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• Meta is set to almost double its AI infrastructure spending
• Meta looks to keep pace with major AI rivals
• AI infrastructure comes at a huge environmental cost

As governments and private companies around the world announce huge AI infrastructure plans, Meta has become the latest to announce a major spending spree.

In its most recent quarterly financial results, the company announced an expansion of spending to around $66-$72 billion - more than doubling its spending on data centres and servers.

“We expect that developing leading AI infrastructure will be a core advantage in developing the best AI models and product experiences, so we expect to ramp our investments significantly in 2026 to support that work,” Susan Li, Meta CFO, said during the company’s earnings call.

Costly infrastructure

The move comes shortly after Meta’s shares jumped more than 10%, thanks largely to advertising business success, where AI-driven ad creation tools allow users to generate video ads from images, helping prompt better conversion rates.

Meta says it expects a similar jump in spending onwards in 2026, as the firm looks to “aggressively [pursue] opportunities to bring additional capacity online to meet the needs of [its] artificial intelligence efforts and business operations.”

Meta isn’t alone, as Microsoft has also announced plans to spend billions on AI, announcing over $30 billion capital investment as it expands AI capacity in a bid to keep up with the likes of Amazon - which itself is set to spend up to $111 billion in 2025, with the majority going towards tech and infrastructure.

This infrastructure, primarily referring to data centres and large servers, is costly in more ways than one. It would be disingenuous to talk about data centre spending without mentioning the enormous environmental costs associated with the infrastructure.

Data centres consume massive amounts of energy and water - depleting local water sources and putting huge strain on already labored energy grids.

Local communities are being hit hard by nearby data centre constructions - with data centres in Texas using 463 million gallons of water, as residents are instructed to take shorter showers to offset the usage.

In Georgia, residents living in proximity to Meta’s own data centre, can no longer drink their water, with taps running dry thanks to added sediment in local wells. The cost of municipal water has skyrocketed, and the county water commission may face a shortage.

Via: TechCrunch

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• Epson has announced the LS9000, an entry-level model in its Pro Cinema projector lineup
• The LS9000 has a specified 2,200 lumens of white (ISO rated) and color (IDMS rated) brightness
• The LS9000 features dual HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 120Hz support for gaming

Epson today announced the Epson Pro Cinema LS9000 4K 3LCD Laser Projector. The new lower-cost entry in the company’s Pro Cinema projector lineup is making its debut this week at the Audio Advice Live show, which takes place August 1-3, 2025, in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Priced at $3,999 (around £2,995 / AU$6,135), the Epson LS9000 provides a more affordable alternative to the Epson Pro Cinema LS12000 ($5,999), currently the top pick in our best projectors guide. Like that model, the new LS9000 is a 4K 3LCD model with HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG support. It also uses a laser light source rated for 20,000 hours and has a motorized lens with powered zoom, focus, and +/- 96% vertical and up to +/- 24% horizontal lens shift.

With 2,200 lumens of white (ISO rated) and color (IDMS rated) brightness, the LS9000 isn’t as powerful as the LS12000, which is rated for 2,700 lumens of white brightness. But like that model, it features 4K 120Hz support on its dual HDMI 2.1 ports for gaming (eARC and ARC are also supported).

Epson’s ZX Picture Processor performs real-time frame interpolation and picture enhancement on the LS9000, which also features a powered lens cover that slides into place when the projector is powered off. A memory zoom option lets you use the projector with ultra-wide 2.35:1 screens, and it also supports third-party anamorphic lenses for use with the same.

A cheaper Pro Series? We’ll take itImage 1 of 3

The new LS9000 is the entry-level model in Epson's Pro Cinema projector lineup (Image credit: Epson)Image 2 of 3

A powered lens cover slides into place when the LS9000 is powered off (Image credit: Epson)Image 3 of 3

Connections include two HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 120Hz support (Image credit: Epson)

At CEDIA Expo 2024, Epson debuted the Epson Q-Series, a trio of 4K laser projectors aimed at the high-end residential market. What distinguished these from other Epson projectors was the Q-Series’ high brightness specifications, starting at 3,300 lumens for the QB1000, with up to 10,000 lumens for the flagship Epson QL7000.

Such high light output makes the Q-Series a perfect option for open-format media rooms or living rooms, where some degree of ambient lighting is preferred.

With 2,200 lumens of brightness, the new LS9000 is aimed more at traditional dark-room home theaters, where the projector’s two-speed Dynamic Contrast adjustment will allow it to project crisp 4K movies with powerful contrast (Epson’s contrast ratio specs cite over 2.5 million to one).

The LS9000’s dual HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 120Hz support also make it a great option for gaming with next-gen consoles or PCs. And at $3,999, Epson’s latest is a more reasonably priced gaming projector than other models in its lineup, and it’s also one that should capably do double duty for movies.

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• AI is improving the mean time to identify and contain data breaches
• IBM finds AI users could be saving £600,000 per breach vs. non-users
• Only one-third of UK orgs have deployed AI in security

New IBM data suggests the cost of data breaches could actually be falling as AI becomes more integrated into cybersecurity practices, with companies employing these technologies typically incurring much lower costs than non-users.

The study estimated pro-AI firms incurred £3.11 million in costs compared with £3.78 million for non-users - but despite the potential £600,000+ in savings, fewer than one in three UK organizations have widely deployed AI and automation in security, meaning that many are still facing the consequences.

That said, while artificial intelligence has been seen improving detection, it's also assisting with code generation, meaning that more cybercriminals can access more sophisticated attacks.

AI is a double-edged sword in cybersecurity

With the widespread adoption of AI, companies are now seeing breaches happen when employees use non-approved AI tools – also known as shadow AI. Yet only 31% of the companies surveyed have AI governance policies to manage shadow AI.

Third-party vendor and supply chain compromises were cited as the top UK breach causes, accounting for 18 - with phishing (16%) and compromised credentials (11%) also widely seen.

Although humans remain a key entry point for attackers into an organization, trends have shifted over the past two decades. In 2005, lost or stolen devices accounted for nearly half (45%) of breaches, with 2015 seeing a spike in misconfigured clouds. Ransomware also picked up in 2020.

"The data speaks for itself as organisations implementing robust AI-driven security automation are significantly reducing breach costs," IBM UK&I Cybersecurity Services Leader Georgie Cohen explained.

With artificial intelligence, organizations are unlocking faster response times, with a mean time to identify (MTTI) of 148 days and a mean time to and contain (MTTC) of 42 days (compared with 168 days and 64 days for non-users).

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Comedian Leanne Morgan’s self-titled sitcom has dropped on Netflix as of July 31, 2025, telling the fictionalized story of when her husband has an affair with a younger woman. It’s the sort of structure we saw on the sitcom Reba about 20 years ago, but this time, divorce is an empowering thing. Finding the humor in life and those around her, Leanne is determined to rebuild her life from the ground up.

Frankly, I’m already sold on the new series Leanne, despite only having this much information to go on. A female lead over the age of 50, real-life drama without the sensationalism and genuinely brilliant jokes is more than enough on its own, but there’s layers to the new Netflix comedy. Morgan has been in the comedy game for over 25 years, but there’s a good chance many subscribers have never even heard of her. She oozes charm and – in her own words – “dazzle” (you might have seen her on the most recent episode of Amy Poehler’s Good Hang podcast), and her Southern drawl is an absolute wonder… she could say anything in the phone book and you’d be hooked on it.

Clearly Morgan’s time in the global spotlight is long overdue, but I’m just as interested in her series co-creator. That’s none other than Chuck Lorre, part of the brains behind the growing Sheldon-verse that includes The Big Bang Theory (TBBT), Young Sheldon and Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage. He’s also now got Stuart Fails to Save the Universe on the go, but before that gets legs, fans of the franchise need to see Leanne for one very, very good reason.

Netflix’s new comedy Leanne is exactly the type of modern sitcom we didn’t know we needed to stream

Where something like Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage hasn’t quite landed how to adapt the traditional sitcom format for a 2025 audience (think the sound stage, laugh track vibe Young Sheldon left behind in 2017), Leanne has made it into its own. Why have Morgan and Lorre found it so easy? Because you simply can’t help but fall in love with Leanne herself, even if the humor isn’t always doing it for you.

Broadly speaking, the structure of sticking a laugh track over multi-cam filmed comedy scenes just doesn’t work anymore, even if it did for TBBT back in 2007. It’s just not how we connect to what makes us laugh anymore, and there’s a reason why most new hit comedy shows have pivoted to single-cam strategies instead. Leanne takes a risk by keeping it classic, but it naturally lends itself to the Southern charm and sheer amount of bombastic chaos we more regularly saw in pre-2000 comedies. Kristen Johnson’s Carol is a fantastic example of this – her comedic aura is just too big to restrict to a single camera point of view.

If nothing else, Leanne hammers home the message we need to hear right now. Women are all-powerful and important in every possible aspect of life. If needed, they can move mountains to start from scratch while not losing sight of the joy that’s right in front of them. For me, it’s even better that the show isn’t always perfect, because who wants to be that? As someone who misses Young Sheldon et al. more than I miss George Cooper being alive, Leanne has perfectly scratched that sitcom itch.

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• The Rings of Power season 3 is officially in production
• Amazon confirmed filming has begun on the next chapter of its Lord of the Rings TV show
• It's possible that the high fantasy prequel's third entry could arrive in late 2026

It's taken a while, but Amazon MGM Studios has finally confirmed the cameras are rolling on The Rings of Power season 3.

Four months after The Rings of Power was officially renewed for a third season, Amazon revealed filming had begun on the high fantasy show's next installment via a 23-second teaser, which was uploaded to the series' social media channels yesterday (July 30).

Something is stirring on set. Season 3 is underway. pic.twitter.com/YdBSGcGd8jJuly 30, 2025

There's not much to glean from the footage. Indeed, the brief behind the scenes video simply shows an individual carrying Sauron's iconic crown, which he acquired in The Rings of Power season 2 finale, to one of the show's sets. After the crown, which originally belonged to Sauron's master Morgoth in The Lord of the Rings (TLotR) literature, onto another person, the headpiece is set down on a table. The video ends with confirmation that the Prime Video series' third season in now in production.

That revelation notwithstanding, there is something else we can read into the first teaser for The Rings of Power's third season – and, surprise surprise, it's got something to do with the aforementioned crown.

Last season, we learned that Morgoth's headgear was an incredibly powerful, magical artifact that may possess the ability to fatally injure the Maiar. Essentially, they're angelic beings who serve the Valar, aka TLotR's god-like entities, and Sauron was a Maia before he was corrupted by Morgoth, a fallen Valar previously known as Melkor.

Sauron used Morgoth's crown as a weapon in his season 2 showdown with Galadriel (Image credit: Prime Video)

Adar, one of Sauron's lieutenants who had possession of the crown, aimed to use it on Sauron due to the latter's belief that the orcs who make up his armies are nothing more than disposable creatures in his quest to rule Middle-earth. As the orcs' All-Father, Adar disagreed with Sauron's view, hence his desire to kill Sauron and set the orcs free. Long story short: Adar is killed – ironically by some orcs who've fallen under one of Sauron's dark spells – which sees Sauron come into possession of Morgoth's crown.

"But what's this got to do with what you teased three paragraphs ago?", I hear you ask. If Morgoth's crown is as potent as The Rings of Power has led us to believe, I think Sauron will use its magical abilities to help him forge The One Ring. We already know it'll be created next season – Sauron actor Charlie Vickers telling me it's the "next piece of the puzzle" for the Dark Lord's journey through this show, and would explain why Sauron was so keen to get his hands on the headpiece.

Is there a release date for The Rings of Power season 3 on Prime Video?

The look of disappointment when we learn it could be another 18 months before season 3 arrives (Image credit: Prime Video)

Alright, so we know filming is underway on one of the best Prime Video shows' third installment. I'm pretty confident that its first teaser has also given us a big clue about how the One Ring will be created. But, one big question remains: when will season 3 make its bow on Prime Video, aka one of the world's best streaming services?

The short answer is: I don't know. That won't stop me from speculating on a possible launch date, though – and it might be with us sooner than anyone might think, too.

For starters, seasons 1 and 2 respectively took 18 months and eight months to film. Principal photography took longer on the former due to a six-month hiatus amid the pandemic. So, if we remove that period of inactivity from its shooting schedule, the series' first two seasons took between eight and 12 months to film.

With principal photography commencing on season 3 yesterday (July 30), and given what its predecessors' shooting timeframes indicate, it'll be July 2026 before the cameras stop rolling on the forthcoming season. Considering how much post-production work would need to be conducted before it's ready for public consumption, we could be looking at an early 2027 launch – at the very earliest – for the series' next chapter.

There's a chance it could arrive before the end of 2026, though. Speaking to Gold Derby, director/producer Charlotte Brandstrom, whose worked on the show since early 2021, heavily implied that filming actually started in May.

"I’ve actually been shooting all day," she said, "So I’ve been up since 5am. I’m in London right now, so I’m working on it right now and I can’t say much, except that I think it’s going to be a really good season."

The fact that Brandstrom says she's already shot some scenes indicates that, at the time of publication, a few have been in the can for over two months. If that's the case, filming might be further along on The Rings of Power's latest season than we're being led to believe and may wrap earlier than anticipated.

All of that is to say, then, if Amazon surprisingly reveals filming has been completed before the end of 2025, it's possible season 3 will make its debut in late 2026. All eyes will be on the series' official social media accounts, then, for news on when principal photography wraps. Until then, read more of my exclusive coverage on the show below, including what we can expect next time around.

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• Multicloud comes with challenges, like interoperability and inconsistencies
• Geopolitical uncertainty is driving sovereignty requirements
• Survey finds nearly a third of firms are already implementing multicloud strategies, and a similar amount adopting hybrid infrastructure

British firms are increasingly turning their backs on single-cloud infrastructure, with as many as three in five UK orgs looking to open up beyond one single provider, new research has claimed.

The survey from Civo added further down that line, nearly one-third (29%) are already implementing multi-cloud strategies, with a similar number (31%) adopting hybrid cloud models to blend public cloud with their own on-prem infrastructure.

Civo believes this trend could be in response to data governance and sovereignty requirements, but increasing costs could also be playing a role in the decision.

UK orgs are going back to multicloud and hybrid

Only 35% of the survey's respondents reported full visibility into their data storage and governance at the moment, suggesting they could be running suboptimally and at high expense. Hybrid cloud promises a balance of agility and control as companies look for more sustainable long-term solutions.

Although multicloud does share some of these promises, Civo noted that the current environment is dominated by operational complexity, like fragmented support, compliance inconsistency and proprietary tools preventing interoperability.

Two in three (68%) said they'd consider locally governed providers if UK and EU compliance frameworks were stronger, with four in five (78%) agreeing that sovereignty has now become a priority when choosing tech of infrastructure partners.

"I speak to founders and IT leaders all the time who tell me the same thing: they know they need to move away from relying on a single provider, but they feel stuck," Civo CEO Mark Boost explained.

"They want control and the ability to stay resilient in the face of geopolitical uncertainty - that starts with sovereignty... But to fully realise the benefits of hybrid cloud, businesses need platforms that are open by design, interoperable, and built with transparency at their core."

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• EA CEO Andrew Wilson has said there are no plans to increase the cost of Battlefield 6 to $80
• In an investor's call, Wilson said, "We're not looking to make any changes on pricing at this stage"
• EA also confirmed that there will be no $80 games between now and the end of the current fiscal year, which is March 2026

Despite the rising cost of AAA games across the games industry, EA has said that it isn't looking to increase the price of Battlefield 6 to $80.

That's according to EA CEO Andrew Wilson, who responded to an investor asking the publisher about competitors now releasing $80 games during the company's Q1 earnings call on July 29 (via IGN).

"We're not looking to make any changes on pricing at this stage," Wilson said. "That's in the construct of, we already offer a fairly broad pricing scheme across our various products.

"When you think about everything from free-to-play through to our premium products and deluxe editions, our orientation is always to capture the full spectrum of pricing so that we can serve players in the best way possible and offer them the greatest value. We'll continue to look at opportunities to deliver great value to our players through various pricing schemes over the course of time, but no dramatic changes planned yet."

During the call, EA also confirmed that it had not factored in any price changes to its current fiscal year earnings guidance, suggesting that there will be no $80 games between now and the end of the current fiscal year, which is March 2026.

Nintendo set a new precedent earlier this year when it revealed that its Nintendo Switch 2 launch title, Mario Kart World, would cost $80.

Microsoft followed suit earlier this year by confirming that some first-party games would see a price increase to $79.99 later this year. However, the company recently announced that it had decided to lower the cost of both The Outer Worlds 2 and Borderlands 4.

Elsewhere, fans can look forward to the Battlefield 6 multiplayer reveal later today.

The livestream should also confirm a release date; however, an earlier report from reliable leaker Billbil-kun at Dealabs claims that the shooter will release on October 10, 2025, for PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC.

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Acer Predator Helios 18 AI: Two-minute review

The Acer Predator Helios 18 AI is a top-tier gaming laptop with a phenomenal spec that’s sure to whet the appetites of even casual gamers. Despite what lurks inside, its exterior is remarkably restrained. At 18 inches, it's obviously very large, but the black finish and lack of branding keep its profile reasonably low. However, that large rear protrusion and ostentatious RGB lighting give away its intentions.

I think Acer has done well to keep the Predator Helios 18 AI as slender as possible. Of course, this is all relative given the size of laptop we’re dealing with here, but it’s impressively thin for the most part, although it thickens at the rear.

Build quality is also excellent, equaling the best gaming laptops in this regard. Premium materials are employed everywhere, and the hinge for the lid is smooth and easy to operate, while offering plenty of stability once set.

The keyboard is tactile and snappy, and the generous spacing of the keys makes it easy to type and game on the Predator Helios 18 AI. The number pad somewhat compromises the layout, though, with the space bar paying the highest price; it’s a little too short for my liking.

On the other hand, the large trackpad does a fine job of not interfering while using the keyboard, with accidental contact failing to register in my experience. It’s also very smooth and accurate, should you wish to use it over one of the best gaming mice.

Considering its mighty spec, the Predator Helios 18 AI performs as well as you might expect. Cyberpunk 2077 and Doom: The Dark Ages ran with aplomb, each delivering fps figures in the hundreds with maximum graphics settings, including those for ray tracing.

(Image credit: Future)

You will have to endure constant fan noise when gaming, but thankfully this isn’t egregious when the default Balanced mode is selected in the Predator Sense app. The Predator Helios 18 AI also generates a fair amount of heat, which can spread to the sides and the keyboard after a while. Again, though, this isn’t bad enough to cause an issue.

The biggest price you’ll have to pay for all this performance is… well, the price. Starting at $3,000, the Predator Helios 18 AI is incredibly expensive. I struggle to think who’ll need such a large and powerful laptop, and be willing to pay this much for one.

Of course, the entire gaming laptop market is a premium one, but there are better value alternatives out there if you don’t need an 18-inch display and triple-digit frame rates, such as the excellent Razer Blade 16 (2025) or the MSI Katana 15 (2023), the latter of which we think is currently the best budget gaming laptop around.

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI review: Price & Availability

• Starts from $2,999.99 / £3,499.99 / AU$7,299
• Hugely expensive
• Better value alternatives

The Predator Helios 18 AI starts from $2,999.99 / £3,499.99 / AU$7,299 and is available now. It comes with spare WASD and arrow keys, as well as a thermal pad upgrade kit for the RAM.

You don’t need me to tell you what an eye-watering sum this is. It’s understandable considering the spec, and my review unit was even more outlandish, equipped with a 3840 x 2400 display and 192GB of RAM(!).

Prices are similar to the Razer Blade, which performs similarly too. If you want something that’s even better value, the MSI Katana 15 (2023) is, in our view, one of the best budget gaming laptops around, if you’re happy to game at 1080p.

• Value: 2.5 / 5

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI review: SpecsAcer Predator Helios 18 AI Specs

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI Base Config

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI Review Config

Price

$2,999.99 / £3,499.99 / AU$7299

TBC

CPU

Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX (24 Cores), 2.70 GHz

Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX (24 Cores), 2.70 GHz

GPU

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 (16GB)

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 (24GB)

RAM

64GB DDR5

192GB DDR5

Storage

2TB PCIe NVMe SED SSD

2TB PCIe NVMe SED SSD

Display

18-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600), 16:10 ComfyView (Matte), 250Hz, IPS

18-inch WQUXGA (3840 x 2400), 16:10 ComfyView (Matte), 250Hz, IPS

Ports and Connectivity

3 x USB-A, 2 x USB-C, 1 x RJ-45, 1 x SD card, 1 x HDMI, 1 x 3.5mm audio in/out; Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4

3 x USB-A, 2 x USB-C, 1 x RJ-45, 1 x SD card, 1 x HDMI, 1 x 3.5mm audio in/out; Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4

Battery

99Wh

99Wh

Dimensions

401 x 308 x 29.6mm

401 x 308 x 29.6mm

Weight

3.5kg / 7.7lbs

3.5kg / 7.7lbs

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI review: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Large but surprisingly thin
• Relatively understated
• Excellent build quality

Given its large display size, the Predator Helios 18 AI is a reasonably understated gaming laptop. The rear bulge that extends beyond the lid hinge gives it some distinction, and the RGB lighting can light up the whole unit like a Christmas tree if you want it to (the bar that runs along the front edge and wraps around the side is especially striking). But switch this off and you’ll struggle to tell it apart from the best business laptops.

It’s quite bulky, although I think the Predator Helios 18 AI does an admirable job of keeping its dimensions contained considering the beastly components that lay within. The front end is reasonably thin, but thickens as it moves towards the back. This increased size does allow for larger vent openings, though, so it’s a worthy sacrifice to improve cooling performance.

The overall build quality is hard to fault. All the materials that are used look and feel premium and durable. The lid is also impressively smooth to operate yet remains sufficiently stable when set in position.

Underneath you’ll find three feet that run across the width of the Predator Helios 18 AI, and they provide plenty of grip on desktop surfaces. They also raise the chassis from the surface by a significant degree, again allowing for improved ventilation.

There are plenty of ports on the Predator Helios 18 AI. On the left, you’ll find an ethernet and a USB-A port, as well as an SD card slot and a 3.5mm audio in/ out jack. On the right are two more USB-A ports, which is a sensible location considering this is where you’ll likely be connecting external peripherals.

On the rear are two USB-C ports, an HDMI port, and a large power cable port. As you would imagine, the power supply is large, but unfortunately the cable running from the brick to the jack end is quite short. Owing to my setup, this meant I had to keep the brick on my desk rather than placing it on the floor, which was quite the inconvenience.

• Design: 4 / 5

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI review: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Fantastic AAA performance
• Vibrant and sharp display
• Some fan noise and heat

Gaming with the Predator Helios 18 AI didn’t get off to a particularly auspicious start. When I ran Cyberpunk 2077 for the first time, the game’s benchmark function recorded a disappointing 42fps, with the maximum 3840 x 2400 resolution and Ray Tracing: Ultra preset selected.

Some tinkering with the graphics settings resulted in modest improvements to performance, but it wasn’t until after restarting the game a couple of times that things suddenly improved: I started getting about 100fps, even in busy in-game environments, without lowering the resolution or any other graphical settings.

Similar figures were achieved when I played Doom: The Dark Ages, although I did have to change the DLSS mode from Auto to Ultra Performance to get there. Thankfully, this made no discernible difference to the image quality.

And on that front, both games looked fantastic on the WQUXGA display. Colors were accurate and vibrant, if very slightly washed-out. This is a common issue on many IPS displays, but here the effect did little to detract from the awesomeness of the visuals.

The ultra-high 3840 x 2400 resolution in my review unit offered incredible levels of sharpness, while the high response times resulted in super-smooth gameplay. It’s also capable of very high brightness levels, which helps to keep pesky reflections at bay.

(Image credit: Future)Acer Predator Helios 18 AI Benchmarks

Here's how the Acer Predator Helios 18 AI performed in our series of benchmark tests:

Geekbench 6.2:
Single - 2,803
Multi - 16,720
Cinebench R24:
Single - 125 13.89x
Multi - 1,728
3DMark:
Fire Strike - 36,158
Time Spy - 17,341
Port Royal - 12,994
Night Raid - 60,951
PCMark10:
8,885
Cyberpunk 2077:
1080p Low - 469fps
1080p Ultra - 361fps
1080p Ray Tracing: Overdrive - 128fps
Battery test:
Movie playback - 3 hours and 2 minutes
PCMark10 (Gaming) - 1 hour 27 minutes

Fan noise is constant when gaming on the Predator Helios 18 AI, but I didn’t find it distractingly loud. The volume increases considerably if you set the Predator Sense profile to Performance mode, though – then you’ll really need one of the best PC gaming headsets to drown out the noise.

The Predator Helios 18 AI does a good job of keeping temperatures down. Its underside doesn’t get too hot, although over time heat leaks out of both sides, which can be a little distracting for your mouse hand. After a couple of hours of gaming, I noticed the bottom of the keyboard became quite hot, too, especially around the space bar.

It wasn’t hot enough to make using the keyboard a problem, though. And what’s more, the keyboard on the Predator Helios 18 AI is great to game with. The keys are clicky but damped enough to make them tactile.

They’re a little on the small side (although they’re generously spaced apart), owing to the inclusion of the aforementioned number pad. This compromises the layout somewhat – especially the space bar, which isn’t as long as I would’ve liked, and therefore somewhat awkward to hit with my left thumb.

The trackpad on the Predator Helios 18 AI is large and very smooth, making it easy to use. Mercifully, it also appears unaffected by contact with the sides of your palms, meaning it won’t accidentally register movements while your hands lean over it to use the keyboard.

• Performance: 5 / 5

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI review: Battery Life

(Image credit: Future)

• Large 99Wh capacity
• Underwhelming longevity
• Quick to charge

The battery life of the Predator Helios 18 AI isn't particularly impressive. Despite its 99Wh capacity, it lasted just under 90 minutes PCMark10's battery test for gaming scenarios.

This makes it considerably worse than the Razer Blade 16 (2025), which managed about an hour more, but much better than the MSI Katana 15 (2023), which didn’t even last one hour.

Charging the Predator Helios 18 AI back up to full is a surprisingly quick process, though – and given the size of the power brick, you would hope it would be.

• Battery Life: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the Predator Helios 18 AI?Acer Predator Helios 18 AI Scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

The Predator Helios 18 AI is incredibly expensive, and only worth it if you need the absolute best gaming performance in laptop form.

2.5 / 5

Design

The Predator Helios 18 AI is very large, but is admirably thin considering what’s inside. It’s brilliantly made, too, and the RGB lighting is tastefully vibrant.

4 / 5

Performance

My review unit had an RTX 5090 and an Intel Core Ultra 9, so naturally its performance is out of this world. The display is excellent, too.

5 / 5

Battery Life

The Predator Helios 18 AI can't last an especially long time, but at least it's capable of replenishing quickly.

3.5 / 5

Total

There’s no denying this is a ferocious gaming machine; you can’t really ask for more from a gaming laptop. But the astronomical price puts it beyond the reach of many gamers, and there are many better value propositions out there.

3.5 / 5

Buy it if...

You want the best portable performance
With Nvidia RTX 5000 series GPUs available, the Predator Helios 18 AI can achieve astonishing fps figures, while the CPU and configurable RAM are equally capable components.

You want a large display
At 18 inches, the screen is more than big enough for laptop gaming, and renders AAA titles in all their glory.

Don't buy it if...

You want to save money
You’ll need plenty of cash to buy even the base model, and there are better value options out there.

You want a truly portable device
You’ll want something much smaller and lighter than the Acer Predator Helios 18 AI if you’re constantly on the go.

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI review: Also Consider

Razer Blade 16 (2025)
We were already big fans of the Razer Blade 14 from 2024, but the Blade 16 (2025) surpasses it in many ways. Like the Predator Helios 18 AI, it too can be equipped with an RTX 5090, and is built to a similarly high standard. It’s a shame there’s no 4K option this time round, though, and it’s still about as expensive as the Predator Helios 18 AI. Read our full Razer Blade 16 (2025) review.

MSI Katana 15 (2023)
Our current pick as the best gaming laptop for those on a budget, the MSI Katana 15 (2023) gets the balance right between price and performance, impressing us with its 1080p gaming. The trackpad and battery life might be weak points, but these are areas in gaming laptops where we’re willing to forgive shortcomings. As your first foray into the sector, it’s a great place to start. Read our full MSI Katana 15 (2023) review.

How I tested the Predator Helios 18 AI

• Tested for a few days
• Played AAA games
• Extensive PC gaming experience

I tested the Predator Helios 18 AI for a few days, during which time I played games such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Doom: The Dark Ages, both AAA titles that provide stern tests for rigs owing to their demanding, cutting-edge graphics.

I also ran TechRadar’s series of benchmarking tests, including a battery test where I played a movie on a continuous loop until the Predator Helios 18 AI shut down.

I have been PC gaming for over a decade, and during that time I have experienced a number of systems and components. I have also reviewed laptops previously, as well as copious amounts of gaming hardware.

• First reviewed: July 2025
• Read more about how we test

The Trump administration's overhaul of the U.S. asylum and refugee systems has taken a toll on people fleeing religious persecution, including many Christians.

(Image credit: Andres Kudacki)

In a new book, writer Suleika Jaouad explains why journaling is a form of alchemy — and offers tips on how to reignite your practice if you're feeling stuck, bored or uninspired by your own writing.

• Future Games Show will be back at Gamescom this year
• This year's hosts are actors Maggie Robertson and David Hayter
• Tune in live on August 20 for more than 50 trailers and announcements

Future Games Show at Gamescom is returning this year for another showcase packed with game trailers and world premieres.

This year, the show will be hosted by actors Maggie Robertson (Lady Dimitrescu, Resident Evil Village) and David Hayter (Solid Snake, Metal Gear Solid). You'll be able to tune into the show live on August 20 at 1am PDT / 2pm EDT / 7pm BST / 8pm CEST.

Future Games Show will go live at the above times on a variety of social channels, including Twitch, YouTube, X / Twitter, TikTok, as well as with our friends over at GamesRadar.

Viewers can expect announcements and trailers for more than 50 upcoming games, many of which will be world premieres. Developers and publishers featured will include Bandai Namco Entertainment, Capcom, EA, and Nacon. And if there are any games you're looking forward to in particular this year, you just might be in luck, as the show is set to feature some "stealth demo drops."

On returning to the Future Games Show fold, Robertson said: “I’m thrilled to be joining David Hayter to co-host the Future Games Show at Gamescom on August 20! It’s always such a joy to celebrate the creativity and passion behind the games we love and this showcase is packed with exclusive reveals, dev interviews, and all the latest news on gaming. Can’t wait to see you there!”

Hayter added: “Yes! I'll be returning to the Future Games Show at Gamescom on August 20 with Maggie Robertson. I've had a sneak peek and the show is packed with world premieres, new trailers and deep dives into some incredible games. Join us on August 20!”

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If you enjoy diverse content like me, torrenting is an easy way to access it. It involves exchanging files via the BitTorrent protocol and can be done via torrent clients. I’ve embarked on a mission to test many torrenting clients to help users choose the best ones. Today, I’m focusing on qBittorrent, a prominent app in the torrenting community.

qBittorrent is a free and open source torrent client, and compatible with the most popular desktop operating systems. I tested it extensively to provide an honest opinion. Read on to learn about its features, user-friendliness, security, and other vital factors.

qBittorrent: Versions

qBittorrent is compatible with the three most popular PC operating systems; Windows, macOS, and Linux. I use a macOS PC and easily downloaded qBittorrent from the official website. You can also do this for the Windows and Linux versions.

However, I noticed that qBittorrent does not have an Android app. I like torrenting clients with Android apps that let me control my PC’s torrenting activities from a smartphone.

I didn’t expect iOS compatibility, as Apple famously doesn’t allow torrenting apps to appear in its App Store.

(Image credit: Future)qBittorrent: Features

qBittorrent has the typical features of a torrenting app. To download content, I needed to get the .torrent file from an external source. This file contains the metadata of the relevant content to be downloaded, and qBittorrent reads the information to kickstart the download.

If you don’t have the .torrent file, you can provide the magnet link for the relevant content. A magnet link is a hyperlink containing the same metadata as the .torrent file. I pasted multiple links into qBittorrent, and it downloaded the required content without hassle.

I also downloaded content via RSS feeds. This feature lets users subscribe to a specific RSS feed and automatically download new torrents added to the feed. For example, if you subscribe to an RSS feed of your favorite series, you can automatically download all new episodes.

I like that qBittorrent allows plugins that provide extra functionality. My favorite is the search plugin that lets you find torrent files within the app. Instead of spending time discovering and downloading these .torrent files on external websites, I did that directly on qBittorrent, enabling much faster downloads.

There’s no single search plugin for qBittorrent. Instead, the app is compatible with numerous unofficial plugins built for torrenting clients. Installing a search plugin was a noticeably simple process.

(Image credit: Future)

Torrenting works when users exchange files via the BitTorrent communications protocol. When you download specific content on qBittorrent, you automatically become a seeder uploading that content for other users to download. This process of simultaneous downloads and uploads enables users to freely access content via qBittorrent and other torrenting clients.

Whenever I use a torrenting client, I always seek to limit my upload speeds to conserve bandwidth. qBittorrent makes this easy. You can limit the upload speed to any level you’re comfortable with, ensuring you upload files for other users without consuming excessive bandwidth.

I appreciated that qBittorrent gave me significant control over my torrenting activities. For instance, I could queue torrents and prioritize specific downloads over others. I could also select specific files within a torrent instead of downloading the whole package. For example, this feature comes in handy if you have a software package missing a few crucial files. You can download just the missing parts instead of re-downloading the software package and wasting bandwidth.

This torrenting client supports IP filtering for security purposes. Users can upload blocklists and prevent any IP on that list from sharing files with their PC. This feature protects you from interacting with malicious actors sharing malware via torrenting clients.

Before downloading torrents, I always turn on a VPN for further security. A VPN routes your traffic through a secure remote server, preventing your ISP and other third-parties from monitoring your torrenting activities. I advise everyone to always use a VPN when torrenting.

My main complaint is that qBittorrent does not have an Android app that allows me to remotely control my torrenting activities. However, I was pleased that its remote control feature is available via a web interface.

The remote web interface is very similar to qBittorrent’s regular interface. You can use it to control your torrenting activities from another PC or smartphone, e.g., starting and pausing downloads on your home PC while at work. However, setting it up was complex, unlike Android apps where it’s usually straightforward.

qBittorrent: Interface and in-use

qBittorrent has a minimalistic interface that I enjoyed using. It’s not overtly modern yet not outdated. Features are arranged neatly on the left, configurations are accessible at the top, and the main dashboard lies on the right. Each feature incorporates a relevant icon that defines their functions. This uncluttered arrangement makes it easy to find any feature and tweak your desired configurations.

qBittorrent: Security

As mentioned, qBittorrent allowed me to block specific IP addresses from interacting with my device. This security feature is crucial because torrents are a common vector for introducing malware into unsuspecting devices.

qBittorrent has no ads and no history of negligent security practices. It’s a free tool maintained by volunteer developers, so there’s little incentive to sneak in adware for commercial purposes, which a handful of torrenting clients are guilty of.

Despite its standard encryption and other security features, I reiterate my advice to always turn on a VPN before using qBittorrent.

qBittorrent: Final verdict

qBittorrent is a free, user-friendly torrenting client I genuinely enjoy using. It’s not as feature-rich as some clients I’ve tested, but it performs its functions well. It’s an ideal torrenting tool for anyone seeking easy access to digital content.

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Sometimes in software development, things can sit on your to-do list for years – and it’s a technology-based disruption that pushes them to the top of your priorities.

Remember the move to mobile 15 years ago? All of a sudden, people were rushing to address things they should have already thought about in the web app age.

Customer experience, robust testing, programs that are truly fit for purpose and not just functional – the emergence of mobile highlighted many gaps that organizations had to fill. In 2025, AI and low code are the innovations having a profound impact on software development.

And one, perhaps under-acknowledged, consequence is a shift in how organizations approach risk management and regulatory compliance.

The decentralization of development

How enterprises develop and deliver technology – for both internal and external use – is changing. Where once technology development was a process led centrally by IT, today no-code platforms and AI tools are driving a shift to development teams fractalized across the organization.

This is incredibly exciting in many ways, as developers can be more responsive to business needs, collaborating directly with the people most aware of what customers, employees and partners require. But at the same time, it changes the business’ relationship with risk. In the old world, the IT professionals driving development had a holistic perspective of the security concerns, risk profiles and compliance requirements of the organization as a whole.

But now, distributed developers work on smaller pieces of the puzzle, which each present a range of risk management and governance questions. Enterprises are now being faced with managing the risk, as well as embracing the opportunity, of this democratization.

The age of adaptive governance

Risk is a complex question in the time of distributed development. Governance and risk mean different things, depending on where the technology sits in the business. Issues like whether applications are customer-facing, the sensitivity of data and how it’s stored and privacy considerations will each vary from case to case.

Delivering a mobile banking feature could raise all kinds of questions. How and where is customer data stored? Who has access? What will be in the hands of the customers, and what will be in the hands of employees? With so many interconnected issues, it could be easy to miss something crucial from a privacy, security or regulatory perspective.

It’s more important than ever that individual developer teams get to grips with the risk and compliance implications of their activities.

This creates a new role for risk managers and compliance officers. Rather than simply sitting centrally, these specialists need to be embedded in multidisciplinary technology delivery teams across the organization, sometimes referred to as “fusion teams”. There, they act as a front line for risk management, empowering development teams with the right guidance and oversight of their activities.

The smartest organizations are moving to a model of adaptive governance: risk management that’s appropriate for each scenario, and balances innovation with compliance. It’s here that fusion teams will really deliver. With a blend of experts from the business, software developers and UX specialists, teams can better understand the risk and compliance implications of their work – and proactively protect the organization.

The invisible shift

The shift to decentralized technology is nothing new. But low code and AI are catalyzing the parallel shift to a new risk management and compliance model. It may be less visible – but the consequences will be significant.

It’s important that everyone gets to grips with the age of adaptive governance, to ensure that distributed development can deliver on its promise, without compromising the business.

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

AI is going through its adolescent phase. It’s strong, ambitious, and capable of remarkable things, but increasingly, it’s hitting some growing pains. Some analysts suggest AI has stalled due to "data scarcity," poor connectivity, or power limitations.

However, the real reason might be simpler: AI, as we know it, lacks the fundamental ability to truly understand us, the user. It can process information at remarkable speeds, create photorealistic images, and draft fluent text, but it struggles with emotional intelligence.

It doesn’t know when a user is frustrated, bored, anxious, or exhausted. It can't sense the moment to pause, clarify, or change course. As AI tools are increasingly deployed in emotionally sensitive domains like education, healthcare, wellness, and media, this emotional blindspot is becoming a significant limitation.

Maybe the next leap in AI won’t come from more data or faster processing, but from teaching AI to notice what humans do when something isn't landing. Emotionally adaptive AI will do more than read prompts; it'll read the room.

By combining facial cues, gaze tracking, behavioral patterns, and physiological signals, the next generation of AI will be able to infer how someone feels and adjust its output accordingly. The result will be an AI that understands when to push and when to back off – when someone is ready to learn, when they’re mentally overloaded, or when they’re just not connecting.

This shift, from reactive logic to emotional awareness, could be what finally takes AI out of adolescence and into maturity.

Faster AI Doesn't Mean Better AI

We’re used to measuring AI in superlatives: bigger models, faster inference, smarter responses. But in the rush to scale up, we’ve overlooked something more fundamental: human context. A model ten times larger won't necessarily give better answers if it can't tell when it has misunderstood the question, or when a user is losing patience and needs an empathetic ear.

Logic-based accuracy doesn’t necessarily equate to usefulness in the moment. When AI is deployed in settings where emotional nuance matters – like classrooms, clinics, and during deep conversations – raw intelligence isn't enough. An algorithm might make fast movie recommendations based on viewing history, but it doesn't know what you're in the mood to watch right now.

These environments don't just rely on information delivery; they rely on timing, tone, and emotional context. In a classroom, the difference between a student thriving and disengaging isn't about how many facts the system can present; it's about knowing when the student is overwhelmed.

In a mental health setting, offering the right coping strategy is fine, but what if the user is too burnt out to hear it? Traditional AI systems weren’t built for this. They optimize for completion, not connection, and that’s where their limitations become apparent.

Humanizing AI

AI's next milestone upgrade won't be faster models or smarter algorithms. It'll be emotional adaptivity and contextual awareness. This means two things for the future of AI. First, AI will be able to read your personal cues in real time, when you choose to allow it.

Much like how Apple Watch users see significant value in heart rate, sleep pattern, or activity levels analysis to provide personalized health insights, human context AI picks up on the silent signals we send all the time: the blink rate that suggests cognitive fatigue, the micro-expression that flashes when confusion sets in, or the subtle eye movement that hints at distraction.

With the right fusion of sensors and models, AI can now combine emotion and mood with biometric signals into a holistic understanding of how you're feeling and why.

Understanding human emotional patterns

Second, and perhaps even more broadly, this understanding of human emotional and behavioral patterns can be anonymously "crowdsourced." This vast dataset will level up large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, making them inherently more human-centric in their responses and decisions.

This means AI can deal more effectively with a wider range of situations, even in environments where real-time personal signals aren't being interpreted. It's about building a foundational emotional intelligence into AI, making all interactions more intuitive and responsive to general human needs and states.

In the same way a great teacher slows down when they detect confusion or injects some fun when they see the room glazing over, emotionally adaptive AI can recalibrate on the fly – repeating a step, simplifying a concept, or just pausing to give the user space. It’s a shift from AI that reacts to what we say to AI that responds to how we feel. This opens the door to use cases that conventional AI simply isn’t equipped for.

In healthcare and wellness, it can surface emotional and physiological patterns that can flag burnout, mood disorders, or stroke risk, without relying on bias-prone self-reporting. In gaming, it can power experiences that respond to how players feel, not just what they do, adjusting game difficulty or narrative flow in real-time. What unites these use cases – and countless others – is a shift from one-size-fits-all delivery to emotionally responsive systems that are in tune with humans.

The real breakthrough won't be in how much AI knows; it'll be in how well AI knows us.

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

Both countries said they would make the formal announcement at the UN General Assembly in New York in September.

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Music streaming giant Spotify recently suffered a global outage that disrupted access to its app, website, and services for users around the world.

Although downloaded songs remained playable, the interruption caused significant frustration and interfered with daily routines. The incident also raised concerns about Spotify’s infrastructure reliability, as similar outages have occurred before.

With ongoing competition from Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Tidal, this lack of consistent service may push some users to consider alternative streaming platforms.

However, there are several ways to maintain product stability and to prevent app outages, including proactive strategies such as comprehensive testing, resilient architecture, continuous monitoring, and disaster recovery planning.

1. Frequent audits

Undertaking frequent and consistent audits can pre-empt issues and avoid customer frustration. These audits should not be exempt from the likes of code reviews, security audits and UX/design reviews.

How regular these should be is dependent on the size of your userbase and technology.

2. Proactive testing and quality assurance

When it comes to mobile app development, it’s important first to use automated testing and continuous integration to detect bugs early in the development cycle. In addition, it’s important to perform regular code reviews to catch issues and improve code quality before deployment.

Regression testing also helps when it comes to verifying that new updates do not disrupt existing functionality and introduce new errors.

3. Updating legacy technologies

Legacy technology refers to outdated software, hardware, and business processes that are still in use. These systems are less efficient, harder to maintain and often lack up-to-date security features, leaving them exposed to potential threats. Although they may continue to fulfil their initial purposes, they limit scalability and hinder integration with modern systems.

With this in mind, it’s important to have a sufficient plan for growth in place and update legacy technologies. The benefits of doing this range from reduced operational costs, improved security, and enhanced customer experience, and importantly greater reliability.

4. Invest in comprehensive monitoring

Depending on the size of the business and customer base, 24-hour monitoring is common for most applications with minimal response times needed for business-critical products.

Having a technical team on hand to immediately jump on any issues, no matter how small, ensures there is no escalation or impact on products and end users.

5. Implement infrastructure management and monitoring

Ensuring your application infrastructure is optimized to handle expected loads and potential spikes is also key to avoiding potential outages.

This includes monitoring network connectivity and performance to identify and address potential issues, as well as server performance and health.

6. Offer ease of communication to the user

Offering in-app communication will allow users to receive clear and timely messages regarding outages and their potential impact. It is also important to maintain an up-to-date status page that transparently reflects the current state of the application and any ongoing issues.

Leveraging social media platforms to share real-time updates and engage with users during service disruptions would also be beneficial.

7. Social listening

This is another effective way to monitor any trends with user issues, and can be easily overlooked. Social listening encompasses everything from monitoring social media outlets to app store reviews.

When it comes to App Store community management, having a clear pre-planned strategy to deal with major issues or outages is key to managing user sentiment and maintaining all-important App Store Ratings.

8. Learning and improving processes

Finally, in the event that an outage does occur, it's important to conduct a post-incident review, where incidents can be analyzed to determine root causes and corrective actions can be implemented to prevent future recurrence.

Organizations may also benefit from creating and maintaining a solid contingency plan as a result, with the focus being on communication strategies and fallback solutions to minimize impact.

Frustration for customers and business

Disruptions to mobile app services — whether due to technical glitches, third-party vendor failures, high traffic volumes, or the complexities of legacy IT infrastructure — can cause significant frustration for both customers and businesses. The impact is even greater when paying subscribers experience interruptions to services they rely on.

To minimize these risks, developers and brands invest in robust testing protocols, regularly update and maintain IT systems, plan for scalability, and implement advanced monitoring tools to catch issues before they escalate.

From the customer's perspective, it makes no difference whether a problem originates with your organization or a third-party provider — the responsibility, and any damage to brand trust, falls on you. For businesses like Spotify, this underscores the importance of carefully selecting third-party vendors and conducting regular audits to ensure they meet strict reliability and security standards.

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

World Productivity Day should be a moment of reflection and renewed ambition for every business leader in the UK. But this year, the reality is sobering: half of UK businesses are still relying on manual, outdated processes.

A recent 2025 UK Digital Maturity Survey revealed a widening gap between digital ambition and execution. While leaders talk about transformation, their teams are often held back by complexity.

With countless options for new or upgraded systems, admittedly, it can feel confusing and overwhelming. Too many companies are layering on new tools without fixing the underlying infrastructure.

Nowhere is this more obvious that cybersecurity.

Cyber insecurity

Shockingly, over half (56%) of businesses admit that awareness of cyber threats is low, and less than half provide regular training to their employees. In an era of escalating and well documented attacks, this isn’t just risky, it’s irresponsible.

In recent months, several high-profile cyberattacks have paralyzed UK businesses, disrupted public services, and exposed critical data vulnerabilities.

From ransomware targeting hospital systems to breaches in supply chains, the threat is no longer hypothetical - it’s here, and it’s escalating. Attackers aren’t just going after data; they’re going after operational continuity. That means productivity itself is now at risk.

Despite our collective awareness that digital transformation drives growth, too many organizations remain stuck with legacy systems, weak integration, and critically, poor cybersecurity. Secure IT infrastructure isn’t a ‘nice-to-have’; it’s a baseline requirement for productivity and growth.

Resilience in today’s economy means being ready for disruption, and digital resilience starts with cyber readiness. Businesses can no longer afford to treat this as an afterthought. Cybersecurity needs to be embedded into strategy, work culture, and day-to-day operations. Anything less can welcome risks.

The power of data

Then there’s data.

The latest research shows that under a third (only 29%) of organizations say they’re using data to drive strategic decisions. Without the ability to harness insights in real time, decision-making becomes slower, less confident, and ultimately, less effective.

For companies trying to adapt to hybrid work, respond to customer expectations, or navigate economic uncertainty, that’s a major handicap.

In an environment where speed and agility often determine success, relying solely on gut feeling or reports is no longer sufficient. The ability to make real-time, data-informed decisions isn’t a luxury. It’s essential for staying ahead.

Yet, many organizations are sitting on a copious amount of unused data, either because it’s siloed, poorly integrated, or not trusted by decision-makers. Turning that data into a usable asset requires the right tools, yes, but also the right mindset and leadership commitment.

Data maturity can’t be separated from productivity. The more confidently and effectively an organization can use its data, the faster it can act, the smarter it can operate, and the more value it can deliver.

So where do we go from here?

A shift in organizational mindset

For me, in today’s economy, productivity is no longer just a function of efficiency; it’s a function of trust. Employees need to trust the tools they use, the systems that support them, and the data that guides their decisions.

The apparent lack of awareness around data-driven decision-making and security threats points to strategic vulnerabilities. Without secure, integrated digital infrastructure, organizations will struggle to adapt, scale, or compete.

The most forward-looking leaders recognize that digital maturity is now a boardroom issue, not just a technology one. It requires an organizational mindset shift to embed security, insights and agility into the way business gets done.

Inaction is no longer a neutral position; it’s a risk to growth, resilience and reputation. And this isn’t only about catching up. It’s about preparing for what’s next.

With AI becoming more integrated into business models, the risks and opportunities tied to digital maturity will only accelerate. Leaders must start future-proofing now. Closing the gap between ambition and execution starts with leadership willing to make digital capability a strategic imperative.

That means taking a clear-eyed view of the current state, identifying where the obstacles are, and investing in the processes and work culture that support transformation - not just the technology itself.

Call to action

World Productivity Day is a call to action for UK businesses to commit to digital maturity and redress the imbalance between ambition and execution.

Technology offers extraordinary potential, but the true differentiator is how seamlessly it’s woven into the fabric of everyday work. The gap between vision and reality isn’t just a matter of tools, it’s about aligning people, process and ultimately workplace experience.

This starts with listening to employees, to consumers, to data. It continues with investing in change management, training, and upskilling. And it culminates in creating a workplace that feels not just more productive, but more purposeful.

Let World Productivity Day be more than a moment. Make it a turning point. A turning point where productivity is refined, not just in output, but in how confidently, securely, and intelligently we work.

Because in today’s world, adopting technology isn’t just a strategy. It’s how we evolve.

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

Brown University will pay $50 million to Rhode Island workforce development organizations in a deal with the Trump administration that restores lost federal research funding, officials said Wednesday.

(Image credit: Steven Senne)