Technology

• 'Intelligent garden' co-designed with Microsoft to go on show in 2025
• Sensors track garden health with AI model trained on the plant data
• Visitors can also ask the garden questions and get replies

AI could soon take the guesswork out of gardening and let you have conversational chats with your lawn and plants. By monitoring environmental factors and feeding them into a model trained on plant data, so-called 'intelligent gardens' could soon be able to tell you when to water, trim and or fertilize your patch.

That’s the promise of the Avanade ‘Intelligent’ Garden, which will appear at next year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show in the UK. Created by garden designer Tom Massey in collaboration with Microsoft, the showpiece plot will be embedded with an array of sensors which feed real-time information into an AI model.

Those sensors will track factors such as soil moisture, pH and nutrient levels, air quality, temperature and rainfall. This information alone would be beneficial to anyone tending a garden, but the benefit of the dynamic AI model is that it’s proactive in tracking conditions and predicting changes.

The designer Tom Massey told The Guardian that the garden will be interactive, too. For example, visitors could ask "how are you?" and “it could answer: I need a bit more water, I can do with a haircut, maybe”, he added.

In short, it can tell its horticultural keepers how it’s feeling and what it needs.

An artist's impression of the Avanada 'intelligent' garden, which will be on show at the 2025 Chelsea Flower Show in the UK. (Image credit: The Royal Horticultural Society)

This will be in evidence at the UK's Chelsea Flower Show (from May 20 – 24, 2025), where visitors to the pavilion can interact with a digital version of the smart garden. It will ‘respond’ to visitor queries by drawing on live data, giving an immediate picture of its health.

Beyond the novelty factor, the idea here is not just to make the lives of gardeners easier. One of the primary motivations behind the installation is to promote the efficient use of resources. By understanding exactly what’s going on in the garden, its caretakers can give it just what it needs – and nothing more.

Water conservation is one example. Whether you use a hose or a sprinkler system, most gardens are watered to a schedule, rather than when the plants actually need it. In an intelligent garden, watering would be based on soil moisture levels, even down to specific areas.

So instead of over-watering the entire plot, a gardener could receive an alert that just one section needs a top-up. In larger gardens with automated systems, these could be activated based on the same data.

A smarter garden

The Smart Moisture Sensor from Holman Industries measures soil moisture and temperature. (Image credit: Holman Industries)

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen the use of smart garden sensors. The Netatmo Smart Home Weather Station, for example, can be paired with a Smart Rain Gauge to accurately track rainfall, along with other environmental data. With that information, you can work out whether your garden needs a drink.

Holman also makes a Smart Moisture Sensor, which connects to one of its tap timer irrigation systems via Wi-Fi. This monitors soil moisture and temperature, then automatically adjusts your watering schedule to help reduce wastage. But 'intelligent gardens' promise to take that to a new level with conversational interfaces and more.

Sensors like these will be the primary data source in any intelligent garden. What AI adds to the equation is the ability to bring it all together in a dynamic, predictive model. By processing live information, it can create a picture of the health of an entire garden. Over time, it will be able to anticipate what a garden needs, learn seasonal shifts and detect any anomalies in growing conditions.

The real-world application of this technology is clear. Not only will it limit waste and, in doing so, cut your water bills, but it will fundamentally help you to keep your plants alive and flourishing.

This isn’t just about being a lazy gardener: in a world affected by climate change, understanding what green spaces need to stay healthy will become increasingly crucial.

You might also like

• Gadgets that make gardening fun
• The best smart home devices
• I started gardening with AI

ChatGPT has just paid a reported 15.5 million dollars for the URL chat.com, making it easier to get to ChaGPT. Now when you type Chat.com into your browser you’ll be redirected to ChatGPT.com. The move sparks rumors that the ChatGPT chatbot and search engine could be about to undergo a rebrand so it is better able to compete with rivals like Google.

The redirect was announced on X.com on Wednesday when Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, posted a tweet containing just the URL, chat.com.

https://t.co/n494J9IuENNovember 6, 2024

The announcement prompted immediate speculation from X.com users about whether OpenAI was going to drop the “GPT” part of the name altogether.

The chat.com domain was previously owned by Dharmesh Shah, the founder and CTO of HubSpot, who claimed in a LinkedIn post to have paid $10 million for it in 2023, but had sold it a couple of months later for “more than I paid for it”. At the time he said, “I'm not at liberty to disclose details on who the purchaser was or the price paid. Sorry.”

What's in a name?

Searching for the web for the best laptop using ChatGPT search. (Image credit: Shutterstock / Primakov)

It’s easy to forget how new the generative AI field is. As with any emerging field of technology, brand names tend to come and go quite quickly. Google started by calling its AI Bard, but this was dropped in favor of Gemini. Recently there has been speculation that Microsoft is not happy with its Copilot AI name, and is considering "Windows Intelligence". The move would be perhaps seen as a little too close to what Apple is doing with Apple Intelligence.

The GPT part of ChatGPT stands for Generative Pre-training Transformer and refers to the type of large language model (LLM) that uses the transformer architecture but is hardly a brilliant brand name. The URL chat.com is much more memorable, and as Sharmesh Shah said when he originally purchased the URL “chat.com is absolutely brilliant in terms of simplicity, shortness and being totally *on point* and meeting the moment. It immediately creates user trust. Somebody (not me) will build a massively successful product/company on it.”

OpenAI, the makers of ChatGPT, recently launched the equally cumbersomely-named AI search engine, ChatGPT search, despite owning the much more catchy URL, SearchGPT. In September the company announced that it would be releasing a new series of LLMs starting with “o1”, which recently saw the light of day, just for a few short hours, by mistake.

You might also like...

• Samsung reveals its next-gen Bixby AI – a Galaxy brain to rival ChatGPT and Gemini
• iOS 18.2 beta shows exactly how Siri’s ChatGPT upgrade will work on iPhones – including new ‘daily limit’ guide
• The ChatGPT search Chrome extension is the best way to use it: here’s how to find and install it

• Rumors suggest a Ricoh GR IV is set for release in the first quarter of 2025
• A surprise monochrome variation could follow later in the year
• No leaked specs yet, though a Ricoh GR IV would update the GR III

Ricoh could launch the latest model in its popular line of premium compact cameras, a would-be named Ricoh GR IV, as soon as the first quarter of 2025. That's according to a source for Fuji Rumors, who also suggests another surprise model could follow later in the year, a monochrome version the same camera.

At the start of the year, I placed a potential Ricoh GR IV in a shortlist of most exciting cameras for 2024 and with good reason. It's an alternative take on the wildly popular Fujifilm X100VI, being a truly pocketable compact camera with large APS-C sensor, sharp fixed lens and superb image quality.

I got my hopes up a couple of months after that article when Ricoh announced a new GR digital compact, only for it to be a niche variation of the GR III / GR IIIx with highlight diffusion filter (check out our Ricoh GR III HDF review for more on that one).

A Ricoh GR IV still hasn't materialized, but that could be set to change within the next few months if the latest rumors prove true. I personally own a Ricoh GR IIIx and love it, but it's far from perfect and I have previously written about the 5 things I want to see in a potential GR IV.

Let's take a look at what we can reasonably expect from a future Ricoh GR IV and if it could indeed be a compelling X100VI alternative.

Me with my truly pocketable Ricoh GR IIIx, a variation of the GR III with a 40mm lens. (Image credit: Future) A potential headache for Fujifilm?

Having the GR IIIx as an everyday camera, I've built up a wishlist of improvements in a successor. Here's what I'd like to see Ricoh do with a fourth generation model of its GR series of digital compact cameras:

1. Keep the size the same
2. Add a built-in flash
3. Improve build quality
4. Add a tilt LCD
5. Improve autofocus

I unpack those points in the five things I want to see article. If Ricoh were able to implement those upgrades, the Ricoh GR IV would be a superb little snapper. It still wouldn't match the versatility and all-round performance of the Fujifilm X100VI, which has a hybrid viewfinder that I adore, but in a way it doesn't have to for it to be worth your attention.

Each camera is a different proposition. I opted for the GR IIIx more than two years ago instead of the Fujifilm X100V (which was the latest X100 model back then) because it's so small and can slip into a trouser pocket, knowing that there would be performance and handling-based compromises. Ultimately, a tiny camera with large image sensor is Ricoh's winning recipe.

And with demand continuing to overwhelm supply for the X100VI months after its launch, following the X100V going viral, Ricoh could swoop in with a credible alternative. Will it be a big upgrade from the GR III? History suggests otherwise, and that it'll just be a few tweaks. I hope to be proven wrong.

Should Fujifilm be worried? I don't think so – besides the X100VI still likely being a more powerful camera than an upcoming GR IV, it's still reaping the rewards of its popularity on TikTok. On the other hand, a monochrome version of the GR IV would be an entirely different proposition from Fujifilm.

You might also like...

• Ricoh GR III gets a dreamy successor, but it's not the GR IV I was hoping for
• Why I've just bought a compact camera instead of an iPhone 13 Pro
• I failed the photo-a-day challenge, but still feel like a winner – here’s what I learned
• The best compact camera for 2024: top pocket choices to take anywhere

Proton VPN is fast, excellent for streaming and prioritizes privacy, all while offering the best (and only) free plan we recommend.

You may not be able to watch some of your favorite shows because of regional streaming restrictions. Using a VPN service is a handy workaround

• AMD data center revenue has officially passed that of rival Intel
• Intel’s revenue down year-on-year, but hopes next quarter should be better
• Nvidia remains the market leader for AI chips by a long shot

AMD has overtaken Intel in the data center CPU market for the first time ever as both firms battle for leadership in what has become a highly lucrative area thanks to the computational needs of new AI tools.

New SemiAnalysis research claims AMD’s data center segment revenue reached $3.549 billion in the third quarter of 2024, a slight touch above Intel’s $3.3 billion figure for the same period.

While the upward trend marks a positive point for AMD, its total data center revenue is still below Nvidia’s networking revenue alone. Early to the market, Nvidia has profited off the AI boom and now has a market cap of more than $3 trillion, making it one of just three companies to have crossed that line.

AMD’s data center revenue is more than Intel’s

The news comes as Intel continues to struggle financially, following several rounds of layoffs and other cost-cutting measures.

This is despite Intel’s Xeon processors being synonymous with data centers, powering many of the world’s servers. Increased pressure from AMD, with its EPYC processors, is adding to the financial stress at Intel.

It’s also worth noting AMD’s top-tier 96-core EPYC 6979P processor costs around $11,800, or $6,000 less than Intel’s flagship 128-core Xeon 6980P Granite Rapids processor. The added cost-effectiveness has undoubtedly played into data center operators’ purchasing decisions.

Intel recently confirmed quarterly revenue of $13.3 billion, down 6% from the $14.2 billion in revenue it made one year before. The decline was anticipated, though, and CEO Pat Gelsinger indicated satisfaction with the company’s “solid progress” to drive operational efficiency.

The company expects around $13.3 billion in revenue next quarter at the low point, and $14.3 billion at the high point.

You might also like

• Check out the best servers for small businesses
• We’ve rounded up a list of the best processors for your next upgrade
• Intel confirms plans to lay off 15,000 employees following poor 2024 performance

It might be just 5 inches square, but you can still fill it full of performance to meet your needs.

The design remains the same, but you get a new processor and a more generous RAM offering without a price increase. Sadly, Apple is still miserly with the iMac's storage.

They're significantly faster in some ways, and the nano-texture surface option for the screen keeps the M4 MacBook Pro 14 and MacBook Pro 16 as attractive as ever.

These healthy and delicious treats are safe for both you and your pup.

If you're upgrading from an M1 or want the best Mac AI performance, the M4 MacBook Pro is a no-brainer, and so is spending a bit extra for the Nano-texture display.

Formlabs is branching out from its business roots to offer its resin expertise to the masses.

Apple’s basic desktop computer is now a bit smaller and slightly more powerful, but it’s not for everyone.

The M4 Pro CPU pushes the performance envelope. But when the only real competition you have is with yourself, what then?

• The UK Government is introducing an AI safety platform
• It hopes the move could unlock £6.5 billion of growth in the next 10 years
• The Government wants to make the UK a global hub of AI expertise

A new AI safety platform for businesses in the UK has been announced as part of the latest government plan to make the country a hub for technological development.

The platform will provide organisations with tools to develop and use AI safely, hoping to build trust in the technology.

The platform will include guidance and practical resources which will assist businesses with impact assessments and evaluations, as well as reviewing data used in AI systems to identify bias.

A boost for the British market

The AI boom isn’t going anywhere, but a lack of public and business trust in AI products is still a major shortcoming, so the safety framework will look to reassure business leaders by identifying and mitigating the potential risks posed by AI.

The Government has predicted using such tools will help contribute to £6.5 billion in growth by 2035, kickstarting UK tech advancement. The adoption of AI systems in the UK could certainly use a foundation of trust, so the new platform hopes to address uneasiness amongst business leaders.

“AI has incredible potential to improve our public services, boost productivity and rebuild our economy but, in order to take full advantage, we need to build trust in these systems which are increasingly part of our day to day lives,” said Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology.

“The steps I’m announcing today will help to deliver exactly that – giving businesses the support and clarity they need to use AI safely and responsibly while also making the UK a true hub of AI assurance expertise,” he continued.

The government is pushing for technological development across the board, with the designation of data centers as critical infrastructure and the potential for a streamlined process for AI expert’s visa applications all part of a vision for the UK in the global tech world.

You might also like

• Take a look at our pick of the best AI tools around
• EU passes landmark AI act, paving the way for greater AI regulation
• Check out our choices for best free antivirus software

We've rounded up some of the best early holiday offers you can shop right now, including big savings on phones, tablets, smartwatches and accessories.

Mortgage rates have increased rapidly over the past month. Today's Fed rate cut won't be a cure-all.

The Federal Reserve is expected to cut interest rate by 0.25% today. Here's what that means for mortgage rates.

A lot could change in the economy in the next year.

The iPhone’s native note-taking app has leveled up with live audio transcriptions, calculations, and organizational features.