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uTorrent is one of the most popular torrent clients globally. To many, it’s synonymous with torrenting itself. This platform maintains a stellar reputation because of its performance, speed, and ubiquitous features.

I’m reviewing uTorrent to help you decide whether it’s worth the hype. My review will focus on crucial factors like its features, speed, performance, security, and pricing. Read on to learn the pros and cons of uTorrent in detail.

uTorrent: Pricing

Unlike many torrenting clients, uTorrent offers different tiers of its product. Its basic version is free for anyone to download. However, this free version includes ads on the interface, which can be distracting when downloading content.

The paid tiers of uTorrent include

Ad-Free: For $4.95 per year, you can remove all ads from your interface. This version is also optimized to consume less bandwidth.

Pro: For $19.95 yearly, you can enjoy an ad-free experience and integrated virus scanning when downloading torrents.

Pro + VPN: This tier combines the features of the Pro tier and includes a VPN for secure content downloads. A VPN routes torrenting traffic through secure remote servers to avoid being tracked by third-parties.

uTorrent accepts cryptocurrency and credit/debit card payments. The paid tiers lack a free trial.

uTorrent: Versions

Extensive compatibility is one of uTorrent’s strengths. It has apps for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It also has an Android but no iOS app, which is typical for torrenting clients. Apple frowns upon torrenting apps appearing on its App Store, so you’ll hardly find any torrenting platform compatible with iOS.

(Image credit: Future)uTorrent: Features

uTorrent is the most feature-rich torrenting client in my opinion, as it offers functionalities I’ve hardly encountered in other rival clients. It has a simple mechanism. You’ll first find a .torrent file from an external website. This file contains the metadata of the content you want to download.

Then, you’ll upload the .torrent file on uTorrent to begin downloading the relevant content. uTorrent notably supports bulk downloads at fast speeds, a feature many torrenting clients lack.

I observed fast download speeds when testing uTorrent. The app auto-adjusts bandwidth usage based on your network connection to provide fast speeds.

Download speeds are determined partly by the number of “seeders,” or uploaders, available on uTorrent’s network. Fortunately, as the most popular torrenting client, there’s hardly a lack of seeders to share files on uTorrent and maintain reliable speeds for everyone on the network.

uTorrent lets you schedule downloads ahead of time. For example, you can upload a .torrent file while at the office and instruct uTorrent to download it several hours later when you connect to your home’s WiFi network.

I was able to control my upload and download speeds to conserve bandwidth when using uTorrent. By default, after downloading a torrent on uTorrent, you automatically become a seeder uploading the files for other users on the network. Capping the data upload speed helped me conserve bandwidth when sharing files.

(Image credit: Future)

uTorrent supports remote access, which allows you to manage your torrenting activities from external devices. For example, I was able control downloads on a home computer from my smartphone while at work.

During testing, I enjoyed uTorrent’s light performance despite its many features. It’s not a memory hog that strains your PC’s resources and causes its fans to run at full speed. Instead, it’s a lightweight app with a hardly noticeable impact on your PC’s performance.

With uTorrent, you can download content while seamlessly handling other activities on your web browser or desktop apps.

uTorrent’s Android app is similar to its desktop app. It offers light performance, advanced features, impressive download speeds, and a simple user interface. You can use this Android app to control uTorrent on your PC and other devices.

A drawback I observed with uTorrent is the presence of ads on the basic version. These ads are distracting and, occasionally, users get ads for grey apps flagged by virus scanners. You should exercise caution when interacting with ads on uTorrent.

uTorrent: Interface and in-use

uTorrent has a modern, responsive interface that beats most torrenting clients. Its sleek interface spots a white or dark background (adjustable) with features brightly highlighted with contrasting colors.

The features are neatly arranged on the left, and the main menu is on the right. The buttons to add new torrents and begin downloading are boldly displayed on the main menu, so you can quickly find and switch between different features.

uTorrent is easy for a non-technical person to use. It performs excellently in the user-friendliness criterion, which isn’t the case for some torrenting platforms.

uTorrent: Security

Security is paramount when downloading torrents, as ISPs and other third-parties often seek to identify and block users. uTorrent has many security features to protect users from data leaks and cyber threats.

The Pro version comes with an integrated virus scanner. It scans every .torrent file for viruses and alerts you if any are detected. This feature is crucial because .torrent files are a common vector for introducing malware. It protects your PC from potential damage from viruses.

It’s advisable to turn on a VPN to encrypt your traffic before downloading torrents, which I did. This encrypts your torrenting data from third-parties, like ISPs, that want to snoop on it. The Pro + VPN feature includes an annual subscription to CyberGhost VPN. This VPN offers fast servers across the globe, letting you choose the most convenient location for different use cases.

If you already have a VPN, you can get the Pro version instead of the Pro + VPN version. Any reliable VPN will encrypt your uTorrent activities and prevent prying eyes.

uTorrent: Final Verdict

We can confidently call uTorrent one of the best torrenting clients you can choose. It’s not all rosy, as the basic version includes distracting ads and lacks the integrated virus scanner of the Pro version. However, when you exercise caution, uTorrent is one of the best apps for downloading content at impressive speeds.

We list the best free torrent client.

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• YouTuber Moore's Law Is Dead has leaked potential PS6 specs
• The console may be powered by an RDNA 5 GPU, and outpace PS5 Pro
• Launch window is expected to be late 2027 to early 2028

A new round of potential PlayStation 6 leaks has come to light, this time from YouTuber and leaker Moore's Law Is Dead.

As reported by Wccftech, MLID has shared details of an AMD presentation from 2023, which allegedly contains an overview of specifications for the upcoming PlayStation 6 (codenamed Orion).

Judging by the leaked specs, it seems that PlayStation 6 will be less of a revolution and more of a refinement. It's targeting lower power consumption than the base PS5, and while it reportedly has fewer compute units than the PS5 Pro, it should be able to run faster.

PlayStation 6 is also expected to feature AMD's next-generation RDNA 5 architecture. In theory, this should deliver increased performance over the PS5 Pro. The presentation also suggests a higher overall bandwidth threshold than PS5 Pro, via GDDR7. PS6's bandwidth could reach anywhere between 640-768GB/s, an increase over the Pro's 576GB/s.

With all that in mind, PlayStation 6 - at least according to this presentation - is expected to boast roughly equivalent performance to the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 graphics processing unit. It should also retain backwards compatibility with PS5 and PS4 games, and could cost around $499. The console is expected to ship sometime in late 2027 or early 2028.

Overall, while these leaked specs don't necessarily point to a dramatic upgrade over PS5 Pro, it's looking like PlayStation 6 will still be a decent and more energy-efficient improvement. The fact that it may also cost $200 less than the PS5 Pro definitely has my wallet breathing a little easier, as well.

The PS6 sounds like a similar beast to the next Xbox console, which MLID also leaked specs for recently. The difference here is that Microsoft may be targeting much higher graphical fidelity and performance with an ambitious goal of hitting 120fps at 4K resolution.

As ever, take all these leaks with a pinch of salt. At this early stage, specs such as this should be treated as estimated targets, rather than an outright confirmation of internals and performance.

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Ted Lasso season 4: key information

- Filming began in July
- Teaser trailer reveals cast and location
- Six of the show's main characters confirmed to return
- New cast members also announced
- Season 4 focuses on the AFC Richmond women's team
- Cast contracts hint at a possible new three-season arc

Ted Lasso season 4 is officially back filming. It may seem like surprising news given how season 3 ended, but the story is far from over for one of the best Apple TV+ shows. While Ted returned to the States, his football coaching journey won't be ending there as there's seemingly a whole new direction that Ted and his team are ready to explore.

From its very first season, the series became a global hit for the streaming service, thanks to an exceptional cast and uplifting charm of the endlessly optimistic yet inexperienced coach, Ted Lasso. Here’s everything you need to know about Ted Lasso season 4 from release date prediction, confirmed cast, plot rumors and more.

Spoilers for seasons 1-3 of Ted Lasso to follow. Potential spoilers for Ted Lasso season 4.

Ted Lasso season 4 release date speculation

Apple TV+ isn't letting its biggest hitter go that easy after it confirmed on March 14 that Ted Lasso season 4 was officially in development.

And there's even better news as it's now been revealed that filming for season 4 is officially underway, commending in late July as the Ted Lasso main cast reunited in an Apple TV+ season 4 teaser.

In the clip, Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso), Hannah Waddingham (Rebecca Welton), Juno Temple (Keeley Jones) and Jeremy Swift (Leslie Higgins) are all seen gathering round a restaurant table in Kansas City – a far cry from the show's usual location, Richmond.

So, if I was to make a Ted Lasso season 4 release date prediction, I'd imagine it'll be mid- to late-2026.

Ted Lasso season 4 trailer: is there one?

A Ted Lasso season 4 full trailer is a while away (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Given Ted Lasso season 4 only began filming in July, there’s certainly no full trailer available to watch yet.

While there's the brief teaser trailer that confirmed production, it only saw four of the cast sat around a table. For a full trailer, I'm sure it'll arrive in 2026. When it does, I'll update this section here. So, be sure to check back!

Ted Lasso season 4 confirmed cast

Hannah Waddingham reprises her role alongside other big names (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Full spoilers follow for Ted Lasso season 3.

When it comes to Ted Lasso season 4 cast, a report from Deadline reveals the confirmed cast, both old and new, revealed so far:

• Hason Sudeikis as Ted Lasso
• Hannah Waddingham as Rebecca Walton
• Brett Goldstein as Roy Kent
• Jeremy Swift as Leslie Higgins
• Juno Temple as Keeley Jones
• Brendan Hunt as Coach Beard
• Grant Feeley as Henry
• Tanya Reynolds as TBC
• Jude Mack as TBC
• Faye Marsay as TBC
• Rex Hayes as TBC
• Aisling Sharkey as TBC
• Abbie Hern as TBC

For the six confirmed returning cast, it's believed they have three-year pacts which, Deadline says, ties in with "speculation that Sudeikis has a new three-season arc in mind for Ted Lasso's new chapter".

For now, the new cast members, reportedly all series regulars joining the show, have roles yet to be confirmed. But, as reported by Deadline, it's believed some of the new cast "are expected to play players for the AFC Richmond women's soccer team at the center of Ted Lasso's new arc".

It's not clear whether the rest of the Ted Lasso cast will be returning, although Nick Mohammed (Nathan Shelley), in an official post on X (formerly Twitter) shared a video apologizing for having to move his upcoming tour dates, saying: “I know there’ll be speculation as to why you’ve moved these dates [...] I’ll be honest, it is for some filming.” With the hashtag, Ted Lasso.

But, one cast member that we're sure won't be returning is AFC Richmond's top player, Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster).

According to Puck News' Matthew Belloni, he's not expected to return due to scheduling conflicts. Clarifying: "To be clear, I mean as a series regular. Maybe he pops in for a guest spot or two."

Finally, you'll also notice Ted's son, Henry, has had an actor change. Previously Gus Turner in seasons 1-3, Feely has been cast in what Deadline believes to be due to the "required soccer proficiency" for the role.

Ted Lasso season 4 potential plot synopsis and rumors

A new direction for Ted Lasso season 4 (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Major spoilers follow for Ted Lasso seasons 1-3. Potential spoilers for Ted Lasso season 4.

The biggest question over Ted Lasso season 4 is what it'll look like with Ted returning back to the States? Or, whether season 4 could be a spin-off, following Rebecca, Roy, and Leslie, given that they're all confirmed to return? Roy, as newly-appointed manager of AFC Richmond, could certainly be an option.

But, as we see Ted, Rebecca, Keeley and Leslie reunite in Kansas City in the teaser trailer, it seems it could be an entirely new story altogether. And, as per season 4's official logline (reported in Deadline): "Ted returns to Richmond, taking on his biggest challenge yet: coaching a second division women's football team.

"Throughout the course of the season, Ted and the team learn to leap before they look, taking chances they never thought they would."

This all ties into casting news with new characters joining to play the players of the AFC Richmond women's team.

And there's also been rumors about whether Ted Lasso will begin a new three-season arc, supported by the news that the main cast have confirmed three-year pacts.

When asked by Consequence about the possibility of a planned three-season arc, executive producer Brendan Hunt, aka Coach Beard, said: “Yes. Another arc is possible after this, for sure. We have always seen it as some kind of three-beat thing.

"Originally those three beats were more going to be modeled on what [the British] The Office did, you know, six eps, a special, boom, we’re done. We’ve certainly expanded those beats, but it does not mean that the whole kit and caboodle is getting chucked."

Nick Mohammed's Nate is surely going to be part of AFC Richmond's backroom team (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

In season 3, we also watched as Nate struggled to find his feet at his new job at West Ham, suddenly returning to AFC Richmond with a lower-level job by the season's end.

While he was abrasive towards Ted in the seasons up to this moment, his return to the club was met with Ted’s decision to leave and head back to Kansas. Though Nate was showing a different side to his character with several panic attacks over season 3 alluding to a deeper meaning, the path wasn't followed any further. For Nate, there's definitely potential for more.

The AFC Richmond players have more to say (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

While the men's team for AFC Richmond were keen to impress in the Premier League in season 3, the focus now turns to the women's team. No huge surprise given the conversations between Rebecca and Keeley towards the end of the season. But, it seems, Keeley got her wish.

With a new team, new season arc and new characters all joining for Ted Lasso season 4, the shift is officially happening. And Jason Sudeikis told the New Heights podcast: "It's exciting, and I mean, it's daunting, you know? Because we told the story we wanted to tell. But there's more there and it is a neat group of people to work with."

Ted Lasso: will there be more seasons?

With a whole new team, Ted looks set for more seasons (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

With Ted Lasso season 4 officially in production, all the signs are positive for more seasons to come. The biggest hint though is Deadline's report revealing that the confirmed returning main cast members have signed up for a three-year pact. For this, I think there's every possibility we're looking at a new three-season arc.

Season 4 will turn its focus to the AFC Richmond women's team and since the men's team got a glorious three-season story, there's hopes that the women's team will follow suit. But, there's currently no official plans for season 5 and beyond.

Speaking to Jimmy Kimmel though, Brett Goldstein shared his thoughts about the show's future: "I think we'd love to do it forever, but I think there's a limit..."

While season 3 felt like an end for the show, it wasn't. So, there's hopes for more when we've already been given an extra lifeline.

For more Apple TV Plus show-related coverage, read our guides on Slow Horses season 5, Presumed Innocent season 2, Severance season 3, and the best Apple TV+ movies worth streaming today.

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• The Galaxy S26 is rumored to be getting an NFC upgrade
• This would make mobile payments more straightforward
• We should see the Galaxy S26 phones sometime in January 2026

We're likely some five months away from the launch of the Galaxy S26 series, if Samsung sticks to its usual schedule in 2026, and the latest leak around these devices concerns a useful-sounding upgrade to contactless payments.

According to South Korean outlet ETNews (via SamMobile), Samsung is going to improve the Near Field Communication (NFC) tech in its next flagships – the protocol that powers in-person payments on all modern-day smartphones.

Samsung is planning to add a new NFC antenna right at the top of the phone, the report suggests, to go with the one next to the rear camera. That should mean that when you tap to pay, there's much less of a chance of missing the mark.

It would also put the Galaxy series on a par with recent iPhones, including the iPhone 16. Apple's handsets already have this kind of setup in place, and indeed Apple owns several patents for the tech, which Samsung has only just been able to work around.

No connection worries

NFC payments continue to grow in number

This may seem like a rather minor upgrade compared to components like chipsets, batteries, and cameras, but with contactless payments becoming more popular across the world it's certainly going to be a welcome improvement.

Mobile payments on current Samsung phones work fine, most of the time, but the positioning of the single NFC antenna can mean a connection sometimes isn't registered – which should no longer be the case with the Galaxy S26.

Of course this isn't official yet, until Samsung announces it. Other upgrades we've heard rumored for the Galaxy S26 series include boosts to charging speeds and camera quality, while the Edge model might fully replace the Plus model next year.

Samsung recently unveiled its latest flagship foldable handsets, and these may point towards stylings and features for the Galaxy S26 – check out our Galaxy Z Fold 7 review and Galaxy Z Flip 7 review for more details of those phones.

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I've tested dozens of security cameras over the years. This is the first outdoor camera that lasted almost two years.

TechRadar is dedicated to helping you choose the best software tools. Hence, I reviewed one of the most popular torrent clients to help you decide if it’s worthwhile.

You might have heard of Vuze, formerly called Azureus. Its name frequently appears when people search for torrenting clients on Google and across the web. I tested the app extensively to judge whether it lives up to its fame. Read on to learn about its features, pricing, security, user-friendliness, and other crucial factors.

Vuze: Pricing

I’ve tested endless torrenting clients, and many of them are completely free. However, Vuze is not. It has a free version that includes ads (which I often found annoying), but an ad-free interface requires paying $3.99 monthly for Vuze Plus.

To be fair, Vuze Plus includes other features like DVD burning and the ability to play media files while they’re still downloading. Yet, I’m not a fan of paying for a torrenting client when many free alternatives are available.

Vuze: Versions

Vuze is available on the three major desktop operating systems: Windows, macOS, and Linux. But, something feels odd about this app. It was officially released in 2017, and development seems to have stalled since then.

Vuze used to have an Android app available on the Play Store, but I checked endlessly for it and found none. The app was removed from the Play Store for unclear reasons, making it only accessible by directly downloading the APK file. I think the APK process is too much work for the average user.

(Image credit: Future)Vuze: Features

Vuze is a feature-rich torrenting client whether you’re using the free or paid version. The free version includes a search bar to find torrents right from the app. This feature is important because many torrenting clients don’t provide help in finding .torrent files to download. Instead, you’ll have to visit an external site to get the files.

The search feature is split into a torrent search and web search. The former encompasses .torrent files stored on Vuze’s database, and the latter helps you find .torrent files across the web. For instance, if you search for Jazz music, you can view torrent files for them across the web or the results directly from Vuze’s database.

If you have the relevant .torrent file already installed on your PC, you can add it to Vuze and begin the download. The .torrent file contains the metadata of the larger file you want to download, and Vuze quickly begins the process.

You can also download torrents via their magnet links, which are hyperlinks containing the metadata of the relevant file. Paste this link into Vuze, and it’ll quickly begin downloading the file.

Likewise, users can download files by providing the torrent hash. I liked that Vuze offers flexible ways to discover and download .torrent files. I encountered variable speeds when downloading content from this app. Some files downloaded much faster than others, likely due to the availability of more seeders for those files.

(Image credit: Future)

Seeding in torrenting is the process of uploading a file for other users. When you download any content on Vuze, you automatically become a seeder uploading that same content for other users. That’s how the network maintains enough capacity to offer reliable downloads for users. Uploading content can consume considerable bandwidth, so Vuze lets you cap your upload speed to conserve bandwidth.

Though downloading the APK file for the Android app seemed tedious, I had to do it to provide a rigorous review. After setting it up, I used it to control torrent downloads on my PC. The Android app lets you start, stop, and pause downloads remotely from any location. For instance, you can be at work and control downloads on your home PC.

I enjoyed testing Vuze Plus even if I wish I didn’t have to pay for the extra features. It includes a built-in DVD player that lets users play media directly while downloading. I couldn’t wait to watch my favorite movie when downloading, so I had to press that play button.

Vuze Plus also removes ads, which I mostly found distracting. I’m not a fan of ads, so maybe that’s why I found them annoying. However, I think an average user can easily tolerate and ignore the ads on the free Vuze version.

Vuze has an outstanding feature called Swarm Discoveries. This feature searches for similar content based on what you've previously downloaded on Vuze, akin to an algorithm recommending related content to download. It recommends related content that you may enjoy, helping you discover the best movies, music, and more at no cost.

Vuze: Interface and in-use

I didn’t have issues navigating Vuze’s interface on the desktop and Android apps. It’s a well-designed app with a modern, sleek interface. The features are arranged on the left, and the main dashboard is on the right.

Vuze is a lightweight app that didn’t consume significant computing resources, which I can’t say for many torrenting clients. Some clients I’ve tested hijacked my PC’s resource space and left little room for other apps, but not Vuze.

However, I think Vuze has a steep learning curve for the average person. You’ll likely need some time to get used to its numerous features.

Vuze: Security

Security is paramount when using any torrenting client. ISPs don’t like torrenting and often want to identify users downloading torrents. Hence, you should switch on a VPN before downloading torrents to protect yourself from third-party snooping.

I liked that Vuze Plus has a built-in antivirus scanner (based on Bitdefender). This tool scans all incoming torrents for viruses and alerts you if any are detected. It’s vital, given that torrents are a common vector through which malicious actors spread malware.

Vuze: Final Verdict

I enjoyed Vuze’s feature richness and user-friendliness. I have some complaints, such as the free version including distracting ads, but we don’t always get what we want. Overall, I’ll recommend Vuze as a torrenting solution for everyone.

We've listed the best free torrent client.

It sounds like science fiction: “Could AI run for president?” But as someone who’s spent decades building software systems that prevent failure in high-stakes environments, I believe we’re approaching a moment when this question won’t sound ridiculous—it will sound inevitable.

By 2032, AI tools won’t just be answering our questions or drafting our emails. It will be deeply embedded in the systems that shape our lives: our healthcare, our education, our justice systems—and yes, even our governance. I’m not saying we’ll elect a robot to office. But I am saying that an AI might be the most impartial, consistent, and evidence-driven decision-maker in the room.

Let me explain.

What Software Taught Me About Broken Systems

Building software that anticipates failure taught me to look beyond surface-level issues and ask what’s really driving breakdowns—whether in code or in government. That’s what data and AI do best: find meaning in complexity.

Around 2019, I began to notice a deeply unsettling pattern—one that had nothing to do with code. Public trust in governments was collapsing. Democracies were paralyzed by short-term incentives, disinformation, and gridlock. Meanwhile, leadership decisions were increasingly detached from facts, drowning in emotion and noise.

I found myself asking the kind of question that gets you strange looks at dinner parties: What if AI could help us govern better than we govern ourselves?

AI Isn’t Perfect—But Neither Are We

When people talk about AI, they usually split into two camps: utopians who believe it will save us, and doomsayers who fear it will destroy us. But I’ve worked closely with AI systems. I know what they can do—and what they can’t.

AI doesn’t have desires. It doesn’t seek power. It doesn’t fear losing elections or gaining popularity. It doesn’t lie to protect its ego.

That’s not just a limitation. It’s also a strength.

Humans bring empathy, values, and creativity—but also bias, ego, and self-interest. AI, when designed ethically and transparently, brings clarity, consistency, and impartiality. It can help us make data-driven decisions that aren’t held hostage by emotion or lobbyists.

The realization hit me hard: for decades I’ve used technology to reduce failure in software. Couldn’t we use the same thinking to reduce failure in leadership?

What Changed My Thinking

I started imagining a governance model where AI doesn’t replace politicians—but augments them. A system where AI:

- Flags inconsistencies in laws.

- Predicts the impact of policy across different demographics.

- Helps allocate resources more equitably.

- Identifies disinformation in real time.

In short, AI wouldn’t run the world. It would help us run it better.

That’s why I coined the term AICracy—a system where AI assists governance with transparency and ethical guardrails, proposing evidence-based ideas for human leaders to shape, debate, and vote on. It’s not automation of politics. It’s optimization of decision-making.

What I’ve Learned—and What You Can Take Away

Over the years, I’ve come to believe that AI won’t undermine leadership—it will elevate it, if we let it. Here are a few principles I live by:

1) AI is only as good as the humans guiding it

Like steel, AI can build bridges or swords. It’s up to us to embed values, ethics, and context into the system.

2) Don’t see AI as a competitor—see it as an amplifier

It won’t replace human intuition. But it can scale clarity and reduce noise in overwhelmed systems.

3) Fairness is a systems challenge, not just a moral one

AI can analyze patterns of inequality and help us intervene—if we’re bold enough to use it.

4) AI can’t make moral decisions—but it can support more moral systems

Human oversight is critical. The goal isn’t to escape responsibility, but to deepen it—with better tools.

Where It’s All Headed

Out of curiosity, I recently asked ChatGPT and Gemini how they envision themselves evolving by 2032. Their answers startled me—not because they were outlandish, but because they aligned with what I already suspected:

By then, AI will be more transparent, accountable, and aligned with human values. It will help governments, companies, and communities reason across massive complexity in real time. It won’t just provide answers—it will become a collaborator in solving society’s hardest problems.

The question won’t be “Can AI govern?”

It will be: “Why would we keep governing without it?”

We’re not electing an AI president—yet. But by 2032, we may trust one to help us decide how to govern better. That, to me, is not far-fetched. It’s necessary.

We list the best AI chatbot for business.

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

Artificial intelligence continues to fundamentally change how we do business, and in the past year, a new innovation has entered the spotlight. AI agents are being adopted at record speed across organizations, from marketing to data management to customer service, with the promise to streamline decisions, engage customers and boost productivity for companies to drive business value.

We’ve seen AI agent launches from companies across all sizes and industries. In May, Google announced it would incorporate AI agents in its searches, while Microsoft also announced a plan to use AI agents to help its users search the web. The use of AI agents is surging across industries, from finance and healthcare to car dealerships.

In fact, Boston Consulting Group predicts that the market for AI agents will grow at a 45% CAGR over the next five years. Gartner has also estimated that 80% of common customer service queries will be resolved by AI agents in less than five years.

But here’s the catch: agents are only as good as the data they run on.

Why Data Still Trips Up AI

No matter the cutting-edge nature of the AI tool or its sky-high promises, one constant remains when it comes to the data they’re operating on: garbage in, garbage out.

Companies racing against competitors to deploy AI agents without taking a step back to evaluate the sources they’re operating on face a major risk—if those agents rely on fragmented or inaccurate data, they won’t perform as expected. Even the most capable AI systems can’t deliver results if they’re built on bad information.

According to MIT Technology Review Insights, 78% of global companies are not ready to deploy AI agents and LLMs. What’s stopping them? Their data is not prepared to support AI. At the core of AI’s success is unified, accurate and real-time customer data.

When AI agents are powered by bad, disjointed data, the consequences can be costly. Last year, Air Canada was forced to reimburse a customer when its chatbot promised a discount that didn’t exist. And, in April, a tech company suffered fallout after a customer service agent’s mistake resulted in a wave of canceled subscriptions.

These types of mishaps can threaten customer loyalty and result in churn. AI agents are only as smart and useful as the data on which they’re built. In order to trust your AI agent, you have to trust your data foundation.

Identity Resolution, Reimagined for Agents

The most essential—and most overlooked—piece of making agentic AI work is identity resolution. Without a clear, accurate view of who the customer is across historically disconnected and fragmented systems, agents are flying blind.

That’s changing. AI agents can now take on identity resolution as part of their function, matching records in real time, continuously refining connections and operating without brittle rule-based systems. Rather than depending on static, one-size-fits-all profiles, agentic identity resolution builds a living picture of the customer, improving with each interaction and fostering enhanced productivity and accuracy.

This means fewer errors, less time-consuming manual data prep and faster time-to-insight for every downstream system.

Getting the Data Foundation Right

Before AI agents can operate effectively, the underlying data must be:

Unified: Data from every touchpoint, ranging from eCommerce and CRM to customer support, should be stitched together into a single, accessible layer that’s usable for marketing and engineering teams alike.

Accurate: Identity resolution must reconcile inconsistencies or duplicates across multiple channels and touchpoints to build a reliable profile.

Contextual: Different use cases need different views. Marketing might need probabilistic profiles for broad targeting, while support needs deterministic, single-session accuracy.

Governed: Access controls, human oversight, feedback loops and consent tracking are table stakes for compliant and trustworthy AI – especially in the wake of evolving privacy regulations.

A modern lakehouse architecture, paired with AI-native tools for identity resolution and customer profile building, can drastically reduce the manual effort required and make real-time, AI-powered decisions viable.

Data as Competitive Differentiator

Often, data quality is treated like plumbing, which is necessary but invisible. But in the age of AI agents, it becomes a competitive asset.

High-quality, agent-ready data enables better personalization, faster experimentation and safer automation. It allows AI to act with confidence, knowing who it's interacting with, what they want and how to best respond efficiently and effectively.

When done right, data doesn’t just support AI - it elevates it.

What’s Next

Agent-based AI is already reshaping expectations for responsiveness, personalization and automation. But the true breakthrough isn’t in the models, it’s in the data.

The companies that invest in a high-quality data foundation now will be the ones who make AI useful, reliable and transformative for not only their operations, but also for the end customer experience. That’s the difference between a flashy interface or a top-notch algorithm and an impactful, scalable solution.

Before you build your next agent, build the data foundation it needs.

We list the best customer experience (CX) tool.

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 UK government's designation of data centers as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) underscores their vital role in national operations and economic stability. This recognition comes with increased scrutiny and highlights the need for robust cybersecurity, especially in the face of escalating global threats.

While significant investment is pouring into the UK data center sector, a critical question remains: how much of this addresses the often-overlooked cybersecurity risks associated with Operational Technology (OT) and Internet of Things (IoT) devices?

The Achilles' Heel: OT/IoT Security

Data center operators have traditionally prioritized IT security, safeguarding valuable data from cyber threats by focusing on data center connectivity and server infrastructure. However, critical OT systems responsible for building automation, cooling, power, safety, and physical security often lack the same level of protection and are often not accounted for at all.

These systems, crucial for maintaining the physical functionality of data centers, become interesting targets for attackers if left unsecured, often being used as initial points of access and presence in Data Centre networks. This risk is underscored by the fact that many of these systems are more connected to data center networks and even the internet than security teams realize, while often lacking basic cyber security hygiene like operating system updates, secure credentials, and network monitoring.

Similarly, IoT devices like IP cameras, digital displays, fire suppression systems, and biometric access controls, while enhancing safety and physical security, introduce a complicated additional attack vector for security team to account for. Like OT systems, these devices often use stripped down, embedded operating systems that lack critical cyber security functions making them a relatively easy target for compromise.

Real-World Vulnerabilities

There are now numerous known public examples of OT/IoT vulnerabilities being exploited in data centers and similar environments, and likely many more compromises that are not disclosed or even remain undetected. IP cameras have been hijacked for botnet attacks, launching large-scale DDoS attacks. Building management systems have been compromised for unauthorized activities like crypto mining, impacting system stability and risking failure with dangerous levels of resource utilization.

Even when not targeted for direct impact, OT and IoT devices are often ‘soft’ targets threat actors can use for sustained presence in even otherwise secure networks that have invested heavily in IT cyber security. These incidents highlight the very real dangers of neglecting OT/IoT security. Ignoring these vulnerabilities is like leaving the keys to your data center under the welcome mat.

Bridging the Gap: A Focus on OT/IoT Visibility and Security

Effectively securing OT/IoT environments requires a different approach than traditional IT security. It starts with gaining complete visibility into these often-forgotten systems. Data center operators need to know what devices are connected, how they communicate, and what vulnerabilities they introduce.

This requires specialized tools designed for OT/IoT environments, capable of identifying and profiling industrial control systems, building and IT automation devices, and other connected assets. This likely also requires monitoring wireless communications as well, as many IoT devices are connected via site WiFi networks or IoT connectivity solutions like LoRa or cellular.

Once visibility is established, continuous monitoring and threat detection are crucial. Real-time asset management allows operators to track every connected device, identifying unauthorized or anomalous behavior before it escalates into a major incident.

This includes monitoring network traffic for suspicious activity and implementing anomaly detection systems tailored to OT and IoT protocols. Something as simple as identifying an IoT device like a camera attempting to communicate with the data center server infrastructure could be indicative of a compromised device.

Collaboration and Best Practices: A shared responsibility

While the responsibility for securing data centers ultimately rests with the operators, collaboration between the government and the private sector is still essential. Government initiatives like the NCSC's Active Cyber Defence (ACD) program provide valuable resources for threat identification and response. And, industry collaboration and threat intelligence sharing, as advocated by the World Economic Forum, are crucial for staying ahead of sophisticated attackers.

Data center operators must prioritize OT/IoT security by:

• Asset discovery and inventory: Identify and document every connected OT and IoT device within the data center environment.
• Vulnerability assessment: Assess the security posture of OT/IoT devices and systems, identifying potential weaknesses.
• Network segmentation: Implement micro-segmentation to isolate critical OT systems and limit the impact of potential breaches.
• Continuous monitoring: Deploy real-time monitoring and anomaly detection systems to identify suspicious activity.
• Incident response planning: Develop and test incident response plans specifically for OT/IoT security incidents.

The Time to Act is Now: Don't Wait for a Breach to Wake You Up

As data centers become increasingly complex and interconnected, a holistic approach to cybersecurity, encompassing all of IT, OT, and IoT, is no longer optional – it's a necessity. Don't wait for a breach to expose the vulnerabilities in your OT/IoT infrastructure.

By taking simple, proactive steps, data center operators can significantly reduce their cyber risk and ensure the resilience of these critical facilities. Protecting your data is crucial, but protecting the systems that support your data is equally important. Ensuring that cyber security investment goes beyond IT and accounts for OT and IoT environments is critical to secure the foundation of your data center operations.

We've listed the best software asset management (SAM) 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

The Syrian government under interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa has been struggling to consolidate control since he led a surprise insurgency that ousted former President Bashar Assad in December.

(Image credit: Omar Sanadiki)

The five miners were trapped deep inside Chile's El Teniente mine on Thursday after a section of the mine collapsed following a 4.2 magnitude earthquake.

(Image credit: Esteban Felix)