TheBreakthrough T1D Playprogram is a medical research charity raising money for critical research into diabetes.Read More

This year, Hulu officially became a part of Disney Plus, which means no more bouncing back and forth between the two apps if youre subscribed to both. The two services had some pretty noteworthy releases this year, including several new additions to the Marvel and Star Wars lineups on Disney Plus, along with a variety of binge-worthy shows from Hulu.Here are all the best shows released this year that you can stream on both platforms.Agatha All Along takes place three years after the end of WandaVision. It follows Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn), whos released from a magical spell by a mysterious teen (Joe Locke). As Agatha looks to restore her lost powers, she recruits an eclectic coven of witches, including a lover from her past, Rio Vidal (Aubrey Plaza), a divination witch Lilia Calderu (Patti LuPone), and a potions expert Jennifer Kale (Sasheer Zamata), to take on the trials of the Witches Road.Skeleton Crew is the latest Star Wars spinoff to hit Disney Plus. Its a coming-of-age story featuring four kids Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers), Neel (Robert Timothy Smith), KB (Kyriana Kratter), and Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) who get lost in a foreign galaxy after exploring an abandoned ship on their home planet. As they try to find a way back home, they encounter the Force-wielding Jod Na Nawood (Jude Law), and things only get wilder from there.If youre in the mood for a riveting historical drama to immerse yourself in, Shgun is a great choice. It takes place in 17th-century Japan, revolving around two key figures: the powerful Lord Yoshi Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada) and John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis), an Englishman who winds up in Japan following a shipwreck. The story is adapted from a 1975 book by James Clavell and is loosely based on real events.Along with Skeleton Crew, Disney Plus added The Acolyte to its lineup of original Star Wars shows this year. The Acolyte is set around 100 years before The Phantom Menace, The Acolyte was canceled after one season, its still worth watching if youre looking for a new spin on Star Wars.We Were the Lucky Ones is a heart-wrenching miniseries based on a book by Georgia Hunter, which chronicles her familys struggles as they fought to survive World War II and the Holocaust. Its centered around the Kurcs, a Jewish family living in Poland, who are separated when war breaks out and attempt to reunite. Some noteworthy names in this series include Joey King as the youngest sibling, Halina Kurc, and Logan Lermanas one of her brothers, Addy Kurc.As the title suggests, Marvels X-Men 97 is reminiscent of the classic and beloved X-Men: The Animated Series. It picks up one year after the events in the 90s-era series, which sees the return of Cyclops (Ray Chase), Jean Grey (Jennifer Hale), Storm (Alison Sealy-Smith), Wolverine (Cal Dodd), Rogue (Lenore Zann), and other familiar mutants as they face new challenges in the absence of Professor Charles Xavier.Speaking of Marvel, the companys first TV-MA series made its debut on Disney Plus this year. Echo offers a deeper look at the skilled fighter Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox), who first appeared as a villain in 2021s Hawkeye. The five-episode series touches upon her Native American roots, along with her troubled backstory that left her an amputee. Lopez, who is deaf, returns to her Oklahoma hometown, where she aims to take control of an enemys crime ring.Doctor Who has returned for a 14th series. This time, the alien Time Lord is portrayed by Ncuti Gatwa, who was first introduced as the Fifteenth Doctor during a 2023 Christmas special. The show hit Disney Plus in full this year, featuring the Doctor and his companion Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) as they investigate strange incidents across London while running into some new enemies along the way.The Bear released its third season this year, making it a good time to catch up on the Emmy-winning series. It stars Jeremy Allen White as Carmy Berzatto, a prestigious chef who moves back to Chicago after inheriting his late brothers Italian sandwich shop. The third season only expands on the chaos in the kitchen as a stressed-out Carmy juggles issues at home and work as he tries to transform his restaurant into a Michelin-starred spot.Based on the book by Charles Yu, Interior Chinatown is sort of like a show within a show, starring Jimmy O. Yang as Willis Wu, an actor and waiter in a Chinatown restaurant longing to break out of his role as a background character in a procedural crime show. However, things start to change once Willis witnesses a crime and detective Lana Lee (Chloe Bennet) asks him for help solving the case.

If nothing else, 2024 was the year Apple TV Plus firmly cemented itself as one of the best places to stream science fiction shows. This year, in particular, had a breadth of options, with sci-fi series ranging from cozy mysteries to old-fashioned noirs. Of course, theres more to the streaming service than just sci-fi which is where the likes of Pachinko and Disclaimer come in. If youre looking for something new to watch on Apple TV Plus, here are a few great places to start.This series stood out among Apples other sci-fi shows thanks to its dark tone. Constellation follows an astronaut named Jo (Noomi Rapace), who survives an evacuation of the International Space Station only to return to an Earth seemingly very different from the one she left. Its the kind of show that leaves you guessing as to what is really real and as the vibe turns even darker, that question becomes even harder to answer.Dark MatterBased on the novel by Blake Crouch, Dark Matter is yet another story about parallel universes. But dont tune out yet: even if youre sick of the multiverse, this is worth checking out. The show follows a physicist named Jason (Joel Edgerton) who manages to kidnap himself. One version of Jason lives a quiet, happy, yet somewhat unfulfilled life as a college professor. But in another world, hes massively successful yet completely lonely and will do anything to fix the latter.From Alfonso Cuarn, the director behind Gravity and Children of Men, Disclaimer is a psychological thriller starring Cate Blanchett as a journalist dealing with revelations about her past brought to light by a mysterious manuscript. The show plays with truth and time, as it explores not only the contents of the document but also how it has impacted everyone in the present.The first season of Pachinko did an incredible job of adapting Min Jin Lees historical drama, while adding its own twist, creating a multilingual narrative that jumps around in time. Season 2 simply continues this, delving further into a family story that spans four generations, though, this time, the story is largely focused on two distinct periods in the familys history: Osaka in 1945, and Tokyo in 1989.Okay, this isnt a new series, but with season 2 on the way in January, now is the time to catch up or refresh yourself on this twisted workplace thriller. The show is centered on Lumon Industries, a massive tech conglomerate that utilizes an experimental procedure for those working in its mysterious basement. In essence, they sever themselves into two halves: one in the outside world who doesnt have to worry about what happens at their 9-5, and another trapped in an unending office hellscape. Season 1 set up a number of mysteries, so the new episodes will have a lot to answer for.On the surface, Silo looks like yet another postapocalyptic drama, all gray and brown and dour. But its actually an excellent mystery, one that felt small in season 1 but has expanded as the show continues to grow in scale. And the good news is that theres still a lot of story to explore: the first two seasons only cover the first book in Hugh Howeys trilogy.Sunny is a murder mystery with a retrofuturistic twist. When her husband and son go missing following a plane crash, Suzie Sakamoto (Rashida Jones) has almost no information to start investigating, until she comes across the titular bot Sunny (Joanna Sotomura). Of course, Suzie hates machines, and so Sunny becomes something of an odd couple buddy story, as the two try to find out what really happened.Private investigator John Sugar (Colin Farrell) is in many ways a stereotypical PI: he drives a cool car, always wears a suit, and loves a great whiskey. Hes also the best man around for finding missing people. That all makes Sugar an excellent noir series, but partway through, a big twist turns into an equally interesting piece of science fiction one that looks to be going to some interesting places in its second season.

LatestMachine LearningStep-by-Step Exploration of Transformer Attention Mechanisms 0 like December 23, 2024Share this postLast Updated on December 24, 2024 by Editorial TeamAuthor(s): Shenggang Li Originally published on Towards AI. A Practical Walkthrough of Training Transformer Models with Insights into Positional Encoding and Its Role in Attention DynamicsThis member-only story is on us. Upgrade to access all of Medium.Photo by Abiyyu Zahy on UnsplashIf youre diving into AI and want to understand the secret sauce behind modern language models like ChatGPT or BERT, you need to get familiar with Transformers and their game-changing attention mechanism. These concepts are the foundation of cutting-edge NLP, and once you grasp them, youll see why theyre so powerful and versatile.Imagine youre trying to read a book, not line by line, but by flipping to any page you want instantly and picking up on the connections between parts of the story. Thats kind of what Transformers do in NLP. They ditched the old ways of reading word-by-word, like RNNs or LSTMs, and instead take in whole chunks of data whether its a sentence, a paragraph, or an entire sequence all at once. This gives them super speed in training and makes them great at spotting patterns across the whole text.At the heart of this magic is something called the attention mechanism. Its like having a spotlight that focuses on the most important words in a sentence while still keeping an eye on the rest.Were going to break it all down Read the full blog for free on Medium.Join thousands of data leaders on the AI newsletter. Join over 80,000 subscribers and keep up to date with the latest developments in AI. From research to projects and ideas. If you are building an AI startup, an AI-related product, or a service, we invite you to consider becoming asponsor. Published via Towards AITowards AI - Medium Share this post

Businesses are already being radically transformed by artificial intelligence (AI). Tools now exist that offer instantaneous, high-quality results in improving certain operations without the burden of high costs or delays. In fact, generative AI could completely upend the traditional ways that we measure success in business.Generative AI refers to programs that produce high-quality text, images, ideas and even complex software code in response to prompts (questions or instructions) from a user. Applications powered by data-driven algorithms enable users to quickly create high-quality content, redefining traditional measures of success.A small caf can generate aesthetically pleasing menus in a few clicks through apps like Jasper.AI. Online retailers can use generative AI chatbots such as botco.ai to provide 24/7 support, answering queries and offering advice.Businesses with an online presence can use generative AI to analyse social media posts in order to understand customer sentiment. AI empowers businesses by automating tasks like writing marketing copy, crafting social media posts and generating blog articles. Additionally, AI can handle routine customer inquiries, data entry and scheduling, freeing up valuable time for strategic initiatives.Platforms such as GPT-4, GeminiAI and Co-Pilot are either free or affordable, making it easier for even small firms to benefit from high-end capabilities once reserved only for bigger firms with bigger budgets.Generative AI tools can produce content in close to real time, and deliver results without forcing firms to compromise on quality. In fact, the AI tools get better at what they do as theyre exposed to more data.Businesses operating a family of models known as as a service models, can make particular use of generative AI. In one of these, known as content-as-a-service (CAAS), firms provide other organisations with quick access to quality written content and visuals. Once exclusively the domain of humans, these tasks can now be done by AI. Firms operating a software-as-a-service (SAAS) model can also leverage AI given that some programs now generate complex computer code.Old measures of successHistorically, project management and business success was largely defined through a simple formula:Cost x Time = Quality.Often touted as the iron triangle from the perspective of operational efficiency, this equation implies that, in order to attain a degree of quality, firms must balance cost with the time spent to achieve that level of quality.For example, requesting that something be both delivered quickly and at a high quality typically incurs higher costs. Proper planning and scheduling help ensure competitive pricing and reliable quality.Delivering results faster often translates to investing more resources, such as labour or specialised equipment, adding to overall costs. Conversely, delivering lower cost solutions would often come at the expense of quality.Generative AI can analyse social media posts in order to understand customer sentiment.Kaspars GrinvaldsA related trade off is that of speed versus accuracy. If something needs to be done quickly, accuracy is often compromised.AI has upended this thinking, as firms can now achieve both speed and accuracy at the same time by leveraging AI. This can enhance productivity and drive innovation without losing out on quality.Likewise, through generative AI, smaller companies with fewer resources are able to rub shoulders and compete with larger firms using AI-powered tools. They can do this by streamlining operations, creating cost-effective marketing content and delivering personalised customer experiences.This can make existing businesses more efficient, competitive and creative. It can also lower the barriers to entry into markets for prospective small and medium-sized business owners.Prospects for survivalMany generative AI tools are cloud-based, reducing the need for significant infrastructure costs. They are also user friendly, requiring no specialised expertise. This means that organisations no longer require specialised talent to drive competitiveness within their organisations.The UK governments recent autumn budget included a number of tax rises that will hit businesses, especially some small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that dont have the financial buffers to weather severe economic challenges.Companies may either put recruitment budgets on hold, or scale them back. Against the background of such a challenging economic environment, SMEs are using generative AI to transform efficiency and productivity as well as improve accessibility and reduce costs.Generative AI has reconfigured the Cost x Time = Quality formula and has enabled firms to do things both quickly and accurately without a trade off. For SMEs, it has torn down competitive barriers and the prospects for survival during economic upheaval.As generative AI continues to develop, companies must be open to embracing change and rethinking how they perceive everything they once held true. Otherwise, theyll have the wrong horse, for the wrong course.Kamran Mahroof, Associate Professor, Supply Chain Analytics, University of Bradford and Sankar Sivarajah, Professor of Technology Management and Circular Economy, Kingston UniversityThis article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Story by The Conversation An independent news and commentary website produced by academics and journalists. An independent news and commentary website produced by academics and journalists. Get the TNW newsletterGet the most important tech news in your inbox each week.Also tagged with

Artificial intelligence (AI) makes important decisions that affect our everyday lives. These decisions are implemented by firms and institutions in the name of efficiency. They can help determine who gets into college, who lands a job, who receives medical treatment and who qualifies for government assistance.As AI takes on these roles, there is a growing risk of unfair decisions or the perception of them by those people affected. For example, in college admissions or hiring, these automated decisions can unintentionally favour certain groups of people or those with certain backgrounds, while equally qualified but underrepresented applicants get overlooked.Or, when used by governments in benefit systems, AI may allocate resources in ways that worsen social inequality, leaving some people with less than they deserve and a sense of unfair treatment.Together with an international team of researchers, we examined how unfair resource distribution whether handled by AI or a human influences peoples willingness to act against unfairness. The results have been published in the journal Cognition.With AI becoming more embedded in daily life, governments are stepping in to protect citizens from biased or opaque AI systems. Examples of these efforts include the White Houses AI Bill of Rights, and the European parliaments AI Act. These reflect a shared concern: people may feel wronged by AIs decisions.So how does experiencing unfairness from an AI system affect how people treat one another afterwards?AI-induced indifferenceOur paper in Cognition looked at peoples willingness to act against unfairness after experiencing unfair treatment by an AI. The behaviour we examined applied to subsequent, unrelated interactions by these individuals. A willingness to act in such situations, often called prosocial punishment, is seen as crucial for upholding social norms.For example, whistleblowers may report unethical practices despite the risks, or consumers may boycott companies that they believe are acting in harmful ways. People who engage in these acts of prosocial punishment often do so to address injustices that affect others, which helps reinforce community standards.We asked this question: could experiencing unfairness from AI, instead of a person, affect peoples willingness to stand up to human wrongdoers later on? For instance, if an AI unfairly assigns a shift or denies a benefit, does it make people less likely to report unethical behaviour by a co-worker afterwards?Across a series of experiments, we found that people treated unfairly by an AI were less likely to punish human wrongdoers afterwards than participants who had been treated unfairly by a human. They showed a kind of desensitisation to others bad behaviour. We called this effect AI-induced indifference, to capture the idea that unfair treatment by AI can weaken peoples sense of accountability to others. This makes them less likely to address injustices in their community.Reasons for inactionThis may be because people place less blame on AI for unfair treatment, and thus they feel less driven to act against injustice. This effect is consistent even when participants encountered only unfair behaviour by others or both fair and unfair behaviour. To look at whether the relationship we had uncovered was affected by familiarity with AI, we carried out the same experiments again, after the release of ChatGPT in 2022. We got the same results with the later series of tests as we had with the earlier ones.These results suggest that peoples responses to unfairness depend not only on whether they were treated fairly but also on who treated them unfairly an AI or a human.In short, unfair treatment by an AI system can affect how people respond to each other, making them less attentive to each others unfair actions. This highlights AIs potential ripple effects in human society, extending beyond an individuals experience of a single unfair decision.When AI systems act unfairly, the consequences extend to future interactions, influencing how people treat each other, even in situations unrelated to AI. We would suggest that developers of AI systems should focus on minimising biases in AI training data to prevent these important spillover effects.Policymakers should also establish standards for transparency, requiring companies to disclose where AI might make unfair decisions. This would help users understand the limitations of AI systems, and how to challenge unfair outcomes. Increased awareness of these effects could also encourage people to stay alert to unfairness, especially after interacting with AI.Feelings of outrage and blame for unfair treatment are essential for spotting injustice and holding wrongdoers accountable. By addressing AIs unintended social effects, leaders can ensure AI supports rather than undermines the ethical and social standards needed for a society built on justice.Chiara Longoni, Associate Professor, Marketing and Social Science, Bocconi University; Ellie Kyung, Associate Professor, Marketing Division, Babson College, and Luca Cian, Killgallon Ohio Art Professor of Business Administration, Darden School of Business, University of VirginiaThis article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Story by The Conversation An independent news and commentary website produced by academics and journalists. An independent news and commentary website produced by academics and journalists. Get the TNW newsletterGet the most important tech news in your inbox each week.Also tagged with

The end ofCobra Kaiis near.Netflix confirmed that the third and final chunk of episodes from the series sixth season will premiere in February. The last drop of episodes will consist of five episodes.The first five episodes of the season premiered back in July, the second five episodes debuted in November.The series, created by Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg, cleverly continued the events ofThe Karate Kid film franchise. It alsoturned the films original villain, Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) into an unlikely antihero, who becomes a karate sensei himself and begins training students in the ways of Cobra Kai.While Johnny initially remained antagonistic with his old karate rival Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), they have since become allies against an assortment of enemies from the oldKarate Kid movies, most importantly Martin Koves John Kreese and Thomas Ian Griffiths Terry Silver.NetflixNetflixloading...READ MORE: Its Time ForCobra Kaito Come to an EndThe sixth and final season has focused on Johnny and Daniel working together to train a new generation of karate students for competition in the Sekai Taikai, a tournament of the best martial artists from all over the world.Cobra Kaihas been an improbable hit on streaming especially because it initially launched on a totally different streaming service. The show wasoriginally available on YouTube Red, a now-defunct paid subscription service within YouTube. After YouTube shut down the service, Netflix acquired Cobra Kai, and it immediately took off as one of the companys bigger shows. They have keptCobra Kairunning for four more seasons, longer than is typical for the company.But now its all over. The finalCobra Kaiepisodes premiere on Netflix on February 13, 2025. But thats not the end ofThe Karate Kid. A sequel film, featuring Macchio and Jackie Chan, will follow on May 30, 2025.Get our free mobile appThe Dad Movie Canon: 25 Films All Dads LoveNo dad can resist these 25 movie classics.

Our Experts Written by Brian Bennett Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement Why You Can Trust CNET 16171819202122232425+ Years of Experience 14151617181920212223 Hands-on Product Reviewers 6,0007,0008,0009,00010,00011,00012,00013,00014,00015,000 Sq. Feet of Lab Space How we test CNETs expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise.Table of Contents Our Picks Best overall Oxo Brew Conical Burr Grinder View details $75 at Amazon View details Easiest to use Baratza Encore Conical Burr Grinder View details $150 at Amazon View details Best for making espresso Breville Smart Grinder Pro View details $200 at Amazon View details Table of Contents Preground coffee is great, particularly thanks to its convenience. However, if you are looking to have more control over your grind consistency and the quality of your brew, grinding your own coffee at home is the way to go. It can be a drag to do by yourself, but if you've invested in an espresso machine or a drip coffee maker, it deserves a proper grind. A good quality coffee grinder will certainly make your morning routine unforgettable. The best part is that a coffee grinder isn't too complicated to use, particularly if you get an electric coffee grinder. Not only will it mean you won't have to crank it manually, but an electric device will ensure your coffee beans are processed consistently and give you grounds that are exactly the right texture to optimize flavor. Regardless of whether you use a French press or prefer a cold brew coffee maker, these automatic electric grinders let a discerning coffee drinker create the ideal coffee ground necessary to concoct their caffeinated beverage.I've found the best coffee grinders from Baratza, Breville and Oxo, whether for yourself or for a holiday gift. Alongside my three favorites is a list of the other electric grinders I've put to the test. The ultimate coffee grinding machines deliver consistent grind quality (be it fine or coarse, depending on the grind adjustment setting), with useful features and powerful motors. They're also easy to use and easy to clean. That said, I recommend Oxo Brew Conical Burr Grinder as the overall best, but don't worry, there's plenty to choose from if the Oxo isn't your speed. Also, be sure to read our guide tothe best home espresso machines if you're looking for other ways to improve how you have your coffee. Best coffee grinders of 2024 If you're a coffee drinker who needs a solid, all-purpose (relatively) inexpensive coffee grinding machine, I recommend the $100 Oxo Brew Conical Burr Grinder as the best coffee grinder overall. In terms of grind consistency, the Oxo Conical Burr Coffee Grinder placed second within my test group. That's behind the $200 Breville Smart Grinder Pro, which ranked first in grinding but also costs twice as much. The Oxo Brew Conical Burr Grinder can grind beans faster. While it has fewer coarse grind settings, Oxo's stainless steel machine is more versatile. The Oxo burr coffee grinder can grind fine enough to be used as an espresso grinder in a pinch. The stainless steel Oxo coffee grinding machine can also produce coffee grounds coarse enough for brewing a cup of siphon, French press and cold brew. Other pros are that the Oxo Brew is easy to clean and creates less of a mess when grinding than other grinders. $100 might sound like a lot, but keep in mind a quality coffee and espresso grinder should grind for a long time. You can't get much simpler than Baratza's $150 Encore. The Encore Conical Burr Grinder has just one control: a switch that turns the grinder on and off. That's not just easy -- that's easy easy. Continually pressing a button on the Encore's front activates the grind, too. Grounds from the Baratza grinder were relatively consistent in particle size. The machine is also simple to clean and less noisy when grinding than many other coffee grinders we've tested.

Key Takeaways Savings rates on several accounts still have annual percentage yields between 3.7% and 5%.Since the Federal Reserve lowered interest rates, your savings APY could see a slight dip.A high-yield savings account allows you to withdraw and deposit money when you need it. With only one week left in the year, the best high-yield savings account can still help you earn an annual percentage yield close to 5% on your savings. Rates are likely to go down in the coming year, especially if the Federal Reserve carries out additional interest rate cuts."HYSAs still have pretty good rates, even after rates have started to fall," said Danielle Flores, a CNET Money expert and founder of I Like to Dabble. "I signed up for a HYSA last month with a 4.1% rate that fell to 3.9% last week, but I am still earning a decent amount of money on my balance."An HYSA allows you to earn interest on money earmarked for your short-term goals or needs, such as a car repair or emergency fund. Although rates could dip, this type of account can still provide better returns than a traditional savings account.Today's best savings rates BankAPY*Min. deposit to open Varo 5.00%**$0Newtek Bank 4.70%$0LendingClub 4.75%$0Bask Bank 4.50%$0EverBank 4.40%$0Laurel Road 4.15%$0Synchrony Bank 4.10%$0American Express 3.80%$0Capital One 3.80%$0 Experts recommend comparing rates before opening a savings account to get the best APY possible. Enter your information below to get CNET's partners' best rate for your area.Compare the latest savings rates Last week's CNET average savings APY*This week's CNET average savings APYWeekly change 4.33% 4.23%2.31% Why a high-yield savings account is a good fit for short-term goalsDespite rates falling from last year's record highs, Flores recommends setting up an HYSA with money you're already stashing away.Unlike a high-yielding savings account, a traditional savings account usually offers just pennies on your savings.For example, if you make a one-time deposit of $500 into a traditional savings account with a 0.01% APY, you'll earn two cents over six months. If you deposit that same amount into a HYSA with a 4% APY (assuming rates don't change for the next six months), you'll earn about $10 in interest over the same amount of time. The $10 you earn for stashing the money in a HYSA might not seem like much, but every dollar counts toward your savings goal.How to choose a high-yield savings accountIt doesn't hurt to shop around for better rates to earn more interest while high rates are around. Experts recommend comparing rates, offers and fees once a year.Here are some things to look for in a HYSA:Minimum deposit requirements: Some HYSAs require a minimum amount to open an account, typically between $25 and $100. Others don't require anything.ATM access: Not every bank offers cash deposits and withdrawals. If you need regular ATM access, check to see if your bank offers ATM fee reimbursements or a wide range of in-network ATMs, said Lanesha Mohip, founder of the Polished CFO and CNET expert review board member.Fees: Look out for fees for monthly maintenance, withdrawals and paper statements, said Mohip. The charges can eat into your balance.Accessibility: If you prefer in-person assistance, look for a bank with physical branches. If you're comfortable managing your money digitally, consider an online bank.Withdrawal limits: Some banks charge an excess withdrawal fee if you make more than six monthly withdrawals. If you may need to make more, consider a bank without this limit.Federal deposit insurance: Make sure your bank or credit union is insured with the FDIC or the NCUA. This way, your money is protected up to $250,000 per account holder, per category, if the bank fails.Customer service: Choose a bank that's responsive and makes it easy to get help with your account if you need it. Read online customer reviews and contact the bank's customer service to get a feel for working with the bank.MethodologyCNET reviewed savings accounts at more than 50 traditional and online banks, credit unions and financial institutions with nationwide services. Each account received a score between one (lowest) and five (highest). The savings accounts listed here are all insured up to $250,000 per person, per account category, per institution, by the FDIC or NCUA.CNET evaluates the best savings accounts using a set of established criteria that compares annual percentage yields, monthly fees, minimum deposits or balances and access to physical branches. None of the banks on our list charge monthly maintenance fees. An account will rank higher for offering any of the following perks:Account bonusesAutomated savings featuresWealth management consulting/coaching servicesCash depositsExtensive ATM networks and/or ATM rebates for out-of-network ATM useA savings account may be rated lower if it doesn't have an easy-to-navigate website or if it doesn't offer helpful features like an ATM card. Accounts that impose restrictive residency requirements or fees for exceeding monthly transaction limits may also be rated lower.*APYs as of Dec. 24, 2024, based on the banks we track at CNET. Weekly percentage increase/decrease from Dec. 16, 2024, to Dec. 23, 2024.**Varo offers 5% APY only on balances of less than $5,000More savings advice:

Key Takeaways You can earn up to 4.70% APY with today's best CDs.Given the Federal Reserve's last rate cut, savings rates will continue to fall.Locking in your CD rate now will help your cash grow. CD accounts are a great way to earn interest on cash you won't use for a while. And while CD yields won't be on the rise anytime soon, don't let that deter you from locking in the highest rate available today.You can earn up to a 4.70% annual percentage yield with today's top CD rates. That's more than twice the national average for some terms.The Federal Reserve carried out its latest interest rate cut last week and is expected to gradually reduce interest rates in 2025, which means that CD rates (and savings rates) will likely drop soon.Here are some of the highest CD rates right now and how much you could earn by depositing $5,000.Today's best CD rates Term Highest APY*BankEstimated earnings6 months 4.70%Rising Bank$117.501 year 4.50%Limelight Bank$225.003 years 4.15%America First Credit Union$648.695 years 4.25%America First Credit Union$1,156.73 Experts recommend comparing rates before opening a CD account to get the best APY possible. Enter your information below to get CNET's partners' best rate for your area.Lock in a high CD rate before the year endsAlthough the days of sky-high CD rates may be over, it's still smart to lock in a high APY with one of today's top accounts.The Fed's actions play a key part in where banks set their CD and savings account APYs. When the Fed raises the federal funds rate, banks tend to raise APYs on these accounts. When it cuts the federal funds rate, banks cut their APYs.In recent years, the Fed hiked rates 11 times to fight record inflation, and CD rates soared, reaching 5.65% APY for the banks we track at CNET. Since the Fed started cutting its benchmark interest rate in the fall, savings rates have come down considerably.CDs offer the ability to lock in a fixed rate for a specified term, so your APY won't drop even if the Fed continues to lower interest rates. Locking in a high APY now can protect your earnings from additional fluctuations among banks. Today's top APY of 4.70% is still more than double the national average for some terms.How CD rates have changed in the last week Term Last week's CNET average APYThis week's CNET average APY**Weekly change***6 months 4.15%4.09%-1.45%1 year 4.08%4.03%-1.22%3 years 3.52%3.50%-0.57%5 years 3.46%3.45%-0.29% Think bigger than an APY when deciding on a CDA competitive APY is important when comparing CD accounts, but it's not the only thing you should look at. To find the right account for you, consider these things, too:When you'll need your money: Early withdrawal penalties can eat into your interest earnings. So be sure to choose a term that fits your savings timeline. Alternatively, you can select a no-penalty CD, although the APY may not be as high as you'd get with a traditional CD of the same term.Minimum deposit requirement: Some CDs require a minimum amount to open an account -- typically, $500 to $1,000. Others do not. How much money you have to set aside can help you narrow your options.Fees: Maintenance and other fees can eat into your earnings. Many online banks don't charge fees because they have lower overhead costs than banks with physical branches. Still, read the fine print for any account you're evaluating.Federal deposit insurance: Make sure any bank or credit union you're considering is an FDIC or NCUA member so your money is protected if the bank fails.Customer ratings and reviews: Visit sites like Trustpilot to see what customers are saying about the bank. You want a bank that's responsive, professional and easy to work with.MethodologyCNET reviews CD rates based on the latest APY information from issuer websites. We evaluated CD rates from more than 50 banks, credit unions and financial companies. We evaluate CDs based on APYs, product offerings, accessibility and customer service.The current banks included in CNET's weekly CD averages include Alliant Credit Union, Ally Bank, American Express National Bank, Barclays, Bask Bank, Bread Savings, Capital One, CFG Bank, CIT, Fulbright, Marcus by Goldman Sachs, MYSB Direct, Quontic, Rising Bank, Synchrony, EverBank, Popular Bank, First Internet Bank of Indiana, America First Federal Credit Union, CommunityWide Federal Credit Union, Discover, Bethpage, BMO Alto, Limelight Bank, First National Bank of America and Connexus Credit Union.*APYs as of Dec. 24, 2024, based on the banks we track at CNET. Earnings are based on APYs and assume interest is compounded annually.**Weekly percentage increase/decrease from Dec. 16, 2024, to Dec. 23, 2024.More on CDs