Is this mess even real?

The man who allegedly shot United Healthcares CEO has inspired a seemingly never-ending flood of conspiracy theories about everything from his eyebrows to the number 286.

In the nascent field of mycoforestry, tree-growers are combining saplings with symbiotic fungi to grow timber and mushrooms on the same plots of land.

The company and its Chinese parent invoked the First Amendment in urging the justices to step in before a Jan. 19 deadline to sell or be shut down.

A staff report by the Senate labor committee, led by Bernie Sanders, uncovered evidence of internal concern about high injury rates at the e-commerce giant.

MacworldLess than a week after the release of iOS 18.2, Apple has begun beta-testing the next iOS update. Its not yet clear when we can expect this release to into wide release or what features to expect in it, but it will surely be the first major iOS update of 2025.Apple Intelligence has been the focus of most iOS 18 updates so far, and were still waiting on the big Siri overhaul that adds personal context using the data on your phone and scores of new app intents that allow Siri to perform actions in apps. Those features are generally expected to come in iOS 18.4, which most believe will be released in March or April. If true, then iOS 18.3 would focus mainly on tweaks and improvements to existing features and will pause the gradual rollout of Apple Intelligence features.As of December 16, Apple has only released the first Developer BetaPublic Beta testing will likely begin later this week.iOS 18.3: New featuresWe dont yet know what significant new features are included in the iOS 18.3 beta, but we will update this section as we explore the update and learn more.iOS 18.3: How to install the developer betaYoull need to be registered as an Apple developer. You dont need to be in the $99 per year developer program to access the developer beta. A free developer account will do. You can get one via Xcode or the Apple Developer app in iOS. Heres how to do it via the Apple Developer app:Download the Apple Developer App from the App Store.Open the app.Tap on Account.Sign in using your usual Apple ID.Registered developers can choose to get the Public Beta instead by selecting iOS Public Beta in the Software Update screen. It may take a little time after registering as a developer for the option to appear in Software Updates.iOS 18.3: How to install the public betaThe public beta isnt out yet, but we expect it will arrive in a few short days. If you want to be among the first to test iOS 18.3, you can sign up for the public beta test. The process for installing a beta has changed in iOS 16.4. Heres how the new process works now:Click Sign Up on the Apple Beta page and register with your Apple ID.Log in to the Beta Software Program.Click Enroll your iOS device.Open the Settings app, tap General, then Software Update.In the Beta Updates section, select the iOS Public Beta.It may take a few moments after registering for the beta option to appear in Software Update.

MacworldHands down, the cutest charger you can get for your iPhone right now is this Ugreen Uno 2-in-1 model that will smile at you while your phone is charging. Normally $70, its now available for $44 at Amazon, a 37% savings and a great price for an adorable desk accessory.This tiny charger features a foldable magnetic platform that allows you to adjust the viewing angle up to 70 degrees so your phone can lie flat or at an angle to use Standby mode, check notifications, or scroll your Instagram feed while charging. Underneath the magnetic stand, youll find a 5W charging mat for your AirPods. But our favorite part of this charger isnt its versatility or 15W charging speed. Its its adorable personality: While charging, the tiny screen on the front of the Ugreen Uno displays a tiny happy face, which changes expressions as the device reaches 100 percent.So, if you want to clear up your desk of wires and have some fun with one of the most adorable charging stations weve ever seen, the Ugreen Uno 2-in-1 is on sale for $44 at Amazon. Just note, youll need to be an Amazon Prime member to get the best price. If youre not subscribed yet, you can try the service free for 30 days and still get the lowest price.That's a massive discount for a 2-in-1 chargerBuy now at Amazon

AI is everywhere, but from where I sit, there are some strong signals that suggest the road to AI Everywhere is going to be a long-distance endurance race, rather than a sprint.While these tools are seeing a lot of use since ChatGPT burst upon the scene, they are also generating lots of cost and despite all the marketing, it still isnt really clear if consumers arebuying hardware based on AI Inside.(Though it is already clear that workers areusing AI in the shadows).Even iPhone users usually the fastest adopters of cutting-edge tech seem to want convincing that AI is all its cracked up to be.Its almost as if people purchasing these products are a little turned off by a technology that threatens to destroy their employment, exacerbate wealth inequalities, and supercharge surveillance advertising in exchange for email summaries and a search engine powerful enough to help you file your next welfare benefit claim.Who could have seen that coming?When it comes to tech, consumers havedeveloped a resistance to the new. Theyve seen both bank accounts and politics hacked by technologies originally sold to them under the promise of making things better, and they are annoyed that the ad-free streaming television they began paying for now comes with added ads. Theyveseen this happen again and again, as a result of which they are suspicious of new tech even when it isprivate and trusted like the AI that Apple is promising to provide.Why do I think this?A recent survey of 2,000 US smartphone users by trade-in siteSellCellfound that 73% of iPhone users and 87% of Samsung users say the AI features they have been provided with in the latest software updates are adding little or no value.Samsung introduced its first genAI smartphone in March this year, while Apple rolled out Apple Intelligence with iOS 18.1 in October.The survey was taken beforeApple introduced iOS 18.2, and while it cant be seen as representative, I think it shows that the expectation that AI will somehow deliver a big bump in device and PC sales may be misplaced though server sales will see a big spike as service providers and businesses implement AI in their systems.This doesnt mean iPhone users arent interested in AI. Among iOS users who responded to the SellCell survey, 47.6% called it key in choosing a new phone; just 23.7% of Samsung users felt the same way. It may also matter that 21.1% of smartphone users already see AI as a very important deciding factor when choosing a new device.What are the most popular AI features on phones?While the survey does show theres some journey to go before the promise of AI resonates fully with its audience, it also reveals which of the features made available in iOS 18.1 (pre-Genmoji) most interested users: Writing Tools (72%), Notification summaries (54%), Priority Messages (44.5%), Clean Up in Photos (29.1%), and Smart Reply in Mail and Messages (20.9%).For comparison, Samsung AI users checked out thusly: Circle to Search (82.1%), Photo Assist (55.5%), Chat Assist (28.8%), Note Assist (17.4%), and Browsing Assist (11.6%).Its clear that Apples decision to Sherlock Grammarly (and do it privately) has given the company its most attractive suite of AI tools. People like tools that help them do everyday things better, it seems.That desire for enhanced productivity is also what is driving employees to use AI services for their work, sometimes to the detriment of security policies and customer privacy.At this stage in AI deployment, consumers still need convincing, and companies still need time to think about how best to deploy the tech though a recentCCS Insight surveyof business leaders showed that 82% are in the process of deployment. We are early in the mass adoption curve, and in that environment, taking a cautious and deliberate stance to adoption seems to be the best way to avoid falling into any unexpected disasters. Which is, oddly enough, how Apple has been approaching the topic since the get-go.Will you pay for AI?While I dont see platform-wide AI as anything like the same animal as the fast-growing assemblage ofcustomized focused AI servicesfor specific industries and tasks, it still feels like the opportunity to monetize general purpose mass-market AI services remains some way off.Apple users are a little more ready.They are a lot more likely to consider investing in AI subscriptions (which may yet justify OpenAIs gamble to offer its services through Apples kit), but subscription is a trickle, rather than a flood. The survey tells us 11.6% of them are likely to pay for a subscription to use AI services, in contrast to just 4% of Samsung users.However, most smartphone users (86.5% of iPhone users and 94.5% of Samsung users) said they wouldnotpay to use AI.The decision seems pretty polarized in that just 1.9% of Apple users arent sure if theyd pay or not in other words, theres a pretty clear division between the two sides. That means the task of convincing people to adopt is already entirely based on showing those refuseniks compelling usage cases that help themcome to terms with, trust, and develop the desire to use AI in some way.Gathering the tribesEroding this resistance and bestowing these services with an increased perception of value will clearly be part of the product management journey for Apple AI, and every other kind of artificial intelligence. It may well be that as the uses of these tools become more widespread, peoples enthusiasm will increase. It is worth noting that at some point prior to the introduction of Apple Intelligence, some reports were claiming that some inside Apple themselves remained uncertain if the first echelon of tools to ship would resonate with consumers.They may find themselves slightly relieved that while AI features dont seem to grab the attention of every iPhone user, the ones who are making use of the tools seem pretty enthusiastic. iPhone users are also trying the new AI services as they appear, with 41.6% of those owning an iPhone that supports them confirming theyd used them, mostly writing tools, notification summaries, and priority messages.What does this tell us?I think it tells us that the current trend of just waving at a gadget that happens to support genAI and calling it an AI smartphone or an AI PC or, in Apples case, a complete mobile to PC AI ecosystem may need to be refined.People need to feel more trust in these solutions, want to be convinced that potential damaging use is mitigated against, and most of all wantapplied use casesin which the tech can be applied in positive, life-enhancing ways. Its also possible that the hype of AI is already behind us, and that now the search must shift to identifying those compelling instances in which the tech addressessignificant human need.You can follow me on social media! Join me onBlueSky, LinkedIn,Mastodon, andMeWe.

Despite low unemployment in the IT industry, IT hiring has slowed over the past two years and is expected to plateau in 2025 as employers prioritize experienced candidates with specialized skills, according to three new studies. They found that companies are shifting from volume hiring to quality hiring, leading to fewer roles for tech job candidates.Staffing firm ManpowerGroup, which just published its Q1, 2025 report on hiring, claimed IT hiring leads all other professions in the US but predicted employers will still pull back on hiring next year because of economic uncertainty.As we move into 2025, were seeing stable year-over-year hiring trends, with employers holding onto the talent they have and planning muted hiring for the quarter ahead, said Jonas Prising, ManpowerGroup Chair & CEO.Overall, the studies by ManpowerGroup, online hiring platform Indeed, and Deloitte Consulting showed that IT hiring will increasingly be based on having flexible skills that can meet changing demands. Employers know a skilled and adaptable workforce is key to navigating transformation, and many are prioritizing hiring and retaining people with in-demand flexible skills that can flex to where demand sits, Prising said.Becky Frankiewicz, president of the North America Region at ManpowerGroup, said that while hiring plans remain steady, a closer look at the data indicates employers will adopt a more strategic approach in the first quarter of 2025, with a focus on retaining existing talent and prioritizing in-demand skills in areas like IT, financial services, and manufacturing, she said.Real time, we are seeing companies take longer to make a hire and seasonal hiring patterns are changing too, [with] more hiring earlier on in the season and less intense [during] holiday periods, Frankeiwicz said. This tells us this isnt your typical cycle. Were watching the labor market normalize at different speeds across industries. Its a sign that organizations are adapting and becoming more precise in their workforce planning.ManpowerGroupIndeed economist Cory Stahle said the latest US jobs data shows increased IT hiring, indicating stability heading into the new year. At the same time, Stahle reiterated past assessments by others of a potential cooling, as companies continue to rebalance after a hiring surge in 2021 and early 2022 driven by pandemic-related demand for tech services.Knowledge worker roles like in the tech and marketing sectors are cooling, Indeeds 2025 US Jobs & Hiring Trends Report said.Quit rates also reflect labor market dynamics and job seeker confidence. A declining quit rate could signal lower enthusiasm, as workers are less confident in finding new jobs, according to Indeed. After rising sharply during the Great Resignation of 2021-2022, the quits rate has steadily declined, Indeed said. In September, it hit 1.9%, its lowest since July 2015, before rising to 2.1% in October. The pullback in job postings, particularly in tech, likely affects job seekers confidence, Indeed said.Additionally, generative artificial intelligence (genAI) is affecting entry-level hiring, as more and more repetitive or lower-level jobs, such as helpdesk tasks, get automated. Those jobs can often be handled by AI agents such as Microsoft 365 Copilot, Amazon CodeWhisperer, and IBM Watson Assistant.IndeedRight now, genAI appears to have the greatest potential impact on knowledge workers, Stahle said. Recently released Hiring Lab researchshows that genAI often does well with theoretical tasks like creating a recipe and does less well at hands-on tasks like making food.AI isnt replacing jobs so much as it is reshaping the nature of work, said Elizabeth Lascaze, a principal in Deloitte Consultings Human Capital practice. She, too, sees evidence that entry-level roles focused on tasks like note-taking or basic data analysis are declining as organizations seek more experienced workers for junior positions.Todays emerging roles require workers to quickly leverage data, generate insights, and solve problems, she said, adding that those skilled in using AI, such as cybersecurity analysts applying AI for threat detection, will be highly sought after.Although the adoption of AI has led to some growing pains, many workers are actually excited about it, Lascaze said, with most employees believing it will create new jobs and enhance their careers. Our survey found that just 24% of early career workers and 14% of tenured workers fear their jobs will be replaced by AI, Lascaze said. Tenured workers are more likely to lead organizational strategy, so they may prioritize AIs potential to improve efficiency, sophistication, and work quality in existing roles rather than AIs potential to eliminate certain positions.These workers reported being slightly more focused on building AI fluency than early-career employees, Lascaze said. With so many early-career employees reporting excitement around using AI, organizations should establish reverse mentorship opportunities where tenured staff can learn the ropes.GenAI-related jobs are still rare, accounting for about two in 1,000 nationwide as of October. But they are growing quickly, according to Indeed.Along those lines, a new report by online interview platform Karat found that the share of US engineering leaders now hiring for AI engineer roles (60%) has nearly doubled compared to last year (35%) and theyre prioritizing AI skills:AI engineering (74%)Integrating AI functionality into products via API (62%)Data science (58%)The arrival of AI and genAI tools in the workplace has meant increased workloads and higher expectations for many workers. Both are major AI-related career issues: Indeeds recent survey on genAIs impact on workers found that 77% of AI users reported heavier workloads, yet nearly half were unsure how to use AI for efficiency.Many of Indeeds survey respondents said they face a lack of training, AI quality issues, ethical concerns, and disappointment with AI tools. Thats a critical mismatch with the 96% of C-suite leaders who expect AI to boost productivity, which is unlikely to happen until they align AI tools and training with workforce capabilities and expectations, the survey indicated.IndeedDeloittes own survey found 68% of older workers and 83% of early-career workers now use AI. Tenured employees with AI experience remain just as likely to embrace AI when given the right learning opportunities. And that opens the door for internal training possibilities.An internal AI skills marketplace could connect them with projects to apply their skills and enhance strategic planning, Lascaze said. Formal mentorship programs, where early-career employees are paired with tenured staff, can become safe places for junior staff to experiment with problem-solving, learn how to navigate their careers and deepen their interpersonal skills.

AIs emissions are about to skyrocket even furtherIts no secret that the current AI boom is using up immense amounts of energy. Now we have a better idea of how much.A new paper, from a team at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, examined 78% of all data centers in the country in the US. These facilitiesessentially buildings filled to the brim with rows of serversare where AI models get trained, and they also get pinged every time we send a request through models like ChatGPT. They require huge amounts of energy both to power the servers and to keep them cool.Since 2018, carbon emissions from data centers in the US have tripled.Its difficult to put a number on how much AI in particular is responsible for this surge. But AIs share is certainly growing rapidly as nearly every segment of the economy attempts to adopt the technology.Read the full story.Googles big week was a flex for the power of big techGoogle has been speeding toward the holiday by shipping or announcing a flurry of products and updates. The combination of stuff here is pretty monumental, not just for a single company, but I think because it speaks to the power of the technology industryeven if it does trigger a personal desire that we could do more to harness that power and put it to more noble uses.Read more here.This story originally appeared in The Debrief with Mat Honan, our weekly take on whats really going on behind the biggest tech headlines. The story is subscriber-only sonab a subscriptiontoo, if you havent already! Or you cansign upto the newsletter for free to get the next edition in your inbox on Friday.The must-readsIve combed the internet to find you todays most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.1 Mysterious drones have been spotted along the US east coastPeople are getting a bit freaked out, to say the least. (BBC)Although sometimes theyre just small planes, authorities say.(Wired)Trump says they should be shot down.(Politico)2 TikTok could be gone from app stores by January 19Last week, a US appeals court upheld a law forcing Bytedance to divest. (Reuters)The rationale behind the ban could open the door to other regulations that suppress speech.(Atlantic)Influencers are putting together their post-TikTok plans.(Business Insider)The long-shot plan to save TikTok. (Verge)The depressing truth about the coming ban.(MIT Technology Review)3 Authorities in Serbia are using phone-cracking tools to install spywareActivists and journalists found their phone had been tampered with after a run-in with police. (404 Media)4 Cellphone videos are fueling violence inside US schoolsStudents are using phones to arrange, provoke and capture brawls in the corridors. (NYT)5 AI search startup Perplexity says it will generate $10.5 million a month next yearIts in talks to raise money at a $9 billion valuation. (The Information)AI search could break the web. (MIT Technology Review)6 How Musks partnership with Trump could influence scienceEven if he cant cut as much as hed like, he still stands to make big changes. (Nature)Is deleting the IRS his worst idea yet?(Washington Post)The top cybersecurity agency is bracing for Trump. (Wired)Trumps win is a huge loss for the climate.(MIT Technology Review)7 AI firms will scour the globe looking for cheap energyLow-cost power is an absolute priority. (Wired)Its an insatiably hungry industry.(Bloomberg)8 Anthropics Claude is winning the chatbot battle for tech insidersIts not as big as ChatGPT, but its got a special something that people like. (NYT)A new Character.ai chatbot for teens will no longer talk romance. (Verge)How to trust what a chatbot says.(MIT Technology Review)9 The reaction to the UnitedHealthcare CEOs murder could prompt a reckoningHealthcares algorithmic decision-making turns us into numbers on a spreadsheets. (Vanity Fair)Luigi Mangione has to mean something. (Atlantic)10 How Chinas satellite megaprojects are challenging StarlinkBetween them, Qianfan, Guo Wang and Honghu-3 could have as many satellites.(CNBC)Quote of the dayWeve achieved peak data and therell be no more.OpenAIs cofounder and former chief scientist, Ilya Sutskever, tells the NeurIPS conference that the way AI models will be trained will have to change.The big storyHow to stop a state from sinkingApril 2024In a 10-month span between 2020 and 2021, southwest Louisiana saw five climate-related disasters, including two destructive hurricanes. As if that wasnt bad enough, more storms are coming, and many areas are not prepared.But some government officials and state engineers are hoping there is an alternative: elevation. The $6.8 billion Southwest Coastal Louisiana Project is betting that raising residences by a few feet, coupled with extensive work to restore coastal boundary lands, will keep Louisianans in their communities.Ultimately, its something of a last-ditch effort to preserve this slice of coastline, even as some locals pick up and move inland and as formal plans for managed retreat become more popular in climate-vulnerable areas across the country and the rest of the world.Read the full story.Xander PetersWe can still have nice thingsA place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas?Drop me a lineortweet em at me.)+ How to make the most of yourjigsaw puzzlestry them on hard mode.+Mr Tickleis a maniac who needs to be stopped.+ Asong about Christmasthat probably many of us can relate to, if were honest.+ If the original Home Alone was wince-inducing in terms of injuries, thesequelis even more excruciating.+ The best crispy roast potatoes ever?Ill let you be the judge.