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Remember when spotting a drone in the sky was a novelty? Now its like playing whack-a-mole with flying machines. Delivery drones, military drones, AI drones, hobby drones our skies are busier than the queue at airport security. Without air traffic control, were one step away from midair collisions and drones arguing over parking spots.Enter AirDodge, a Norwegian startup thats stepping in to tame the chaos. The Oslo-based company just secured a $500,000 pre-seed funding round, led by VC firms Nordic Makers and Antler. The investment will help AirDodge develop its U-Space software platform, designed to manage large-scale drone operations across Europe.At AirDodge, we envision a future where drones seamlessly integrate into the airspace, contributing positively to various industries while ensuring safety and compliance, said Umar Chughtai, who founded AirDodge in 2022. This funding will allow us to accelerate the development of our U-Space platform, bringing us closer to realising that vision.The AirDodge platform provides a real-time map of drone activity and aims to simplify the process of obtaining flight permissions. The tech aligns with the EUs U-Space standards which are designed to provide safe, efficient and secure access to airspace for large numbers of unmanned aircraft, operating automatically and beyond visual line of sight.The of EU techThe latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!In 2018, Londons Gatwick airport was forced to shut down after drones were spotted flying near the runway. The incident affected around 1,000 flights and 140,000 passengers. Many similar incidents have occurred over the years, from Stockholm to Frankfurt.If AirDodges tech had been around during the Gatwick fiasco, it couldve spotted the rogue drones in real-time, flagged them faster than airport security can confiscate a water bottle, and perhaps kept flights running smoothly. By enforcing no-fly zones and syncing drones with air traffic control, the platform might have saved 140,000 passengers a lot of headaches (and missed connections).Drone technology has the potential to have a positive impact on society, business and public services, but there is not yet a way to guarantee safety, said Kristian Jul Rsj, partner at Antler. High-profile disruptions are hindering the development of this technology and AirDodge will provide a much-needed solution.AirDodge will use the pre-seed funding to accelerate the development of its platform. The company aims to launch the alpha version in mid-2025.Across the EU, the market for drone services is soaring. One projection valuing it at 14.5bn by 2030, bringing in 145,000 new jobs. But as drones proliferate, so do the challenges.We have the drones, but we lack the infrastructure, said Nima Tisdall, partner at Nordic Makers. In this case, the infrastructure is not roads, plumbing, or electrical wires; but rather ethereal communication systems.Tisdall added that Airdodge had unusual strengths for the region.The founding team is forceful and ambitious qualities that can be surprisingly rare to find in Nordic entrepreneurs, but integral in building a category-winning business, she said. Were excited to be supporting a local player who can help unlock the large-scale adoption of drones across Europe. 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

Stunning AI advances from Chinese startup DeepSeek have sent tech stocks tumbling across the US and Europe.DeepSeek released a free chatbot and new open-source AI models last week. Within days, the chatbot had overtaken ChatGPT to reach the top spot on the Apple App Stores free app rankings.The new R1 models sent further shockwaves through the AI world. R1 promised performance to rival OpenAI tops reasoning model at just a fraction of the cost. Marc Andreessen, one of the worlds most powerful VCs, called the release AIs Sputnik moment.The markets were also astounded. Shaken by the threat of a powerful, low-cost AI challenger from China, shares in US tech titans plummeted on Monday. Chip designer Nvidia set an alarming example. The chip designer suffered the largest rout in stock market history.The of EU techThe latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!European semiconductor firms were also hit hard. Shares in Dutch chip leader ASML the continents most valuable public tech company slumped by as much as 12%.Semiconductor firms Besi and Asm International also endured double-digit drops. Yet chip companies were not the only European businesses to feel a painful impacts.The continents power equipment makers were also clobbered. Stocks plummeted particularly sharply at Germanys Siemens Energy and Frances Schneider Electric.Amid the market torment, DeepSeek has also sparked excitement. By offering powerful yet affordable open-source models, the startup could accelerate the spread of AIs benefits across the world. For the sectors established leaders, however, the landscape has been shaken. Story by Thomas Macaulay Managing editor Thomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he e (show all) Thomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he enjoys playing chess (badly) and the guitar (even worse). Get the TNW newsletterGet the most important tech news in your inbox each week.Also tagged with

Mythic Quest, one of the longest running Apple TV+ comedies, returns tonight with the debut of season four. Heres a roundup of reviews covering what to expect from the new batch of episodes.Mythic Quest hasnt missed a step in season 4The last season of Mythic Quest wrapped up over two years ago, making for an unusual gap between new episodes. But according to the first wave of season 4 reviews, the Apple TV+ comedy returns just as strong as ever.Emma Fraser writes at IGN:Mythic Quest remains sharp and incisive in depicting the world of video-game developmentThe long-overdue return to the MQ office doesnt disappoint.Brian Tallerico writes at AV Club:Perhaps the most impressive thing about Mythic Quest has been how it has stayed fresh, digging deeper into the fragile emotional states of its characters, their blinding need for acceptance, and the egos that provide fertile comedic ground every season. This one is no exception. Christopher Livingston writes at PC Gamer:the show hasnt missed a step. Mythic Quest Season 4proves its still a nimble comedy with a lot of heart, packed with enough gaming references to make nerds smile but not so many that it becomes impenetrable to non-gamers.Livingston also wrote that Mythic Quest is the best its been since its first season.AI plays a role in new season to comedic effectOne theme covered in Mythic Quests return is the growing role of AI not just in video games but also the world. In classic Mythic Quest fashion, it sounds like AI is employed both with a comedic and sentimental aim.Rahul Majumdar writes at Newsweek:The show has always found humor in topics that have irked players and creators alike. AI is all the rage in the tech industry, so its not surprising that an episode focuses on uncanny AI personifications of the lead characters. The bickering amongst Ian and Poppy and their AI versions is not only witty, but also deeply insightful, and thats where Mythic Quest is at its best.You can watch Mythic Quests first three seasons now with an Apple TV+ subscription, and the first episodes of season 4 will debut at 9 p.m. ET on January 28.Are you excited for Mythic Quests return? 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

Todays deals are headlined by even lower prices across the most affordable current-generation iPad Air models starting from $499 alongside the return of $200 price drops on both the entry-level and upgraded 1TB M4 MacBook Pro. From there we move over to Apple Watch Series 10 the base models have already returned to Black Friday pricing and today we are featuring the high-end titanium models that are now $70 off the going rate as well as a collection of charging and magnetic accessories, keyboards, and more. All of that and more awaits below in todays 9to5Toys Lunch Break. more

Days after The Onion was forced to take down an article's image after realizing it was AI slop, the satirical news site has been forced to do it again.After being somewhat hilariously called out, the newspaper's CEO Ben Collins was all apologies on Bluesky when admitting that the latest article titled "Panicked Pottery Barn Executives Announce They Have Lost Control Of The Wicker" and featuring an image of the Manhattan skyline replaced with the woven material had been up for a while."Goddammit,"wrote the former NBC News extremism reporter and social star. "The Onion once again posted an article in which a portion of the artwork came from an AI-generated Shutterstock image.""This article was over a month old and only a portion of the image," wrote the former NBC News extremism reporter and social star. "We took it down immediately. We'll be more vigilant. I'm personally sorry and I'm working on it."It's a striking pair of incidents not becauseThe Onion is trying to pull a fast one on its workers or readers, but because it illustrates just how deeply AI content has already permeated the media ecosystem, working its way into the efforts even of creatives explicitly trying to avoid it."This was a months-old image, and Shutterstock's 'exclude AI' thing seems to have some known problems," Collins continued. "I'm reevaluating options here to make sure this doesn't happen again."We weren't able to find the image in question on Shutterstock,though it was archived by our Slack instance beforeThe Onion pulled it down.Google Image Search, however, turned up something that Collins didn't mention: the image had been featured next to the aforementioned Pottery Barn article in The Onion's first print issue after the reboot, which was also the first time it was printed in over a decade.That reverse image search directed us to the Substack blog The Onion: 20 Years Later. In it, writer and allium enthusiast James daSilva reviews oldOnion issues though on the occasion of the first print issue since 2013, which was sent to paying subscribers last November, he went more modern as he lauded the paper's return.Strikingly, daSilva also questioned whether the image was generated with AI before ultimately dismissing it as "merely a great use of Photoshop or similar tools to transform a stock photo."As with the last time this happened, it does seem very much likeThe Onion made an honest mistake when altering stock art for comedic effect. But now stock photo sites, like Shutterstock as well as those operated by Getty Images and Adobe, include AI image generators for search queries and as Collins noted in his Bluesky thread, the "exclude AI" option doesn't always work.At the end of his apologia thread, Collins noted that The Onion's art team sometimes works with stock photo sites as do most publishers that work with conceptual illustrations, including Futurism."This was not a problem until stock photo services became flooded with AI slop," he wrote. "We'll reinforce process and move on."Despite this debacle occurring for the second time in less than a week, it does appear that this latest instance of AI slop at The Onion actually occurredbefore the first, given that this one was seemingly published back in November and the one from last week was more recent.Reading between the lines there, it does seem like the satire paper is, at the very least, looking to be transparent about the removal of any AI-generated images from its latest iteration a laudable effort in such a sloppy age.Share This Article

After several days of silence, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has finally collected himself and spoken out about Chinese AI startup DeepSeek throwing Silicon Valley into sheer chaos.The company's R1 AI model rattled investors this week, demonstrating that it can run circles around competing models from the likes of OpenAI, Meta, and Anthropic at a tiny fraction of the cost of training infrastructure.After the resulting bloodbath a more than $1 trillion tech wipeout Altman presented moderately conflicting messages: that he was impressed by DeepSeep, and that he intends for OpenAI to deliver an epic beatdown on it."Deepseek's R1 is an impressive model, particularly around what they're able to deliver for the price," Altman tweeted Monday evening. "We will obviously deliver much better models and also it's legit invigorating to have a new competitor!"Instead of tapping into the promises of lowering computing costs, though, Altman is unwilling to take his foot off the gas."But mostly we are excited to continue to execute on our research roadmap and believe more compute is more important now than ever before to succeed at our mission," he added in an apparent attempt to reassure spooked investors balking at rocketing capital expenditures."The world is going to want to use a LOT of AI, and really be quite amazed by the next-gen models coming," he added.But whether that's the kind of rallying cry investors wanted to hear remains to be seen. DeepSeek impressed with its ability to deliver a similar AI chatbot experience while relying on far less compute. Altman is arguing that even more compute could bring about better AI, while DeepSeek's value proposition could prove a much easier pill to swallow in the short run. After all, the sky-high costs and environmental toll associated with generative AI have eclipsed any promises of a return on investment with a quick turnaround."The winners wont be the ones burning the most cash," AI enterprise platform Cohere founder Aidan Gomez told the Financial Times. Instead, he said, it'll be the ones who find the most "efficient solutions."How OpenAI will respond to DeepSeek's challenge and what exactly Altman meant by "much better models" remains to be seen.Just last week, Altman encouraged his three million X-formerly-Twitter followers to get a grip, likely responding to swirling rumors that the AI industry was set to "announce a next-level breakthrough that unleashes PhD-level super-agents to do complex human tasks.""Twitter hype is out of control again," he wrote in a January 20 tweet, just days before DeepSeek took the tech world by storm. "We are not gonna deploy [artificial general intelligence] next month, nor have we built it," referring to an ill-defined term that describes the point at which an AI can surpass human cognitive capabilities."We have some very cool stuff for you but pls chill and cut your expectations 100x!" he added.Given the sheer amount of capital being used to train OpenAI's increasingly insatiable AI models, it's a high-stakes game. Altman appeared alongside president Donald Trump last week, during his announcement of a $500 billion AI infrastructure initiative dubbed Stargate. OpenAI is expected to commit $19 billion to the venture.That kind of major dedication to the resource-heavy paradigm could have investors asking some difficult questions now that DeepSeek has demonstrated that similar AI models can be trained for a fraction of the cost.In his Monday statement, Altman stuck to his guns, reiterating that OpenAI's number one goal is to realize AGI."Look forward to bringing you all AGI and beyond," he added in a follow-up, a notable change in tone compared to his comments from last week.More on DeepSeek: OpenAI Developer Seethes at Success of DeepSeekShare This Article

Jan 28, 2025Ravie LakshmananPhishing Attack / Network SecurityA financially motivated threat actor has been linked to an ongoing phishing email campaign that has been ongoing since at least July 2024 specifically targeting users in Poland and Germany.The attacks have led to the deployment of various payloads, such as Agent Tesla, Snake Keylogger, and a previously undocumented backdoor dubbed TorNet that's delivered by means of PureCrypter. TorNet is so named owing to the fact that it allows the threat actor to communicate with the victim machine over the TOR anonymity network."The actor is running a Windows scheduled task on victim machinesincluding on endpoints with a low batteryto achieve persistence," Cisco Talos researcher Chetan Raghuprasad said in an analysis published today."The actor also disconnects the victim machine from the network before dropping the payload and then connects it back to the network, allowing them to evade detection by cloud antimalware solutions."The starting point of the attacks is a phishing email bearing fake money transfer confirmations or order receipts, with the threat actor masquerading as financial institutions and manufacturing and logistics companies. Attached to these messages are files with the extension ".tgz" in a likely attempt to evade detection.Opening the compressed email attachment and extracting the archive contents leads to the execution of a .NET loader that, in turn, downloads and runs PureCrypter directly in memory.The PureCrypter malware then proceeds to launch the TorNet backdoor, but not before performing a series of anti-debugger, anti-analysis, anti-VM, and anti-malware checks on the victim machine to fly under the radar."The TorNet backdoor establishes connection to the C2 server and also connects the victim machine to the TOR network," Raghuprasad noted. "It has the capabilities to receive and run arbitrary .NET assemblies in the victim machine's memory, downloaded from the C2 server, increasing the attack surface for further intrusions."The disclosure comes days after the threat intelligence firm said it observed a surge in email threats leveraging hidden text salting in the second half of 2024 with an intent to sidestep brand name extraction by email parsers and detection engines."Hidden text salting is a simple yet effective technique for bypassing email parsers, confusing spam filters, and evading detection engines that rely on keywords," security researcher Omid Mirzaei said. "The idea is to include some characters into the HTML source of an email that are not visually recognizable."To counter such attacks, it's recommended to develop advanced filtering techniques that can detect hidden text salting and content concealment, including detecting use of CSS properties like "visibility" and "display," and adopt visual similarity detection approach (e.g., Pisco) to enhance detection capabilities.Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.SHARE

Lisa Morgan, Freelance WriterJanuary 28, 20258 Min Read Mentor58 via Alamy StockWorkforce data literacy has been a priority ever since companies started using data analytics. With artificial intelligence, generative AI, and augmented analytics, the need persists, meaning end users should understand the basics so they can drive clear business value using data.In 2025, data literacy should mean the ability to engage with data critically and confidently, emphasizing data quality and efficacy. Non-technical roles should not only know how to interpret data but also evaluate its reliability, relevance, and ethical implications in their workflows to achieve business goals, says Dan Merzlyak, senior vice president, global head of data, analytics and AI at Postgres data and AI company EnterpriseDB. These roles should also be comfortable using AI-powered tools and automated workflows, understanding how they streamline repetitive tasks, uncover insights, and enhance productivity.Casey Foss, chief commercial officer at global business and technology consulting firm West Monroe, has been emphasizing the importance of data literacy across her company for the past couple of years, because of its role in AI and the competitive advantage it can drive in any organization.If you havent invested in building these skills yet, you're already behind, says Foss. For non-technical roles, the focus is on using data to make faster, smarter decisions. Its about leveraging data to tell compelling stories to your team, clients, or investors. Its about using data to stay competitive and measure your performance against market leaders and anticipate future market makers. Related:What Everyone Should Know in 2025At its core, data literacy requires understanding data quality including accuracy, completeness and timeliness to make informed decisions.[Data literacy] extends to evaluating AI-generated insights by understanding model fundamentals, limitations and ethical considerations. Effective data literacy also involves collaborative data practices, such as utilizing shared single source of truth dashboards to ensure teams work with consistent, up-to-date information, says Merzlyak. Finally, it demands ethical awareness in data handling, including recognizing biases, protecting privacy and weighing both business and societal impacts of data usage decisions. Together, these components enable professionals to effectively leverage data and AI while maintaining responsible practices.Dan Merzlyak, EnterpriseDBAlex Li, founder of StudyX at AI education company StudyX.AI says data literacy for non-technical people means being able to understand the meaning of data, make sensible decisions based on data, and collaborate effectively with technical teams to jointly promote business development.Related:The foundation of data literacy lies in having a basic understanding of data. Non-technical people need to master the basic concepts, terms, and types of data, and understand how data is collected and processed, says Li. Meanwhile, data literacy should also include familiarity with data analysis tools. Although there is no need to become a professional data analyst, mastering some common data analysis tools can assist non-technical people in conducting simple analyses on data and identifying trends, patterns or anomalies in the data. In addition, the basic knowledge of data security and privacy is also an important part of data literacy.Why Some Think Data Literacy Alone Is InsufficientAt this point in time, Raviraj Hegde, SVP of growth at non-profit online fundraising platform Donorbox, believes data literacy shouldnt just mean knowing how to read charts or understand different types of data.Its more important to focus on AI literacy, says Hegde. To get the most out of data, people need to learn how to do something with it, like using AI tools to turn it into something useful. A lot of training focuses too much on tools and buzzwords instead of how to use data or AI to solve problems.Related:Madeleine Wallace, founder and CEO of organizational and technological transformation consulting firm Windrose Vision and author of Thrive in the AI and Digital Age, also says non-technical employees need to grasp AI basics, including its strengths, limitations and ethical considerations, along with practical skills for tools like dashboards and AI platforms.From my perspective, data literacy is a mix of understanding AI and mastering tools to apply knowledge meaningfully in daily tasks, says Wallace. Embedding data tools into everyday workflows ensures employees engage with data naturally. Pairing this with hands-on, role-specific data projects brings learning to life.Kjell Carlsson, head of AI strategy at enterprise MLOps platform Domino Data Lab, believes in 2025, the most needed skill for leaders and employees is GenAI literacy.[GenAI literacy] is about mastering how to effectively use GenA) models to enhance their work, roles and productivity. [It] involves knowing how to find and understand information using GenAI tools; create content like text, images, and presentations; integrate GenAI outputs into daily workflows, and identify and correct hallucinations to ensure reliable results.However, GenAI literacy is not an evolution of data literacy, he says. Traditional data literacy -- analyzing and making decisions with data -- remains as vital as ever, especially since current GenAI tools are still nascent in handling structured enterprise data.Organizations should also avoid the misconception that fostering GenAI literacy alone will help developing GenAI solutions. For this, companies need even greater investments in expert AI talent -- data scientists, machine learning engineers, data engineers, developers and AI engineers, says Carlsson. While GenAI literacy empowers individuals across the workforce, building transformative AI capabilities requires skilled teams to design, fine-tune and operationalize these solutions. Companies must address both.Joe Depa, global chief innovation officer at business management consulting firm EY believes data literacy is a company-wide priority that can make or break an organization.Data literacy isnt fixed with workshops or an online training. Its baked into the innovation muscle of how your team operates day to day. Organizations should equip employees with AI dashboards that explain insights in simple, relatable language instead of overwhelming them with data overload, says Depa. Its also about building a culture [in which] using data to make decisions is part of the companys DNA. This includes creating an environment where its okay to test, make mistakes and learn together. Achieving this requires coordination between technology teams, security and business leaders to align workforce education with organizational goals.Why Data Literacy Training Isnt EnoughThe data literacy program itself influences a workforces ability to use data. According to Piyanka Jain, CEO at data analytics consulting firm Aryng, companies may train employees on statistics, machine learning and data visualization, but overlook professional skills like stakeholder collaboration and decision-making.In 2025, the focus [of data literacy] needs to shift. Its not about turning everyone into a data scientist. Its about enabling employees to deliver measurable business value using data -- and thats where the real challenges lie, says Jain.Organizations need to be mindful about and address cultural resistance, silos and outdated processes. They also need to recognize that AI and analytics tools are evolving so quickly that many employees cant keep up.Data literacy in 2025 cant just be about enabling employees to work with data. It needs to be about empowering them to drive real business value, says Jain. Thats how organizations will turn data into dollars and ensure their investments in technology and training actually pay off.Alejandro Manzocchi, Americas CTO at technology services company Endava also believes improving data literacy requires integrating it into the organizations culture and day-to-day workflows.Organizations should embed data tools into daily work, encouraging employees to rely on data when making decisions. For instance, ask teams to present data-backed reasoning for their proposals, says Manzocchi. To facilitate this approach, you could pair non-technical employees with data mentors to foster informal, task-based learning. Task forces that mix data experts with other team members can also be effective. And use engaging methods like trivia challenges, data hackathons or dedicated platforms to gamify the learning process. Ultimately, organizations must foster a culture of curiosity where asking data-driven questions is not only accepted but encouraged.Rohit Choudhary, AcceldataRohit Choudhary, founder & CEO at enterprise data observability company Acceldata, says data literacy needs to be a core job skill woven into everyday decision-making.This means understanding basic data types and quality metrics, interpreting common visualizations correctly, and recognizing the context and lineage behind any dataset to assess its reliability. It also involves translating insights into action, from spotting trends to asking the right questions about anomalies or biases, says Choudhary.Non-technical teams also need to be aware of privacy laws, ethical considerations (like data bias) and the principles of fair use. In addition, data professionals and non-data professionals need a shared language for discussing data-driven challenges and opportunities.Organizations can embed data literacy into daily operations and culture by making data-driven thinking a core part of every role, says Choudhary. Beyond formal training, this includes requiring teams to back decisions with data, providing intuitive dashboards for role-specific insights, and encouraging leadership to model data-centric behavior. Designating data champions in each department helps bridge technical and non-technical teams, while mentorship and recognition programs reward strong data use.He also says its important to Integrate data concepts into onboarding so new hires can see how data informs their specific responsibilities and that ongoing snackable learning opportunities keep everyones skills current. In addition, organizational leadership should share key metrics and success stories to encourage curiosity, so employees are empowered to explore data, question insights, and collaborate across functions to drive better outcomes.Looking ahead to 2025, data literacy will be a key driver of innovation and competitiveness. Over time, organizations may progress from literacy to fluency, where employees actively shape data-driven strategies rather than just consuming insights, says Choudhary. Those that foster transparency, accessibility and a culture of continuous learning in their data ecosystems will be best positioned to thrive in this new era.About the AuthorLisa MorganFreelance WriterLisa Morgan is a freelance writer who covers business and IT strategy and emergingtechnology for InformationWeek. She has contributed articles, reports, and other types of content to many technology, business, and mainstream publications and sites including tech pubs, The Washington Post and The Economist Intelligence Unit. Frequent areas of coverage include AI, analytics, cloud, cybersecurity, mobility, software development, and emerging cultural issues affecting the C-suite.See more from Lisa MorganNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also LikeWebinarsMore WebinarsReportsMore Reports

Steven Spielberg fought to stop a sequel to E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial being made.The legendary director had already made classics including Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and Raiders of the Lost Ark before he moved onto the beloved alien movie, but he insists he did not have enough clout to stop the studios plans until E.T. became a huge success, and he used his power to make sure a second movie would never hit the big screen.Speaking at the TCM Classic Film Festival: New York Pop-Up x 92NY event, Spielberg explained: That was a real hard-fought victory because I didnt have any rights.Before E.T., I had some rights, but I didnt have a lot of rights. I kind of didnt have what we call the freeze, where you can stop the studio from making a sequel because you control the freeze on sequels, remakes and other ancillary uses of the IP [intellectual property]."I didnt have that. I got it after E.T. because of its success."Universal PicturesUniversal Picturesloading...READ MORE: Movies You Never Realized Were Produced By Steven SpielbergHe added of a potential sequel: I just did not want to make a sequel. I flirted with it for a little bit just a little bit to see if I [could] think of a story and the only thing I could think about was a book that was written by somebody that wrote the book for it called The Green Planet, which was all going to take place at E.T.s home."We were all going to be able to go to E.T.s home and see how E.T. lived. But it was better as a novel than I think it would have been as a film ...I have no intention ever of seeing E.T. anywhere outside of this proscenium.He went on to insist he saw 'E.T.' as his own because he came up with the concept. The moviemaker added: It was my story. It wasnt George Lucas story, wasnt Peter Benchleys story, it was my story.I had just done a number of very difficult productions, and I had not intended this to be a hard movie to make, but it was something that came to my heart. It was something that I thought up.At the event, Spielberg shared the stage with his E.T. star Drew Barrymore, who was six at the time of the movie's release in 1982, and she recalled having a conversation with the director about a potential second movie.She said: I remember you saying, We are not making a sequel to E.T. I think I was eight. I remember being like, OK, thats a bummer, but I totally get it.I thought it was a smart choice. I very much understand it. Where do we go from here? Theyre just going to compare it to the first and leave something thats perfect alone in isolation open to scrutiny. It made so much sense.Get our free mobile appEvery Steven Spielberg Movie, Ranked