those very issues by minimizing waste, reducing unnecessary printing, and ensuring that each department's needs are met without redundant or inefficient practices.

Securing workflow integrity with advanced print controls

A casual glance at media headlines confirm that we live in an era where data breaches and compliance issues are ever-present threats; therefore, securing the integrity of organizational workflows is paramount to protect from bad actors and also to ensure compliance with mandates like GDPR. With sensitive information often passing through printing systems, they pose a potential vulnerability if not properly managed.

Advanced print controls, such as secure print release and user authentication (at the printer), play a vital role in mitigating these risks. By requiring users to authenticate themselves before releasing print jobs, organizations can prevent unauthorized access to sensitive documents; like the dreaded ‘payslips left in the printer tray’ scenario.

Additionally, detailed tracking features allow for comprehensive monitoring of print activities, ensuring that any irregularities are quickly identified and addressed. Tracking can even include the post-printing period through watermarking or digital signatures. This level of security not only protects against data breaches but also reinforces compliance with industry regulations.

Sustainability embedded in workflow design

Sustainability is no longer just a buzzword—it's a strategic imperative for organizations aiming to optimize resource usage and reduce their environmental impact. Integrating sustainability into workflow design, particularly through print management, is a practical way to achieve these goals. Your print environment (pun unintended) is perhaps the easiest place to start your day-to-day in-workplace sustainability efforts.

Implementing policies like duplex printing (printing on both sides of the paper) and setting print quotas can significantly reduce paper consumption. Additionally, leveraging print analytics can help organizations identify patterns of waste and adjust their practices accordingly. By embedding sustainability into their workflows, workplaces not only contribute to environmental preservation, but also realize cost savings through reduced resource usage.

Enhancing digital workflows with print management integration

The digital transformation of workplaces has reshaped how work gets done, with digital workflows becoming the norm in many organizations. And no wonder; many of today’s businesses grew up in the cloud.

However, the need for physical documents persists, making it essential to integrate print management with these digital workflows. Doing so can eliminate friction points that arise from the intersection of digital and physical document handling.

For example, there’s been plenty of progress in scanning capabilities from print management-enabled multifunction devices. It’s now a simple experience to scan to email or popular cloud storage locations such as Dropbox and OneDrive. This integration not only enhances productivity but also ensures that print management remains a cohesive part of the overall workflow strategy.

Future-proofing workflow operations

As technology continues to evolve, so too must organizational workflows. Future-proofing these workflows involves adopting innovations like mobile printing and cloud integration, which add flexibility and agility to print management.

Mobile printing, for instance, allows employees to print documents from their smartphones, laptops, or tablets, supporting the growing trend of mobile and remote work.

Similarly, cloud integration ensures that print management systems can scale with the organization's needs, providing a robust and adaptable framework for future growth. By embracing these trends, organizations can ensure that their workflows remain efficient, secure, and aligned with their long-term strategic goals.

By centralizing print resources, enhancing security, embedding sustainability, integrating with digital workflows, and adopting future-proof technologies, organizations can streamline their operations, protect sensitive information, and contribute to a more sustainable future. As businesses continue to navigate the complexities of the digital age, the role of print management in supporting efficiency and security will only become more critical.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro