Closeup shot of two businessmen shaking hands in an officegettyOne of the things that has stuck out to me over the last two years of market consolidation around AI is that a few companies have become household names in a really profound sense.In a way, thats not unusual for markets like this. Weve been familiar with brands like Ford and Chevrolet for most of the years that automobiles have been on the road. Coke and Pepsi have slugged it out in the cola wars, with RC as a distant third.Its a little different with tech, though, in a number of ways, and one of those is related to the versatility of modern companies. This isnt just entrepreneurial whim its something that needs to happen. The landscape is changing so quickly that any company that cant pivot will be left behind in the blink of an eye.In fact, you could make the argument that even the biggest names are struggling to catch up with each other. Lets look at three pieces of AI news that illustrate this mad scramble for tech dominance.Integrating AI in SearchAs new and more powerful models like ChatGPT o1 come out,were seeing that one of the fundamental use cases is replacing old keyword-based search.To put another way, why on earth would you go to a browser bar and type in keywords to look for results, if you could just ask an LLM to bring you those results instead?Theres a major format change, and also a change in the philosophy of search, if you will we are doing less of the active searching, and the process is much more automated.MORE FOR YOUAlso, instead of combing through hyperlinks for hours, you get detailed results that are targeted, in just seconds or even parts of seconds!So when I saw that Google is integrating an AI search function powered by Gemini into its long-dominant search engine, that was no surprise. To be fair, The Verge had been breakingheadlines related to this as early as this May. Now, Amir Efrati at The Information notes that Google is trying to recover some of that market and attention from OpenAI, which has been dominant in-AI powered search since its inception. If you dont believe me, just go on the street and ask people: what is ChatGPT? Even those with almost no connection to the industry or the market will know what you mean, and thats not really the case with Gemini, or Perplexity, or any of those other tools.Nvidias Big Web Services Business IdeaThis one, for right now, has to fall in the realm of rumor - some are suggesting that Nvidia is about to make its play in B2B cloud and software services.For over a decade, Amazon Web Services (or AWS to its friends) has been the breakout provider of these vendor services to enterprise. You could argue that Microsoft is giving them a run for their money, but AWS is unmistakably the household name for things like object storage and serverless computing, or some kinds of virtualization instances.However, Nvidia is now the biggest American technology company by market cap, and able to do quite a lot of what it puts its mind to.So if, as articles like this one suggest, Nvidia wants to start selling web services and software subscriptions to businesses,leaders are estimating that the company can make $150 billion a year!But it wouldnt just be the money, either that AWS branding would be challenged in executive rooms all over the world.Open AIs Publisher initiativeHere, the tech companies are actually trying to turn straw into gold with media partnerships to address that burning question of who profits from journalists workYou can take a look at headlines like these on lawsuits by independent publishers like Raw Story to see what kinds of challenges OpenAI and others are dealing with. Essentially, if AI is using copyrighted journalism content for training, that could be running afoul of IP laws. Companies have been doing this for years prior to the AI revolution, scurrilous firms were taking web-published journalism and reconstituting it under different format and branding, in ways that seemed abundantly illegal.Now, though, OpenAI is able to, again, pivot, and change its business model in positive ways. Take a look at this news on OpenAIs agreement with the Associated Press where the AP suggests it will be able to find that balance, where journalism content will be protected, but OpenAI can use aspects of the companys data for training.If these partnerships are successful, theyll probably represent the new model for news content moving forward. And we do need a new model, as newsrooms around the country continue to struggle.Those are three of the things that are happening right now that are likely to have a major impact on what we see coming out of the enterprise world as we move into 2025.

ForbesOn game days, almost 70,000 fans pack Lumen Field, the home of the Seattle Seahawks.As well as cheering on their team, they expect to be able to use their smartphones to keep track of sports action beyond the stadium between plays. To meet this data demand, Lumen Technologies, a global communications provider, assisted with the design and installation of the Wi-Fi system, including fitting under-seat access points in this innovative approach to meet the challenges of providing signal in the high-density environment.Meanwhile, for viewers watching at home, Lumens Vyvx broadcast solution encodes video feeds from multiple cameras and seamlessly transmits them over their high-speed on-net fiber network. These feeds enable TV networks and streaming services to overlay advanced data analytics and graphics, providing a richer, more immersive viewing experience.Speaking at the 2024 Forbes CIO Summit in New York City, Dave Ward, Lumens chief technology and product officer, marveled at how game day has fundamentally changed in the past few years.Below, explore four insights from Ward on how networking improvements are a big win for sports fans.ForbesDiscover how Lumen powers game day for the Seattle Seahawks and beyond. For more speaker insights from this years Forbes CIO Summit, watch the full event.

Transparency is not only a regulatory necessityit's a competitive advantage.

Facepalm: Oh dear, Asus. By trying to get into the holiday season, the company has managed to annoy a number of its customers by making them believe they'd been infected with malware. The end result of the alarmingly named Christmas.exe is a desktop banner that takes up a third of the screen and it can even crash apps. Several people were understandably horrified recently when an intrusive banner featuring a Christmas wreath with festive lights and a red button in the center appeared on their desktops, as shown above.As noted by Windows Latest, several users who saw the banners have posted on forums asking if this is some new form of malware. The fact it is associated with a process called Christmas.exe exacerbated those fears.But it turns out that the banner isn't malware. It's actually part of the festive events option in Asus' Armoury Crate software, which comes pre-installed on some Asus PCs and can be downloaded to customize certain Asus hardware.The banner is just a holiday-themed splash screen, but Asus doesn't even include the company name or explain what it is. The banner eventually disappears, and it doesn't appear in the task manager unless it's kept open."I can't imagine there won't be consequences for suddenly introducing an intrusive forced pop up with no name, no information, that's vanishing without any trace afterwards, showing in the first layer above everything else. That's what a virus does," wrote Redditor Avrael_Asgard. // Related Stories"Turn on my PC and log in to see a janky, stretched neon christmas "game" running across my desktop. Immediately think I'm being ransomwared (look up christmas-themed malware). No ASUS logo in sight," complained a user on Asus' own forum.The Armoury Crate software has long been highlighted as the worst element of most Asus products. It has improved slightly over the years, admittedly, but most people still hate it.If you want to get rid of the screen banner, you can do so by going into the Aura Effects section of the Armoury Create app and toggling Festive Effects off. But the best option is problably to uninstall Armoury Crate altogether. Those with an Asus motherboard might have to enter the BIOS to disable a feature that downloads and installs the software automatically.Asus hasn't had the best year when it comes to maintaining good public relations. The company was forced to apologize after YouTube channel Gamers Nexus returned an Asus ROG Ally handheld (bought to review) to the firm so it could repair a thumbstick problem under warranty.Asus rejected the claim because of what it called a damaged chassis; a dent so small that a microscope was required to see it. There was also mention of liquid damage, something Gamers Nexus said "came out of nowhere," and faulty connectors, which GN knew nothing about. Asus said it required $191 to fix the damage, ignoring the joystick problem that it was sent in for, and even suggested that not paying the money could lead to the Ally being sent back disassembled. It led to a flood of stories about the firm's poor RMA process.

In a nutshell: Inspired by Iron Man, South Korean researchers have developed a lightweight wearable robot designed to help wheelchair users walk. Known as the WalkON Suit F1, this advanced exoskeleton attaches to individuals with paraplegia, providing powered leg mobility to enable them to navigate their surroundings on foot. The researchers are from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology's (KAIST) Exoskeleton Lab. Kim Seung-hwan, a team member who uses a wheelchair himself, demonstrated the prototype's capabilities to Reuters.The 110-pound suit is powered by a dozen motors that replicate natural joint movements during walking. Sensors embedded throughout the suit monitor over 1,000 data points per second, allowing it to anticipate the user's intended motion and maintain proper balance. It also features camera vision that scans the environment, identifies obstacles and elevation changes, and compensates for the user's limited environmental awareness.One standout feature Kim highlighted is the suit's ability to locate and attach itself to the user while they are still seated in their wheelchair.Using the suit, Kim was able to walk at approximately 2 mph, climb stairs, and even perform complex maneuvers, such as sidestepping onto a bench.The researchers aimed to design an assistive robot that seamlessly integrates into the daily lives of individuals with disabilities. Team member Park Jeong-su shared that he drew inspiration from the Iron Man superhero, envisioning technology as a tool to empower and assist people. // Related StoriesTheir efforts culminated in success when Kim won gold in the exoskeleton category at Cybathlon 2024 while using the WalkON Suit. The competition, held from October 25 to 27, showcased a variety of assistive robotic technologies across eight categories, operated by developers with diverse disabilities.Meanwhile, the silver medal was awarded to Switzerland's VariLeg Enhanced exoskeleton, which features an innovative hybrid design capable of transforming between a self-propelled wheelchair and a walking assistance robot. Taking third place went to Thailand's ChiangMaiU EXO 2, a suit with an impressive 10 degrees of freedom, enabling lateral movements such as sidestepping alongside forward locomotion.Although exoskeletons have been studied since the 1960s, integrating them into daily life for paraplegics remains a significant challenge. Current designs often struggle with adaptability, cumbersome fitting processes, and cognitive demands that limit their usability. Competitions like Cybathlon aim to address these hurdles by incentivizing the development of more advanced and user-friendly exoskeletons.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 is just around the corner. We expect it to be announced on January 22 at the Galaxy Unpacked event thats expected to be happening that day, and a new leak further corroborates that information while adding in a few more tidbits we didnt know before.Tipster Jukanlosreve shared the news on X, citing a very reliable source that confirmed the Galaxy S25 will officially be on sale in Korea (and presumably the U.S.) on February 7. In addition, the leaker says the Slim model will also be shown at the Unpacked event.Recommended VideosIn another reply in the comments of his post, Jukanlosreve also confirms that the Galaxy S25 will have the Snapdragon 8 Elite across the globe. Earlier theories had posited that some regions might still see flagships sporting the Exynos chip, but that no longer appears to be the case.Please enable Javascript to view this contentSamsung is officially launching the S25 series in Korea on February 7. Also, it has been confirmed that the Slim model will be revealed at the Unpacked event.The article once again mentions that the S25 Ultra will feature 16GB of RAM in the 512GB and 1TB variants, just as I Jukanlosreve (@Jukanlosreve) December 23, 2024RelatedThis leak backed up a lot of information that had previously seeped through, but it also supports the idea of a potential price hike. According to the source story from a reporter named Jang Min-kwon at FNN News the exchange rate has been on an upward trend since South Koreas martial law incident earlier this month, and that could reflect an increase in the Galaxy S25s price point.Theres not a clear picture of how much the price might increase. The report states that Samsung fears lower sales if the price is increased too much. Based on the previous sale prices, alongside the increased base RAM and storage capacity, we would estimate somewhere between a $50 to $100 price hike. It isnt ideal, but that number isnt as catastrophic as it could be.The rumors of a price increase are nothing new, but the veracity of that information has flip-flopped for weeks now as different leaks emerge. We still dont have a definitive answer, but this new information does lend itself toward the idea of a higher starting price.Editors Recommendations

MediaTek has just introduced its latest smartphone silicon, and this one promises some big changes for midrange smartphones. The latest offering from the Taiwanese company is the Dimensity 8400 chip, and it will take on Qualcomms excellent Snapdragon 7 series Gen 3 processors.The new MediaTek chipset, however, enters the fray with more firepower than we have ever seen in this segment. Thats because the Dimensity 8400 goes all-in on big cores and ditches efficiency cores, just like its flagship sibling, the Dimensity 9400.Recommended VideosInstead of the hybrid Arm Cortex-A715 + Arm Cortex-A510 design we got on the Dimensity 8300 series, the successor offers a cluster of eight next-gen Arm Cortex-A725 cores arranged in a 1+3+4 configuration.MediaTekThe prime core here, in particular, touches a peak frequency of an impressive 3.25 GHz. The L3 cache has also grown by 50%, reaching the 6MB mark, which directly translates to quicker data fetching on the processing node, resulting in snappier performance.Please enable Javascript to view this contentThe L2 and SLC cache has also received up to 100% capacity boost. On the graphics front, theres a new GPU in town. The Dimensity 8400 embraces the Arm Mali-G720 MC7 GPU, which also unlocks 4K 60 frames-per-second (fps) encoding.RelatedComing to the performance gains, MediaTek is touting some impressive figures. The Dimensity 8400 is claimed to offer a 41% jump in raw multi-core tests while also drawing 44% less energy at peak performance compared to its predecessor. The new graphics engine, on the other hand, leapfrogs the Dimensity 8300 series by 24% while simultaneously being 40% more energy efficient. The cellular modem has received similar treatment, taking the peak 5G speeds all the way up to 5,71 Gbps.MediaTek / Digital TrendsAnother crucial upgrade on the Dimensity 8400 is the AI stack, which gets an updated accelerator and the addition of MediaTeks Dimensity Agentic AI Engine (DAE) for AI workflows. The latter had previously remained exclusive to the flagship tier.The company is touting a 20% jump in AI operations and a similar boost in image generation, an up to 33% improvement in AI text generation, and an 18% gain in efficiency numbers.The onboard ISPs camera capabilities are also impressive, which bodes well for shoppers who seek reliable imaging output on a phone without paying top dollar for it. The Imagiq 1080 ISP offers perks such as HDR video recording across the entire zoom pipeline, 4K 60 fps video capture, in-sensor zoom with 100% phase detection auto-focus (PDAF), and 320MP composite capture, among others.MediaTek says the first wave of phones equipped with its latest silicon will hit the shelves toward the end of the year. Separately, Xiaomi has confirmed that in China, it will pack its next Redmi Turbo device with a slightly faster variant called the Dimensity 8400 Ultra. Its set for arrival early next year.Editors Recommendations

Ive complained plenty about how some of the best gaming keyboards are too expensive, from the Razer Black Widow V4 75% to the Wooting 80HE, but nothing comes remotely close to The Icebreaker. Announced nearly a year ago by Serene Industries, The Icebreaker is unlike any keyboard Ive ever seen and its priced accordingly at $1,600. Plus shipping, of course.What could justify such an extravagant price? Aluminum, it turns out. The keyboard is constructed of one single block of 6061 aluminum in what Serene Industries calls an unorthodox wedge form. As if that wasnt enough metal, the keycaps are also made of aluminum, and Serene says they include about 800 micro-perforations that allow the LED backlight of the keyboard to shine through.Serene IndustriesThe Icebreaker looks more like an art piece than an actual keyboard, but it at least has the specs of a solid mechanical keyboard. It comes with a 65% layout, along with a metal rotary dial, and it supports hot-swappable switches. It even works wirelessly over Bluetooth with a built-in 4,000mAh battery, or wired via USB-C. Its hard to say how the keyboard sounds Im not about to spend $1,600 to find out but the company says there are two layers of sound dampening within the keyboard.Recommended VideosThis is the first product from Serene Industries, which is a company founded and presumably still solely run by Denis Agarkov. Agarkov is a filmmaker and designer based out of Los Angeles, and theyve racked up a handful of credits as a cinematographer on various short films. The Icebreaker is something completely different, and born out a love of materials, experimentation, and an endless exercise in learning new things.Serene IndustriesIf nothing else, its certainly an interesting keyboard. And as someone who can appreciate craftsmanship, Id even call it a beautiful keyboard. Form certainly looks like it takes priority over function in this case, which shouldnt be surprising for a keyboard designed entirely out of aluminum. I havent actually seen one of these keyboards in the wild, and I havent seen so much as a forum post from an excited customer. Hopefully, someone will buy The Icebreaker, if for nothing else than bragging rights.Get your weekly teardown of the tech behind PC gaming As for me, Ill be waiting for some mythical budget version that looks the same, just without all of that aluminum jacking up the price. A man can dream.Editors Recommendations

not a takeover Honda and Nissan to merge, Honda will take the lead if the deal goes through it would create the world's third-largest OEM in 2026. Jonathan M. Gitlin Dec 23, 2024 10:18 am | 45 Credit: Nissan/Honda Credit: Nissan/Honda Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreBeleaguered automaker Nissan is going to throw its lot in with Honda. The two Japanese OEMs want to merge by 2026, creating the world's third-largest car company in the process. In fact, earlier this year the two signed memorandums of understanding to create a strategic partnership focused on software and electrification. Now, the changing business environment calls for deeper integration, they say."Today marks a pivotal moment as we begin discussions on business integration that has the potential to shape our future. If realized, I believe that by uniting the strengths of both companies, we can deliver unparalleled value to customers worldwide who appreciate our respective brands. Together, we can create a unique way for them to enjoy cars that neither company could achieve alone," said Makoto Uchida, Nissan's president and CEO."Creation of new mobility value by bringing together the resources including knowledge, talents, and technologies that Honda and Nissan have been developing over the long years is essential to overcome challenging environmental shifts that the auto industry is facing" said Honda director Toshihiro Mibe. "Honda and Nissan are two companies with distinctive strengths. We are still at the stage of starting our review, and we have not decided on a business integration yet, but in order to find a direction for the possibility of business integration by the end of January 2025, we strive to be the one and only leading company that creates new mobility value through chemical reaction that can only be driven through synthesis of the two teams."Currently, Honda is an independent OEM, albeit one with strong links to General Motors. Meanwhile, Nissan currently forms one part of an alliance, together with France's Renault and the also-Japanese Mitsubishi. But the Renault-Nissan alliance has not been entirely smooth.In 2019, then-head of the alliance Carlos Ghosn was arrested by Japanese police on charges of financial misconduct. After three months under house arrest, Ghosn fled the country and Japan's criminal justice system, which rarely returns a not guilty verdict.What about Renault, Mitsubishi?Last year, Nissan agreed to invest $663 million into Renault's EV activities; at the same time Renault gave up the majority of its shares in Nissan, reducing the stake of each company owned by the other, down to 15 percent. That was meant to lead to "a broader range of EV products and powertrains," said Uchida at the time. But evidently it was decided that this arrangement was not sufficient to improve Nissan's electric vehicle portfolio.For its part, Mitsubishi says it will monitor the situation and decide whether or not to join at a later date. Meanwhile Renault said in a statement that "as the main shareholder of Nissan, Renault Group will consider all options based on the best interest of the Group and its stakeholders. Renault Group continues to execute its strategy and to roll-out projects that create value for the Group, including projects already launched within the Alliance."Assuming nothing throws a spanner in these particular works, the deal will be finalized by next June, with the new holding company for the two OEMs created by August 2026. Honda will take the lead of the new enterprise, in large part thanks to its larger market capitalization. But Mibe said that any real payoff from the merger wouldn't be realized until after 2030. The hope is that shared development costs and greater purchasing scale will help drive down costs, but both companies will continue existing partnerships such as that between Honda-GM as well.We can expect more shared vehicle platforms between Honda and Nissan, as well as deeper cooperation at the R&D stage. But there are also plans to optimize manufacturing, including facilities, as well as integrating supply chains and even sales financing to find cost savings and efficiencies.Jonathan M. GitlinAutomotive EditorJonathan M. GitlinAutomotive Editor Jonathan is the Automotive Editor at Ars Technica. He has a BSc and PhD in Pharmacology. In 2014 he decided to indulge his lifelong passion for the car by leaving the National Human Genome Research Institute and launching Ars Technica's automotive coverage. He lives in Washington, DC. 45 Comments

Speed and results How might NASA change under Trump? Heres what is being discussed "Elon get those rocket ships going because we want to reach Mars before the end of my term." Eric Berger Dec 23, 2024 10:09 am | 27 Could it be sunset for NASA's Space Launch System program? Credit: NASA Could it be sunset for NASA's Space Launch System program? Credit: NASA Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreAlthough the details remain in flux, the transition team reviewing NASA and its activities has begun to draft potential executive orders for changes to space policy under the Trump Administration.Sources familiar with the five people on the team, who have spent the last six weeks assessing the space agency and its exploration plans, were careful to note that such teams are advisory in nature. They do not formally set policy nor is their work always indicative of the direction an incoming presidential administration will move toward.Nevertheless, in trying to set clear goals for NASA and civil space policy, the ideas under consideration reflect the Trump administration's desire for "big changes" at NASA, both in terms of increasing the effectiveness and velocity of its programs.Not business as usualThe transition team has been grappling with an agency that has a superfluity of field centersten spread across the United States, as well as a formal headquarters in Washington, DCand large, slow-moving programs that cost a lot of money and have been slow to deliver results."This will not be business as usual," one person familiar with this group's meetings said. The mindset driving their deliberations is a focus on results and speed.Donald Trump will be inaugurated as president for his second term a little less than a month from now, on January 20. On that day he is expected to sign a number of executive orders on issues that he campaigned on. This could include space policy, but more likely that will wait until later in his presidency.One source said the space transition team has been working off of ideas that Trump has talked about publicly, including his interest in Mars. For example, during a campaign speech this fall, Trump referenced SpaceX founder Elon Musk, who played a significant role during the campaign both in terms of time and money, and his desire to settle Mars."We are leading in space over Russia and China... It's my plan, I'll talk to Elon," Trump said in September. "Elon get those rocket ships going because we want to reach Mars before the end of my term, and we want also to have great military protection in space."Ideas under considerationThe transition team has been discussing possible elements of an executive order or other policy directives. They include:Establishing the goal of sending humans to the Moon and Mars, by 2028Canceling the costly Space Launch System rocket and possibly the Orion spacecraftConsolidating Goddard Space Flight Center and Ames Research Center at Marshall Space Flight Center in AlabamaRetaining a small administration presence in Washington, DC, but otherwise moving headquarters to a field centerRapidly redesigning the Artemis lunar program to make it more efficient"Is any of this written in stone? No," a source told Ars.Additionally, substantive changes will need to be worked through the White House Office of Management and Budget, and negotiated with Congress, which funds NASA.Previously, Trump has announced that entrepreneur and commercial astronaut Jared Isaacman will be nominated to serve as NASA Administrator. Although he has been working to create a staff for his administration, Isaacman has not been involved in the transition team discussions, sources said. Rather, after he is confirmed, Isaacman is likely to be given authority to review major programs at the space agency "at the speed of light."Furthering commercializationIsaacman is expected to continue the direction of civil space as it existed under the first Trump administration. Then-administrator Jim Bridenstine pushed for the agency to more aggressively tap into the burgeoning US commercial space industry. NASA has supported the development of commercial space for two decades nowessentially paying for services at a fixed priceand it is seen as a key advantage over China and other international competitors in space.Although some critics have suggested that Isaacman will favor SpaceXhe has flown two private missions in the Crew Dragon spacecraft, and he has been very complimentary of the companyother sources have said that is not the case. They indicated that Isaacman believes the space agency needs help from a broad spectrum of companies to succeed.The push toward more privatization of spaceflight is likely because the commercial space industry is more established now than it was eight years ago, at the outset of Trump's first term. Additionally, in recognition of the increased importance of commercial space, state governments with NASA centers are also investing more money to attract space companies.For example, the state of Mississippi paid $21 million to construct a "Shared Services Center" at Stennis Space Center to make the facility more attractive for private companies to operate there. Space Florida is modernizing the Launch and Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center for commercial activity. And more recently, the state of Texas appropriated $200 million in 2023 for the construction of an "Exploration Park" adjacent to Johnson Space Center, as well as $150 million more to a space commission.These state initiatives reflect a recognition that the future of spaceflight in the United States has moved on from the government-dominated Apollo and Space Shuttle eras and is likely to be led by a mix of government and commercial actors.Eric BergerSenior Space EditorEric BergerSenior Space Editor Eric Berger is the senior space editor at Ars Technica, covering everything from astronomy to private space to NASA policy, and author of two books: Liftoff, about the rise of SpaceX; and Reentry, on the development of the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon. A certified meteorologist, Eric lives in Houston. 27 Comments