Some good news for those who love to travel: Air travel is bouncing back from post-pandemic lows with international destinations leading the way. But as anyone who has traveled recently knows, flight delays are still a huge problem. And with more flights predicted to take off in 2025, that isnt likely to get better anytime soon. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is forecasting a 4.6% increase in departures from last year. Thats a whopping 40 million flights scheduled to take off in 2025, as reported by CNBC.But in more helpful news for travelers, new aviation data from Cirium has ranked airlines for their punctuality within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrivals. And the data shows that Delta Air Lines was on time 83.46% of the time in its 2024 On-Time Performance Review, making it the number oneranked airline in the U.S. and Canada, and third most on-time globally.For international travelers, Aeromexico was on time 86.7% of the time, making it the most punctual airline among international carriers.Research shows nearly 9 out of 10 business travelers face flight delays, cancellations, or disruptions, or need to reroute their itinerary. This comes as airlines, hit hard by the pandemic, continue to face acute staffing and airplane shortages in addition to extreme weather events.Heres a list of the top 10 most punctual airlines, with the percentage they are on time, according to Cirium and reported by CNBC.Global CarriersAeromexico (86.7%)Saudia Airlines (86.35%)Delta Air Lines (83.46%)LATAM Airlines (82.89%)Qatar Airways (82.83%)Azul Airlines (82.42%)Avianca (81.80%)Iberia (81.58%)Scandinavian Airlines (81.40%)United Airlines(80.93%)U.S. and Canadian airlinesDelta Air Lines (83.46%)United Airlines (80.93%)Alaska Airlines(79.25%)American Airlines(77.78%)Southwest Airlines(77.77%)Spirit Airlines (76.05%)JetBlue Airways(74.53%)Frontier Airlines(71.57%)Air Canada(71.36%)WestJet (70.99%)

Opponents of the nations largest lithium mine under construction want U.S. officials to investigate whether the project in Nevada already has caused a drop in groundwater levels that could lead to extinction of a tiny snail being considered for endangered species protection.Environmentalists and Native American activists are demanding that the U.S. Interior Department address what they say is new evidence that bolsters their concerns about Lithium Americas planned open pit mine at Thacker Pass. The footprint of mine operations will span about nine square miles (23 square kilometers).The fate of the snail takes center stage after a federal judge and an appeals court dismissed a previous attempt by Native American tribes to get federal agencies to recognize the sacred nature of the area. The tribes argued that the mine would infringe on lands where U.S. troops massacred dozens of their ancestors in 1865.Now, Western Watersheds Project and the group known as People of Red Mountain argue in a notice of intent to sue that the government and Canada-based Lithium Americas are failing to live up to promises to adequately monitor groundwater impacts.They say its alarming that an analysis of groundwater data from a nearby well that was conducted by Payton Gardner, an assistant professor of hydrogeology at the University of Montana, shows a drop in the water table of nearly five feet (1.5 meters) since 2018. Nevada regulators say they have no information so far that would confirm declining levels but have vowed to monitor the situation during the mines lifespan.No water, no snailNot much bigger than a grain of rice, the Kings River pyrg has managed to survive in 13 isolated springs within the basin surrounding the mine site. Its the only place in the world where the snail lives.In some cases, the tiny creatures require only a few centimeters of water. But the margin for survival becomes more narrow if the groundwater system that feeds the springs begins to drop, said Paul Ruprecht, Nevada Director for Western Watersheds Project.Even slight disruptions to its habitat could cause springs to run dry, driving it to extinction, he said.Western Watersheds Project and the other opponents say the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is violating the Endangered Species Act by failing to rule in a timely fashion on a 2022 petition to list the snail as threatened or endangered. The allegations outlined in the opponents notice follow requests for federal biologists to investigate whether groundwater drawdowns are being caused by exploratory drilling and other activities and whether there have been impacts to the springs.Without protection, Ruprecht fears the snail will become another casualty of the lithium boom.The Fish and Wildlife Service is conducting a review of the snails status, but the agency declined to comment on the requests for an investigation into the groundwater concerns.Poised to lead in lithium productionEfforts to mine gold and other minerals in Nevada and other parts of the West over the decades have spurred plenty of legal skirmishes over potential threats to wildlife and water supplies. Lithium is no exception, as demand for the metal critical to making batteries for electric vehicles is expected to continue to climb exponentially over the next decade.President Joe Biden made increased production of electric vehicles central to his energy agenda, and the U.S. Energy Department last year agreed to loan Lithium Americas more than $2 billion to help finance construction at Thacker Pass. On Dec. 23, Lithium Americas announced it had concluded a joint venture with General Motors Holdings LLC to develop and operate the mine.The mine 200 miles (322 kilometers) north of Reno is the biggest in the works and closest to fruition in the U.S., followed by Ioneers Rhyolite Ridge project near the California line halfway between Reno and Las Vegas.And the Bureau of Land Management announced in late December that it was seeking comments on another proposed project in northeastern Nevada. Surge Battery Metals USA wants to explore for lithium in Elko County.Monitoring groundwaterRuprecht said reports filed by Lithium Americas environmental consultant with state regulators show the company no longer has permission to access private lands where several monitoring wells are located. That makes it harder to tell if flows have been impacted by past drilling, he said.Nevada regulators say they approved changes in 2024 to the monitoring plan to account for the loss of access to wells on private land.Prior data showed groundwater levels had remained stable from the 1960s to 2018. Construction started at the site in 2023.The Bureau of Land Managements approval of the mine acknowledged some reduction in groundwater levels were possible but not for decades, and most likely would occur only if state regulators granted the company permission to dig below the water table.Lithium Americas spokesman Tim Crowley said it appears the mines opponents are working to re-spin issues that have previously been addressed and resolved in court. He pointed to 10 years of data collection by the company indicating the snail would not be affected by the project.Scott Sonner, Associated Press

US studio Feldman Architecture has created a Sonoma County dwelling called The Phoenix, which replaces a fire-destroyed home and features outdoor spaces for "calm moments of immersion" in the landscape.Situated atop a ridge in the small town of Healdsburg, the holiday house is afforded sweeping vistas of the region, including Mount Saint Helena in the distance.Feldman Architecture has created a hilltop home in northern California's Sonoma CountyThe picturesque views served as the starting point for the new retreat, which consists of a main dwelling and a guesthouse/pool house.Designed for a "forward-thinking family" that prioritises being in nature, the house replaces an older dwelling destroyed in 2017 by a fire likely caused by an old electrical system.The dwelling replaces a fire-destroyed home"Our clients were eager to start fresh and improve upon the shortcomings of the original structure," said Feldman Architecture, a San Francisco studio.The team conceived a series of elongated, stacked bars that are positioned around outdoor spaces.Feldman Architecture arranged the home around dedicated outdoor spacesThe exterior walls are a mix of light-toned fibre-cement panels and large expanses of glass. Green roofs help integrate the house into the natural landscape.Inside there are bright rooms with earthy finishes and subdued colours. Vancouver-based Gaile Guevara Studio served as the interior designer.The ground level encompasses the public areasThe ground level encompasses the public areas, including an open kitchen and living room with sliding doors and custom casework with a white oak veneer.Hanging in the communal space, a swarm-like lighting sculpture by Studio Driftadds "a sense of lighthearted movement" to the streamlined decor.Upstairs, one finds private areasUpstairs are the private areas a primary bedroom suite on one side and two additional bedrooms on the other. The central portion holds a den, flanked by terraces.The house has a number of open-air living spaces, each with a slightly different function and relationship to the site. The outdoor spaces allow for hosting and entertaining, along with "calm moments of immersion in the surrounding landscape," the team said.Situated between the main dwelling and guesthouse is a patio for dining and loungingIn the rear, the house opens toward a slender terrace and an infinity pool. The swimming pool was formerly located in a different part of the property."The original layout situated the pool significantly downslope of the house, resulting in a disconnect between indoor and outdoor living spaces," the team said.Read: Feldman Architecture expands home in northern Californias wine region"Due to the complexities of the steep site, our design team faced the challenging task of relocating the pool to improve its relationship with both the home and the pool house."Situated between the main dwelling and guesthouse is a patio for dining and lounging. An overhead trellis allows for shade levels to be adjusted an important feature given the region's hot summer days.An overhead trellis allows for shade levels to be adjustedAdjacent to the shaded patio is a gravel area with an outdoor kitchen, complete with a wood-fired pizza oven. Just beyond is a garden with raised vegetable beds, "encouraging a true farm-to-table lifestyle"."The new home sits surrounded by olive and fruit orchards, maximising all the sprawling site has to offer," the team said.The house opens toward a slender terrace and an infinity pool"The Phoenix is a modern home that intimately connects its occupants to the dramatic landscape."Other California projects by Feldman Architecture include a renovated 1970s coastal home with wooden surfaces and brightly lit rooms, and a residence overlooking Silicon Valley that is designed to be a "space of serenity".The photography is by Ema Peter.The post Feldman Architecture creates hilltop house in California's wine country appeared first on Dezeen.

Im thrilled to head to CES 2025 in Las Vegas, where Ill get to experience firsthand Hisenses latest innovationthe new L9Q Series. The L9Q expands Hisenses lineup with screen sizes ranging from 100 to 150 inches, making it adaptable to different environments. This model is designed to fit a range of setups, offering a size to suit any room. This flexibility is rare among Laser TVs, making it easier to find the right fit for your home.Designer: HisenseOne of the L9Qs key features is its TriChroma triple-laser light engine. This technology covers 110% of the BT.2020 color space, ensuring that the colors displayed are both accurate and vibrant. The brightness can reach up to 5,000 lumens, and with a contrast ratio of 5,000:1, the picture remains clear even in rooms with a lot of natural light. Whether youre watching a movie or a live sports event, the visual quality is impressive.The L9Q comes with Ambient Light Rejection (ALR) screens available in various sizes to match the TV options. These screens improve brightness and clarity regardless of the rooms lighting conditions. Additionally, the ability to switch between screen sizes using Auto Screen Alignment and Manual Keystone Correction makes setting up the TV much easier and more convenient.Sound is another area where the L9Q excels. It features a 6.2.2 surround sound system, which is the first of its kind in a Laser TV. The design, inspired by Roman amphitheaters, includes a 15 tilted sound bin that works with Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual X technologies to create a rich audio experience. From the sounds of an energetic crowd during a game to the subtle details in a movie soundtrack, the audio quality matches the high standards set by the visuals.The design of the L9Q is elegant and modern. It includes a Black Walnut Dcor Panel, Star Orbit Ambient Lighting, and brushed metal finishes. The slim profile and textured surfaces make it a stylish addition to any living space. Beyond its appearance, the L9Q is equipped with smart features like access to over 800 free live TV channels and more than 700,000 movies and shows through Google TV. It also integrates with voice assistants such as Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Apple HomeKit, allowing for easy control using your voice.Connectivity options are robust, including HDMI 2.1, Wi-Fi 6E, and NEXTGEN TV (ATSC 3.0), ensuring that the L9Q is compatible with the latest devices and future technologies. This makes it a versatile choice for anyone looking to upgrade their home entertainment setup.At CES 2025, Hisense will also showcase the L9Q alongside an ultra-bright 2.9-gain screen, achieving 1500 nits of full-screen brightnessthe first in the laser industry. This combination uses nano-scale light enhancement and aggregation technology to deliver exceptional visual clarity and brightness.Im particularly excited to meet with the Hisense team to see the L9Q in action. Experiencing how all these features come together in a live demo will provide valuable insights into the future of home entertainment technology. Im really looking forward to the chance to test such an advanced Laser TV, as it will help me understand how these innovations can enhance the way we enjoy our favorite movies and shows at home.If youre attending CES 2025, I recommend stopping by Booth 16625 to check out Hisenses new L9Q Series. Its a great opportunity to see the latest in home entertainment technology up close and discover how it can improve your viewing experience. Im eager to share my experiences from the event and discuss how the L9Q Series is set to change the way we watch and listen to our favorite content.Stay tuned for more updates as CES 2025 approaches, and get ready to see some of the most exciting developments in consumer electronics this year.The post Hisense Brings Next-Level Laser TV Technology to CES 2025 with the New L9Q Series first appeared on Yanko Design.

Musks posts, which have racked up hundreds of millions of views on X, are his latest effort at inserting himself into UK politics.

Virtually every aspect of technology has been affected, and potentially improved, by artificial intelligence (AI). PCs are no exception. While the meaning of AI PC is still evolving, it generally refers to a computer specifically designed to excel at AI-powered tasks. These beefed-up computers typically feature:High-end CPUs and GPUs to handle the demanding computational requirements of AI applicationssuch as AI assistants that automate tasks, schedule meetings, answer emails, and provide personalized recommendations and data analysis and visualization.Dedicated AI accelerators like Neural Processing Units (NPUs). These specialized chips are optimized for AI tasks such as machine learning, deep learning, and natural language processing.Pre-installed AI-powered software such as AI assistants (like Microsoft Copilot), creative tools, and AI-enhanced productivity applications.Will AI PCs play a big role in 2025 and beyond?As AI becomes more integrated into daily use, the demand for powerful computers capable of handling AI workloads will grow and provide new levels of productivity by automating tasks, generating creative content, and providing intelligent assistance. AI PCs are also designed to improve the user experience with AI-powered features like voice assistants, intelligent search, and personalized recommendations to enhance the overall user experience.Key players in the AI PC marketIntel is building CPUs with built-in AI acceleration capabilities.AMD is heavily investing in AI-powered processors with its Ryzen AI processors designed for AI-driven experiences.Nvidia, arguably the leader in GPU technology, continues to drive AI performance with its powerful processors.And Qualcomms Snapdragon processors, which allow for on-device AI processing. are increasingly integrated into Windows PCs.Related AI PC coverageHow soon will AI PCs replace traditional PCs in the enterprise?Sept. 25, 2024: Theres much anticipation among enterprises and consumers alike for AI PCs, However, as with any new technology, its unclear when AI PCs will finally have their moment. Gartner forecaststhat 43 million AI PCs will be shipped in 2024.IDC predictseven more 57 million units will be shipped in 2024. And by 2028, AI PCs will represent 92% of all PC shipments worldwide.What does Qualcomms interest in buying Intels chip design business mean for the future of PCs?Sept. 11, 2024: Qualcomm, Intel, AMD, and Apple have been in a fierce battle for domination of the chip market for AI PCs, which are touted as the future of computing. Further ramping up competition in this fiery landscape, Qualcomm has reportedlyexplored buying portionsof Intels design business, most notably client PC design, as Intel looks to spin off units ahead of an upcoming board meeting, anonymous sources toldReuters.Copilot+ AI PCs are finally here. You dont want one yetJuly 9, 2024: The AI hype keeps on coming.The latest news is the arrival of an entirely new line of Windows computers, Copilot+ PCs, which are specifically designed with AI in mind. Microsoft claims theyll dramatically speed up AI, offer new features unavailable to other PCs, and deliver improved battery life. The new machines point the way to the future of Windows and of AI.Microsofts Copilot+ AI PCs: Still a privacy disaster waiting to happenJune 12, 2024: Many security pros say Microsoft is opening a Pandoras Box with its AI-powered Copilot+ Windows PCs. Microsoft argues those new PCs, available as of June 18, will make it easy for users to find files and remember things youve done on your computerusing the new Recall feature, which takes screenshots, stores them in a database, and uses AI to help you find and use whatever you want. Despite warnings by security pros, Microsoft claims rock-solid security is baked directly into the new feature.Review: The M4 iPad Pro an amazing AI PCMay 17, 2024: The M4 iPad Pro is designed to provide the best possible performance thanks to the M4 chip inside.Apple suggests it needed to use this processor because it wanted to make the iPad Pro thin and to drive the amazing display. The move to M4 also means you get a huge leap in processor performance (1.5x faster than the last model) and graphics (4x faster rendering). Deploying this chip means the iPad Pro with M4 could become the worlds ultimate AI-driven tablet.Enterprises want AI PCs, just not yetApril 23, 2024: While the employee benefits of using an AI PC are intriguing, they may not be enough to convince IT buyers to go all in just yet. Despite the enthusiasm generated by advanced AI-driven functionalities, enterprises are expected to adopt a more measured approach over the next year, according to Forrester.Microsoft is holding back the AI PC revolutionMarch 13, 2024: The PC industry has a big problem. And its not hardware makers fault its Microsofts responsibility. The hardware is here: Intel, AMD, Nvidia, and PC makers have delivered on their end. Now, everyone is waiting for Microsoft to catch up and make Windows truly shine on these AI PCs. Can the company deliver something compelling in time?Dell ramps up AI PC plans with Latitude and Precision refreshFeb. 27, 2024: Dell unveiled a range of new laptops and PCs featuring neural processing units (NPUs) designed to run AI workloads on-device for improved video call quality and better laptop battery life. Dell is one of several hardware vendors looking to benefit from growing interest in AI PCs.Before you buy a Windows 11 AI PC, read thisJan. 17, 2024: AI PCs were everywhere at CES 2024, and companies like Intel, AMD, NVIDIA, and Qualcomm are all touting how great their hardware is at running AI tasks. But since these AI PCs are already on shelves and you can buy them before CES 2024, we need to cut through the hype and focus on what youre getting for your money. They might one day deliver a lot of cool features just not yet.

The reintroduction of neutrality rules for network providers is looking increasingly unlikely, at least for the next five years, after a US appeals court blocked efforts by the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to reinstate them.The US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit court upheld its earlier stay on the FCCs May 2024 Safeguarding and Securing the Open Internet Order, effectively pausing the policys return.The net neutrality rules require that providers of telecommunications services treat all traffic equally, but give providers of information services more freedom to filter or prioritize what they transmit. The FCCs view on whether internet service providers (ISPs) provide telecommunications or information services has flip-flopped over the years.Originally, the FCC classified ISPs as information services, exempt from the most stringent rules, but under the Obama administration it shifted position to treat them as telecommunications services. During President Trumps first term of office his appointee as FCC chairman, Ajit Pai, reversed that shift only for President Bidens appointee, Jessica Rosenworcel, to attempt to bring ISPs once again under the net neutrality provisions.That move foundered on January 2 with the appeals courts ruling.We hold that Broadband Internet Service Providers offer only an information service [], and therefore, the FCC lacks the statutory authority to impose its desired net-neutrality policies through the telecommunications service provision of the Communications Act, the court order read. Nor does the Act permit the FCC to classify mobile broadband a subset of broadband Internet services as a commercial mobile service [] and then similarly impose net-neutrality restrictions on those services, the order stated. We therefore grant the petitions for review and set aside the FCCs Safeguarding Order.The appeals court based its argument, in part, on the ending of the so-called Chevron deference principle. This principle, which once required courts to defer to agency interpretations of ambiguous laws, was ended by a US Supreme Court ruling in June 2024, and has widespread regulatory consequences for IT departments.With Rosenworcels term of office drawing to a close, it seems unlikely that the FCC will continue to pursue the reinstatement of net neutrality rules for ISPs. Trumps pick as her replacement, Brendan Carr, favors market-led innovation over federal oversight.Implications for enterprisesWith net neutrality off the table for now, enterprises face an unregulated internet landscape that could favor large ISPs. ISPs can legally prioritize or throttle specific traffic, forcing businesses to pay premiums for reliable, high-speed access to cloud services, SaaS applications, or online collaboration tools. Without rules preventing practices like throttling or prioritizing traffic, companies reliant on stable, fast internet connections may face increased operational costs.The absence of net neutrality is particularly concerning for smaller businesses. These businesses may struggle to compete if ISPs offer premium services to larger firms at higher prices. The lack of affordable, equitable access also risks disrupting digital transformation plans across industries.For enterprises, the Sixth Circuits ruling is a clarion call to adapt to an increasingly market-driven internet landscape. It underscores the growing importance of proactively securing reliable and cost-effective internet services, as policy uncertainty looms over digital commerce and operations.A longer timeline for reinstatementThe courts ruling suggests net neutrality rules return will remain stalled for at least the duration of the Trump administration. As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office, his administration is expected to maintain the deregulatory trajectory set under the Biden administration. Trump has aligned with Carrs market-driven vision, opposing federal oversight of ISP practices.Analysts predict that with Trumps re-election priorities, policies like the suspended FCC ruling will take a backseat to broader economic goals. The absence of net neutrality for another five years is all but assured.Broader implications: a geopolitical lensThe absence of net neutrality also carries global implications. The US decision sets a precedent for other nations grappling with the balance between regulatory oversight and market freedom. In regions where state-controlled internet infrastructure dominates, the delay in net neutrality restoration in the US may limit policy inspiration for protecting smaller stakeholders in the internet economy.This context places additional pressure on US enterprises that compete globally. Their ability to innovate, streamline operations, and scale may be hampered without equitable internet access.

When it comes toartificial intelligence development, Apple seems more interested than usual in seeking out good acquisition targets, potentially building on the small acquisitions it makesmost months. The company has, in fact, led the industry when it comes to strategic AI acquisitions since 2023.Why? Because it must.And the reason is pretty straightforward: the company is putting huge resources intoApple Intelligencedevelopment, but it cant get the staff it needs for the big push.It takes a villageA quick glance at Apples recruitment website today revealed that it currently has 399 open roles in its machine learning and AI teams. Thats almost enough people to form a small village.Apples search for villages of AI professionals isnt unique; everybodys doing it.OpenAI lists 149 jobs. Google has 277 machine learning jobs. One year ago, AI accounted for 27% ofall open UK tech roles. Given that the hype and expectations in the sector have only grown since then, its hard to believe theres been any decline in demand.Whats driving this is that as the number of potential AI implementations grows, so does the demand for workers to build them. Large, small, and medium-sized players across enterprise tech share the need.They arent just being greedy.They understand the huge strategic imperative behind the AI evolution.Nations, technology companies, a growing number of enterprises, government organizations, and start-ups are all competing to recruit the best staff. They know that, we are at a tipping point in business and society where AI will revolutionize how we work, live and interact at scale, Mohamed Kande, global chair for PricewaterhouseCoopers International,explained last year.More jobs, few people Yet they recognize that as ever more processes get digitized, the demand for people with experience will become a hindrance to AI industry development because that demand is not being met.AsMcKinsey explained last year: Our survey of 3.5 million job postings in these tech trends found that many of the skills in greatest demand have less than half as many qualified practitioners per posting as the global average.And yet the World Economic Forum predicts AI will create 97 million new jobs by the end of the year.Like everything else, the global race for brains to build AI is, of course, made a whole lot harder by trade embargoes, and ever-increasing international tensions. The ever-evolving regulatory landscape forms another barrier to industry growth. The same skills shortfall exists across other critical tech areas, too: edge, cloud, quantum computing, data process management, analytics, CSR. As these sectors grow exponentially, the skills gap continues to widen.So, if you cant recruit the talent, what do you do?If you cant hire it, buy itGlobally, there were 245 AI-related industry acquisitions in Q1 2024 alone, said McKinsey. Apple, then, is right in the thick of it all with the acquisition of numerous AI startups in 2023 and its famous purchase ofDarwin AI and at leastthree other AI-related firms last year (including Drishti, Mayday Labs, and Datakalab).The company tends to be tight-lipped when making acquisitions, so it might well have secured even more companies we just dont know about. We only know of the IP purchase from Mayday Labs as a result of an EU filing.The thing is, this is all about scale. That means that even if Apple does recruit that village of AI experts, the acceleration in demand for AI is going to continue, and it will probably need to recruit a second village full a few weeks later. Again, it wont be alone. That need for skill is an imperative forcing tech firms (most likely including OpenAI, and certainly including Apple) to focus their efforts on specific goals when building new generative AI (genAI) services. While effective management within scarcity has always been par for the course Apple is really good at this those companies who best approach development within those constraints will be best placed to make it all the way to that looming AI mountain and climb to the top.All the same, to outsiders focused on AI-related hype, the reality is that the challenges facing industry evolution mean innovation will soon begin to seem incremental, rather than revolutionary, as the move fast, break things, approach is replaced by a more business-like, objective, and slow strategic resource allocation-driven approach. Those who break through the noise to deliver the highest value tools and services will be those that win this AI space race. As long as they can get the staff.You can follow me on social media! Join me onBlueSky, LinkedIn,Mastodon, andMeWe.

WHOApple, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, Perplexity WHENNowGoogles introduction of AI Overviews, powered by its Gemini language model, will alter how billions of people search the internet. And generative search may be the first step toward an AI agent that handles any question you have or task you need done.Rather than returning a list of links, AI Overviews offer concise answers to your queries. This makes it easier to get quick insights without scrolling and clicking through to multiple sources. After a rocky start with high-profile nonsense results following its US release in May 2024, Google limited its use of answers that draw on user-generated content or satire and humor sites. Explore the full 2025 list of 10 Breakthrough Technologies. The rise of generative search isnt limited to Google. Microsoft and OpenAI both rolled out versions in 2024 as well. Meanwhile, in more places, on our computers and other gadgets, AI-assisted searches are now analyzing images, audio, and video to return custom answers to our queries.But Googles global search dominance makes it the most important player, and the company has already rolled out AI Overviews to more than a billion people worldwide. The result is searches that feel more like conversations. Google and OpenAI both report that people interact differently with generative searchthey ask longer questions and pose more follow-ups. This new application of AI has serious implications for online advertising and (gulp) media. Because these search products often summarize information from online news stories and articles in their responses, concerns abound that generative search results will leave little reason for people to click through to the original sources, depriving those websites of potential ad revenue. A number of publishers and artists have sued over the use of their content to train AI models; now, generative search will be another battleground between media and Big Tech.

WHOGilead Sciences, GSK, ViiV Healthcare WHEN1 to 3 yearsIn June 2024, results from a trial of a new medicine to prevent HIV were announcedand they were jaw-dropping. Lenacapavir, a treatment injected once every six months, protected over 5,000 girls and women in Uganda and South Africa from getting HIV. And it was 100% effective.Explore the full 2025 list of 10 Breakthrough Technologies. The drug, which is produced by Gilead, has other advantages. Weve had effective pre-exposure prophylactic (PrEP) drugs for HIV since 2012, but these must be taken either daily or in advance of each time a person is exposed to the virus. Thats a big ask for healthy people. And because these medicines also treat infections, theres stigma attached to taking them. For some, the drugs are expensive or hard to access. In the lenacapavir trial,researchers found that injections of the new drug were more effective than a daily PrEP pill, probably because participants didnt manage to take the pills every day.In 2021, the US Food and Drug Administration approved another long-acting injectable drug that protects against HIV. That drug, cabotegravir, is manufactured by ViiV Healthcare (which is largely owned by GSK) and needs to be injected every two months. But despite huge demand, rollout has been slow. Scientists and activists hope that the story will be different for lenacapavir. So far, the FDA has approved the drug only for people who already have HIV thats resistant to other treatments. But Gilead has signed licensing agreements with manufacturers to produce generic versions for HIV prevention in 120 low-income countries.In October, Gilead announced more trial results for lenacapavir, finding it 96% effective at preventing HIV infection in just over 3,200 cisgender gay, bisexual, and other men, as well as transgender men, transgender women, and nonbinary people who have sex with people assigned male at birth.The United Nations has set a goal of ending AIDS by 2030. Its ambitious, to say the least: We still see over 1 million new HIV infections globally every year. But we now have the medicines to get us there. What we need is access.