Technology

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Romance scams cost victims hundreds of millions of dollars a year. As people grow increasingly isolated, and generative AI helps scammers scale their crimes, the problem could get worse.

• A Nintendo Switch 2 patent suggests you will be able to plug in the Joy-Con controllers upside down
• This would cause the image on its display to flip
• The patent suggests this could allow users to access certain ports more easily

A new Nintendo Switch 2 patent filed by Nintendo details some potential features of the new Joy-Con controllers, and one apparently allows the system to be used upside down.

As noted by VGC, the patent suggests that the player will be able to turn the controllers upside down and insert them in the opposite sides. The image on the display of the Nintendo Switch 2 would then flip, much like when you rotate a modern smartphone or tablet.

It seems a little bit weird, but it might actually be quite a useful feature. The patent notes that the player might want to use the system upside down to allow for easier access to the 3.5mm headphone jack, which is positioned on the top in the console's standard orientation.

We also know from the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal trailer that the system will feature two USB-C ports - one at the bottom on the center of the console and another on top slightly to the side. Rotating the Nintendo Switch 2 could allow you to charge the system in your preferred position and might even be necessary for some potential accessories.

A small handful of Nintendo games required the original Nintendo Switch to be played in portrait orientation, so maybe we'll see the company experimenting with more ways to hold the successor.

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• ChatGPT will one day unify all of OpenAI's LLMs
• GPT-5 will be free for all users with higher intelligence for paying subscribers
• As part of the unification process, OpenAI's o3 will no longer be available as a standalone model when GPT-5 launches

OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman, just revealed some major info on the future of ChatGPT that will see all GPT models including the upcoming GPT-5 unified without the need to pick a model for each occasion.

At the time of writing, you need to choose between different OpenAI models every time you use ChatGPT, whether that's GPT-4o for everyday tasks or a more focused reasoning model like o3-mini for problem-solving. But that could all be about to change according to Altman who promises a simplifying of ChatGPT that "just works".

On X, Altman said, "We want AI to “just work” for you; we realize how complicated our model and product offerings have gotten. We hate the model picker as much as you do and want to return to magic unified intelligence."

This would essentially mean that you'd no longer need to choose between AI models and ChatGPT would be able to determine which model is best depending on your prompt. Altman said, "a top goal for us is to unify o-series models and GPT-series models by creating systems that can use all our tools, know when to think for a long time or not, and generally be useful for a very wide range of tasks."

This would be a pretty incredible feet and a huge improvement over the current system which means you have to constantly change between models depending on what's best suited for your needs. Even more so, the average consumer sometimes doesn't know which model is best for which scenario, so having ChatGPT do that work for you removes a point of friction from the process.

He goes on to say that GPT-4.5, the successor to 4o, will be the final ChatGPT model to launch as a standalone model before combining all models in a system that uses all of OpenAI's tools simultaneously.

This means that when GPT-5 does inevitably launch it will "integrate a lot of our (OpenAI's) technology, including o3." Altman even confirmed that o3 will no longer be shipped as a standalone model when this change occurs.

OPENAI ROADMAP UPDATE FOR GPT-4.5 and GPT-5:We want to do a better job of sharing our intended roadmap, and a much better job simplifying our product offerings.We want AI to “just work” for you; we realize how complicated our model and product offerings have gotten.We hate…February 12, 2025

Unlimited access to GPT-5

As if the news of OpenAI planning to unify all of its AI models wasn't big enough, Altman's roadmap also revealed that the free tier of ChatGPT will get unlimited access to GPT-5 at its "standard intelligence setting." Plus subscribers will get an even "higher level of intelligence" while Pro subscribers, who pay the hefty $200/month fee, will get the highest level of GPT-5 intelligence.

weeks / monthsFebruary 12, 2025

One X user took the opportunity of Altman sharing future ChatGPT info to ask for an ETA for GPT-4.5 and GPT-5. Altman responded "weeks / months". Whether that means 4.5 is weeks away and 5 is months away or it was just a cheeky response to the users "Weeks?Months?" question, your guess is as good as mine.

While Altman didn't confirm a release date for GPT-4.5 or GPT-5 he did confirm that GPT-5 will incorporate voice, canvas, search, deep research, and more. So while we don't know how long we're going to have to wait, the wait should be worth it.

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• The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 could be less than 10mm thick when folded
• That would make it the slimmest Z Fold yet, having even the Z Fold Special Edition beat
• However, that would apparently mean it lacks a digitizer, and could have an S Pen "downgrade"

This year, it looks like Samsung might have become a bit obsessed with making its phones as thin as possible – even if doing so brings some downgrades.

Not only is there the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge to consider, which has seemingly sacrificed a camera and perhaps also battery capacity to slim down, but now we’re hearing that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 could be incredibly slim too.

Two separate sources have said as much, with leaker @kro_roe (via GSMArena) claiming that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 will be the slimmest Z Fold ever, thanks in part to an S Pen downgrade.

The Fold 7 is the slimmest Fold ever, thanks to the S Pen downgrade.February 11, 2025

They don't get more specific about how slim or what kind of downgrade, but a report in ET News (via @Jukanlosreve) suggests that Samsung is aiming to make the Galaxy Z Fold 7 less than 10mm thick when folded.

For reference, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is 12.1mm thick, and even the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition is 10.6mm thick, so this should be a substantial reduction in thickness.

However, to achieve this reduction, Samsung will apparently remove the digitizer from the foldable screen, which is the display layer that interacts with the S Pen stylus. Removing it isn’t necessarily a downgrade, though, as ET News claims that Samsung will simply build technology into the pen itself that allows it to work without a digitizer.

Report: Samsung to Remove Digitizer on the Galaxy Z Fold 7According to multiple industry insiders cited by the media, it has been decided that the Fold 7 will not include a digitizer. They mentioned that in order to reduce the thickness, the digitizer will be omitted, and the…February 13, 2025

Still, since @kro_roe mentions a downgrade, it’s possible that Samsung’s solution will result in a less feature-packed S Pen. Perhaps it will lack Bluetooth connectivity, which is a sacrifice we've already seen Samsung make with the Galaxy S25 Ultra's S Pen, but that's just speculation.

In any case, ET News also claims that the foldable display will be 8 inches, and the cover screen will be 6.5 inches, which would be a match for the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition but bigger in both cases than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6.

Mass production in May

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 launched in July 2024 (Image credit: Samsung)

Finally, the site states that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 will enter mass production in May, by which point Samsung will have finalized the thickness of the phone.

It’s always worth taking claims like these with a pinch of salt, but we’ve heard from multiple sources that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 might lack a digitizer, so there’s a good chance that that much, at least, is correct, and we've also heard those screen sizes before.

Whether the phone really will be less than 10mm thick is more questionable, since previous claims suggested it wouldn’t be any thinner than the Z Fold Special Edition. We’ll probably find out in July, as that’s likely when the Galaxy Z Fold 7 will launch – probably alongside the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, and perhaps even a tri-fold phone.

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• Windows 11’s Copilot app has a new feature in testing
• It offers the ability to ‘auto start on login’ for the app
• This could be a handy timesaver for those who use Copilot regularly

Windows 11 has an incoming change for the Copilot app whereby it can be set to automatically load in the background when you start your PC.

PhantomOfEarth, who regularly posts bits and pieces of Windows-related observations and rumors on X, noticed the development.

New Copilot app update for Insiders: 1.25014.121.0, with a new auto start on login (runs in the background) feature. pic.twitter.com/0urRNzmQrWFebruary 10, 2025

As shown in the above post, there’s a new ‘auto start on login’ choice in the Settings for the Copilot app, which when enabled does just that – it automatically starts Copilot (in the background) when your system is fired up.

Right now, the option is still in testing (in version 1.25014.121.0 of the app), but providing there’s no pushback or problems, it should go live for all Windows 11 users before too long.

(Image credit: Microsoft) Analysis: The stumbling journey of the Copilot assistant

You might be thinking ‘who cares’ when it comes to this additional feature for Copilot, and that’s a fair enough point. I don’t imagine usage of the Copilot app is all that widespread, and indeed, I’d be surprised if it wasn’t a niche feature in Windows 11 – but for those people who do make use of the AI, this is still a handy little extra touch.

What it means is that they can invoke the Copilot app with the Alt+Space keyboard shortcut (assuming that’s also enabled), without having to wait for it to load up the first time this action is taken in a new computing session. (Because it will have already loaded up already, in the background).

The good news is that the option isn’t on by default, so Copilot isn’t being forcefully pushed into the background of everybody’s Windows 11 installation. You can either use this option, or just feel free to ignore it.

All in all, it’s a relatively minor change, and as with anything to do with Copilot, I’m waiting for Microsoft to justify its existence in a more convincing manner. There were some big promises of an AI that could make sweeping system-wide changes based on simple requests back at the launch of the Copilot assistant on the desktop. However, all that appears to have been, well, swept under the carpet as time passed by, and Copilot was decoupled from the internals of Windows and made a standalone app.

Maybe Copilot will be realized in this form eventually, but I can’t help but think that this destination feels a long, long, way off, given how things have progressed – or rather haven’t – with the desktop assistant thus far.

Via Windows Latest

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• Report claims 80% of execs are worried AI innovation is outpacing governance
• Fewer than one in four have strong AI frameworks, NTT Data finds
• Workers also need to be upskilled to get the most from AI

The rapid pace of development could be the biggest thing we have to worry about when it comes to artificial intelligence, new research has claimed.

A report from NTT Data noted how governance, security and workforce readiness could all be lagging, despite the fact that AI adoption and investments continue to surge.

In fact, four in five (80%) executives agree that leadership and governance are failing to keep pace with AI advancements.

AI is developing too quickly

Already, eight in 10 (80%) business leaders are concerned about unclear regulations that are preventing them from scaling generative AI initiatives, with a further 89% surveyed concerned about AI security risks. That said, fewer than one-quarter (24%) of organizations have a strong AI governance framework, and nearly three-quarters (72%) don’t have a GenAI usage policy.

It’s not all about policies, either, because many business leaders believe their workers might not be ready for full-scale AI adoption. Two in three (67%) execs worry their workers lack the right skills.

Furthermore, three in four (75%) leaders say that their AI ambitions conflict with corporate sustainability goals, forcing them to rethink their strategies entirely.

“The enthusiasm for AI is undeniable, but our findings show that innovation without responsibility is a risk multiplier," noted NTT DATA CEO Abhijit Dubey.

Looking ahead, NTT DATA is calling for AI and generative AI models to be built responsibly from the ground up, integrating security, compliance and transparency at their cores.

The report also highlights the need for ethical guidance and governance to cover social elements, not just legal requirements, as well as the upskilling of employees.

Dubey concluded: “The business community must act now. By embedding responsibility into AI’s foundation – through design, governance, workforce readiness, and ethical frameworks – we unlock AI’s full potential while ensuring it serves businesses, employees, and society at large equally.”

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• Elden Ring Nightreign is launching on May 30, 2025
• There will be standard and deluxe editions as well as a Collector's Edition
• The Collector's Edition features a trove of physical goodies including a statue

It's great news for FromSoftware fans as the upcoming Elden Ring Nightreign - a multiplayer spin-off of the 2022 mega hit - finally has a release date. What's more, you can pre-order the game or one of its various special editions now.

Elden Ring Nightreign will officially launch on May 30, 2025 for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PC via Steam. If you didn't get into the recent closed network tests for the game, at least you won't have to wait much longer to dive in.

You can also head over to the official Elden Ring Nightreign website to check out the various editions as well as pre-order the game for yourself. There are digital and physical editions available, as well as an eye-wateringly pricey Collector's Edition - as we've come to expect for Bandai Namco-published FromSoftware titles.

Here's a rundown of all the available editions, their pricing, and what they include:

• Standard Edition ($39.99 / £34.99): Includes the base game
• Deluxe Edition - Digital ($54.99 / £47.99): Includes the base game, a DLC code and digital art book and soundtrack
• Seekers Edition - Physical ($54.99 / £47.99): Includes the base game, all Deluxe Edition content and a steelbook
• Collector's Edition ($199.99 / £179.99): Includes the base game, all Deluxe Edition content, steelbook, eight Nightfarer cards, a hardcover art book and a 25cm statue of the Wylder Nightfarer character

Overall I'm extremely glad that Elden Ring Nightreign is confirmed to be a mid-budget title rather than a full-priced game. The relatively smaller scale of the game definitely fits that smaller price tag. Unless of course, you're particularly wedded to that Collector's Edition and the 10 inches of Wylder it provides.

If you're unfamiliar with Elden Ring Nightreign, it's a player-versus-environment (PvE) multiplayer titles that can be played solo or with a group of three players (two player co-op isn't supported, actually).

Each run consists of three days, and you'll need to rush through the map collecting loot and defeating enemies, all while avoiding being absorbed by an ever-shrinking circle (a la a battle royale game like PUBG Battlegrounds). The end of each night sees your squad face down a challenging boss before you can proceed to the next day. It sounds like manic fun and definitely a tick up from the slower pace of the main game.

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There is a 2 percent chance that seven years from now, “the city destroyer” will hit Earth with the force of an 8-megaton nuclear weapon. Here are its possible impact points.

In 1847, Hungarian physician Ignaz Semmelweis made a revolutionary yet simple observation: when doctors washed their hands between patients, mortality rates plummeted. Despite the clear evidence, his peers ridiculed his insistence on hand hygiene. It took decades for the medical community to accept what now seems obvious—that unexamined contaminants could have devastating consequences.

Today, we face a similar paradigm shift in artificial intelligence. Generative AI is transforming business operations, creating enormous potential for personalized service and productivity. However, as organizations embrace these systems, they face a critical truth: Generative AI is only as good as responsibility for the data it's built on—though in a more nuanced way than one might expect.

Like compost nurturing an apple tree, or a library of autobiographies nurturing a historian, even "messy" data can yield valuable results when properly processed and combined with the right foundational models. The key lies not in obsessing over perfectly pristine inputs, but in understanding how to cultivate and transform our data responsibly.

Just as invisible pathogens could compromise patient health in Semmelweis's era, hidden data quality issues can corrupt AI outputs, leading to outcomes that erode user trust and increase exposure to costly regulatory risks, known as in integrity breaches.

Inrupt's security technologist Bruce Schneier has argued that accountability must be embedded into AI systems from the ground up. Without secure foundations and a clear chain of accountability, AI risks amplifying existing vulnerabilities and eroding public trust in technology. These insights echo the need for strong data hygiene practices as the backbone of trustworthy AI systems.

Why Data Hygiene Matters for Generative AI

High-quality AI relies on thoughtful data curation, yet data hygiene is often misunderstood. It's not about achieving pristine, sanitized datasets—rather, like a well-maintained compost heap that transforms organic matter into rich soil, proper data hygiene is about creating the right conditions for AI to flourish. When data isn't properly processed and validated, it becomes an Achilles' heel, introducing biases and inaccuracies that compromise every decision an AI model makes. Schneier's focus on "security by design" underscores the importance of treating data hygiene as a foundational element of AI development—not just a compliance checkbox.

While organizations bear much of the responsibility for maintaining clean and reliable data, empowering users to take control of their own data introduces an equally critical layer of accuracy and trust. When users store, manage, and validate their data through personal "wallets"—secure, digital spaces governed by the W3C's Solid standards—data quality improves at its source.

This dual focus on organizational and individual accountability ensures that both enterprises and users contribute to cleaner, more transparent datasets. Schneier's call for systems that prioritize user agency resonates strongly with this approach, aligning user empowerment with the broader goals of data hygiene in AI.

Navigating Regulatory Compliance with the DSA and DMA Standards

With European regulations like the Digital Services Act (DSA) and Digital Markets Act (DMA), expectations for AI data management have heightened. These regulations emphasize transparency, accountability, and user rights, aiming to prevent data misuse and improve oversight. To comply, companies must adopt data hygiene strategies that go beyond basic checklists.

As Schneier pointed out, transparency without robust security measures is insufficient. Organizations need solutions that incorporate encryption, access controls, and explicit consent management to ensure data remains secure, transparent, and traceable. By addressing these regulatory requirements proactively, businesses can not only avoid compliance issues but also position themselves as trusted custodians of user data.

Moving Forward with Responsible Data Practices

Generative AI has tremendous potential, but only when its data foundation is built on trust, integrity, and responsibility. Just as Semmelweis's hand-washing protocols eventually became medical doctrine, proper data hygiene must become standard practice in AI development. Schneier's insights remind us that proactive accountability—where security and transparency are integrated into the system itself—is critical for AI systems to thrive.

By adopting tools like Solid, organizations can establish a practical, user-centric approach to managing data responsibly. Now is the time for companies to implement data practices that are not only effective but also ethically grounded, setting a course for AI that respects individuals and upholds the highest standards of integrity.

The future of generative AI lies in its ability to enhance trust, accountability, and innovation simultaneously. As Bruce Schneier and others have emphasized, embedding security and transparency into the very fabric of AI systems is no longer optional—it's imperative. Businesses that prioritize robust data hygiene practices, empower users with control over their data, and embrace regulations like the DSA and DMA, are not only mitigating risks but also leading the charge towards a more ethical AI landscape.

The stakes are high, but the rewards are even greater. By championing responsible data practices, organizations can harness the transformative power of generative AI while maintaining the trust of their users and the integrity of their operations. The time to act is now—building AI systems on a foundation of well-cultivated data is the key to unlocking AI's full potential in a way that benefits everyone.

Improve productivity with the best AI tools.

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

• Audio-Technica's new cartilage conduction headphones are here
• They feature 20 hours of battery life
• Cartilage conduction uses your ears to transmit sound, in a similar vein to bone conduction

Audio-Technica has today unveiled its brand new Audio-Technica ATH-CC500BT2 cartilage conduction headphones.

The second-generation of its cartilage conduction efforts, these headphones are a great alternative to the best bone conduction headphones on the market, trasmitting sound through the cartilage of the ear rather than the bones in your skull.

It's a nifty way to avoid some of the vibration complaints you might have had with the likes of Shokz, which we find to be an everpresent quirk of the existing bone conduction technology.

Cartilage conduction turns your ears themselves into speakers, letting you hear music and calls all while keeping your ear canals free and open. Not only is this more hygienic than your average pair of workout headphones, it also leaves you free to stay in tune to your surroundings, keeping those runs and bike rides safer.

Audio-Technica ATH-CC500BT2 : The details

(Image credit: Audio-Technica)

As you can see, they look a lot like bone conduction headphones, with a similar open-ear design and lightweight fit. They're made of titanium and silicone and weigh just 32 grams.

Audio comes via AT's PAT.P vibration drivers and its Acoustic Pure Sound Stabilizer, which should eliminate the degradation in sound quality vibration normally delivers.

A real highlight is the 20 hours of battery life from a single charge, with 10-minute quick charge offering up 120 minutes of playback.

You can use them to take calls with a built-in microphone, and there's AI-powered noise reduction technology to make your voice clearer during calls and meetings.

They're IPX4 water resistant, so immune to rain, splashes, and sweat, and can be paired to two Bluetooth devices simultaneously. You'll also get compatibility with Siri, Google Assistant, and Audio-Technica's Connect app. Charging is delivered via USB-C.

The Audio-Technica ATH-CC500BT2 headphones are available now from Audio-Technica.com, retailing at £119 / €139. Unfortunately, those of you in the US are out of luck, as the headphones won't be available there. AU prices are TBC.

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After waiting two years for The White Lotus season 3, I can't wait to finally make my reservation and find out who will be in the body bag this time around, as a colorful cast of wealthy socialites check in to the infamous luxury hotel chain once again.

Despite the hotel attracting a string of murders in previous seasons of the show, the allure of these extravagant resorts are clearly hard to resist for the rich as the third season of the hit anthology series takes us to a brand new location: Thailand.

The social satire series follows the exploits of a number of guests and employees over the space of a week, with the cast including Leslie Bibb, Carrie Coon, Michelle Monaghan, Walton Goggins, Aimee Lou Wood, Jason Isaacs, Parker Posey, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Blackpink's Lalisa Manobal and Natasha Rothwell reprising her role as salon manager Belinda from The White Lotus season 1.

Show creator Mike White teased that season 3 is going to be "longer, bigger, crazier", as well as being “much, much darker” than the two previous seasons, according to White's interview with Time.

I don't even want to skip the opening credits

Let's be honest here, we're all guilty of skipping the opening credits of a new TV show or movie we've been watching. It's often rare to see a title sequence capture us and make us refrain from pressing the 'Skip' button. However, the same can't be said for The White Lotus.

While I'm excited to see a slew of mysteries and dark secrets against the backdrop of murder and chaos, I've already got The White Lotus theme song blasting through my headphones. What makes the opening credits stand out from the rest of the best Max shows is the fact that each theme song is tailored to reflect the season's location, but always features a consistent melody.

Composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer's Aloha! and Renaissance, served as the show's theme tunes for the first and second season, which were set in Hawaii and Sicily respectively. White's expert storytelling doesn't stop there though, as the enticing digital artworks that accompany Cristobal's danceable beats at the beginning of the episodes offer up plot clues and weave in the show's key themes and characters.

Yes, the actual plot is important, but The White Lotus does the rare thing of making the drama's theme music as popular as its groundbreaking premise and I can't wait to add the third track to my playlist.

The White Lotus season 3 will officially launch on February 16 on Max where we'll once again be greeted by Cristobal's delightful composition and the show's suspenseful yet alluring commentary on wealth, class and exploitation.

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Across Europe we need to change our mindset around ‘closing the digital skills gap’. If we spend too much time lamenting it, we'll fall even further behind.

Instead of considering the challenges ahead as a gap that needs bridging in traditional ways, we need to plot an entirely new route - something we can do using tools now available to us like no-code technology. The skills gap no longer exists in the way it used to, because the solutions themselves have changed.

That’s not to deny that in Europe we face a talent drain. Recent years have seen us lose some of our brightest minds to US-based companies, and the reasons for this go beyond the pay packet.

Something we could learn from our cousins across the Atlantic is how to create a more positive culture around failure and the lessons this teaches us. Trying and failing isn’t automatically a bad thing as long as the same mistakes aren’t continually repeated. Crucially, failure indicates learning and is a key aspect of innovation and progress.

Fail fast and hard or fail anyway

The business culture in the US typically recognizes failing hard and fast as a sign of progress, in a way we don’t see in more risk-averse European companies, and this won’t serve us when it comes to finding the most innovative solutions to business challenges. Overall, this discourages entrepreneurship and investment and makes it harder to fund innovation, contributing to talent going elsewhere.

Businesses of all sizes are increasingly faced with the challenge of finding people with the right technical skill set. However, ‘closing’ this skills gap with a fresh cohort of newly trained programmers won’t solve all their problems.

Let’s be specific. In real terms, for most business leaders today concerned with fulfilling orders and keeping customers and shareholders happy, having access to the right data at the right time is key when making decisions. They need a digital skill set in their organizations to drive actionable, meaningful insights. Most realize they can use AI to do this - but that’s often as far as they get.

Leveraging AI is no longer just about understanding that specialty, but instead about a powerful combination of software development skills and understanding of data strategy and integration. And software skills themselves are changing as the tools available to us get ever more sophisticated.

Why innovation starts with IT

In IT we constantly look ahead. Part of our job is to anticipate the next big challenge and the next fix for a problem - but in nearly every role I’ve had in my career, a large part of the job has been dealing with legacy solutions. They’re just not going anywhere. Any new, exciting technology that comes in has to fit alongside whatever existing systems underpin a business’s processes.

No-code solutions are particularly good at doing this as they provide building blocks which work with both older and newer technologies and systems. They allow for seamless integration without extensive coding, making it easier to update and improve legacy systems.

The other thing that’s changed within business technology is that technical decisions are no longer the preserve of the technical experts. A technical foundation is still vital for some jobs, but not for all. These decisions are often now fundamental to the way a business is run, which means they have to be made with wider business understanding and an appreciation for what the customer needs, rather than a purely technical one.

In reality, a background in software development is becoming less of a requirement for solving technical problems - thanks in part to no-code solutions, as well as other AI automation tools. An understanding of how these solutions work in the wider context of the business is crucial for successful implementation and adoption - and for the best results.

Automation and AI tools

The kind of abstraction and automation approach that AI tools and no-code enable goes some way to solving the ‘problem’ of the digital skills gap. Abstracting away the need to program specific fields and providing the ability to make something visual and more easily understood helps open up the playing field to include those with less technical expertise.

For example, a logistics company might need their shipping processes to remain compliant with regulatory requirements but face complicated programming challenges. Through the use of a no-code solution, combined with the business expertise of the staff to produce the kind of business logic necessary to navigate the low margins often faced by mid-market businesses, they can avoid being stuck with problems that can’t be fixed with manual labor alone.

This kind of situation is where data integration is particularly valuable, because from a business point of view, data only means something if it is applied to an actionable challenge or problem in a business context. Abstraction and automation allow people to focus on what matters. IT professionals spend so much time on complicated problems and can forget that they’re helping drive business outcomes. They need to be given the tools to be able to focus in the right way.

Making the most of the innovation opportunity

However, we’re not talking about settling for something that’s second best. This is a brave new world, and making the most of no-code solutions will bring about a whole host of positive, and perhaps even unintended, secondary benefits.

The first is diversity. Computer science is still a field that’s often inaccessible to many, and while this is slowly changing, the simple fact is that no-code is easier to learn and therefore more accessible to people from all backgrounds. The ease of use of the tools also means more people start to explore their possibilities, bringing about more interesting and disruptive solutions used by a wider range of people.

A second overlooked benefit is helping solve challenges around the ageing workforce. Many employers face a knowledge gap when long-time employees retire, taking with them perhaps decades of experience and institutional knowledge. Financial institutions, supply chain and manufacturing companies often possess old systems still generating data. No-code solutions can help fill those gaps when the people who built some of the systems of yesterday retire but the software is still used.

Appreciating benefits like these that extend beyond efficiency helps us leapfrog barriers to adoption more easily. Often, technical experts hesitate when it comes to abstraction because they think it will mean less freedom and flexibility, and therefore they’re resistant. We see this all the time when it comes to finding new ways of doing things - you have to see it (and appreciate how much time it could save you) to believe it.

Our days spent discussing the digital skills gap are numbered. The IT professionals of the future will still, of course, include coders but we’ll see far more convergence of technical and business skills in the workforce of the future. This will, in part, happen organically - young people of today are far more interested in taking ownership of their digital journey - but it will no doubt be aided by more widespread use of AI tools and solutions that automate certain tasks and processes faster than you can say ‘abstraction’.

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