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Three months after militants killed 26 tourists at a scenic meadow in the Himalayas, India said on Tuesday that its security forces had found and killed three gunmen behind the massacre.

(Image credit: Mukhtar Khan)

The Federal Reserve is expected to leave its benchmark interest rate unchanged, but a rate cut is possible in September. President Trump has been urging the central bank to lower borrowing costs.

(Image credit: Chip Somodevilla)

The word "dude" is often associated with the '80s and '90s. But its origin is rooted much, much farther back in American history and it took a long and winding road to reach the coast of California.

(Image credit: Donald Miralle)

New research confirms what election experts have said all along: Noncitizen voting occasionally happens but in minuscule numbers, and not in any coordinated way.

(Image credit: Sarah Rice)

A new study from Oxford University finds that a common European songbird sometimes divorces its partner between breeding seasons.

(Image credit: P. Pleul)

The DOJ has fired hundreds of employees this year, transforming a federal workforce that enjoys vast powers and responsibility over issues affecting the lives of everyday Americans.

(Image credit: Chip Somodevilla)

PlayStation Plus free games change at the start of every month, and coming in at no extra cost to PS Plus members, these free games are a great way to expand your library on the cheap or pick up and try games that you might not have thought about initially.

More often than not, you'll have three games to try out with each month's drop - which covers both PS5 and PS4 (so you're still set if you haven't jumped into the latest generation yet) - though sometimes we see some curveballs in the form of one or two fewer or more games. And we're also likely to see more PSVR games be thrown into the PS Plus free game mixer too.

If you are a subscriber and don't make the most of the free games on offer from month to month, it's worth making it a habit to start claiming them when you can since they'll always be available to you as long as your subscription is live. Since the best PS5 games can set you back a pretty penny, this is a great way to make the most of your console without having to fork out new releases every month.

The new line-up for August 2025 includes an excellent Souls-like action game, and an absolute gem of a survival MMO. Read on for the full lineup.

PS Plus Free Games for August 2025

(Image credit: Bohemia Interactive)

Lies of P | PS5, PS4
This macabre Soulslike draws its inspiration from an unlikely source: The Adventures of Pinocchio. In this grim reimagining of Carlo Collodi’s treasured tale, Pinocchio is trying to find the mysterious Mr. Geppetto. His journey takes him to Krat, a Belle Époque-inspired city whose humanity has been lost to madness and killer puppets. Pinocchio must battle for survival using a range of weapons and swappable Legion Arms with special abilities. He will also encounter non-hostile characters, but you will have to help him lie to fulfil his dream of becoming human. You can read our Lies of P review to see what we thought of it.

Day Z | PS4
DayZ is a hardcore survival game where up to 60 players must strive to endure a post-apocalyptic world populated by frenzied infected and other survivors. DayZ includes the original iconic map of Chernarus and Livonia – the dense 163 km2 map which lets players experience the hardcore survival hit in a whole new environment. With no checkpoints or saves, when you die, you lose everything and have to start over.

My Hero One’s Justice 2 | PS4
My Hero One’s Justice 2, the over-the-top follow-up to the smash hit 3D arena fighter My Hero One’s Justice, makes its heroic debut! Make full use of characters’ Quirks as you clash head-to-head in epic battles across huge arenas!

All games available August 5.

PlayStation Plus free games: 2025 archive

(Image credit: Sony)

Below, you'll find the PS Plus offerings for the last six months or so. Use these to see what you've missed, and to predict the kinds of games that might be available in the future.

PS Plus free games for July 2025

(Image credit: Don't Nod)

Diablo 4 | PS5, PS4
Diablo IV is the next-gen action RPG experience with endless evil to slaughter, countless abilities to master, nightmarish Dungeons and legendary loot. Embark on the campaign solo or with friends (2 player local or up to 4 players online), meeting memorable characters throughout a beautifully dark open world and a gripping story. Dive into an expansive End Game where players can meet in towns to trade, team up to battle larger-than-life World Bosses, unlock robust character and loot customization, and uncover tons more action-packed activities to explore with cross-play and cross-progression on all available platforms.

The King of Fighters XV | PS5, PS4
Since its debut in 1994, the KoF fighting game series has featured iconic characters and a unique battle system. Now the most epic dream match in KOF history is about to begin! Inheriting the series’ traditional 3-on-3 team battle setup, KoF XV features 39 characters (mixing classic fighters, revived combatants and new warriors), a new combat system and rollback netcode to reduce lag in online matches. There are also a variety of battle options that allow you to choose how you want to play. The PlayStation Plus launch also includes the “Classic Leona” DLC costume, letting you change Leona’s costume to her KoF ‘96 look.

Jusant | PS5
Jusant is an action-puzzle climbing game and a meditative journey to the top of a tall tower. Challenge yourself at your own pace, explore different paths, and unravel the secrets from a bygone civilization. Master your climbing tools and watch your stamina meter to successfully navigate this mysterious and changing tower. As you go higher and hone your skills, you’ll have to figure out how best to use the tools at your disposal to get to where you want to go. Explore alternative paths to find clues about what happened here.

Available July 1 until August 4.

PS Plus free games for June 2025

(Image credit: Team Reptile)

NBA 2K25 | PS4, PS5
Stack wins, raise banners and make history in NBA 2K25. Command every court with authenticity and realism Powered by ProPLAY, giving you ultimate control over how you compete. Play anywhere, as you define your legacy in MyCAREER, MyTEAM, MyNBA and The W. Express your personality with an extensive array of customization options and explore an all-new City, where opportunity awaits behind every door.

Alone in the Dark | PS5
Alone in the Dark is an atmospheric reimagining of 1992’s ground-breaking survival horror of the same name. In 1920s America, Emily Hartwood recruits private detective Edward Carnby to aid in the search for her missing uncle. Their hunt leads them to Derceto Manor, a home for the mentally fatigued in the gothic American South that hides a dark secret. Play as either Edward or Emily as they explore Derceto and discover horrors that defy explanation. You’ll have to brave the shadows, solve environmental puzzles and survive chilling encounters with murderous creatures if you’re ever going to make it through this nightmare.

Bomb Rush Cyberfunk | PS4, PS5
Start your own cypher and dance, paint graffiti, collect beats, combo your tricks and face off with the cops to stake your claim to the sprawling metropolis of New Amsterdam. In this action-adventure platformer, Red is a graffiti writer who lost his head and instead has a cyberhead. In search of his roots he joins the Bomb Rush Crew, Tryce and Bel, who are aiming to go All City. Together they slowly discover who it was that cut off his head and how deep Red’s human side is linked to the graffiti world.

All three games will be available to PlayStation Plus members on June 3 until June 30.

Destiny 2: The Final Shape | PS4, PS5 (REQUIRES BASE GAME)
The Final Shape looms – a nightmarish calcification of reality into the Witness’s twisted design. Embark on a perilous journey into the heart of the Traveler, rally the Vanguard, and end the War of Light and Darkness. This Destiny 2 expansion* includes the new story campaign, new Prismatic subclass, three new Supers, a new destination and new weapons and armor to collect.

PS Plus free games for May 2025

(Image credit: Playstack)

Ark: Survival Ascended | PS5
Are you ready to form a tribe, tame and breed hundreds of species of dinosaurs and other primeval creatures, explore, craft, build, and fight your way to the top of the food-chain? Your new world awaits in this survival sim, reimagined from the ground-up with Unreal Engine 5, with high-end graphic features, advanced physics systems and quality of life revamps in every area. Ark: Survival Ascended includes access to all of Ark’s worlds, including Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, Ark Genesis Part 1, Ark Genesis Part 2, and more. The game supports public online multiplayer for up to 70 players, private-session multiplayer for up to 8 players, and local split-screen for 2 players.

Balatro | PS5, PS4
In this poker-inspired roguelike deck builder, it’s all creating powerful synergies and winning big. Play illegal poker hands, discover game-changing jokers and trigger outrageous combos in this roguelike strategy experience. Combine valid poker hands with unique joker cards in order to create varied synergies and builds. Earn enough chips to beat devious blinds, all while uncovering hidden bonus hands and decks as you progress. You’re going to need every edge you can get in order to reach the boss blind, beat the final ante and secure victory.

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun | PS5, PS4
Load up your Boltgun and plunge into battle headfirst! Experience a perfect blend of Warhammer 40,000, classic, frenetic FPS gameplay and the stylish visuals of your favourite 90’s retro shooters. Play a battle-hardened Space Marine on a perilous mission across the galaxy, as they battle against the Chaos Space Marines and daemons of Chaos. In glorious boomer shooter style, unleash your devastating Space Marine arsenal as you blast through an explosion of sprites, pixels and blood. Run, jump and charge across huge levels to shoot, shred and slice the worst heretics across the galaxy!

Available May 6 until June 2.

PS Plus free games for April 2025

(Image credit: Gun Interactive/Sumo Digital)

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre | PS5, PS4
Take on the role of one of the notorious Slaughter family, or their victims, in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, a third-person asymmetrical horror experience based on the groundbreaking and iconic 1974 horror film. As a victim you must use your wits and stealth to stay out of the Family’s reach and find the tools you need to lead to your eventual freedom. Slaughter Family players must seek out, track down, and stop their guests from escaping. Players of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre can finally find out if they have what it takes to survive.

RoboCop: Rogue City | PS5
Become the legendary part man, part machine, all cop hero and bring justice to the dangerous, crime-ridden streets of Old Detroit. With your powerful Auto-9 or one of a range of weapons available, eradicate criminals throughout this explosive first-person adventure. Your cyborg strength and cybernetic abilities can be upgraded as you progress, to make you an even more formidable law enforcement officer.

Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth – Hacker’s Memory | PS4
After being accused of a crime he didn’t commit, Keisuke Amazawa has no choice but to dive into the Digital World and investigate to prove his innocence. Even if that means joining a group of hackers and helping them to solve the troubles threatening this mysterious universe. Discover the mysterious backstory to the events that happened in Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth as you dive into a deeper and darker adventure, at crossroads between real and digital and experience the perfect mix between Adventure, Raising and Battle with over 320 Digimon to discover.

PS Plus free games for March 2025

(Image credit: Sega)

Dragon Age: The Veilguard | PS5
Unite the Veilguard and defy the gods in this immersive single-player RPG where you become the leader others believe in. When a pair of corrupt ancient gods break free from centuries of darkness, the vibrant land of Thedas needs someone they can count on.Rise as Rook, Dragon Age’s newest hero. Be who you want to be and play how you want to play as you fight back and lead your team of seven companions, each with their own rich story. Together you will become The Veilguard.

Sonic Colors: Ultimate | PS4
The evil Dr. Eggman has built an interstellar amusement park – but he’s powering it with a captured alien race called “Wisps.” Use Sonic’s speed to free the Wisps and gain their amazing powers as you explore six unique worlds, filled with hurdles to overcome. Now with stunning upscaled visuals, additional features, a new game mode and enhanced gameplay – it’s the Ultimate Sonic Colors experience.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection | PS4, PS5
13 classic Konami TMNT games are assembled in one incredible package! Experience 13 immensely popular and influential TMNT games in a totally radical collection from Konami. These retro nostalgia trips come with a range of new quality-of-life features, including online play for certain games and local couch play, the ability to save anytime and rewind, button mapping, unique development art & sketches, historic TMNT media content and more!

PS Plus free games for February 2025

(Image credit: Squanch Games)

Payday 3 | PS5
First up is Payday 3, the latest heist co-op shooter that sees players teaming up to pull off epic bank robberies. Expect stealth and action-packed shootouts in equal measure, as you and your squad slowly take on harder and harder jobs, with rewards increasing along with the risk.

High on Life | PS4, PS5
Fresh out of high school with no job and no ambition, you’ve really got nothing going for you until an alien cartel that wants to get high off humanity invades Earth. Now, you and a team of charismatic talking guns must answer the hero’s call and become the deadliest intergalactic bounty hunter the cosmos has ever seen. Travel to a variety of biomes and locations across the cosmos, go up against the nefarious Garmantuous and his gang of goons, collect loot, meet unique characters, and more, in the latest comedy adventure from Squanch Games.

Pac-Man World Re-Pac | PS4, PS5
In this 2004 remake of the original PlayStation platformer, with improved UI, fine-tuned mechanics and updated visuals, Pac-Man arrives home on his birthday to find the Ghosts have kidnapped Pac-Man’s family & friends and ruined his party. Off to the rescue, Pac-Man sets out to Ghost Island. Dodge Ghosts, solve environmental puzzles, rescue the Pac-Fam, and more in this platforming adventure. Play a collection of 3D mazes in Maze mode, clear Quest mode to unlock the original Pac-Man game in Original mode.

PS Plus free games for January 2025

(Image credit: PlayStation)

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League | PS5
Take down The Justice League yourself in single-player or team up with friends in multiplayer co-op in this genre-defying, action-adventure third-person shooter from Rocksteady Studios, creators of the critically acclaimed Batman: Arkham series. Featuring an original narrative set within an expansive open-world city of Metropolis, the game puts the four DC Super-Villains on a collision course with an invading alien force and DC Super Heroes who are now laser-focused on destroying the city they once vowed to protect.

Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered | PS4
Feel the thrill of the chase and the rush of escape in Need for Speed Hot Pursuit. Unleash a savage sense of speed both as an outlaw and a cop in the world’s hottest high-performance cars. Outsmart the heat or take down lawbreakers with the tactical weaponry at your disposal in a heart-pumping, socially competitive racing experience. Updated with enhanced visuals, cross-platform multiplayer – including the asynchronous competition powered by Autolog – plus all additional DLC content, this is the ultimate edition of Criterion Games’ critically acclaimed Need for Speed debut. It’s time to reignite the pursuit.

The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe | PS4, PS5
The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe is an expanded re-imagining of the critically acclaimed, award winning indie game The Stanley Parable from 2013. Everything that was in the original Stanley Parable is here, preserved just like it was back in 2013. But The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe also dramatically expands the world of the original game with new content, new choices, and new secrets to uncover. The labyrinth has just gotten bigger. In addition, the game has been visually upgraded to reflect modern technology while faithfully preserving the tone of the original game. Accessibility features have also been added to the game, including localization of in-world text, colorblind options, and content warnings. And just as before, the impeccable voicework of Kevan Brighting will accompany you every step of the way.

PlayStation Plus free games - Subscription prices

In order to get every batch of PlayStation Plus free games you'll need to have an active PS Plus subscription. This can be an Essential (the basic level), the mid-tier Extra subscription, or the top-end Premium subscription, as all will get you the monthly free games. If you're keen to jump in or want to check the latest prices for adding to your existing subscription of want to upgrade, then we've got the latest and lowest prices below.

PlayStation Plus free games - FAQsAre there free games on PS Plus?

Yes! As we've stated here on our dedicated PlayStation Plus free games page, each month a handful of games are available to PS Plus members and, as long as your subscription is live and active, then they are yours to keep and play!

Can I play free PS Plus games without a subscription?

Sadly, no, PlayStation Plus free games are only available to run and play for those with an active subscription. That means that if you acquired some games one month when your sub was active, but then let it lapse, those games would become unavailable.

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Hardly a week goes by without a breakthrough in LLMs (large language models). They're cheaper to train and getting smarter, so why bother with their little sibling SLMs (small language models)?

For any developer team serious about delivering practical AI, it all comes down to focus and fit. LLMs are great for general, non-domain-specific tasks, but when AI needs to be truly useful in a business context, an SLM, or even a federation of SLMs supporting an LLM, is often the smarter choice.

Why? Because, as top reasoning engines show, using a general-purpose AI for a focused or numeric task is often overkill, and introduces risk. For example, DeepSeek R1 uses a “mixture of experts” setup with 671 billion parameters, but only up to 37 billion activate per query.

Because it knows it needs to operate with only a subset of those billions of parameters active at any given time, and it’s much more efficient to instead break problems down and use selective use of smaller components when it spots, say, a user question that needs some mathematical sub-routines, and not all of its encoded “brain power.”

It’s easy to see how much more useful the results become when you stop assuming one LLM can do it all. A smarter approach is to deploy different SLMs to analyze specific areas of your business, such as finance, operations, logistics, and then feed their focused outputs into a more general model that synthesizes the findings into a single, coherent response.

When you think about it, this model of coordination is deeply human. Our brains don’t fire up every region at once; we activate specific areas for language, memory, motor function, and more. It’s a modular, connected form of reasoning that mirrors how we solve problems in the real world. A physicist might stumble outside their domain, while a generalist can offer broader but less precise insights. Likewise, AI systems that recognize boundaries of expertise and delegate tasks accordingly can tackle far more complex problems than even the smartest standalone LLM.

SLMs v LLMs

To test the case for SLMs, just try asking ChatGPT, or any general-purpose LLM, about your AWS infrastructure. Since LLMs are notoriously imprecise with numbers, even a basic question like “how many servers do we have?” will likely produce a guess or hallucination, not a reliable answer.

A better approach would chain together an SLM trained to generate accurate database queries, retrieve the exact data, and then pass that to an LLM to explain the result in natural language. For predictive tasks, classical statistical models often still outperform neural networks — and in those cases, an SLM could be used to optimize the model’s parameters, with an LLM summarizing and contextualizing the results.

SLMs aren’t just cheaper — they’re often more capable in niche domains. Take Microsoft’s Phi-2, a small model trained on high-quality math and coding data. Because of its focused, domain-specific training, it famously outperformed much larger models in its area of expertise.

Until (or unless) we reach true AGI, no single model will be great at everything. But an SLM trained for a specific task often outperforms a generalist. Give it the right context, and it delivers peak performance — simple as that.

Granularity matters. You don’t need an AI that knows who won the World Cup in 1930; you need one that understands how your company mixes paint, builds networks, or schedules deliveries. Domain focus is what makes AI useful in the real world.

And for mid-sized operations, SLMs are much more cost-effective. They require fewer GPUs, consume less power, and offer better ROI. That also makes them more accessible to smaller teams, who can afford to train and run models tailored to their needs.

Best to be flexible

So, is the case closed? Just pick an SLM and enjoy guaranteed ROI from enterprise AI? Not quite.

The real challenge is getting your supply chain, or any domain-specific data, into the model in a usable, reliable way. Both LLMs and SLMs rely on transformer architectures that are typically trained in large batches. They’re not naturally suited to continuous updates.

To keep an SLM relevant and accurate, you still need to feed it fresh, contextual data. That’s where graph technology comes in. A well-structured knowledge graph can act as a live tutor, constantly grounding the model in updated, trustworthy information.

This combination, SLM plus knowledge graph, is proving particularly powerful in high-stakes domains. It delivers faster, more precise, and more cost-efficient outputs than a standalone LLM.

Add to this the growing adoption of Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), especially in graph-enabled setups (GraphRAG), and you have a game-changer. By bridging structured and unstructured data and injecting just-in-time context, this architecture makes AI genuinely enterprise-ready.

GraphRAG also boosts reasoning by continuously retrieving relevant, real-world information, instead of relying on static or outdated data. The result? Sharper, more contextual responses that elevate tasks like query-focused summarization (QFS) and enable SLMs to operate with greater precision and adaptability.

In short, if we want AI systems that truly address real business challenges, rather than echo back what they think we want to hear, the future isn’t about building ever-bigger LLMs. For many enterprise scenarios, a hybrid SLM/GraphRAG model may be the real path forward for GenAI.

We've listed the best data visualization 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

PCIe NVMe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express Non-Volatile Memory Express) SSDs represent a major advancement in data storage because of the speed and efficiency they deliver along with a direct connection to the CPU.

A quick comparison with older technologies like SATA SSDs or traditional HDDs, shows that improved read/write speeds allow tasks like booting an OS, launching applications, file transfers and large data processing to take place much faster. But there is another inherent advantage because NVMe is designed for flash memory and allows parallel I/O operations which drastically reduces latency, ensuring smoother performance for high-end applications or any task that requires real-time data access.

There are now multiple generations of PCIe NVMe SSDs available which can make choosing the most suitable solution challenging. The best approach is to look at the needs of the organization and align these with the different options. In this article, we will explore the differences between Gen 3, Gen 4 and the new Gen 5 SSD’s, to determine what can be expected from each one, and what an upgrade will deliver in terms of benefits.

Unpacking the different PCIe generations

PCIe is the interface standard that allows SSDs to connect to the motherboard. With every new generation of PCIe there is an improvement in bandwidth and speed. NVMe is a communication interface and driver that has been designed specifically for high-speed data transfer between the computer's solid-state drive (SSD) and its processor, leveraging the PCIe interface.

Looking at Gen 3, Gen 4 and Gen 5 SSD’s in terms of maximum bandwidth, maximum read speed and the applications for which they are most suitable, we can see clearly how they stack up:

PCIe Gen 3: This offers a maximum bandwidth of 16GB/s across 16 lanes, with up to 3,500MB/s sequential read speeds on NVMe SSDs. This generation is ideal for general computing needs.

PCIe Gen 4: This generation doubled the bandwidth of Gen 3 to 32GB/s across 16 lanes, enabling SSDs to reach sequential read speeds of over 7,000MB/s. For users who need support for PC and console gaming, or for content creation.

PCIe Gen 5: Once again this doubles the bandwidth, offering up to 64GB/s across 16 lanes. Gen 5 SSDs have set outstanding new standards in when it comes to achieving sequential read speeds exceeding 14,000MB/s. The newest generation is designed for high-performance workloads and PC gaming.

It’s important to note that theoretical speeds are calculated without external factors such as NAND speed, controller limitations and optimization for real world efficiency and cooling.

Each generational leap offers not just marginal improvements, but foundational shifts in data transfer rates, capacity, and interactions with modern CPUs and software. On top of this is continually improved efficiency, which further benefits high-performance workloads, or intensive compute activity such as gaming.

The PCIe NVMe adoption landscape

Most computers are still using Gen 3 or even SATA SSDs, which are common in older systems and budget builds. Adopting Gen 4 over Gen 3 provides the kind of performance boost that matters amongst users whose needs are specific and demanding, such as content creators, and professionals working with large amounts of data.

Gen 5 is much newer to the market and is currently more expensive but is sought after by users with data-intensive tasks. Gen 5 SSDs are suitable for supporting 8K video editing, top-end gaming and large-scale simulations, but with the rapid growth of AI, sales are being further boosted. Because they more than double the read and write speeds of Gen 4, they are being widely used for AI model training.

One of the advantages of PCIe Gen 5 is that it provides futureproofing. Users are investing in a technology that will remain relevant for many years, as software and hardware continue to demand higher performance. Even if there are some applications and hardware that are unable to utilize Gen 5 just yet, it is backwards compatible.

Is PCIe Gen 5 needed for gaming on PlayStation 5 or Xbox series X?

We are often asked this question, and it applies to other gaming systems too. PCIe Gen 5 SSDs are the best on the market, but that doesn’t mean that all users need them right now. The Sony PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X are designed to support Gen 4 SSDs with a heatsink. A Gen 4 NVMe SSD with heatsink, will be more than capable of providing the speed required to optimize load times and gameplay performance on these games consoles.

For most gamers and everyday users, Gen 4 SSDs strike an ideal mix of speed and cost-effectiveness. Unless a user is tackling high-end tasks that require top-tier performance, Gen 4 drives are more than capable of handling the demands.

Generational standard improvements

Any upgrade needs careful consideration, and practical matters such as motherboard compatibility and thermal management needs are important. PCIe NVMe SSDs have evolved rapidly, and each new generation has raised the bar for speed and efficiency, but the first question should be, what do I need this for?

PCIe Gen 3 is a reliable choice for everyday computing, and Gen 4 steps up with noticeably faster performance; while at the top of the spectrum, PCIe Gen 5 delivers cutting-edge speeds for power users. Cost versus performance gain and long-term efficiency are key factors to add into the decision mix when upgrading or investing in this storage technology.

We've listed the best portable SSDs.

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

Ransomware has become a defining cybersecurity threat, increasing in scale, sophistication, and cost. In the UK alone, recent months have seen a wave of high-profile incidents disrupting everything from retail and logistics to public services – with consequences that reach far beyond the IT department.

Take the case of Marks & Spencer. A major breach in April 2025 exposed customer data, triggered widespread operational disruption, and is already slated to have cost the company £300 million – apart from the billion pounds or more the incident has wiped from the retailer’s stock market value.

At Co-op, a ransomware-linked outage halted critical systems. The Legal Aid Agency suffered a breach of sensitive legal and financial records. Meanwhile, even Harrods and logistics firm Peter Green Chilled weren’t spared. These are not isolated events - they’re signals of a broader shift.

The UK retail industry alone lost over £2.2 billion to shoplifting last year, according to the British Retail Consortium. And while theft may be an age-old problem, ransomware has become its digital cousin - often just as costly, but far harder to trace and recover from.

As businesses count the cost of downtime, data loss, and reputational fallout, one thing is clear: ransomware isn’t just a cybersecurity issue. It’s a business issue. In a digital world, ransomware has become nothing more than the cost of doing business online, just as shoplifting is to its bricks-and-mortar equivalent.

Realistically, the best cybersecurity efforts are more deterrent than panacea these days. And besides ensuring they do the necessary to secure the perimeter, the most logical thing for organizations to focus on is how to recover from the inevitable cyberattack - this, however, is a stumbling block for many businesses.

It now takes organizations an average of five weeks to fully recover from a cyberattack. In sectors where every hour offline can cost hundreds of thousands of pounds, that rate of loss is simply no longer sustainable. Yet, many still over-index on prevention, when it’s recovery speed, not perimeter defense, that ultimately defines the business impact of an attack. The question is no longer if you’ll be targeted, but how fast you can bounce back.

The reality of recovery: why time is the new risk factor

The longer data recovery takes, the more damage is done, and yet 72% of organizations take more than a week to restore operations after an attack. Manufacturing and healthcare average over six weeks.

These delays are not merely inconvenient. According to ITIC’s 2024 Hourly Cost of Downtime Report, more than 90% of mid-size and large enterprises say one hour of downtime now costs more than £220,000. Recovery timelines that stretch into days or weeks can translate into millions in lost revenue, disrupted services, and long-term damage to brand trust and shareholder confidence.

What hybrid cloud really means and why it matters

Hybrid cloud storage combines the performance of on-premises systems with the scalability and durability of the cloud. For instance, in hybrid cloud models, data can be cached locally for fast access, and every change can be stored in immutable cloud object storage in real time.

This architecture supports AI-readiness, multi-site collaboration, and petabyte-scale growth – but critically, it also bakes in ransomware resilience. Where traditional file servers and backups can be encrypted or deleted, hybrid cloud platforms maintain a centralized, tamper-proof record of every file version, stored securely and out of reach from attackers.

It’s why hybrid cloud storage is no longer a fringe technology – it’s becoming the standard for modern IT resilience.

Hybrid cloud’s secret weapon: file versioning and immutability

Ransomware attacks typically encrypt critical data and demand payment. More aggressive attackers now double down, leaking or selling sensitive data to increase leverage. But if your organization can roll back files to their clean state before the attack – in minutes – the threat loses its sting.

This ‘point-in-time’ recovery isn’t theoretical. A growing number of organizations are entrusting their file data to platforms that capture continuous, immutable snapshots, allowing them to restore affected files instantly. Some enterprises are now recovering in minutes, not weeks.

Legacy backup processes, with their reliance on daily or weekly windows, can’t keep pace with modern threats. That’s why many organizations are moving to continuous file versioning, with snapshot intervals as short as five minutes – enabling near-instant recovery, eliminating ransom payments, and removing the need for days of manual restoration.

IT teams no longer need to rebuild entire environments; they simply select a clean point in time and restore affected files with just a few clicks.

Recovery starts with readiness – and the right tools

Recovery speed matters, but containment is just as important. Modern hybrid cloud platforms often include built-in ransomware detection, monitoring for abnormal file activity, quarantining threats, and enabling surgical recovery.

It’s not surprising, then, that hybrid cloud users are 29% more likely to recover within a week than their non-hybrid peers. More importantly, they can isolate and restore only the affected regions or datasets – avoiding full outages and business-wide shutdowns.

But the technology alone isn’t enough. IT teams must be equipped with the right tools, processes, and authority to act fast when it matters. Hoping they’ll manage with legacy backups and wishful thinking is no longer tenable, and risks turning a contained incident into a company-wide crisis.

As one IT leader recently shared, having successfully restored operations after an attack: “The recovery was so fast, the conversation shifted entirely. It was no longer about recovering data – it was about cleaning affected endpoints and containing disruption.” In other words, recovery becomes a coordination exercise, not a catastrophe.

Cyber resilience gaps and how hybrid cloud bridges them

Despite ongoing modernization efforts, many organizations still face critical gaps in their ransomware response:

• Data security and privacy concerns are significant barriers to adopting new technologies
• There’s a stark lack of in-house skills to manage and secure transitions, and
• Organizations themselves admit their data isn’t backed up, immutable, or easily recoverable

That’s a dangerous trio, and one that increases the risk of prolonged, expensive downtime.

Hybrid cloud platforms help close these gaps. They automate protection, centralize file versioning, and simplify recovery, even for lean IT teams. With immutable cloud snapshots and integrated monitoring, organizations can move from reactive crisis management to confident, controlled recovery.

Resilience is the real differentiator

Ransomware is now a fact of life – as inevitable as death and taxes, as the saying goes. And it’s becoming more targeted, more professional, and more destructive. The UK has already seen the consequences this year.

Hybrid cloud storage offers a practical and proven way to reduce both the risk and the impact of an attack. It turns recovery into a competitive differentiator – the difference between days of downtime and business as usual.

And let’s be honest: whether you’re protecting customer data or the availability of Percy Pigs, you can’t afford to get recovery wrong.

Check out out rankings of the best cloud backup platforms.

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

In today’s hybrid workplaces, productivity is often mistaken for busyness. It sounds like clacking keyboards, looks like back-to-back video calls, and pings endlessly with notifications. But most of the time, these are just indications of activity, not achievement, and the pressure to be constantly visible has quietly overtaken the drive to be effective and productive.

But real work isn’t always ‘observable’. Some of the most valuable thinking happens away from the keyboard, in deep focus and genuine creative collaboration. If we want to drive better outcomes for both people and businesses, it’s time to shift our benchmark from hours logged to energy invested.

This isn’t a call for a new metric to be tracked and reported. It’s a mindset shift. It asks leaders to look inwardly, to examine where their teams’ energy is going and then consider whether it’s moving them forward as a company, or just simply keeping things in motion.

The rise of performative productivity

In many modern workplaces, especially where employees work remotely, it’s easy to confuse motion with progress. When people aren’t physically present, they often feel as though they the need to show they're working in other ways, such as being constantly available, joining every meeting or sending a steady stream of updates.

This creates a culture of performative productivity, where time and visible activity become substitutes for effectiveness. As a result, teams can end up trapped in a cycle of reactive work: attending unnecessary calls, replying to messages, jumping between tasks – all while struggling to find time to fit in the work that is truly impactful.

This constant context-switching can be both inefficient and mentally exhausting. It splits attention and reduces creative thinking and also obscures a deeper problem: we’ve designed systems that reward visibility instead of outcomes.

The irony is that some of the most impactful work is delivered quietly. It happens in moments of uninterrupted concentration and problem-solving that doesn’t always show on a calendar. If we continue to equate productivity with presence, we’ll risk overlooking the contributions that are actually driving long-term value.

The better benchmark for efficient work

Rather than counting hours, business leaders should be considering energy as a way of thinking about how work gets done. Working out which tasks require deep focus, which generate momentum and which ones are draining effort without creating any real outcome.

Looking at productivity through the lens of energy provides a more human, realistic perspective, and it considers that not every hour is equal. For example, an hour spent in concentrated thinking or constructive collaboration can be so much more valuable than three spent juggling distractions. It puts the emphasis back on quality of attention, outcomes and of the overall working experience.

Ultimately, employees don’t need another performance metric to hit. In reality, it’s about organizational awareness, where companies can assess whether they’re creating the right conditions for valuable work, and whether their systems and tools are enabling focus, or interrupting it.

When we prioritize energy, we’re more likely to invest in what really matters. This could be a case of rethinking meeting culture or simplifying processes. It also sends a message to employees that their business values their judgment and contribution, rather than just their availability.

Smarter systems and faster tools

Technology’s role is to make work more efficient, but if used incorrectly it often adds complexity. Endless notifications, multiple platforms to navigate and constant availability have created a noisy digital environment that negatively impacts energy rather than saving it.

The next generation of workplace technology, particularly artificial intelligence, should be an opportunity to reverse that trend. But the value will be in making space for better thinking, rather than just expecting faster output. Tools that summarize meetings or help prioritize tasks based on importance can be used to improve clarity and focus so there’s more time to work on less mundane tasks.

When time is spent on how technology is being used, it can reduce distractions and protect time for the work that really matters. But this requires a shift in how we adopt and design these systems, so that we’re moving away from a focus on volume and speed, and towards usefulness, clarity and wellbeing.

Ultimately the challenge is not in measuring energy, but more so respecting it, so that workflows, teams and tools are built around how people work best, not how fast they can respond. When that’s done, companies can reduce digital noise as well as create a space for better ideas, stronger collaboration and meaningful progress.

We've listed the best performance management software.

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

The Senate confirmed former Trump lawyer Emil Bove as a federal appeals court judge as Republicans dismissed whistleblower complaints about his conduct at the Justice Department.

(Image credit: Jeehah Moon/Pool Bloomberg)

The settlement comes after Jewish students and a professor argued their civil rights were violated when pro-Palestinian protesters blocked access to campus buildings during 2024 demonstrations.

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The January midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, which killed 67 people, is the topic of a three-day investigative hearing by the National Transportation Safety Board.

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Arne Slot's Reds continue their preparations for the new season as their Asian tour hits Japan.

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The gunman accused of killing four people in New York City suspected he had chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE — a degenerative brain disease often associated with football players.

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Susan Monarez is the first director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to require Senate confirmation. She's also the first director without a medical degree in more than 70 years.

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• China’s cloud rescue plan aims to sell leftover CPU power from idle government data centers
• Despite massive investment, many Chinese data centers run at only 20 to 30 percent capacity
• Old CPUs cost money even when idle, China wants to monetize them before they expire

China is shifting its approach to managing excess data center capacity by proposing a new nationwide system to redistribute surplus computing power.

Following a three-year boom in infrastructure development, many local government-backed data centers now face low utilization and high operating costs.

As data centers get older and fewer new customers need their services, the Chinese government aims to revive the sector’s viability through a coordinated national cloud service that would unify computing resources across regions.

A coordinated response to growing inefficiencies

The proposal, driven by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), involves building a network that allows surplus CPU power from underused data centers to be pooled and sold.

According to Chen Yili of the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, “everything will be handed over to our cloud to perform unified organization, orchestration, and scheduling capabilities.”

The goal is to deliver standardized interconnection of public computing power nationwide by 2028.

The glut emerged from the “Eastern Data, Western Computing” initiative, which encouraged building data centers in less populated, energy-rich western regions to serve the more developed eastern economic zones.

But many centers, despite housing some of the fastest CPUs, now sit idle, and this is a serious concern because data center hardware has a definite lifespan.

Also, CPUs and their related components are costly to acquire and can become outdated quickly, making unused infrastructure a financial liability.

Data centers are expensive to operate, and cooling systems, electricity, and maintenance consume major resources.

So when high-performance workstation CPUs are left underutilized, they still incur ongoing expenses, which is very bad for business.

Utilization rates reportedly hover between 20% and 30%, undermining both economic and energy efficiency.

Over 100 projects have been canceled in the last 18 months, a stark contrast to just 11 in 2023.

Despite the setbacks, state investment remains substantial. Government procurement reached 24.7 billion yuan ($3.4 billion) in 2024 alone, and another 12.4 billion yuan has already been allocated in 2025.

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has stepped in to impose stricter controls.

New projects must meet specific utilization thresholds and secure purchase agreements before approval.

Also, local governments are now barred from launching small-scale computing infrastructure without a clear economic justification.

On the technical front, integrating CPUs from various manufacturers, including Nvidia and Huawei’s Ascend chips, into a unified national cloud poses a serious hurdle.

Differences in hardware and software architecture make standardization difficult, and the government's original target of 20-millisecond latency for real-time applications like financial services remains unmet in many remote facilities.

That said, Chen envisions a seamless experience where users can “specify their requirements, such as the amount of computing power and network capacity needed,” without concerning themselves with the underlying chip architecture.

Whether this vision can be realized depends on resolving the infrastructure mismatches and overcoming the technical limitations currently fragmenting China's computing power landscape.

Via Reuters

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