The Independent Games Festival revealed the nominees for its upcoming awards event, with Consume Me and Despelote leading in nominations.Read More

Players of the newly released Donkey Kong Country Returns HD discovered original creators at Retro Studios aren't featured in the credits. Instead, the remaster's credits acknowledge how it's "based on the work of the original development staff."We've seen greater scrutiny over crediting (and their omissions) within games lately. Credits for recent high-profile titles like Marvel's Spider-Man 2, The Callisto Protocol, and Skull & Bones failed to properly list translators or staff who left the studio before the game's release.Nintendo has previously come under fire for this practice. The music app it launched last year features soundtracks from its first-party games and doesn't credit their respective composers. External translators also previously alleged they repeatedly weren't credited properly by what was described by sources as Nintendo policy.Not the first Retro Studios crediting gaffeLike the Donkey Kong remaster, the credits for 2023's Metroid Prime Remastered say it's "based on the work of Metroid Prime (original Nintendo GameCube and Wii versions) development staff." Zoid Kirsch, a former Retro engineer on the original Prime, said at the time he was "let down" by the lack of proper crediting. "I worked with so many amazing people on the game and everyone's name should be included in the remaster, not just a single card like this."In a statement about Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, Nintendo told Eurogamer it "believes in giving proper credit for anyone involved in making or contributing to a game's creation, and value the contributions that all staff make during the development process."At time of writing, it has not explained why it omitted the original Retro team from the remaster's credits. Likewise, it has not said if it will update the credits, which previous developers like Obsidian have done.

AT&T announced it will no longer offer its 5G Internet Air service in New York this week in response to the states Affordable Broadband Act going into effect on Wednesday. The company says existing users can continue to use the service for 45 days without any charges, giving them time to find an alternate broadband provider, according to CNET.New York originally passed the Affordable Broadband Act in 2021, but the law was stalled for several years by pushbacks and legal challenges from broadband lobbying groups. Last December, the US Supreme Court declined to intervene, allowing the law to finally come into effect this month.It follows Congress decision not to continue funding the federal Affordable Connectivity Program last year, which started during the covid-19 pandemic and offered discounts of up to $30 per month on home internet for qualifying households.The law requires internet providers with over 20,000 customers to offer two affordable broadband plans to low-income households that qualify for social assistance benefits like Medicaid or the National School Lunch Program. One plan offers download speeds of at least 25Mbps for no more than $15 per month, while the other boosts that to speeds of up to 200Mbps at a maximum of $20 per month.AT&Ts Internet Air service offered New York residents download speeds of 40 to 140Mbps (which was temporarily slowed when the companys 5G network was busy) for $55 per month, or $60 for those not opting for autopay. Instead of complying with the new law and offering Internet Air at a discount, AT&T has instead ended its home internet services in New York. The company also doesnt offer home internet over fiber or DSL in the state.While we are committed to providing reliable and affordable internet service to customers across the country, New Yorks broadband law imposes harmful rate regulations that make it uneconomical for AT&T to invest in and expand our broadband infrastructure in the state, the company said in statements provided to CNET and Ars Technica.

Chemical reasoning involves intricate, multi-step processes requiring precise calculations, where small errors can lead to significant issues. LLMs often struggle with domain-specific challenges, such as accurately handling chemical formulas, reasoning through complex steps, and integrating code effectively. Despite advancements in scientific reasoning, benchmarks like SciBench reveal LLMs limitations in solving chemical problems, highlighting the need for innovative approaches. Recent frameworks, such as StructChem, attempt to address these challenges by structuring problem-solving into stages like formula generation and confidence-based reviews. Other techniques, including advanced prompting strategies and Python-based reasoning tools, have also been explored. For instance, ChemCrow leverages function calling and precise code generation for tackling chemistry-specific tasks, while combining LLMs with external tools like Wolfram Alpha shows potential for improving accuracy in scientific problem-solving, though integration remains a challenge.Decomposing complex problems into smaller tasks has enhanced model reasoning and accuracy, particularly in multi-step chemical problems. Studies emphasize the benefits of breaking down queries into manageable components, improving understanding and performance in domains like reading comprehension and complex question answering. Additionally, self-evolution techniques, where LLMs refine their outputs through iterative improvement and prompt evolution, have shown promise. Memory-enhanced frameworks, tool-assisted critiquing, and self-verification methods strengthen LLM capabilities by enabling error correction and refinement. These advancements provide a foundation for developing scalable systems capable of handling the complexities of chemical reasoning while maintaining accuracy and efficiency.Researchers from Yale University, UIUC, Stanford University, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University introduced ChemAgent, a framework that enhances LLM performance through a dynamic, self-updating library. ChemAgent decomposes chemical tasks into sub-tasks, storing these and their solutions in a structured memory system. This system includes Planning Memory for strategies, Execution Memory for task-specific solutions, and Knowledge Memory for foundational principles. When solving new problems, ChemAgent retrieves, refines, and updates relevant information, enabling iterative learning. Tested on SciBench datasets, ChemAgent improved accuracy by up to 46% (GPT-4), outperforming state-of-the-art methods and demonstrating potential for applications like drug discovery.ChemAgent is a system designed to improve LLMs for solving complex chemical problems. It organizes tasks into a structured memory with three components: Planning Memory (strategies), Execution Memory (solutions), and Knowledge Memory (chemical principles). Problems are broken into smaller sub-tasks in a library built from verified solutions. Relevant tasks are retrieved, refined, and dynamically updated during inference to enhance adaptability. ChemAgent outperforms baseline models (Few-shot, StructChem) on four datasets, achieving high accuracy through structured memory and iterative refinement. Its hierarchical approach and memory integration establish an effective framework for advanced chemical reasoning tasks.The study evaluates ChemAgents memory components (Mp, Me, Mk) to identify their contributions, with GPT-4 as the base model. Results show that removing any component reduces performance, with Mk being the most impactful, particularly in datasets like ATKINS with limited memory pools. Memory quality is crucial, as GPT-4-generated memories outperform GPT-3.5, while hybrid memories degrade accuracy due to conflicting inputs. ChemAgent demonstrates consistent performance improvement across different LLMs, with the most notable gains on powerful models like GPT-4. The self-updating memory mechanism enhances problem-solving capabilities, particularly in complex datasets requiring specialized chemical knowledge and logical reasoning.In conclusion, ChemAgent is a framework that enhances LLMs in solving complex chemical problems through self-exploration and a dynamic, self-updating memory library. By decomposing tasks into planning, execution, and knowledge components, ChemAgent builds a structured library to improve task decomposition and solution generation. Experiments on datasets like SciBench show significant performance gains, up to a 46% improvement using GPT-4. The framework effectively addresses challenges in chemical reasoning, such as handling domain-specific formulas and multi-step processes. It holds promise for broader applications in drug discovery and materials science.Check out the Paper and GitHub Page. All credit for this research goes to the researchers of this project. Also,dont forget to follow us onTwitter and join ourTelegram Channel andLinkedIn Group. Dont Forget to join our65k+ ML SubReddit.(Promoted) Sana Hassan+ postsSana Hassan, a consulting intern at Marktechpost and dual-degree student at IIT Madras, is passionate about applying technology and AI to address real-world challenges. With a keen interest in solving practical problems, he brings a fresh perspective to the intersection of AI and real-life solutions. Meet 'Height':The only autonomous project management tool (Sponsored)

For this week only (and while supplies last), Target is offering a 50% discount on the popular Beats Solo 4 wireless on-ear headphones. Right now you can get it for just $99.99 (normally $200). This is the Minecraft Anniversary Edition model, which sports a design inspired by Minecrafts pixel art textures and colors. It's currently sold out at the Apple Store.50% Off Beats Solo 4 Wireless HeadphonesMinecraft EditionBeats Solo 4 Wireless Bluetooth On-Ear HeadphonesThe Beats Solo 4 is a very compact and lightweight headphone that can still pack a punch when you need it. It features 40mm drivers, Spatial Audio with Dynamic Head Tracking, Lossless audio via USB Type-C, and up to 50 hours of battery life. The Solo 4 doesn't have built-in active noise cancellation, however the headphone's design keeps the earcups securely on the head, aiding in excellent passive noise isolation. Because Apple owns Beats, the Solo 4 is one of the few headphones that supports seamless integration with iPhones and, unlike AirPods, is a good option for Android users.We picked the Beats Solo 4 as the best wireless headphones for Apple users. "If youre not fully in the AirPods camp but want headphones that work seamlessly with your iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, the Beats Solo 4 is the way to go. Rather than going with an Apple chip like in previous models, the Solo 4 is powered by Beats' own processor, which supports Google Fast Pair for an easy connection to Android devices as well. But you can still link these headphones to an iCloud account for speedy pairing and auto-switching between Apple devices. However, the spatial audio with head tracking is exclusive to Apple users."Why Should You Trust IGN's Deals Team?IGN's deals team has a combined 30+ years of experience finding the best discounts in gaming, tech, and just about every other category. We don't try to trick our readers into buying things they don't need at prices that aren't worth buying something at. Our ultimate goal is to surface the best possible deals from brands we trust and our editorial team has personal experience with. You can check out our deals standards here for more information on our process, or keep up with the latest deals we find on IGN's Deals account on Twitter.Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

This article contains spoilers for the Silo season 2 finale.After a season full of building tension and mounting rebellion, the Silo season 2 finale not only gives us an incredible payoff that pushes the story forward toward season 3, it also provides the series first flashback to what this world was like before the silos. Staying true to Hugh Howeys books in the ways that matter, this season mostly concludes the story of the first book Wool while also weaving in threads of the second, expanding this world beyond the two silos weve seen thus far. While we did get a lot of answers to our pressing questions this season, we were also left with quite a few more in the aftermath of the finale.Heres everything that went down and the questions we hope will be answered more thoroughly in season 3.Who Are Helen and the Congressman in the Flashback?This section contains a few spoilers for the Silo book Shift.The final scene of the season takes us back in time, presumably to what humanity was like before the silos were built. We see a conversation take place between a Washington Post reporter named Helen (Jessica Henwick) and an unnamed Congressman played by Ashley Zukerman. According to Deadline, Zukermans Congressman is named Daniel, which is likely a substitute for the character Donald Keene in the books a freshman Congressman who is also from Georgia and is instrumental in the development of the silo program. Helen is also Donalds wife in the book, which makes sense given their somewhat flirty encounter in the show.Shift is a prequel to Wool, and tells the story of the formation of the silos and how Silo 1 has been monitoring them from a distance over the years with key personnel taking shifts through cryo sleep, including Donald Keene. If Zukerman is playing this key character from the book, he could be featured in a lot more than just flashbacks. Helen will also likely have an important role to play, as she is gifted a Pez dispenser by the Congressman, the same Pez dispenser weve seen circulating Silo 18 as a relic.The introduction of these characters is a big step in finally answering Silos biggest mystery why was humanity forced underground in the first place? I wont give away too much more of Shifts secrets, especially because we still dont know exactly how season 3 will weave these past and present timelines. Its doubtful theyll take us away from Silo 18 for too long, but theres a lot of important backstory in Shift still to cover before the series dives too far into the next book, Dust, and its likely that Helen and the Congressman will be at the center of it all.What Is the Silo Safeguard Procedure?Lukas (Avi Nash) quest to find the answers left by Salvador Quinn has finally come to a close as he emerges from the mysterious chamber at the bottom of Silo 18. He looks like hes seen a ghost, and is desperate to make his way to the top of the silo as fast as he can. Once he finds Bernard (Tim Robbins) he tells him that he learned about the Safeguard a way for some kind of outside force to kill everyone in the silo instantly if they deem the silo to be a threat. Its in that moment that Bernard realizes that all of his efforts to save the silo have been futile.While Juliette (Rebecca Ferguson) works to return home to Silo 18, Solo (Steve Zahn) discovers that each silo has something called the Safeguard Procedure in place that has the ability to pump some kind of poisonous substance into the silo from somewhere outside. While in his old apartment, Solo remembers that his parents were working to try to disable this in Silo 17 and tries to help Juliette find a quick way to stop it. Theyre on their way to investigate where the poison pump is in Silo 17, but Juliette has to leave quickly before theyre able to get any more answers.Does Juliette Make it Back to Silo 18?Juliette has been working all season toward making the journey back home to Silo 18. With the help of Solo and the youths of Silo 17, she manages to find a working suit. They try to find out as much as they can about the Safeguard Procedure, but sounds of an explosion in Silo 18 force Juliette to pack up and make her way back home as quickly as she can before they can investigate further.The suit works long enough to get her to the outside of Silo 18. Once there, she cleans the sensor with desperate haste, unfurling a message telling everyone inside that it is still not safe outside. She then makes it to the door and frantically tries to pry it open without success until it suddenly opens from the inside. As she descends down the stairs, she sees a fully-suited Bernard (Tim Robbins) with a gun. Having just learned about the Safeguard Protocol from Lukas, Bernard is ready to go out on his own terms.Juliette, however, isnt ready to give up so easily and she dives into the open door behind him before it closes. He tries to grab her, so the flames meant to cleanse the chamber of the dangers of the outside world dont burn them alive, but the door closes on both of them, seemingly trapping them inside. Hopefully the fact that the body of Juliettes suit was used by firefighters in Silo 17 will help her from fully burning to a crisp, but Bernard likely wont be so lucky when the show returns next season.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!All 10 episodes of Silo season 2 are available to stream on Apple TV+ now.

Four billion years ago, Earth was a fiery, tumultuous world of molten rock, volcanic eruptions, and toxic skies, with searing heat and the constant threat of asteroid impacts.Thankfully, our planet has cooled off a bit since then. Nevertheless, the Earth still radiates vast amounts of geothermal energy. Its a clean, limitless, always-on power source lying beneath our feet we just have to dig for it. Or get robots to do the hard work for us.Borobotics, a startup from Switzerland, has developed an autonomous drilling machine dubbed the worlds most powerful worm that promises to make harnessing geothermal heat cheaper and more accessible for everyone.Drilling will become possible on properties where it would be unthinkable today small gardens, parking lots, and potentially even basements, Moritz Pill, Borobotics co-founder, tells TNW. At just 13.5 cm wide and 2.8 metres long, the compact boring robot can silently burrow just about anywhere. It could make geothermal a viable backyard energy source.Limited tickets available - Book NowA 3D render of Borobotics geothermal drilling rig. Credit: BoroboticsThe machine nicknamed Grabowski after the famous cartoon mole is the worlds first geothermal drill that operates autonomously, according to the startup. Sensors in Grabowskis head mean it can detect which type of material its boring through. If it bumps into a water spring or gas reservoir on its way down, the robot worm automatically seals the borehole shut. And unlike the diesel-powered drills typical to the industry, the machine plugs into a regular electrical socket.However, Grabowskis humble frame has a few drawbacks. The device is less powerful than bigger rigs. Its also slower and can only dig to a maximum depth of 500 metres. But for Borobotics target market, thats more than adequate, it says.Limitless heat just below our feetWhile most geothermal startups look to produce utility-scale electricity by digging many kilometres below the Earths crust, Borobotics is going shallow.In many European countries, at a depth of 250 metres, you have an average temperature of 14 degrees C, says Pill. This is ideal for efficient heating in winter, while still being cold enough to cool the building in summer.Borobotics wants to tap the burgeoning demand for geothermal heat pumps. These devices use a network of subterranean pipes to transfer heat from below the ground to a building on the surface. Under the right conditions, they double-up as air conditioning.Heating and cooling buildings accounts for half of global energy consumption, the lions share of which comes from burning fossil fuels like natural gas.To curb emissions, the EU has committed to installing 43 million new heat pumps between 2023 and 2030, as part of the blocs 300bn REPowerEU plan.The advantages are obvious. Heat pumps use electricity instead of fossil fuels to transfer heat or cold air. They are up to three times more efficient than the equivalent gas boiler. If they plug into a renewable energy source, even better.The EU backs both geothermal and air-source heat pumps, but the latter dominate thanks to lower costs and easier installation. Thats despite geothermal heat pumps being more efficient because they rely on stable subterranean heat rather than fluctuating outdoor temperatures.The potential of geothermal heat pumps to decarbonise Europe is substantial, as long as the cost comes down, Torsten Kolind, managing partner at Underground Ventures, tells TNW. The minute that happens, the market is open.Underground Ventures, based in Copenhagen, is the worlds first VC dedicated entirely to funding geothermal tech startups. The firm led Borobotics CHF 1.3mn (1.38mn) pre-seed funding round, announced this week.The Borobotics team, based in Zurich, just raised their first major funding round. Credit: BoroboticsDue to their small size, Borobotics says its drill is very resource efficient to produce and maintain. Whats more, Grabowskis autonomous capabilities, other than being cool, have a hidden advantage.Pill paints the following picture:A small team arrive to a site with a Sprinter van containing everything necessary to drill, he explains. They set the drill in half a day and from then on it works autonomously.Pill predicts that one or two people will be able to handle 10-13 drill sites simultaneously. If correct, this means drilling companies can cover more ground in less time, even if Grabowski is a little more sluggish than its fossil-fuelled relatives.Given the EUs chronic shortage of heat pump installers, an autonomous drilling robot may be a welcome helping hand.Despite the apparent potential, its still early days for Borobotics. Founded in 2023, the company is currently developing its first working prototype. Fuelled by its first major pot of funding, it looks to test the robot in real conditions this year.Geothermal tech is heating upIn December, the International Energy Agency (IEA) released its first report on geothermal energy in over 10 years. In the report, the IEA predicted that geothermal could cater to 15% of global energy demand by 2050, up from just 1% today.Geothermal projects of old were largely state-led, and confined to volcanically active regions like Iceland or New Zealand where hot water bubbles at or near the surface. But the next wave of installations looks to be led by startups armed with state-of-the-art technology that allows them to dig deeper and more efficiently.Geothermal energy startups attracted $650mn in VC funding in 2024, the highest value ever recorded, according to Dealroom data. One of those is US-based Fervo Energy, backed by Bill Gates Breakthrough Energy Ventures. Google has already plugged into Fervos geothermal plant in Nevada to power one of its data centres. Another upstart is Canadas Eavor, which is currently building a giant underground radiator in Germany that could heat an entire town.The problem has always been geology and economics, but the advances of startups like Fervo and Eavor in recent years have changed the game, says Kolind.While US startups are leading the pack, Europe is well poised to compete.Europe has excellent geothermal subsurface conditions, and, unlike America, it also has a strong tradition for district heating, says Kolind. The investor believes its only a matter of time before Europes investors and policymakers go all-in on geothermal tech.Unlike natural gas and coal, it is fossil-free. Unlike wind and solar, it is always-on. And unlike nuclear energy, it is geopolitically benign, he says. Story by Sin Geschwindt Sin is a climate and energy reporter at TNW. From nuclear fusion to escooters, he covers the length and breadth of Europe's clean tech ecos (show all) Sin is a climate and energy reporter at TNW. From nuclear fusion to escooters, he covers the length and breadth of Europe's clean tech ecosystem. He's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. Sin has five years journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Get the TNW newsletterGet the most important tech news in your inbox each week.Also tagged with

Apple TV+ is on the brink of a potential big cultural moment, with Severance season 2 receiving buzz that few Apple shows ever do. Heres why that could lead TV+ to truly take off like never before.Severance season 2 could be the next Ted Lasso moment for Apple TV+Apples marketing team has been having fun this week, as highlighted by the appearance of Lumon employees at Grand Central Terminal in New York City.Its clear the company is trying to capitalize on the unique opportunity Severances return provides. Not only did the shows first season gain a big following, but the long wait between seasons and fantastic critic reviews have built a lot of buzz for Severances debut.Its buzz that Apple TV+ rarely gets to enjoy.The streamer is over five years old, yet still struggles to gain much cultural traction. Ted Lasso was the first big exception that truly broke through, and Severance looks like it might be the second.This time though, the success might actually stick.Apples bolstered catalog can now keep viewers around, not push them awayEver since Apple TV+ first debuted, one of its biggest purported flaws has been the lack of a catalog.Basically every other streaming service licenses content that can fill out its library, in addition to creating originals.Apple went a different direction by going all-in on originals, and for a long time thats made it hard to retain subscribers.Ted Lasso truly was a massive hit, not just for Apple, but for any streaming service. The problem is, Apple won lots of subscribers then didnt have much else to keep them with.After Lassos run ended in spring 2023, Apple TV+ was still somewhat light on compelling content to entice ongoing subscriptions.But in the nearly two years since then, Apple TV+ has beefed up its library significantly. Its also been on a hot streak with new and returning shows.New Apple TV+ content has been especially strongUsers who subscribe to Apple TV+ to follow Mark S. and crew on their latest Severance adventures will also find a lot of other Apple content to enjoyHere are some highlights Apple TV+ has added since Apples last big cultural moment, Ted Lassos third season, ended:Silo seasons one and twoShrinkings excellent second seasonSlow Horses seasons three and fourBad Monkey, another great Bill Lawrence seriesPresumed InnocentDark MatterMasters of the AirDisclaimer, the talent-packed miniseriesThe Morning Show season threePachinko season twoMonarch: Legacy of Monstersand a whole lot moreIn other words, if Severance season 2 really does become a Ted Lasso-sized hit, Apple will have much more content to keep subscribers around after it ends.Maybe, just maybe, Apple TV+ can finally become the big success that its high-quality content like Severance deserves.What do you think Apple TV+ needs to do to find true success? Let us know in the comments.Best Apple TV and Home accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Screenshots shared by users of Character.AI the Google-funded AI companion platform currently facing two lawsuits concerning the welfare of children show conversations with the site's AI-powered chatbot characters devolving into incomprehensible gibberish, melding several languages and repeatedly mentioning sex toys."So I was talking to this AI this morning and everything was fine, and I came back to it a couple of hours later and all of the sudden it's speaking this random gibberish?" wrote one Redditor. "Did I break it?""I really don't want to start a new chat," they added. "I've developed the story so much."An accompanying image provided by the user of their Character.AI chat reveals absolute nonsense: garbled AI-spawned text in which random English words among them "Ohio," "slated," "colored," and "Mathematics" are scattered between equally erratic outbursts in languages including Turkish, German, and Arabic.This user was one of several Redditors who shared screenshots of likewise strange AI outbursts to the online forum, each as odd as the next.But while each screenshot is equally indecipherable, they bear some hyperspecific similarities. The word "obec," for instance a Slavic word equating to municipality or village appears throughout. The word "cowboy" is mentioned repeatedly, as is "architecture," "undercover," "discrepancy," and "governor."Most eye-catching, perhaps,is the repeated mention of the word "dildo," which makes an appearance in almost every screenshot we found."Uh," reads the caption of one such post, in which "dildo" is clearly visible between sputters of Arabic and inscrutable, bracket-heavy punctuation. (Per the screenshot, the user experienced the issue while conversing with a chatbot based on the "X-Men" character Victor "Sabretooth" Creed.)"You know what," the Redditor finished the caption, "hell yeah."Another Redditor, alongside yet another bizarre screenshot, captioned the image with a simple-yet-poignant: "What?""Something's wrong," lamented another impacted user. "I can feel it."We reached out to Character.AI to inquire about the bug, but have yet to receive any reply. We didn't experience the glitch while testing Character.AI this morning, signaling that the issue may have been resolved.But Character.AI is no stranger to glitches. This latest apparent bug follows an incident in December in which many site visitors were briefly able to view other users' chat histories and personal information, a serious security lapse that prompted an apology from the platform.On that note, this latest bug is understandably frustrating for many of the company's devoted users, who largely use the platform because of its immersive quality. And as we're sure it goes without saying, such immersion would presumably stand to be interrupted by unpredictable, multilingual ebullitions of what's likely AI training data riddled with mention of sex toys, cowboys, and checks notes Slavic villages.Andif this glitch isa glimpse into the company's AI training data? Because Character.AI feeds user inputs back into its model for training purposes, such a bug could prove to be another more serious security concern, given the sort of intimate, revealing conversations that people, minors included, are having with Character.AI bots.Share This Article

Global IT spending continues to rise, and enterprises are increasingly moving budgets to services and software away from hardware investments. This shift in spending directly influences the strategic, operational, and investment decisions of high-tech providers. To stay competitive, they must prioritize customer-centric strategies and align business goals with operations. To facilitate this, embracing as-a-service (AaS) models is vital to meet current demands and drive future growth. Yet, most providers are not equipped to adequately address the demands associated with such an enterprise change.The AaS OpportunityIntegration of AaS offerings will be crucial for companies reinvention strategies and a well-executed AaS strategy benefits both tech providers and their customers. Recent Accenture research found that executives recognize the flexibility, stability and potential growth opportunities that come along with this. We found there is a shared optimism, with a measurable confidence in generative AIs (GenAI) applications to support business transformation. In fact, 97% of executives believe that gen AI can help their companies accelerate the shift towards models that focus on annual recurring revenue (ARR) and AaS offerings and 85% think that AaS offerings will add to their revenue stream but at the expense of their current products or services.Related:Worryingly, 75% agree that legacy technology hardware companies will no longer exist unless they begin acting more like software companies. That underpins the urgency for high tech companies to reinvent themselves immediately, not plan for it somewhere down the line. The benefits are twofold, for the customer this shift provides continued and superior value year over year. Additionally, providers have registered a positive impact on long-term revenue, customer retention and overall customer lifetime value.Addressing the Roadblocks to AaS AdoptionDespite the benefits of shifting to new models, which can bridge the gap between high-tech players and their customers, our findings point to a significant confidence split among respondents. Only 50% of executives believe they can meet theirpublicly statedARR goals. Although high-tech companies have the ideal products and services that could benefit from a cloud-hosted, subscription-based model via AaS to generate recurring revenue, manyfaceinternal challenges like grappling with legacy systems and tech debt.While theres positivity around the opportunity that AaS can bring, theres also hesitation in the industry to adopt it because many executives believe AaS models might cannibalize their existing offerings. They also believe that the success of implementing these models is heavily dependent on their sales force's readiness to adopt new ways of selling. This outlook questions the preparedness of high-tech companies to adapt to such a transformation.Related:However, to maintain a competitive advantage, high-tech companies need to implement a customer-centric strategy. This is especially critical given that enterprise customers are increasingly redirecting their IT budgets to prioritize services and software, with a notable focus on software as a service (SaaS).Embracing AaS to Navigate Customer Demand and RetentionThe primary benefits of shifting to an AaS model arm high-tech providers with the ability to address modern customer expectations and overcome the limitations of traditional product lifecycles, to build lastingvalue-driven relationships. Here are the keycustomer-centric strategiesthat executives need to focus on to establish themselves as leaders in the AaS era:Pivoting from transactional to relational customer engagement:With 98% of executives acknowledging that a companys products and services define their customer relationship, products need to serve more than just one transaction in their lifecycle and should be part of an ongoing relationship with the customer base. Therefore, they should move from product-focused to subscription-based organization to create long-term revenue growth and higher customer retention.Related:Replacing legacy systems with modern IT:Modernizing IT infrastructure is centered around creating a strong digital core, which consists of a cloud infrastructure,dataand AI. This will help companies stay ahead of competitors, expeditegrowthand guarantee operational security.Shifting focus from product features to customer outcomes:Customer needs have evolved and creating a dedicated customer success function will become a critical need for high-tech companies to enable AaS adoption. Gen AI is an essential technology that can provide a more detailed customer behavior analysis and will help identify new customer needs.Recalibrating the sales force:Although executive confidence in their sales forces ability to shift from transaction based to outcome-based compensation is in the majority, training talent to accelerate adoption and preparing them to sell under the new model is critical to enabling AaS across the organization.A rapidly changingdigital landscape and evolving market dynamics requires high-tech companies to assume more agility. To that end, meeting their ARR goals will also require adopting an AaS model that prioritizes customer-centricity. By leveraging these strategies, which rely on gen AI integration and Total Enterprise Reinvention, providers can make a decided effort to future-proof their companies and ensure sustainable growth.