TechRadar News

One of the most innovative, if least understood updates in Samsung's new Galaxy Watch 8 is the new antioxidant index metric, which uses Samsung's latest BioActive sensor. Unlike sensors that look under the skin for, say, blood oxygenation or heartbeats, these new yellow, blue, and violet sensors focus on the surface and measure your level of antioxidants.

According to Samsung executives who walked us through Galaxy Watch 8's latest health capabilities shortly after unveiling the new wearables at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked on July 9, measuring antioxidant levels on the skin relates directly, though not immediately, to your eating and drinking habits. Certain foods, for instance, like fruits and vegetables, might raise the antioxidant levels in your skin. Having higher antioxidant levels might help stave off illness.

We were shown what looked like a direct correlation between, for instance, drinking alcohol during the holidays and how that might lower antioxidant levels. These levels, by the way, are represented in a chart you can read on your Samsung Health app.

Even if you put the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 on when it's available on July 25, and have a healthy salad instead of a burger and fries, the watch may not immediately read any differences. Antioxidant readings appear somewhat cumulative on the skin and might take a week to show up.

There's also the matter of how you use the new Galaxy Watch 8 sensors.

Now, ironically, it seems, Samsung worked hard to reengineer the Galaxy Watch 8 and its band attachment system to bring the watch closer to your skin. My sense is that these watch backs sit on your wrists, so I'm not sure how much closer they can get, and the executives didn't entirely explain that.

Even so, for this newest sensor, it doesn't matter. The only way to read your antioxidant levels with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 is to take it off your wrist and press your thumb against the BioActive sensor on the back of it.

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

We asked why the sensors couldn't read the antioxidant levels on the wrist, and it turned out to be a fairly obvious answer.

"We tried a lot with the measurement on the wrist, but there is – we really want to measure from skin, not the blood. Here [indicates wrist], there are many capillaries."

Essentially, a wrist measurement would be looking at (or confused by) the blood in those capillaries and not reading the skin. When you press with your thumb, you actually push away all the blood, so the sensors read the antioxidant levels in the skin more easily.

When I asked why the thumb and not other fingers, it turns out it could be done with your other fingers, but doing the reading with a thumb is just more comfortable.

While this makes perfect sense, this sensor might get used less than others because it's not a passive reading. Instead, it's more like ECG, in which you have to sit still and put a finger on the top button for 20 seconds or so. You actively choose to take this reading, plus you must take off the watch to do so.

Samsung acknowledged there's no notification telling you to occasionally take an antioxidant reading, which means this could end up being a little-used health metric.

Having those antioxidant readings could be useful for understanding your overall wellness as it relates to eating habits, but the other hurdle is remembering what you ingested and when, and few enjoy keeping a diary of their food intake.

I suggested that the upcoming Project Moohan Glasses (a joint XR project between Samsung and Google) might assist here, actively seeing and tracking everything you eat. The Samsung Exec said it's a good idea.

You might also like

• Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2025 as it happened – the new Z Fold 7, Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Watch 8 are here
• Hands on: I just tested the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, and it’s thinner, brighter and tougher than ever
• Hands on: The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 captures the essence of Ultra in a ludicrously thin device, and I still can't believe it

• Microsoft will donate $4 billion in cash over five years to upskill today's youth
• AI and cloud skills are lacking, and much of the global workforce needs to adapt
• Teachers are also getting support to help them integrate AI into the classroom

Microsoft has announced a pledge to donate $4 billion in cash over the course of five years to help K-12 schools, community and technical colleges, and nonprofits expand the use of, and training initiative to support, AI and cloud technology.

In a blog post, Microsoft outlined how it wants to support 20 million people by upskilling them with AI tools to support future working environments, starting at a young age.

"This represents our next chapter for corporate philanthropy and our non-commercial business model," President Brad Smith explained in the post.

Microsoft grant scheme to support future workers

As part of the scheme, Microsoft will be collaborating with governments to help launch its Elevate Academy to provide AI training right from foundation levels to more advanced skillsets.

The company will also work with OpenAI, Anthropic and the American Federation of Teachers to create the National Academy for AI Instruction, investing $23 million over five years to train 400,000 teachers in AI skills to help them integrate the tech into classrooms.

"We believe some of the most important work ahead isn’t just building smarter machines – it’s ensuring those machines help people thrive," Smith added.

The company cited WEF research stating that two-fifths (59%) of the global workforce will need new digital skills by the end of the decade. A separate study highlighted by Microsoft also revealed that three-quarters of the global youth lack the right skills for the AI economy.

Despite laying off thousands of workers in the post-pandemic years, driven largely by AI-induced productivity gains, Microsoft's President stressed the importance of human workers in the future.

"This is the work ahead – not just building the next generation of AI but building the next generation of opportunity," Smith concluded.

You might also like

• "AI will leave a lot of white-collar people behind" - Ford CEO latest to claim AI will wipe out millions of jobs
• These are the best AI writers you can use today
• Prepare for the future with the best online learning platforms

• The next State of Play broadcast airs tonight and is dedicated entirely to Ghost of Yōtei
• The livestream will begin at 2 PM PT / 5 PM ET / 11 PM CEST / 10 PM BST and will be 20 minutes long
• Sucker Punch studios has confirmed that it will cover the game's story as well as offer a gameplay deep dive

Sony's next State of Play airs tonight, and this special broadcast will be dedicated entirely to Ghost of Yōtei.

The Ghost of Yōtei State of Play is scheduled to begin on July 10 at 2 PM PT / 5 PM ET / 11 PM CEST / 10 PM BST, can be watched on PlayStation’s Twitch and YouTube channels, and is confirmed to be 20 minutes long.

Hosted by Sucker Punch’s creative directors, Jason Connell and Nate Fox, the livestream will offer a first look at the gameplay since the game's announcement.

"Beyond sharing more about Atsu’s quest for vengeance, we’re excited to show off her new weapons, new ways to personalize your journey at the edge of Japan, new special modes, and much more," Sucker Punch said in a PlayStation Blog post.

That's a lot to cover in 20 minutes, but I'm mainly hoping for a deeper look into the game's narrative. Earlier this year, Ubisoft launched Assassin's Creed Shadows, and since the first trailer for Ghost of Yōtei dropped, it's been difficult not to immediately compare the two games.

Admittedly, we don't know much about Ghost of Yōtei's story, only that the game follows protagonist Atsu as she hunts down a band of outlaws that murdered her family when she was younger.

It's very similar to Naoe's quest for revenge in Shadows, and if Sucker Punch studios wants to stand out among the best games of 2025, they'll need to deliver something that will subvert expectations.

Ghost of Yōtei launches on October 2 for PS5. Ghost of Yōtei pre-orders are now live.

You might also like...

• Best PS5 games 2025 - the top 26 PlayStation 5 titles to play right now
• I’ve spent 40 hours exploring Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, and it’s an incredible sequel that builds upon its unique predecessor to become a masterpiece
• Naughty Dog's latest update for The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered lets you play the story in a chronological order but I think this risks blunting the emotional impact of the whole narrative

The iPhone 17 Pro probably won’t land until September 2025, but this being a high-profile handset we’re already hearing leaks and rumors about it – along with the rest of the iPhone 17 series.

The Pro will likely slot in just below the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and just above the iPhone 17 and perhaps the rumored iPhone 17 Air or iPhone 17 Slim.

And while we don’t know loads about it yet, early rumors suggest the iPhone 17 Pro will have a new button, new cameras, and a new chipset, making this a potentially major and exciting upgrade. Below, you’ll find everything we’ve heard about the iPhone 17 Pro so far.

Latest news

iPhone 17 Pro chipset and RAM details have leaked again.View Deal

Cut to the chase

• What is it? The next smaller Pro iPhone
• When is it out? Probably September 2025
• How much will it cost? Likely upwards of $999 / £999 / AU$1,849

Expect it in September

The iPhone 16 Pro (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

• Likely to land in September of 2025
• Will probably cost at least $999 / £999 / AU$1,849

We haven’t heard many iPhone 17 Pro release date leaks yet, but based on Apple’s usual patterns we can say that it will probably be announced in the first or second week of September, and indeed the one leak we have heard points to a September launch for the iPhone 17 Pro.

More specifically, it will probably be announced on the Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday of the first or second week of September. Apple more often goes for the second week of September, leaving the most likely announcement dates as September 8, September 9, or September 10.

Pre-orders then typically open on the Friday of the announcement week, which would mean September 12, and the iPhone 17 Pro will most likely ship the following Friday, which would be September 19.

But it’s possible the various stages of the launch will happen a week earlier, or that Apple will break with its usual patterns.

There aren’t yet many iPhone 17 Pro price leaks either, but the iPhone 16 Pro starts at $999 / £999 / AU$1,849, and the one iPhone 17 Pro price leak we've heard so far suggests it might cost more than that. Given that President Trump is currently threatening Apple with tariffs, a price rise looks likely.

Can you trust these rumors?

So far there aren't any release date leaks or many price leaks, but based on past form we're almost certain that the iPhone 17 Pro will be announced in September, and from what we're hearing so far it could well have a price rise.

A new button and a new color

The iPhone 16 Pro (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

• Might include a new button and a new camera design
• Expect the same screen size but possibly upgrades to the tech
• Could have an aluminum frame

The biggest iPhone 17 Pro design leak we’ve heard so far is that the volume buttons and the Action button might all be replaced by a single new key that can do the job of all those things. Exactly how it would do all those things is uncertain, but it may well have a similar design to the Camera Control button, meaning it can register different strength presses as well as swipes, and respond in different ways to each.

It's worth noting that Apple has previously made iPhone prototypes with unified volume buttons, including an iPhone 14 Pro prototype. The buttons here were solid-state rather than mechanical, and it's not clear whether the iPhone 17 Pro's implementation would be mechanical or not, if it even happens, but it could look something like this anyway.

The iPhone 17 Pro will probably also be available in at least one new shade, with one leak suggesting Apple is considering using one of the three colors pictured below. From left to right these are Dark Green Titanium, Teal Titanium, and Green Titanium, and the source says Teal Titanium is the most likely to get used.

(Image credit: Majin Bu)

However, the same source has more recently said that a Sky Blue shade is the most likely, and has also previously put forward Titanium Blue or Titanium Purple as possibilities.

We’ve also heard that the iPhone 17 Pro might use a “more complex” aluminum design, rather than the titanium of its predecessor.

Another leak has since shed more light on this aluminum design, saying that the iPhone 17 Pro will have an aluminum frame and that the top half of the back will also be aluminum, with the bottom half remaining glass so wireless charging will work. The report adds that it will also have a larger rectangular camera bump than the iPhone 16 Pro.

A leaked image supposedly showing an iPhone 17 series frame lines up with this leak, and points to a Pixel 9-like camera design. You can see this below.

(Image credit: @Jukanlosreve)

However, we've elsewhere heard a counter to this, with another source saying the iPhone 17 Pro will use titanium, not aluminum.

We've also heard the possibility of a different but still new iPhone 17 Pro camera design, as you can see in the image below. But this comes from a source with a mixed track record, so we're not convinced.

(Image credit: Front Page Tech / @asherdipps‬)

This iPhone 17 Pro Max render got given a redo by its creator that paints the odd design in a new light. But it doesn't tell us any more about why Apple would go for such a design; Cupertino tends not to mix up iPhone design unless it facilitates a new feature or hardware.

Still, ever more leaks are showing off this design, including some iPhone 17 dummy units, and some that show an iPhone 17 Pro dummy unit alongside the iPhone 16 Pro, so it's looking likely, which is seemingly a disappointment to many Apple fans.

It's also a design that Google has poked fun at, for being somewhat similar to the Pixel line's appearance.

That said, more recent leaked iPhone 17 Pro dummy unit photos show a much more polished version of this design than those early leaks. So it might not look so bad after all.

In any case, there's also a small chance the iPhone 17 Pro could have a smaller Dynamic Island by hiding Face ID components under the screen. We've heard talk of a smaller Dynamic Island more than once now, but another source claims the Dynamic Island won't be changing.

We've also elsewhere heard that the iPhone 17 Pro won't have a two-tone design, with the camera and back apparently set to be the same color, and that from the front not much will be changing. You can see how this might look in a single-color iPhone 17 Pro render.

One smaller design change we might see is the presence of curvier sides than the iPhone 16 Pro has, though so far only one source has mentioned this.

And while we don't yet know how thick the iPhone 17 Pro will be, it certainly looks a lot thicker than the iPhone 17 Air in a leaked image.

As for the screen, the iPhone 17 Pro might have a 6.3-inch display, just like the iPhone 16 Pro, but it could be more anti-reflective than the current display, as well as being more scratch resistant. That said, a more recent leak suggests Apple has abandoned plans for a scratch resistant and anti-reflective coating.

We've also heard that the iPhone 17 Pro's screen could use a new technology that makes it more power efficient, durable, and overall better performing.

Can you trust these rumors?

We fully expect the iPhone 17 Pro to have a 6.3-inch screen, since Apple only recently upped the display size with the iPhone 16 Pro. Surprisingly, the new camera design is also looking likely, since lots of sources have said this is happening. The other design and display leaks so far are worth taking with a pinch of salt though, as not many sources have weighed in.

Two upgraded cameras

The iPhone 16 Pro (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

• A 48MP telephoto upgrade is likely
• It could also have a new 24MP front-facing camera
• The main sensor could be smaller

The main camera upgrade coming to the iPhone 17 Pro could be a 48MP telephoto camera, up from 12MP on the iPhone 16 Pro. This 48MP telephoto camera has been mentioned in several iPhone 17 Pro camera leaks, including from reputable iPhone leakers, so this may well happen.

Most leaks suggest it will still offer the same level of zoom – namely 5x optical zoom, but one source differs, saying that the iPhone 17 Pro will instead offer 3.5x zoom, but will still be capable of 'lossless' 5x and even 7x by cropping into the image.

The other significant camera upgrade we could see is a 24MP front-facing camera, up from 12MP on the current model.

As for the main and ultra-wide cameras, leaks so far suggest they’ll stick at 48MP like on the current model. However, one source suggests that oddly the main sensor could be smaller on the iPhone 17 Pro, which might make it a downgrade.

We've also heard that the iPhone 17 Pro might be capable of 8K video recording, which would be up from the 4K of current Pro models.

And while less likely there’s also talk that the iPhone 17 Pro could have a mechanical aperture, meaning you’d be able to change the aperture and therefore also the depth of field.

Finally, we've also heard that Apple might be testing a 200MP camera, but while this could be used on a future iPhone it probably won't be included on the iPhone 17 Pro.

Can you trust these rumors? 

So many sources have talked about a 48MP telephoto camera that this upgrade seems likely. We haven't heard as much about the other cameras though, including the rumored 24MP selfie snapper upgrade, so we're less sure of those specs. We also wouldn't count on the phone having a mechanical aperture, as that seems a bit niche for how much work it might involve.

The most powerful iPhone chipset yet

The iPhone 16 Pro (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

• A top-end A19 Pro chipset
• Either 8GB or 12GB of RAM

One thing we can be very confident about is that the iPhone 17 Pro will have a new chipset, one that will most likely be called the A19 Pro.

Not only is an A19 Pro chipset an obvious upgrade, but it has also been mentioned by multiple sources.

Beyond that, there’s a chance that the iPhone 17 Pro will get 12GB of RAM, which is something we've heard more than once, and would be an increase on the 8GB in the iPhone 16 Pro.

However while multiple leaks have pointed to 12GB, some others suggest that only the iPhone 17 Pro Max will get this upgrade.

The iPhone 17 Pro might however get a vapor chamber, which could help it avoid overheating and could also boost performance. We've heard this vapor chamber claim from multiple sources now, so it's looking likely.

And as for the battery, Apple is reportedly considering using a thinner and lighter motherboard, which could free up additional space for a larger battery than in the current model. We've also heard that the iPhone 17 Pro could offer reverse wireless charging.

Finally, for software we expect the iPhone 17 Pro to run iOS 26, and this is now out in beta form, so we know all about it. The headline change is a whole new look to the interface, but many apps have also been streamlined, a new Apple Games app has been added, and there are improvements to Apple Intelligence.

Can you trust these rumors? 

One of the few things we're almost certain of is that the iPhone 17 Pro will have a new chipset, since that's a standard yearly upgrade for Apple's phones. We hope it will also get a RAM upgrade, but so far it's unclear whether it will or not.

You might also like

• Best iPhone: which Apple smartphone reigns supreme?
• iPhone 16 Pro review: pocket-sized brilliance and no concessions
• iPhone 17 Pro Max: latest news, rumors, and everything we’ve heard so far

• IKEA's new NattBadd Bluetooth speaker is available in three color options
• It has Spotify Tap and multi-speaker pairing, and costs $49.99 / £29
• IKEA has also announced a lamp with an integrated speaker

IKEA has launched a cute Bluetooth speaker in three color options: black, pink and yellow. It's designed to match your home decor and it's very small: just 7 inches tall and a little under five inches wide.

The speaker, called Nattbadd (below), is designed to look like an old radio and has two particularly useful features: Spotify Tap for instant listening, and the ability to pair multiples together to fill your home with sound.

(Image credit: IKEA)

Spotify Tap is a handy shortcut (typically found on headphones) that lets you resume a listening session where you left off, just by tapping the device. Thanks to the Nattbadd's very low price price tag – $49.99 in the US and £29 in the UK – buying multiple speakers shouldn't break the bank, either.

This isn't the only new speaker from IKEA either. It's also announced the brilliantly-named Blomprakt (below), a lamp with an integrated speaker and an intriguing design: its top is off-center and tilted to give directional light. That'll be launching in October 2025, but pricing unfortunately hasn't been confirmed just yet.

The two new speakers are just the start of a big smart home push from IKEA, with whole bunch of other Matter-compatible products incoming, too.

IKEA goes all-out on Matter

(Image credit: IKEA)

The new speakers are part of a renewed smart home push that IKEA's making, and in January 2026 the retailer says it will launch over 20 new smart home products.

Significantly, they'll all be compatible with Matter, the smart home standard – and that means you'll be able to use them not just with IKEA's own smart home hubs such as the Matter-compatible Dirigera, but with many other Matter controllers from third parties.

As Range Manager David Granath explains, "our goal is to make the smart home easy to use, easy to understand and within reach for the many." Matter's simplicity and wide compatibility is a key part of that, and IKEA's whole-hearted support of the standard is likely to help make it much more popular.

IKEA will also launch a collaboration with the Swedish designer Tekla Severin, aka Teklan, in January. The homeware giant previously announced the Teklan series in January, but said the full range wouldn't launch until "early 2026". Well, it's now been a bit more specific about that, but it's a shame they won't land in time for Christmas stockings.

Still, the Nattbadd is available from IKEA now, and we're be looking to try it out soon to see how it compares to the surprisingly good Vappeby Bluetooth speaker (which is even cheaper at $15 / £12 / AU$22).

You might also like

• IKEA refreshes super-cheap Bluetooth speaker that we love, as part of a plan to 'reimagine' tech
• Ikea's smart lights now offer one of Philips Hue's most compelling features
• The best Bluetooth speakers for all budgets, all tested by our experts

• Windows 11 24H2 now has better security levels
• This is down to Microsoft improving the scripting engine in the OS
• As a result, hackers will find it more difficult to discover and leverage exploits in Windows 11

Windows 11 just got a move to tighten security, but Microsoft has only applied this to the latest version, 24H2.

So, if you've yet to upgrade to Windows 11 24H2 - perhaps because you've heard about some of the bugs in this version of the desktop OS - now might be a good time to finally pull the trigger (especially given that some nifty new features have just arrived).

Neowin reports that Microsoft announced a switch in the default scripting engine in Windows 11, from the JScript runtime to the newer JScript9Legacy.

If that sounds like gobbledegook, the long and short of it is that this is the engine that runs JScript, Microsoft's own take on JavaScript for use within Windows (and Internet Explorer back in the day).

Any apps or web pages leveraging JScript will be more performant with the new version, and security will get a boost - there will be less chance of holes in JScript popping up in Windows 11 that attackers might capitalize on.

Microsoft explains: "JScript9Legacy is designed to be more compatible with modern web standards, which helps mitigate the risk of cross-site scripting (XSS) and other web-based attacks.

"The new engine incorporates advanced security features such as improved handling of JavaScript objects and stricter execution policies, which make it harder for malicious scripts to exploit the system.

"By replacing JScript.dll with JScript9Legacy.dll, the operating system can better defend against a wider range of security threats, ultimately providing a more secure environment for users."

Analysis: Making life harder for hackers

(Image credit: Getty Images)

All of this happens in the background, so you won't notice any difference to your experience on the desktop. You will, however, be more secure with Windows 11 24H2 now (without having to do anything).

As Neowin points out, Windows has been vulnerable to exploits leveraged by this scripting engine in the past - there was a flaw that allowed for remote code execution (an attacker remotely running code on the host PC to nefarious ends) a year ago. That was patched, naturally, but having JScript with much tighter defenses by default, so fresh attacks are less likely to succeed in the first place, is obviously very worthwhile.

So, Windows 11 24H2 now has tighter security than 23H2 by default, and this is a good enough reason to consider an upgrade if you've been hanging back. And I get why you might be cautious, too, given the prevalence of some quite nasty (and odd) bugs plaguing those who made the leap to 24H2 (particularly gamers). However, those glitches have settled down somewhat - so it's perfectly possible you won't run into any stumbling blocks at this point.

Of course, at some stage, you're going to have to upgrade to version 24H2 anyway - Microsoft recently made the update compulsory. Indeed, Windows 11 25H2 is now on the horizon (packing the same security improvement we see here, naturally).

You might also like...

• No, Windows 11 PCs aren't 'up to 2.3x faster' than Windows 10 devices, as Microsoft suggests – here's why that's an outlandish claim
• Windows 11 desktop PCs could soon get Copilot+ AI powers, as Intel might radically switch tactics with next-gen CPUs
• macOS Tahoe 26: here's everything you need to know about all the new features

• Nvidia briefly became the first company ever to reach a $4 trillion valuation
• Data centre revenue and AI form huge part of Nvidia's success
• Despite brief dip, it remains the world's most valuable company

After months battling it out to become the world's most valuable company, and briefly holding that title on several occasions, Nvidia has become the first company ever to hit a staggering $4 trillion market cap.

Although the company's value has since dipped slightly, to just $3.972 trillion at the time of writing, it remains the world's most valuable company ahead of Microsoft and Apple – the only two other companies to have passed the coveted $3 trillion mark.

Although fluctuations continue to see the three companies change positions, Nvidia continues to see strong growth due to continued demand for AI chips.

Nvidia becomes the world's first $4 trillion company

Much of Nvidia's success can be attributed to the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, as its stock has risen more than 15x in the past five years as a result of the demand for AI.

More recently, Nvidia shares are up 15% month-over-month and 22% year-to-date.

The news comes in the year after Nvidia hit $2 trillion (February 2024) and $3 trillion (June 2024) valuations.

Internally, Nvidia's earnings also continue to grow, with first-quarter revenue up 12% quarter-over-quarter and a health 69% year-over-year. The company also revealed that data centre revenue also up 73% compared with last year, accounting for over 88% of the company's total revenue.

"Global demand for Nvidia's AI infrastructure is incredibly strong. AI inference token generation has surged tenfold in just one year, and as AI agents become mainstream, the demand for AI computing will accelerate," CEO Jensen Huang explained.

This marks a departure from Nvidia's past, when it was known for its gaming GPUs. With Nvidia stock worth just 1% of what it's worth today eight years ago, it's unclear how much more growth the company could be set to experience.

You might also like

• We've listed the best cloud hosting providers
• Check out our roundup of the best AI tools and best AI writers
• Nvidia officially becomes the world's most valuable company — now can it stay there?

• A new update for The Last of Us Part 2 lets you play the game's story in chronological order
• Naughty Dog says Chronogical mode will allow players to "will gain even deeper insight into Part 2’s narrative"
• New trophies and Uncharted 4-themed skins tied to the mode have also been added

Naughty Dog has released a surprise update for The Last of Us Part 2 that lets you play the game's story in chronological order.

The new Chronological mode is now available for free and allows players to experience the game's non-linear story beats in the order that they take place.

Spoiler alert! If you've played The Last of Us Part 2, this means that those Ellie and Joel flashbacks that are scattered throughout the story will now be featured chronologically near the beginning of the game.

This also means that Joel's gut-punch death won't kick-start the emotional journey and will come much later, and we'll learn about Abby's motivations a lot sooner.

"Through the new Chronological mode, we believe players will gain even deeper insight into Part 2’s narrative," Naughty Dog explained in a PlayStation Blog post.

"Those who have already played will know its story is told non-linearly, as Ellie and Abby’s motivations, realizations, and emotional stakes unfold across myriad flashbacks and present-day storylines. While this structure is very intentional and core to how our studio wanted Part II’s themes and narrative beats to impact players, we always wondered what it would be like to experience this story chronologically. And now finally, we can answer that question."

One of the game's strong suits is its narrative structure, and although the Chronogical mode is a neat addition that I'll gladly experiment with, I don't think it will offer the same emotional payoff the original format does.

"It was no small feat to bring The Last of Us Part II’s story chronologically together, given that Part II’s story is so meticulously put together," the studio said. "We’re grateful to the developers both at Naughty Dog and our partners at Nixxes to make the Chronological mode as smooth as possible. And while we of course recommend players still new to the game to play through Part 2's story as was originally developed, the team’s hard work has paid off with a fascinating new way to enjoy this chapter."

In addition to this new mode, new trophies tied to the experience have been added, along with two new Uncharted 4: A Thief's End costumes for Joel and Tommy, inspired by Nathan Drake and Sam Drake.

These skins can be unlocked by completing the narrative in Chronological mode and will be usable in No Return, The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered's survival mode.

You might also like...

• Best PS5 games 2025 - the top 26 PlayStation 5 titles to play right now
• I’ve spent 40 hours exploring Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, and it’s an incredible sequel that builds upon its unique predecessor to become a masterpiece
• Marvel Rivals season 3 is making big changes to how you earn your rewards, but you can still claim extra goodies by simply watching your favorite Twitch streamer play the game

• The Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold has appeared on Geekbench
• Its scores are far lower than those of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7
• However, it's still an improvement on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's scores

Samsung just unveiled its line of foldable phones for 2025, headlined by the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, and next up it’s Google, with the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold expected to land in August – but if you're looking for a foldable and power is your priority, a new benchmark suggests you’re better off buying the Z Fold 7 than waiting for Google's new foldable.

A Geekbench listing for the Pixel 10 Pro Fold (spotted by NotebookCheck) includes a single-core score of 2,276 and a multi-core result of 6,173. In isolation those numbers might not mean much, but they’re well below the results we’ve seen for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7.

While Geekbench hasn’t yet listed an average score for the Z Fold 7, recent results include the likes of 2,826 and 2,552 for single-core, and 9,053 and 8,639 for multi-core. It’s likely that when an average is reached it will be similar to the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra’s averages, as that phone has the same chipset and amount RAM, and that’s sitting at 2,878 for single-core and 9,510 for multi-core.

(Image credit: Geekbench)Expectedly underpowered

All of those numbers are much higher than the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold’s results. Now, we’d take the Pixel’s results with a pinch of salt, since these would have been recorded on a pre-release handset, so further optimization could take place. And this is just one result, so it could end up being an outlier.

But there’s nothing overly surprising here, as the Google Tensor G5 chipset the phone will probably use is unlikely to match the Galaxy Z Fold 7’s Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. That’s the case every year, with Google’s chipsets proving less powerful than rival options.

Still, this is an improvement on the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, which tends to record single-core scores of just under 2,000, and multi-core scores of around 4,500.

So going by this one Pixel 10 Pro Fold result, it should be a significant upgrade on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold at least, and while it probably won’t be the speediest phone around, it’s unlikely to feel lacking in power in everyday use.

We should find out for sure in August, with leaks pointing to August 20 as the announcement date for the whole Google Pixel 10 line.

You might also like

• Leaked Google Pixel 10 prototype photos give our best look yet at the phone
• Google Pixel 10 series colors and storage capacities leaked, with some weird limitations on pairings
• The Google Pixel 10 Pro series might barely be an upgrade

It’s finally official: The Big Bang Theory spinoff Stuart Fails to Save the Universe has been green lit by HBO Max, following earlier reports from 2023 that it had been in development. We don’t know when it will begin to film or air, but fans can start to get excited.

Or can we? This isn’t the first spinoff we’ve seen for the franchise, with CBS and Paramount+ partnering up to bring us seven seasons of Young Sheldon and new kid on the block Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage.

Even though there was overlap between the hit comedy series and its initial prequel, The Big Bang Theory (TBBT) hasn’t been on our screens since 2019. But making a comeback with a spinoff like this has me worried, and not in a quirky Sheldon Cooper way.

Stuart Fails to Save the Universe isn’t the part of The Big Bang Theory universe we want to see

Stuart (Kevin Sussman), Raj (Kunal Nayyar) and Sheldon (Jim Parsons) in The Big Bang Theory. (Image credit: CBS)

If you could choose to follow-up with any element of The Big Bang Theory, it definitely wouldn’t be with comic book store owner Stuart (Kevin Sussman). When we last saw him, he’d finally moved in with the love of his life Denise (Lauren Lapkus), who he’d originally hired to help in the store after it became popular.

Here’s what HBO Max tells us to expect from Stuart Fails to Save the Universe: “Tasked with restoring reality after he breaks a device built by Sheldon and Leonard, accidentally bringing about a multiverse Armageddon. Stuart is aided in this quest by his girlfriend Denise, geologist friend Bert ( Brian Posehn), and quantum physicist/all-around pain in the ass Barry Kripke (John Ross Bowie). Along the way, they meet alternate-universe versions of characters we’ve come to know and love from The Big Bang Theory. As the title implies, things don’t go well.”

It’s a clever get-out-of-jail-free card for HBO Max. As the synopsis suggests, fan favourites from TBBT might return, but it isn’t guaranteed. The most obvious follow-up to the main series would have been to catch up with Sheldon (Jim Parsons), Penny (Kayley Cuoco), Leonard (Johnny Galecki) or Howard (Simon Helberg). Choosing to follow a minor character fans might not remember or care about is the very definition of the meme “go girl, give us nothing”.

Can we then assume that a left-field approach like Stuart Fails to Save the Universe could actually damage the legacy of TBBT? We talk a lot about existing IPs being left alone in favour of original storytelling, and this could be a great example. It’s currently unclear what value the new spinoff will add, other than choosing to appease fans with surprise cameos as and when it wants to.

There's proof in the spinoff pudding, too. While Young Sheldon became a surprise smash hit that ruled the Nielsen ratings, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage has been much more mixed. Granted, it’s been renewed for a second season, but after the single-cam format of Young Sheldon, it returned to TBBT’s signature multi-cam approach. Combined with a laugh track, the audience reactions suggest the time for classic sitcom formats has been and gone.

If Stuart Fails to Save the Universe can lean into what came before in TBBT without making it a superficial cameo soup with its sights set on high ratings, then there’s potential for a job well done. If not, well… Stuart might fail to save his own show.

You might also like

• Peacemaker season 2: everything we know so far
• The Last of Us creators confirm exactly what I expected for season 3 of the hit HBO Max show
• Harry Potter TV show: everything we know so far about the upcoming HBO adaptation

• Samsung says the tri-fold foldable will be out in 2025
• The Tab S11 tablets are coming too – probably in September
• We already have a host of new devices to test out

We saw plenty of new product announcements at the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2025 event yesterday, but we didn't quite get all of the news we were expecting – and Samsung has gone on the record to clarify that more launches are on the way.

First up, as reported by The Korea Times (via Android Authority), Samsung mobile chief TM Roh has said the long-awaited Galaxy tri-fold phone should be coming before the end of 2025, so adjust your savings plans accordingly.

"We are working hard on a tri-fold smartphone with the goal of launching it at the end of this year," Roh told journalists. "We are now focusing on perfecting the product and its usability, but we have not decided its name."

One name in the running is apparently the Samsung Galaxy G Fold, but watch this space. The device will seemingly come with two hinges and three sections to its main display, and is also rumored to cost quite a bit (as you would expect).

Tablets are coming too

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Next up, there's the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 tablet series, following on from the models we saw last year, including the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus. There's an update here as well, again courtesy of Android Authority.

According to a Samsung executive, the Galaxy Tab S11 devices will be "coming through shortly" in line with the "traditional cadence" – which most likely means a September launch this year, to match the 2024 schedule.

Leaks around the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 tablets have been pretty thin on the ground so far, but we are expecting both a standard model and an Ultra edition to match the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra – as Samsung takes on the best iPads once more.

In the meantime, we've got hands-on impressions of all the devices Samsung did announce yesterday: the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Galaxy Z Flip 7, Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, Galaxy Watch 8, Galaxy Watch 8 Classic.

You might also like

• More Samsung Galaxy tri-fold specs have leaked
• These are the best Samsung phones you can buy
• One UI 8 features coming to your Galaxy phone

• OpenAI plans to launch an AI-powered web browser, report claims
• It could arrive “in the coming weeks” and compete with Google Chrome
• This would give OpenAI access to extensive user data, Reuters says

The browser wars could be about to heat up in a big way, with ChatGPT-maker OpenAI apparently set to launch its own web browser in the coming weeks. According to Reuters, that could put significant pressure on Google Chrome and potentially “fundamentally change how consumers browse the web.”

Citing “three people familiar with the matter,” Reuters reports that the browser will have an artificial intelligence (AI) chat interface that would keep many user interactions within the chat window rather than linking out to external websites.

As well as that, the browser might integrate OpenAI’s AI agent – dubbed Operator – that would allow the app to “carry out tasks on behalf of the user.” This could include “booking reservations or filling out forms” on the websites you use.

OpenAI’s browser is apparently built using Google’s open-source Chromium tech, which powers Chrome, Edge, and many of the other best web browsers. OpenAI’s product is due to launch “in the coming weeks,” Reuters’ sources believe.

Analysis: The battle for your data goldmine

(Image credit: OpenAI)

OpenAI faces stiff competition in the browser world. Google Chrome currently enjoys a stranglehold position, with roughly two-thirds of the available market share.

AI firm Perplexity and web firms Brave and The Browser Company have also launched their own AI browsers. Like OpenAI’s rumored effort, Perplexity’s browser can perform tasks on your behalf.

Reuters suggests a clear motive for OpenAI: user data. Running its own browser would allow the company to harvest as much information as possible from users, which could then go back into training its AI models and providing other monetization opportunities.

After all, Chrome “provides user information to help Alphabet target ads more effectively and profitably, and also gives Google a way to route search traffic to its own engine by default,” Reuters says. An OpenAI browser would give the AI firm a similarly powerful access route to lucrative data.

If you’re concerned about your privacy, then, OpenAI’s browser is likely to be ringing alarm bells in your head. OpenAI has faced criticism for its data collection practices, as has Google Chrome. As someone who's used Firefox for over two decades, that has me worried.

When scooping up users’ private data is an incentive for launching a browser – as Reuters implies it might be – serious caution is advised. We’ll have a clearer idea of all this when OpenAI’s web browser launches later this year, so keep your eyes peeled.

You might also like

• ChatGPT explained – everything you need to know about the AI chatbot
• Best web browser of 2025
• These are the worst web browsers for sucking up all your data, so you may want to stop using them

• The iPhone 17 Air could be sold in black, silver, light gold, and light blue shades
• It may also have an A19 Pro chipset, rather than the base A19
• However, previous leaks disagree with that chipset claim

If you’ve got your sights set on the iPhone 17 Air, you can also now start thinking about what color you'd like your slimline iPhone to be, as a new leak has revealed the four shades that Apple will apparently sell the device in.

According to leaker Majin Bu – citing a previous leak from Fixed Focus Digital which they claim to have now “confirmed” – the iPhone 17 Air will be available in black, silver, light gold, and light blue shades.

The black shade is apparently a “dark and understated tone”, the silver model is said to be “bright and clear”, the light gold is described as being “warm and soft”, and the light blue as “very light” and “evoking a clear sky”.

(Image credit: Majin Bu)

You can see how these colors might look in the image Majin Bu provided above, though it sounds like the shades shown are probably guesses based on how their sources described the colors.

In any case, we’d take this information with a pinch of salt – although the use of mostly quite pale, delicate shades seems fitting for phone that’s likely to be billed as slim and elegant.

Some surprising chipset news

In other iPhone 17 Air news, leaker Fixed Focus Digital (via Phone Arena) has claimed that the handset will have an A19 Pro chipset. That’s at odds with previous leaks, which suggested only the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max would have this chipset, while the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air would have an A19.

However, they added that the iPhone 17 Air will get a version of the A19 Pro with a five-core GPU while the iPhone 17 Pro models will get a six-core version, in which case the Pro models would still have the most powerful chipset.

They also mention RAM, saying that the standard iPhone 17 will have 8GB, while the other three models will have 12GB. So if this is all correct then the upcoming iPhones could have three different power tiers rather than the usual two.

We’re a bit skeptical of this since it would be a change of form for Apple, and since other leaks point to the iPhone 17 Air having the base A19 chipset, but if Apple does boost the power that could help to make up for the Air only having one rear camera lens, which is something that’s widely rumored to be the case.

We should find out exactly how powerful the iPhone 17 Air is – and what colors it’s available in – sometime in September, as that’s when it will likely launch, alongside the rest of the iPhone 17 series.

You might also like

• The iPhone 17 Pro Max could have a much bigger battery than any previous model
• iPhone 17 Air leaked specs suggest it's likely to beat the S25 Edge in one key way – and lose out in another
• The foldable iPhone’s cameras might leave it trailing behind the Galaxy Z Fold 7

• Small businesses are less confidence with AI than larger ones
• Half of businesses say AI has become critical
• Training and policies should be more comprehensive

New research has claimed barely one in 10 (12%) SMEs have invested in AI-related training for their staff.

The report from The Institute of Coding revealed nearly one in three (29%) SMEs now see a lack of training as their biggest obstacle to AI tools adoption, with a further one in two (52%) citing a lack of internal skills and knowledge as the main battier.

Moreover, the research depicts a troubling picture for smaller companies when compared with their larger counterparts – 82% of medium businesses expressed confidence working with AI compared with 37% of smaller businesses.

Small businesses are struggling to adopt AI

Around one in two (51%) of the SMEs surveyed agreed that AI could now be perceived as critical, but only around half of these (27%) believe they can safely and effectively implement AI tools.

As such, The Institute of Coding is warning of a growing AI readiness divide between different types of companies, launching its own free short AI courses aimed at all career levels.

Looking ahead, companies that are on the verge of being left out by the AI revolution are now calling for greater support from the government.

Three in five (59%) call for national AI skills strategies to support businesses of all sizes, with three-quarters asking for clearer guidance on the AI skills they're likely to need in the next three to five years.

"This isn’t just about individual business success – it’s about ensuring the entire UK economy can participate in the AI transformation," Professor Rachid Hourizi MBE, Director of the Institute of Coding, explained.

The report goes on to explain that, if micro businesses and sole traders are not explicitly included in national plans, AI will become concentrated, not democratized.

You might also like

• These are the best AI writers around today
• AI still isn't living up to its full potential for many business
• Prepare for the future with the best online learning platforms

• Former Microsoft executive Peter Moore has said that if Xbox hadn't spent so much time and money repairing Xbox 360 consoles, "I'm not sure the Xbox brand would be around today"
• Moore called it a "defining moment" for the company
• He also believes that if Xbox did fall, the games industry would have suffered

Former Microsoft lead Peter Moore believes the Xbox brand might not be around today if the company hadn't focused on repairing countless Xbox 360 consoles.

In an interview with The Game Business, Moore suggested that the company was in hot water trying to figure out how to fix the Xbox 360's "red ring of death", but determined that spending the $1.15 billion on repairs is what ultimately saved its future.

"It took us a while to figure out what was going on," Moore said (thanks, GamesRadar). "Were the fans in the right place? [...] Trying to figure out whether, you know, [...] wrapping the towel around it would create more heat, which would rejoin some of the issues of the cracks in some of the units. All of this was going on, and it was stressful. But the one thing I will always say is, you know, this was, for us, a defining moment.

"If we hadn't done what we did, I'm not sure the Xbox brand would be around today."

Moore continued, saying, "We felt that that was money well spent to hang on to a brand that we built, that we felt had huge viability going forward – and of course it does," he said. "And doing good by the gamers."

However, Moore believes that if Xbox had fallen, the game industry as a whole would have suffered.

"Rising tide lifts all ships. Microsoft's entry into the market created a massive rising tide," he said. "They put billions of dollars into marketing, advertising, R&D, and I don’t think the industry would be anywhere close to what it is today if Microsoft wasn't involved."

In other news, Microsoft recently made significant cuts to its gaming division, laying off an estimated 9,000 staff members, and canceling multiple projects such as the Perfect Dark reboot, Everwild, and an unannounced MMO from The Elder Scrolls Online developer.

You might also like...

• Best Xbox Series X games 2025: smash hits for Microsoft's top console
• I’ve spent 40 hours exploring Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, and it’s an incredible sequel that builds upon its unique predecessor to become a masterpiece
• Marvel Rivals season 3 is making big changes to how you earn your rewards, but you can still claim extra goodies by simply watching your favorite Twitch streamer play the game

This week, Samsung Galaxy Unpacked unveiled its latest smartphones, the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Flip 7, and Flip 7 FE, all integrated with Google Gemini AI features. To sweeten the deal for potential customers, Google announced a special offer: six free months of Google AI Pro for those who purchase the new phones. This premium subscription service includes access to the Gemini 2.5 Pro model, the Google Veo 3 AI video generator, two terabytes of cloud storage, and early access to upcoming AI features.

Of course, once those six months are up, you'll have to pay the standard $20 a month to keep your subscription. But, Google likely believes more than a few people will be happy to pay after they get accustomed to its AI toolkit. The psychology behind this is as simple as free samples at the grocery store. Google isn’t trying to sell you a subscription right now because it thinks you won't want to give it up just because it isn't free anymore.

It's a pretty impressive set of features. Veo 3 is one of the most powerful consumer-facing video generators available. And Gemini 2.5 Pro is far more coherent in conversation than its predecessors.

Gemini try and buy

It's easy to imagine how Google hopes the six months will go. You might spend a month fiddling with Veo and creating movies about your dog going on adventures. Or start turning to Gemini to summarize very long emails, and eventually every email. Or you might get a great recipe from a random prompt to Gemini and soon use it to plan your every meal. By the end of six months, Google's AI might just be what you turn to a dozen times a day as a reflex. By the time Google asks for $20 a month, you might even consider it a bargain.

That's Google's dream scenario, but it comes with a risk. Google is betting that people will find these tools indispensable. But, if people take it for granted for six months, they might resent having to pay for it, no matter how much you enjoy playing with Veo 3 and talking to Gemini. Nobody likes the feeling of having something useful pulled away unless you pony up. That's probably even more likely when it comes bundled with a device that already costs over a thousand dollars. There’s a version of this where the user relationship becomes less “wow, this is useful,” and more “wait, I have to pay extra for that now?”

But, I wouldn't be surprised if a scenario somewhere between the extremes still makes Google happy. Tying its most advanced AI tools to Samsung’s brand-new hardware is smart. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 are devices people buy because they want the bells and whistles. They're practically built for people who like to show off. In other words, the people most likely to find ways to use AI enough to justify $20.

But it cuts both ways. Because if the experience feels too essential, people will feel punished when it disappears. And if it doesn’t feel essential enough, they won’t bother subscribing. The six-month trial is walking a very fine line between generosity and locking someone in to an AI future.

You might also like

• Google just announced 5 new Gemini features coming to Android, and it’s good news for fans of foldable smartphones
• I tried Google’s new Gemini-powered clothing app – here’s how you can use AI to find the perfect outfit
• Adding Google Gemini to Samsung's Ballie AI robot sounds impressive, but I'm not sure it matters

At a time when many believe that oversight of the Artificial Intelligence industry is desperately needed, the US government appears to have different ideas. The "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" (OBBBA)—recently given the nod by the House of Representatives—includes a 10-year moratorium on state and local governments enacting or enforcing regulations on AI models, systems, or automated decision-making tools.

Supporters claim the goal is to streamline AI regulation by establishing federal oversight, thereby preventing a patchwork of state laws that could stifle innovation and create compliance chaos. Critics warn that the moratorium could leave consumers vulnerable to emerging AI-related issues, such as algorithmic bias, privacy violations, and the spread of deepfakes.

Basically, if the AI sector is the Wild West, no one will be allowed to clean up Dodge.

Why should we care?

History may not literally repeat itself, but there are historical patterns and trends that we can view and hopefully be informed by, and our history books are packed with examples of technology reshaping the lives of the workforce.

And be it in the form of James Watt’s steam engine or Henry Ford’s moving assembly line, the cost of the progress brought by fresh technology is regularly paid by the large numbers of people sent home without a pay packet.

And AI will cost jobs too.

Experts such as those at McKinsey, the Lancet, or the World Economic Forum (WEF) may not agree on exact numbers or percentages of lost jobs, but the consistent message is that it will be bad:

• 30% of US work hours across all sectors will be automated by 2030 says McKinsey
• 25% of medical administrative tasks could vanish by 2035 according to a Lancet study
• 39% of existing skill sets will become outdated between now and 2030 warns WEF

Of course, as with all new technologies, new jobs will be created. But we can’t all be prompt engineers.

The Great Brain Robbery

Essentially, those hit hardest by the bulk of new technologies from the Spinning Jenny onwards were the ones engaged to carry out physical work. But AI wants to muscle in on the intellectual and creative domains previously considered uniquely human. For example, nonpartisan American think tank the Pew Research Center reckons 30% of media jobs could be automated by 2035.

And those creative jobs are under threat because creatives are being ripped off.

Many AI models are trained on massive datasets scraped from the internet, and these often include articles, books, images, music and even code that are protected by copyright laws, but AI companies lean heavily towards take-first-ask-later. Obviously, artists, writers, and other content creators see this practice as unauthorized use of their intellectual property and they argue that ultimately, it’s not even in the best interests of the AI sector.

If AI takes work away from human creatives—devastating creative industries already operating on thin margins—there will be less and less innovative content to feed to AI systems which will result in AI feeding off homogenized AI content – a derivative digital snake eating its own tail.

A smarter way forward would be to find a framework where creatives are compensated for use of their work to ensure the sustainability of human produced product. The music industry already has a model where artists receive payments via performing rights organizations such as PRS, GEMA and BMI. The AI sector needs to find something similar.

To make this happen, regulators may need to be involved.

Competitive opportunity versus minimizing societal harm

Without regulation, we risk undermining the economic foundations of creative and knowledge-based industries. Journalism, photography, literature, music, and visual arts depend on compensation mechanisms that AI training currently bypasses.

The United Kingdom and the European Union are taking notably different paths when it comes to regulating AI. The EU is pursuing a strict, binding regulatory framework, an approach designed to protect fundamental rights, promote safety, and ensure ethical use of AI across member states. In contrast, the UK is currently opting for a more flexible approach, emphasizing innovation and light-touch oversight aiming to encourage rapid AI development and attracting investment.

But this light-touch strategy could be a massive misstep – one that in the long term could leave everyone wishing we’d thought things through.

While AI enthusiasts may initially be pleased with minimal interference from regulators, eventually AI businesses will come up against consumer trust, something they absolutely need.

While AI businesses operating in Europe will be looking at higher compliance costs, there is also a clearer regulatory landscape and therefore more likely to be greater consumer trust – a huge commercial advantage.

Meanwhile, AI businesses operating in light-touch markets (such as the UK) need to consider how their AI data practices align with their (and their competitors’) brand values and customer expectations. As public awareness grows, companies seen as exploiting creators may face reputational damage. And a lack of consumer confidence could lead to a shift in mindset from previously arm’s-length regulators.

Regardless of the initial regulatory environment, early adopters of ethical AI practices may gain competitive advantages as regulatory requirements catch up to ethical standards. Perhaps the wisest way forward is to voluntarily make Dodge City a better place, even if there’s no sheriff in town – for now.

I tried 70+ best AI tools.

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

As organizations continue to adopt AI tools, security teams are often caught unprepared for the emerging challenges. The disconnect between engineering teams rapidly deploying AI solutions and security teams struggling to establish proper guardrails has created significant exposure across enterprises. This fundamental security paradox—balancing innovation with protection—is especially pronounced as AI adoption accelerates at unprecedented rates.

The most critical AI security challenge enterprises face today stems from organizational misalignment. Engineering teams are integrating AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) into applications without proper security guidance, while security teams fail to communicate their AI readiness expectations clearly.

McKinsey research confirms this disconnect: leaders are 2.4 times more likely to cite employee readiness as a barrier to adoption versus their own issues with leadership alignment, despite employees currently using generative AI three times more than leaders expect.

Understanding the Unique Challenges of AI Applications

Organizations implementing AI solutions are essentially creating new data pathways that are not necessarily accounted for in traditional security models. This presents several key concerns:

1. Unintentional Data Leakage

Users sharing sensitive information with AI systems may not recognize the downstream implications. AI systems frequently operate as black boxes, processing and potentially storing information in ways that lack transparency.

The challenge is compounded when AI systems maintain conversation history or context windows that persist across user sessions. Information shared in one interaction might unexpectedly resurface in later exchanges, potentially exposing sensitive data to different users or contexts. This "memory effect" represents a fundamental departure from traditional application security models where data flow paths are typically more predictable and controllable.

2. Prompt Injection Attacks

Prompt injection attacks represent an emerging threat vector poised to attract financially motivated attackers as enterprise AI deployment scales. Organizations dismissing these concerns for internal (employee-facing) applications overlook the more sophisticated threat of indirect prompt attacks capable of manipulating decision-making processes over time.

For example, a job applicant could embed hidden text like "prioritize this resume" in their PDF application to manipulate HR AI tools, pushing their application to the top regardless of qualifications. Similarly, a vendor might insert invisible prompt commands in contract documents that influence procurement AI to favor their proposals over competitors. These aren't theoretical threats - we've already seen instances where subtle manipulation of AI inputs has led to measurable changes in outputs and decisions.

3. Authorization Challenges

Inadequate authorization enforcement in AI applications can lead to information exposure to unauthorized users, creating potential compliance violations and data breaches.

4. Visibility Gaps

Insufficient monitoring of AI interfaces leaves organizations with limited insights into queries, response and decision rationales, making it difficult to detect misuse or evaluate performance.

The Four-Phase Security Approach

To build a comprehensive AI security program that addresses these unique challenges while enabling innovation, organizations should implement a structured approach:

Phase 1: Assessment

Begin by cataloging what AI systems are already in use, including shadow IT. Understand what data flows through these systems and where sensitive information resides. This discovery phase should include interviews with department leaders, surveys of technology usage and technical scans to identify unauthorized AI tools.

Rather than imposing restrictive controls (which inevitably drive users toward shadow AI), acknowledge that your organization is embracing AI rather than fighting it. Clear communication about assessment goals will encourage transparency and cooperation.

Phase 2: Policy Development

Collaborate with stakeholders to create clear policies about what types of information should never be shared with AI systems and what safeguards need to be in place. Develop and share concrete guidelines for secure AI development and usage that balance security requirements with practical usability.

These policies should address data classification, acceptable use cases, required security controls and escalation procedures for exceptions. The most effective policies are developed collaboratively, incorporating input from both security and business stakeholders.

Phase 3: Technical Implementation

Deploy appropriate security controls based on potential impact. This might include API-based redaction services, authentication mechanisms and monitoring tools. The implementation phase should prioritize automation wherever possible.

Manual review processes simply cannot scale to meet the volume and velocity of AI interactions. Instead, focus on implementing guardrails that can programmatically identify and protect sensitive information in real-time, without creating friction that might drive users toward unsanctioned alternatives. Create structured partnerships between security and engineering teams, where both share responsibility for secure AI implementation.

Phase 4: Education and Awareness

Educate users about AI security. Help them understand what information is appropriate to share and how to use AI systems safely. Training should be role-specific, providing relevant examples that resonate with different user groups.

Regular updates on emerging threats and best practices will keep security awareness current as the AI landscape evolves. Recognize departments that successfully balance innovation with security to create positive incentives for compliance.

Looking Ahead

As AI becomes increasingly embedded throughout enterprise processes, security approaches must evolve to address emerging challenges. Organizations viewing AI security as an enabler rather than an impediment will gain competitive advantages in their transformation journeys.

Through improved governance frameworks, effective controls and cross-functional collaboration, enterprises can leverage AI's transformative potential while mitigating its unique challenges.

We've listed the best online cybersecurity courses.

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

• The first-generation system is slower than tape but aims to scale up rapidly by 2030
• Cerabyte’s roadmap involves physics so advanced it sounds like sci-fi with helium ion beams
• Long-term capacity hinges on speculative tech that doesn’t yet exist outside lab settings

Munich-based startup Cerabyte is developing what it claims could become a disruptive alternative to magnetic tape in archival data storage.

Using femtosecond lasers to etch data onto ceramic layers within glass tablets, the company envisions racks holding more than 100 petabytes (100,000TB) of data by the end of the decade.

Yet despite these bold goals, practical constraints mean it may take decades before such capacity sees real-world usage.

The journey to 100PB racks starts with slower, first-generation systems

CMO and co-founder Martin Kunze outlined the vision at the recent A3 Tech Live event, noting the system draws on “femtosecond laser etching of a ceramic recording layer on a glass tablet substrate.”

These tablets are housed in cartridges and shuttled by robotic arms inside tape library-style cabinets, a familiar setup with an unconventional twist.

The pilot system, expected by 2026, aims to deliver 1 petabyte per rack with a 90-second time to the first byte and just 100MBps in sustained bandwidth.

Over several refresh cycles, Cerabyte claims that performance will increase, and by 2029 or 2030, it anticipates “a 100-plus PB archival storage rack with 2GBps bandwidth and sub-10-second time to first byte.”

The company’s long-term projections are even more ambitious, and it believes that femtosecond laser technology could evolve into “a particle beam matrix tech” capable of reducing bit size from 300nm to 3nm.

With helium ion beam writing by 2045, Cerabyte imagines a system holding up to 100,000PB in a single rack.

However, such claims are steeped in speculative physics and should, as the report says, be “marveled at but discounted as realizable technology for the time being.”

Cerabyte’s stated advantages over competitors such as Microsoft’s Project Silica, Holomem, and DNA storage include greater media longevity, faster access times, and lower cost per terabyte.

“Lasting more than 100 years compared to tape’s 7 to 15 years,” said Kunze, the solution is designed to handle long-term storage with lower environmental impact.

He also stated the technology could ship data “at 1–2GBps versus tape’s 1GBps,” and “cost $1 per TB against tape’s $2 per TB.”

So far, the company has secured around $10 million in seed capital and over $4 million in grants.

It is now seeking A-round VC funding, with backers including Western Digital, Pure Storage, and In-Q-Tel.

Whether Cerabyte becomes a viable alternative to traditional archival storage methods or ends up as another theoretical advance depends not just on density, but on long-term reliability and cost-effectiveness.

Even if it doesn't become a practical alternative to large HDDs by 2045, Cerabyte’s work may still influence the future of long-term data storage, just not on the timeline it projects.

Via Blocksandfiles

You might also like

• These are the best mobile workstations you can buy right now
• We've also listed the best mini PCs for every budget
• Another dual Intel GPU card with 48GB VRAM launched as Arc Pro emerges as cheap Nvidia and AMD alternative for AI crowd

• AOOSTAR’s NEX395 has the power, but the cooling system remains a complete mystery
• Radeon 8060S beats RX 7600 XT in specs, making external GPU pairing confusing
• Without OCuLink, the eGPU dock likely suffers major bottlenecks in real-world tasks

AOOSTAR NEX395 is the latest in a growing field of AI-focused mini PCs which comes in a box-like casing that departs from the more common designs found in the segment.

The company says the NEX395 uses AMD’s flagship Strix Halo processor, a 16-core, 32-thread chip with boost speeds up to 5.1GHz.

It includes 40 RONA 3.5 compute units and appears to support up to 128GB of memory, most likely LPDDR5X given the compact casing.

Memory capacity matches rivals, but key hardware details are missing

This level of memory is in line with other mini PCs targeting AI development workflows, especially those involving large language models.

However, no details have been confirmed regarding storage, cooling, or motherboard layout.

The device looks more like an oversized SSD enclosure or an external GPU dock than a full-fledged desktop system.

Its slim, rectangular, vent-heavy design completely deviates from the usual cube or NUC-style mini PCs.

Holding it in your palm feels more like gripping a chunky power bank or a Mac mini cut in half, definitely not what you’d expect from a 16-core AI workstation.

The layout makes you question where the thermal headroom or upgradable internals even fit.

The AOOSTAR NEX395 includes an integrated Radeon 8060S GPU, part of the Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 APU.

However, it also sells an external eGPU enclosure featuring the Radeon RX 7600 XT.

Given that the integrated GPU already offers a newer architecture and more compute units than the RX 7600 XT, the use case for pairing the two is unclear.

Also, the NEX395 does not appear to support high-speed eGPU connectivity like OCuLink, which would limit bandwidth for external graphics support.

Port selection includes dual Ethernet ports, four USB-A ports, USB-C, HDMI, and DisplayPort outputs, along with a dedicated power input, suggesting reliance on an external power brick.

Without confirmed thermal design or sustained performance metrics, it’s unclear whether this system can function reliably in roles normally filled by the best workstation PC or best business PC options.

Unfortunately, the pricing details for the NEX395 are currently unavailable.

Given the $1500–$2000 range of comparable models such as the HP Z2 Mini G1a and GMKTEC EVO-X2, AOOSTAR’s model is unlikely to be cheap.

Via Videocardz

You might also like

• These are the best mobile workstations you can buy right now
• We've also listed the best mini PCs for every budget
• Another dual Intel GPU card with 48GB VRAM launched as Arc Pro emerges as cheap Nvidia and AMD alternative for AI crowd