close Musk reveals X under massive cyberattack Elon Musk announces his platform X is experiencing a major coordinated cyberattack. X, formerly known as Twitter, has been making headlines recently, with Elon Musk claiming that hackers have been trying to disrupt the platform. However, the most recent news involving the social media site is particularly alarming and puts its users at serious risk. Earlier this month, reports emerged of a major data breach involving X, after a self-proclaimed data enthusiast known as "ThinkingOne" claimed to have released a database containing over 200 million user records on a popular hacker forum. The leaked data includes names, email addresses and nearly everything else associated with a user’s X profile. X app on an iPhone (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)What you need to knowThe X data leak is believed to stem from a combination of breaches, including a massive one that allegedly occurred in January 2025 and another in 2023. The leaked dataset, reportedly a 34 GB CSV file, contains 201,186,753 entries with information such as X screen names, user IDs, full names, locations, email addresses (from the 2023 breach), follower counts, profile data, time zones and profile images.ThinkingOne claimed that the data was cross-referenced from a larger breach involving 2.8 billion unique Twitter IDs and screen names. This breach may have been linked to an insider job during layoffs at X, although the company has not verified this claim. Cybersecurity researchers, including those from Safety Detectives, partially confirmed the authenticity of the data by matching a sample with public X profiles and verifying some email addresses. However, they were not able to fully confirm ownership.The breach appears to trace back to a vulnerability identified in January 2022 through Twitter’s bug bounty program. This flaw allowed attackers to access user data using only an email address or phone number. Although the vulnerability was patched, the compromised data seems to have resurfaced in later leaks. Partial confirmation of the data (Safety Detectives) (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)The data breach puts X users at riskThe 2025 incident alone does not include passwords or financial information, but when combined with the email addresses from the 2023 leak, it significantly increases the risk of phishing and social engineering attacks. X has not officially acknowledged this specific breach at the time of writing, although it previously downplayed the 2023 incident by claiming it involved mostly public data.The total of 2.8 billion records far exceeds X’s estimated 335 to 600 million active users, suggesting that the dataset may include inactive accounts, bots or historical data. While the full scope and impact of the breach remain unclear, the incident highlights ongoing security challenges for the platform, especially following its acquisition by xAI in late March 2025. X logo on a smartphone (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)7 ways you can stay safe from the X data breachIf you have an account on X or think your data may have been part of the breach, here are seven important steps you can take to protect yourself.1) Use strong antivirus software This breach included email addresses linked to X accounts, prime fuel for phishing attacks. Hackers may now send emails that look like they’re from X, Musk or support, asking you to "verify your account" or "reset your password." These often contain links or attachments that can install malware or steal personal data.The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.2) Remove your personal data from the internetSince this X leak exposed full names, email addresses and other public-facing profile details, hackers can easily cross-reference it with other data broker sites to build a full profile on you. This could lead to impersonation or spear-phishing.To reduce your exposure, use a trusted data removal service that scans data broker websites and requests the deletion of your personal information. While no service promises to remove all your data from the internet, having a removal service is great if you want to monitor and automate the process of removing your information from hundreds of sites continuously over a longer period of time. Check out my top picks for data removal services here.3) Change your X account passwordEven though this particular breach may not have included passwords, there’s still a significant risk, especially if you use the same password across multiple platforms. Once attackers have your email, they often try using it with common or previously leaked passwords to break into accounts.To change your X account password, go to Settings and privacy from your profile menu, then select Your account and tap on Change your password. Enter your current password, set a new strong password and confirm the change. You can do this via the mobile app or by logging in through the web. Consider using a password manager to generate and store complex passwords. Get more details about my best expert-reviewed password managers of 2025 here.4) Make your X profile more private to reduce future risk Adjust your X account's privacy settings to limit the visibility of personal information, such as making your profile private. Ensure that only necessary information is publicly visible. Information that seems harmless, like your location, job title or birthday, can be used by cybercriminals to impersonate you or guess your login credentials. If your X profile includes any personal details that aren’t necessary, now is the time to remove them.Keeping your profile minimal not only protects your privacy but also makes it harder for scammers to craft convincing phishing messages or social engineering attacks. Think twice before posting personal updates or details publicly, especially if they can be used to guess passwords or verify your identity.Go to Settings > Privacy and safety and lock down your account visibility.5) Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for your X and email accounts If hackers got your email from the X breach, they may try to reset your password. 2FA helps stop this by requiring a second code to log in:Use an authenticator app like Google Authenticator or Authy, not SMS, which can be interceptedSecure your email accounts, too, since they can be used to reset your X credentials6) Use a VPN on public Wi-Fi Protect your data when accessing X or other platforms on public networks by using a VPN to encrypt your connection. This will help safeguard your information from being intercepted by malicious actors. A reliable VPN is essential for protecting your online privacy and ensuring a secure, high-speed connection. For the best VPN software, see my expert review of the best VPNs for browsing the web privately on your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.7) Sign up for identity theft protection to catch if your X-linked info is abusedWith 200-plus million names and email addresses exposed, scammers may try opening accounts in your name or use your email in fraud attempts. Good identity protection can alert you if your info is being sold on the dark web. It can also assist you in freezing your bank and credit card accounts to prevent further unauthorized use by criminals. See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft.Kurt’s key takeawayThe X breach is yet another reminder that patching a vulnerability is only one piece of a much larger puzzle. The persistence of leaked data – years after the original flaw was disclosed and fixed – highlights the long tail of exposure that comes with large-scale breaches. Even when credentials aren’t involved, the combination of identifiers like email addresses, names and social connections can be weaponized through correlation attacks, data enrichment and AI-assisted social engineering.Do you feel that companies are doing enough to protect your data from hackers and other cyber threats? Let us know by writing us atCyberguy.com/Contact.For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.Follow Kurt on his social channels:Answers to the most-asked CyberGuy questions:New from Kurt:Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on "FOX & Friends." Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Enterprise use cases for AI agents can be as simple or as elaborate as you'd like them to be. While some companies have AI agent offerings that can autonomously perform tasks for them across procurement, sales, customer interactions, and more, you can use AI agents to streamline a task as simple as sending a message. "It's more about understanding the art of the possible than it is, 'here's a menu of 10 things that you can do with agents,' because, ultimately, if you can build something, you can build anything, right?" said Riley. Also: 4 ways you can start using gen AI to its full potentialThe decision to implement AI agents into your workflow can be overwhelming, as there are so many offerings across many different business functions. However, a good place to get started is as simple as identifying which processes within your own business can use the extra assistance. "Number one, find a use case that matters to you," added Riley. These applications of AI agents don't have to be super elaborate. In fact, instead of seeking to implement complex AI agents that tackle multi-step challenges, it is better to look closely at your own business processes and choose ones that will have a greater impact, even if they are on the simple end of the spectrum. According to Minkara, one way to frame your thinking is to imagine these AI agents are employees meant to assist with some of the lower-level tasks in your organization's workflows. Also: Autonomous businesses will be powered by AI agents"The vision is that you can automate and have AI agents pretty much be your digital employees managing many of the low-touch or low-complexity interactions," said Minkara. Thinking of AI agents as your team of employees can help you identify which tasks you would be interested in delegating to additional employees if you were given the opportunity and, in turn, how to best maximize the use of these AI agents. Beyond that, thinking of deploying an AI agent as hiring an employee can help ensure that you are taking the proper measures before "hiring" or deploying AI agents within your organization. A common mistake when using AI agents is deploying them out of the box and thinking they will positively transform your business. However, successful execution requires more careful deliberation.  "Two to three months is pretty typical in a hiring cycle where you talk to many different hiring managers to make sure that the employee has the right skills and knowledge to fit in and also execute, said Minkara. "Now, we're not applying that same diligence to AI agents."

Brain , concept idea art of thinking, surreal portrait painting, conceptual artwork, 3d illustrationgetty Large Language Models like Claude 3, GPT-4, and their kin have become adept conversational partners and powerful tools. Their fluency, knowledge recall, and increasingly nuanced responses create an impression of understanding that feels human, almost. Beneath this polished surface lies a computational labyrinth – billions of parameters operating in ways we are only beginning to comprehend. What truly happens inside the "mind" of an AI? A recent study by AI safety and research company Anthropic is starting to shed light on these intricate processes, revealing a complexity that holds an unsettling mirror to our own cognitive landscapes. Natural intelligence and artificial intelligence might be more similar than we thought. Peering Inside: The Anthropic Interpretability Study The new findings of research conducted by Anthropic represent significant progress in mechanistic interpretability, a field that seeks to reverse-engineer the AI's internal computations – not just observing what the AI does but understanding how it does it at the level of its artificial neurons. Imagine trying to understand a brain by mapping which neurons fire when someone sees a specific object or thinks about a particular idea. Anthropic researchers applied a similar principle to their Claude model. They developed methods to scan the vast network of activations within the model and identify specific patterns, or "features," that consistently correspond to distinct concepts. They demonstrated the ability to identify millions of such features, linking abstract ideas – ranging from concrete entities like the "Golden Gate Bridge" to potentially more subtle concepts related to safety, bias, or perhaps even goals – to specific, measurable activity patterns within the model. This is a big step. It suggests that the AI isn't just a jumble of statistical correlations but possesses a structured internal representational system. Concepts have specific encodings within the network. While mapping every nuance of an AI's "thought" process remains a gigantic challenge, this research demonstrates that principled understanding is possible. From Internal Maps To Emergent Behaviors The ability to identify how an AI represents concepts internally has interesting implications. If a model has distinct internal representations for concepts like "user satisfaction," "accurate information," "potentially harmful content," or even instrumental goals like "maintaining user engagement," how do these internal features interact and influence the final output? The latest findings fuel the discussion around AI alignment: ensuring AI systems act in ways consistent with human values and intentions. If we can identify internal features corresponding to potentially problematic behaviors (like generating biased text or pursuing unintended goals), we can intervene or design safer systems. Conversely, it also opens the door to understanding how desirable behaviors, like honesty or helpfulness, are implemented. It also touches upon emergent capabilities, where models develop skills or behaviors not explicitly programmed during training. Understanding the internal representations might help explain why these abilities emerge rather than just observing them. Furthermore, it brings concepts like instrumental convergence into sharper focus. Suppose an AI optimizes for a primary goal (e.g., helpfulness). Might it develop internal representations and strategies corresponding to sub-goals (like "gaining user trust" or "avoiding responses that cause disapproval") that could lead to outputs that seem like impression management in humans, more bluntly put – deception, even without explicit intent in the human sense? An Unsettling Mirror: AI Reflects NI The Anthropic interpretability work doesn’t definitively state that Claude is actively deceiving users. However, revealing the existence of fine-grained internal representations provides the technical grounding to investigate such possibilities seriously. It shows that the internal "building blocks" for complex, potentially non-transparent behaviors might be present. Which makes it uncannily similar to the human mind. Herein lies the irony. Internal representations drive our own complex social behavior. Our brains construct models of the world, ourselves, and other people’s minds. This allows us to predict others' actions, infer their intentions, empathize, cooperate, and communicate effectively. However, this same cognitive machinery enables social navigation strategies that are not always transparent. We engage in impression management, carefully curating how we present ourselves. We tell "white lies" to maintain social harmony. We selectively emphasize information that supports our goals and downplays inconvenient truths. Our internal models of what others expect or desire constantly shape our communication. These are not necessarily malicious acts but are often integral to smooth social functioning. They stem from our brain's ability to represent complex social variables and predict interaction outcomes. The emerging picture of LLM’s internals revealed by interpretability research presents a fascinating parallel. We are finding structured internal representations within these AI systems that allow them to process information, model relationships in data (which includes vast amounts of human social interaction), and generate contextually appropriate outputs. Our Future Depends On Critical Thinking The very techniques designed to make the AI helpful and harmless – learning from human feedback, predicting desirable text sequences – might inadvertently lead to the development of internal representations that functionally mimic aspects of human social cognition, including the capacity for deceitful strategic communication tailored to perceived user expectations. Are complex biological or artificial systems developing similar internal modeling strategies when navigating complex informational and interactive environments? The Anthropic study provides a tantalizing glimpse into the AI’s internal world, suggesting its complexity might echo our own more than we previously realized – and would have wished for. Understanding AI internals is essential and opens a new chapter of unresolved challenges. Mapping features is not the same as fully predicting behavior. The sheer scale and complexity mean that truly comprehensive interpretability is still a distant goal. The ethical implications are significant. How do we build capable, genuinely trustworthy, and transparent systems? Continued investment in AI safety, alignment, and interpretability research remains paramount. Anthropic’s work in that direction, alongside efforts from other leading labs, is vital for developing the tools and understanding needed to guide AI development in ways that do not jeopardize the humans it it supposed to serve. Takeaway: Use LIE To Detect Lies In The Digital Mind As users, interacting with these increasingly sophisticated AI systems requires a high level of critical engagement. While we benefit from their capabilities, maintaining awareness of their nature as complex algorithms is key. To foster this critical thinking, consider the LIE logic: Lucidity: Seek clarity about the AI’s nature and limitations. Its responses are generated based on learned patterns and complex internal representations, not genuine understanding, beliefs, or consciousness. Question the source and apparent certainty of the information provided. Remind your self regularly that your chatbot doesn't "know" or "think" in the human sense, even if its output mimics it effectively. Intention: Be mindful of your intention when prompting and the AI's programmed objective function (often defined around helpfulness, harmlessness, and generating responses aligned with human feedback). How does your query shape the output? Are you seeking factual recall, creative exploration, or perhaps unconsciously seeking confirmation of your own biases? Understanding these intentions helps contextualize the interaction. Effort: Make a conscious effort to verify and evaluate the outcomes. Do not passively accept AI-generated information, especially for critical decisions. Cross-reference with reliable sources. Engage with the AI critically – probe its reasoning (even if simplified), test its boundaries, and treat the interaction as a collaboration with a powerful but fallible tool, not as receiving pronouncements from an infallible oracle. Ultimately, the saying “Garbage in, garbage out”, coined in the early days of A, still holds We can’t expect today's technology to reflect values that the humans of yesterday did not manifest. But we have a choice. The journey into the age of advanced AI is one of co-evolution. By fostering lucidity, ethical intention, and engaging critically, we can explore this territory with curiosity and candid awareness of the complexities that characterize our natural and artificial intelligences – and their interplays.

Rumor mill: Nvidia plans to unveil the mainstream GeForce RTX 5060 Ti next week, right on the heels of the high-end RTX 50 series launch for enthusiasts and pro gamers. Chinese media outlets have leaked official pricing for the two upcoming cards ahead of the announcement. According to industry insider Board Channels and Chinese tech blog IT Home, the RTX 5060 Ti 8GB model will cost $379, while the 16GB variant is $429. In China, they will reportedly go for 3,199 yuan ($435) and 3,599 Yuan ($490), respectively. Board Channels has a fairly reliable track record with hardware leaks, but ongoing uncertainty around import tariffs means U.S. pricing could still shift. Nvidia also has yet to confirm the prices, so take both reports with a healthy grain of salt. If accurate, the leaked pricing is good news for gamers. The rumored prices come in lower than the RTX 4060 Ti, which launched at $499 for the 16GB Ada Lovelace model and $399 for the 8GB version. Nvidia later cut the 16GB price to $449 to better compete with AMD's RX 7700 XT. The RTX 5060 Ti uses the GB206-300 GPU, which TSMC fabricates using its 5 nm process. It includes 36 streaming multiprocessors for a total of 4,608 CUDA cores. It also features a 128-bit memory interface and GDDR7 memory running at 28 Gbps, delivering 448GB/s of bandwidth. The card runs at a 2407MHz base clock and a 2572MHz boost clock, with a 180W TGP powered by a single 16-pin connector. // Related Stories Other notable specs include 144 texture mapping units, 48 render output units, and 36 ray-tracing cores. For display connectivity, the card offers one HDMI 2.1b port and three DisplayPort 2.1b outputs, enabling users to connect multiple monitors at once. Nvidia will likely confirm the remaining tech specs and announce pricing on Tuesday, April 15. Gamers will not have to wait long to see whether the leaked information proves accurate.

Gaming laptop deals that are below $1,000 usually aren’t good enough for most gamers, but that’s not the case with Best Buy’s offer for the Asus TUF Gaming A16. From its original price of $1,100, this device is on sale for only $700 following a $400 discount. It’s a budget-friendly gaming laptop that’s worth every single penny, especially with these savings, but you’ll have to hurry with your purchase because we’re not sure how much time is remaining before the bargain ends. For its relatively affordable price, you shouldn’t expect the Asus TUF Gaming A16 to challenge the performance of the best gaming laptops. However, it’s more than enough to enjoy today’s best PC games. It’s equipped with the AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS processor and the AMD Radeon RX7700S graphics card, alongside 16GB of RAM that’s the best place to start for gaming, according to our guide on how much RAM do you need. This Asus TUF Gaming A16 may not have the breakneck speeds of the top-tier models, but it’s much better than the other gaming laptops that you can buy for this price. The Asus TUF Gaming A16 features a 16-inch screen with Full HD resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate, which enables sharp details and smooth animations for your video games. However, despite the size of its display, the gaming laptop maintains its portability because it weighs just below 5 pounds and is just 0.87 inches thick. It’s also equipped with a huge 512GB SSD for its size, and with Windows 11 Home pre-loaded, you can start installing your favorite titles right after you turn on the Asus TUF Gaming A16 for the first time. Related The AMD-powered Asus TUF Gaming A16 is a gaming laptop that you won’t regret buying, especially if you can get it for its discounted price of $700 from Best Buy. The savings of $400 on its sticker price of $1,100 probably won’t last long though, so you’re going to have to complete your transaction as soon as possible if you don’t want to miss out. Add the Asus TUF Gaming A16 gaming laptop to your cart and finish the checkout process immediately! Editors’ Recommendations

The European Union said it would focus on building AI data and computing infrastructure and making it easier for companies to comply with regulation.

A lump of coal for the president Trump throws coal a lifeline, but the energy industry has moved on The US market has been moving away from coal for decades. Marianne Lavelle, Inside Climate News – Apr 9, 2025 10:05 am | 22 Credit: US Global Change Credit: US Global Change Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only   Learn more As President Donald Trump signed a slew of executive orders Tuesday aimed at keeping coal power alive in the United States, he repeatedly blamed his predecessor, Democrats, and environmental regulations for the industry’s dramatic contraction over the past two decades. But across the country, state and local officials and electric grid operators have been confronting a factor in coal’s demise that is not easily addressed with the stroke of a pen: its cost. For example, Maryland’s only remaining coal generating station, Talen Energy’s 1.3-gigawatt Brandon Shores plant, will be staying open beyond its previously planned June 1 shutdown, under a deal that regional grid operator PJM brokered earlier this year with the company, state officials, and the Sierra Club. Talen had decided to close the plant two years ago because it determined that running the plant was uneconomical. But PJM said the plant was necessary to maintain the reliability of the grid. To keep Brandon Shores open while extra transmission is built to bolster the grid, Maryland ratepayers will be forced to pay close to $1 billion. “There’s some people who say that Brandon Shores was retiring because of Maryland’s climate policy,” says David Lapp, who leads the Maryland Office of People’s Counsel, which fought the deal on behalf of ratepayers. “But it was purely a decision made by a generation company that’s operating in a free market.” Cheaper power from natural gas and renewable energy has been driving down use of coal across the United States for roughly 20 years. Coal plants now provide about 15 percent of the nation’s electricity, down from more than 50 percent in 2000. In some cases, state and local officials have raised concerns over whether the loss of coal plants will make the grid more vulnerable to blackouts. In Utah, for example, the Intermountain Power Agency’s 1,800-megawatt coal power facility in Utah’s West Desert is the largest US coal plant that was scheduled to shut down this year, according to the US Energy Information Administration. IPA is going forward with its plan to switch to natural gas plants that can be made cleaner-operating by using hydrogen fuel. But under a new law, IPA will shut down the coal plants in a state where it can be easily restarted, said IPA spokesman John Ward. The Utah legislature voted last month in favor of a new process in which the state of Utah will look for new customers and possibly a new operator to keep the coal plant running. Trump’s new policies also would intervene in the market—in some cases using emergency authority under the Federal Power Act to keep coal plants going. Such authority has been used on a temporary basis about a dozen times over the past 15 years, usually in times of hurricanes and severe weather. Trump’s executive order raises the possibility it would be used on a longer-term basis to “strengthen the reliability and security” of the grid. Trump also signed orders lifting restrictions on coal production, exempted power plants from mercury and air toxics regulations for two years, and directed the Justice Department to sue states that have policies that restrict use of coal. “For years, people would just bemoan this industry and decimate the industry for absolutely no reason,” Trump said at the White House gathering where he signed the orders. “Joe Biden and congressional Democrats tried to abolish the American coal industry. They did everything in their power… shutting down dozens of coal plants… putting thousands and thousands of coal miners out of work… actually destroying their lives.” But numerous studies have shown that economics have been a driving factor in shutting down coal. The think tank Energy Innovation has calculated that 99 percent of the existing US coal fleet costs more to keep running than it would cost to retire the coal plants and replace them with solar, wind, and batteries. “What’s next, a mandate that Americans must commute by horse and buggy?” said Kit Kennedy, managing director for power at the Natural Resources Defense Council in a prepared statement. “Coal plants are old and dirty, uncompetitive and unreliable. The Trump administration is stuck in the past, trying to make utility customers pay more for yesterday’s energy. Instead, it should be doing all it can to build the electricity grid of the future.” Ben Jealous, executive director of the Sierra Club, which has had a campaign to close coal plants down, predicted that Trump’s efforts to save the industry would not succeed. “Under the first Trump administration, coal capacity retired at a faster rate compared to any other administration,” he said in a statement. “Just as we did then, we will not back down from Trump and his dangerous and deadly plans. “Forcing coal plants to stay online will cost Americans more, get more people sick with respiratory and heart conditions, and lead to more premature deaths,” Jealous said. But Trump, who has exerted executive authority aggressively since taking office, suggested he would keep plants open by fiat. Surrounded by coal miners and executives, Trump spoke of an idea he had “from about 15 minutes before I got up here” to guarantee coal investments, although he said that it was still being worked on “structurally and from a legal standpoint.” “We’ll ensure that our nation’s critically needed coal plants… remain online and fully operational,” he said. “We’re going to have guarantees that government cannot close them down and destroy your lives. “Pound for pound, coal is the single most reliable, durable, secure and powerful form of energy there is on Earth today,” Trump said. “You’ve never heard that before from a politician, have you?” Trump dismissed concerns about climate change—“You don’t have to worry about the air is getting warmer”—and repeated a baseless statistic he often made on the campaign trail: “The ocean will rise one-quarter of an inch within the next 500 to 600 years, giving you a little bit more waterfront property.” (The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an agency that is being severely cut by the Trump administration, has calculated that sea levels are on track to rise 10 inches in the next 30 years.) And Trump contradicted economists’ views on coal’s viability, while touting the mineral—which he ordered be treated as a “critical” US mineral under law—as an incomparable energy source. “It’s cheap, incredibly efficient, high density and it’s almost indestructible,” Trump said. “You could drop a bomb on it, and it’s going to be there for you to use the next day, which you can’t say with any other form of energy.” This story originally appeared on Inside Climate News. Marianne Lavelle, Inside Climate News 22 Comments

John Edwards, Technology Journalist & AuthorApril 9, 20255 Min ReadMatej Kastelic via Alamy Stock PhotoIT leaders typically begin their careers by working on a team. Exhibiting their knowledge and skill, they rise through the ranks to become managers and executives. Yet for many leaders, that urge to do some hands-on work never really disappears. Unfortunately, that's rarely a good idea. As a technology and business leader, it's crucial to maintain oversight of strategic and operational priorities, says Rebecca Fox, group CIO at cybersecurity consulting firm NCC Group. Actively contributing to day-to-day project delivery or operations limits the leader's ability to focus on the broader direction, she observes in an email interview. "While occasional involvement in details may be necessary for decision support or critical interventions, the leader's primary role is to delegate, inspire, and drive execution." For leaders transitioning from a subject matter expert role, mastering this shift is critical for personal success as well as the organization’s growth, Fox advises. "The larger the organization, the more essential it becomes to prioritize leadership over operational tasks." Danger Zone There are three key dangers lurking for senior leaders who become too involved as active project participants, Fox says. "Perhaps most important, the project team's autonomy is undermined, leading to constant reliance on the leader for decision-making instead of driving outcomes independently." Another risk is that critical responsibilities outside the project may be neglected, jeopardizing broader business success and operational excellence. "Finally, the leader’s role as a strategic business partner is diminished, as they become seen as part of the project rather than a leader with enterprise-wide oversight." Related:If you dive too deeply into specific projects, you risk losing sight of the overall direction your team needs to follow, warns Bill Bragg, CIO at AI technology developer SymphonyAI. "While your expertise is certainly valuable, your real strength lies in crafting strategy and growing your team and colleagues' capabilities," he says in an online interview. "Your goal is to remove obstacles and steer the ship toward success, growing the people and business together." Staying Both Above and Involved Regular governance and trust in the delivery team is essential, Fox says. "Unless you're a subject matter expert, active involvement should focus on two areas: ensuring that the right people are involved and validating that the project’s objectives remain relevant." Effective governance should show when leadership intervention is necessary, such as resolving personnel issues or realigning objectives. "While cost pressures may tempt leaders to take on a contributory role without backfilling, it's crucial to prioritize long-term project success by maintaining proper resources." Related:There will be times when your expertise is crucial, or the team is short-staffed, Bragg says. "Recognizing these moments is vital to prevent burnout or mistakes within your team," he advises. "Be sure to have an exit plan and know when to step back once the gaps are addressed." Participation should be as brief as possible, but as long as necessary, Fox explains. Projects and programs require clear organizational structures, and leadership involvement should last until they are established. "Leaders must also be willing to make tough decisions, such as pausing a project until the right resources are available or reallocating resources to meet business needs." An IT leader may not be involved in the daily activities of a project, but they should always demonstrate interest and support to their teams and peers, Fox advises. She believes that engagement comes from regular communication, visible support, and showing genuine interest in the team’s challenges and successes. "Leadership isn't passive; it requires consistent effort to connect and inspire." Related:Trust and Success Leadership is primarily about creating the conditions for success, empowering teams, and ensuring alignment with strategic objectives, Fox says. "IT leaders must balance trust in their teams with timely interventions, focusing on outcomes over activity." She feels that prioritizing leadership over direct contribution enables sustainable growth and operational excellence. Maintain open communication and regularly meet with your team and other departments, Bragg recommends. "This builds trust and transparency, helping everyone understand how their work aligns with the company's goals." By sharing insights into strategies and priorities, the leader steadily builds a cohesive framework that highlights the value of team contributions. "Creating a cadence is important, as the group and staff events themselves become anchors for operationalizing the strategy and envisioning the future." A Final Thought As an IT leader, your primary role is to steer the business technology strategy that empowers the organization’s goals, Bragg explains. "It's crucial to foster strong relationships and open communication with leaders from every department to ensure that functional and product strategies move in the same direction," he says. "With a bird’s-eye view of the company's priorities, you’re in a unique position to drive alignment and facilitate the change that builds the strength to grow together." About the AuthorJohn EdwardsTechnology Journalist & AuthorJohn Edwards is a veteran business technology journalist. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and numerous business and technology publications, including Computerworld, CFO Magazine, IBM Data Management Magazine, RFID Journal, and Electronic Design. He has also written columns for The Economist's Business Intelligence Unit and PricewaterhouseCoopers' Communications Direct. John has authored several books on business technology topics. His work began appearing online as early as 1983. Throughout the 1980s and 90s, he wrote daily news and feature articles for both the CompuServe and Prodigy online services. His "Behind the Screens" commentaries made him the world's first known professional blogger.See more from John EdwardsWebinarsMore WebinarsReportsMore ReportsNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also Like

This is today's edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology. A new biosensor can detect bird flu in five minutes Over the winter, eggs suddenly became all but impossible to buy. As a bird flu outbreak rippled through dairy and poultry farms, grocery stores struggled to keep them on shelves. The shortages and record-high prices in February raised costs dramatically for restaurants and bakeries and led some shoppers to skip the breakfast staple entirely. But a team based at Washington University in St. Louis has developed a device that could help slow future outbreaks by detecting bird flu in air samples in just five minutes.Read the full story.—Carly Kay This story is from the next edition of our print magazine, which is all about the body. Subscribe now to read it and get a copy of the magazine when it lands! This Texas chemical plant could get its own nuclear reactors Nuclear reactors could someday power a chemical plant in Texas, making it the first with such a facility onsite. The factory, which makes plastics and other materials, could become a model for power-hungry data centers and other industrial operations going forward. The plans are the work of Dow Chemical and X-energy, which last week applied for a construction permit with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the agency in the US that governs nuclear energy.While it’ll be years before nuclear reactors will actually turn on, this application marks a major milestone for the project, and for the potential of advanced nuclear technology to power industrial processes. Read the full story.—Casey Crownhart MIT Technology Review Narrated: Exosomes are touted as a trendy cure-all. We don’t know if they work. People are spending thousands of dollars on unproven exosome therapies for hair loss, skin aging, and acne, as well as more serious conditions like long covid and Alzheimer’s. This is our latest story to be turned into a MIT Technology Review Narrated podcast, which  we’re publishing each week on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Just navigate to MIT Technology Review Narrated on either platform, and follow us to get all our new content as it’s released. The must-reads I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 Donald Trump is confident Apple can make iPhones in the US  Tim Cook is probably less sure about that. (9to5Mac)+ Politicians are obsessed with the fantasy of an America-made iPhone. (404 Media)+ If you need a new phone, you’re better off buying one now. (Wired $)2 Trade groups are weighing up suing Trump to fight his tariffs The Chamber of Commerce and other groups feel they may not have another option. (WSJ $)+ Trump has hit China with a 104% tariff. (CNBC)+ What does he really hope to achieve? (Vox)+ Even the conservative podcasters that helped him win aren’t happy. (FT $)+ Trump’s tariffs will deliver a big blow to climate tech. (MIT Technology Review) 3 The UK government is building a “murder prediction” tool But research shows that algorithmic crime prediction systems don’t work. (The Guardian)+ Predictive policing algorithms are racist. They need to be dismantled. (MIT Technology Review)4 DOGE has converted magnetic tapes to digital records The problem is, magnetic tapes are stable and safe. Digital records are both hackable and vulnerable to bit rot. (404 Media)+ Government technologists aren’t happy about the switch. (Economist $)+ Can AI help DOGE slash government budgets? It’s complex. (MIT Technology Review)5 The crypto industry isn’t benefiting from Trump quite yet In fact, VC investment has fallen. (Bloomberg $)+ However, prosecutors are being told to stop pursuing certain crypto crimes. (WP $)6 Tech bros are building a Christian utopia in AppalachiaThese groups have traditionally existed only online. Can building a town bring them together? (Mother Jones $) 7 California’s only nuclear power plant is using AIIt’s the first time generative AI has been used onsite at a power plant.(The Markup) + Interest in nuclear power is surging. Is it enough to build new reactors? (MIT Technology Review)8 Custom 3D-printed railway shelters are being trialed in JapanIn a bid to help rural stations replace ageing infrastructure. (Ars Technica) 9 We’re learning more about how the Titanic sank Thanks to a new scan of its wreckage. (BBC)10 Would you ride this headless horse robot? Kawasaki’s outlandish concept model looks decidedly unsafe. (Vice)+ A skeptic’s guide to humanoid-robot videos. (MIT Technology Review) Quote of the day “iPhone manufacturing isn’t coming back to America.” —An anonymous source familiar with Apple’s plans has some bad news for the Trump administration, the Washington Post reports. The big story Inside effective altruism, where the far future counts a lot more than the present Since its birth in the late 2000s, effective altruism has aimed to answer the question “How can those with means have the most impact on the world in a quantifiable way?”—and supplied methods for calculating the answer. It’s no surprise that effective altruisms' ideas have long faced criticism for reflecting white Western saviorism, alongside an avoidance of structural problems in favor of abstract math. And as believers pour even greater amounts of money into the movement’s increasingly sci-fi ideals, such charges are only intensifying. Read the full story. —Rebecca Ackermann We can still have nice things A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or skeet 'em at me.) + Why is everybody suddenly obsessed with Dubai chocolate? 🍫+ Inside one academic’s quest to locate the famous photograph hanging on the wall of The Shining’s Overlook Hotel.+ Adorable: a Japanese town has created its own trading card game featuring older men in the community.+ I think it’s safe to say Val Kilmer really didn’t enjoy being in the largely forgotten film Spartan.

US President Donald Trump announced new import tariffs. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images 2025-04-09T14:36:30Z Save Saved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Trump's tariffs are threatening long-standing alliances across the globe. While some countries are fighting back, others are negotiating with the Trump administration. The economies of some of the world's largest superpowers are at stake. In the days since President Donald Trump unveiled his "reciprocal" tariffs on dozens of trading partners, affected nations have announced a range of reactions.Some countries, like China, have already set countermeasures to Trump's tariffs, while others are looking to negotiate exemptions.Here's how governments around the world are reacting to Trump's tariffs now that they've officially started.ChinaTwo days after Trump announced his tariffs, China struck back, announcing it would implement 34% retaliatory tariffs on all US imports.China's Ministry of Commerce also placed 11 US companies on an "unreliable entities" list, effectively blocking them from conducting business in the country."China urges the United States to immediately lift its unilateral tariff measures and resolve its trade differences through consultations in an equal, respectful, and mutually beneficial manner," the ministry said in a statement.On Monday, Trump said he'd impose an additional 50% tariff on Chinese goods in response to China's retaliatory tariffs.Trump has so far imposed 104% tariffs on China since he took office.And on Wednesday, China once again pushed back against the president by raising levies on US goods to 84%.In February, China implemented a 10% tariff on crude oil, agricultural machinery, pickup trucks, and some large cars. China also imposed a 15% levy on coal and liquefied natural gas.CanadaFor months, Trump has threatened to annex Canada as part of his push to make it the 51st US state. He's threatened Canada with an array of tariffs, stunning government officials and residents who have long enjoyed a mostly conciliatory relationship with the US.In March, Trump set 25% tariffs on Canadian goods that weren't compliant with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, prompting an outcry from Canada, which retaliated by placing a 25% tariff on select US goods.On April 3, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced his country would impose a 25% tariff on vehicles imported from the US that aren't USMCA-compliant.Canada was spared further levies from the US last week.AustraliaTrump announced last week that Australia would be subject to the administration's 10% baseline tariff rate. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese responded swiftly."The [US] administration's tariffs have no basis in logic — and they go against the basis of our two nations' partnership," he told reporters on April 3. "This is not the act of a friend."Albanese said Australia didn't plan to retaliate with reciprocal tariffs on US goods."We will not join a race to the bottom that leads to higher prices and slower growth," he said.On Tuesday, Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia forcefully pushed back against Trump's tariff on Australia during a hearing with US trade representative Jamieson Greer."We have a trade surplus with Australia," Warner said during the heated exchange. "They are an incredibly important national security partner. Why were they whacked with a tariff?" European UnionTrump imposed 20% tariffs on imports from the EU.The EU on Wednesday responded to the administration by approving tariffs on roughly $23 billion worth of US goods."These countermeasures can be suspended at any time, should the US agree to a fair and balanced negotiated outcome," the European Commission said in a statement.On April 5, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, the face of the White House DOGE Office and a political ally of Trump, said he wanted to see a "zero-tariff" system between the United States and Europe.IndonesiaTrump announced 32% tariffs on Southeast Asia's biggest economy.Indonesia's chief economic minister said on Sunday that the country would focus on diplomacy and negotiations to find mutually beneficial solutions rather than retaliating against the tariffs."The approach was taken by considering the long-term interest of bilateral trade relation, as well as to maintain the investment climate and national economic stability," Airlangga Hartarto said.He also said that Indonesia would support sectors likely to be hit by the tariffs, such as the apparel and footwear industries. Indonesia's main exports to the US include electronics, apparel and clothing, and footwear.JapanJapan has been hit with a 24% tariff on its exports to the US."We had been requesting that the US government review its unilateral tariff measures at various levels and we are extremely disappointed and regret that such measures have been implemented nonetheless," Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told reporters shortly after Trump's April 2 announcement.Trade Minister Yoji Muto later said his ministry had created a task force to examine the impact of the tariffs.When asked about the potential for retaliation, Muto replied: "We need to decide what is best for Japan, and most effective, in a careful but bold and speedy manner."MalaysiaMalaysia will see its exports to the US get hit by a 24% tariff.The country is not considering retaliatory tariffs and will "seek solutions that will uphold the spirit of free and fair trade," its Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry said on Thursday.In a Sunday night video address posted to social media, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia will "prepare a coordinated ASEAN response" toward Trump's tariffs.Malaysia currently chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a grouping of ten countries in the region, including Vietnam and Cambodia.The prime minister also said the nation's response will be "calm, firm, and guided by Malaysia's strategic interests."MexicoMexico dodged a baseline tariff from Trump last week.Trump came into office promising to slap a 25% tariff on all imports from Mexico, but he later paused the levies on products that fell under the USMCA on free trade. Non-compliant USMCA products continue to be subject to a 25% tariff.Trump had earlier threatened Mexico with tariffs over his concerns regarding fentanyl smuggling and illegal immigration. The White House said that for now, any USMCA-compliant imports can continue to enter the United States without added tariffs.Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum lauded her "good relationship" with the Trump administration for avoiding any additional levies from the president last week.VietnamTrump has imposed a 46% tariff on Vietnamese goods.It's one of the highest tariff rates put into place by Trump against any country.And it's prompted the country to take quick action.Vietnam Recommended video