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Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Tuesday, August 19 (game #534).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #535) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Mint condition

NYT Strands today (game #535) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• NOSEY
• LORD
• PURE 
• WALL
• GLOB
• DUNE

NYT Strands today (game #535) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 14 letters

NYT Strands today (game #535) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: top, 4th column

Last side: bottom, 2nd column

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #535) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #535, are…

• EURO
• PESO
• RAND
• POUND
• RUPEE
• DOLLAR
• SPANGRAM: GLOBAL CURRENCY

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 hints

I struggled today, but that could have more to do with me, rather than the difficulty of the search.

My first thought when I saw the theme was that we were looking for something to do with collecting. I thought of stamps, furniture and comics first – a world where mint-condition items are worth a tremendous amount more than comics you may have actually read.

I needed several hints to get me going and after being given EURO and PESO I made slow work of getting the rest of the board, including the spangram.

Like, I suspect the majority of players, KWANZA was my final GLOBAL CURRENCY. I've since discovered three facts about Angola's currency, in case it ever comes up in casual conversation: 1) it is named after a river 2) it replaced the escudo in 1977, and 3) all of the notes feature Agostinho Neto, the poet and leader who helped fight for Angola’s independence from Portugal. Every day’s a school day with Strands.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Tuesday, August 19, game #534)

• HOITYTOITY
• PELLMELL
• HOCUSPOCUS
• WILLYNILLY
• SPANGRAM: HYPHENATED

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Tuesday, August 19 (game #1303).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1304) - hint #1 - VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 3*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1304) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 2.

Quordle today (game #1304) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1304) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1304) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• D

• M

• B

• W

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #1304) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1304, are…

• DOLLY
• MERRY
• BUGLE
• WORST

This was one of those wonderful games of Quordle for me where every guess was correct and I zoomed through in under a minute – the puzzling equivalent of driving through a city and every light turning green.

Of course, there is also the fact that today’s round was quite easy with just three vowels, no rare words or odd words and two words ending in the same letter.

Daily Sequence today (game #1304) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1304, are…

• SHRUB
• LADEN
• TATTY
• ADORE

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1303, Tuesday, 19 August: KNAVE, SMART, CARRY, MAMMA
• Quordle #1302, Monday, 18 August: FIBER, TRADE, RAYON, TEASE
• Quordle #1301, Sunday, 17 August: FUNGI, AMITY, DRIER, CHECK
• Quordle #1300, Saturday, 16 August: OWING, QUAKE, SLIDE, ELITE
• Quordle #1299, Friday, 15 August: WHALE, PRISM, DRAKE, TEPEE
• Quordle #1298, Thursday, 14 August: LAPEL, IDIOM, RENEW, LIVER
• Quordle #1297, Wednesday, 13 August: CACTI, HOMER, EMAIL, ALBUM
• Quordle #1296, Tuesday, 12 August: SPOOL, TITLE, JAUNT, OVINE
• Quordle #1295, Monday, 11 August: ADULT, BROOM, PURER, CRUEL
• Quordle #1294, Sunday, 10 August: SCRUM, PIPER, TROLL, SPORE
• Quordle #1293, Saturday, 9 August: NOOSE, INLET, ELEGY, VIRUS
• Quordle #1292, Friday, 8 August: KNEEL, KINKY, RALPH, BOOZY
• Quordle #1291, Thursday, 7 August: PLUNK, PROXY, CURVY, PEARL
• Quordle #1290, Wednesday, 6 August: RISKY, APART, FAUNA, HANDY
• Quordle #1289, Tuesday, 5 August: ROAST, SLICK, AUDIT, BILLY
• Quordle #1288, Monday, 4 August: MACAW, SINCE, COLON, CHIRP
• Quordle #1287, Sunday, 3 August: MOTIF, LEERY, LOFTY, BURST
• Quordle #1286, Saturday, 2 August: WARTY, PUPAL, CLEAR, SLICE
• Quordle #1285, Friday, 1 August: ACTOR, MEALY, WIDTH, ADOBE

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Tuesday, August 19 (game #800).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #801) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• CANDY CANE
• CAROUSEL
• CEILING FAN
• CROOK
• ZEBRA
• KNITTING NEEDLES
• CROCHET HOOK 
• BARBER POLE
• YIN-YANG SYMBOL
• CROWBAR
• PIANO KEYS
• CHOPSTICKS
• CLAVES
• DOMINO
• SKI POLES
• LAZY SUSAN

NYT Connections today (game #801) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Monochrome items
• GREEN: Two of a kind
• BLUE: Staring at these will make you dizzy
• PURPLE: Bend at the end 

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #801) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: BLACK-AND-WHITE THINGS
• GREEN: PAIRS OF RODS
• BLUE: THINGS THAT ROTATE ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS 
• PURPLE: RODS THAT CURVE AT ONE END

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #801) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #801, are…

• YELLOW: BLACK-AND-WHITE THINGS DOMINO, PIANO KEYS, YIN-YANG SYMBOL, ZEBRA
• GREEN: PAIRS OF RODS CHOPSTICKS, CLAVES, KNITTING NEEDLES, SKI POLES
• BLUE: THINGS THAT ROTATE ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS BARBER POLE, CAROUSEL, CEILING FAN, LAZY SUSAN
• PURPLE: RODS THAT CURVE AT ONE END CANDY CANE, CROCHET HOOK, CROOK, CROWBAR

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 mistake

Occasionally, Connections throw us a curveball – and today was one of those days, with 16 tiles of random items from a BARBER POLE to YIN-YANG SYMBOL.

As is often the case with these kinds of Connections I suffered temporary word blindness and failed to see a single link.

My mistake was putting together KNITTING NEEDLES and CROCHET HOOK with CHOPSTICKS and CANDY CANE, my thinking being they are all kinds of sticks.

Taking a deep breath I began to see some more promising patterns and got THINGS THAT ROTATE ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS mainly because of LAZY SUSAN, an object I love as it sounds like such an insulting thing to call a revolving plate.

Magically, what was once confusing all made sense, a glorious feeling of enlightenment that is one of the biggest joys of Connections.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Tuesday, August 19, game #800)

• YELLOW: QUITE THE TALKER BLABBERMOUTH, CHATTERBOX, PRATTLER, WINDBAG
• GREEN: FORTIFIED WINES MARSALA, PORT, SHERRY, VERMOUTH
• BLUE: ___ ROCK CLASSIC, LITTLE, PLYMOUTH, THE
• PURPLE: STARTING WITH WAYS TO MOVE QUICKLY DARTMOUTH, DASHBOARD, FLYWHEEL, RUSHMORE

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

• The iPhone 17e will reportedly have a Dynamic Island rather than a notch
• It could also have a new chipset and a new design
• However, many of its other specs might remain unchanged

The iPhone 17e sounds like it might be quite a big step up from the iPhone 16e, with the key new addition possibly being the Dynamic Island.

This is according to reputable leaker Digital Chat Station (via GSMArena), and it would mean no more notch, bringing the front design in line with the latest iPhones.

The same source also claims the iPhone 17e will have an A19 chipset, which would likely mean the same chipset as the iPhone 17, but says it will once again have a 6.1-inch 60Hz screen, a single 48MP rear camera, and a 12MP front-facing camera with Face ID.

That’s unfortunate, given that plenty of mid-range Android phones – including key iPhone 'e' rivals like the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE and Google Pixel 9a – have multiple rear cameras and 120Hz screens. So this might still be a somewhat compromised handset and a tough sell, even at a price that’s likely to be a fair bit lower than other iPhone 17 models.

An intriguing new design

The iPhone 17e might look something like this iPhone 17 Air leak (Image credit: Majin Bu)

Intriguingly though, Digital Chat Station also appears to claim (going by a machine translation) that the iPhone 17e will get a third upgrade in the form of a new design. It’s not clear what they mean by that though – the move to a Dynamic Island would certainly be a change, but this seems to be a separate point they’re making, suggesting other changes.

We're expecting the rest of the iPhone 17 series to adopt a new Pixel-like camera design, so it's possible that this is what the source is referring to, in which case the iPhone 17e could look a lot like the iPhone 17 Air – which is also expected to have just one rear camera – from the back.

Alternatively, they could be referring to the addition of a Camera Control button, which is present on the main iPhone 16 line but absent from the iPhone 16e, but that’s just speculation.

We may not find out for sure which features the iPhone 17e gets or doesn't get for a while, with the only release date leak so far pointing to May of next year. But if you don’t overly care about having multiple rear cameras or a high screen refresh rate, then the iPhone 17e might be worth the wait.

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• Cisco Talos spotted a new threat actor, tracked as UAT-7237
• The group resembles the "typhoon" Chinese state-sponsored groups
• It targeted web hosting firms in Taiwan

Chinese hacking groups are now targeting web hosting companies in Taiwan, researchers are saying.

Security experts from Cisco Talos said they spotted a never-before-seen group that focuses on “establishing long-term persistence in web infrastructure entities in Taiwan.”

They are tracking the miscreants under the moniker UAT-7237, and believe it to be a subgroup of UAT-5918, meaning it is still a distinct entity, and most likely a state-sponsored one, at that. While Talos does not explicitly say it, it does say that the tools the threat actors are using are quite similar to different “typhoon” hackers which are known to be state-sponsored.

Living off the land

Most of the tools are open source and somewhat customized, with a custom Shellcode loader known as “SoundBill” particularly standing out.

The group uses Cobalt Strike beacons, is quite picky with its web shells, and relies on a combination of direct remote desktop protocol (RDP) access and SoftEther VPN clients.

Talos recently observed the group breaching a Taiwanese hosting provider, and being “particularly interested” in gaining access to the victim organization’s VPN and cloud infrastructure.

“UAT-7237 used open-source and customized tooling to perform several malicious operations in the enterprise, including reconnaissance, credential extraction, deploying bespoke malware, setting up backdoored access via VPN clients, network scanning and proliferation,” the researchers explained.

For initial access, UAT-7237 exploited known vulnerabilities on unpatched servers exposed to the internet. This technique is also common for other state-sponsored groups, such as Volt Typhoon and Flax Typhoon, who usually exploit unpatched VPN appliances, firewalls, and email servers. In some cases, they abuse valid credentials for VPN, RDP, and cloud accounts.

While they occasionally drop lightweight web shells or custom loaders, their preference is to blend into normal network activity and establish persistence through compromised infrastructure rather than phishing or malware.

Via Infosecurity Magazine

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• OpenAI adds Connectors for Gmail and Calendars
• You can now access Gmail in chat and in Deep Research
• The feature is new for Plus and Pro users

OpenAI has finally flicked the switch, and now ChatGPT Plus and Pro users globally can connect Gmail and Google Calendar to ChatGPT. This is a feature that Gemini has had for some time, so it’s great to finally get it in ChatGPT.

Since I use Gmail for just about everything, I’ve been waiting for OpenAI to hook into it for ages, and now that it’s here, I can search emails from within ChatGPT, not to mention ask it to perform some handy analysis.

For example, a few useful things to ask ChatGPT, once you’ve connected it to Gmail, are “Who emails me the most?” and “Who haven’t I replied to?” or “What recent emails require action?”

Or, if you really can’t be bothered to open Gmail and you live in ChatGPT all day, you could ask it, “Who has emailed me today?”

Of course, you can do the same thing with your Calendar app. Just ask ChatGPT, “What meetings have I got today?”. This works especially well when combined with ChatGPT Voice. When you activate ChatGPT Voice, you can just start a conversation and ask ChatGPT what meetings you have today, and it will tell you.

What’s more, you can also use your Gmail inbox and your Calendar as a source for a Deep Research query. So, if you want to do some serious analysis of your inbox, you can now direct ChatGPT’s most in-depth research tool straight at it.

Getting set up

(Image credit: OpenAI/Apple)

Accessing these key Google services in ChatGPT requires a bit of setting up first. You need to go to Settings (which is accessed by clicking or tapping on your user name), then choosing Settings, and then Connectors.

Here you’ll be able to link your Gmail, Google Drive, Calendar, and Contacts to ChatGPT. You’ll need to grant ChatGPT access in a few screens as you do this, but you only need to do it once.

Now that you are connected, you can just type in questions about your Gmail inbox or Calendar to ChatGPT.

Going deeper

If you want to use ChatGPT with Deep Research, then the process seems to differ between the Web version of ChatGPT and the mobile version.

In the Web version of ChatGPT, when you click on Deep Research, a Sources box appears next to it, and here you can select Gmail or Google Calendar from the drop-down menu.

On the mobile version of ChatGPT, when you tap on Deep Research, you don’t get a Sources box; however, it can still connect to your Gmail. Just ask it a question involving Gmail and you'll find that it can answer it.

Now that Gmail and Calendar are connected to ChatGPT, I can finally get it to perform more like the all-around personal assistant I want it to be.

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It's time to limber up and prepare to dance along to Peacemaker's new title sequence. Over three years after its first season arrived, the hit HBO Max show is finally set to return to our screens – and I suspect you'll want to know when and where it will.

Below, I'll tell you the date and time it'll premiere on Warner Bros. Discovery's super streamer. I'll also explain where you can watch it where HBO Max isn't available, and run you through a full release schedule for the DC Universe's (DCU) latest project. Here, then, is everything you need to know about Peacemaker season 2's forthcoming launch.

What is the launch date for Peacemaker season 2 episode 1?

We'll be smiling as much as Adrian Chase/Vigilante when Peacemaker 2 is released (Image credit: Jessica Miglio/Max)

Peacemaker's sophomore season is due out on Thursday, August 21 in North and South America. Viewers in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania will need to tune in on Friday, August 22 to stream one of the best HBO Max shows' next entry.

Unsurprisingly, this installment's first chapter – 'The Ties That Grind' – will launch at different times around the world. Here's when it'll be released where you live:

• US – Thursday, August 21 at 6pm PT / 9pm ET
• Canada – Thursday, August 21 at 6pm PT / 9pm ET
• UK – Friday, August 22 at 2am BST
• India – Friday, August 22 at 6:30am IST
• Singapore – Friday, August 22 at 9am SGT
• Australia – Friday, August 22 at 11am AEST
• New Zealand – Friday, August 22 at 1pm NZST

Where can I watch Peacemaker season 2?

Another season, another bar-based bare-knuckles brawl for Emilia Harcout (center) (Image credit: HBO Max)

Peacemaker season 2 comes out on HBO Max in countries where one of the world's best streaming services is available. That includes the US, Australia, and Singapore.

For countries where HBO Max is yet to launch, though, it'll make its bow on other streaming platforms. Read on to learn where you can catch the DCU Chapter One TV series where you live:

• US – HBO Max
• Canada – Crave
• UK – Sky / Now TV
• India – JioHotstar
• Singapore – HBO Max
• Australia – HBO Max
• New Zealand – Neon

When do new episodes of Peacemaker season 2 come out?

You don't need to employ Rick Flag Sr or ARGUS' services to find out when new episodes will be released (Image credit: Jessica Miglio/Max)

New episodes of the John Cena-fronted TV show will arrive every Thursday in North and South America, and Friday everywhere else. If you want to know specific dates that each chapter will air weekly after this week's entry, read on:

• Peacemaker season 2 episode 1 – Thursday, August 21 / Friday, August 22
• Peacemaker season 2 episode 2 – Thursday, August 28 / Friday, August 29
• Peacemaker season 2 episode 3 – Thursday, September 4 / Friday, September 5
• Peacemaker season 2 episode 4 – Thursday, September 11 / Friday, September 12
• Peacemaker season 2 episode 5 – Thursday, September 18 / Friday, September 19
• Peacemaker season 2 episode 6 – Thursday, September 25 / Friday, September 26
• Peacemaker season 2 episode 7 – Thursday, October 2 / Friday, October 3
• Peacemaker season 2 episode 8 – Thursday, October 9 / Friday, October 10

For more on the hit show's return, read my dedicated guide to Peacemaker season 2 and my Peacemaker season 2 review. Then, check out the section below for more exclusive coverage on the DC TV series.

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• Adobe Acrobat Studio announced
• New hubs for managing, understanding, and creating documents
• Platform fuses Acrobat Pro, Adobe Express, new specialized AI assistants

Adobe has unveiled its new Acrobat Studio, which aims to become the nerve center for productivity and creativity tasks - and a life-saver for anyone drowning in documents.

The platform fuses the full Acrobat Pro experience with extra AI tools, Adobe Express, and new spaces that the company says “transforms PDFs into conversational knowledge hubs that enable people to use customizable AI Assistants to unlock and share insights, answers and recommendations.”

That’s business-speak for saying Acrobat Studio’s AI should make it easier to understand document contents. Adobe’s Abhigyan Modi, senior vice president, Document Product Group, gave me a demo of the new tools. Here’s what you need to know…

What is Adobe Acrobat Studio and what’s new?

(Image credit: Adobe)

Adobe Acrobat Studio effectively attempts to solve some of the issues faced by those managing or accessing documents. Namely, file storage, collaborative or communication breakdown, content creation, and information overload.

On the launch of Adobe Acrobat Studio, Modi said: “We’re reinventing PDF for modern work, so whatever you need to get done, you can do that with Acrobat.”

Use-cases highlighted by Adobe include centralizing client insights, creating polished, on-brand proposals, grabbing key metrics for secure sharing, and reviewing resumes. Effectively, if it's a document, Acrobat Studio can probably do something with it.

Acrobat is already home to an AI Assistant, Firefly, and - in an interesting use of the technology - a contract explainer that helpfully summarizes jargon-heavy legal documents. Those constant updates are one of the reasons why I rank it as the best PDF editor around. But Acrobat Studio ramps that integration up to eleven.

• PDF Spaces

(Image credit: Adobe)

PDF Spaces is the headline addition. It’s also the area Modi told me he’s most excited about with this launch, keen to see how users benefit from them.

These are AI-driven hubs for up to 100 files (format support goes way beyond PDF). Upload a file, and PDF Spaces generates what Adobe dubs “an AI-powered workspace,” loading in suggested goals, actionable insights, citations.

It’s a space, Adobe says, where users can use AI to question, compare, and summarize information in documents. A “conversational knowledge hub,” if you like.

• Specialized assistants

(Image credit: Adobe)

One of PDF Spaces’ biggest strengths is that it expands on the familiar AI Assistant already found in Adobe Acrobat for more tailored responses.

Three specialized AI assistants are baked into the workspace, with the option to create a custom one. The Analyst, the Instructor, and the Entertainer each approach information differently in ways that should, in theory, be more helpful to users.

This is a core element, Modi explained, of Adobe’s focus on the needs of different users. Where the Entertainer toys with language and creativity, the Analyst studies and uncovers new thoughts; the Instructor makes complex topics accessible.

• Adobe Express integration

(Image credit: Adobe)

Adobe Express has been getting a lot of attention lately, with an expanded toolset and integration with a host of Creative Cloud apps. So, perhaps it was just a matter of time before it joined fully with Acrobat.

The popular, free online design tool is a core part of Acrobat Studio. With the full-fat Adobe Express Premium tools, users can create (or generate) professional templates, presentations, reports, and social media posts.

The Creative Cloud Pro plan combines over twenty Adobe apps into a single subscription, giving you access to Acrobat, Photoshop, InDesign, Premiere Pro, and more. The plan also includes 4000 monthly credits for Adobe Firefly's generative AI photo and video tools. View Deal

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• You can now interact with Excel cells in natural language with =COPILOT
• It doesn't interact with external data from the web... yet
• You can combine it with other Excel functions

Microsoft is rolling out a new Excel AI function directly into cells, so you can leverage generative AI and tap into even more information even more easily than you can strike up a simple formula in its spreadsheet software.

Copilot in Excel cells is rolling out to Microsoft 365 Copilot beta users in the Insider Program and Beta Channel to start off with, the tighter AI integration will be available on Windows (Version 2509+) and Mac (Version 16.101+) before it comes to the web version.

Working like a normal Microsoft Excel function, users can add prompts in quotes and optional cell ranges for even more context, leading results to automatically change when the source data changes.

Excel COPILOT function

"Just enter a natural language prompt in your spreadsheet, reference cell values as needed, and watch Copilot instantly generate AI-powered results," Partner Director Catherine Pidgeon explained in a blog post.

Besides using the AI tool to create new types of prompts or generate formulas that they might not have been able to do without expert knowledge, users can also combine the Excel COPILOT formula with other functions like IF, SWITCH, LAMBDA, or WRAPROWS.

Some examples of =COPILOT's use cases include summarizing customer feedback, categorizing data, integrating external knowledge and formatting.

In its most simple form, a function might look like "=COPILOT(prompt_part1, [context1])" – though context is optional.

Pidgeon noted the =COPILOT function only uses data it was trained on, so it cannot access new data from the web or company documents at this stage.

Being a beta product, there are still some improvements that Microsoft hopes to make to its Excel AI assistant, including more data sources beyond the LLM training and enabling date formatting per Excel’s date serial format rather than text-only, as is currently the case.

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• Microsoft's up to its old tricks, this time pushing Copilot AI in your face when searching on Bing - and this is getting tiresome

Digital spend now takes up 35% of sustainability budgets, as businesses leverage IT to achieve environmental goals. The global digital sustainability market is projected to reach $34 billion by 2027, growing about three times faster than the overall technology market. This surge highlights increasing corporate commitment to sustainability, driven by regulatory pressures, rising energy costs and stakeholder expectation.

However, despite these positive trends, we shouldn’t ignore the impact of current technologies in play. Enterprise IT already accounts for 1% of all GHG output, and tech emissions are set to rise to 14% of global totals by 2040. Datacenter expansion and AI investment have seen emissions increase by 150% in three years. Scope 1 and 2 emissions grew by 1.4% since 2024, and gaps remain in Scope 3 reporting. It’s clear that good intentions have not yet translated into tangible reduction of carbon footprints.

To ensure meaningful progress towards net zero targets, businesses must reconcile rising digital demand with environmental responsibilities. Meeting ambitious climate goals will require a systemic transformation of operational strategies. Entrenched behaviors - such as repeating IT procurement practices - hinder progress towards ESG and business goals.

Achieving sustainability targets will require bold changes across the entire technology ecosystem - from IT infrastructure and digital operations to innovation and regulatory alignment.

Making sustainability a business priority

Sustainability is no longer optional; it’s a business imperative driven by environmental, regulatory and market forces. Climate change remains a central issue on the global agenda. While some governments may not prioritize climate initiatives, international frameworks such as the United Nations’ COP, the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement continue to push organizations for meaningful progress.

On the regulatory front, frameworks such as the European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) are raising the bar. New legislation will require detailed disclosures, including Scope 3 reporting – indirect emissions including those from digital infrastructure and IT supply chains. With technology a significant contributor to Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions, staying ahead of these compliance mandates is crucial for effective risk management.

But regulation is only part of the picture. Sustainability in IT is increasingly tied to business performance. Organizations with strong ESG practices are outperforming peers in profitability and EBITDA metrics. Ultimately, digital transformation efforts that overlook sustainability are missing a key component for long-term value creation. Sustainable IT is central to competitiveness, growth and resilience.

A sustainable IT journey

Building a sustainable IT strategy goes far beyond adopting energy-efficient hardware or migrating to the cloud to cut Scope 2 emissions. It demands a holistic approach to technology sourcing, management and use across its entire lifecycle. To accelerate ESG priorities, organizations should:

1.Assess datacenter sustainability: Where growing data volumes are hosted has a major environmental impact. With cloud adoption more effective than upgrading on-premise infrastructure, prioritizing datacenters powered by renewables is vital. Businesses should seek facilities with strong Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) ratings - lower scores (closer to 1.0) indicate greater efficiency.

2.Scrutinize cloud providers: Sustainability performance varies significantly between cloud providers. While major hyperscalers have faced criticism over environmental practices, some smaller providers offer 100% renewable-powered services and employ energy-saving technologies like virtualization, containerization and AI-driven resource optimization. Opting for suppliers with robust sustainability credentials and able to provide accurate Scope 3 data will deliver immediate impact to decarbonizing supply chains.

3.Leverage Infrastructure-as-a-Service (Iaas): Adopting an IaaS model removes the burden of managing on-premise IT, transferring power and emissions responsibility to the provider. IaaS boosts agility and cost efficiency, while reducing IT estate, hardware refreshes, power costs and equipment waste.

4.Optimize end-user devices: End-user hardware accounts for a large share of IT-related emissions and electronic waste. Minimizing device count, extending hardware lifespan and exploring alternatives like Bring Your Own Device policies can reduce environmental impact and operational costs.

5.Enable remote work: IT is a key enabler of remote work, helping reduce emissions from commuting and office infrastructure. Virtual desktop infrastructure allows users to access powerful computing resources securely while significantly lowering energy consumption compared to traditional desktop setups.

Now is the time to step up

The path to business sustainability is well defined - the technologies, frameworks and partners to drive improvements are available. What’s needed now is momentum from organizations to drive meaningful change.

Sustainable IT is more than a reporting checkbox for regulatory compliance; it’s a critical pillar of long-term business success. Forward-thinking leaders are increasingly recognizing that doing ‘just enough’ is a risky strategy, which can result in poor technology investments and leave firms exposed as contexts change and competitors seize an advantage.

Embedding sustainability into corporate agendas is essential for driving growth, strengthening stakeholder confidence and meeting environmental commitments. Leaders should act now and make smarter IT choices to transform their operations for the better. Future success – for their business and the planet - depends on it.

We list the best green web hosting.

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

• Netflix renews Dept. Q for second season less than three months after season 1 wrapped
• Main characters are set to return
• Plot details are being kept under wraps

Almost three months after the release of its first season, Netflix has confirmed that Dept. Q season 2 is officially going ahead. Executive producer Rob Bullock of Left Bank Pictures said in a press statement: “We are going downstairs to Dept. Q for a second season. We at Left Bank Pictures nervously await what Scott has in store for his alter-ego Carl Morck, and the other enabling members of team do-lally. We salute Netflix’s courage to let them loose once again.”

Co-creator Scott Frank added: “I’m grateful to the folks at Netflix, as well as our shining cast and crew, for once more risking their careers to enable my folly.” Season 1 drew in 222 million hours of viewing worldwide on one of the best streaming services, spending six weeks in Netflix’s top 10 chart.

Thankfully, we’ve already got a fairly clear idea of where new episodes will head next, with Moira (Kate Dickie) telling Hardy (Jamie Sives) at the end of the first season that she has a brand-new case for him to look at. All of our other season 1 plotlines were neatly solved, so there’s a chance we could see some unexpected format shakeups down the line.

However, the promise of a new cold case isn’t quite enough for me on its own. If we want the 2026 streaming calendar to be truly exciting (assuming Netflix doesn’t do its old trick of waiting a million years to put out another series), why not coincide the release of Dept Q. season 2 with the HBO Max show that rivalled season 1 only a few months ago?

Netflix should pit Dept. Q season 2 against HBO Max giant The Pitt (pun intended)

What’s struck me most about the Dept Q. season 2 renewal news is how many fans (see the Reddit comment above as example) loved watching season 1 alongside medical drama The Pitt. Neither show is one where you can easily catch your breath, even though they are each polar opposites of each other (Dept. Q follows cold cases, The Pitt follows a shift in a manic ER department). Earlier in the year, we had the tail end of The Pitt season 1 overlap with the debut of Dept Q., and it turned out to be the best binge-worthy partnership we’ve had in ages.

So, what if Netflix and HBO Max do it again, whether that’s facing off as rivals or teaming up to give viewers exactly what they want? We already know The Pitt season 2 will definitely premiere in January 2026, picking up ten months after season 1 during a hectic fourth of July weekend. If Dept. Q got its skates on and released a new season in May 2026, we’d get the same delicious streaming crossover we had this year.

From the team’s press statements, it’s difficult to tell how far into the development process they are for the second season. On the one hand, Netflix is notorious for taking its time between seasons, as Stranger Things, Wednesday and Squid Game have all shown. However, Dept. Q has a much smaller production scale than any of the bigger IPs, hopefully meaning shooting wouldn’t take as long anyway.

But who knows? It’s all speculation at this point. We have no idea what’s waiting for Hardy in the basement, and the team could literally be taken anywhere. As Frank told Collider after season 1 was released, “This is based on a series of books. The second book in the series is quite good, so I’ve got a great idea for a second season. It is another cold case and also a current case, at the same time, that they’re looking into. So, I would do that. I don’t know that I would necessarily do nine episodes. I might just do six next time. We’ll see. But I do know what I want to do next. I do have the story in mind for the next season.”

As long as I can offset it with Dr. Robbie (Noah Wyle) crying in a slump on the floor in a Pittsburgh hospital, I’ll be one happy subscriber.

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• Peacemaker season 2 will explore the 11th Street Kids in more detail
• The group's various dynamics will be examined in depth
• Its cast has teased what fans can expect to see and hear in the HBO Max show's next entry

The cast of Peacemaker season 2 has tentatively revealed what's next for the 11th Street Kids after their world-saving exploits in the show's debut installment.

Ahead of the popular show's return, I sat down with Danielle Brooks, Freddie Stroma, and Steve Agee to learn more about their individual and collective character arcs in the HBO Max Original's sophomore entry. Full spoilers follow for Peacemaker season 1, so proceed with caution.

Leota Adebayo becomes the 11th Street Kids' figurative surrogate mom this season (Image credit: Jessica Miglio/Max)

Peacemaker's first season ended with the 11th Street Kids stopping an alien invasion. However, despite the strong albeit dysfunctional bonds they formed last season, the group – John Cena's Chris Smith/Peacemaker, Jennifer Holland's Emilia Harcourt, Brooks' Leota Adebayo, Stroma's Adrian Chase/Vigilante, and Agee's John Economos – largely went their separate ways after thwarting the aforementioned hostile takeover.

Unsurprisingly, season 2 opens with each individual doing their own thing. Sure, there's the occasional check-in between certain characters but it's only when the plot progresses that the quintet are pulled back into each other's orbit. By and large, though, each person is dealing with their own issues and/or pursuing their own dreams in the DC Universe (DCU) TV show's second season.

For Adebayo, that means having the freedom to start her life anew without her mother – Amanda Waller, who was ousted as the director of ARGUS in last season's finale by her daughter blowing the whistle on Waller's nefarious schemes – dictating her every move. But, even as Adebayo navigates other personal problems and desires with her newfound sense of freedom, helping her friends is still her number one priority.

Jon Economos finds himself torn between his job and his friends this season (Image credit: Curtis Bonds Baker/Max)

"In a way, she's been imprisoned physically and mentally by her mom," Brooks said. "When she decides to rat our her mom, she finally breaks her mom's hold on her.

"We get to witness that transition and more of the optimistic person she is in season two," Brooks added. "Adebayo immediately gets to work making things happen [for herself], but that comes with sacrifices, as we'll see with her wife this season. But, even with those marital issues, she finds time to lift up the rest of the 11th Street Kids and become that encouraging voice as they deal with their struggles. She almost becomes this motherly figure to everyone else, which may be a reaction to what she never had with her own mom."

Such problems loom large over Smith and Harcourt's season 2 arcs, but Chase and Economos aren't immune from facing similar inter- and intra-personal issues. Indeed, whether it's the feelings of fraternal alienation Chase feels amid the regression of his friendship with Smith or Economos' split loyalties to his friends and job at ARGUS, the duo are similarly plagued by difficulties in the DCU Chapter One project's latest installment.

Adrian Chase looks to the rest of the gang for emotional support throughout season 2 (Image credit: Jessica Miglio/Max)

"He definitely looks to Peacemaker for that support," Stroma said, "So, his feelings are hurt when he's not being invited to things or only being called upon when he's needed. He needs to fill that void, and you'll see in episode one how Adrian's focus shifts to other members of the 11th Street Kids, because all he really wants is to have friends. After season one, he's nudged his way [into this group] and maybe thinks 'I've finally found my tribe'. When you see them having a big party on the roof [as Peacemaker season 2's red band trailer teased], it's everything he's ever wanted."

"Economos is a creature of habit," Agee admitted. "He's great at his job and being this tech guru. That's his routine and, for someone like him, it's really hard to up-end those patterns, which is why he's still at ARGUS at the start of this season.

"He's really reluctant to do some of the stuff that's asked of him, but he also doesn't want to lose his job because he can use it to help his friends and, without spoiling much, stay one step ahead of ARGUS. I think if you have him an ultimatum to choose his friends and keep them safe, or continue working for ARGUS, I think he'd pick the former. Having friends is new to him, but he really needs the 11th Street Kids, and I think that showed in season one and will do so again in season two."

Peacemaker season 2 premieres on August 21 in North and South America, and August 22 everywhere else. Before it does, read my ultimate guide on Peacemaker season 2 for more on its cast, plot, and trailers, plus my Peacemaker season 2 review to see what I thought of its first five episodes.

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The UK government just announced £187 million for the TechFirst initiative to embed digital and AI skills in classrooms and communities. It's a smart move that will pay dividends in the long run. But here's the problem — we can't wait 10 years for today's secondary school students to join the workforce.

Right now, businesses are grappling with AI disruption and cybersecurity threats that demand immediate attention. Our research shows that while 44% of professionals report their organizations have invested in AI, many employees lack adequate skills to use these tools effectively. That's a recipe for wasted investment and security vulnerabilities.

The gap becomes particularly dangerous when you consider how threats are evolving. Many office workers don't know that advanced AI can impersonate anyone's voice, putting companies at serious risk from social engineering attacks. At this point, nearly one in three security and IT professionals have no documented strategy for managing generative AI risks.

Starting in schools is absolutely the right foundation. But we need to build on that foundation with programs that reach everyone from recent graduates to senior executives.

Getting current workers up to speed

The TechFirst initiative includes four strands — youth, graduate, expert and local. That's encouraging because it acknowledges we need different approaches for different groups. But the real test will be how well these programs connect with each other and with what businesses are already doing.

Companies can't outsource digital skills development to government programs alone. They need to take ownership of getting their teams ready for an AI-powered workplace. This means practical training that goes further than basic digital literacy, addressing real security risks and productivity opportunities.

It’s far too common for organizations to rush to implement new AI tools without considering whether their people know how to use them appropriately. The result is often disappointing returns on technology investments and unnecessary exposure to cyber threats.

Making education relevant to work

To make an impact, skills programs must connect classroom learning with actual business challenges. Students need exposure to real workplace scenarios, not just theoretical concepts. This means tech companies should work directly with schools and universities to provide hands-on experience opportunities.

However, we also need to consider regional differences. Digital literacy levels vary significantly across the UK, and a program that works in London might not be right for smaller cities or rural areas. The TechFirst initiative's local strand recognizes this reality, but success will depend on strong partnerships between government, education and local businesses.

Industry networks can help tailor programs to what companies actually need. Too often, educational qualifications don't match up with workplace requirements because there's no ongoing dialogue between educators and employers.

Cultivating skills that last

As AI automates routine tasks, workers need to develop capabilities that complement rather than compete with technology. Critical thinking, complex problem-solving and the ability to work alongside AI systems are emerging as more valuable than the ability to memorize technical procedures.

This requires a different approach to professional development. Instead of occasional training courses, organizations need cultures where people continuously update their skills. The pace of change in AI and cybersecurity means what you learned six months ago might already be outdated.

Different people learn differently, too. Some thrive with online courses, others need hands-on projects or peer mentoring. The best upskilling programs offer multiple ways to build competence and confidence with new technologies.

Connecting the dots

Fragmentation is arguably the biggest risk with any large-scale skills initiative. Government programs, university courses and corporate training often operate independently, creating gaps and duplicated effort. Coordination between all these moving parts is a critical part of ensuring success.

This means sharing resources, aligning what gets taught and ensuring smooth transitions between different types of learning. A student who develops AI skills through TechYouth should be able to build on that foundation in university and then in their first job without starting from scratch each time.

Companies should also recognize their role in making these connections work. Hiring managers need to understand what different qualifications actually mean. Training departments should build on skills people already have rather than ignoring previous learning.

What success looks like

Getting this right means creating learning pathways that support people throughout their careers, not just at specific points. It means businesses that can confidently deploy new technologies because their teams understand both the opportunities and the risks.

Most importantly, it means a UK workforce that can compete globally in an increasingly digital economy. The £187 million TechFirst investment provides a strong starting point, but realizing its potential requires recognizing that skills development doesn't end when people leave school.

We need programs that work for 16-year-olds choosing their A-levels, 25-year-olds starting their careers, 40-year-olds managing teams and 55-year-olds adapting to new technologies. Only by addressing skills gaps across all these groups can we build the digitally resilient economy Britain needs.

Taking a comprehensive approach — supporting both future and current workers — can multiply the impact of this investment. With cyber threats evolving daily and AI capabilities advancing monthly, connecting these efforts across all age groups delivers much stronger returns.

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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

Back in 2020, the European Parliament published a briefing paper which set out “growing concern that the citizens, businesses and Member States of the European Union (EU) are gradually losing control over their data, over their capacity for innovation, and over their ability to shape and enforce legislation in the digital environment.”

At the heart of the matter is the domination that the likes of Amazon, Microsoft and Google have established over the European cloud computing market. One of the effects of their success is that the region now faces significant challenges in ensuring data is subject to the laws and governance structures of the country or region in which it is collected, stored or processed.

For organizations based in the EU hosting their data with providers based elsewhere, this raises serious questions about who ultimately has jurisdiction over that data and whether it can be governed by foreign legal frameworks beyond their control.

Let’s also be clear - the market-leading hyperscalers offer efficiency, scale and a whole host of other compelling advantages. They are all highly innovative, trusted providers that have transformed how businesses operate and have enabled extraordinary digital progress at speed and scale.

Thousands of European organizations rely on – and will continue to rely on – these brands for good reason. At the same time, however, it’s also vital that organizations understand that where they store their data, and under whose jurisdiction it falls, carries implications far beyond IT.

Whether viewed through a political, economic, or operational lens, data sovereignty matters. In some scenarios, it can shape access rights, trigger regulatory obligations or even expose organizations to geopolitical risk.

For example, laws in one country could compel a cloud provider to share data stored in another, an issue that’s been flagged in relation to executive powers and national security mandates at the disposal of foreign governments.

So, how is the landscape changing? Firstly, there are a number of promising European cloud initiatives, including regulatory developments, sovereign cloud frameworks and consortium-based models designed to create local alternatives to the all-in-one hyperscaler stack. However, these solutions are not without their challenges, with cost, fragmentation, scalability and adoption hurdles potentially standing in the way of an effective regional system.

For many organizations, a full switch isn’t viable due to issues such as existing investment commitments, operational complexity and the simple absence of mature, like-for-like alternatives that can match the scale and capabilities of established providers.

The US hyperscalers are also getting in on the act. This time last year, for instance, AWS announced plans to invest €7.8 billion in the AWS European Sovereign Cloud, an initiative which the company says reinforces its “commitment to offer customers the most advanced set of sovereignty controls, privacy safeguards, and security features available in the cloud.”

How this plays out remains to be seen, but whatever route organizations favor in the pursuit of data sovereignty, access to choice and autonomy over where their data is stored is likely to grow in importance as time passes.

The role of intelligent data management

For European organizations in this position, and there are many, the good news is that they don’t need to wait for systemic changes in the cloud landscape to start regaining control. Data sovereignty can be addressed today through the implementation of modern, vendor-neutral data management technologies, which enable them to visualize their entire data landscape and apply consistent policies across disparate storage environments.

Armed with a unified view of their data across cloud and on-premises environments, organizations can then make informed choices about what data to store, where to store it and how best to safeguard it.

The obvious starting point is visibility because, without knowing what data exists, where it resides and how it moves, businesses are flying blind. This is particularly significant and challenging in contemporary multi-cloud and hybrid-cloud environments, where data can be extremely fragmented, often with little consistency or oversight.

But by establishing a clear picture of all data assets, classifying them based on sensitivity and business value and ensuring local copies of critical data are always available, IT management can also enforce policies that align with governance and regulatory requirements.

In the end, this is not just a technology and geography issue; it goes much deeper to cover everything from business resilience and compliance to control and, ultimately, customer trust. Europe’s digital future will depend not only on where its data lives, but on who can access it, govern it and protect it.

As the European Parliament data sovereignty briefing concludes, “Building a secure pan-European data framework and adopting new standards and practices to provide trustworthy and controllable digital products and services would ensure a safer digital environment.”

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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

A succession of recent high‑profile breaches has shown that the UK remains vulnerable to ever‑more advanced cyber threats. This exposure is intensifying as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in everyday business operations. AI tools have become essential for organizations seeking to deliver value and maintain competitiveness. Yet, its benefits also bring risks that far too many organizations have yet to fully mitigate.

CyberArk’s latest research identifies AI as a complex “triple threat”. It is being leveraged as an attack vector, utilized defensively, and—perhaps most worryingly—creating significant new security gaps. In light of this evolving threat landscape, organizations must position identity security at the heart of their AI strategies if they wish to build future resilience.

AI: Same threats, new problems

AI has raised the bar for traditional attack methods. Phishing, which remains the most common entry point for identity breaches, has evolved beyond poorly worded emails to sophisticated scams that use AI-generated deepfakes, cloned voices and authentic-looking messages.

Nearly 70% of UK organizations fell victim to successful phishing attacks last year, with more than a third reporting multiple incidents. This shows that even robust training and technical safeguards can be circumvented when attackers use AI to mimic trusted contacts and exploit human psychology.

It is no longer enough to assume that conventional perimeter defenses can stop such threats. Organizations must adapt by layering in stronger identity verification processes and building a culture where suspicious activity is flagged and investigated without hesitation.

Using AI in defense

While AI is strengthening attackers’ capabilities, it is also transforming how defenders operate. Nearly nine in ten UK organizations now use AI and large language models to monitor network behavior, identify emerging threats and automate repetitive tasks that previously consumed hours of manual effort. In many security operations centers, AI has become an essential force multiplier that allows small teams to handle a vast and growing workload.

Almost half of organizations expect AI to be the biggest driver of cybersecurity spending in the coming year. This reflects a growing recognition that human analysts alone cannot keep up with the scale and speed of modern attacks. However, AI-powered defense must be deployed responsibly.

Over-reliance without sufficient human oversight can lead to blind spots and false confidence. Security teams must ensure AI tools are trained on high-quality data, tested rigorously, and reviewed regularly to avoid drift or unexpected bias.

AI is broadening the scope of attacks

The third element of the triple threat is the rapid growth in machine identities and AI agents. As employees embrace new AI tools to boost productivity, the number of non-human accounts accessing critical data has surged, now outnumbering human users by a ratio of 100 to one.

Many of these machine identities have elevated privileges but operate with minimal governance. Weak credentials, shared secrets and inconsistent lifecycle management create opportunities for attackers to compromise systems with little resistance.

Shadow AI is compounding this challenge. Research indicates that over a third of employees admit to using unauthorized AI applications, often to automate tasks or generate content quickly. While the productivity gains are real, the security consequences are significant. Unapproved tools can process confidential data without proper safeguards, leaving organizations exposed to data leaks, regulatory non-compliance and reputational damage.

Addressing this risk

Addressing this risk requires more than technical controls alone. Organizations should establish clear policies on acceptable AI use, educate staff on the risks of bypassing security, and provide approved, secure alternatives that meet business needs without creating hidden vulnerabilities.

Positioning identity security at the heart of digital strategy Securing AI‑driven enterprises requires embedding identity security at every layer of an organization's digital strategy. That means ensuring real‑time visibility of all identities - human, machine or AI agent -applying least privilege consistently, and continuously monitoring for unusual access behavior that may signal a breach.

Forward‑facing organizations are already updating their access and identity management frameworks to meet AI’s distinct demands. This entails adopting just‑in‑time access for machine identities, monitoring privilege escalation, and treating all AI agents with the same scrutiny as human accounts.

AI offers tremendous value for organizations that embrace it responsibly, but without robust identity security, that value can swiftly become a liability. The businesses that thrive will be those recognizing that resilience isn’t optional- it’s the foundation for long‑term growth.

At a time where businesses and their adversaries are both empowered by AI, one principle stands firm: securing AI begins and ends with securing identity.

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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

Behind the polished responses of AI platforms lies a lesser-known truth: workers from emerging economies, such as Africa, Latin America, and Asia, were paid less than $2 per hour to sift through graphic and traumatic content to help train their safety systems. This labor practice has sparked global concern, lawsuits, and calls for ethical reform in the AI industry.

Artificial intelligence is the crown jewel of modern enterprise – a sector exceeding $500 billion, reshaping everything from banking to healthcare. However, the truth is that behind every chatbot, image generator, and recommendation engine are armies of human workers who perform tasks that AI can’t handle, including labeling data, filtering toxic content, and correcting machine errors.

Without them, the algorithms would collapse, and the irony is hard to miss. AI is at risk of becoming the digital frontier for labor malpractice and a new form of unethical conduct. If businesses and innovators don’t act, AI’s promise could unravel under the weight of its own contradictions.

The Invisible Labor Fueling AI’s Rise

It is tempting to believe that AI systems are self-sufficient, refining themselves through endless feedback loops of data and computation. The reality, however, is far more complex. AI systems don’t clean or train themselves. The scale of this hidden labor crisis is staggering. Major gig platforms employ millions to annotate data, correct model errors, and sift through violent or explicit content.

These gig workers are outsourced from countries in the Global South, such as Kenya, India, and the Philippines, who prop up the $8 billion industry that powers the AI revolution. These workers are often highly educated but take on these jobs because better opportunities are scarce. They sign up believing they will contribute to cutting-edge technology, only to find themselves trapped in digital piecework. Pay is low, mental health support is rare, and job security is virtually nonexistent.

Why haven’t businesses fixed this? Because it’s cheap and easy to ignore. However, it comes with growing risks. Consumers and regulators are already beginning to question the ethics of AI supply chains. The European Union’s AI Act and similar efforts globally are setting new expectations for transparency, fairness, and accountability. Companies that fail to address the human cost of AI could face reputational damage, regulatory fines, or worse – a collapse of trust in the systems they have built.

Web3 might be the overlooked fix AI desperately needs

The promise of Web3 – decentralization, transparency, and user empowerment - directly addresses many of the failings in AI’s hidden labor ecosystem. Yet these tools remain largely untapped by enterprise AI, which is clearly a missed opportunity.

Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) offer a way to embed genuine transparency and fairness into AI’s supply chains. Unlike traditional gig platforms, where decisions about pay, task selection, or working conditions are made behind closed doors, DAOs make every decision transparent and visible.

Every vote cast, every rule change, and every payment to a contributor is stored on a public ledger, creating an auditable trail that cannot be altered after the fact. This means that anyone, from participants to external auditors, can trace who made the decisions on ‘what, when, and how’. Immutable payment records eliminate the disputes that plague opaque gig work, while public governance logs ensure that power isn’t concentrated in the hands of a few.

Real-world examples are beginning to show what’s possible. Some decentralized employment platforms enable independent workers to collectively manage their pay structures and benefits, with all transactions and decisions recorded on-chain for complete transparency.

Others apply similar principles to research and contributor projects, where rules around compensation and project selection are codified in smart contracts, leaving little room for hidden decisions or unfair practices.

These models exist and are effective, but the reality is that enterprise AI has shown little interest in adopting them so far.

The Limits and Urgency of Change

Many enterprise AI leaders cling to the idea that ethical supply chains are simply too expensive - an unfortunate cost that doesn’t fit the margins demanded by investors or customers. But this is a myth that Web3 technologies can finally dismantle.

Web3’s value isn’t limited to ethics; it offers efficiency gains that traditional systems struggle to match. Smart contracts automate payments and bonuses, reducing the need for large administrative teams and eliminating intermediaries that add cost without providing value. Immutable blockchain records mean payment disputes, task verifications, and contract enforcement happen with far less friction, saving time, legal costs, and operational headaches.

However, Web3 isn’t flawless. Decentralized systems can replicate biases if data or governance isn’t audited. Transparency alone doesn’t guarantee explainability in AI decisions. And DAOs risk elitism if influence skews toward a wealthy few.

Clearly, the real risk is in doing nothing. The companies that lead on ethical AI supply chains will not only avoid the coming backlash but also earn the trust of their customers, regulators, and employees. Those who continue to look the other way will eventually find that the cost of cleaning up the mess is far higher than the cost of reforming now.

Web3 offers the clearest path to cleaning up AI’s hidden mess. But the window for voluntary reform is closing fast. Enterprises can either lead this change or be dragged into it when the backlash hits.

The choice won’t stay theirs for long.

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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

There was a lot of discussion, planning, cost, and people management involved for all of those in the financial sector in bringing DORA into effect.

In January 2025, Rubrik Zero Lab’s research reported that the strains on businesses were not always obvious. In addition to costing nearly half (47%) of businesses over a Million Euros, 79% of employees reported an impact on mental health, and 58% of CISOs reported increased stress.

It was no secret, though; the work in preparing a business for DORA was always going to be significant. DORA’s five pillars of cybersecurity included ICT risk management, incident reporting, digital operational resilience testing, third-party risk management, and information sharing. A significant undertaking and expense for any business.

Integrating DORA

In the last six months, financial institutions have had to pivot from preparing for DORA to actively integrating its requirements into their daily operations. The initial months have seen a strong emphasis on solidifying ICT risk management frameworks, ensuring they are comprehensive, well-documented, and continuously monitored. The tasks involve mapping critical IT assets, identifying vulnerabilities, and establishing clear risk appetite statements.

A significant shift has been observed in incident reporting. Firms are currently facing the challenge of meeting strict requirements for classifying, notifying, and providing detailed reports on major ICT-related incidents to competent authorities within tight deadlines. These requirements have necessitated refining internal processes, improving monitoring tools, and establishing clear communication channels to ensure the timely and accurate flow of information.

Perhaps one of the most challenging areas has been digital operational resilience testing, particularly the highly prescriptive Threat-Led Penetration Testing (TLPT). While many firms had planned for these tests, the post-go-live period has seen the initiation and execution of complex simulations that mimic real-world attacks. These tests are not just about finding vulnerabilities but assessing the institution's ability to withstand and recover from severe disruptions, pushing internal teams and third-party testers to their limits.

Last but not least, third-party risk management has moved from a siloed function to a central focus. DORA mandates that financial entities oversee the entire lifecycle of their reliance on critical ICT third-party providers, which includes meticulous due diligence, robust contractual arrangements, and ongoing monitoring of their third parties' resilience.

Many institutions have been reassessing their entire vendor landscape, identifying critical dependencies, and, in some cases, diversifying providers to mitigate concentration risk. The regulatory spotlight on critical third parties means firms are demanding greater transparency and assurance from their suppliers than ever before.

None more so, the breadth of the regulation has also meant financial institutions have seen DORA touch almost every aspect of their businesses - IT and cybersecurity, to legal, compliance, risk, and even business operations. The human element is having an impact on upskilling and training staff, expanding roles and responsibilities, and increasing workload.

Do you feel ready for when an attack does take place?

After the work is undertaken to help your organization fall in line with DORA or other cybersecurity standards or regulations, the practical question to ask yourself is: ‘Do I feel resilient enough to bounce back from an attack and maintain business continuity in the wake of an attack?’

• Putting the process in place helps, but have you road-tested it within your organization?
• Have you thought about every eventuality? Or at least pre-planned for those you can?
• What new risks can you identify now that you have assessed the gaps and resolved your security ecosystem?

Inevitably, it’s not a case of if an attack will take place, but when. Working through regulations supports your journey to cyber resilience, but if the honesty, the practice and the continual testing fail, then so will your defense system.

What does the future look like for DORA? And what does this mean on an international stage?

The first thing to realize is that DORA is one of many cybersecurity regulations that have come into place in recent months and years. Six months after implementation is very early, and as organizational frameworks mature, businesses will continue to invest, improve and adapt their work to maintain what is in place.

Costs, while substantial, are viewed not as mere compliance burdens but as strategic investments. The financial and reputational damage from a major cyber incident—potentially reaching into the hundreds of millions or even billions of euros in a severe scenario, not to mention regulatory fines—far outweighs the upfront investment in DORA compliance.

DORA's principles of robust ICT governance, rigorous testing, and vigilant third-party oversight will be critical for navigating the ever-evolving cyber threat landscape. By deeply embedding these practices into their operational DNA, financial institutions can not only meet regulatory obligations but also fortify their defenses, ensuring business continuity and maintaining customer trust in an increasingly volatile digital age.

We list the best IT management 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

• Sigma unveils an ultra-wide 12mm f/1.4 lens for APS-C mirrorless cameras
• It's available for Sony, Canon and Fujifilm cameras for £519 (US / AU pricing TBC)
• 200mm F2 telephoto prime also revealed, part of Sigma's pro Sports line

Good Lord, Sigma's lens making department is on a roll. Following its versatile 18-40mm F1.8 zoom and award-winning 300-600mm F4 telephoto monster, it has unveiled two high-quality primes; a 12mm F1.4 for APS-C cameras, plus a full-frame 200mm F2.

The 12mm lens is the fifth and widest in a line of f/1.4 primes for APS-C cameras, following 16mm, 23mm, 30mm and 56mm options. I've tested all of four of those existing f/1.4 primes with a Canon mirrorless camera, and they pack superb optical performance into a lightweight and super-compact form factor.

There's still a clear need for the new 12mm lens, though, with its equivalent 18mm focal length in full-frame terms filling a niche for astrophotography, especially with its super-bright f/1.4 aperture. The previous widest f/1.4 lens in the range has an equivalent 24mm focal length, which won't be wide enough for many keen astrophotographers.

Sigma has made the ultra-wide prime for Sony E, Canon RF and Fujifilm X-mount cameras and its list price is £519 (US and Australia pricing TBC). We don't yet know if it will be made for other lens mounts such as Nikon Z or L-mount, but judging from previous launches I would hedge my bets that it will.

The new ultra-wide prime isn't the only news from Sigma today. It has also unveiled the world's first 200mm lens with bright f/2 aperture, available for Sony E and L-mount cameras.

As part of Sigma's Sports line for pros, the 200mm F2 shares much of the same DNA as the 300-600mm super telephoto zoom; it features superb optics, a high-speed autofocus response, 6.5EV optical image stabilization using Sigma's OS2 algorithm, and a dust- and splash-resistant build. It costs £2,999 (again, US and Australia pricing TBC).

The sales start date for both lenses is set for September 4.

(Image credit: Sigma)Shoot for the stars

Sigma's new 12mm F/1.4 lens will no doubt appeal to astrophotographers that shoot with an APS-C mirrorless camera, such as the Sony A6700, Canon EOS R7 or Fujifilm X-T5. However, with its compact build, wide perspective, responsive autofocus and minimal focus breathing, it also fits the bill for a different kind of star – vlogging.

It weighs just 7.9oz / 225g and measures 2.7in / 68mm in length, making it a compact pairing with any compatible APS-C, plus it's dust- and splash-resistant, so there's no problem getting out in challenging terrain or cold nights.

For optical engineering, the 200mm F2 pro prime is arguably all the more impressive, being the brightest 200mm lens on the market. It's billed for telephoto portraits and indoor sports, especially given its bright f/2 aperture and the compression effect achieved by the telephoto focal length.

It's a weightier affair than the 12mm F/1.4, tipping the scales at 64.2oz / 1,820g and measuring 7.9in / 201mm in length. That's the price you pay for the bright f/2 aperture at such a telephoto focal length, versus a 70-200mm zoom lens with a maximum f/2.8 aperture.

Judging from my experience with previous Sigma lenses, I expect both of these latest unique optics to deliver high-quality images, which are otherwise not possible given the world-first features on offer, while many APS-C shooters could finally have the astrophotography lens they have been asking for. For further information, do check out the Sigma website.

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It's confession time. I've been procrastinating over upgrading to Windows 11 on my main PC, even though I fully intended to move to the newer operating system, away from Windows 10, this year. (Actually, the original plan was to switch early this year).

So yes - I've let things slide, at least when it comes to my main PC, anyway. In my defense, I did upgrade my secondary machine - a Microsoft Surface Pro laptop - to Windows 11. Technically, then, I have made the leap to Windows 11 - in a partial manner - and I've found the latest incarnation of Microsoft's desktop OS just fine on that 2-in-1. There are no complaints there (well, mostly, and I'll come back to the one niggle shortly).

And while I was fully planning to migrate to Windows 11 on my work computer (I call it that, but I game on this PC too) as mentioned, there are some good reasons why I've put that plan on ice - for now.

Yes, I've not changed my mind about upgrading to Windows 11, but only adjusted the timeframe involved, as Microsoft busily reminds all of us Windows 10 folks that we only have two months of support (and vital security updates) left (as Bleeping Computer noticed). This is the latest step in a campaign of nudges to get people shifted over - Microsoft has even sent out emails directly to Windows 10 users, urging upgrades to Windows 11 in the past.

So, what are my reasons for deciding against taking the plunge with the newer OS? Well, there are a few of them, so let's dive in and explore.

Freebie extension

The first reason - and my main one, really - is that a couple of months back, Microsoft switched tack and announced that there would be a free way to get extended updates for Windows 10.

In case you missed it entirely, the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program was originally revealed for consumers with a $30 price tag (or equivalent in your currency). Then late in June, Microsoft brought forth a freebie option - well, in terms of the cash cost anyway: the new choice was to get extended support for a year if you sync your PC settings to OneDrive.

As I've said before, I don't think this is too big a deal for most people. It's not like you have to sync and store your personal data with Microsoft's cloud storage, just your settings. In my case, I do this anyway, so there's literally no cost for me to get an extra year of support. So, when this spin on the ESU was announced, it immediately took all the heat out of my (delayed) quest to upgrade my main machine to Windows 11.

And since then, I've only been thinking about why there's no rush at all now. While I didn't want to fork out actual money to stay on Windows 10, now I don't have to - and with effectively free extended support, I have until October 2026 to shift over to Windows 11. And frankly, there aren't really any pressing reasons to upgrade anyway…

(Image credit: Marjan Apostolovic / Shutterstock)Performance wrinkles

What's also become clearer to me as this year has progressed (with my upgrade heels dragging) is that Windows 11 is somewhat wonky in some elements of its performance. When using the operating system on my laptop, I've experienced sluggishness with File Explorer, which is pretty disappointing. This is likely the result of there being a lot of changes with work under the hood in Windows 11, and Microsoft has even admitted that the performance situation could be better - and it's working to improve this.

In fairness, on the whole, my experience with Windows 11 on my laptop - and my wife's PC, which also has the newer operating system - is that it's actually pretty snappy overall. Indeed, I'd say it's more responsive than Windows 10, but not by enough to have me rushing for that upgrade button.

Of course, performance levels on my other PCs don't guarantee that Windows 11 will feel just as snappy on my Windows 10 rig, either. That's the thing about upgrades: they can be unpredictable, and outcomes may vary on different hardware. And there are folks out there who are firing some considerable flak at Microsoft for Windows 11 being slower in general (not just File Explorer) - so that does leave a little room for doubt to creep in.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)Bugs and stability

Then we come onto the bugs. The fact that Windows 11 24H2 has been very glitchy (and generally weird) in many respects doesn't instill confidence, and for me, this was also a major pause for thought (in the past, as well as now). Case in point: I've just written an article about a new reported bug in Windows 11, which is seemingly breaking SSDs, and while it's still to be confirmed, and we certainly shouldn't be jumping to conclusions that the most recent August update caused it, this appears to be the case.

Whether that's true or not, we shall see in time, but the fact is that it's still something for those running Windows 11 to worry about. (Think twice before embarking on any big installations, as I discussed this earlier.)

Which got me thinking: if I stay on Windows 10, as I'd already been leaning towards anyway, I'm going to receive nothing but plain security patches over the next year and a bit. Just fixes for vulnerabilities, and no tinkering with the operating system whatsoever - meaning less chance of breaking stuff.

The upshot is that Windows 10 is likely to run a lot more stably than Windows 11, which is going to be witnessing a steady stream of new features as this year turns into the next, and 2026 rolls onwards.

(Image credit: Shutterstock / lassedesignen)Risk averse

I'm risk-averse in general – and particularly with computers – so it just makes sense to stick with Windows 10, and not twist to install Windows 11, for the time being. It won't cost me anything to do so, I know how Windows 10 performs – and it runs just fine for me, it's not sluggish at all, even if it may not be quite as snappy as my wife's desktop PC on Windows 11 – and I know it'll be more reliable in terms of what will happen with updates.

Don't get me wrong, though: I will be upgrading to Windows 11 next year. Indeed, I might make the leap straight away if a tempting new feature does arrive for Windows 11 (not that there's anything in particular on the horizon yet). But for now, I'll play it safe with Windows 10, as that just seems like the best course of action on balance.

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September is only a few weeks away, and that means Hulu is gearing up to clear out a handful of movies for its new arrivals. But don't worry, there are only 18 movies and two documentaries set to get the chop, so it's safe to say that Hulu's collection of best TV shows is staying put.

Compared to other streaming services – that have a tendency to remove major blockbusters more frequently – Hulu is far more likely to remove lesser-known titles that aren't as popular as its star movies and shows. Next month month is no exception, but it's always worth checking them out as one of your favorite hidden gems could sneak in there – you never know.

Everything leaving Hulu in September 2025

Leaving on September 1

Unplugging (movie)

Leaving on September 2

Taurus (movie)

Leaving on September 7

Petite Maman (movie)
Racing Extinction (documentary)
The Cove (movie)

Leaving on September 9

Corsage (movie)
The Last Victim (movie)

Leaving on September 12

Fool's Paradise (movie)
Lost Girls (movie)
Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story (movie)

Leaving on September 17

Bad Axe (documentary)
Dakota (movie)
Somewhere in Queens (movie)

Leaving on September 22

The Almond and the Seahorse (movie)

Leaving on September 23

Dinner in America (movie)

Leaving on September 25

A Chiara (movie)
Private Property (movie)

Leaving on September 30

After Midnight (movie)
Charlotte (movie)
The Wheel (movie)

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