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Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) is a hot topic these days. Some people are fascinated by the idea of machines that can think like humans, while others find it a bit scary. Meanwhile, tech giants like Google, NVIDIA, Microsoft, OpenAI, and many others are rushing towards this technology, eager to secure the superior spot in the race.

But here’s the real question: how close are we to AGI actually being implemented? Is this future just around the corner, or is it going to take another decade, if not more, to get there? And, just as importantly, how much effect will AGI have on our lives when it finally arrives?

Well, let’s take a look.

Is the promise of AGI realistic?

Yes, it is. To put it in simple terms, the human brain is essentially a biological computer, and the creation of AGI boils down to replicating that kind of thinking in a machine. It’s only a matter of time and sufficient computing power. The development progress we've been seeing in AI models and hardware, especially in the last few years, makes me believe that AGI might be achievable within the next 5–7 years. And if it comes to pass, our society is going to see some massive changes.

Let’s take a look at a familiar example: since the early days of their development, smartphones and the internet have come a long way, and today it’s pretty much impossible to imagine our day-to-day lives without them. AGI will eventually occupy a spot in the same lineup as they do, becoming an essential part of daily routine.

In fact, it is likely that AGI will become even more indispensable than the internet. Even now we can plainly see that it’s easier to ask ChatGPT a question and watch as it gives you the exact information you need. There’s no more need to manually scroll through dozens of search results in Google, looking for the right link. AGI will vastly streamline this process, providing quick answers tailored to your specific requests.

AGI’s effect on the job market

Not so long ago the widespread assumption was that AI would mostly take over repetitive, manual jobs, leaving humans to focus on creativity and self-improvement. But, ironically enough, creative fields have become the first to be influenced by AI adoption. Illustration, design, music, writing — human content creators of all ranges are feeling threatened.

Programming is certainly one area that will go through a significant transformation in the next few years. Much like how the invention of the camera forced painters to rethink their craft, AGI will push programmers, writers, and other professionals to shift their focus from routine tasks to more creative, big-picture thinking.

The repetitive parts of a creative process could easily be automated, but true innovation will remain in human hands. Those who can push boundaries, creating new genres or approaches, will survive (and likely even thrive), while those who only churn out repetitive work will struggle to retain their value.

The same holds true for other professions, as well. Product thinking will, in all likelihood, become more important than having highly specialized skills, because AGI will eventually become able to replicate the latter easily enough.

So does this mean that AI skills are more important than Hard skills?

Let’s take a look at this through the lens of cooking. You can find pretty much any recipe online, but that doesn’t mean that everyone can make a delicious meal just by following it. The value of a chef’s skills comes from nuanced expertise, from knowing how to blend ingredients together in the right way to get a delicious result.

In the same way, I believe that professionals who can look at the big picture and effectively guide AI systems to achieve specific goals will be in demand. Just like a chef doesn’t need to understand every detail of cheese production to make a great cheese-based dish, a programmer doesn’t need to write every line of code by hand to build a great app.

An experienced developer could use AGI to create applications in almost any programming language. They might not need to do the routine coding themselves, but they would still need to have a proper eye for the overall architecture design so that they can oversee the process. In contrast, someone without much programming experience would struggle to give AGI the right instructions or determine if the final product is any good. They wouldn’t see the hidden nuances that could make or break the project.

This kind of pattern will spread across many other professions, and strategic thinkers who can focus on the big picture and leverage AGI effectively will ultimately be the ones to come out ahead.

Prepare your business for the future of AGI

When AGI finally rolls out, it is going to massively speed up business innovation. Machines don’t need breaks, vacations, or sick leaves. They can work around the clock, and for a business owner that’s as promising as it is dangerous. Don’t forget: your competitors are likely going to be thinking in the same vein as you, looking to put this technology to their advantage.

To stay ahead of the curve, it’s important to start preparing now. Businesses need to invest in employee training and begin restructuring workflows so that AI becomes a regular tool that their team uses daily, just like any other piece of office equipment. This way, they will be much better-positioned to embrace AGI when it comes out and make it a core part of their strategy.

The takeaway is simple: AGI is coming faster than you might think. It will reshape how we work and live, so the best thing you can do is start preparing now. Those who adapt will thrive, while those who resist may find themselves left behind.

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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

• The next Xbox Developer Direct is taking place this month
• There'll be fresh looks at Doom: The Dark Ages and South of Midnight
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and one other game will also be shown

It's time to mark your calendars once again, Xbox heads, as a new Developer Direct presentation has been announced for this month.

The official Xbox Wire post has all the details, locking in the Developer Direct showcase for January 23 at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm GMT. As always, it'll be broadcast at that time on Xbox's official channels such as YouTube.

Four games will be shown off at this Xbox Developer Direct. First up is id Studios' Doom: The Dark Ages, a brand new prequel that's set before the earliest events of the legendary demon-slaying first-person shooter series.

Next up is South of Midnight from Compulsion Games. Xbox claims this new look will be a "deep dive" into the upcoming action-adventure title. That's great news, as up until now we've only seen very brief snippets of gameplay and teasers, and we're still in the dark as to what the overall experience could really be like.

The final confirmed game for the Xbox Developer Direct is Sandfall Interactive's Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a highly-anticipated AAA turn-based role-playing game with a stacked voice cast featuring Charlie Cox and Andy Serkis alongside Final Fantasy 16's Ben Starr and Baldur's Gate 3's Jennifer English. It's one of my most anticipated releases this year and I can't wait to learn more about it.

Finally, the Developer Direct will be paying a visit to a "surprise location" for a look at a mystery "brand new game." Xbox hasn't revealed what this game is, of course, but there are a few notable Xbox Game Studios frontrunners in Fable, Perfect Dark, and Gears of War: E-Day.

If I were a betting man, I'd put money on it being Fable. As per its most recent trailer, we know it's earmarked for a '2025' release window. That said, we haven't seen much at all in terms of gameplay. As such, this Developer Direct is the opportune time to blow the doors wide open on the return of one of Xbox's most beloved franchises.

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• Medusind begins notifying victims about a December 2023 data breach
• Incident resulted in 360,000 people losing payment and personal data
• The company is offering two years free identity theft monitoring

Medusind, a major medical billing firm, has confirmed suffering a cyberattack in which hundreds of thousands of people lost sensitive data, including payment information.

In a data breach notification letter, the company said the incident happened on December 29, 2023, and was spotted the same day. Since Medusind is a healthcare revenue cycle management company, it provides billing support to healthcare organizations, and it is patients from these healthcare firms who’ve had their data grabbed in this attack.

A detailed investigation into the attack uncovered that the threat actors stole health insurance and billing information (insurance policy numbers, or claims/benefits information), payment information (debit/credit card numbers, bank account information), health data (medical history, medical record number, prescription information), government ID information (Social Security numbers, taxpayer IDs, driver’s licenses, passport numbers), and other personal information (email addresses, phone numbers, birth dates, and more) - all of which could put victims at risk of identity theft or worse.

Hundreds of thousands of victims

In a separate filing with the Maine Office of the Attorney General, Medusind confirmed that exactly 360,934 people have been affected.

“The particular type of information involved depends on the individual,” it stressed in the letter.

There is currently no evidence of the data being abused in the wild, and Medusind is offering two years of free identity theft monitoring through Kroll. It also urged the victims to monitor their account statements for unexpected or strange entries which might signal identity theft, or fraud attempts, and to report them to the authorities.

Due to the sensitivity of the data they operate, and the high cost of recovery, healthcare organizations are among the most targeted ones for ransomware actors. In fact, recent analysis from Sophos found that the average cost to recover from a ransomware attack was $2.57 million in 2024, up from $2.2 million the previous year.

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We should expect more sleep tech in 2025. CES proves the sleep industry isn't slowing down for a second.

• Samsung demoes an 8K, RGB micro-LED LCD TV at CES 2025
• It follows on from Hisense's RGB mini-LED LCD TV, the 116UX
• Samsung hopes to release it in 2025 as its flagship model

Samsung has unveiled an 8K LCD TV that uses an RGB micro-LED backlight at CES 2025. The TV has no official name or model number, but Samsung hopes to release it in 2025.

Only days after Hisense revealed a TV that uses an RGB mini-LED backlight, the Hisense 116-inch UX, which it said will drastically improve brightness and color accuracy over standard mini-LED TVs, Samsung has demonstrated an 8K set with an even more advanced RGB micro-LED backlight.

As FlatpanelsHD reports, the prototype was actually shown one day before CES at the 'Samsung First Look' event. The model on display was an 8K, 98-inch set, though Samsung says it may be available in smaller sizes as well, and has an eye on a 2025 release date, though this is yet to be officially confirmed.

The 8K, RGB micro-LED TV, if released in 2025, will serve as the flagship 8K TV for Samsung, sitting above the already announced Samsung QN990F (pictured above) and Samsung QN900F, revealed earlier at CES as part of Samsung's 2025 mini-LED lineup.

Samsung says that opting for micro-LED over mini-LED in the RGB backlight will allow for "three times more LEDs", meaning bolder colors and improved brightness. The even smaller micro-LED backlight will most likely allow for more dimming zones than the mini-LED backlight as well.

The set is currently a 'prototype' as there's no name, model number, price or full spec list available, but it's likely to be at the premium end of the market.

Micro-LED for less?

Samsung looks to take things a step further from the Hisense 116UX (pictured above) opting to use a RGB micro-LED backlight over the Hisense's RGB mini-LED backlight (Image credit: Future)

While this 8K, RGB micro-LED TV is likely to carry a very hefty price tag, it does bring about an interesting opportunity: access to micro-LED tech for less. Though the TV is still likely to be price in the high thousands or tens of thousand's of dollars, it'll be a significant drop on a fully-fledged micro-LED TV.

Samsung released a 98-inch, 8K model in 2023 (carried over into 2024), the Samsung QN990C, which costs $40,000 / £34,999 (roughly AU$64,545). So the 98-inch RBG micro-LED that was on show is going to be pricier than this, and will still be a premium product.

However, this is still less than the eye-watering prices we see for purely micro-LED TVs, albeit with larger screen sizes. Samsung's own 110-inch micro-LED from 2022 retails for $149,999 (roughly £121,860 / AU$242,000). LG's 118-inch MAGNIT micro-LED , which is priced at $237,000, (roughly £129,550 AU$382,436) is something most people will never afford. Yet, micro-LED was said to be the future of TVs, even beating the best OLED TVs. But these prices just aren't feasible for 99% of people.

This new Samsung model won't have the full benefits of a purely micro-LED TV, such as Hisense's own staggering 163-inch micro-LED TV revealed at CES, but using micro-LEDs in the TV's backlight would still be an upgrade over mini-LED backlights, as micro-LEDs will allow for better black levels, contrast, higher brightness and more vibrant colors. Is the tech still likely to be expensive? Yes, but you'd expect it to be significantly less than the going rate for a MicroLED TV.

We'll eagerly await more details on this RGB micro-LED from Samsung, with a very close eye on the price. Could this finally be the start of micro-LED's integration into TVs at a reduced cost? Fingers crossed!

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For years, digital transformation has been the mantra for businesses everywhere. Yet, despite substantial technological investments, many organizations have reached a plateau.

According to Gartner, IT departments allocate a substantial portion of their budgets to maintaining existing systems and operations, rather than innovation. Specifically, IT budgets often allocate around 66% to running and maintaining systems, leaving only 34% – and far from all of that is spent on growth-focused innovation.

This isn't surprising when digital transformation is often viewed as a means to an end; as a way to optimize existing processes and reduce costs rather than a catalyst for growth. But what if we shifted our perspective and saw our digital assets not only as tools for efficiency but also as engines for generating new value?

That’s where experience innovation comes in.

What is experience innovation?

According to the IDC's Worldwide Digital Transformation Spending Guide, companies worldwide are projected to spend more than £2.6 trillion on digital transformations in 2026, with a five-year compound annual growth rate of 16.3%.

However, too many of these projects develop into a tunnel vision on optimization.

Experience innovation is the next step. It’s about moving beyond optimization and into the realm of value creation; it’s about using digital tools and technologies to create new products, services, and customer experiences that grow revenue and establish market differentiation. Instead of just streamlining existing processes, it uses digital advancements to deliver exceptional customer experiences that lead to loyalty and growth.

For example, experience innovation for a retailer might result in an augmented reality feature that lets customers try virtual clothes and receive personalized recommendations based on their choices, preferences, and body type. Or it might lead the other way, making in-store experiences into digital hybrids that create a more engaging and personalized shopping journey. It can also redefine the organization from within. IKEA proved this by using AI to drastically lower customer support workloads, allowing them to retrain part of the support staff into interior design advisors.

This is what it means to transform and redefine customer expectations. By harnessing the power of technology and data, businesses can create customer-centric experiences that are far more engaging and emotionally resonant, increasing satisfaction, loyalty, and, ultimately, growth.

Yet while the potential of experience innovation is immense, four challenges often prevent organizations from realizing its benefits.

The roadblocks

Firstly, budget constraints and misaligned priorities. Teams often have many innovative ideas but struggle to connect them to concrete business strategies and secure the necessary funding. As a result, innovation is often sidelined and viewed as a luxury rather than a necessity.

Secondly, siloed organizations tend to impede collaboration. In many organizations, particularly mature ones, silos hinder the cross-functional collaboration essential for experience innovation. This fragmented approach makes designing and delivering genuinely seamless and engaging experiences difficult.

Thirdly, there's the risk of ‘innovation theatre.’ Innovation can sometimes become an empty buzzword, with companies setting up innovation labs and design sprints without a clear plan for bringing those ideas to market. This often leads to disillusionment and skepticism from the C-suite, who starts seeing innovation as a costly distraction.

Finally, the talent gap. Many companies lack the digital leadership and expertise needed to drive experience innovation. While there’s an increasing convergence of CIO and CMO functions, not all organizations have seasoned digital product owners who can bridge the gap between technology and business strategy.

So, how do you solve these challenges?

Unlocking the potential: a roadmap for success

Companies must take decisive action to transition from digital transformation to experience innovation. The sequence may vary, but it’s usually best to start by embracing a growth mindset.

While cost optimization is a healthy and necessary practice, it’s important to avoid getting fixated on it and to remember that cost savings can and should be reinvested in growth initiatives. Companies must open their mindset to include revenue generation, viewing digital assets as tools for creating new value and driving business growth. Establish clear value cases for experience innovation initiatives, demonstrating their potential to generate revenue and contribute to the bottom line.

Then, start developing a customer-centric culture. Cultivate digital leadership and attract individuals with the skills and experience to drive experience innovation, empowering them to lead the charge and transform ideas into reality. You can do this by developing in-house talent, engaging third-party experts, or finding new people with a deep understanding of technology and customer experience. Often, a mix is best.

These people will then help you finalize your strategy and ensure that innovation initiatives align with overarching business objectives and have a clear path to market. They’ll help you break down organizational silos and prioritize the end-to-end customer experience to ensure that every touchpoint contributes to a positive and engaging journey.

The result is a comprehensive experience innovation project that hits the ground running.

The future of experience innovation

The industries ripe for experience innovation are numerous and diverse, from automotive and financial services to retail and healthcare.

Each sector faces unique challenges and opportunities, but the underlying principle remains the same: by embracing a customer-centric approach using digital technologies and fostering a culture of innovation, organizations avoid stagnation and instead unlock new avenues for growth and customer loyalty.

In a world where customer expectations evolve constantly, innovation is no longer a ‘nice to have’. It’s an absolute necessity. By bridging the gap between digital transformation and business strategy, companies can ride the wave of momentum that only experience innovation can generate.

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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

David Schwimmer stars in the latest installment of the mystery show.

Another major tech industry event, another wave of new handheld gaming PC reveals - this time the slick Lenovo Legion Go S and the hilariously enormous Acer Nitro Blaze 11, which both debuted this week at CES 2025.

However, I’ve been waiting for a different company to throw its hat into the ring: arguably one of the most enduring and important PC gaming brands, Razer. Sure, Dell has also been AWOL since its Alienware Concept UFO handheld was shown off five years ago, but I think Razer could be the one to watch. Somehow, the snake-themed gaming company has yet to reveal - or even discuss the possibility of - a handheld PC of its own, despite some recent exploration of similar avenues.

What I’m referring to here is the Edge, a gaming handheld that we weren’t entirely convinced by in our Razer Edge review. Despite packing a 6.8-inch AMOLED screen and Razer’s trademark premium build quality, it ran Android, making it essentially a sort of very fancy Google Play gaming tablet.

That’s not what I want, Razer. I want to see your take on a proper gaming handheld. I don’t mind if it’s a Windows-based system or one that uses SteamOS, like Lenovo’s latest offering, I just want to be able to download and play my gargantuan list of unplayed Steam games on a handheld that feels ridiculously expensive.

The Edge of possibility

See, for all its failings, there was no denying that the Razer Edge was a high-end device. It’s become Razer’s signature, visible in everything from the Blade laptop series to its wide range of peripherals. Sure, you’ll pay top dollar for a piece of Razer hardware, but you can rest assured that it’ll feel top dollar.

I’m not saying that other PC gaming handhelds feel cheap, to be clear. I own an Asus ROG Ally, and it’s a great device. Others, like the Zotac Zone… less so. But I’m certain - based on reviewing a whole host of Razer kit over the years - that a Razer handheld would feel fantastic in my hands.

Hot on the heels of CES’s multiple handheld PC reveals, I reached out to Razer for a comment, only to be told that there are no current plans for a Razer handheld PC. The closest you’ll get right now is the new PC Remote Play feature for the Razer Nexus app, which lets you stream games from a PC with Razer Cortex installed to your Android or iOS device of choice - a nifty feature, but not what I’m truly looking for.

Still, never say never. As handheld gaming PCs rise in popularity, Razer might decide to enter the fray. The company is no stranger to experimental hardware - one glance over the weird and wonderful Razer Concepts page is proof of that. The question is, what would they call such a device… the Razer Dagger, perhaps? The Stiletto? If you're listening, I charge by the hour for consultation, by the way, Razer...

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• Mojang has revealed the details for Minecraft's first update of 2025
• The update will include six new features, including new pig variants
• Players can now try out the update in public testing

Mojang Studios has shared the details for Minecraft's first major update of 2025.

Last year, the developer promised that in the new year, it would be dishing out more frequent content drops alongside improvements to the survival sandbox game.

Although the first update of 2025 doesn't have a release date just yet, Mojang has already released the contents of the patch for public testing, which includes six new gameplay features for players to try out ahead of time.

Among these new features are two new pig variants, the cold and warm pig, the first of which is coated in fluffy fur and thrives in sub-zero temperatures of chillier biomes, while the warm pig can be found roaming the dunes of the sandy biomes.

Three new ambient features will also be added that will make forest biomes feel "more alive", including falling leaves, leaf litter, and wildflowers.

"On your next expeditions into forests, dark forests, and wooded badlands, listen out for the crunch of leaves underfoot," Mojang said. "Leaf litter makes a rustling sound when you walk through it and can be used to decorate other blocks.

"In meadows, birch forests, and old growth birch forests, you will instead find wildflowers. These yellow and white flowers can be crafted into dye and have four growth stages that speed up with bonemeal. Place them at different angles to have your builds bloom in different patterns."

Mojang also confirmed that all trees in the Overworld will have matching leaf particles falling from them.

Finally, the game will also get a brand new, "simpler" recipe that will now only require players to "combine an iron ingot with your chiseled bricks to craft a lodestone".

For players interested in testing out the update ahead of time, all they need to do is enable snapshots for Minecraft: Java Edition, or by enabling previews/beta for Minecraft: Bedrock Edition. The Bedrock Edition doesn't yet feature the game's new leaf litter and wildflowers features, but both are expected to be added soon.

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• Frank Grillo has opened up on Rick Flag Sr's DCU future after Creature Commandos' season 1 finale
• Flag Sr will appear in this year's Superman movie and Peacemaker season 2
• Grillo says his character will be "on a mission" that ties back to 2021's The Suicide squad film

Creature Commandos star Frank Grillo has teased the next stage of Rick Flag Sr's story after the DC Universe (DCU) show's season 1 finale.

Speaking to TechRadar ahead of Creature Commandos episode 7, titled 'A Very Funny Monster', Grillo reconfirmed that his character will show up in James Gunn's Superman movie and Peacemaker season 2. We already knew that Flag Sr would have a bit-part role in this year's Superman film and play a major part in Peacemaker's sophomore season, but it's nonetheless pleasing to hear it from the man himself.

What wasn't abundantly clear, though, is the role that Flag Sr will play in these DCU Chapter One projects. And, while Grillo was reluctant to give anything away about what we can expect from his character in Superman, he was more open (surprisingly so) about Flag Sr's antagonistic role in Peacemaker's second chapter. Potential spoilers follow for Peacemaker season 2!

Yep, Rick Flag Sr survived his near-death experience with Clayface (Image credit: DC Studios/Max)

So, how does Flag Sr fit into Peacemaker season 2's story? And why is he being set up as a tragic villain of sorts in one of the best Max shows' next installments? Essentially, it boils down to the fact that the titular antihero, played by John Cena, killed his son in 2021's The Suicide Squad movie.

Presently, Flag Sr doesn't know that Christopher Smith/Peacemaker is responsible for murdering his only child. It seems he'll find out one way or another, though, either in one of 2025's most anticipated new movies (i.e., Superman) or during Peacemaker's season 2 premiere. That, according to Grillo, will result in Flag Sr embarking on a revenge-filled quest – one that, based on Grillo's slightly spoiler-filled answer, may give Flag Sr some closure over his son's murder, too.

"Rick's on a mission [in Peacemaker season 2]," Grillo told me. "It's really one-sided because it has a lot to do with the death of his son, so he can't see the so-called bigger picture. By the end of that journey [in season 2], I think he'll be in a different place where he believes he's gotten what he needed to over the course of its eight episodes."

We got our first look at Flag Sr's live-action iteration in a brief Peacemaker season 2 clip shown as part of a 'new on Max in 2025' trailer (Image credit: DC Studios/Max)

Some viewers, who may not have been aware that Grillo's character would appear in other DCU projects, were fearing the worst when Flag Sr was left for dead by Batman villain Clayface in Creature Commandos episode 5. However, 'A Very Funny Monster' confirmed that he'd survived his brush with death. Considering he goes in and out of a coma in the finale of the R-rated animated series' first season, though, it'll be interesting to see how quickly he recovers between the Max show's latest episode and his appearance in Superman.

While we wait for the latter to fly into theaters on July 11, read my Creature Commandos season 1 ending explained piece to learn more about what happens in it, how it sets up future DCU movies and shows, and more.

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• Microsoft reported to be laying off nearly 1% of its headcount
• Share prices haven’t risen as much as key rivals
• Financial performance is still strong at Microsoft

The technology industry is still grappling with ongoing financial challenges leading to widespread job losses, with Microsoft the latest to be affected.

Having already got rid of 10,000 workers (or around 5% of its headcount) at the height of the layoffs in January 2023, Microsoft went on to lay off at least another 2,500 of its employees in June 2024.

Now, just a week into 2025, the company has confirmed further reductions, affecting less than 1% of its workforce, which stood at 228,000 employees six months ago.

Microsoft lays off 1% of its headcount

“At Microsoft we focus on high-performance talent… We are always working on helping people learn and grow. When people are not performing, we take the appropriate action,” the company confirmed in an email to CNBC, indicating the redundancies could be part of a regular restructuring effort rather than a reaction to financial performance.

However, despite posting a revenue increase of 12% in its most recent quarter, around one percentage point ahead of key hyperscaler rivals Amazon and Google, Microsoft share prices didn’t quite please investors.

Over the past 12 months, Microsoft shares have risen 12.98%, compared with 37.06% for Google and a staggering 46.75% for Amazon.

Share prices don’t paint a full picture of the company’s performance though – it has the largest market cap of the three hyperscalers by far, at $3.156 trillion, compared with $2.382 for Google and $2.335 for Amazon.

Further details of the layoffs have not been confirmed, and it’s not known which workers are likely to be affected. TechRadar Pro has asked Microsoft to add further context, but we did not receive an immediate response.

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