As we celebrate the festive season and look ahead to 2025, its clear that artificial intelligence (AI) and automation are transforming the way businesses operate. These technologies are not only driving efficiency and saving time but also enabling a shift towards more strategic, value-driven work.For managed services teams in particular, AI and automation have traditionally been used to streamline processes, eliminate human error, and enhance customer value. But the role of AI is expanding rapidly in this space, snowballing to elevate standards of service delivery and giving teams a competitive edge.For years, AI has been primarily employed to automate repetitive tasks, freeing up human resources for more complex and strategic activities. Automation has been invaluable in reducing the time spent on routine processes, minimising errors, and ensuring consistency. Managed Service teams have leveraged AI to manage success metrics and deliver services efficiently, even when under pressure to meet rising customer expectations. These traditional applications of AI have played a critical role in delivering quick responses and maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction.As we wrap up warm for the festive season, its worth reflecting on how AI has ensured smoother operations and happier customers throughout the year. The efficiency gains and reduction of errors achieved through automation have become vital components in the ongoing drive for service excellence.Today, managed service teams are using AI beyond simple automation. AI is increasingly being integrated into sophisticated applications from predictive analytics to customer interaction and proactive maintenance. Advanced AI tools now analyse vast datasets, providing businesses with insights that allow them to anticipate issues before they arise and optimise their operations accordingly.Looking towards 2025, the future of AI in managed services is filled with potential. AI will continue to enhance customer engagement through personalised services, enabling businesses to offer tailored experiences that were previously impossible. Additionally, AI will play a central role in improving decision-making processes by providing deeper insights into operational data. This will give businesses the power to make more informed, data-driven decisions and further elevate the customer experience.The evolution of AI promises a new era of intelligent service delivery. Predictive analytics and proactive maintenance will become industry standards. As AI becomes increasingly integrated into everyday operations, the way managed services are delivered will be transformed, with service providers offering more anticipatory, data-driven solutions.Despite clear benefits, there are still barriers to overcome to enable the widespread adoption of AI in managed services.A key challenge is bringing everyone onboard. While younger employees may be enthusiastic about AI, others may be sceptical or resistant, fearing that AI might threaten their roles or make their jobs obsolete. Addressing employee concerns with unity and collaboration, much like the spirit of the holiday season, is essential. Emphasising how AI can enhance, rather than replace, employee roles will be critical for a smooth transition to AI-driven workflows.Training and upskilling initiatives will also help highlight how AI can make jobs more engaging by taking over mundane tasks. When employees see the tangible benefits of AI in their day-to-day work, they will be more likely to embrace these changes.The 12 Days of AIOn the First day of AI, we explore how AI is being used in marketing, the benefits and key use cases, as well as concerns and how marketerscan best take advantage of the technology.On the Second Day of AI, we look at the importance of truly understanding what AI isto enable true organisational transformation.On the Third Day of AI, we explore some of the key trends to keep an eye on, and prepare for,in 2025.On the Fourth Day of AI, we discuss the value of adopting AI responsibly, and outlines how businesses can build responsible adoptioninto their plans.On the Fifth Day of AI, we explore how AI is reshaping HR boosting productivity, addressing concerns,and preparing organisations for the future.On the Sixth Day of AI, we explore how leveraging AI and cloud can enhance business performance and sharetips for successful implementation.On the Seventh Day of AI, we explore the double-edged sword of AI in cybersecurity and how businesses can protect themselvesagainst the cyber grinches.On the Eighth Day of AI, we explore the key considerations and strategic frameworks essential for extractingmaximum value from AI projects.On the Ninth Day of AI, we explore the critical role data plays in AI implementation and the key steps business leaders must take to prepare their data for a successful AI future.As we look ahead to 2025, the role of AI in managed services is poised to expand even further. AI will increasingly be relied upon to handle customer alerts, analyse large volumes of data from monitoring platforms, and generate more accurate and insightful reports. This will allow customer success managers to engage more deeply with their clients, fostering stronger relationships and driving higher renewal rates.The journey towards full AI integration in managed services may be challenging, but the rewards of increased efficiency, customer satisfaction, and strategic insight make it a worthwhile endeavour. As we move into the new year, embracing AIs potential will be crucial for organisations looking to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving industry.Ben Clarke is director of managed services support atANS, a digital transformation provider and Microsofts UK Services Partner of the Year 2024. Headquartered in Manchester, it offers public and private cloud, security, business applications, low code, and data services to thousands of customers, from enterprise to SMB and public sector organisations.

A flurry of inflammatory headlines this week insisted that Microsoft had 'raised the white flag' and would allow customers to upgrade old Windows 10 PCs to Windows 11. That's not true. Here's how the comedy of errors unfolded.

Since the launch of ChatGPT, AI chatbots have soared in popularity because of their ability to do a wide range of tasks that can help you with your personal and work life. AI chatbots canwrite code, compose emails, draft reports,generate art,write Excel formulas, and much more -- at your command.Also: ChatGPT finally gets easier to organize on the 7th day of OpenAIChatGPTachieved worldwide recognition, motivating competitors to create their own versions. As a result, there are many options on the market with different strengths, use cases, difficulty levels, and other nuances.For the past two years, I have taken a deep dive into artificial intelligence and tested as many AI tools as possible -- including dozens of AI chatbots. Using my findings and those of other AI experts at ZDNET, I have created a comprehensive list of the best AI chatbots on the market.This list details everything you need to know before choosing your next AI assistant, including what it's best for, its pros and cons, cost, its large language model (LLM), and more. Whether you're new to AI chatbots or a regular user, this list should help you discover a fresh option you haven't tried before.What is the best AI chatbot right now?In May 2024, OpenAI supercharged the free version of ChatGPT, solving its biggest pain points and lapping other AI chatbots on the market. For that reason, ChatGPT moved to the top of the list, making it the best AI chatbot available now. However, sometimes, like in the past week, ChatGPT servers can go down, and you may need a backup.Also: I test AI tools for a living, and these are the only two worth paying forAlthough such outages are infrequent, having another chatbot in your back pocket is always a good idea. Keep reading to discover why and how ChatGPT compares to Copilot, You.com, Perplexity, and more.The best AI chatbots of 2024 Show less View now at ChatGPT ChatGPT is a hugely successfulconversational AI chatbotreleased in November 2022 by OpenAI. It has advanced capabilities, such as performing writing tasks well, including composing emails, essays, resumes, and lists. It is also highly proficient in STEM tasks likewritinganddebugging codeand solving complex math equations.Copilot outperformed earlier versions of ChatGPT because it addressed some of ChatGPT's biggest pain points at the time, including a lack of Internet access and a knowledge cutoff.Also: How to use ChatGPT to digitize your handwritten notes for freeHowever, in May 2024, OpenAI supercharged its AI chatbot, solving all those problems and giving it some of the most competitive features on the market -- primarily its latest LLM GPT-4o, which provides the chatbot with web browsing, vision, data analysis, file uploads, and GPTs.Many of those features were previously limited to ChatGPT Plus, the chatbot's subscription tier, making the recent update a huge win for users of the free version.Getting started with ChatGPT is easier than ever since OpenAI stopped requiring users to log in. Now, you can start chatting with ChatGPT simply by visiting its website. However, if you want to access the advanced features, you must sign in, and creating a free account is easy.ChatGPT features:Uses OpenAI's GPT-4o or GPT-4o mini when at capacity | Can generate text, solve math problems, and code | Impressive conversation capabilities | Free to the public Pros Writing skills STEM knowledge Conversational Cons Limits to GPT-4o Boots free users down to GPT-4o-mini when at capacity ChatGPT is a hugely successfulconversational AI chatbotreleased in November 2022 by OpenAI. It has advanced capabilities, such as performing writing tasks well, including composing emails, essays, resumes, and lists. It is also highly proficient in STEM tasks likewritinganddebugging codeand solving complex math equations.Copilot outperformed earlier versions of ChatGPT because it addressed some of ChatGPT's biggest pain points at the time, including a lack of Internet access and a knowledge cutoff.Also: How to use ChatGPT to digitize your handwritten notes for freeHowever, in May 2024, OpenAI supercharged its AI chatbot, solving all those problems and giving it some of the most competitive features on the market -- primarily its latest LLM GPT-4o, which provides the chatbot with web browsing, vision, data analysis, file uploads, and GPTs.Many of those features were previously limited to ChatGPT Plus, the chatbot's subscription tier, making the recent update a huge win for users of the free version.Getting started with ChatGPT is easier than ever since OpenAI stopped requiring users to log in. Now, you can start chatting with ChatGPT simply by visiting its website. However, if you want to access the advanced features, you must sign in, and creating a free account is easy.ChatGPT features:Uses OpenAI's GPT-4o or GPT-4o mini when at capacity | Can generate text, solve math problems, and code | Impressive conversation capabilities | Free to the public Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less View now at Microsoft In February 2023, Microsoft unveiled a new AI-improved Bing, now known as Copilot. This tool runs on GPT-4 Turbo, which means that Copilot has the same intelligence as ChatGPT, which runs on GPT-4o.In October, Copilot rebranded, making its UI much more modern, welcoming, and user-friendly. The rebrand also came with a ton of new features, including being able to chat using Copilot Voice, Copilot's version of ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode, but for free.Also:If these chatbots could talk: The most popular ways people are using AI toolsBesides those capabilities, Copilot already had most of the features the free version of ChatGPT gained in May, including access to current events, attribution (or linking to the sources it retrieved from), browsing the internet, uploading images and documents, generating images, and more.Copilot is the best ChatGPT alternative as it has almost all the same benefits. Copilot is free to use, and getting started is as easy as visiting the Copilot website. The tool also has an app and is accessible via Bing.Copilot features:OpenAI GPT-4 |Has access to the internet |Works like a search engine with information on current events | Free Pros Access to the internet Links back to sources Uses OpenAI's LLM Cons Grounded in Bing Not as strong as ChatGPT In February 2023, Microsoft unveiled a new AI-improved Bing, now known as Copilot. This tool runs on GPT-4 Turbo, which means that Copilot has the same intelligence as ChatGPT, which runs on GPT-4o.In October, Copilot rebranded, making its UI much more modern, welcoming, and user-friendly. The rebrand also came with a ton of new features, including being able to chat using Copilot Voice, Copilot's version of ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode, but for free.Also:If these chatbots could talk: The most popular ways people are using AI toolsBesides those capabilities, Copilot already had most of the features the free version of ChatGPT gained in May, including access to current events, attribution (or linking to the sources it retrieved from), browsing the internet, uploading images and documents, generating images, and more.Copilot is the best ChatGPT alternative as it has almost all the same benefits. Copilot is free to use, and getting started is as easy as visiting the Copilot website. The tool also has an app and is accessible via Bing.Copilot features:OpenAI GPT-4 |Has access to the internet |Works like a search engine with information on current events | Free Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less View now at Claude Anthropic launched its first AI assistant, Claude, in February 2023. Like its leading competitors, Anthropic can answer prompts conversationally for anything you need assistance with, including coding, math, writing, research, and more.Also: This free tool from Anthropic helps you create better AI promptsAlthough I have given this chatbot various superlatives in the past, including the best AI chatbot for image interpretation and the best for chatting, I would say that -- at the moment -- the biggest advantage of this chatbot is that it prioritizes privacy.Anthropic has made it as transparent as possible that it will never use a user's prompts to train its models unless the user's conversation has been flagged for Trust & Safety review, explicitly reported the materials, or explicitly opted into training. Furthermore, Anthropic has never automatically used user data to train its models.Also: Claude 3.5 Haiku now available to all users - how to try itBeyond its transparency, it is also a highly capable chatbot. If you want to use the chatbot regularly, upgrading to Claude Pro may be a better option, as it offers at least five times the usage limits compared to the free version for $20 a month.Claude features: Powered by Claude 3 model family| Accepts document uploads| Trained with information up to 2023| Free Pros Upload document support Chat controls Light and dark mode Cons Unclear usage cap Knowledge cutoff Anthropic launched its first AI assistant, Claude, in February 2023. Like its leading competitors, Anthropic can answer prompts conversationally for anything you need assistance with, including coding, math, writing, research, and more.Also: This free tool from Anthropic helps you create better AI promptsAlthough I have given this chatbot various superlatives in the past, including the best AI chatbot for image interpretation and the best for chatting, I would say that -- at the moment -- the biggest advantage of this chatbot is that it prioritizes privacy.Anthropic has made it as transparent as possible that it will never use a user's prompts to train its models unless the user's conversation has been flagged for Trust & Safety review, explicitly reported the materials, or explicitly opted into training. Furthermore, Anthropic has never automatically used user data to train its models.Also: Claude 3.5 Haiku now available to all users - how to try itBeyond its transparency, it is also a highly capable chatbot. If you want to use the chatbot regularly, upgrading to Claude Pro may be a better option, as it offers at least five times the usage limits compared to the free version for $20 a month.Claude features: Powered by Claude 3 model family| Accepts document uploads| Trained with information up to 2023| Free Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less View now at Perplexity Perplexity AI is a free AI chatbot connected to the internet that provides sources and has an enjoyable UI. As soon as you visit the site, using the chatbot is straightforward -- type your prompt into the "ask anything" box to get started.A title above the textbox reads, "Where knowledge begins" -- and it could not be more fitting.Also: 5 reasons why I prefer Perplexity over every other AI chatbotWhen you click on the textbox, the tool offers a series of suggested prompts, mostly rooted in news. The chatbot also displays suggested prompts on evergreen topics underneath the box. All you have to do is click on the suggestions to learn more about the topic and chat about it. Additionally, Perplexity provides related topic questions you can click on to keep the conversation going.These extensive prompts make Perplexity a great chatbot for exploring topics you wouldn't have thought about before, encouraging discovery and experimentation. I explored random topics, including the history of birthday cakes, and I enjoyed every second. Also: Perplexity Pro's AI absolutely aced my coding tests - but there's a catchOther perks include an app for iOS and Android, enabling you to tinker with the chatbot while on the go. Footnotes are provided for every answer with sources you can visit, and the chatbot's answers nearly always include photos and graphics. Perplexity placed first onZDNET's best AI search engines of 2024.Perplexity AI features:OpenAI GPT-4 Turbo and Claude 3 Sonnet and Opus for subscribers|Has access to the internet and current events | Provides prompt suggestions to get chats started | Free Pros Links to sources Access to internet Simple UI Cons Paid subscription required for GPT-4 access Some irrelevant suggestions Perplexity AI is a free AI chatbot connected to the internet that provides sources and has an enjoyable UI. As soon as you visit the site, using the chatbot is straightforward -- type your prompt into the "ask anything" box to get started.A title above the textbox reads, "Where knowledge begins" -- and it could not be more fitting.Also: 5 reasons why I prefer Perplexity over every other AI chatbotWhen you click on the textbox, the tool offers a series of suggested prompts, mostly rooted in news. The chatbot also displays suggested prompts on evergreen topics underneath the box. All you have to do is click on the suggestions to learn more about the topic and chat about it. Additionally, Perplexity provides related topic questions you can click on to keep the conversation going.These extensive prompts make Perplexity a great chatbot for exploring topics you wouldn't have thought about before, encouraging discovery and experimentation. I explored random topics, including the history of birthday cakes, and I enjoyed every second. Also: Perplexity Pro's AI absolutely aced my coding tests - but there's a catchOther perks include an app for iOS and Android, enabling you to tinker with the chatbot while on the go. Footnotes are provided for every answer with sources you can visit, and the chatbot's answers nearly always include photos and graphics. Perplexity placed first onZDNET's best AI search engines of 2024.Perplexity AI features:OpenAI GPT-4 Turbo and Claude 3 Sonnet and Opus for subscribers|Has access to the internet and current events | Provides prompt suggestions to get chats started | Free Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less View now at Jasper Jasper is specifically for users looking to incorporate an AI chatbot into their workflow -- there is no free plan, and you can't even access the chatbot without paying up. For example, when I tried using the AI, I was met with dead ends unless I subscribed. The least expensive option, the Creator plan, is geared towards freelancers and solo-preneurs and costs $49 a month. However, the investment may be worth it if you rely on an AI chatbot to generate copy for your business.Also: The best AI search engines of 2024: Google, Perplexity, and moreWith Jasper, you can input a prompt for the text you want written, and it will write it for you, just like ChatGPT would. The major difference is that Jasper offers extensive tools to produce marketing copy. The tool can check for grammar and plagiarism and write in over 50 templates, including blog posts, Twitter threads, video scripts, and more. Jasper also offers SEO insights and can even remember your brand voice.Whether you are an individual, part of a smaller team, or in a larger business looking to optimize your workflow, you can access a trial or demo before you take the plunge.Jasper features:Uses different LLMs | Summarizes texts and generates paragraphs and product descriptions | Checks for plagiarism and grammar | Starts at $49 per month Pros Different writing templates Copyediting features Plagiarism checker Cons Need a subscription to try Steep cost Jasper is specifically for users looking to incorporate an AI chatbot into their workflow -- there is no free plan, and you can't even access the chatbot without paying up. For example, when I tried using the AI, I was met with dead ends unless I subscribed. The least expensive option, the Creator plan, is geared towards freelancers and solo-preneurs and costs $49 a month. However, the investment may be worth it if you rely on an AI chatbot to generate copy for your business.Also: The best AI search engines of 2024: Google, Perplexity, and moreWith Jasper, you can input a prompt for the text you want written, and it will write it for you, just like ChatGPT would. The major difference is that Jasper offers extensive tools to produce marketing copy. The tool can check for grammar and plagiarism and write in over 50 templates, including blog posts, Twitter threads, video scripts, and more. Jasper also offers SEO insights and can even remember your brand voice.Whether you are an individual, part of a smaller team, or in a larger business looking to optimize your workflow, you can access a trial or demo before you take the plunge.Jasper features:Uses different LLMs | Summarizes texts and generates paragraphs and product descriptions | Checks for plagiarism and grammar | Starts at $49 per month Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less View now at You You.com (previously known as YouChat) is an AI assistant that functions similarly to a search engine. Like Google, You.com lets you enter any question or topic you'd like to learn more about, and you're immediately met with real-time web results, in addition to a conversational response. For example, when I asked, "Can you share some pictures of adorable dog breeds?", the chatbot provided six web links, seven pictures it pulled from the web, a conversational answer, and related news.The chatbot can also provide technical assistance with answers to anything you input, including math, coding, translating, and writing prompts. Because You.com isn't as popular as other chatbots, a huge plus is that you can hop on any time and ask away without delays.Also: My 3 favorite AI chatbot apps for iOS - and what you can do with themOne of You.com's standout features is that you can toggle between the most popular AI models on the market using the Custom Model Selector.The AI models included in the Custom Model Selector include OpenAI's GPT-4 and GPT-4 Turbo; Anthropic's Claude Instant, Claude 2, Claude 3 Opus, Clause 3 Sonnet, and Claude 3 Haiku; Google's Gemini Pro; and Zephyr (uncensored). That capability means that, within one chatbot, you can experience some of the most advanced models on the market, which is pretty convenient if you ask me. You.com features:Most leading LLMs|Lists sources for the text it generates | Longer answers | Free Pros Readily available Free Source Citing Cons Some answers stronger than others Subscription required for GPT-4 access You.com (previously known as YouChat) is an AI assistant that functions similarly to a search engine. Like Google, You.com lets you enter any question or topic you'd like to learn more about, and you're immediately met with real-time web results, in addition to a conversational response. For example, when I asked, "Can you share some pictures of adorable dog breeds?", the chatbot provided six web links, seven pictures it pulled from the web, a conversational answer, and related news.The chatbot can also provide technical assistance with answers to anything you input, including math, coding, translating, and writing prompts. Because You.com isn't as popular as other chatbots, a huge plus is that you can hop on any time and ask away without delays.Also: My 3 favorite AI chatbot apps for iOS - and what you can do with themOne of You.com's standout features is that you can toggle between the most popular AI models on the market using the Custom Model Selector.The AI models included in the Custom Model Selector include OpenAI's GPT-4 and GPT-4 Turbo; Anthropic's Claude Instant, Claude 2, Claude 3 Opus, Clause 3 Sonnet, and Claude 3 Haiku; Google's Gemini Pro; and Zephyr (uncensored). That capability means that, within one chatbot, you can experience some of the most advanced models on the market, which is pretty convenient if you ask me. You.com features:Most leading LLMs|Lists sources for the text it generates | Longer answers | Free Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less View now at Writesonic The Writesonic platform offers tools that help generate stories, including Instant Article Writer, which creates an article from a single click; Article Rewriter, which rephrases existing content; and Article Writer 5, which generates articles using ranking competitors.Part of Writesonic's offering is Chatsonic, an AI chatbot specifically designed for professional writing. It functions much like ChatGPT, allowing users to input prompts to get any assistance they need for writing.Other tools that facilitate the creation of articles include SEO Checker and Optimizer, AI Editor, Content Rephraser, Paragraph Writer, and more. A free version of the tool gets you access to some of the features, but it is limited to 25 generations per day limit. The monthly cost starts at $12 but can reach $2,000 for the AI + Human Content Service.Chatsonic features:Model-agnostic LLM framework |Aware of current events | Extensive feature suite, including voice dictation and image generation | Starts at $16 per month Pros Up-to-date Variety of use cases Free trial Cons Need to sign in A bit of a lag The Writesonic platform offers tools that help generate stories, including Instant Article Writer, which creates an article from a single click; Article Rewriter, which rephrases existing content; and Article Writer 5, which generates articles using ranking competitors.Part of Writesonic's offering is Chatsonic, an AI chatbot specifically designed for professional writing. It functions much like ChatGPT, allowing users to input prompts to get any assistance they need for writing.Other tools that facilitate the creation of articles include SEO Checker and Optimizer, AI Editor, Content Rephraser, Paragraph Writer, and more. A free version of the tool gets you access to some of the features, but it is limited to 25 generations per day limit. The monthly cost starts at $12 but can reach $2,000 for the AI + Human Content Service.Chatsonic features:Model-agnostic LLM framework |Aware of current events | Extensive feature suite, including voice dictation and image generation | Starts at $16 per month Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less View now at Blog Gemini is Google's conversational AI chatbot that functions most similarly to Copilot, sourcing its answers from the web, providing footnotes, and even generating images within its chatbot. For image generation, Gemini uses Imagen 3, which was crowned ZDNET's best AI image generator of 2024.At the company's Made by Google 2024event, Google made Gemini its default voice assistant, replacing Google Assistant with a smarter alternative. Gemini Live is an advanced voice assistant that can have human-like, multi-turn verbal conversations on complex topics and even give you advice.The Live experience is supposed to mimic a conversation with a human. As a result, the AI can be interrupted, carry on multi-turn conversations, and even resume a prior chat. The best part is that it is now available for iOS and Android users for free.Also: You can try Google's new 'AI Premium Plan' for free. Here's how (and why you'll want to)Google also offers a premium plan that costs $20 per month cost -- which is on par with other premium AI plans likeChatGPT PlusandClaude Pro. The Google One AI Premium Plan includes other perks besides Gemini Advanced, such as Gemini in Gmail and Docs, 2TB of storage, and unlimited Magic Editor in Google Photos. Still, if you want to try the tool before committing to buying it, read my piece, 'How to try Google's new Gemini Live AI assistant for free'.Gemini features:Powered by Gemini 1.5 Flash| Includes a "Google it" feature | Generates clear text and images quickly | Free Pros Free Access to Google Good text editing skills Cons No sources Can't help much with code Gemini is Google's conversational AI chatbot that functions most similarly to Copilot, sourcing its answers from the web, providing footnotes, and even generating images within its chatbot. For image generation, Gemini uses Imagen 3, which was crowned ZDNET's best AI image generator of 2024.At the company's Made by Google 2024event, Google made Gemini its default voice assistant, replacing Google Assistant with a smarter alternative. Gemini Live is an advanced voice assistant that can have human-like, multi-turn verbal conversations on complex topics and even give you advice.The Live experience is supposed to mimic a conversation with a human. As a result, the AI can be interrupted, carry on multi-turn conversations, and even resume a prior chat. The best part is that it is now available for iOS and Android users for free.Also: You can try Google's new 'AI Premium Plan' for free. Here's how (and why you'll want to)Google also offers a premium plan that costs $20 per month cost -- which is on par with other premium AI plans likeChatGPT PlusandClaude Pro. The Google One AI Premium Plan includes other perks besides Gemini Advanced, such as Gemini in Gmail and Docs, 2TB of storage, and unlimited Magic Editor in Google Photos. Still, if you want to try the tool before committing to buying it, read my piece, 'How to try Google's new Gemini Live AI assistant for free'.Gemini features:Powered by Gemini 1.5 Flash| Includes a "Google it" feature | Generates clear text and images quickly | Free Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less If you want your child to use AI to lighten their workload -- within limits -- Socratic is for you. With Socratic, children can type in any question about something they're learning in school. The tool will then generate a conversational, human-like response with fun, unique graphics to help break down the concept."It's a powerful studying tool that could help students double-check their homework, or get across the last hurdle if a question or formula just isn't making sense. And using the app is as easy as usingSnapchator talking to Siri," said former ZDNET contributor Jason Cipriani in his review.Also: How Google Socratic can help you with your homeworkThe app, available on the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store, also has a feature that lets your kid scan their worksheet to get a specially curated answer. The app does have some limitations. For example, it will not simply write an essay or story when prompted. However, this feature could be positive because it curbs your child's temptation to get a chatbot to write their essay.Socratic features:From Google |Type in any question to generate a response | Includes fun graphics | Supports scanning worksheets to get a specially curated answer |Free Pros Free Educational Easy to use Cons Doesn't write text No desktop version If you want your child to use AI to lighten their workload -- within limits -- Socratic is for you. With Socratic, children can type in any question about something they're learning in school. The tool will then generate a conversational, human-like response with fun, unique graphics to help break down the concept."It's a powerful studying tool that could help students double-check their homework, or get across the last hurdle if a question or formula just isn't making sense. And using the app is as easy as usingSnapchator talking to Siri," said former ZDNET contributor Jason Cipriani in his review.Also: How Google Socratic can help you with your homeworkThe app, available on the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store, also has a feature that lets your kid scan their worksheet to get a specially curated answer. The app does have some limitations. For example, it will not simply write an essay or story when prompted. However, this feature could be positive because it curbs your child's temptation to get a chatbot to write their essay.Socratic features:From Google |Type in any question to generate a response | Includes fun graphics | Supports scanning worksheets to get a specially curated answer |Free Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less View now at Github While there are plenty of great options on the market, if you need a chatbot that serves your specific use case, you can always build a new one that's entirely customizable. HuggingChat is an open-source chatbot developed by Hugging Face that can be used as a regular chatbot or customized for your needs. As ZDNET's David Gewirtz unpacked in his hands-on article, you may not want to depend on HuggingChat as your go-to primary chatbot. However, it is a good interface for building your own chatbot.Also: What to know about Mistral AI: The company behind the latest GPT-4 rivalAs Gewirtz said: "If you want something that you control, you can use HuggingChat to build a chatbot where you have visibility into every aspect of its functioning. You can choose to make that chatbot available online to other users and provide transparency to all users."Socratic features:Clean, ChatGPT-inspired interface| Entirely customizable| Great for developers or AI fanatics| Secure alternative|Free Pros Free Clean UI Customizable Cons Intermediate/advanced skills needed Have to create an account While there are plenty of great options on the market, if you need a chatbot that serves your specific use case, you can always build a new one that's entirely customizable. HuggingChat is an open-source chatbot developed by Hugging Face that can be used as a regular chatbot or customized for your needs. As ZDNET's David Gewirtz unpacked in his hands-on article, you may not want to depend on HuggingChat as your go-to primary chatbot. However, it is a good interface for building your own chatbot.Also: What to know about Mistral AI: The company behind the latest GPT-4 rivalAs Gewirtz said: "If you want something that you control, you can use HuggingChat to build a chatbot where you have visibility into every aspect of its functioning. You can choose to make that chatbot available online to other users and provide transparency to all users."Socratic features:Clean, ChatGPT-inspired interface| Entirely customizable| Great for developers or AI fanatics| Secure alternative|Free Read More Show Expert Take Show less What is the best AI chatbot? The best overall AI chatbot is ChatGPT due to its exceptional performance, made possible by its upgrade to OpenAI's cutting-edge GPT-4o language model, which makes it proficient in various language tasks like writing, summarization, coding, multimodality, translation, and conversation. The model also gives the AI access to current events.Another advantage of the upgraded ChatGPT is its availability to the public at no cost. Despite its immense popularity and major upgrade, ChatGPT remains free, making it an incredible resource for students, writers, and professionals who need a reliable AI chatbot.Best AI chatbotsPriceLanguage modelCurrent events capabilityKey featuresChatGPTFreeOpenAI's GPT-4o (GPT-4o mini when at capacity)Up-to-date on current events; has access to the internetCan generate text, solve math problems, and do coding. Offers conversational capabilities.CopilotFreeOpenAI's GPT-4Up-to-date on current events; has access to the internetWorks like a search engine with information on current events.ClaudeFreeClaude 3 family of modelsLimited current events capabilityUsers can upload documents such as PDFs to receive summaries and get questions answered.Perplexity.aiFreeOpenAI's GPT-3 and GPT-4 (for subscribers)Up-to-date on current events; has access to the internetCan provide prompt suggestions based on current events.JasperStarts at $39/monthUses different LLMs, including GPT-4Focuses on written text; has copy-editing features and plagiarism checkerCan summarize texts and generate paragraphs and product descriptions. Has over 50 different writing templates, including blog posts, Twitter threads, and video scripts.You.comFreeMost leading LLMsUp-to-date on current events; has access to the internetOutputs an answer to anything you input, including math, coding, translating, and writing prompts. Lists sources for the text it generates.ChatsonicStarts at $12/monthModel-agnostic LLM frameworkUp-to-date on current events; has access to the internetOffers voice dictation, AI image generation, and more.Gemini (formerly Google Bard)FreeGemini 1.5 FlashUp-to-date on current events; has access to the internet via GoogleCan provide relevant and useful writing assistance.SocraticFreeFrom GoogleKid-friendly; can help with homeworkChildren can type in any question and Socratic will generate a conversational, human-like response with fun unique graphics.HuggingChatFreeHuggingFaceCan have access to the internet if you'd like toYou can build your own chatbot using HuggingChat that suits your needs. Show more Which AI chatbot is right for you? While I think ChatGPT is the best AI chatbot, your use case may be hyper-specific or have certain demands. If you want an AI chatbot that produces clean, reliable, business-ready copy, for example, then Jasper is for you. If you want a chatbot that acts more like a search engine, Perplexity may be for you. Lastly, if there is a child in your life, Socratic might be worth checking out.See our breakdown below:Use this AI chatbotIf you want...ChatGPTThe best AI chatbot overall and a wide range of capabilities beyond writing, including coding, conversation, and math equations.CopilotAn AI chatbot with up-to-date information on current events, links back to sources, and is free and easy to use.ClaudeThe best AI chatbot if you want a chatbot that will not use your data unless explicitly opt-in.Perplexity.aiAn AI chatbot that combines the best of AI chatbots and search engines to offer users an optimized hybrid experience.JasperAn AI chatbot that offers more than 50 writing templates, copy-editing features, and a plagiarism checker -- making it an investment worth the monthly cost.You.comAn AI chatbot with the most advanced large language models (LLMs) available in one place for easy experimentation and access. ChatsonicAn AI chatbot that can write articles for you with its ability to offer up-to-date news stories about current events.GeminiAn AI chatbot infused with the Google experience you know and love, from its LLM to its UI.Socratic by GoogleThe best AI chatbot for helping children understand concepts they are learning in school with educational, fun graphics.HuggingChatAn AI chatbot that's best for building or exploring how to build your very own chatbot. Show more Factors to consider when choosing a chatbot There are many chatbots on the market and picking the right one can get confusing. Some factors to consider to help narrow down those options are:PriceLarge language model (LLM)Knowledge cutoffAccess to the internetLinking to sourcesBest use cases Show more How did I choose these AI chatbots? To curate the list of best AI chatbots and AI writers, I considered each program's capabilities, including the individual uses each program would excel at. As an AI reporter, I also tested each one myself. Other factors I looked at were reliability, availability, and cost.Individual use case: AI chatbots have many use cases often centered around productivity and ease of workflow. I included a variety that can serve as ideation, education, and content creation tools.Reliability: I kept information accuracy a priority during my testing.Availability: ChatGPT is popular, but not always available. I selected alternatives that don't have a user limit and are available at all times.Cost: Many AI programs are free, but some require monthly memberships. I included a mix of both, keeping budget-friendliness in mind. Show more What is an AI chatbot? An AI chatbot (also called an AI writer) is a type of AI-powered program capable of generating written content from a user's input prompt. AI chatbots can write anything from a rap song to an essay upon a user's request. The extent of what each chatbot can write about depends on its capabilities, including whether it is connected to a search engine. Show more How do AI chatbots work? Chatbots use LLMs to train the AI to produce human-like responses. Some tools are connected to the web and that capability provides up-to-date information, while others depend solely on the information upon which they were trained. Show more How much do AI chatbots cost? AI chatbot programs vary in cost. Some are entirely free, while others cost as much as $600 a month. However, many, like ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, and YouChat, are free to use. Show more What is the difference between an AI chatbot and an AI writer? The main difference between an AI chatbot and an AI writer is the type of output they generate and their primary function.In the past, an AI writer was used specifically to generate written content, such as articles, stories, or poetry, based on a given prompt or input. An AI writer outputs text that mimics human-like language and structure. On the other hand, an AI chatbot is designed to conduct real-time conversations with users in text or voice-based interactions. The primary function of an AI chatbot is to answer questions, provide recommendations, or even perform simple tasks, and its output is in the form of text-based conversations.While the terms AI chatbot and AI writer are now used interchangeably by some, the original distinction was that an AI writer was used for generating static written content, while an AI chatbot was used for conversational purposes. However, with the introduction of more advanced AI technology, such as ChatGPT, the line between the two has become increasingly blurred. Many AI chatbots are now capable of generating text-based responses that mimic human-like language and structure, similar to an AI writer. Show more Artificial Intelligence

An OpenAI whistleblower took his own life late last month in his San Francisco apartment.AFP via Getty ImagesBy Cyrus Farivar, Richard Nieva and Rashi Shrivastava, Forbes StaffSuchir Balaji, a whistleblower who formerly worked at AI juggernaut OpenAI, was found dead in his apartment in San Francisco late last month due to suicide, both local police and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said.No evidence of foul play was found during the initial investigation, Officer Robert Rueca, a spokesperson with the San Francisco Police Department, emailed Forbes.Balajis November 26 death was first reported Friday by the San Jose Mercury News. In October, the 26-year-old researcher left OpenAI and alleged the AI behemoth had broken copyright law by scraping the internet and infringing upon copyrighted work to train its AI models. He further asserted that the use of this data would harm the entire internet ecosystem.If you believe what I believe, you have to just leave the company, he told The New York Times.While generative models rarely produce outputs that are substantially similar to any of their training inputs, the process of training a generative model involves making copies of copyrighted data, Balaji wrote on his personal website at the time. If these copies are unauthorized, this could potentially be considered copyright infringement, depending on whether or not the specific use of the model qualifies as fair use.OpenAI has disputed his assertions and broader claims that it violated copyright law.Balaji worked at OpenAI for four years, contributing to the collection and organization of training data for OpenAIs star product ChatGPT. According to the New York Times, he was working on a personal project after leaving OpenAI.Balajis death came one day after a court filing specifically named him as someone whose professional files OpenAI would search as part of a lawsuit brought by numerous authors that sued the startup. OpenAI agreed to identify documents in his custodial file (if any) related to purported copyright concerns he has recently raised following his employment at OpenAI."In a statement, OpenAI expressed condolences over Balajis death.We are devastated to learn of this incredibly sad news today and our hearts go out to Suchirs loved ones during this difficult time, Jason Deutrom, a spokesperson, emailed Forbes.MORE FROM FORBES

What to watch this weekend.Credit: Netflix / Focus Features / AmazonThis Sunday marks the halfway point for December, which means that well be just about two weeks from New Years Eve and then . . . somehow itll be 2025. A quarter of a century down, three more to goif we live that long. In any case, we have serial killers, space marines and magical Colombian villages to explore in this weekends streaming guide. Theres some new animation to enjoy from the makers of Love, Death & Robots, an ambitious adaptation of one of the most important literary works of the last century, and lots more.Every week, I search high and low for the best (and sometimes worst) shows and movies for you to watch (or avoid), some of which Ive seen but plenty I havent. This is a guide for you and for me, as I like to stay on top of everything coming out and its just so easy to miss new shows and movies. If I miss anything in this guide, please dont hesitate to send me a tip on Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky or Facebook.Alright, lets dive right in!You can check out last weekends streaming guide right here.Whats New & Notable This Weekend (12/13/24)100 Years Of Solitude (Netflix)MORE FOR YOUBased on one of the most important novels of the 20th century, 100 Years Of Solitude is a lush, beautifully filmed adaptation. Im only a little ways into the 8-episode Part 1 (a second 8 episode half-season releases at an unspecified date) but Im already entranced. Check it out.Carry-On (Netflix)Taron Egerton stars in this flight-based terrorism thriller. Egerton plays TSA agent Ethan Kopek who is blackmailed into bringing a dangerous carry-on bag onto a flightor watch his girlfriend get executed. The bad guy is played by normally nice guy, Jason Bateman. This follows very much in the tradition of Die Hard as action-thriller dressed up as Christmas movie. Its getting pretty good reviews, too!Secret Level (Prime Video)Secret Level is a collection of video game-themed animated short films from the creators of Love, Death & Robots, the hit animated anthology on Netflix. This one is on Prime Video and has a lot of familiar games that it draws on, from D&D to Warhammer 40k. The quality of each short varies a lot, and the selection is kind of odd. I was surprised to see Sifu get its own episode given thats a pretty small, unknown game compared to PAC-MAN. Its also hilarious that Concordone of gamings most galling failureshas its own episode. The game didnt even stick around long enough to be here when the show came out! This lone episode will have a longer lifespan than Concord the game. 8 episodes are out now. The remaining 7 come out next Tuesday.Dexter: Original Sin (Paramount+)Im not sure how to feel about yet another Dexter spinoff, this one a prequel explainingas prequels dohow Dexter became Dexter, something that was effectively already explained in the main show, in about the amount of time we needed. Ill have to watch the premiere and see if its worth diving back into the Dexter-verse. The Dexter Extended Universe?No Good Deed (Netflix)From the creator of Dead To Me, a dark comedy about a middle-aged married couple in Southern California attempting to sell their home. Dark secrets, cutthroat buyers and more make this sound a bit soapy, but possibly a fun binge.The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (In Theaters)Im going to wait until this animated Lord of the Rings anime is out on streaming as it really just doesnt look like something worth seeing on the big screen. Its getting decent reviews, though audiences (84%) are far more upbeat than critics (52%) about this prequel. Im just not sure I love this style of animation for Lord of the Rings. Id rather see Western 2D animation, though thats just personal bias.Joker: Folie Deux (Max)Jokers poorly-received sequel is finally on streaming. You can watch the musical follow-up to the brilliant first film on Max. Since I never went to this in theaters, I plan on watching it soon. Its a musical, and by all accounts not a very good one, but I like musicals and frankly this sounds like a reasonably subversive movie that could be quite thought-provoking.Conclave (Peacock)With a 93% critic score and 86% audience score, Conclave is the stuff Oscar dreams are made of. Its a mystery thriller that takes place after the death of Pope Gregory XVII. The College of Cardinals comes together for a papal conclave to choose a new popeand things go spectacularly wrong.Bonus: Jane The Virgin (Prime Video)Ive been burning through the first season of Jane The Virgin recently (which I purchased on Prime Video) and its just fantastic. Its a rom-com mystery thats basically an American parody/homage to telenovelas. Gina Rodriguez plays Janea virgin who gets pregnant by mistake (I dont want to spoil it)and shes so, so charming in the role. I have a massive crush, no doubt. The rest of the cast is great also and really lovable and its a fun melodramatic mystery with lots of twists and turns. Im reminded endlessly of Bad Monkey, right down to the entertaining narrator and recaps. If you missed this show when it came out (debuting way back in 2014) do yourself a favor and give it a watch.What Im Watching WeeklyInstead of doing an entire section on whats currently streaming with trailers and all the restwhich can make these posts overly-long and bulkyI thought Id just do a rundown of some of the shows that Im currently following, some of which Im behind on or not sure Ill keep watching.I started the spy thriller Black Doves on Netflix but I keep getting tired and sleepy whenever I watch it and I think the show feels too slick and empty to keep my attention. A glossy, hollow, not very gripping spy drama thats tonally very hard to pin down, but not in a good way, despite its great cast.Ive been pretty impressed with Skeleton Crew on Disney+. The new Star Wars show has been billed as The Goonies in space which is pretty accurate, though its not as good as that movie. Still, Episode 3 brought Jude Laws character, Crimson Jack, into the mix and hes really helped the series find its stride. Honestly, hes already one of my favorite Disney-era Star Wars characters. I like how this show is just a fun adventure without a whiff of preachiness.Im also still catching up on Rivals (Hulu/Disney+) which continues to be one of my favorite things on TV thanks to a strong cast and some very steamy scenes. The show follows the showbiz shenanigans of the rich and famous in 1980s UK and its a ton of fun so far.Im a little behind on Outlander. Its a show that I really do genuinely like, but which also annoys me with its constant melodrama that can make some characters really feel like theyre stuck in a loop. Claire, in particular, just drives me crazy at times. And Im irritated that their sojourn in Scotland was so short!Im also enjoying the last few episodes of Shrinking on Apple TV. Season 2 isnt as good as Season 1, but I like the characters enough that Im not too bothered by it. Oh and Silo continues to be great on Apple TV, though Im an episode or two behind there also. Busy times!Finally, Dune: Prophecy will air its fifth and penultimate episode this Sunday and I just dont have any clue how theyre supposed to get me to care about any of it with just two more episodes and not a single likable or relatable character!What are you watching, dearest readers? Let me know on Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky or Facebook.Further Reading From Yours Truly:

Highly anticipated: FromSoftware president Hidetaka Miyazaki recently said that the company had no plans for a sequel to the enormously successful Elden Ring. Of course, that doesn't rule out other projects related to the IP. A trailer at The Game Awards revealed that Miyazaki was teasing an upcoming multiplayer spin-off. FromSoftware unveiled Elden Ring Nightreign at the 2024 Game Awards this week. The standalone co-op spin-off of one of the most popular PC games launches in 2025, with a network test scheduled for February.This year's Game Awards hosted several surprising world premiere trailers, but Elden Ring Nightreign might be one of the most unusual. Multiplayer has always been a crucial component of FromSoftware's "Souls" games, but a co-op-focused spin-off is somewhat new for the company and the series.The game has teams of up to three players exploring Limveld, an open-world map in a universe parallel to Elden Ring's setting. Limveld shrinks each night over a three-day cycle, taking inspiration from battle royale games, with a boss appearing each night. The game has eight playable character types.Nightreign might also incorporate roguelike elements. Players can obtain relics and upgrade their characters after dying. Furthermore, the map changes with each session.Players can sign up for the February network test at Namco's website. Pricing details for the test and the finished game remain unclear, but the beta is only available for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles. The final release will also come to Steam, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. // Related StoriesThe Game Award revealed various other upcoming titles, as well. CD Projekt Red showed off a gorgeous cinematic trailer for The Witcher 4, pre-rendered using an unidentified Nvidia graphics card, possibly the upcoming flagship GeForce RTX 5090. Sony finally announced an April 3, 2025, release date for the PC conversion of the critically acclaimed The Last of Us Part II. Sony's PC ports have maintained a reasonably good track record regarding performance and features, but TLOU2 continues a worrying trend of requiring a PSN account.Other significant surprises included a new Onimusha game, a sequel to Okami, the first new Virtua Fighter game in almost two decades, the next title from The Last of Us developer Naughty Dog, and much more.

Has it been a year already? Let's be honest. Almost nobody watches Geoff Keighley's The Game Awards because they care about the pat-on-the-back trophy presentations. We're there for the announcements and trailers. It's one of the best annual shows for giving us the latest gaming goodness in the form of a shotgun blast to the face. We sifted through the show and found some of our favorite updates and announcements. It is by no means an exhaustive list, so please forgive us if you don't see your favorite. Better yet, drop your favorite trailer or announcement in the comments for the rest of us to enjoy.We've also sprinkled in some of the award winners for the three people who care about that. So here we go, in no particular order.Intergalactic: The Heretic ProphetThe Last of US maker, Naughty Dog, surprised us with the reveal of a brand new IP. It's a sci-fi adventure with a strong female lead character named Jordan A Mun, played by Tati Gabrielle (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina). Mun is a bounty hunter looking for a criminal on a desolate planet from which nobody has escaped in 600 years. It should be a nice break from the post-apocalyptic zombie-survival series.Best Ongoing Game Hellivers 2, also Best Multiplayer GameThick as ThievesOtherSide Entertainment announced its latest project called Thick as Thieves. It's a multiplayer stealth action game with at least three playable anti-heroes trying to beat each other out of a heist. The game has an impressive production team that includes Deus Ex creator Warren Spector, Looking Glass Studios founder Paul Neurath, and Thief: The Dark Project lead Greg LoPiccolo. So we have high expectations. // Related StoriesBest Independent Game Balatro, also Best Mobile Game and Best Debut Indie GameThe Witcher 4While we knew CD Projekt Red was working on The Witcher 4, we did not really expect it to have any morsels for us this soon. It's only a cinematic trailer, so there isn't much to assume from it without further information. However, it seems Ciri is the star of the show. The trailer shows her as a full-fledged witcher sporting the Wolf School's iconic medium armor, drinking poison, and kicking monster butt. Since we did get to play a short segment of The Witcher 3 as non-witcher Ciri, CDPR likely expanded that idea. Don't be surprised if we get to play both heroes. It's just hard to imagine CDPR pushing out a enumerated Witcher game without Geralt. We shall see.Best Action Game Black Myth: Wukong, also Best Player's VoiceSplit FictionIndie studio Hazelight announced an intriguing title called Split Fiction. It's a co-op adventure that takes place in two worlds simultaneously. The split-world dynamic reminds us a lot of the 2021 split-world game Medium. However, instead of the two worlds being the real world and the spirit realm, Split Fiction worlds are sci-fi and fantasy. Unsurprisingly, it also has partner-game elements similar to Hazelight's It Takes Two. It's a unique idea that puts this one squarely on our radar.Best VR/AR Game Arkham ShadowMafia: The Old CountryWe don't have much to say about this one other than "Yay!" The Mafia franchise started in 2002 with the titular game. Mafia II launched in 2010, and Mafia III came in 2016. The entire series is excellent but should be played in order, as each subsequent title was progressively more polished than the previous. The Old Country is a prequel to the series set in the early 1900s in Sicily rather than America. If 2K Games and developer Hanger 13 continue with the trend set by its predecessors, The Old Country should be a fine addtion to the franchise.Best Community Support Baldur's Gate 3Elden Ring NightreignFollowing on the heels of the stupendously successful Elden Ring and Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, FromSoftware is taking the Souls-like in a slightly different direction in this co-op action spinoff. The trailer reminds us of other co-op games, notably the Monster Hunter series. Not much else is known about it, so we'll have to keep our earholes open for details.Best Narrative Metaphor: ReFantanzioThe Outer Worlds 2What else is there to say about this one other than "The Outer Worlds 2, Baby!" If you haven't played The Outer Worlds, what are you waiting for? It's a masterpiece from Fallout New Vegas developer Obsidian Entertainment. Many have rightfully described it as Fallout New Vegas in space. If you don't like Fallout New Vegas or The Outer Worlds, we can't be friends. Kidding. Not kidding.Best Score and Music Final Fantasy 7 RebirthBorderlands 4When Gearbox dropped its "NOT ACTUAL GAMEPLAY" teaser for Borderlands 4, it triggered millions of fans' saliva glands. The short clip gave away absolutely nothing, yet it sent folks chomping at the bit for its vague 2025 release. It was even one fan's dying wish to play it early, which Gearbox promised to see what it could do. The Game Awards gave us our first glimpse of gameplay that that fan is probably enjoying right now. Don't expect anything out-of-formula, though four new hunters, gazillions of guns, and plenty of trouble to get into and out of, as the case may be.Game of the Year Astro Bot, also Best Game Direction, Best Action/Adventure Game, Best Family GameThere were plenty of other trailers and Game Awards winners that we didn't have space for, so scrub through the full show (masthead), and let us know what you liked. Also check out our more indepth coverage of The Witcher 4 and Elden Ring Nightreign (queued to go live shortly).

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsDie Hard 2 (1990)Speed (1994)Gladiator (2000)Sometimes, the Christmas season means Christmas action movies on Hulu. Especially if the streamer has Die Hard for the holidays, as it does this year. But since everyone talks about Die Hard as a Christmas film, we decided to go with Die Hard 2 which is also set at Christmas as one of the three action movies on Hulu that you need to watch in December.Our other picks include the film that made Keanu Reeves an action star five years before The Matrix, as well as the movie that gave Russell Crowe his first and to date, only Oscar win for Best Actor.Recommended VideosNeed more recommendations? We also have guides to the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max,andthe best movies on Disney+.Related20th Century StudiosTwo years after the original Die Hard, Fox contrived a reason to bring back most of the cast for Die Hard 2. Even in the film itself, John McClane (Bruce Willis) and his wife, Holly McClane (Bonnie Bedelia), cant believe that theyre both caught up in another hostage situation on Christmas Eve. Its not Johns fault, hes just too observant when he realizes that terrorists have infiltrated the airport in Washington, D.C., as part of a plot to free dictator and drug lord General Ramon Esperanza (Franco Nero).Johns personal stake in this fight is that Holly is among the passengers who cant land at the airport while the terrorists have control. And with a communication blackout in effect, theres no way to warn the pilots that landing could prove to be fatal. John is also hampered by being surrounded by strangers who dont take his warnings seriously until the terrorists plans are already well underway.Watch Die Hard 2 on Hulu.20th Century FoxSpeed had a very audacious premise that made it a hit with audiences. Officer Jack Traven (Keanu Reeves) was warned that there was a bomb on a bus by a madman, Howard Payne (Dennis Hopper). And if the bus drops under 50 miles per hour then it will explode and claim the lives of everyone on board. Director Jan de Bont did a spectacular job of making that an exciting story, and the action is still thrilling three decades later.Once Jack manages to catch up to the bus, it falls to passenger Annie Porter (Sandra Bullock) to keep the vehicle above the bombs speed limit. This turned out to be Bullocks breakthrough movie as well as Reeves first real action role. While they were trapped on the bus, Jacks partner, Detective Harry Temple (Jeff Daniels), attempts to follow the clues that Payne left behind and prevent him from detonating the bus early.Watch Speed on Hulu.DreamWorksGladiator II has done very well in theaters this year, but theres no way its going to match the Oscar glory of the original, which won Best Picture and Best Actor for Russell Crowe. As an action flick, its immaculate. Crowe portrays Maximus, a Roman general who would have been the next leader of the republic, thanks to Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris), who loves him like a son.Marcus actual son, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), murders his father before this transition can happen. He also condemns Maximus to death, but only succeeds in having his family killed. Maximus survives as both a slave and a gladiator in the arena. However, Maximus warrior skills make him a hit with the Roman people, and that gives him a chance to get his revenge on the new emperor who took everything from him.Watch Gladiator on Hulu.Editors Recommendations

For the holiday season, its a great idea to take advantage of the available phone deals for an upgrade. If youre an Android fan, you should check out this offer from Best Buy for the Google Pixel 9, which was just launched a few months ago. The smartphones 128GB model is on sale with a $150 discount that brings its price down to a more affordable $649 from $799. Youre going to want to hurry with your purchase if youre interested though, as were not sure how much time is remaining before this bargain gets taken down.While the spotlight is shining mostly on its larger and more advanced siblings the Google Pixel 9 Pro and the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL the Google Pixel 9 still makes our list of the best Android phones as the best small Android phone. With a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars, we described it as one of the best Pixel phones Google has ever made in our review. Its designed to harness the capabilities of Gemini AI, but even if you dont use the technology regularly, the Google Pixel 9 is still a great smartphone.In our Google Pixel 9 versus Google Pixel 8 comparison, the advantages of the Google Pixel 9 are evident. The redesigned frame with flattened edges makes it easier to hold, and the revamped camera bar is a striking feature that holds upgraded sensors. The screen of the Google Pixel 9 also slightly increased in size to 6.3 inches from 6.2 inches, and its much faster with the latest Google Tensor G4 processor and starting RAM of 12GB.RelatedThe Google Pixel 9 is a fantastic Android smartphone, and its an even better purchase if you can get it with Best Buys $150 discount. Instead of $799 for its 128GB model, youll only have to pay $649, which provides excellent value for your money. Theres always high demand for Google Pixel deals, and that will surely be the case for a model in the brands latest generation of smartphones. Before all the stocks that are up for sale get picked up, youre going to want to secure your own Google Pixel 9 by completing your transaction for one as soon as you can.Editors Recommendations

Mark Zuckerbergs company is siding with Elon Musk in a fight against the developer of ChatGPT.