In brief: Most people are aware of how much physical video game sales have been declining over the last few years, but the scale and speed of their fall is quite eye-opening. Since 2021, US spending on this product category has halved. And if you compare 2024 to the 2008 peak, the amount of money being spent is down a massive 85%. The new data comes from market research giant Circana and was posted on X by Mat Piscatella. The graph shows US consumer spending on physical video games hit a high point back in 2008 when it reached just under $12 billion. There has been a constant trend downwards since then, reaching its lowest recorded point of under $2 billion in 2024.The rate of decline in US physical video game software spending accelerated in 2024. Spending on physical video game software in the US has been cut in more than half since 2021 and is now more than 85% below its 2008 peak. We'll see if Switch 2 can help slow/reverse this trend in 2025.[image or embed] Mat Piscatella (@matpiscatella.bsky.social) 24 January 2025 at 19:24It's worth noting that the decline in spending between 2023 and 2024 is quite significant, but this is partly due to Nintendo Switch releases being quite light last year. The Switch is responsible for a large portion of today's physical game sales.There is some good news for the overall games market. Total game spending, which covers physical and digital sales, hardware, and accessories, was just under $60 billion in 2024. That's significantly higher than in 2019 (~$44 billion) and better than 2022....and here's total US video game market spending from 2019-2024 including hardware, accessories and all content. Source: Circana Games Market Dynamics.[image or embed] Mat Piscatella (@matpiscatella.bsky.social) 24 January 2025 at 23:01Physical game sales have been clinging on to life for years now. The PC left them behind a long time ago, and in 2022, it was estimated that around 72% of console game sales globally were digital downloads. The changing landscape has impacted brick-and-mortar stores such as GameStop, which has been cutting jobs and closing locations. The situation is even worse in the UK, where one-time retail giant GAME struggles to stay afloat. // Related StoriesOne just has to look at consoles to see where the industry is heading. There is a digital-only version of the PS5 and the Xbox Series S has no disc drive, nor does the new PS5 Pro, requiring users to purchase one separately if they want to use physical media.However, physical games and the industry as a whole will receive a boost this year from two massive launches: the Nintendo Switch 2, which supports both physical and digital games, and GTA VI, which is expected to have a physical version likely the last GTA to do so.Masthead: Dan Keck

What just happened? Michigan has passed a new law requiring all public high schools to offer at least one computer science course starting in 2027, a way of boosting tech skills and preparing the future workforce. It essentially guarantees all students in the state will soon have access to at least some computer science education before graduating. The bipartisan bill, signed into law last week by Governor Gretchen Whitmer, aims to increase technological literacy across the state. It mandates that every Michigan high school must provide an in-person computer science class meeting standards set by the state board of education. Virtual options are allowed if in-person is not possible, except for fully online schools.The law was announced as part of a package promoting economic development. Whitmer emphasized positioning Michigan as an attractive place for innovation and advanced manufacturing. She framed the computer science requirement as aligning Michigan with the majority of other states while equipping students with critical thinking abilities needed to succeed in tomorrow's jobs.Advocates who testified in support of the legislation included major tech companies such as Amazon and Microsoft, as well as nonprofit groups they fund like Code.org. Also backing the bill were the Computer Science Teachers Association and tech industry lobbyists like TechNet, whose members include Apple, Google, Meta, and others.Their stance was that increasing access to computer science education should be a top priority. This ensures students can compete for well-paying, in-demand positions in fields driven by computing in the coming decades.The new law defines computer science broadly as the study of computational principles, hardware, software, and their societal impacts with a focus on creating new technologies rather than just using them. // Related StoriesIt's unclear how many Michigan high schools already teach dedicated computer science courses meeting this definition. But the legislation signals state leaders and major employers recognize the growing importance of seeding those foundations earlier in the education pipeline.Besides this law, Michigan passed another bill that provides tax incentives for data centers to locate in the state. House Bill 4906 extends a tax exemption on data center equipment investments, aiming to attract these operations and create jobs. Proponents say the data center growth enabled by these incentives could generate tens of millions in tax revenue to fund schools and services across Michigan communities.

Sniper Elite: ResistanceMSRP$60.00 Score DetailsSniper Elite: Resistance is the loud and proud Nazi-hunting shooter we need right now.ProsTight stealth actionSatisfying ultraviolenceExcellent level designTons of extra modesConsStory feels insignificantUnchanged formula can feel oldMissions get repetitiveTable of ContentsTable of ContentsMeet Harry HawkerMaximum carnageA total packageI wish I hated anything as much as Sniper Elite: Resistances creators, the folks over at Rebellion, hate Nazis. Talking about how much you detest fascism is one thing; dedicating your entire career to making the same exact ultraviolet execution simulator over and over again is a different beast entirely. Its a level of hater that everyone should aspire to.Recommended VideosIts thanks to that relentless spirit that weve got yet another Sniper Elite game serving up some grotesque catharsis. This one comes less than three years after 2022s Sniper Elite 5 and sticks so close to that shooters playbook that it feels more like an entry in an annualized series like Madden or WWE 2K than the sequel to a narrative-driven stealth action game. The rules are the same. This years visual upgrade is just a bit better. All the multiplayer modes you expect are accounted for. Its a reliable continuation made by people who are positively gleeful about turning Nazi hunting into a time-honored blood sport.Sniper Elite: Resistance offers more of the same action with virtually no surprises and a dull World War 2 story. Thats perfectly fine considering that the Rebellion team is still great at the one thing theyve dedicated their career to doing: creating tightly designed murder playgrounds for those who want to vent their real world political frustrations in the safety of a virtual shooting gallery.While Resistance is Sniper Elite 6 in everything but name, it does introduce one key difference that sets it apart from the rest of the series. Rather than playing as long-time hero Karl Fairburne, Resistance puts Harry Hawker in the lead role. Thats not much of a change considering that Hawker is functionally identical to Fairburne, down to his burning hatred for fascism. It does bring just enough of a new attitude though, as the snarky soldiers voice bears an uncanny resemblance to that of Jason Statham. Its a fitting choice, one that sells Sniper Elite for what it is: a popcorn action romp with the brains of a Jack Reacher movie.I yearn for a Sniper Elite story thats willing to grapple with white supremacy as much as military intelligence.At this point, no one should expect much substance from one of these games. The obligatory plot this time is that Hawker teams up with French Resistance forces to foil another Nazi operation. Theyre developing some kind of superweapon to fuel their vague plan for European domination. It isnt very original and it doesnt matter; its just an easy excuse to travel to different environments, sabotage machinery, and shatter Nazi skulls. Its a MyCareer mode for professional killers.While thats all fine, I do find myself wishing Resistance had anything to say about Nazism especially at this moment in history. Maybe its just because Im coming off of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, a similarly venomous game that doesnt mince words about Nazis. It paints them as weak buffoons who are easily manipulated. Theyre gullible morons, which makes them all the more satisfying to punch out. Sniper Elite features no such reflection. The Nazis here are simply generic bad guys who want to take over the world with secret weapons. Their actual political beliefs are rarely interrogated beyond that, making them interchangeable with any other World War 2 forces.RebellionBoth the Nazis of yesterday and those who raise their hands today are far more specific and nefarious. They too aim for world domination, but not through cartoonish evil plots carried out in secret bunkers. Its through mass oppression that happens in plain sight. Fear and hatred are as tangible as any ubertank or super missile. As we head into a new age of fascism thats unashamedly unfolding in plain sight, it might be time for our art about it to get more vocal too. I yearn for a Sniper Elite story thats willing to grapple with white supremacy as much as military intelligence.Though its flat story isnt memorable, Resistance still delivers where it matters most. Its another rock solid collection of stealth action missions that turn World War 2 into Hitman. Hawker is dropped into different open ended levels filled with objectives, from assassinating key targets to blowing weapons sky high with satchel charges. It all plays identically to Sniper Elite 5 to the point that I could copy and paste my review of that game here and only need to change a few words. That might be a little dull for anyone who has played that game to death already, but I quickly remembered how well that patented formula works.Its pure catharsis for those with strong stomachs and no sympathy for evil.It all starts with the fundamentals. Its a traditional stealth game, the likes of which we dont see as much of these days. It all starts with casing the scenery, marking targets, and slowly sneaking in and out of cover en route to objectives. Genre staples like tossing bottles to attract guards attention are all here. That patient setup makes it all the more satisfying when a plan goes right. Nothing feels better than sneaking up on a Nazi, knifing them in the heart, and then tossing their body off a cliff so no one can find them. The series defining ultraviolence returns, of course, in its detailed killcams that show bullets shooting through organs in slow-motion. Its pure catharsis for those with strong stomachs and no sympathy for evil.What really makes that all work, though, is Resistances stellar level design. There are eight core missions here (plus a short finale) and each one takes players into a sprawling location that can be traversed in any number of ways. In its first mission, I need to sneak onto a dam and sabotage some anti-air guns. Theres no singular way to approach that objective. I could start by sneaking into a nearby building, nabbing a silent sniper, and picking out some watchmen on the bridge before sneaking my way across. In my playthrough, I instead decided to zipline down to the underside of the dam and sneak my way topside, leaving a trail of bodies in my path.I continue to be impressed by the density of detail Rebellion packs into its maps. These dont feel like typical video game levels where every nook and cranny is authored to the point of feeling mechanical. These feel like real locations that exist outside of the confines of an operation. In one mission, I find myself crossing what feels like a real city as I make my way to a Nazi base. I can pop into a number of buildings along the way, whether they contain objectives or not. Sometimes Ill find some collectibles or handy gear in one. Other times, its just a safe passage to move through the city. Design like that makes Resistances missions feel remarkable versatile, giving me good reason to return to them.RebellionMissions can be punishing early on. Even one alerted guard can turn the odds in an overwhelming manner that feels impossible to come back from (something that always has me opting out of Sniper Elites multiplayer invasion function). It took me a few missions to fully find my footing, but the moment where it all clicks is as rewarding as ever. One of my favorite missions had me hovering on the outskirts of an enormous Nazi stronghold in the middle of a vineyard. Before diving in, I worked my way around the perimeter to take on a few scattered side missions. I snuck into a tower to kill an elite sniper watching over the sunlit land, completing one side mission, and grabbed his rifle. Through the scope, I spotted the target of another optional objective, a VIP officer talking to a soldier outside of house. I burst his skull open from halfway across the map and made my way to the main objective undetected, like a ghost moving in broad daylight.Even with these strengths, the copy/paste nature of Sniper Elite 5s existing systems can make it all drag by the end. My tools are limited, my skill trees arent too exciting, and mission objectives tend to get repetitive after the fifth infiltrate and sabotage setup. Theres just not quite enough to the immersive sim here to keep the same exact game exciting twice. The Hitman series can get away with it because theres so much varied slapstick they can pack into missions (from shoving someone into a grape crusher to giving an assassination target an exploding golf ball). A somewhat grounded war game is limited by comparison, leaving Resistance feeling more like a great DLC collection than a new game.The one area where Ill really give Rebellion credit is in how successfully it has transformed Sniper Elite into a service platform. Those who really want to play one of these games for years can really do so thanks to deep career progression systems, replayable missions, and a growing list of extra modes that only expands here. I get a kick out of the fact that I get overarching experience for things like quietly stabbing a Nazi from behind, just like I would for doing a donut in Forza Horizon 5.RebellionI find it difficult to pass too much judgement on the bonus modes included here; those who come to these games for those are getting exactly what they want here. Ive personally never found Sniper Elites multiplayer offerings all that interesting as the series systems are built around slow third-person sneaking. It doesnt really translate to squad-based shootouts for me, but theyre extras for a reason. Anyone who doesnt really care about competitive play can still enjoy a tight eight-hour campaign without having invasions forced upon them.The only new addition this time is Propaganda Missions. Unlocked by finding a collectible poster in each level, these kill them all missions sort of act as Sniper Elites version of Resident Evil Villages Mercenaries mode. Players have a set amount of time to wipe out a set amount of enemies on each mission map. Killing special officers extends the time, creating a perfectly functional high score chase. Again, I dont find that the slow and methodical pace of the main game neatly fits into a quicker shooting gallery, but its an inoffensive bonus for those who want to test their mastery in a new way.Fascist slaying should feel like basketball Modes like this arent always a good fit for games just look at The Last of Us Part 2 Remasteredand its thematically dissonant No Return mode. These extras work for Sniper Elite, though, because the series is loud and proud about its elegant thesis: Killing Nazis is fun and cool, actually. It makes perfect sense for Resistance to feel like a carnival filled with bloody attractions that welcomes visitors back over and over. Rebellion doesnt want you to feel emotionally torn over shooting fascists in the head. Theres no moral gray zone to ponder. Fascist slaying should feel like basketball; its a light and harmless extracurricular hobby.Anyone who thinks otherwise should probably put their saluting hand down lest they find themselves in Sniper Elites scope.Sniper Elite: Resistance was tested on a PlayStation 5 Pro.Editors Recommendations

Table of ContentsTable of Contents10. Camille Montes9. Paloma8. Jinx Johnson7. Wai Lin6. Xenia Onatopp5. Anya Amasova4. Pussy Galore3. Tracy Bond2. Honey Ryder1. Vesper LyndThe James Bond movies are about more than just action, supervillain plots, and an ever-changing lineup of actors portraying 007 on the big screen. The Bond girls are just as big of an attraction for the franchise as James Bond himself. And its now considered an honor for actresses to appear opposite the current 007 on the big screen.While the next James Bond film may be years away, theres no time like the present to revisit the 10 best James Bond girls. There has been considerable debate over the years over which Bond girl is the greatest of them all, and this list wont end that debate. However, almost all of the top names are accounted for here alongside the all-time greats.Recommended VideosNeed more recommendations? Weve also gone over the 10 best James Bond movies and the 7 best James Bond villains. Then check out the best new movies to stream this week, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.RelatedMGMWhen Bond was on a revenge mission in Quantum of Solace, he met a woman whose vendetta may have been even more intense than his. The woman in question was Camille Montes (Olga Kurylenko), one of the rare heroic Bond girls who doesnt have a one-night stand with 007. Camille isnt interested in hooking up with Bond, and shes annoyed that hes getting in the way of her own plans for payback.Camille and Bond finally get on the same page and work towards the same goals. He may never get together with Camille, but Bond finds the experience is enough to help him move past his grief for someone he loves.MGM / MGMGiven that Paloma was less than truthful about how much training shes had, we cant be certain that was even her real name. Regardless, Ana de Armas was spellbinding as a so-called rookie CIA agent who fought side by side with Daniel Craigs Bond in No Time to Die.Armas turn in this role almost certainly helped her land the John Wick spinoff, Ballerina. Paloma would have ranked even higher on this list if she had a bigger role in the movie. But she made quite an impression in the short time that she was on screen.MGMFor his final turn as James Bond in Die Another Day, Pierce Brosnan was paired with Halle Berrys Jinx Johnson. Shes an NSA agent who matches up well with Bond, and she proves to be very formidable as well. Jinx even gets her own homage scene to Ursula Andress Honey Rider, which speaks volumes about how MGM viewed her in the role.For a while, there was even talk that Jinx might get her own spinoff movie, which would have been a first for a Bond girl. Sadly, those plans never came to pass.MGMAs much butt as Jinx kicks in her movie, she comes up short compared to Michelle Yeohs Wai Lin in Die Another Day. 25 years before Yeoh won an Oscar for Best Actress for Everything Everywhere All At Once, she was already an action icon in Hong Kong cinema. That lent Yeoh much credibility for Wai Lins action scenes alongside Bond as a special agent for China.Wai Lin and Bond may have been from different countries, but they had a common goal: to prevent their leaders from being tricked into a devastating war. She left quite an impression on 007, and Wai Lin clearly belongs on this list.MGMNot every Bond girl is a good girl. Famke Janssens Xenia Onatopp is the first villain on this list. Thats partially because Janssen completely outshined her fellow Bond girl Izabella Scorupco in GoldenEye. Xenias over-the-top personality is hilarious, and she has a penchant for using her thighs to crush her enemies to death.Xenia did have to play henchwoman to Alec Trevelyan (Sean Bean), but its a role she played well. Shes so entertaining to watch that her relatively quick exit was disappointing.MGMWho is Anya Amasova? Shes the spy in The Spy Who Loved Me, as memorably played by Barbara Bach. Anya, who was also known as Agent XXX, is a KGB operative forced to work with Roger Moores Bond. She also has a personal vendetta against Bond for killing her lover at the beginning of the movie.Anya doesnt hide her intentions from Bond, and shes only holding back on getting her revenge until they finish their mission. That elevated the tension between them throughout the film. But the title of the movie should tell you how that worked out.MGMHonor Blackmans Pussy Galore may have been a henchwoman to Auric Goldfinger (Gert Frbe), but she stole the spotlight with more than just her provocative name. Sean Connerys James Bond encountered Galore when she was working for Goldfinger as a pilot, and shes on the opposite side for most of the film.Bond being Bond, it was only a matter of time before James convinced Galore to side with him over Goldfinger. Thats why she gets to live to see the end credits while sharing some romantic moments with Bond.MGMJames Bond (George Lazenby) has pursued countless women, but hes only married one. Diana Rigg left her mark on the franchise as Tracy Bond in On Her Majestys Secret Service. But her real name is Contessa Teresa di Vicenzo, and shes the daughter of one of Bonds enemies, Marc-Ange Draco (Gabriele Ferzetti).Tracys romance with Bond might be faster than a whirlwind, but its easy to see why he loves her. Shes smart and quick-witted and proves to be one of his most loyal allies in his latest struggle against Blofeld (Telly Savalas). Their decision to tie the knot only gave Blofeld the perfect way to get his revenge on Bond by murdering his young bride at the climax of the film. Her death remains one of the most shocking scenes in the franchise.MGMAmong Bond girls, Ursula Andress Honey Ryder is the icon. When she emerged from the water in Doctor No, Andress became an instant sex symbol and the prototype for every Bond girl who came after her. Honey is a shell diver who is a little out of her depth in Bonds world, but shes also fierce and brave in the face of danger.While Andress physically played Honey, her voice was dubbed over by Nikki van der Zyl, with Diana Coupland handling her singing voice. Those actresses also deserve their due for Honeys place on this list.MGMHoney Ryder may be the icon, but Vesper Lynd was the original Bond girl. She just didnt get her due until the 2006 adaptation of Casino Royale. Ursula Andress actually played the same character in the 1967 comedic adaptation of Casino Royale, but its Eva Greens portrayal in the second adaptation that earned Vesper No. 1 on our list.Vesper is an MI6 operative who is more than an intellectual match for Bond and one of the few who can see past the performance he puts on for others. While this initially puts Bond off from Vesper, he eventually falls hard for her. That only complicates things for Vesper, as her secrets come back to haunt both of them and doom her to an early grave. Her impact on Daniel Craigs Bond is so powerful that it extended all the way through to No Time To Die. There has yet to be a Bond girl who had that same grip on his heart other than his late wife in the original films.Editors Recommendations

The LinkedIn co-founder is starting Manas AI with The Emperor of All Maladies author Siddhartha Mukherjee.

The company, which helps match experts with contract jobs at AI companies, was valued at $250 million a few months ago.

TechTarget and Informa Techs Digital Business Combine.TechTarget and InformaTechTarget and Informa Techs Digital Business Combine.Together, we power an unparalleled network of 220+ online properties covering 10,000+ granular topics, serving an audience of 50+ million professionals with original, objective content from trusted sources. We help you gain critical insights and make more informed decisions across your business priorities.How Must Staffing Change in Relation to AI?How Must Staffing Change in Relation to AI?From the C-suite to new hires, the impact of AI on relevant job skills and career longevity may deliver aftershocks for years to come.Joao-Pierre S. Ruth, Senior EditorJanuary 27, 2025Debate continues over how artificial intelligence might upend current jobs and future careers, as nuances emerge in such discussions.The assumption that AI equals immediate job cuts to deliver efficiency might not be that simple, especially as more divisions within organizations and their leadership start to understand how they can leverage this technology. Certain jobs might be eliminated, yet other jobs could evolve with AI.This episode of DOS Wont Hunt features Luke Behnke, vice president of product for Grammarly; Cliff Jurkiewicz, vice president of global Strategy for Phenom; Ryan Bergstrom, chief product and technology officer for Paycor; Daniel Avancini, co-founder and chief data officer for Indicium; and Arun Varadarajan, co-founder and chief commercial officer for Ascendion.They discussed how AI already changes staffing, what skillsets organizations want in an AI-powered world, fears about job loss, what this may mean for executives in the C-suite who need to get up to speed on AI, and when organizations can comfortably rely on AI to enhance their workforce.Listen to the full podcast here.About the AuthorJoao-Pierre S. RuthSenior EditorJoao-Pierre S. Ruth covers tech policy, including ethics, privacy, legislation, and risk; fintech; code strategy; and cloud & edge computing for InformationWeek. He has been a journalist for more than 25 years, reporting on business and technology first in New Jersey, then covering the New York tech startup community, and later as a freelancer for such outlets as TheStreet, Investopedia, and Street Fight.See more from Joao-Pierre S. RuthNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also LikeWebinarsMore WebinarsReportsMore Reports

Theres network as a service (NaaS), infrastructure as a service (IaaS),platform as a service (PaaS) and software as a service (SaaS). All offer opportunities to outsource major areas of IT operations to third-party vendors in turnkey fashion if desired. In other words, all you need to do is to call the vendor, much as an end user will call IT if a service goes down, gets slow or develops a bug.The oft-cited value point of these outsourcing approaches is that IT will have more time to focus on strategy, and not so much on the mundane tasks of daily operations. However, consider whether cloud management and operations should be a totally hands off practice or are there levels of management and control that IT should keep?Whether building or buying technology, its critical for companies to consider how they choose their systems, devices and applications, said PWC in a recent paper on technology and ethics. However, even if you exclude ethics and are just talking about day-to-day IT, there is a responsibility to oversee technology for the company and its stakeholders, even if the technology is tucked away in a cloud.IT in the CloudThe initial role that IT plays with the cloud is determined when the company decides to move to the cloud and then meets with vendors to determine which cloud provider to sign with. In many cases, getting contracts signed and services started is all IT does in the process, unless there is a cloud service interruption or its contract renewal time.Related:Very small companies of 20 or fewer employees live in this world. The cloud benefits them greatly because theyre able to subscribe to IT services and support they otherwise could not afford, and then they simply dont think much about it anymore.However, for mid-sized and large companies with large IT portfolios and in-house IT staff, a totally hands off role with the cloud that fails to address questions of cloud risk or management control is less than optimal. IT departments in these organizations recognize this, so they ask staff members to manage the cloud as needed. The problem with that approach is this: More IT is shifting to the cloud, making the cloud a more dominant IT hosting platform, and it becomes less viable to handle day-to-day cloud issues on an informal, as needed basis. That is why more mid-sized and large companies are codifying IT responsibilities for the cloud by writing them into staff job descriptions.Cloud Roles That IT Staff Members PlayHere are some IT cloud responsibilities that need to be more formally addressed.Related:Contracts and SLAs. A contract for a mission-critical system like cloud-based ERP involves more than just signing up for a service. Companies with large ERP systems depend on ERP applications as the operational driveline of the entire business. An ERP vendor should take the criticality of this system as seriously as the company does. During contract negotiation, this means hammering out service level agreements (SLAs) that are more robust in their performance and uptime requirements than what a vendor would typically offer in a boilerplate contract. There is also room to negotiate on pricing and support.Who does this? Enterprise IT departments hire contract administrators to do this work.Medium-sized companies that cant afford a dedicated contract administrator should consult with attorneys.Cloud contract negotiation and administrative responsibilities should be written into contract administrator job descriptions. For companies employing outside legal counsel, the CIO or an upper-level IT manager should be tasked with the responsibility of cloud contract negotiation and coordination with the legal team.Compliance. In large enterprises, there are dedicated internal regulatory groups that monitor and ensure compliance, whether the company standards are HIPAA (healthcare), PCI, Sarbanes Oxley (finance) or something else. SMBs without dedicated regulatory staff turn to attorneys. The goal is to ensure that prospective and existing cloud vendors are compliant with various regulations.Related:Who does this? IT gets involved because almost always,IT owns the cloud vendor relationship.Typically, a senior business analyst in IT coordinates and verifies cloud vendor compliance, working with the regulatory group and attorneys. In the past, this responsibility often was performed informally. It should be formalized as part of the business analysts job responsibilities.Security. Cloud vendor security audits and methods must be reviewed annually to assure that vendors continue to adhere to company security requirements. At the same time, IT is responsible for configuring the security levels for its own assets in the cloud.Who does this? The IT security staff should have written accountabilities for configuring and monitoring security in the cloud. This includes setting up of security for cloud-based IT assets and annual reviews of cloud vendor security audits.Asset deployment, management, and performance optimization. Applications and IT infrastructure components that support the production environment should be deployed, monitored, and optimized for performance in the cloud as part of ITs daily work. In some cases, there will be joint responsibility for sharing these tasks between IT and cloud vendors, but ultimately it is IT that is responsible for ensuring that applications and the supporting infrastructure are running in the cloud as they should be.Who does this? In PaaS and IaaS cloud environments, it will be the systems group that should have an individual assigned to maintaining performance levels in the cloud and in working with cloud vendors as needed. On the applications side, it will be a senior applications group staff member or manager who would carry out this responsibility for applications.Data stewardship and testing. Cloud services sell data, and other cloud services are in charge of maintaining data in a safe and secure environment. In still other cases, cloud services are being used to provision and de-provision test databases and infrastructure for IT unit application testing. Someone in IT should be formally assigned the responsibility of assuring that cloud data is safe, and that IT test environments are correctly configured.Who does this? The database group should be tasked with data management and stewardship of cloud data.The DBA or a data analyst should also be assigned the responsibility of setting up or taking down testing facilities, or in many cases, supervising the application programmers themselves to ensure they are doing this correctly.Final ThoughtsCloud-based data, applications and infrastructure are a major part of IT portfolios, so IT cant afford to consign these responsibilities to third parties, especially if these IT departments are in very large enterprises.Its time to formalize cloud responsibilities throughout the IT organization, and to provide the time for IT staff members to get up to speed with cloud-based tools that they will need in performing their cloud-based responsibilities.The task now for CIOs and senior IT leaders is to map these cloud responsibilities across the IT organization, because different individuals in diverse areas of IT will be needed to do them.

Illustration of an exoplanet in the early universeDarryl Fonseka/AlamyConditions in the early universe might have enabled rocky planets with water to form much earlier than anticipated, potentially allowing life to begin sooner too.Astrophysicists studying the early universe think planet formation didnt begin in earnest until supernovae had released enough heavy elements to form planetesimals, the building blocks of rocky planets, around stars. Our sun and its planets arose when the universe was about 9 billion years old, and the oldest known planet developed 1 billion years into the life of the universe.

This is today's edition ofThe Download,our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology. How a top Chinese AI model overcame US sanctions The AI community is abuzz over DeepSeek R1, a new open-source reasoning model. The model was developed by the Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, which claims that R1 matches or even surpasses OpenAIs ChatGPT o1 on multiple key benchmarks but operates at a fraction of the cost. DeepSeeks success is even more remarkable given the constraints facing Chinese AI companies in the form of increasing US export controls on cutting-edge chips. But early evidence shows that these measures are not working as intended. Rather than weakening Chinas AI capabilities, the sanctions appear to be driving startups like DeepSeek to innovate in ways that prioritize efficiency, resource-pooling, and collaboration.Read the full story. Caiwei Chen Useful quantum computing is inevitableand increasingly imminent Peter Barrett is a general partner at Playground Global, which invests in early-stage deep-tech companies On January 8, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang jolted the stock market by saying that practical quantum computing is still 15 to 30 years away, at the same time suggesting those computers will need Nvidia GPUs in order to implement the necessary error correction. However, history shows that brilliant people are not immune to making mistakes. Huangs predictions miss the mark, both on the timeline for useful quantum computing and on the role his companys technology will play in that future. Ive been closely following developments in quantum computing as an investor, and its clear to me that useful quantum computing is inevitable and increasingly imminent. And thats good news, because the hope is that they will be able to perform calculations that no amount of AI or classical computation could ever achieve. Read the full story.The must-reads Ive combed the internet to find you todays most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 AI pioneers are clashing over its potential dangers Yann LeCun, Metas AI chief scientist, has branded experts grave warnings hypocritical. (FT $)+ AIs biggest cheerleaders tend to know the least about it. (Wired $)+ How existential risk became the biggest meme in AI. (MIT Technology Review)2 This surveillance tech could enable Donald Trumps deportation plans From mass biometric databases to phone jailbreaking tools. (NYT $)+ It really doesnt have to be like this. (The Atlantic $)+ Trump has declared policing the US-Mexican border his number one issue. (FT $)+ Hes ordered the end of the CBP One border migration app. (MIT Technology Review)3 The European Union is watching Big Tech like a hawk Its concerned about disinformation spreading ahead of next months German election. (Bloomberg $)4 Trumps meme coins are bad news for the crypto industry The community was hoping the President would legitimize cryptocurrency, rather than leaning into its scammier side. (WP $)+ Its a blow to the fans hoping hell make Bitcoin great again. (The Guardian)+ Trumps biggest supporters stand to lose the most from his crypto grift. (Vox) 5 AI is helping to pin down what caused the Los Angeles wildfires Determining the truth could take months. AI is speeding that process up. (Wired $)6 Elon Musks gaming skills are under fireHardcore gamers are questioning how he was seemingly playing during Trumps inauguration. (NYT $) 7 The European Medicines Agency has had enough of XAnd has moved to Bluesky instead. (Reuters) 8 Vietnam is deploying robots to help run its postal serviceIncluding delivering parcels and sorting packages in warehouses. (Rest of World) 9 Startups are in for a rough year Thousands of companies were funded between 2020 and 2021. Now, plenty are shutting down. (TechCrunch)+ Gaming startups in the UK are struggling for cash. (BBC)10 A newly-discovered asteroid turned out to be Musks Tesla RoadsterThe car and its mannequin driver have been floating in space since 2018. (USA Today) + The worlds next big environmental problem could come from space. (MIT Technology Review)Quote of the day I think within five years, nobody in their right mind would use them anymore. Yann LeCun, Metas chief AI scientist, says he believes that the technologies powering the current wave of large language models will soon become obsolete, TechCrunch reports. The big story How culture drives foul play on the internet, and how new upcode can protect us August 2023 From Bored Apes and Fancy Bears, to Shiba Inu coins, self-replicating viruses, and whales, the internet is crawling with fraud, hacks, and scams.And while new technologies come and go, they change little about the fact that online illegal operations exist because some people are willing to act illegally, and others fall for the stories they tell.Ultimately, online crime is a human story. But why does it work, and how can we protect ourselves from falling for such schemes? Read the full story.Rebecca Ackermann We can still have nice things A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or skeet 'em at me.) + I cant believe these albums were released 50 years ago: featuring Bob Dylan, Donna Summer, and The Boss.+ What one mans search for happiness taught him about himself.+ More twins are being born than ever beforebut why? + Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on this day in 1756. Enjoy this stunning piano concerto in his honor!