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Full spoilers follow for Captain America: Brave New World.

Captain America: Brave New World has spread its wings in theaters worldwide. The first Marvel movie of 2025 isn't all it's cracked up to be – my Captain America: Brave New World review explains why – but it lays the groundwork for what's to come as the Marvel Multiverse Saga barrels towards its inevitable conclusion.

If you haven't watched the Marvel Phase 5 film yet, I'd suggest bookmarking this page and reading its contents once you have because major spoilers follow for the Anthony Mackie-starring flick. For non spoiler-based coverage, read my review above, or get the lowdown on Sam Wilson's first big-screen outing as Cap 2.0 by way of my Captain America: Brave New World hub.

Captain America: Brave New World ending explained: how does Sam Wilson defeat Red Hulk?

It's words, not actions, that help Sam Wilson to stop Red Hulk (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

With the power of words! Alright, I'm being facetious, but that's how Sam Wilson manages to a) stop Red Hulk – the gamma-irradiated alter-ego of US President Thaddeus 'Thunderbolt' Ross – from rampaging across Washington, DC and b) turning Cap 2.0 into pulp.

Wilson is no super-soldier so, despite his best efforts (and with a Wakanda-made, nanotech-infused super-suit and various gadgets at his disposal), he's no match for Ross' raging superpowered alias. That much is clear with how easily Red Hulk destroys Wilson's Redwing drones, his ability to withstand hits from Cap's vibranium shield, and the effortlessness with which he tears Wilson's costume apart.

But, as Brave New World's director Julius Onah told me ahead of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film's launch, Wilson's superpower is "his empathy and his heart". He was formerly an army veteran counselor, so he knows how to speak to people and engage with them in a caring, considerate manner.

That's exactly what he does in this movie's action-packed finale. Knowing he can't beat Red Hulk in a fist-fight, Wilson talks his foe down by appealing to Ross' parental side and saying he can still have a relationship with estranged daughter Betty if he surrenders. It's... a bit weird that Wilson's first mention of Betty doesn't work before their high-octane battle, but hey, second time's a charm.

Anyway, Ross listens to Wilson, calms down, and reverts back to his human form. After being checked out of hospital, Ross is transferred to The Raft, a high-security underwater prison for superpowered individuals that was first introduced in the MCU in 2016's Captain America: Civil War.

Captain America: Brave New World ending explained: does the titular hero reform The Avengers?

There's no time for Cap 2.0 to rebuild 'Earth's Mightiest Heroes' in this movie (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

No. Despite Ross' initial request for Wilson to help him rebuild The Avengers, events that transpire in Captain America 4 means it doesn't happen.

Well, not yet. In the movie's final scene, Wilson tells Joaquin Torres, who's still in hospital recovering the severe injuries he sustained during the US-Japan conflict around Celestial Island, that he plans on reforming Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Whether he'll has by the time the next Avengers film rolls around (more on this later), though, is unclear.

Captain America: Brave New World ending explained: Bucky Barnes' cameo and setting up Thunderbolts*

Bucky Barnes (center) makes a crowd-pleasing cameo in Captain America 4 (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

There aren't many cameos in Brave New World. In fact, there's only one really big character appearance in the entire film: James Buchanan 'Bucky' Barnes, aka the Winter Soldier. I didn't expect to see him because, well, he's set to star in Thunderbolts*, the final MCU Phase 5 flick that'll release worldwide on May 2.

I was convinced, then, that he'd be too busy dealing with matters in that movie to show up in Captain America 4. Yet, here he is, lending his support to Wilson as Torres undergoes surgery on his aforementioned life-threatening injuries.

So, how does Bucky's appearance set up what's to come in Thunderbolts*? The first and most obvious revelation is that Barnes is jetting off to attend a charity fundraiser after his brief catch-up with Wilson. The first trailer for Thunderbolts* revealed he's on the guestlist for an expensive bash hosted by Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, so his presence at said event is a foregone conclusion.

The other tease is something I didn't expect to learn now. As Barnes leaves, Ross' security advisor Ruth Bat-Seraph arrives with a coffee for Wilson. As she passes Barnes, she does a double-take before asking Wilson if she just saw "future Congressman" James Barnes. Marvel's newest trailer for Thunderbolts* shows a dapper-looking Bucky sitting in on a US Senate hearing, but there's been no confirmation (until now, anyway) that he's become a government official following events in Falcon and the Winter Soldier (FATWS). Regardless, other public footage of Thunderbolts* confirms he won't spend the entire film engaging in congressional debates – indeed, he'll be getting his hands dirty again as he leads a ragtag band of anti-heroes against another potentially world-ending threat.

Captain America: Brave New World ending explained: erm, where's Bruce Banner/The Hulk?

Why isn't Mark Ruffalo's Smart Hulk in Captain America 4? (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Brave New World is a sequel to 2008's The Incredible Hulk in all but name, so you might have expected a certain lean, mean, green machine to join Barnes on the cameo list. However, Bruce Banner and his superpowered alter-ego (i.e. The Hulk) don't show up – and I'm sure you're wondering why.

The honest answer is: I don't know. The last time we saw Banner was in 2023's She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. The Disney Plus show's final episode revealed Banner – or, rather, Smart Hulk, who's essentially the result of Banner merging his personality and mind with Hulk's body – had a son named Skaar. It's likely, then, that he's spent the past two years getting to know his first-born.

Handy though Smart Hulk would've been in Cap's climactic showdown with Red Hulk, his possible appearance would've overshadowed Wilson in his own movie. For that reason alone, it's not a huge shock that Smart Hulk wasn't called upon by his fellow hero, though I suspect he would've been drafted in if Wilson had failed to stop Red Hulk.

Captain America: Brave New World ending explained: is there a mid-credits scene?

Everyone standing near the theater's nearest exit door to watch each Marvel movie's mid- and post-credits scenes like... (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Nope. The fourth film in the Captain America movie series doesn't have a mid-credits scene.

Captain America: Brave New World ending explained: okay, what about a post-credits scene?

Sneaking back into your screening after you forgot to wait around for end credits stingers like... (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Thankfully, one of 2025's many new movies does have an end credits stinger, so there is a reason to stay until the end (you should do anyway to appreciate those who worked on this movie, FYI).

In it, Wilson return to The Raft to visit the incarcerated Samuel Sterns. The latter was arrested in Cap 4's third act for brainwashing countless Americans and effectively sending them to their deaths as his pawns in this grand game he's been playing from the shadows. Oh, he was also apprehended for escaping his secret lab at Camp Echo One and turning Thaddeus Ross into Red Hulk.

But I digress. After a bit of back and forth between Wilson and Sterns, the latter goads Wilson by telling him he's not ready for what's to come. Indeed, Sterns says he's crunched the numbers and determined that something big is going to happen. The conversation ends with Sterns informing Wilson that 'The Others' are on their way, with the screen cutting to black a few seconds later.

Captain America: Brave New World ending explained: who or what are 'The Others' that Samuel Sterns mentions?

Will we see more than one Captain America in either or both of the next Avengers movies? (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

The most obvious answer is that it's to do with the multiverse. Marvel's Multiverse Saga, which began with Phase 4 and ends with Marvel Phase 6, has periodically shown us that there's an infinite number of universes that exist parallel to the MCU, which has been designated Earth-616 (or Earth-199999, if you listen to Miguel O'Hara in Sony's animated film Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse).

Sorry, I'm getting off-track again! It's incredibly likely, then, that 'The Others' is referring these other universes. We know that the Multiverse Saga is going to end with an Endgame-sized event that'll take place across Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, which will presumably bring this Saga's overarching narrative to a close. The latter film's subtitle is also a clear reference to the two 'Secret Wars' comic book series that Marvel has made, too. Each series' storyline resulted in the collapse of the multiverse and the remaining fragments of these realities coalescing together to form a single planet known as Battleworld. I'd be amazed, then, if Avengers: Secret Wars doesn't incorporate this plot element into its narrative. By the way, you can read both 'Secret Wars' literary series, plus over 30,000 other comics, via the Marvel Unlimited app, which you can sign up to using the link and 50% off code below.

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Anyway, Sterns' forewarning suggests that the arrival of 'The Others' will create numerous Incursions (essentially, the collision of two universes that destroys one or both entirely) and lead to Battleworld's creation. Wilson was almost ill-equipped to deal with Red Hulk in this movie, so he definitely won't be ready for, as Sterns elegantly put it, "what comes next".

The other possibility is 'The Others' refers to every other universe's Sam Wilson/Captain America, who may be far better and/or more powerful and/or potentially evil versions of Mackie's character. Doomsday and Secret Wars are going to over-stuffed with heroes and villains as it is, though, so introducing numerous multiversal variants of each character would be overkill, in my view. I predict that 'The Others', then, is referring to the MCU's universal siblings.

Captain America: Brave New World ending explained: how does it set up The Fantastic Four: First Steps or Avengers: Doomsday?

Brave New World doesn't pave the way for events to come in The Fantastic Four's first MCU outing (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Sterns' ominous reference aside, Brave New World doesn't set events in motion for either of these films.

For one, The Fantastic Four: First Steps is set in an alternate universe to the MCU. That's been made clear in The Fantastic Four: First Steps' teaser trailer, First Steps' first poster, and a Marvel.com article that teased some key story details about The Fantastic Four's next big-screen outing. Captain America 4, then, has no business establishing what will play out in a completely different reality to the one it takes place in.

It's a similar situation for Avengers 5, aka Avengers: Doomsday. It's no secret that Robert Downey Jr is returning to the MCU to play The Fantastic Four's legendary villain Doctor Victor von Doom, and that he'll be the primary antagonist of the next two Avengers films. He seems nailed on to appear in First Steps in a cameo role or a post-credits scene ahead of his official MCU debut in Doomsday, which makes far more sense from a narrative set-up perspective. it would've been incredibly strange, then, if Doom had shown up in Cap 4 or if there had been any references to him in Brave New World.

For more Marvel coverage, read my guides on how to watch the Marvel movies in order, Daredevil: Born Again, and the best Marvel movies.

• A new rumor suggests the iPhone 17 Pro could have a very different design to what most leaks so far have suggested
• However, the source has a mixed track record, and we're not convinced
• We've also heard again that the iPhone 17 Pro Max might have a smaller Dynamic Island than its predecessor

One thing most iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max leaks seem to be in agreement on is that the design will be changing, with several sources suggesting the phone will have a Pixel-like camera bar and a two-tone rear. Now though, another possible design has emerged.

In his Front Page Tech YouTube show, Jon Prosser, a leaker with a mixed track record, has shown off a strange-looking iPhone 17 Pro camera layout, with the lenses arranged in the same triangular pattern, as on the iPhone 16 Pro, but they’re housed in a large black camera island, with empty space in the middle and the flash off to the right. You can see how this looks below.

It’s an odd, arguably ugly design, and one that doesn’t quite match with previous iPhone 17 series design leaks, though there are some similarities. Both this and earlier leaks showed a camera bar running the full width of the phone, but the bar was much narrower in earlier leaks, meaning the lenses would have had to run horizontally along it.

(Image credit: Front Page Tech / @asherdipps‬)

We’d say the earlier leaks look better, but as Prosser notes in the video, they come with a problem, in that having lenses arranged horizontally along the bar could get in the way of the phone’s Face ID components. So he believes that for Apple to have a horizontal camera bar, either it would have to be housed further down the back of the phone, or be more like the one he’s showing here.

According to Prosser’s sources, it’s this latter design that Apple is actually using, but despite Prosser’s claims we’d take this with a serious side of salt. As mentioned, Prosser has a mixed track record for leaks, and this design looks like an earlier sketch that was shared by Majin Bu – another leaker with a mixed track record – and which Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who has a much better hit rate for breaking Apple news, claims is “fake.”

The “iPhone 17 Pro” renders on YouTube tonight appear to be based on this fake late January sketch. https://t.co/NpMBlfnHZYFebruary 14, 2025

Further complicating things is the fact that Apple may well have prototypes in multiple designs, so it’s not impossible that all of these leaks are correct, in so much as Apple might be testing these ideas, but which if any of them will be used for the final iPhone 17 Pro design remains to be seen.

For now, we’re skeptical of Prosser’s claims since they are at odds with most sources, but it’s not impossible that this is what we’ll see, and it would at least leave it looking less like a Google Pixel.

Changes up front too

And while it’s mostly the back of the iPhone 17 Pro – and likely also the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Max – that will probably be changing, there may be some changes to the front of the iPhone 17 Pro Max as well, with leaker Digital Chat Station (via GSMArena) claiming that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will have a smaller Dynamic Island than its predecessor.

This will apparently be achieved by reducing the size of the components, and it’s not the first time we’ve heard that a smaller Dynamic Island might be planned – though not all sources agree that the Dynamic Island will be smaller, so this too we’d take with a pinch of salt.

Interestingly though, Digital Chat Station added that the same smaller Dynamic Island design will also be used with the foldable iPad when Apple launches one, and with a future iPad Pro model. So Apple could be changing the designs of quite a few of its products.

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• The UK's AI Safety Institute is now the AI Security Institute
• The renaming represents a shift towards cybersecurity
• Anthropic has also partnered with the Government

The new Labour Government has gone all in on AI since taking power in 2024, and was supported by the UK’s AI Safety Institute (AISI) - but not for much longer. The institution will remain, but the government has announced that this will now be renamed to UK AI Security Institute - signalling a definite shift towards cybersecurity.

But what’s the difference? Well security is focused on defending against things like cyberattacks, and mitigating security risks including how the technology can be leveraged against national security or can enable crimes such as fraud or developing chemical weapons.

Safety has a slightly wider scope - also aimed at mitigating the risks of cyberattacks, but going further to protect against misinformation spread by chatbots, and aims to assess the societal impacts of AI models, rather than just the immediate cybersecurity threats.

New partnerships

The UK’s widely publicised Plan for Change, released in January 2025, leant heavily on AI, introducing ‘Growth Zones’, handing public data over to train models, and aiming to see AI ‘mainlined into the veins’ of public services - but not once did the document mention the words ‘harm’, ‘safety’, or ‘threat’, TechCrunch noted.

Despite these omissions, the work of the AI Security Institute is still the same, says Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, Peter Kyle;

“The work of the AI Security Institute won’t change, but this renewed focus will ensure our citizens – and those of our allies - are protected from those who would look to use AI against our institutions, democratic values, and way of life.”

As part of the new plan, the government has agreed to a new partnership with AI firm Anthropic, working to ‘realise the technology’s opportunities, with a continued focus on the responsible development and deployment of AI systems.’ This will include ‘insights’ on how AI can ‘transform public services and improve the lives of citizens’, as well as drive scientific development.

This is part of the UK’s ambition to attract tech investments from around the world - trying to foster an environment perfect for AI innovation, seemingly free of safety regulations.

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• The PS5 just had its best financial quarter results ever
• The console shipped a staggering 9.5 million units in Q3 FY24
• Monthly active users also saw a healthy uptick in the same period

It seems that folks are still plenty eager to add a PlayStation 5 console to their gaming setups, as the system has just enjoyed its best financial quarter on record.

This is per financial results recently published by Sony for its Q3 FY24. Page 10 of the report shows that the company shifted 9.5 million PS5 consoles during this financial quarter. While that's an astronomical jump from Q1 (2.8 million) and Q2 (3.8 million) these Q3 numbers were most likely bolstered by the release of the PS5 Pro.

This brings the total number of PS5 consoles shipped to around 15.7 million for this financial year so far. Last financial year, Sony shipped a total of 20.8 million PS5 units, and with a quarter left to go for this financial year, the console could well be on track to beating that, too.

This brings the PS5's lifetime sales so far up to 75 million which, per GameSpot, is just shy of the 76.5 million PlayStation 4 consoles shipped over the same amount of time. In that case, it should be stressed that the PS4 Pro launched earlier in that generation than the PS5 Pro did in this one. PS4 family units were also cheaper than their PS5 counterparts.

Another highlight from the financial report show that there has also been a decent uptick in monthly active users. Q3 FY24 peaked at 129 million monthly active users compared to the previous year's 123 million from the same quarter. You could likely look at the success of live service titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Helldivers 2 for getting a few million extra folks to log on each month.

Sony has two high-profile exclusive games launching this year in Ghost of Yōtei and Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, though as both currently lack a release date beyond a vague '2025' window and it's unclear whether or not they'll land in Q4 FY24.

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• Gen research claims malicious apps on major app stores are on the rise
• New banking trojans, predatory loan apps, and similar, have been spotted
• Official app stores are still a safer bet than third-party ones

App stores are becoming an increasingly major security concern, as more and more malicious apps are discovered in stores owned by major brands, experts have warned.

A new report from cybersecurity researchers Gen claims it observed new mobile bankers (phone applications designed to steal banking information) launched in the fourth quarter of 2024, often disguising themselves as Visa apps, dating apps, or Chrome browsers. Gen added that the well-known BankBot banker compromised 236% more devices compared to the previous quarter.

Besides banker apps, malicious loan apps surged as well, the researchers said. These promise quick money, but demand excessive permissions (SMS, photos, sensitive data) which they later use in extortion, threatening to publish victim data unless they pay up.

Generally safe

Gen also noted cybercriminals are adopting novel distribution tactics in app stores. Recently, they discovered a new malware strain disguised as a Body Mass Index (BMI) calculator. The app was spread through the Amazon App Store.

Major app stores like the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and Samsung Galaxy Store are generally safe because these companies invest heavily in security measures to protect users. They use automated malware detection, manual app reviews, and strict developer policies to prevent harmful apps from reaching their customers.

Features like Google Play Protect scan apps in real-time, while Apple’s notarization process ensures apps are vetted before approval. Regular security updates, user reporting systems, and app removal policies further enhance safety.

Obviously, no platform is completely risk-free. We’ve seen malicious apps make their way into these stores in the past, and we’ll probably see them in the future, as well. However, these app stores provide a significantly safer environment than third-party or unofficial sources.

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• Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles has suddenly shut down on iOS
• Square Enix says the problem lies with an unsolvable in-app purchase bug
• The specific problem has been speculated on by users

There’s been some surprising news in the world of Final Fantasy, as the game’s developer Square Enix recently shut down Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles on iOS without a warning. The move only struck the game on iOS, with other platforms being unaffected, leaving iOS users wondering what on earth had happened.

According to Square Enix, the issue centered on in-app purchases within the game. In particular, a blog post by the company revealed that “we have been receiving reports of customers unable to access the additional content they purchased for the iOS version of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles.” This problem affects the full, paid version of the game too.

Unfortunately, Square Enix has taken the drastic step of shutting down the game on iOS entirely. The developer said that “Further investigation revealed that we are unable to completely fix the bug and implement the new changes, making it unlikely to resume service for the game.”

Square Enix believes the problem lies with “changes made to the in-app purchases model.” While this seems a little vague, some have speculated that the decision could be due to a recent change to Apple's in-app purchase verification. If true, this could be what has caused the disruption to Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles – although it’s not clear why Square Enix couldn’t update the game to be compliant.

How to get a refund

(Image credit: Square Enix)

If you’ve bought in-app purchases in Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles on iOS and have been affected by this bug, Square Enix has laid out the steps you can take to get a refund.

To be eligible, you need to have made an in-app purchase in the game in January 2024 or later. The list of affected items includes the full version unlock, the Magic Wallet, the Memory Crystal Pack, and more. The full list can be found in Square Enix’s blog post.

To get your money back, Square Enix advises you to contact Apple Support and request a refund from them. Square Enix’s support team will be available to help until August 31, 2025.

It’s unfortunate to see the game be completely pulled from the App Store. While we would hope that Square Enix is able to find a fix, judging by the company’s own words, it doesn’t sound like that’s going to happen.

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• Google Gemini can now remember previous conversations
• The memory functionality is rolling out now to Google One AI Premium subscribers
• ChatGPT has had similar functionality for a year, and it's one of the best features of any AI chatbot

Google has just added an upgraded memory feature to Gemini that allows you to ask the AI chatbot questions based on past conversations.

The new "recall" feature is rolling out to all users who subscribe to Google One AI Premium, a paid monthly subscription that grants access to Gemini's best features. With recall, you'll be able to ask Gemini about previous conversations and pick up from where you left off, allowing the AI to feel more alive and aware of your history. Previously, Gemini had no recollection of previous chats, so you'd have to remind it of important details.

This huge upgrade to Google Gemini brings the AI chatbot up-to-speed with competitor ChatGPT, which has had a well-functioning memory feature for over a year now. The difference is, ChatGPT's offering is available for free and doesn't require a monthly subscription to access its functionality. That said, Google could be testing the recall feature before rolling it out to free Gemini users, although currently, we've had no information of that happening.

This new update comes off the back of Gemini's November update that added the ability for the chatbot to remember certain things about you based on your interests and personal preferences. Unlike this new update, you'd have to go to Gemini's "Saved Info" tab and pre-fill information for the AI to reference in conversations.

When ChatGPT introduced memory last year it completely changed the way I interacted with AI, allowing me to speak naturally with the chatbot and spot nuances where it was able to reference the past in very useful ways. Until now, I've been put off from using Gemini because of its lack of memory, but that's all changed. Gemini's recall feature is rolling out in English to Gemini One AI Premium users now (although I don't have access yet), and Google says the update will be available for other languages in the coming weeks.

The context we needed

Gemini's ability to remember previous conversations gives Google's AI chatbot a whole new level of usefulness. In the past, I've been frustrated by Gemini's lack of context to my prompts when I've asked similar questions in old chats. This was never an issue if you used one single chat with Gemini, but considering the range of models from Gemini 2.0 Flash to Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking Experimental, I can quickly rack up multiple discussions at once.

Now, Gemini will be able to take information from all of my chats and have the personal context to reference them in any way I need. Things like "Remember that time I talked to you about train travel? What was the route you told me to take?" can now be used in Gemini, and that's a huge step in making AI more conversational and more accessible.

Talking about accessibility, hopefully, Google plans to roll out this memory feature to free users, as I truly believe a memory function is one of the most important features for any AI chatbot. Until then, I'll still recommend ChatGPT to my friends and family, after all, OpenAI's model has the memory ofan elephant, and without paying for it.

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• Sophos has laid off 6% of its workers to align the two businesses
• It’s also blaming an evolving cybersecurity landscape
• Both are privately owned, marking a major shift

Just over a week after it officially completed its acquisition of Secureworks in a deal worth $859 million, Sophos has laid off around 6% of its workers.

The post-merger layoffs are a result of Secureworks no longer being a public company, with some further jobs also cut to prevent certain overlaps between the two entities.

Given that Sophos is estimated to have had around 4,500-5,000 workers (per The Register), the 6% headcount reduction could equate to around 300 positions.

Sophos lays of 6% of workers

Besides the effects of the merger, a company spokesperson also revealed that an evolving cybersecurity landscape was to blame for some job losses: “In addition to aligning our business goals, changes in the cyberattack landscape are driving an urgent shift in security needs.

“With persistent increases in both targeted and opportunistic cyberattacks, organizations of any type and size are now battling both everyday cybercrime, such as identity theft, data theft and ransomware, and state sponsored attacks, which used to be more focused on specific enterprise or public sector targets.”

It’s not the first time the company has laid off workers – widespread pandemic-induced tech layoffs in 2023 saw Sophos say goodbye to 10%, or 450, or its workers in the first month (via layoffs.fyi).

The Register reports that, in this year’s layoffs, workers lost their jobs from both Sophos and Secureworks, and that they were handled “as well as is possible.” No details have been shared regarding redundancy packages.

Secureworks’ most recent full-quarter revenue stood at $288.8 million, up 4% year-over-year, with CEO Wendy Thomas revealing a 30% rise in ransomware groups compared with the year before.

Now that it’s private, we’ll have no concrete idea as to the company’s performance, much like that of Sophos, which was snapped up by private equity firm Thoma Bravo in 2020 for $3.9 billion. Cybersecurity giant McAfee was also acquired by Thoma Bravo in 2021 for $14 billion – the private equity firm’s cybersecurity portfolio is now worth $54 billion.

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The recently launched UK government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan highlights the immense scope of AI to impact business, society and individuals in the coming years, and the need to move quickly to take advantage of the technology. Looking at UK organizations' cloud strategies for the next 18 months, preparing for AI adoption was cited as a priority for 88% of IT manager respondents.

For organizations that want to keep up with any technological innovations, flexibility and agility are essential. This is no different with AI. Although this technology is sometimes described in almost mystical terms, it is better to treat it ‘simply’ as a new application. And like any modern and complex application, AI requires an open, vendor-agnostic, and hybrid-agnostic IT infrastructure.

Hybrid cloud for flexible AI use

AI tools are, of course, anything but ‘simple’. They are very complex and involve large datasets and advanced algorithms for which a traditional IT infrastructure is not suitable. An on-premises or private cloud environment can quickly become costly due to the necessary hardware investments, while a single public cloud comes with flexibility challenges. An additional consideration is whether organizations want to store all their data in the public cloud.

These challenges and risks can be better managed in a hybrid environment. ‘Hybrid’ does not only mean using a private and public cloud side by side. A hybrid cloud environment means that the different clouds are aligned and integrated within one flexible infrastructure. This orchestration is the key to uniting the benefits of on-premises, private cloud, and public cloud.

A similar hybrid cloud approach offers several advantages for AI use. First, it provides much-needed flexibility: companies can choose the best environment for each AI workload, optimizing performance, cost, and security based on specific requirements. Second, it supports scalability. An open hybrid cloud platform can be more easily scaled in response to growing AI demands, allowing companies to continue innovating without infrastructure constraints. Third, it optimizes costs. By leveraging both private and public cloud resources, companies can better optimize their cloud computing costs.

An open infrastructure for trust in AI

Trust plays a special role in the use of AI. Whether due to a lack of knowledge about how AI models work or the many headlines about hallucinations and data leaks – more than any other application, you must lay a foundation of trust to move AI applications out of the experimental phase and into production.

The solution to trust issues around AI starts with a secured and reliable AI production chain, a transparent path from idea to production, with automation where possible. Automation is important to streamline the development process and prevent human errors. Additionally, transparency and explainability in AI algorithms are important, so organizations can better understand how AI-driven decisions come about. Organizations can then build upon this with certain open source tools like InstructLab, which allow developers not only to gain insights but also to directly contribute to models with skills and knowledge without requiring specific data science expertise.

Small language models (SLMs) also play a role here. They are trained on smaller data sets, typically tailored to specific industry domains, and can enable developers to get started with AI on their laptops, removing the need to risk using unsafe or uncurated data.

Keep your options open

As AI development accelerates, companies will need to pursue flexibility and openness. This means organizations must keep their options open regarding infrastructure. A consistent platform layer that supports the use of open standards and interoperable systems from multiple vendors makes it easier for companies to switch to new tools and technologies without compromising on innovation speed.

We've compiled a list of the best cloud storage.

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

Captain America: Brave New World has landed in theaters worldwide and I bet you're already wondering when it might debut on Disney Plus. Indeed, Marvel's latest movie has just taken flight in cinemas as of today (February 14), but, if you're not planning to watch it on the biggest screen possible, you'll want to know when it could come to Disney's primary streaming service.

Right now, I can't tell you when it'll be released on one of the world's best streaming services. However, I can use some of its predecessors' Disney Plus launch dates to predict its arrival. Before you continue scrolling, though, read my Captain America: Brave New World review to see if it's worth watching, plus my Captain America: Brave New World hub and Captain America 4 cast and character guide for details on its cast, story, trailers, and more.

When do we think Captain America 4 will debut on Disney Plus?

You won't like us when we're angry, Marvel – especially if a streaming launch date isn't revealed soon (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

As expected, Captain America 4 doesn't have a confirmed Disney Plus release date yet. It's just launched in theaters globally, so it'll be a while before it's available to watch at home. That won't stop me from guessing when it'll join its Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) siblings on the platform, though.

By and large, Marvel movies tend to join Disney Plus' film library three to four months after their initial theatrical launch. For example, Deadpool and Wolverine was released on the service on November 12, 2024. Given it landed in cinemas on July 25 of that year, that means 110 days passed between those two dates. Other recent Marvel films, including The Marvels and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, assembled on Disney Plus within a similar timeframe.

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I'm confident, then, that Cap's next adventure will be added to the streamer's back catalog around 100 days after its February 14 theatrical debut. If I'm right, the superhero movie should land on the platform in late May or early June.

That said, not every MCU film has followed the same release schedule format. Doctor Strange 2 joined Disney Plus just six weeks after it arrived in cinemas. Meanwhile, Black Widow earned a day-and-date release – essentially, it launched simultaneously in theaters and on the streaming giant – in mid-2021 due to the pandemic. It's possible that Brave New World could arrive sooner or later than I've predicted. I suspect, though, that its Disney Plus release will depend on how popular it proves to be among cinemagoers (and how much money it'll make) in its first few weeks on the silver screen.

What is Captain America: Brave New World's runtime?

Me and who running to our local theater to watch Captain America 4 (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Captain America: Brave New World is one of the shortest MCU movies ever. It clocks in at a zippy 1 hour 58 minutes. That includes the fourth Captain America film's end credits sequence and its mid- and post-credits scenes. Speaking of which...

How does Captain America: Brave New World set up future Marvel movies and TV shows?

Does Sam Wilson's first big-screen outing as Captain America set up any plot threads for Avengers 5? (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

To answer that, allow me to direct you to my Captain America: Brave New World ending explained piece. In it, you'll find out how the Marvel Phase 5 movie ends, and whether its mid- and/or post-credits stingers lay the foundations for what's to come in future MCU projects, including Avengers: Doomsday, which will arrive in theaters in May 2026.

Do I need a Disney Plus account to watch Captain America: Brave New World?

Brave New World is the 35th movie that Marvel Studios has made (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Yes. You'll need to sign up to Disney Plus to watch Captain America 4 when it's eventually released on the service. Our Disney Plus price guide is full of information on how to sign up and which tier is best for you.

When you sign up, you'll gain access to the best Disney Plus shows and best Disney Plus movies around. Some of the best Marvel movies of all time appear on the latter list, including two of Chris Evans' three Captain America flicks. For more details on those films and the MCU as a whole, be sure to read my guide on how to watch the Marvel movies in order.

For more Marvel coverage, read my guides on forthcoming films and series including Daredevil: Born Again, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and Spider-Man 4.

The launch of the AI Opportunities Action Plan shows the UK’s commitment to making AI work for everyone. Powering the tools we use to communicate, the platforms that help us collaborate, and the systems driving vital business decisions, AI’s ability to transform productivity and simplify operations is both significant and proven. Yet, this impact isn’t always felt across the board. For many organizations and individuals, the way AI is being implemented means it often falls short and sometimes outright misses the impact it promises to deliver.

In the push to adopt AI, businesses have often focused on adding tools rather than integrating them. The result is disconnected systems that create unnecessary friction. While 96% of C-Suite executives believe AI drives productivity, 77% of employees find it complicates workflows, only making work harder and falling short of expectations. Too often, AI is treated as an isolated feature or add-on, operating independently of the workflows it’s meant to improve.

The real opportunity lies in rethinking how AI is implemented. In 2025, “productized AI” will take on a defining role in how businesses make the most of this technology – embedding intelligence directly into workflows, systems, and platforms so it operates in alignment with how people already work. It’s not about pre-built or one-size-fits-all solutions – it’s about delivering AI that feels natural, efficient, and fully integrated into everyday processes.

“AI overload” is the new “tool sprawl”

New AI tools are emerging rapidly, offering exciting new ways to rethink how we work. From scheduling meetings and assisting in hiring decisions to analysing datasets and predicting customer behavior, they show just how deeply AI is embedding itself into the workplace. However, simply having the tools in place isn't always enough to drive real change.

We've seen this before with “tool sprawl” – when disconnected technologies pile up across organizations, often doing more to confuse than help. “AI overload” is the next phase of this, where businesses are stacking up AI tools without fully considering how they’ll work together. While more than 80% of businesses now rely on AI as a core part of their operations, only 35% have integrated tools across multiple departments.

The challenge of “AI overload” is both operational and cultural. Employees are left switching between platforms, reconciling data from multiple systems, and navigating interfaces that don’t communicate with each other. Take a marketing team juggling several AI-driven tools: one for customer segmentation, another for campaign automation, and a third for analytics. Each tool performs a specific function, but they often don’t connect, wasting time and increasing the risk of error. This fragmentation stops AI from learning and improving, as it misses the chance to connect the dots and build a complete picture of the customer journey.

As a result, productivity slips, costs creep up, and employees grow frustrated with tools that feel more like obstacles than enablers. Over time, this can break down trust – not just in the tools, but in the broader promise of AI.

What is “productized AI”?

As we know, people adopt products, not technology. To make technology accessible, it must be delivered in a format that feels intuitive and easy to use. When it comes to AI, the key is to embed this new technology into tools and systems that people are already comfortable with. This is what we mean by “productized AI” – it’s about enhancing productivity seamlessly, without forcing teams to switch platforms or learn complicated new processes.

For IT teams, this means prioritizing AI tools with greater interoperability – those designed to complement, rather than compete with, existing systems. This ensures AI’s potential is fully realized without creating additional silos or complexities.

Take project management as an example. Rather than operating as a separate tool, AI can work within current project management platforms to not only flag delays or track deadlines but actively resolve issues. By reallocating resources, automating updates, and suggesting actionable next steps, AI becomes an active participant in workflows, not just an observer.

This approach brings key advantages: contextual intelligence, where AI understands the environment and tailors its recommendations to fit the organization's processes; simplicity, by eliminating the need for yet another tool; and scalability, with AI evolving alongside workflows to stay relevant over time. This is particularly critical as businesses face increasing pressure to do more with less. With stretched teams, tight budgets, and rising expectations, “productized AI” offers a practical solution, providing the efficiency and agility organizations need to compete.

Measuring AI success in real terms

The effectiveness of AI integration and its real-world success ultimately come down to one key factor: measurable impact, not features or algorithms. Does it save time? Reduce manual effort? Make work easier and more intuitive? The conversation needs to shift to how well AI supports people in their work, not how impressive its technical capabilities seem on paper. With 85% of data, analytics, and IT leaders under pressure to quantify the ROI of generative AI, the focus is firmly on proving the measurable value of these investments.

Measuring these outcomes requires a clear, structured framework. Start by defining specific objectives: Which processes is AI optimizing? You can then identify metrics that reflect meaningful impact, such as improvements in efficiency or reductions in errors. Evaluate how AI tools interact with each other across workflows. Are they creating a joined-up experience, or are they introducing friction by operating in isolation? And finally, track these metrics over time to ensure the entire AI ecosystem remains effective and adapts to evolving needs.

The future of AI lies in how well it integrates, adapts, and enhances the way we already work. When AI feels less like a tool and more like a natural extension of the workplace, that’s when its true value will be realized.

We've compiled a list of the best free project management software.

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

• Microsoft’s Copilot Voice has been upgraded with 40 new languages
• The AI has also improved its real-time responses
• Microsoft wants to encourage people to engage with Copilot in their everyday lives

Microsoft Copilot Voice has become a lot more cosmopolitan. The AI assistant has added support for 40 new languages and improved its real-time responses in a bid to make conversations feel more natural and comfortable for users.

Copilot Voice debuted in October, adding a vocal component to the AI, but with more power than the previous standard form of voice assistant. It can handle multi-turn conversations, recognize interruptions, and even adjust its tone based on emotional cues. It’s also free, which is a pretty big selling point in a world where AI subscriptions are becoming the norm. OpenAI has Advanced Voice Mode for ChatGPT, while Google’s Gemini Live offers its vocal interface.

The expanded language support is a big deal, especially for users outside of English-speaking markets. Whether you’re switching between languages or simply want an assistant who understands your native tongue better, this is a welcome change. This also points to Microsoft's strategy for making Copilot more of an international AI assistant through the Voice feature.

Speedy speech

You've got a lot *in* your hands, so let me help! Just get real-time updates with Copilot Voice pic.twitter.com/lF8B8UkQYJFebruary 13, 2025

Another key improvement is in real-time information retrieval. Voice assistants have always had a slight lag when pulling information from the web, often leaving users waiting while the AI “thinks.” With this update, Copilot Voice is now much faster and more responsive when answering questions, making interactions feel smoother and more natural. No more awkward pauses while you wait for an answer to a simple question.

The update also highlights Microsoft's efforts to enhance Copilot's place as a digital assistant, not just a glorified search engine. Copilot Voice might succeed after the failure of Cortana as Microsoft's AI voice assistant. The gap between what people expect from an AI assistant and what they actually get is closing, and voice AI tools will likely be a major facet.

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• AI features on the 2024 Kindle Scribe were only available to US customers
• Latest firmware with AI features is now rolling out to users in the UK, Canada and Australia
• These features are now also available on the 2022 Kindle Scribe

When the Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) was released in December last year, I was rather miffed that the promised AI features weren't part of the package for users outside of the US. At the time, Amazon had no comment to make as to when the AI Summary and handwriting recognition features would be rolled out more widely, but that's now happened.

The latest firmware update (version 5.17.3) is now available to download on both the 2024 and 2022 Kindle Scribe models in the US, UK, Canada and Australia, meaning even the older model is now a far better note-taking device than before.

I've checked both the 2022 and 2024 models that I have but, at the time of publication, neither had the latest firmware available for download. However, Amazon has already listed it on its Help and Customer Service page in Australia where I am based, so it's only a matter of time before it gets pushed out to the devices itself. You can, of course, download the software package from the Amazon site in your region if you don't want to wait, but you will need to use the Send To Kindle service or email it to your Kindle to update your device.

Once installed, you should be able to see a star-like icon in your notebooks. Tapping this will give you two options: to 'Summarize' a note or to 'Refine writing'.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar) Read on, there's more

This firmware update also includes a new feature called Side Panel Margin. As the name suggests, this adds a side panel where you can write notes when you're reading an ebook. This feature is also part of the latest firmware rolling out to more users outside the US and is available for both the Scribe models.

The side panel feature is in addition to Active Canvas, which only adds a box for your handwritten note while also reformatting the page. The side panel is quite literally that: a full-length panel for your thoughts, with the ability to alter the width as much as you like.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar) A better note-taking tablet

This new update means the Kindle Scribe is now a far better e-paper tablet than it was, especially the 2022 original model. The promised rollout of the AI features brings the older Scribe on par with its successor and, given it's now cheaper to buy, it represents better value. I'm still partial to Kobo's Advanced Notebooks though, but I'm thrilled to see Amazon making an effort to make the Scribes more competitive.

The only bone I have to pick with Amazon now – only because I'm Aussie – is that none of the new Kindles now have Audible support Down Under. How about it then, Amazon?

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• Find more ereader options in my dedicated best ereader list
• Not interested in the Scribe? Take a look what what I think is the best Kindle right now
• Find out more about the Kindle Scribe's Active Canvas feature
• Need more writing e-paper tablet options? Check out my Onyx Boox Go 10.3 review or my Kobo Elipsa 2E review

Like many others, I was an early adopter of ChatGPT and enjoyed exploring what it could do. When OpenAI debuted the ChatGPT Plus subscription, I was skeptical about whether I needed the greater access and additional features it promised. However, as the subscription option arrived, many of us using the free version started to encounter slower responses, unexpected usage caps, and other frustrations.

This was likely just because of the growing popularity of ChatGPT, though when particularly annoyed, I did speculate about a dark conspiracy. Either way, $20 a month started to seem reasonable, especially since testing out new ChatGPT features has been a professional need as much as something I personally want to do. I hesitated for a little while. If I had a dollar for every time I almost upgraded, I’d have had enough to pay for ChatGPT Plus for several years. Still, within a few weeks, I clicked on upgrade, and I can say I haven't regretted it at all.

Plus access

Since signing up, I've employed ChatGPT Plus, and its benefits have been extensive in my personal life. I can use it to come up with dinner ideas, entertain children, make New Year's Resolutions, and perform many other tasks. A lot of those would be more difficult or impossible without ChatGPT Plus.

When you sign up, the first and most obvious difference you'll note is that you have access to the ChatGPT models in beta. Currently, the default model is GPT-4o, but with a subscription, you can try the logic-heavy o1 model, the o3-mini model, which is even faster at advanced logic and reasoning, and the o3-mini-high model, which goes even further. I can always tell, even without looking, when a response uses the ChatGPT Plus-only models. The responses are sharper and more insightful, and they often feel like they have been run through an actual human editor.

If I stick to GPT-4o, I still benefit from subscribing to ChatGPT Plus. Those dreaded message limits disappear, which, if you’ve ever had ChatGPT cut you off just when a conversation was getting interesting, is very frustrating. If you hit the limit, the free tier sends you down to the GPT-4o-mini model. That model is fine, but it feels threadbare compared to the richer experience of GPT-4o. Similarly, the limits on uploading files and making and analyzing images also disappear when you subscribe. You might still hit a cap, but you'd have to really work at it.

Plus features

There are also options for GPT-4o exclusive to ChatGPT Plus. You can converse with ChatGPT in both standard and advanced voice modes. You can also play with customizing ChatGPT's abilities by making custom GPTs. The Tasks feature for ChatGPT that lets you schedule out missions for the AI in the future is also only available if you have a subscription to ChatGPT Plus, as it's currently in beta testing.

There is a laundry list of other ChatGPT features that were on the same list but have since migrated to the free tier. ChatGPT Plus subscribers were once the only ones able to use the editable Canvas page, the latest DALL-E image-making model, the web browsing function, and several other tools. Even the GPT-4o-mini model is a huge step up from earlier free-tier models, closing the quality gap significantly.

A fair argument against ChatGPT Plus is that those exclusive perks don't stay exclusive. So, if you’re the type of person who likes waiting for features to trickle down, maybe Plus isn’t necessary. But if you’re someone who wants to be that early adopter and play with the latest models and features immediately, then the subscription still holds a lot of value. It’s not just about what features exist; it's about when you get them and how smoothly they work.

Plus more

If you’re a casual user who just wants ChatGPT for quick questions, occasional brainstorming, or settling silly debates (like whether pineapple belongs on pizza), you’re probably fine sticking with the free tier. It’s gotten much better over time, and OpenAI keeps pushing updates that make it a pretty robust option.

But if you rely on ChatGPT every day for any number of projects at work or home, I'd say that ChatGPT Plus is absolutely worth it. The speed, model quality, unlimited access, and extra tools make a noticeable difference.

When I want a cute image to go with a hand-written greeting card, I don't want to worry about hitting a cap on DALL-E use. And if I want to know if the confusing array of parking signs beside my car say my car won't be towed in the next hour, I want the most powerful and logical AI model available.

If you like using ChatGPT, the real question is how much you use it and whether you’re willing to wait for features to roll out to everyone. If you’re someone who wants the best AI experience right now, ChatGPT Plus is a no-brainer. If you don’t mind waiting for features to trickle down, the free version will probably get there.

Just to be sure, I asked ChatGPT's most advanced model if the subscription was worth it, and ChatGPT declared that if it were human, it would happily pay.

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• Instagram just rolled out some Valentine's Day easter eggs
• The launch includes an iOS exclusive Story sticker
• Plus you can theme DMs to the holiday, and give someone a nickname

You could say love is in the air as Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, February 14. Similar to some special easter eggs rolled out ahead of ringing in 2025, Instagram is getting in the spirit and spreading some love.

Between special effects for sharing ‘Notes,’ custom Story stickers, and outright themes for DMs, you can get in on some Valentine’s Day action whether or not you’re in a relationship. Though similar to the great debate of blue vs green bubbles, some of these limited-time features are exclusive to this with iOS.

Kicking things off is a special treat for Instagram’s ‘Notes’ feature, which basically acts as a status for your account. It’s a place to share a thought, a call to action, or a message of love for your followers if you’re in the Valentine’s spirit. Certain words or phrases like ‘pookie,’ ‘ily,’ or simply ‘vday’ will enable a special visual effect. Think of a cupid's arrow going through your note, a change in the color of the bubble, or hearts filling up your screen.

(Image credit: Instagram)

These are pretty fun, and Instagram’s dubbed these “Secret Phrases in Notes.” If you’re a fan of DMs (direct messages) or group chats, you can set the mood with three new themes: candy hearts, love, or sweethearts. If you feel like taking a potential move to the next level, you could slide into someone’s DMs with a theme. Results may vary, though.

Beyond themes, you can give another account on Instagram a custom nickname – think ‘bestie’ – and there are few new reaction types beyond just double tapping to love a message someone sent.

Arguably, what’s more exciting is the new features for Stories. For one, there are new font types and effects themed for Valentine’s Day. The best one, though, is exclusive to iOS. A limited edition, Valentine’s Day-themed vinyl record sticker for sharing music reads “My V-Day Jams.” If you scratch it, though, hearts will appear, and that’s just simply cute.

(Image credit: Instagram)

Much like other holiday-themed additions, Instagram’s latest feature drop for Valentine’s Day is rolling out globally and will be available through February 15, 2025. However, the new tapback reactions in DMs and the ability to give someone a nickname are here to stay, at least for now.

Let us know what you think of these in the comments below.

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• Seagate denies involvement in fraudulent HDD resales.
• Buyers can check Seagate HDD usage history using relevant tools.
• Retailers are offering some sort of compensation.

Seagate hard drives that were previously used in Chinese Chia cryptocurrency mining farms have been resold as new by unsuspecting retailers.

An investigation by Heise indicates large quantities of high-mileage drives have surfaced in the market, particularly in Europe, Australia, Thailand, and Japan.

These drives, often datacenter-grade Seagate Exos models, have been found with thousands of operational hours despite being marketed as brand new.

Chia farms and the flood of second-hand drives

At the peak of the cryptocurrency boom, mining operations required vast storage capacity, leading to a surge in demand for high-end HDDs. However, as the profitability of Chia mining declined, many farms shut down and sold their hardware. These hard drives were then repackaged and reintroduced into the market, deceiving customers.

Concerned buyers can verify the true usage history of their Seagate HDDs using special diagnostic tools. While SMART parameters can be reset to hide prior use, the FARM (field-accessible reliability metrics) values provide a more accurate record.

Users can check these values by running the command smartctl -l farm /dev/sda in Smartmontools version 7.4 or higher or by using Seagate’s own Seatools software to inspect the drive’s operational history.

Seagate has stated it only distributes genuine hard drives through official channel, and it suspects these used HDDs entered the secondary market before reaching consumers.

Nevertheless, It has also launched a full-scale investigation and has urged affected buyers to report any suspicious purchases to fraud@seagate.com.

Affected retailers are firefighting the issue, with Galaxus creating online help pages for affected customers, while Proshop is offering free returns and replacements. Alternate, a German retailer, denies prior knowledge of the issue but has encouraged customers to report used drives. Wortmann, on the other hand, insists on verifying HDDs before offering compensation.

Via TomsHardware

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• Zuckerberg reportedly pushed for AI implementation despite employee objections
• Employees allegedly discussed ways to conceal how the company acquired its AI training data
• Court filings suggest Meta took steps to unsuccessfully mask its AI training activities

Meta is facing a class-action lawsuit alleging copyright infringement and unfair competition over the training of its AI model, Llama.

According to court documents released by vx-underground, Meta allegedly downloaded nearly 82TB of pirated books from shadow libraries such as Anna’s Archive, Z-Library, and LibGen to train its AI systems.

Internal discussions reveal that some employees raised ethical concerns as early as 2022, with one researcher explicitly stating, “I don’t think we should use pirated material” while another said, “Using pirated material should be beyond our ethical threshold.”

Meta made efforts to avoid detection

Despite these concerns, Meta appears to have not only ploughed on and taken steps to avoid detection. In April 2023, an employee warned against using corporate IP addresses to access pirated content, while another said that “torrenting from a corporate laptop doesn’t feel right,” adding a laughing emoji.

There are also reports that Meta employees allegedly discussed ways to prevent Meta’s infrastructure from being directly linked to the downloads, raising questions about whether the company knowingly bypassed copyright laws.

In January 2023, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg reportedly attended a meeting where he pushed for AI implementation at the company despite internal objections.

Meta isn't alone in facing legal challenges over AI training. OpenAI has been sued multiple times for allegedly using copyrighted books without permission, including a case filed by The New York Times in December 2023.

Nvidia is also under legal scrutiny for training its NeMo model on nearly 200,000 books, and a former employee had disclosed that the company scraped over 426,000 hours of video daily for AI development.

And in case you missed it, OpenAI recently claimed that DeepSeek unlawfully obtained data from its models, highlighting the ongoing ethical and legal dilemmas surrounding AI training practices.

Via Tom's Hardware

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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 13 (game #613).

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 #614) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• SURPRISE
• HUMOR
• SEE
• STRAIGHT
• BABY
• RATTLE
• BOO
• CREAK
• HISS
• BAE
• GOTCHA
• PAMPER
• SHED
• GUESS WHO
• INDULGE
• SLITHER

NYT Connections today (game #614) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Too much affection 
• GREEN: Snakey behavior
• BLUE: They’re shook
• PURPLE: Geographical soundalikes

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 #614) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: MOLLYCODDLE 
• GREEN: THINGS A RATTLESNAKE DOES 
• BLUE: WORDS SAID TO AN UNSUSPECTING PERSON 
• PURPLE: HOMOPHONES OF BODIES OF WATER

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

NYT Connections today (game #614) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #614, are…

• YELLOW: MOLLYCODDLE BABY, HUMOR, INDULGE, PAMPER
• GREEN: THINGS A RATTLESNAKE DOES HISS, RATTLE, SHED, SLITHER
• BLUE: WORDS SAID TO AN UNSUSPECTING PERSON BOO, GOTCHA, GUESS WHO, SURPRISE
• PURPLE: HOMOPHONES OF BODIES OF WATER BAE, CREAK, SEE, STRAIGHT

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 mistakes

Just a couple of days after RATTLESNAKE appeared within the group SHAKE, RATTLE AND ROLL, the venomous vipers make another Connections appearance with a group of their own – THINGS A RATTLESNAKE DOES.

According to recent news reports, rattlesnakes are rattling a lot less than they used to. The reason for this is that snakes that live near to human populations no longer see us as a threat, so have no need to rattle. Cars, on the other hand, are a major threat but they are yet to be built with sensors alerting them to snakes in the road.

Meanwhile, I rattled through today’s puzzle, failing to get HOMOPHONES OF BODIES OF WATER, but rescued by my limited snake knowledge.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Thursday, 13 February, game #613)

• YELLOW: TEMPLATE BLUEPRINT, GUIDE, MODEL, MOLD
• GREEN: DEMONSTRATION, AS OF APPRECIATION EXPRESSION, GESTURE, SYMBOL, TOKEN
• BLUE: MODAL VERBS CAN, MIGHT, MUST, WILL
• PURPLE: __ TRIP EGO, GUILT, HEAD, POWER

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 13 (game #347).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Will you be my valentine?

NYT Strands today (game #348) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• PIKE
• SPIKE
• SPOON
• SOON
• MOON
• BUNG

NYT Strands today (game #348) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Lovey dovey words

NYT Strands today (game #348) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 4th row

Last side: right, 4th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #348) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #348, are…

• DARLING
• ANGEL
• LOVEBUG
• HONEY
• POOKIE
• SNOOKUMS
• SPANGRAM: ENDEARMENT

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 1 hint

Today’s puzzle was far more taxing than it should have been, thanks to the inclusion of a pair of rarely uttered terms of ENDEARMENT and a Spangram snake that started and ended in the middle. It looks so wrong.

It’s hard to imagine anyone calling their loved ones POOKIE or SNOOKUMS, both of which sound as if they are hangovers from a 1975 sitcom, likely to be uttered in a baby voice and preceded by the word “wittle”.

I’m just thankful Strands didn’t include Schmoopsie Poo or Sweetcheeks.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Thursday, 13 February, game #347)

• BIRTHDAY
• BABY
• WEDDING
• SYMPATHY
• CONGRATS
• LOVE
• SPANGRAM: GREETINGS

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.

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 13 (game #1116).

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 #1117) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 5*.

* 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 #1117) - 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 #1117) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1117) - 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 0.

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 #1117) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• M

• E

• T

• W

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

Quordle today (game #1117) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1117, are…

• MEDIA
• ELUDE
• THUMB
• WIDOW

The lesson I’m taking from today’s puzzle is to always try the obvious word ahead of an unlikely one. Opting for Exude before ELUDE put me on the edge, leaving me just one go to get my last word, WIDOW, with no margin for error.

It was one of those days though as I also made the wrong choice with Thump instead of THUMB. Sometimes magic happens, sometimes it’s torture. That’s Quordle, folks.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1117) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1117, are…

• LARGE
• SCION
• BOXER
• ALGAE

Quordle answers: The past 20

• 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
• Quordle #1110, Friday 7 February: PETAL, ABASE, AMONG, CORER
• Quordle #1109, Thursday 6 February: MADAM, SCAMP, FAUNA, TRACK
• Quordle #1108, Wednesday 5 February: SIXTH, VERVE, BLURB, CACTI
• Quordle #1107, Tuesday 4 February: BIRTH, DRAWN, MILKY, JOIST
• Quordle #1106, Monday 3 February: SLEET, TENSE, SEIZE, SCAMP
• Quordle #1105, Sunday 2 February: LOUSY, PENNE, CHUMP, SALVE
• Quordle #1104, Saturday 1 February: FACET, BLISS, FLUFF, FRANK
• Quordle #1103, Friday 31 January: PARER, SYNOD, BRAWN, BANJO
• Quordle #1102, Thursday 30 January: WEEDY, CHIRP, STALE, SUGAR
• Quordle #1101, Wednesday 29 January: CROWN, SCENE, AGILE, CRANK
• Quordle #1100, Tuesday 28 January: TOKEN, DAISY, INANE, PLIED
• Quordle #1099, Monday 27 January: ANGEL, GLOBE, MAYOR, BRAVE
• Quordle #1098, Sunday 26 January: WATER, ORBIT, BRIDE, TOUCH
• Quordle #1097, Saturday 25 January: GIVER, GROOM, GUSTO, MAKER