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New data released by the FBI show violent crime and property crime both fell in 2023 compared to the previous year.

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The Rings of Power season 2's forthcoming tentpole battle sequence is the "most ambitious undertaking we've ever attempted." That's according to co-showrunner Patrick McKay, who left me in no uncertain terms about the size, scale, and scope of this season's action spectacle.

Speaking to TechRadar ahead of season 2's launch in late August, McKay opened up the amount of work that went into bringing the Siege of Eregion to life. An era-defining battle, the bloody and devastating conflict is arguably the most significant of The Lord of the Rings' iconic fights. Indeed, not only does it kick off the War of the Elves and Sauron that spans much of Middle-earth's Second Age, but it also shapes events in the Third Age, the biggest of which were covered in Peter Jackson's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings movie trilogies.

Some of the battles depicted in those films, such as The Two Towers' Helm's Deep and The Return of the King's Siege of Gondor, clearly influenced elements of The Rings of Power's take on the Siege of Eregion. During our chat, McKay and co-creator J.D. Payne didn't elaborate on what inspirations they took from that duo that informed the Prime Video show's latest big-budget battle. 

Nonetheless, McKay and Payne wanted to honor the multi-stage action-set pieces that Jackson and company adapted for the big screen and how the Siege of Eregion is described in Tolkien's literary works.

Elrond takes center stage during The Siege of Eregion (Image credit: Ross Ferguson/Prime Video)

"The Siege of Eregion is the most ambitious undertaking we've ever attempted on this show," McKay admitted, "Which is really saying something, because everything on this show is ambitious." 

"We wanted to do a classic, epic, and rip-roaring Tolkienian battle with not just two sides, but with multiple armies and multiple races colliding. Also, sieges don't take place over one day or night, but over a matter of weeks or months, so we want you to feel that time. We want you to feel the phases it moves through. We have an aerial bombardment, destruction of the city and the natural environment, [and] then there's a horse charge and a ground assault. By the eighth episode, it devolves into hand-to-hand street fighting, like [the Battle of] Stalingrad."

Adar leads his Uruk and orc forces towards Eregion as he attempts to kill Sauron once more (Image credit: Prime Video)

That sounds like a lot to pack into the Amazon prequel series' last two episodes – and that's before you even account for season 2's other storylines in Númenor, Pelargir, Khazad-dûm, and Rhûn that also need some form of resolution before The Rings of Power departs our screens once more. It's a good job, then, that McKay, Payne, and the show's thousands-strong cast and crew prepared thoroughly to ensure that filming the Siege of Eregion went as smoothly as possible.

"It took a year to prepare," McKay revealed, "And it took weeks to shoot. We had hundreds of extras, and an immeasurable amount of prosthetics made by Barrie and Sarah Gower. Then there's the stunt work performed by our amazing stunt team, the pyrotechnics, our CGI troll, and then our producing director Charlotte Brandstrom and second unit director Vic Armstrong who captured it all on camera. It's all of the things, all of the time, but we're really proud of the result."

The Siege of Eregion will aim to rival similar tent-pole battles seen in The Lord of the Rings movies (Image credit: Prime Video)

So, we can expect an episode or two akin to the 'Battle of the Bastards' and 'The Long Night' episodes in HBO's Game of Thrones, right? Not quite. As I mentioned, there are other narratives running concurrent to the Siege of Eregion, so one of the best Prime Video shows' second season won't end with an episodic pair that'll leave audiences drained by its conclusion.

"It's not wall-to-wall action," McKay admitted. "You're moving in and out of sequences of very tense action and emotional character-driven moments. The Siege of Eregion is not just the big bang at the end of the season. It is that, too, but it also the knot that binds all of these different story threads involving Galadriel, Sauron, Adar, Celebrimbor, Elrond, and Durin – it ties them together. So, you're not just getting narrative explosions; it's also emotional character explosions, epiphanies and huge changes to the course of Middle-earth's history."

As Galadriel observed in season 2 episode 4, then, you'll need to "prepare yourselves" for tragic and heroic moments alike. Before this season's penultimate chapter arrives, be sure to read some of my exclusives with the series' cast below, which tease what's to come in the final two episodes.

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• The Rings of Power season 2 goes to 'some dark places' as it explores Sauron and Celebrimbor's relationship, its actors tease
• 'There has to be a cost': The Rings of Power season 2 stars tease how Khazad-dum's storyline will 'shift and change' after the dwarven rings' creation
• Who is The Stranger in The Rings of Power? Season 2 episode 4 of the hit Prime Video show dropped a huge hint about the wizard's real name

A new report by Zoom has revealed that in person meetings are both the most unpopular and the least productive of all collaborative methods, with many preferring instant messages instead.

Over a third of leaders lose more than an hour per day resolving problems caused by poor teamwork, which could be costing businesses up to £12,000 per manager per year.

Perhaps the least surprising news from the report is the claim that teams who use more than 10 apps are twice as likely to spend an hour or more resolving collaboration issues than those who use fewer than five apps.

Generational differences

All generations except Baby Boomers prefer non face-to-face collaboration, such as project management software or instant messaging. However, in person sessions still top the charts for boomers. Gen Z are the most burdened by follow ups, taking over an hour per day on project statuses.

To boost efficiency, some are turning to AI, with 67% using the technology at least a few times a week, and 74% of leaders feel this makes them more productive. Asynchronous collaboration methods like shared documents are the preference for 46% of AI users, as opposed to 20% of non-AI users.

Recent studies have hailed AI as a productivity booster, with Workday estimating the UK GDP could be £119 billion better off. The study found that a potential 2.9 hours per day could be saved using AI, which equates to 92 working days per year.

However, almost 93% of UK employees and leaders share concerns about trust in AI, with 38% needing more time to educate their teams, 32% feeling there is a lack of investment, and 38% having fears over privacy, safety, or bias.

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LG Gram 17: Two-minute review

The LG Gram 17 is a large but super-light and thin laptop, promising premium productivity performance in a portable package.

Design-wise, the LG Gram 17 is clean and sleek, keeping all its angles and surfaces as minimal as possible. As for build quality, the plastic body doesn’t inspire much confidence, although there’s no denying it saves weight. I found the hinge for the lid very loose, resulting in the display repeatedly rebounding on opening the laptop, which in my mind casted doubt over its durability.

The IPS display is certainly large, but it isn't exactly vibrant. Colors are rendered perfectly well, but LED and OLED displays are usually more impressive, even those with the same 2K resolution of the LG Gram 17. However, it does excel at preventing glare, as per LG's claims; I tried using it in various areas around my living space to produce some unfavorable angles for sunlight, and couldn't catch it out – it remained clear in most conditions. 

In terms of performance, the LG Gram 17 handles the tasks it’s designed for with aplomb. The model on test was equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 7 and 32GB of RAM. It made short work of spreadsheet creation and word processing, and could deal with light photo editing. It also played back HD and 4K video content with ease. 

During our benchmarking, it outperformed many of the best laptops – such as the Microsoft Surface 7 – for productivity. However, it wasn’t as impressive when it came to GPU workloads, including gaming. The Intel Arc GPU can’t match other high-end GPUs, such as the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 in the Dell XPS 17 (9730) we tested.

Mercifully, the LG Gram 17 is mostly free from the bloatware that can plague other Windows laptops. LG’s software suite is mixed in terms of usefulness, but it wasn’t too intrusive or resource-heavy. The most egregious app was LG Recovery and Update, but this only popped up occasionally, and offered desirable updates when it did – although it did fail to make clear that some updates will cause the system to shut down without notice. 

The most useful tool in the suite is LG Gram Link, which allows you to connect mobile devices to transfer files and mirror screens both ways. You can also use it to control your mobile device with the LG Gram 17’s trackpad and keyboard. For the most part, all these functions work as intended, although lag and slowdown can be an issue at times.

The battery is very good for this class of laptop, lasting more than 12 hours in our tests, which involved a battery benchmark using PCMark, in addition to running a 1080p 30fps video on a continuous loop. For comparison, the Dell XPS 17 (9730) only managed a little over nine hours, while the Microsoft Surface 7 quit after 10 hours.

One of the major problems with the LG Gram 17, though, is the noise and heat it generates under load. This was apparent even during setup, with the fans whirring up near the start of the process. The low-pitched hum would then elevate during heavy workloads, to the point of becoming distracting. The underside and the keys also became very hot to the touch, giving me cause for concern. 

Another issue that severely hampers the LG Gram 17 is the keyboard. Although I usually welcome the inclusion of a number pad, here it forces the character keys too far to the left, creating an awkward typing position. It also means the palm of your right thumb rests on the trackpad, with movements being registered as cursor swipes and sometimes even taps. In addition, the keys, while they feel satisfying and pleasant to tap, can sometimes fail to register, especially the "o" key, which caused me no end of frustration. 

This is a hotly contested space, and you'd expect the LG Gram 17 to deliver on its premium promises given the price it commands. However, there are simply better value alternatives that offer not just lightning performance, but also a better design and user experience. 

If you’re after a large laptop with plenty of power, then the Dell XPS 17 (9730) is a solid choice. If you want a smaller form factor but still want performance, then our current pick as the best laptop around, the Microsoft Surface 7, would be a great alternative.

LG Gram 17: Price & availability

(Image credit: Future)

• £1,999 (about $2,640 / AU$3,910)
• Available in three colorways
• High-end specs

The LG Gram 17 costs £1,999 (about $2,640 / AU$3,910) and is available now. It arrives in your choice of three finishes – black, white, or charcoal gray – and it can be had with between 16-32GB of LPDDR5x RAM, and a 1TB or 2TB NVMe SSD. As for graphics, you have a choice of either an Intel Arc or Intel Iris XE Graphics GPU.

At this price, the LG Gram 17 is competing in the premium sector, rubbing shoulders with the likes of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 – which, in our view, is the best business laptop . That machine is superbly built with an excellent keyboard and display. Specs-wise, it does come in behind the LG Gram 17, and so do its costlier range-topping variants. However, the ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 is durable and built to last, delivering your money’s worth.  

At the other end of the market sits the Acer Travelmate P4, which can be had for as little as $400. For that, you do get lesser specs, with older CPUs and no NVMe SSD options, but we still found it to be a very competent performer. 

If you desperately want a 17-inch display, then we think the Dell XPS 17 (9730) is the best laptop with a large screen. It’s also replete with Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 series GPUs, perfect if you’re after serious gaming and content creation pedigree. 

LG Gram 17: Specs

(Image credit: Future) LG Gram 17: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Very light for a large laptop
• Number pad compromises ergonomics
• Keystroke and trackpad issues

As with many Windows laptops in recent years, the LG Gram 17 takes design cues from Apple’s MacBook line. It keeps to a minimal aesthetic, with clean edges and surfaces unsullied by unnecessary bulges or protrusions. 

However, almost immediately on opening its lid my confidence in the build quality of the LG Gram 17 was sapped. The hinge is incredibly loose, meaning the display ricochets like a pendulum. It could be argued this is the price you pay for such an effortless mechanism, but I don’t think this bodes well for its longevity.

In fact, the premium feel is lacking from the entire chassis – although, again, this may be the sacrifice for keeping the LG Gram 17's weight down. And for a 17-inch laptop, it's impressively light and thin, which makes traveling with it far less hassle than it otherwise would; it slotted nicely into my backpack for my commute to the office, and I didn’t feel overburdened. There’s no doubt that as large laptops go, the LG Gram 17 is one of the most portable around.

The keys are compact and well made. The trackpad is highly engineered and large, too, with a very smooth surface that creates little friction. This makes for pleasant and precise swipes and gestures.

As fond as I am of number pads, incorporating one in the LG Gram 17 does compromise its ergonomics. It means the character keys are forced over to the left, which I found made the typing position more awkward, with my right hand closer to the left than I’m used to.

It’s welcoming to see a large screen that isn’t compromised by a thick bezel. What's a shame, though, is how much the bezel protrudes on the LG Gram 17, with the display itself set quite far back – another area where you can tell corners have been cut, and where it fails to live up to the sleekness of Apple’s laptops, despite its attempts to emulate their style.

(Image credit: Future)

The display itself uses IPS technology, which produces a fine enough image. However, it fails to impart a level of sharpness you'd expect from the 2L/ WQXGA resolution. On smaller screens that same resolution looks sharp and sleek, but that fidelity starts to deteriorate once it’s stretched out to 17-inch. However, what can be said in its favor is its anti-glare properties, which do indeed help to retain visibility even in bright sunlight.

As for port selection, the LG Gram 17 has two USB-C and two USB-A ports, the former pair on the left and the latter on the right. There’s also a headphone output, a microSD card slot, and an HDMI port. Oddly, the latter is located before the USB-C ports, meaning that your charging cable will be plugged in closer to the front than you'd expect, which might upset those who are particular about cable management.

The keys are well damped with just enough travel, making for a snappy and satisfying feel. However, all too frequently my keystrokes would fail to register, in particular when hitting the "o" key, for reasons I struggle to fathom. As a conservative estimate, I'd say that more than half the time presses would result in nothing appearing on-screen.

Another typing issue is the aforementioned position of the character keys. As well as making the hand position awkward, it also resulted in my right thumb palm resting on part of the trackpad. Occasionally, this would cause swipes and taps to register.

For any laptop, these two issues pose a major obstacle for getting work done. However, for one such as the LG Gram 17, designed with productivity in mind, it’s close to unforgivable. These may just be personal issues, with others unaffected; but I’ve never had typing issues to this degree on other laptops I’ve tried.

Conversely, I also experienced too many occasions where the trackpad would fail to register taps I performed deliberately. However, in other aspects, the trackpad is great to use. It’s smooth and accurate, while swipes and gestures are easy to perform consistently, thanks to the responsiveness.

LG Gram 17: Performance

The LG Gram 17 is fast when it comes to performing most productivity tasks. Everything from knocking out spreadsheets and word processing to low-key photo editing is within reach. And, when it comes to downtime, video playback is fast and smooth, even with 4K content. The Intel Core Ultra 7 certainly appears to live up to expectations.

LG Gram 17: Benchmarks

3DMark: Night Raid: 16,752; Fire Strike: 6,131; Time Spy: 2,908
Cinebench R23: 1,595 (single-core); 9,746 (multi-core)
GeekBench 6.3: 2,198 (single-core); 11,358 (multi-core)
PCMark 10 (Home test): 6,039
PCMark 10 (Battery test): 5,477
Battery Life (TechRadar movie test): 12 hours, 12 minutes

For more intensive workloads, the LG Gram 17 is somewhat inconsistent. In our benchmarking tests, it scored well on office-based tasks. It beat the Microsoft Surface 7 in the PCMark Home test, although it did lose to it in GeekBench single- and multi-core tests with considerably lower scores.

For more graphics-heavy workloads, scores weren’t so great either. The LG Gram 17 still beat the Surface 7, but in our Dell XPS 17 (9730) review, this laptop performed far better – not exactly surprising, given the LG Gram 17 I had to test came with an Intel Arc GPU, rather than an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 featured in the XPS 17 (9730) we tested.

Thankfully, the LG Gram 17 keeps the bloatware to a minimum, with only a handful of LG apps preinstalled. Most of these function well for the most part, and refrain from eating into performance or bombarding you with notifications. The LG Recovery and Update can intrude at times with notifications; but, thankfully, most of them are worthy of your attention.

Other LG apps include ThinQ, which, quite frankly, seemed redundant, only letting me contact support; and LG Gram Link, which lets you connect with your mobile device, allowing for file sharing to screen mirroring. Both function well, although the mobile app did have trouble connecting to my network until an update fixed the issue.

(Image credit: Future)

Mirroring my phone screen on the LG Gram 17 worked well, but keyboard and trackpad inputs were sluggish. You can also duplicate and extend the LG Gram 17 display on your smartphone, and this is more responsive, although I think it would be better to mirror on a tablet than a small smartphone screen. Using the keyboard and trackpad to control my phone was also responsive during my tests, although for some reason I wasn’t able to scroll web pages on the Chrome mobile app.

One of the chief annoyances I had with the LG Gram 17 was the noise. Occasionally – and especially when setting up – there would be a low-end hum, elevating to a higher pitch and louder volume under more intensive workloads. I was almost convinced it was the sound of a hard disk, as it sounded very similar. 

After the initial setup, fan noise became less frequent, but would still rear its ugly head from time to time. In addition, the base of the LG Gram 17 would also on occasion become hot, which would be uncomfortable if using the machine on your lap. Sometimes, even the keys themselves became hot to the touch. This was a real cause for concern, and didn’t instill me with much confidence to use the LG Gram 17 for heavy workloads over long stretches.

As far as the speakers go, they perform well enough, offering a balanced sound without distortion. They don’t have much impact, but compared to most other laptops, they acquit themselves admirably.

LG Gram 17: Battery

(Image credit: Future)

Although LG doesn’t provide a figure for the battery life of the Gram 17, it does claim it to be “ultra-long”. During my tests, I found it could handle more than a whole day’s worth of work. 

I tested the battery life by using the 3DMark benchmarking tool, as well as playing a 1080p 30fps video on a loop. From a full charge, the LG Gram 17 lasted an impressive 12 hours and 12 minutes before shutting down. 

This means the LG Gram 17 eclipses the Microsoft Surface 7, our current pick as the best laptop overall, which lasted about 10 hours during our tests. It also beats our pick for the best large laptop, the Dell XPS 17 (9730), which managed 9 hours and 5 minutes. 

Should you buy the LG Gram 17?

(Image credit: Future) Buy it if...

You want something large but light
It’s impressive how the LG Gram 17 manages to fit a big display in such a light package, making it a lot easier to travel with than you might expect.

You’ll be using it for work
The LG Gram 17 handles office-based tasks well, including intensive ones. It’s also very capable of entertaining you with its hi-res content streaming pedigree.

Don't buy it if...

You’re on a budget
There’s no getting away from it: the LG Gram 17 is expensive, and there are cheaper alternatives out there that offer the same performance.

LG Gram 17: Also consider How I tested the LG Gram 17

• Tested for one week
• Performed various tasks and benchmarking
• Plentiful experience with PC laptops

I tested the LG Gram 17 for about a week, trying out its features and functions. I used it for a variety of tasks, from streaming video and editing photos, to general productivity and browsing. I also worked with it on a desktop and my lap on a sofa, and in various lighting conditions, too. I commuted with it to test its portability.

I put the LG Gram 17 through TechRadar’s benchmarking procedure, which involves using multiple tools repeatedly to test laptops and desktops as thoroughly as possible. These emulate various workloads, from productivity and content editing to gaming.

I have plenty of experience with laptops of all varieties, from Windows machines, MacBooks and Chromebooks. I also have experience testing tablets and using desktop PCs for gaming. 

Read more about how we test.

First reviewed September 2024

iFixit says the iPhone 16's upgrades are a "big deal" -- at least on the inside.

Earlier this month, a Gettysburg College student used a box cutter to write a racial slur on another student's chest during a social gathering on campus. The incident is under campus investigation.

(Image credit: Matt Rourke)

If you're a Trekkie, you'll be glad to know you can now nab the Star Trek Original Series Steelbook for just $40 right now.

Business heads are expecting AI to work miracles within their security teams, mounting the pressures faced by already shorthanded and under-skilled security pros, new research has claimed.

A report from IDC and Expereo found 60% of CIOs saying the inclusion of AI within their security strategy has boosted their personal reputation, but 47% also say that their board has unrealistic expectations of the technology.

However, while enhancing their personal reputation could be a silver lining, 39% of respondents said that their elevated profile made their job more stressful.

AI-nxiety

Some businesses are considering introducing a ‘Chief AI Officer’ to manage the implementation of AI technologies and the opportunities and advantages they offer, but 40% of those surveyed believe that the CAIO role would gradually absorb many of the CIO responsibilities within two years.

A further 38% also fear that AI could potentially replace their role, or a role within their team, and it’s not just reserved for IT roles, with 46% stating that jobs outside of the IT sector are at risk of being replaced by automation.

“Technology leaders are at the forefront of driving innovation and transformation in their organisations, but they also face significant challenges and pressures from the business and the board," noted Expereo CEO Ben Elms.

"It’s vital that CIOs align with their CEOs to ensure they are given the proper support by their stakeholders, teams and their external partners, to help them make the most of a challenging but exciting technology landscape.”

There are positive opportunities presented by AI, with business leaders remaining optimistic about the future of technology. 68% of business leaders stated that this is the most exciting time to be in their role, with an additional 71% believing that their current tech strategy will support growth and efficiency gains.

But with these opportunities, it is expected that the role of technology leaders will expand to encompass more responsibilities within businesses, such as orchestrating digital transformation and discovering ways of generating digital revenue in order to justify ROI for budget increases. The report also found that currently, just 7% of respondents have to justify the ROI on budget increases, but this is expected to rise to 12% within two years.

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The degenerative brain disease can only be diagnosed after death. But hundreds of retired players reported symptoms linked to CTE, like depression, mood swings and suicidal thoughts.

(Image credit: Jamie Squire)

Disney is reportedly phasing out its use of Slack following a significant data breach, with plans to migrate over to Microsoft Teams for internal communications and collaboration.

The move comes after a July incident where hackers accessed Disney’s internal Slack archives to leak 1.1TB of sensitive information, exposing confidential company messages, project details and employee information.

According to an internal memo seen by Business Insider, the California-based media and entertainment company plans to transition to Teams by the end of Q2 2025.

Disney no longer trusts Slack after data leak

The move from Slack to Teams is being branded as one that addresses cybersecurity concerns following the July incident.

NullBulge, the hacktivist group responsible for the incident, reportedly breached 10,000 Slack channels that included internal communications and sensitive information like images, source code and credentials. The information dated back to 2019.

However, many staff are reportedly concerned that the move is also one designed to reduce ongoing costs. Many fear the transition could be filled with complexities, including the requirement for retraining and broken integrations.

Disney, together with other big corps, has been criticized for using centralized platforms that don’t offer end-to-end encryption.

Despite complaints from staff, Disney looks to be continuing with its plan to migrate to Teams, which is end-to-end encrypted.

Disney’s incident wasn’t the only high-profile Slack-based cyberattack to have happened recently – Uber, EA Games, Grand Theft Auto, X and Slack have all fallen subject to similar attacks, raising questions about the Salesforce-owned platform’s security measures.

TechRadar Pro has asked Disney, Slack and Microsoft to comment on the reports, but none of the companies immediately responded to us.

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Mounting a TV above a fireplace is a bad idea for many, many reasons. Don't do it. Here's why.

Morning Edition spoke to a couple of barbers about the trendy haircut with shaved sides and signature high-volume curly top that many young men are donning these days. Here's what we learned about it.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

It might be time to temper your expectations in terms of camera upgrades for the Samsung Galaxy S25, due in 2025, and Galaxy S26, due in 2026: the latest rumor is that these phones will come with the same main camera setup as the current Samsung Galaxy S24.

The rumor in question comes from recognized tipster Ice Universe, who has a strong track record when it comes to Samsung predictions. The main camera sensor in question is a 50-megapixel, 1/1.56-inch sensor.

In fact, Samsung has been using this sensor for the main rear camera since the Samsung Galaxy S22, which launched in 2022. If this rumor is accurate, that would mean no upgrades for the most important camera component for four straight years.

Samsung could well argue that software improvements make up for it, while the secondary cameras (currently a 10-megapixel, 1/3.94-inch telephoto sensor and a 12-megapixel 1/2.55-inch ultrawide sensor) may get upgrades separately – but it would still be a rather underwhelming roadmap for the series.

The upgrade cycle

Sadly, Samsung decided to continue using the same sensor on the S25 and even the S26. Desperate. https://t.co/wYAdxS98W1September 21, 2024

While significant phone camera upgrades year-on-year are something of a rarity now, if this does pan out as predicted, then Samsung risks being left behind on this particular spec. The new Google Pixel 9, for example, comes with a main camera sensor with a 50-megapixel rating and a 1/1.31-inch size.

The larger the sensor, the more light it can pull in, and the better the resulting photos (at least in theory). There's only so much AI trickery and manipulation you can do to improve the look of images beyond the limitations of the hardware.

Back in June, a different source suggested that there wouldn't be much change in the cameras for the Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 Plus next year. However, they may be fitted with more RAM to help with artificial intelligence processing.

If you're after better cameras in 2025, you may have to look to the Galaxy S25 Ultra instead. That particular model is rumored to be getting some new significant camera upgrades, albeit upgrades to the secondary rear cameras rather than the primary one.

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The former Apple design chief says he's been buying properties in San Francisco to work on the product.

Zoom is cutting back on its stock-based compensation, according to a recent report by Bloomberg.

The move comes amid growing concerns about stock dilution, which negatively impacts the value of existing shares, and marks on ongoing trend across the industry with Salesforce and Workday carrying out similar measures.

In a memo to employees, Zoom CEO Eric Yuan said that the decision was made because the company had been issuing equity at an unsustainable rate.

Zoom to scale back stock-based compensation

The CEO confirmed: “We grant a significant amount of shares each year that has led to very high dilution. Put simply, we are granting too much equity and must proactively reduce it.”

Rewarding employees with stock and making shares available at a discounted rate has been common practice among tech firms for years, however it has now reached the point where alarm bells are ringing for investors and leaders who are concerned about dilution.

After hitting a $559 peak in late 2020 during the onset of the pandemic, Zoom stock has plummeted. Now at $67.53, prices fell as quickly as they rose with values dipping below $100 in early 2022.

To manage the dilution caused by widespread stock issuance, companies like Zoom, Salesforce and Workday have had to adopt tighter controls on stock-based compensation.

Yuan added: “This issue isn’t unique to Zoom; our peer group is facing similar challenges.”

More broadly, Zoom has struggled with the tough economic conditions that followed the pandemic. The company’s biggest pandemic-induced layoff, affecting around 1,300 workers, happened in February 2023. Since then, a series of other redundancies have followed including around 150 workers earlier this year.

The company continues to invest in AI in order to maintain its household name status as a worldwide provider of online collaboration tools.

TechRadar Pro asked Zoom to comment on the stock-based compensation decision. Any update will be posted here.

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When Microsoft introduced the Copilot key, all we could think was – this is a waste of precious laptop keyboard real-estate, frankly – and for those of you who have the key, and feel this way, here’s some very good news: you can now reconfigure it, at least in testing.

In the new Beta channel preview build 22635 for Windows 11, Microsoft has made it possible to remap the Copilot key to launch an app rather than invoke the AI assistant.

As Microsoft explains in a blog post, there’s a slight catch, though: “You can choose to have the Copilot key launch an app that is MSIX packaged and signed, thus indicating the app meets security and privacy requirements to keep customers safe.”

We’ll come back to discuss the exact implications of this momentarily, but the gist is that you can’t remap the key to any application you’d like – only MSIX apps.

There’s no change to the default behavior of the Copilot key as you might expect – when you first get your shiny new Copilot+ laptop, it’ll still summon the AI assistant when pressed. You’ll be able to reconfigure it in the Settings app, in Personalization > Text input, at least when this change comes to the release version of Windows 11 – and we can’t see why it would get cut in testing.

That MSIX configuration caveat

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

As noted, the caveat is that you must remap the Copilot key to launch an MSIX app, which is a Windows app package cooked up by Microsoft, with the aim of tighter security (among other benefits). In short, many Windows apps aren’t MSIX-packaged, and if any given application you want a shortcut to isn’t, then you’re out of luck.

This feature is just in testing at the moment, so it’s possible Microsoft could change this requirement – we shall have to see down the line. The reason for stipulating MSIX, as noted, is the better security provided in this installation format over and above MSI (its predecessor).

Those who are frustrated with the limitation can always redefine the Copilot key using third-party key mapping software, naturally, but that isn’t as convenient as having a native option. (If that native option has a full range of functionality when it comes to the apps you can link the key to, that is).

We don’t have a Copilot key on our keyboard, and don’t want one, as you can probably guess from how this article started – those on TechRadar who have been playing with this key have found it less than revolutionary, too.

All in all, having to introduce an option to reconfigure the key could be seen as a bit embarrassing for Microsoft, considering the fanfare when the Copilot key was revealed. If you recall, the move was trumpeted as the ‘first significant change’ to the Windows keyboard in some 30 years, and that the Copilot key would be a ‘core part’ of the keyboard on a par with the Windows key itself.

All that said, if the Copilot assistant itself becomes much more useful in Windows 11 in the future, maybe the dedicated key could yet carve out more of a genuine raison d’etre, as opposed to feeling more like a crowbarred-in addition, at least for us.

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As businesses tackle the complexities of a transformative technological landscape, changing workforce dynamics and the challenges of organizational design under such conditions have become focal points.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rewriting how business is done and businesses are pressing ahead with technology investment, despite being unclear on the business impact. Orgvue’s research shows that 82% of organizations have already invested in AI and 33% are planning to increase their investment by more than 50% in the coming year.

This situation is largely driven by a fear of missing out, as companies jostle to be seen as innovative and competitive. However, this rush to adopt AI can lead to many pitfalls, particularly when investments are made without a full understanding of how to deploy the technology effectively.

How will AI fit into the organization and its workforce?

AI's role in an organisation extends beyond automation. When deployed well, it can redefine job roles, streamline processes, and enhance decision making. To capture AI’s full potential, organizations should first undertake a thorough mapping and re-engineering of their business processes to accommodate the new technology.

By identifying tasks that are suited to automation and matching specific technologies that can fulfil them, businesses can avoid misplaced deployments that underperform or that are error prone.

To bring this to life, our research indicates that while 69% of organizations are confident AI will be embedded in core business operations by 2025, 39% admit they lack the organizational expertise to achieve this.

Furthermore, employee skepticism (36%) and a lack of regulation (33%) also stand in the way of effective AI adoption. Instead, a clear, data-driven approach is needed to distinguish genuine AI capabilities from conventional tools dressed up as AI.

Getting strategic AI deployment right

The cornerstone of successful AI deployment lies in strategic planning and data-driven decision making. Organizations are better off adopting a 360 degree view that takes into account not just the immediate benefits of AI but also the long-term impact on workforce dynamics and organizational structure.

Organizations that excel in workforce transformation are those that continuously review and adjust their business strategy based on data and insights. By doing so, they can anticipate challenges, mitigate risks, and unlock new opportunities for growth and innovation.

AI washing and the fear of missing out

The practice of overstating the capabilities of AI technologies, known as 'AI washing', is usually driven by an organization’s fear of falling behind its competitors. Investment encouraged by AI washing can lead to the adoption of inadequate or misplaced solutions, which will ultimately hold back workforce transformation. Businesses caught in this cycle are likely to see a low return on their investment, wasted resources, and loss of opportunities for innovation.

Fear-driven decision making fosters a culture of reactivity rather than strategic proactivity. Such an approach will eventually stifle innovation and lead to organizational fatigue, as employees struggle to keep up with the constant changes brought about by poorly understood technology deployments.

To avoid this, businesses should prioritize organizational design to fully understand how to apply AI technologies appropriately. A simple process such as the following can help:

Analyze: gather, synthesize and examine data on your current workforce and organizational structure. Look at tasks and activities in detail to find automation hotspots based on the work.

Design: Model different organizational scenarios and test designs.

Plan: Apply data insights to your workforce plan to align with business goals, identifying gaps between workforce supply and demand.

Monitor: Continuously track organizational performance, repeat steps 1 to 3, and make adjustments as needed.

Understand your workforce to maximize investments in AI

A good starting point for any organization looking to deploy AI at scale is to understand workforce demand and supply in detail, and use this insight to see where AI can close gaps and automate low-value work.

This will be a more complex journey than many businesses realize, but a data-driven approach, underpinned by good planning, will enable more informed decision-making for faster deployment with higher return on investment.

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Potential spoilers follow for Thunderbolts.

The first official trailer for Marvel's Thunderbolts movie has appeared online – and it's giving me better Captain America: The Winter Soldier vibes than Secret Invasion ever did.

Just over one month (at the time of writing) after Thunderbolts' D23 Expo 2024 teaser leaked online, Marvel has seen fit to release a higher quality and longer version of said footage for Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) fans to pore over. Indeed, the near-three-and-a-half minute long teaser is packed with action, returning fan-favorite (and brand-new!) characters, and plenty of political/paranoid thriller sensibilities. Suffice it to say, the final Marvel Phase 5 film is looking very good from where I'm sitting. 

Just like the pirated trailer, Thunderbolts' official teaser opens with Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova visiting her estranged father Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (played by Stranger Things' David Harbour) and admitting she feels emotionally unfulfilled. Remember, the last time we saw Yelena – in 2021's Black Widow film and the Hawkeye TV series – she'd not only lost her sister Natasha Romanov/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) following the events of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, but also decided against killing Clint Barton in Hawkeye.

Belova isn't the only one struggling with their sense of self. John Walker, who readers may remember from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, isn't in a good place mentally after his reputation was tarnished in that Disney Plus show. Elsewhere, we see James 'Bucky' Barnes looking a little disillusioned as he enters a court room.

Clearly, this trio – plus Red Guardian and other returning minor villains, including Ghost and Taskmaster – have some issues to iron out. So, what better way for them to do so by being sent on the same covert mission to rescue or eradicate a... mysterious character named Bob? Yep, it seems some the aforementioned individuals are being played off one another by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, the Machiavellian individual portrayed by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, to track down Bob for reasons unknown. Bob will be played by Lewis Pullman following his casting in January and, without spoiling too much, Bob and his superpowered Sentry alter-ego should play a big role in the plot.

Experience Marvel Studios’ #Thunderbolts* only in theaters May 2025. pic.twitter.com/j9iDjHOoc7September 23, 2024

What makes things even tastier is that these morally complex characters will have to team up at some point. Indeed, the anti-hero squad, which Belova seems to be leading, appears as if it'll be sent on other infiltration-based missions. Although, judging by the fact that Bucky attacks Belova, Red Guardian, and Walker towards the end of the teaser, it seems the uneasy alliances between them will be temporary for some individuals.

Thunderbolts' first trailer, not to mention the film itself has been a long time coming. The MCU's next team-up movie was rumored to be in development in June 2022 before Marvel officially announced it a month later. Since then, Thunderbolts has faced numerous setbacks, including multiple release date delays due to the 2023 Hollywood strikes, the departure of cast hires including Steven Yeun and Ayo Edebiri due to schedule conflicts, and the aforementioned teaser leak.

Thankfully, filming finally got underway in late March after Thunderbolts rode out its creative storm, with principal photography surprisingly wrapping in June. As mentioned, Marvel exclusively revealed the movie's first footage to D23 Expo 2024 attendees in mid-August, before revealing a first-look Thunderbolts image later that month as it battled the D23 trailer leak.

Thunderbolts will arrive in theaters worldwide on May 2, 2025 and, at the time of writing, will be one of three new movies from Marvel Studios that fans can enjoy next year – the others being Captain America: Brave New World and The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

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