The UNICO Mini MVS, one of my favourite retro game consoles, costs less on Black Friday.

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All cords lead to WIRED. Come gather to find the best Black Friday tech deals.

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MacworldIf youre looking for a deal on anything Apple sellsan iPad, Apple Watch, AirPods, MacBook, iPhone or anything elsetheres no better time to get one than Black Friday. No matter what youre looking to buy, youre going to find a great priceand some are at the lowest weve ever seen.The sales start earlier every year, but the best deals are usually seen between Black Friday (today November 29) and Cyber Monday (December 2). There is no longer any need to wait, and were seeing some fantastic deals! Well be updating this page regularly as more discounts come in.If you want to know what Apple is doing for Black Friday, its offering gift cards up to $200/160 with select purchases. We have the details of that deal and whats included in our Apples 2024 Black Friday Shopping Event article.Apple Black Friday 2024 deals: The best deals on every Apple productBlack Friday is a great time to get an Apple product for less, but the discounts come and go very quickly. Stay tuned to this page up to and throughout the Black Friday weekend as we update you with the best prices on new Apple products as they arrive.Many of the best deals we see are on Amazon U.S. or Amazon U.K., but well also be checking resellers such as Best Buy, B&H and Walmart in the U.S. and KRCS, AO, Argos, John Lewis, Currys, Laptops Direct and eBuyer in the U.K. MacBook Air and MacBook Pro deals for Black Friday 2024Apple released new MacBook Pros with M4 chips in late October 2024. At the same time, it upgraded the RAM in all MacBook Air models from 8GB to 16GB for the same starting prices, effectively a $200/200 discount. So if youre shopping make sure the model youre buying has 16GB of RAM. We dont recommend buying a model with 8GB of RAM unless its much more than $200/200 cheaper than the 16GB model.U.S. Best Buy, M4, 14-inch MacBook Pro (512GB/16GB RAM): $1,399 ($200 off, MSRP $1,599)Best Buy, M4 14-inch MacBook Pro (1TB/24GB RAM): $1,799 ($200 off, MSRP $1,999)Best Buy, M4 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro (512GB/24GB RAM): $2,199 ($300 off with coupon, MSRP $2,499)Best Buy, M4 Max 16-inch MacBook Pro (1TB/48GB RAM): $3,599 ($400 off, MSRP $3,999)Amazon, 13-inch MacBook Air, M2 (8-core GPU, 256GB/16GB RAM): $749 ($250 off, MSRP $999)Best Buy, 13-inch MacBook Air, M3 (8-core GPU, 256GB/16GB RAM): $849 ($250 off, MSRP $1,099)Amazon, 15-inch MacBook Air, M3 (8-core GPU, 256GB/16GB RAM): $1,044 ($255 off, MSRP $1,299)Amazon, 15-inch MacBook Air, M3 (8-core GPU, 512GB/16GB RAM): $1,234 ($265 off, MSRP $1,499)Save money on the MacBook Pro this Black Friday.FoundryAdditionally, Apples older MacBook Pro models are on clearance as retailers look to clear out remaining stock:Best Buy, M3 14-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/8GB RAM: $1,199 ($400 off, Was $1,599 Clearance)B&H, M3 Pro 14-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/18GB RAM: $1,699 ($300 off, Was $1,999 Clearance)Best Buy, M3 Pro 14-inch MacBook Pro, 1TB/18GB RAM: $2,099 ($300 off, Was $2,399 Clearance)Best Buy, M3 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/18GB RAM: $1,999 ($500 off, Was $2,499 Clearance)Best Buy, M3 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/36GB RAM: $2,399 ($500 off, Was $2,899 Clearance)U.K.KRCS, M4 14-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/16GB RAM, 1,439.10 (159 off, RRP 1,599)KRCS, M4 14-inch MacBook Pro, 1TB/16GB RAM, 1,619.10 (179 off, RRP 1,799)KRCS, M4 Pro 14-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/24GB RAM, 1,799.10 (199 off, RRP 1,999)Amazon, M4 Pro 14-inch MacBook Pro, 1TB/24GB RAM, 2,149.97 (250 off, RRP 2,399)KRCS, M4 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/24GB RAM, 2,249.10 (250 off, RRP 2,499)KRCS, M4 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro, 1TB/36GB RAM, 3,149.10 (349 off, RRP 3,499)KRCS, 13-inch MacBook Air, M2 (8-core GPU, 256GB/16GB RAM) 849.10 (150 off, RRP 999)KRCS, 13-inch MacBook Air, M3 (8-core GPU, 512GB/16GB RAM) 939.10 (160 off, RRP 1,099)Amazon, 13-inch MacBook Air, M3 (8-core GPU, 512GB/24GB RAM) 1,345.39 (150 off, RRP 1,499)KRCS, 15-inch MacBook Air, M3 (10-core GPU, 256GB/16GB RAM) 1,119.10 (180 off, RRP 1,299)KRCS, 15-inch MacBook Air, M3 (8-core GPU, 512GB/16GB RAM) 1,299.10 (200 off, RRP 1,499)Apples older MacBook models are on clearance at the following retailers:Argos, M3, 14-inch MacBook Pro, 10-core GPU, 512GB/8GB RAM: 1,299 (400 off, Was 1,699- Clearance)Argos, M3, 14-inch MacBook Pro, 10-core GPU, 1TB/8GB RAM: 1,499 (400 off, Was 1,899 Clearance)Amazon, M3 Pro, 14-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/18GB RAM: 1,699 (400 off, Was 2,099 Clearance)Argos, M3 Pro 14-inch MacBook Pro, 1TB/36GB RAM: 2,799 (500 off, Was 3,299 Clearance)Argos, M3 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/18GB RAM: 2,099 (500 off, Was 2,599 Clearance)John Lewis, M3 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/36GB RAM: 2,399 (600 off, Was 2,999 Clearance)Amazon, 13-inch MacBook Air, M2 (10-core GPU, 512GB/8GB RAM) 849 (250 off, Was 1,099 Clearance)iMac and Mac mini deals for Black Friday 2024The iMac and Mac mini both received new M4 chips in October, with the Mac mini also getting a dramatic redesign that shrunk the case down to just 5 inches. Like the MacBooks, these new Macs now start at 16GB of RAM, an option that was previously an extra $200/200. So be sure to double-check that youre buying the updated model with an M4 processor. Older iMacs only offer 8GB of RAM, so the price should match that.Grab money off a new iMac.FoundryU.S.Amazon, Mac mini, M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB: $529 ($70 off, MSRP $599)Amazon, Mac mini, M4 (16GB RAM, 512GB): $744 ($55 off, MSRP $799)Amazon, Mac mini, M4 Pro, 24GB, 512GB: $1,289 ($110 off, MSRP $1,399)Amazon, M4 iMac, 8-core CPU/GPU, 16GB RAM, 256GB: $1,150 ($149 off with coupon, MSRP $1,299)Amazon, M4 iMac, 10-core CPU/GPU, 16GB RAM, 256GB: $1,350 ($149 off with coupon, MSRP $1,499)Amazon, Apple Studio Display (Tilt-Adjustable Stand): $1,300 ($299 off, MSRP $1,599)There are savings on the older models as well:Amazon, M2 Mac mini, 8GB RAM, 256GB: $499 ($100 off, MSRP $599 Clearance)Amazon, M3 iMac, 8-core GPU, 8GB RAM, 256GB: $1,119 ($180 off, MSRP was $1,299 Clearance)Amazon, M3 iMac, 10-core GPU, 8GB RAM, 256GB: $1,150 ($350 off, MSRP was $1,499 Clearance)For more monitors for your Mac look at Best Mac monitor deals for Black FridayU.K.In the U.K. when Apple announced the iMac and Mac mini in 2024 it dropped prices compared to the previous generation, so keep this in mind if considering a discount on an M3 model. KRCS: M4 Mac mini, 256GB/16GB RAM, 539.10 (59.90 off, RRP 599)KRCS: M4 Pro Mac mini, 512GB/24GB RAM, 1,259.10 (140.90 off, RRP 1,399)KRCS: M4 iMac, 8-core GPU, 256GB/16GB RAM, 1,169.10 (129.90 off, RRP 1,299)KRCS: M4 iMac, 10-Core GPU, 256GB/16GB RAM, 1,349.10 (149.90 off, RRP 1,499)These older models are also discounted:Amazon: M2 Pro Mac mini, 512GB/16GB RAM: 1,179.97 (219 off, RRP was 1,399 Clearance)Amazon: M2 Mac mini, 512GB/8GB RAM: 638 (211 off, RRP was 849 Clearance)John Lewis, 24-inch M3 iMac,10-core GPU, 512GB/8GB RAM: 1,493 (305 off, RRP was 1,799 Clearance)KRCS, Apple Studio Display (Tilt-Adjustable Stand): 1,349 ($150 off, RRP $1,499)AirPods deals for Black Friday 2024The AirPods 4 with and without ANC are Apples newest earbuds that replaced the AirPods generation 2 and 3 in September. Apple also updated the AirPods Max with a USB-C port in September, but otherwise, its the same as the Lightning model. And while the AirPods Pro 2 are a couple of years old, Apple added a new feature in iOS 18,1 that lets it work as a hearing aid.We usually see some tremendous savings on the standard AirPods over Black Friday, but this year beware: you may see a blowout deal on the older models, but unless youre on a very tight budget, our advice is that even if you see a good deal on the AirPods 3 you should spring for one of the AirPods 4 models on sale even if they cost more. The AirPods 4 without ANC cost $129/129 and compare very favorably with the AirPods 3 which used to cost $179/179.AirPods 4 are Apples newest earbuds and are already on sale.Petter AhrnstedtU.S.Amazon,AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C case): $154 ($95 off, MSRP $249)Amazon,AirPods 4: $119 ($10 off, MSRP $129)Amazon,AirPods 4 with ANC: $165 ($14 off, MSRP $179)Amazon, AirPods Max (USB-C): $500 ($49 off, MSRP $549)Amazon,AirPods Max (Lightning): $399 ($150 off; MSRP $549)U.K. Amazon, AirPods (4th gen, 2024, with ANC): 161.10 (17 off, RRP 179)Amazon, AirPods (4th gen, 2024, without ANC): 116.10 (12 off, RRP 129)Amazon, AirPods Pro 2: 179 (50 off, RRP 179)There are also savings on older models, but as we mentioned above, we recommend skipping any AirPods 3rd gen deals because the AirPods 4 are much better.Argos, AirPods (3rd gen, Magsafe): 139 (40 off, RRP was 179 Clearance)Argos, AirPod Max, Lightning, 2020: 429 (70 off, RRP was 499 Clearance)Apple Watch deals for Black Friday 2024Grab yourself an Apple Watch deal for Black Friday.Mike SawhApple launched the Apple Watch Series 10 with a slightly larger screen in September 2024 as well as a new black color for the Apple Watch Ultra. Traditionally, any savings around $50 is an excellent deal. Look out for the Apple Watch Series 9 as there may be some deals on the discontinued model.U.S.Amazon,Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm): $329 ($70 off, MSRP $399)Amazon,Apple Watch Series 10 (46mm): $359 ($70 off, MSRP $429)Amazon,Apple Watch SE 2 (40mm): $149 ($100 off, MSRP $249)Amazon,Apple Watch SE 2 (44mm): $179 ($80 off, MSRP $279)Amazon,Apple Watch Ultra 2: $719 ($80 off, MSRP $799)Amazon,Apple Watch Series 9 (41mm): $280 ($119 off, MSRP was $399 Clearance)U.K. Amazon, Apple Watch Ultra 2 (49mm, GPS + Cellular): 769 (30 off, RRP 799)Amazon, Apple Watch Series 10 (46mm): 409 (20 off, RRP 429)Amazon, Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm): 379 (20 off, RRP 399)Argos, Apple Watch SE (40mm) (2022): 199 (20 off, RRP 219)Argos, Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm): 329 (100 off, RRP was 429 Clearance)Argos, Apple Watch Series 9 (41mm): 299 (100 off, RRP was 399 Clearance)iPad deals for Black Friday 2024Apple updated all of its iPads in 2024 with the exception of the 10th-gen entry-level model (though it did get a price cut to $349). The iPad mini was the most recent model to get a refresh, with a new chip and 8GB of RAM. We are seeing some good deals on new iPads. Grab a discounted iPad this Black Friday.FoundryU.S.Amazon, 10th gen iPad (64GB): $259 ($90 off, MRSP $349)Amazon, iPad mini (A17 Pro, 128GB): $469 ($30 off, MSRP $499)Amazon, iPad mini (A17 Pro, 512GB): $764 ($35 off, MSRP $799)Amazon,11-inch M2 iPad Air (128GB): $499 ($100 off, MSRP $599)Amazon,13-inch M2 iPad Air (128GB): $699 ($100 off, MSRP $799)Amazon, 11-inch M4 iPad Pro (256GB/8GB RAM): $850 ($149 off with coupon, MSRP $999)Amazon,11-inch M4 iPad Pro (2TB/16GB RAM): $1,699 ($300 off, MSRP $1,999)Amazon, 13-inch M4 iPad Pro (256GB/8GB RAM): $1,099 ($200 off, MSRP $1,299)Amazon, Apple Pencil (1st-gen): $59 ($40 off, RRP $99)Amazon, Apple Pencil (2nd-gen): $80 ($49 off, MSRP $129)Best Buy, Apple Pencil (USB-C): $69 ($10 off, MSRP $79)Best Buy, Apple Pencil Pro: $99 ($30 off, MSRP $129)U.K. Amazon, 11-inch iPad Air (M2, 128GB): 559.97 (39 off, RRP 599)Amazon, 11-inch iPad Air (M2, 512GB): 843.97 (55 off, RRP 899)Amazon, 13-inch iPad Air (M2, 128GB): 749 (50 off, RRP 799)John Lewis, 13-inch iPad Air (M2, 512GB): 1,031.97 (67 off, RRP 1,099)Amazon, 11-inch M4 iPad Pro (256GB): 934.97 (64 off, RRP 999)AO, 11-inch M4 iPad Pro (512GB): 1,129 (70 off, RRP 1,199)John Lewis, 13-inch M4 iPad Pro (256GB): 1,217.97 (82 off, RRP 1,299)Amazon, 13-inch M4 iPad Pro (512GB): 1,404.97 (94 off, RRP 1,499)Amazon, iPad mini (2024, A17 Pro, 128GB): 467.97 (31 off, RRP 499)Amazon, iPad mini (2024, A17 Pro, 256GB) 559.97 (39 off, RRP 599)KRCS, iPad mini (2024, A17 Pro, 512GB): 783.02 (15.98 off, RRP 799)Amazon,10th-gen iPad (64GB): 289 (40 off, RRP 329)Amazon, 10th gen iPad (256GB): 437.69 (61 off, RRP 499)Amazon, Apple Pencil Pro: 109 (20 off, RRP 129)Amazon, Apple Pencil USB C: 69 (10 off, RRP 79)Amazon, Apple Pencil 1st gen: 79 (20 off, RRP 99)iPhone deals for Black Friday 2024U.S.Most iPhone deals in the U.S. are through carriers and require a trade-in or adding a new line. You can read our best Black Friday iPhone deals roundup for more information.U.K.U.K. readers can save money on a new iPhone.David Price / FoundryAmazon, iPhone 16, 128GB, 779 (20 off, RRP 799)Amazon, iPhone 16 Pro, 128GB, 969 (30 off, RRP 999)Amazon, iPhone 16 Pro Max, 256GB, 1,179 (20 off, RRP 1,199)Amazon, iPhone 15, 128GB, 649 (50 off, RRP now 699)Amazon, iPhone 15 Plus, 128GB, 779 (20 off, RRP now 799)Amazon, iPhone 15 Pro, 256GB, 949 (150 off, RRP was 1,099 Clearance)Amazon, iPhone 15 Pro Max, 256GB, 1,049 (150 off, RRP was 1,199 Clearance)Amazon, iPhone 14: 549 (50 off, RRP now 599)Amazon, iPhone SE (64GB): 379 (50 off, RRP 429)Amazon, iPhone 13 (128GB): 441 (58 off, RRP was 499 Clearance)Apple TV and Apple TV+ deals for Black Friday 2024There are Black Friday deals on many of the streamers, for example, Hulu is bundling Disney+ for a saving of 85% (just $2.99 a month). Peacock has 75% off at $1.99 month for six months. Paramount is offering a couple of months at $2.99. Britbox is pay $8 a month, 50% off the usual price. Sadly Apple isnt discounting Apple TV, however, as we explain in How to get Apple TV+ for free you can get much more than Apples 7-days trial, or its 3-months if you buy an Apple product. There are even some Black Friday deals: Roku is giving three months of Apple TV+ for free to those using Roku devices. (It is also giving away Apple Music). In the U.K. if you shop at Currys, or on Currys.co.uk you can get four months Apple TV+ free this Black Friday. As for Apples set top box, there are small savings to be had, but this is a case where it would be better to buy from Apple and get the $25 voucher with it. See our round up of the Best Apple TV deals. Get Apple TV from Apple (U.S)Get Apple TV from Apple (U.K)U.S.Adorama, Apple TV 4K, 64GB, $124.50 ($5 off)B&H, Apple TV 4K, 128GB, $144.95 ($5 off) U.K.John Lewis, Apple TV 4K, 64GB, 139 (10 off, RRP 149)Apple display deals for Black Friday 2024Amazon, Apple Studio Display (Tilt Adjustable Stand): $1,300 ($299 off, MSRP $1,599)Amazon, Apple Studio Display (Nano-Texture Glass, Tilt/Height-Adjustable Stand): $2,000 ($299 off, MSRP $2,299)Apple accessories deals for Black Friday 2024In October, Apple updated its Mac accessories with USB-C ports but didnt bring any other changes. If youre buying a new Apple Pencil the Apple Pencil Pro is the newest model and compatible with the iPad Pro, iPad Air, and iPad mini. The USB-C Apple Pencil is also compatible with these models as well as the 10th-gen iPad, but doesnt have squeeze gestures or magnetic charging. If you see a deal on the any Apple Pencils make sure they work with your iPad!Thiago Trevisan/FoundryU.S.Amazon, Magic Keyboard with Touch ID: $128 ($20 off, MSRP $149)Amazon, Magic TrackPad: $110 ($9 off, MSRP $129)Amazon, Magic Mouse: $68 ($11 off, MSRP $79)Amazon, Black Magic Mouse: $80 ($19 off, MSRP $99)Amazon, Apple Magic Keyboard for 11-inch iPad Pro M4: $250 ($49 off, MSRP $299)Amazon, Apple Magic Keyboard Folio for 10th gen iPad: $199 ($50 off, MSRP $249)Amazon, Apple Magic Keyboard for 11-inch iPad Air M2: $225 ($50 off, MSRP $299)Amazon, AirTags 4-pack: $73 ($26 off, MSRP $99)Amazon, AirTag, single: $24 ($5 off, MSRP $29)Amazon, Apple MagSafe Charger (2m): $35 ($14 off, MSRP $49)U.K.KRCS, Magic Keyboard with Touch ID: 119 (30 off, MSRP 149)John Lewis, Magic Keyboard with Touch ID & numeric keys: 152.15 (34 off, MSRP 179)Amazon, Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad (no Touch ID): 109.65 (20 off, RRP 129)John Lewis, Magic Keyboard (no Touch ID): 84.15 (14.85 off, RRP 99) Amazon, Magic Trackpad (Black): 139.48 (10 off, RRP 149)Amazon, Magic Mouse: 53 (26 off, RRP 79)Amazon, Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro 11-inch M4: 284 (15 off, RRP 299)Amazon, Magic Keyboard Folio for iPad (10th generation): 199 (50 off, RRP 249)Amazon, AirTag (4 pack): 84 (35 off, RRP 119)Amazon, Single AirTag: 28 (7 off, RRP 35)Amazon, Apple TV 4K, 128GB: 158 (11 off, RRP 169)Black Friday 2024: Apples shopping eventEvery year Apple holds a shopping event from Black Friday (November 29 in 2024) to Cyber Monday (December 2). However, since Apple rarely discounts its products, the event consists of gift card offers rather than actual savings. The newest products are excluded, so dont expect any offers on the iPhone 16 or new MacBooks.You can get gift cards for the following amounts with the following purchases made on Apples U.S. site or Apples U.K. site. Heres how it compares to last year and the year before.202420232022iPhone 15$75n/aiPhone 14$50$75iPhone 13n/a$50$50iPhone SE$25$25$50iPad Pro$100$50n/aiPad Air$75$75$50iPad mini $50$50iPad (10th gen.)$50$50n/aiPad (9th gen.)n/an/a$3015-inch MacBookAir$200$200n/a13-inch MacBookAir$175$175$15013-inch MacBookAir (M2)$150$150$150Mac mini$100$100MacBook Pro 14-inch & 16-inch$250iMac 24-inch$150Apple Watch Series 10n/an/aApple Watch Series 9 n/a$50n/aApple Watch SE$50$50$50AirPods (2ndgeneration) n/a$25$25AirPods (3rdgeneration)n/a$25$25AirPods 4$25n/an/aAirPods Pro (2ndgeneration)$50$50$50AirPods Max$75$75$75ApplePencil (2ndgeneration) $25$25 $25 HomePod$50$50n/aApple TV 4K$25$25 n/aBlack Friday 2024: Where to shop for Apple dealsStay tuned to Macworld throughout November to find the best deals as they arrive. But if youre looking for a specific color or capacity, you can check out the following retailers. In the U.S., here are the best stores to shop for Black Friday deals:AppleAmazonBest BuyCostcoTargetWalmartIf youre based in the U.K., youll find deals at the following shops:AppleAO.comAmazonArgosCarphone WarehouseCurryseBuyerJohn LewisKRCSLaptops DirectVeryBlack Friday 2024: Best deals for Apple productsCheck out these roundups for the best Apple deals:Apple Black Friday 2024 saleBest Black Friday 2024 Apple dealsBest Black Friday 2024 Mac DealsBest Black Friday 2024 MacBook dealsBest Black Friday 2024 AirPods dealsBest Black Friday 2024 Apple Watch dealsBest Black Friday 2024 iPad dealsBest Black Friday 2024 iPhone dealsBest Black Friday 2024 Mac monitor dealsBest Black Friday 2024 SSD and external hard drive dealsBest Black Friday 2024 Apple accessory dealsBest Black Friday deals on Mac Thunderbolt and USB-C docks and hubsBest Black Friday deals on iPhone and MacBook chargersBest Black Friday deals on MagSafe wireless chargers and power banks

MacworldThe 10th-gen iPad is already a good bargain at its full $349 MSRP. But right now you can get one for a real steal for Black Friday at $250, the very best price weve ever seen. Thats $100 off when you click the coupon box on the page and an insane deal for a great tablet.With an A14 Bionic chip, this tablet is ready to help you tackle games, streaming, and even some of your workload since you can easily use it with a Magic Keyboard. This 10.9-inch tablet features a Liquid Retina Display with vibrant colors and deep contrasts for a great visual experience. Youll also get excellent battery life and years of upgrades.For FaceTime calls, this iPad features a 12MP Ultra Wide front camera with Center Stage, keeping the focus on you even if you move around. Theres also a 12MP Wide back camera if you want to snap some pics or videos. The only thing it doesnt have is Apple Intelligence, but with a slow roll-out, youre not going to be missing out on too much.So go ahead and add the 10th-gen iPad to your cart for just $250 because once Black Friday is over this deal will be too.Buy now at Amazon

Two years can be an eternity for the technology industry: plenty of time for enterprises to innovate, launch a new product, peak on the stock market and then plummet again.Think about the bubbles that briefly surrounded 3D printing, smart glasses, or the metaverse.But somehow ChatGPT has escaped that fate because two years after its launch around the time when enthusiasm for the metaverse began to collapse it is still on everyones lips and has managed to revolutionize the way many of us live and work.OpenAIs well-known chatbot has put generative artificial intelligence (genAI) firmly in the public sphere, prompting a wave of imitators and even moving the agendas of the highest political bodies.The European Union, for example, had been working for several years on a new regulation for AI, but this was completely disrupted by the appearance of generative AI. It was renegotiated in record time, resulting in the AI Act approved last December.This fact shows that this technology is not only about possibilities, but also about laws, ethics and philosophy, and security and privacy challenges. In addition, it has revealed the opposing strategies of the geopolitical blocs in the race for the digital economy.All this, due in large part to the explosion of ChatGPT. In fact, six months after the chatbots release, the Future of Life Institute asked for a pause in its development in an open letter, saying its risks could not be controlled, even going so far as to say that it could pose a danger to our civilization as we know it if systems were built that surpassed humans.More than 31,000 people signed the letter, including industry figures such as Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak and OpenAI cofounder Elon Musk.ChatGPT broke all predictions. A study by UBS found that it was the fastest consumer application to reach 100 million users, in just two months, although it has since been surpassed by Metas social network Threads. And, at the business level, it has one million licenses. In total, it has more than 180.5 million monthly active users as of April of this year, and its page was accessed by 1,625 million visitors in the month of February, according to PrimeWeb.It has transformed the way we interact with technology, says Fernando Maldonado, an independent analyst. Today, anyone can access AI without the need for advanced knowledge or intermediaries, something that was previously reserved for specialists.Sara Robisco, a data scientist and author of the book Historia de la Inteligencia Artificial, adds that there has also been a great marketing movement to get it used by everyone.Evolving intelligenceIt has been possible to reach this point, the two experts say, through the use of vast computing capacity, fed by new sources of data from a multitude of forums, documents, and social networks.Generative AI stands out because its improvements are due to the intensive use of resources, which depend directly on these two variables. For example, that the model processes more contextual information or its access to more up-to-date or specialized cases, says Maldonado.Thus, as far as society is concerned, ChatGPT has caused people to start looking for more or less acceptable information in a chatbot, in Robiscos eyes.Now, we are fully in the GPT4 era, the latest version of the system that improves in text, speech recognition and can even generate code, which has given rise to multimodal models. It is possible to create videos from text, says Maldonado. In particular, this year we have seen how we have been able to ask it to draw something, thus expanding the ways of communicating with AI.Its evolution is clear, Robisco adds. It is a model that has already been trained, which does not have to be started from scratch, which means that in a short time we can see significant improvements. But ChatGPT still hallucinates a lot.You have to ask them very specific questions and keep in mind that you cant ask for something too current.And Maldonado sees the evolution continuing: We are at a stage in which generative AI is developing reasoning capabilities, understood as planning and solving problems autonomously. These are the so-called AI agents, which can be understood as an evolution of virtual assistants.Although there is still a long way to go, I think it is useful to think that it is going from being a doctors office to a collaborator that does things for you.Risks and challengesGiven generative AIs potential and upward progress, it raises many questions. One of the most controversial and feared is that it may take away jobs, if it is not already doing so at least the most repetitive and automatable.Forrester estimates that generative AI replaced about 90,000 jobs globally in 2023, and that by 2030 the figure will increase to 2.4 million.Maldonado believes that it is not doing it massively or directly. In reality, it does not seek to replace people, but to empower them.However, as these models become more sophisticated and numerous, worker productivity will grow exponentially. As a result, fewer people will be needed to perform the same tasks.Robisco, on the other hand, is optimistic about this and believes that it will only remove the most repetitive tasks, leaving the most creative, important and value-added part to humans.But this is not the only issue of concern about generative AI: there are also the hallucinations themselves, bias in the data, or the lack of transparency and traceability. This is going to limit some use cases, covered by current regulations and those that are to come, says Maldonado.And lets not forget the security and privacy of the data those models are being fed, and how attackers use them to refine their threats. There will even be people who can get private information just by knowing how to interrogate the machine, Maldonado says.OpenAI, in the middle of the maelstromIf ChatGPTs career has been dizzying and not without debate two past years, that of its creator company is not far behind. OpenAI was founded as a non-profit, then as it began to release products, Microsoft became its main investor. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman left abruptly, briefly joined Microsoft and, shortly after, returned.Among the companys other founders, Elon Musk, who had already left the company, sued its directors for breaking with the original statutes and becoming a for-profit company. He was right, as the latest movements of the organization confirm it, with many executives leaving and the company searching for more funding.There are also those who wonder whether the illustrious Altman has become a liability for OpenAI itself.In any case, Robisco summarizes, the companys still-brief history corresponds to a typical case of someone who want to innovate with a toy that they see no future for. But people have started using it and want it. The product is no longer a toy and now they want to price it.This article was first published, in Spanish, on Computerworld Espaa as Dos aos de ChatGPT: la conversacin que no cesa.

The effort to re-shore chip manufacturing in the US could be in peril as a new presidential administration has signaled a shift in direction, all while a semiconductor industry seems at times to be struggling.President-elect Donald J. Trump has indicated the CHIPS and Science Act passed under the Biden Administration could be on the chopping block once he takes office on Jan. 20, 2025.Just last week, the federal government said it plans to cut back by more than $500 million the funding it planned to divvy out to Intel to build new fabrication facilities as the company has undergone layoffs in the face of financial challenges.Brandon Lucia, a Carnegie Mellon professor of electrical and computer engineering and CEO of chip startupEfficient Computer, believes the success of the CHIPS Act will hinge on three factors: substantial funding, advancements in manufacturing capabilities, and a thriving ecosystem of innovators in the U.S.Efficient Computer is planning to launch its first commercial chip an energy-efficient, general-purpose processor in the first half of 2025. As demand for more powerful chips grows in tandem with the evolution and adoption of artificial intelligence, Lucia predicts chipmakers will prioritize energy efficiency for improved longevity and performance; theyll also be forced to address sustainable manufacturing in semiconductor fabs to address environmental issues such as water runoff and carbon footprints.Computerworld spoke with Lucia about the state of the CHIPS Act and the future of chip manufacturing. The following are excerpts from that interview.Why do you believe President Biden has held off on actually disbursing the CHIPS Act funding? I wouldnt want to speculate on anything related to the enactment of government policy. I can tell you relative to the enactment of CHIPS Actthat I think theres a big opportunity, whether its the CHIPS Act or something else. Theres a lot of opportunity for big-time innovation, but you need a lot of money to get this stuff done.So, while Im not a political pundit, I think a big allocation of resources going into the domestic semiconductor industry is a great way to support innovation and to level up across the entire industry from innovation to manufacturing and everything in between.How can the current administration get the funds distributed over the next two months? I believe hes on a very tight schedule. I think that you have to get the funding out there. Its important to support the innovation economy around the semiconductor industry. It would be a real boon for the industry, whether through the CHIPS Act or not; its important to have that big allocation of resources into the semiconductor industry. That means university innovation, basic research and start-up companies.Its also about growing the ecosystem, and this is where I think the resources really begin to pay off in developing new standards and new processes, supporting things like advanced manufacturing and new technologies like chiplets and advanced packaging.When I choose a process node through which I will implement my semiconductor product, Im compelled by pricing, competitive performance and efficiency, time to market, and the complexity on the business side for manufacturing.How do you see chiplet-based processor packaging playing into the future success of the US semiconductor industry? For different components of my system, I may choose to make one chiplet in one technology node and a second chiplet in another technology node because they offer different advantages from a technology perspective. The opportunity with advanced packaging of chiplet technology is you can integrate multiple heterogeneous chiplets together; they can come from different fabs. Its very cool. Then you put it into a layer called an interposer and thats something you use to glue the chiplets together and also communicate between them. So it gives them channels and wires to talk back and forth. When you do that, you can produce very sophisticated designs that can take advantage of the best options in the market.Its also supportive of an ecosystem where a company like Efficient, can produce a chiplet the biggest value in our design and distribute that broadly. In the old days, even today, the way that typically happens is by selling licenses to the IP inside of your chip. So, that means I talk to a customer developing a chip and I can sell them design code resources and resources to use our architecture.Chiplets change the game. They say we can now produce a piece of hardware and sell that as a bare die off the manufacturing line, and you can integrate that into your heterogeneous chiplet-based product. So, it supports this innovation ecosystem where you can have many suppliers of chiplets with different capabilities and you can have a much simpler integration path. That path is emerging and its a very important piece of the innovation ecosystem moving forward. srcset="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/shutterstock_2195879183.jpg?quality=50&strip=all 7680w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/shutterstock_2195879183.jpg?resize=300%2C168&quality=50&strip=all 300w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/shutterstock_2195879183.jpg?resize=768%2C432&quality=50&strip=all 768w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/shutterstock_2195879183.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&quality=50&strip=all 1024w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/shutterstock_2195879183.jpg?resize=1536%2C864&quality=50&strip=all 1536w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/shutterstock_2195879183.jpg?resize=2048%2C1152&quality=50&strip=all 2048w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/shutterstock_2195879183.jpg?resize=1240%2C697&quality=50&strip=all 1240w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/shutterstock_2195879183.jpg?resize=150%2C84&quality=50&strip=all 150w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/shutterstock_2195879183.jpg?resize=854%2C480&quality=50&strip=all 854w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/shutterstock_2195879183.jpg?resize=640%2C360&quality=50&strip=all 640w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/shutterstock_2195879183.jpg?resize=444%2C250&quality=50&strip=all 444w" width="1024" height="576" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px">An example of a chiplet-based semiconductor where multiple smaller processors can work in tandem to address varying applications that are all tied together to serve a single purpose.Shutterstock/Pete HansenHow do sustainability efforts factor into the future of semiconductor production? There are several dimensions to sustainability when it comes to manufacturing and operating semiconductors. The first is carbon emissions [which is] wrapped up in production and distribution of semiconductor parts. In the academic research, we call that the embodied system in production. Thats all the carbon emissions accounted for in the production and distribution.Then you have operational carbon emissions. This gets a lot of attention in the media because of the enormous amounts of energy that go into running data centers handling AI functions. So, you have those two categories and any system represents a point in the tradeoff of the space between those. You can produce more specialized chips that increase the amount of embodied carbon. You have special purpose accelerators for every function of AI you may want to do in a data center. Each of them would have potentially higher speed and efficiency, so that decreases their operational carbon. But the embodied carbon in a system that has that many chips is higher because we had to design, manufacture and distribute each of those different designs, and so the costs go up.Which semiconductor manufacturer has the best chance of re-shoring its manufacturing in the US? I think there [are] a lot of interesting things going on inside Intel right now. I think theyre at an important moment in their existence. I think theyre pushing innovation in trying to develop what I think is the next generation and the generation after that in retail foundry services and manufacturing tech nodes. The conversation tends to turn toward their 18A node, which is a very advanced tech node. I think that will be a big win when Intel stands up manufacturing in the US. That turns into a roadmap for the future.Then you cant have [that] conversation without talking about TSMC in the southwest with their massive fabrication implantation effort going on there. When that comes online, that will bring some of most advanced tech nodes that exist today to domestic production, and thats important for a variety of reasons. I think over next few years the onshoring of semiconductor manufacturing for defense and security applications will be very important given the geopolitical state of the world today.Brandon Lucia holds one of his companys prototype chips.Brandon LuciaTrump wants the federal government to put tariffs on overseas semiconductor makers who ship their products to the US instead of funding companies to incentivize chips manufacturing here. Do you agree? I think in order to answer that question, Id have to be more tied into the function of government and the foundation for the tariffs. What I can say is both are approaches attempt to get at the same end point.I think getting the resources in to support the semiconductor manufacturing industry is incredibly important. Those are two ways to do that, but there are many other ways to grow the domestic ecosystem through policy, industry efforts and advanced packaging techniques.Regardless of the mechanism, I think the need is there. I think what we need are resources to do basic research and take those ideas and put them into innovative start-up companies, even in support of incumbent [companies] in expanding their efforts in advanced manufacturing and foundries. Again, were seeing that with Intel and their 18A chip and TSMC nodes that will be manufactured in the southwest.What kind of a thriving ecosystem is needed to support a healthy domestic semiconductor industry? I have a strong belief in fundamental research in academia and industry as a driver of this. You have successful examples in some of the bigger companies with research arms and many examples of big ideas emerging from more basic research that happens in academia settings.Its really driven economically, but also by things like the National Science Foundation directly supporting early-stage research that can be 10 years out from commercialization of a product sometimes. Much of what were doing at Efficientwas funded through the National Science Foundation. It goes back almost a decade.The other leg here is a thriving ecosystem of start-ups and an environment in which they can grow and produce value. You put all those things together and its a very big roadmap to how we could revolutionize the semiconductor industry. We can do fabrication of advanced nodes and packaging. This a la carte idea allows for new markets to emerge around this chiplet packaging technology.Then you have the ability for a startup to launch in a straightforward way to bring technology like that to market. Over a five-year window, a company could emerge and tap into all that research and tap into fabrication and manufacturing ecosystem to produce something thats really new and has a lot of value.This is really our origin story. We came from the result of research that went on for nearly a decade. We realized we were doing something new that was untapped in the market today.Is your companys design based on chiplets? Right now, ours is not a chiplet-based design. In the future, we see a big opportunity for going into Chiplet integration. Our architecture is called Fabric and its a way of mapping computation in space across computing resources implemented in a chip. The basic idea is we have our architecture and its scalable to include more computing resources, and without decreasing efficiency, we can increase the performance in a chip.With chiplet technology, we can have multiple chiplets on our fabric architected together, which is a big opportunity for us to scale up from where we are today, which is focused on embedded applications and things like infrastructure, and wearables and space and defense applications. We can scale up further toward the edge, maybe even edge-cloud and, some day, data center applications.

This is todays edition ofThe Download,our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of whats going on in the world of technology.The risk of a bird flu pandemic is risingHow worried should we be about bird flu? The past few months have seen some potentially worrisome developments in the US, including the continued spread of the virus among dairy cattle, the detection of the virus in a pig as well as cows milk, andmost concerning of allthe growing number of human infections.We dont yet have any evidence that the virus is spreading between people, but the risk of a potential pandemic has increased since MIT Technology Review last covered this topic a couple of months ago.The good news is we are in a much better position to tackle any potential future flu outbreaks than we were to face covid-19 back in 2020, given that we already have vaccines. But, on the whole, its not looking great. Read the full story.Jessica HamzelouThis story is from The Checkup, our weekly newsletter giving you the inside track on all things health and biotech. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Thursday.The moon is just the beginning for this waterless concreteIf NASA establishes a permanent presence on the moon, its astronauts homes could be made of a new 3D-printable, waterless concrete. Someday, so might yours. By accelerating the curing process for more rapid construction, this sulfur-based compound could become just as applicable on our home terrain as it is on lunar soil.Traditional concrete requires large amounts of water, a commodity that will be in short supply on the moon, and sending just 1 kilogram of it to the moon costs roughly $1.2 million.Instead, NASA hopes to create new materials from lunar soil and eventually adapt the same techniques for building on Mars. But creating the perfect waterless lunarcrete is easier said than done. Read the full story.Jenna AhartThe must-readsIve combed the internet to find you todays most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.1 Australia has banned under-16s from using social mediaBut the law is easily circumvented, and could create more problems than it solves. (WP $)+ Unsurprisingly, the tech giants arent fans of the ruling. (Fortune)+ Australians reactions to the news appear to be fairly mixed. (BBC)2 US retailers are urging shoppers to buy before new tariffs kick inIts yet another marketing tactic to drive sales during the busiest time for shopping. (WSJ $)+ Are you among the horde of this years Black Friday refuseniks? (FT $)+ How Trumps tariffs could drive up the cost of batteries, EVs, and more. (MIT Technology Review)3 Canada is suing Google for creating a monopolyThe suit is following in the footsteps of the US government. (NYT $)+ Its joining calls for the colossal company to sell two pieces of marketing software. (WSJ $)+ Googles antitrust gut punch and the Trump wild card. (MIT Technology Review)4 How China came to dominate the car export marketAnd spook the EU and US in the process. (NYT $)+ Generous government subsidies also played a not insignificant part. (MIT Technology Review)5 A UK politician says businesses should use robots over migrantsAutomating tasks like fruit picking would reduce the UKs net migration figures, he claims. (The Guardian)+ Inside Japans long experiment in automating elder care. (MIT Technology Review)6 North Korean hackers have stolen billions in cryptoThe illicit currency is funneled into funding its nuclear weapons program. (TechCrunch)7 America refuses to give up its dream of soldiers in exoskeletonsIts been testing the suits for decades. Why havent they caught on? (Wired $)+ This robotic exoskeleton can help runners sprint faster. (MIT Technology Review)8 Is it really possible to get paid to do virtually nothing?This Stanford thinks one in 10 engineers is doing exactly that. (404 Media)+ Big Tech has become preoccupied with identifying and firing freeloaders. (Insider $)9 GitHub can teach you to bake bread Featuring flowcharts, tables, and timelines galore. (Ars Technica)10 Heres how a diamond is grown in a lab Can you tell the difference between them and the real deal? (WP $)Quote of the dayIt is impossible to be a teen in most parts of the world without social media.Stephen Scheeler, the former head of Facebook in Australia and New Zealand, tells Bloomberg about his doubts whether Australias new ban on social media for teenagers can truly be enforced.The big storyNext slide, please: A brief history of the corporate presentationAugust 2023PowerPoint is everywhere. Its used in religious sermons; by schoolchildren preparing book reports; at funerals and weddings. In 2010, Microsoft announced that PowerPoint was installed on more than a billion computers worldwide.But before PowerPoint, 35-millimeter film slides were king. They were the only medium for the kinds of high-impact presentations given by CEOs and top brass at annual meetings for stockholders, employees, and salespeople.Known in the business as multi-image shows, these presentations required a small army of producers, photographers, and live production staff to pull off. Read this story to delve into the fascinating, flashy history of corporate presentations.Claire L. EvansWe can still have nice thingsA place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or skeet em at me.)+ Were witnessing a sandwich boom in the UK, and fillings are getting increasingly outlandish.+ Now Thanksgiving is behind us, its time to look forward to Christmas: specifically Mariah Careys smash hit All I Want for Christmas is You + The worlds oldest lizard has been recently uncovered in an unassuming quarry.+ Is it really 25 years since Slipknot first freaked out the world with their masked antics?