WTF?! Machines' ability to generate fake videos of people has become alarmingly impressive. ByteDance, the Chinese tech giant behind TikTok, just showed off a new AI system called OmniHuman-1 that can create deepfake videos almost indistinguishable from reality to the average person. We may be well past the uncanny valley point right now. OmniHuman-1's fake videos look startlingly lifelike, and the model's deepfake outputs are perhaps the most realistic to date. Just take a look at this TED Talk that never actually took place.The system only needs a single photo and an audio clip to generate these videos from scratch. You can also adjust elements such as aspect ratio and body framing. The AI can even modify existing video footage, editing things like body movements and gestures in creepily realistic ways.Of course, the results aren't 100% perfect. Some poses do look a bit off, like this awkward example of holding a wine glass.There's also this AI-rendered lecture from Einstein where his hands twist in odd directions. His face is rendered almost perfectly, though.Still, the quality overall is way ahead of previous deepfake techniques. // Related StoriesUnder the hood, OmniHuman-1 was trained on 18,700 hours of video data using a novel "omni-conditions" approach that lets it learn from multiple input sources like text prompts, audio, and body poses simultaneously. The ByteDance researchers say that this wider training data helps the AI "significantly reduce data wastage" compared to older deepfake models.The implications of this technology are concerning. Deepfakes have already been weaponized for misinformation campaigns, fraud, and all sorts of nefarious purposes over the past few years. There were numerous incidents during the 2024 election cycle of deepfake audios and videos being spread to mislead voters.Financial scams conned people out of billions last year, too. One notable case involved a scammer using AI to pose as Brad Pitt, tricking a woman into sending $850,000 last month.Considering these incidents, hundreds of AI ethics experts pleaded for deepfake regulations last year. Several US states have already passed laws against malicious deepfakes, but there's still no overarching federal legislation.California, for one, was on the verge of enacting a law that would let judges force people to take down deepfakes and potentially face fines for posting them. However, that bill has stalled in the legislative process.ByteDance hasn't released OmniHuman-1 to the general public, but you can read a paper about the model.

In a nutshell: Far too many people have found themselves signing a contract without fully understanding its terms and conditions. This is a pain point Adobe is aiming to address with its new contract intelligence tools that it has added to the Acrobat AI assistant. The AI-powered features are designed to untangle the jargon found in most contracts. These new tools generate contract overviews, highlight key terms, and offer summaries.Additionally, the AI can recommend questions users might want to explore further in the contract. One of the most notable features is the ability to compare up to ten different versions of a contract simultaneously, allowing users to identify discrepancies and check for consistency across multiple iterations of an agreement.The new features leverage a combination of LLMs and Adobe's proprietary AI models.The Acrobat AI Assistant is offered as an add-on service for both free and paid individual Acrobat accounts at $4.99 per month. Adobe has made these new features available worldwide on desktop, web, and mobile platforms. Currently, the service supports only English, with plans to expand to other languages in the future.Adobe's decision to focus on contract analysis stems from a recent survey that revealed 70 percent of consumers had signed agreements without fully understanding all the terms.Adobe said that the company does not train its generative AI models on customer data. Furthermore, the company prohibits third-party LLMs from accessing Adobe customer data or using it for training. // Related StoriesAdditionally, a series of security measures have been put in place to protect the data used by the AI Assistant in Acrobat and other products. All user content, prompts, and responses are encrypted in transit using HTTPS with TLS 1.2 or higher. Any data stored by the Acrobat Generative AI Service is encrypted at rest using SHA-256 encryption.Also, most uploaded documents, prompts, and responses are automatically deleted from Adobe cloud services after 12 hours, except for chat history and user-reported content. Users retain control over their chat history, allowing them to delete it or continue queries as needed.Adobe says that access to reported content, bugs, or vulnerabilities is restricted to a small group of trained Adobe employees.The Acrobat AI Assistant was introduced a year ago. One of its main selling points is its integration into Adobe's products AI chatbots generally require PDFs and other files to be uploaded first.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd" Table of ContentsTable of ContentsTorras GlassGo X Screen ProtectorJETech Privacy Screen ProtectorMr.Shield Tempered Glass Screen ProtectorSpigen GlasTR EZ Fit Tempered Glass Screen ProtectorMagGlass Anti Glare Tempered GlassRingke Easy Slide Tempered GlassOtterBox Premium GlassamFilm OneTouch Tempered Glass for Samsung Galaxy S25Ailun Tempered Glass Screen ProtectorSupershieldz Tempered Glass Screen ProtectorSamsung Galaxy S25 Anti-Reflecting FilmZagg Fusion XTR4 Flexible Hybrid Screen ProtectorWhat to consider when buying a screen protectorHow we test screen protectorsWhy trust us?Samsung is ushering in what will undoubtedly be an exciting year for smartphones with its new Galaxy S25 lineup. With all three models featuring a bespoke version of Qualcomm's most powerful silicon to date and a wealth of new Galaxy AI features, and the usual gorgeous AMOLED displays, they're more compelling than ever.The Galaxy S25 might be the runt of the litter, but it's still a pocket-sized powerhouse and it doesn't come cheap. At $800, you'll definitely want to shield it from the bumps and scrapes of life. That starts with a robust case, but don't forget the screen. After all, its the most fragile part of any phone, and the Gorilla Glass Victus 2 only goes so far. Adding some extra protection is a good idea, particularly if your phone spends time in a purse or backpack alongside keys and other abrasive items.The popularity of Samsung's phones means there's no shortage of screen protectors to choose from, but that's a mixed blessing as it can make it harder to find one that's right for your needs. So, we've done that legwork for you and rounded up the best Galaxy S25 screen protectors for all walks of life.Torras GlassGo X Screen ProtectorThe best durable screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25Jump to detailsJETech Privacy Screen ProtectorThe best privacy screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25Jump to detailsMr.Shield Tempered Glass Screen ProtectorThe best budget screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25Jump to detailsSpigen GlasTR EZ Fit Tempered Glass Screen ProtectorThe best effortless screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25Jump to detailsMagGlass Anti Glare Tempered GlassThe best matte screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25Jump to detailsRingke Easy Slide Tempered GlassThe best applied screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25Jump to detailsOtterBox Premium GlassThe best premium screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25Jump to detailsamFilm OneTouch Tempered Glass for Samsung Galaxy S25The best camera screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25Jump to detailsAilun Tempered Glass Screen ProtectorThe best thin screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25Jump to detailsSupershieldz Tempered Glass Screen ProtectorThe best value screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25Jump to detailsSamsung Galaxy S25 Anti-Reflecting FilmThe best first-party screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25Jump to detailsZagg Fusion XTR4 Flexible Hybrid Screen ProtectorThe best full-featured screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25Jump to detailsRecommended VideosAmazonThe best durable screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25Torras GlassGo X Screen ProtectorProsMilitary-Grade Drop ProtectionEasy installationOne-year warrantyConsPriceyWhile it's not the cheapest option on our list, Torras' GlassGo X is worth the investment if you're looking for maximum durability. Crafted from aerospace-grade glass, it offers an astonishing 12 feet of drop protection and unmatched scratch resistance with its 9H+ hardness rating. Torras claims its patented technologies offer six to eleven times more protection against impacts compared to other tempered glass protectors and it's tested it extensively to prove that yet the GlassGo X is still thin enough that it won't interfere with screen quality or the touchscreen experience.The GlassGo X also reduces glare by 60% and reflected light by 55%, and it's easy to put on thanks to a single-pull applicator that will give you a bubble-free installation. It also comes with a one year replacement warranty, so they'll send you a new one if you have trouble installing it or anything else goes wrong during that time.Torras GlassGo X Screen ProtectorThe best durable screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25AmazonThe best privacy screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25JETech Privacy Screen ProtectorProsProtects what's on your screen from curious onlookers9H hardness glass for superior scratch resistanceCase-friendlyConsDoesn't include installation kitPrivacy protectors can reduce display qualityPhysical protection isn't the only reason to add a screen protector to your Galaxy S25. Sometimes you're also concerned about protecting your personal information, and that's where JETech's privacy screen protector comes in. It offers the same quality of tempered glass as the other glass screen protectors on our list, but has the added benefit of ensuring that only you can see what's on your screen when looking directly at it.Although privacy screen protectors always come with a bit of compromise in dimming your screen, JETech's minimizes these as much as possible, letting the brightness and vivid colors of your Galaxy S25 display shine through. The 9H hardness tempered glass protects the screen from impacts and scratches without interfering with the touch sensitivity or fingerprint recognition, and a hydrophobic and oleophobic coating prevents fingerprints, smudges, and sweat from muddying up your screen.JETech Privacy Screen ProtectorThe best privacy screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25RelatedAmazonThe best budget screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25Mr.Shield Tempered Glass Screen ProtectorProsVery affordableJapan 9H hardness glass for scratch resistanceSolid impact protectionConsReports of cracking in extreme coldNo installation kitMr. Shield is a well-known brand that proves that good screen protection doesn't have to be expensive. For well under $10, you get a three-pack of tempered ballistic glass screen protectors that check all the right boxes. While they may not be your first choice if you're a rugged outdoor adventure enthusiasts, they provide all the protection most folks need for everyday use.Japan 9H hardness glass offers high scratch resistance, the oleophobic coating resists smudges, and the thin and clear design won't get in the way of screen clarity, touch responsiveness, or the fingerprint sensor. The 2.5D curved edges are also easy on your fingers.Mr.Shield Tempered Glass Screen ProtectorThe best budget screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25AmazonThe best effortless screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25Spigen GlasTR EZ Fit Tempered Glass Screen ProtectorProsSuper-easy to install9H hardness tempered glassGuaranteed compatibility with Spigen's casesConsA bit priceyIf you've ever tried to install a screen protector, you know what a bear it can be to get a perfect bubble-free application. We're sure that half the reason many companies sell two- or three-packs is because they know you'll go through more than one before you get it right. That's not a problem with Spigen's GlasTR EZ Fit, which is the easiest screen protector we've ever installed.That's thank to its innovative auto-alignment kit that ensures everything is lined up and properly pressed down so you'll get a perfectly framed application without an air bubble in sight. Spigen still gives you two glass protectors in the package, but you'll actually be able to save the second one for later, which makes the higher price tag a bit easier to take. The tempered glass itself is also top-notch, with the usual 9H hardness, oleophobic coatings, and extreme clarity everything we'd expect from a reputable brand like Spigen. The company also guarantees its screen protector will be a perfect fit with all of its cases.Spigen GlasTR EZ Fit Tempered Glass Screen ProtectorThe best effortless screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25AmazonThe best matte screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25MagGlass Anti Glare Tempered GlassProsMatte coating reduces reflection and glareIncludes installation kitAffordableConsMay not be as impact-resistantSamsung's Galaxy S25 has an incredibly bright 2,600-nit screen, but that doesn't always help if you're regularly dealing with direct sunlight or bright lights that can cause reflections and glare. This is where MagGlass' tempered glass screen protector comes in, offering a matte finish that will reduce unwanted reflections while letting the brightness and vivid colours of Samsung's Dynamic AMOLED 2X display shine through.As with most tempered glass screen protectors, there's also an oleophobic coating here to resist fingerprints and other smudges, and it provides full edge-to-edge coverage that shouldn't get in the way of most cases. The package also includes a cleaning kit and alignment applicator to help you get a proper installation.MagGlass Anti Glare Tempered GlassThe best matte screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25AmazonThe best applied screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25Ringke Easy Slide Tempered GlassProsPremium 9H hardness offers solid protection against scratchesIncludes easy installation tray2.5D curved edges for finger comfortConsA bit priceyRingke is a tempered glass screen protector that delivers premium protection against scratches thanks to its high-quality 9H hardness glass that doesn't affect transparency or touch response. The anti-fingerprint oleophobic coating keeps it clean from smudges, and it's compatible with most cases.However, what sets Ringke's Easy Slide screen protector apart is right there in the name. In addition to two screen protectors, the kit includes an installation tray that lets you install the screen protector in 20 seconds just by placing it on top of your phone and gently sliding out the adhesive film, guaranteeing a dust- and bubble-free installation.Ringke Easy Slide Tempered GlassThe best applied screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25AmazonThe best premium screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25OtterBox Premium GlassProsRated to survive drops of up to 3 feetExcellent clarityLifetime warrantyConsExpensiveOtterBox is a popular and trusted name in cases, but you may not have known that the company also has a line of screen protectors that share the same reputation for quality and durability. OtterBox's Premium Glass protector for the Galaxy S25 is rated to keep your screen intact even after a three-foot drop, while also protecting it from smudges and scratches thanks to enhanced 9H glass and an advanced oleophobic coating.The more sophisticated glass doesn't merely provide additional protection; OtterBox also promises a higher degree of clarity so your Galaxy S25's OLED display will shine through with all its vibrant colors, plus a responsive design for touch sensitivity and fingerprint recognition. The Premium Glass also comes wtih the same OtterBox limited lifetime warranty as its cases, letting you rest assured that the company will stand behind it if there are any problems.OtterBox Premium GlassThe best premium screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25AmazonThe best camera screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25amFilm OneTouch Tempered Glass for Samsung Galaxy S25ProsOffers protection for the rear camerasIncludes two sets of everythingEasy installationConsFingerprint scanning may work awkwardly Lens protector won't work with all casesAmFilm's screen protector kit is a great solution for those who want to protect both sides of their Galaxy S25. The front tempered glass screen protector offers 9H hardness to protect your phone against bumps and scratches, and has the usual bonuses like an olephobic coating and good clarity.However, in addition to getting two screen protectors, complete with their own easy installation kits for perfect alignment, AmFilm also includes a pair of camera lens protectors for the rear of your Galaxy S25. They're simple to apply and will protect your valuable camera glass from getting scratched or chipped without sacrificing the quality of your photos.amFilm OneTouch Tempered Glass for Samsung Galaxy S25The best camera screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25AmazonThe best thin screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25Ailun Tempered Glass Screen ProtectorProsOnly 0.25mm thickIncludes camera protectionConsLens protector won't work with all casesNot as resistant to impactsAilun offers one of the thinnest tempered glass screen protectors we've seen, so it's great for those who want to add minimal bulk. You'll sacrifice some impact resistance here, but many would argue that it's the scratch resistance that's more important, and Ailun has you covered there with its 9H hardness rating.The thin design means solid touch responsiveness and great clarity, and the oleophobic coating keeps it smudge free. In addition to three glass screen protectors, you also get three lens protectors, plus an installation kit helps you align the screen protector. It's not as quick and easy as some of the others we've seen, but it gets the job done.Ailun Tempered Glass Screen ProtectorThe best thin screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25AmazonThe best value screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25Supershieldz Tempered Glass Screen ProtectorProsEasy to install without a kitComfortable to useIncludes three tempered glass protectorsConsEdges can be sharp if it cracksSupershieldz delivers great value for those who just want a good glass screen protector without the frills. The pack of three quality tempered glass screen protectors comes at a remarkable price since it doesn't need to include any extra gadgets. These tempered glass screen protectors are remarkably easy to align and install without special frames, kits, or other tricks. Just use the included stickers to remove the dust from your screen and then align the glass and press it into place for a bubble-free installation.The tempered glass meets all the typical specs, with a thin and responsive design that won't interfere with visual clarity, fingerprint recognition, or touch sensitivity, plus 2.5D curved edges so it's easy on your fingers. The typing and touch on the Galaxy S25 is smooth and natural, and the oleophobic coating keeps it smudge-free.Supershieldz Tempered Glass Screen ProtectorThe best value screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25AmazonThe best first-party screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25Samsung Galaxy S25 Anti-Reflecting FilmProsSamsung branded ensures a perfect fitAnti-reflective coating helps improve outdoor visibility Protects against dirt, smudges, and scratchesConsFilm offers poor impact protectionFor those who prefer to stick with a first-party screen protector, Samsung offers its own minimalist option for the Galaxy S25 a film protector that's protects against scratches and glare, but won't do nearly as much for impacts.We suspect Samsung feels that impact protection is less crucial in a screen protector since the Galaxy S25 display sports Gorilla Glass Victus 2, so it's chosen to focus on using film instead of tempered glass to cut down on glare while maximizing touch responsiveness and clarity. Unlike most tempered glass protectors, you'll barely know Samsung's film is there, and you won't have to retrain your fingerprint sensor to recognize your fingers through the protector. The film also keeps your display smudge-free and will bear the brunt of any scratches that come from tossing your Galaxy S25 in a backpack or purse.Samsung Galaxy S25 Anti-Reflecting FilmThe best first-party screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25AmazonThe best full-featured screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25Zagg Fusion XTR4 Flexible Hybrid Screen ProtectorProsUnique hybrid polymer and graphene formulation promises greater impact protectionEyesafe blue light filter helps reduce eye strainLimited lifetime warrantyConsVery expensiveZagg's Fusion XTR4 is easily the most expensive screen protector on this list, but that's because it pulls out all the stops. As the name implies, this is a hybrid screen protector that uses a polymer that feels like glass, but is made from graphene, a much stronger material that helps deliver even better drop and scratch resistance. The company's Hexiom Impact Technology uses a honeycomb-like structure in the adhesive layer to help absorb and disperse impact forces away from your phone's screen.In addition to advanced protection for your phone, the Fusion XTR4 also protects your vision with an Eyesafe blue light filter with a radiance protection factor (RPF) of 60, which means it filters out 60% of the blue light emitted by your Galaxy S25, reducing eye fatigue and potentially helping you get a better night's sleep when using your phone before bedtime. The filter focuses on eliminating only the blue light without sacrificing any other clarity or color vibrancy, and an anti-reflective treatment also reduces glare to help you see what's on your screen more clearly.Zagg Fusion XTR4 Flexible Hybrid Screen ProtectorThe best full-featured screen protector for Samsung Galaxy S25There's no shortage of options when choosing a screen protector, which can make it challenging to pick the right one for your needs.We recommend sticking with well-known brands. Reading customer reviews can help, but with the Galaxy S25 being brand new, reliable reviews may be hard to come by. However, if the brand has a solid reputation and has been around for a while, it's a safe bet that its Galaxy S25 screen protectors will match the quality of the ones its released for previous models, so you can lean on those reviews when shopping for one for the latest and greatest phones.Beyond that, it's important to consider your lifestyle and how and where you plan to use your Galaxy S25. Are you a rugged outdoor adventure enthustiast or more concerned about slinging your phone around in shopping malls or coffee shops? Or are you mostly a homebody who just needs protection around your local neighborhood? Do you carry your phone in a backpack, bag, or purse or do you always slide it into an empty pocket in your jacket or pants? These factors will all determine your choice of screen protector.For instance, if your screen never comes into contact with abrasive objects like keys or coins, you won't need to worry nearly as much about scratch protection, but you may still want to get good impact protection if you're prone to dropping it or you often use it in extreme conditions.Tempered glass or film?Screen protectors typically fall into two broad categories. Tempered glass screen protectors use a mostly solid piece of glass, while film protectors are are more flexible and use thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) to protect your screen. There are also hybrid protectors that use polymers, embedded glass, and other materials like graphene to try and provide the best of both.Tempered glass protectors typically provide better impact protection since they add an additional layer of glass to your screen to absorb the impact before it reaches your more expensive display. However, this also makes them thicker, which can impact touch sensitivity, clarity, and the accuracy of the fingerprint sensor. Some can also have sharp edges, and while they'll protect your screen from scratches, sometimes that's only because they'll collect the scratches instead. If tempered glass is your preference, you'll want to look for screen protectors that promise good visual clarity and responsiveness, at least 9H hardness to resist scratches, and 2.5D rounded corners that aren't sharp on your fingers. Many tempered glass protectors also come in packs of two or three, allowing you to more easily swap your protector out if it chips, cracks, or collects too many scratches.Film protectors are rarely as impact-resistant, but good ones often provide greater resistance to scratches thanks to self-healing materials. They're much thinner than glass, to the point where you may not even realize you're using one, which also means they don't typically have as much of an impact on clarity and colors. However, film protectors are more likely to change the feel of your screen, which can be good or bad depending on your personal preference. Some folks like a rougher and more paper-like feel while others prefer a glossy smoothness. There are film protectors that provide a variety of different textures, so it's best to read up on that and even try one or two out to see how they feel.Privacy protectionA good screen protector shouldn't affect the visibility of your screen at least not unless you want it to. This is where privacy screen protectors come in. These special glass or film protectors use polarization filters to ensure that you can only view your display when you're looking at it straight on, preventing shoulder surfers from seeing whatever you're doing. Privacy screen protectors usually don't let as much light through as standard protectors, so you mayneed to run your display at higher brightness levels, but that shouldn't be a problem with the 2,600-nit screen on the Galaxy S25.Ease of applicationEven the best quality screen protector in the world won't do you much good if you can't get it onto your phone. Installing a screen protector can be tricky, as you need to deal with not only getting it aligned properly, but also cleaning your screen of any dust or other debris so those things don't get trapped under the screen protector and cause unsightly blemishes or bubbles.Make sure the screen protector you're buying has a reliable installation kit. Some of the best include full applicators sized specifically for the Galaxy S25, letting you insert your phone, pull or press a tab or two, and be done with it. However, as a bare minimum you should ensure that there's a proper cleaning kit with tools to help remove the dust and dress out any air bubbles that may form.Case compatibilityPutting a screen protector on the front of your Galaxy S25 is only part of the battle. You'll also likely want to add a case for extra protection, or even just to give your phone a bit of flair. While films are usually fine with most cases, thick tempered glass protectors can get in the way of more protective cases that extend to the front edges of your display. Always check to see what the manufacturer says about case compatibility. Buying a screen protector and case from a company that makes both, such as Spigen or OtterBox, can be another way to guarantee they'll work together.What's your budget?Even the most expensive screen protectors are much cheaper than repairing a cracked or scratched display. However, if you've just shelled out $800 or more for a Galaxy S25, you may not have much left over for an expensive screen protector.The good news is that it's not hard to find a quality screen protector at a really good price. While you'll certainly pay a premium if you want ultimate protection and features like blue light filtering or privacy, the most affordable protectors on our list will easily defend your phone against scratches and small drops. Don't forget that the Galaxy S25 also features Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the display, so that's a healthy amount of impact resistance right there. Most folks probably don't need much more than this for drops, but it doesn't hurt to tip the scales a bit with a screen protector, plus you'll end up with better scratch resistance.When it comes to screen protectors, we look for those that offer the best bang for the buck, not only in defending your precious glass against scratches and cracks, but also ensuring you get an experience as close as possible to using a naked screen. After all, a screen protector that cuts the clarity and vibrancy of Samsung's AMOLED display isn't worth having, no matter how much protection it offers, nor is one that won't work with an equally-protective case. We also test and rate ease of installation, as getting a screen protector onto your phone shouldn't require an engineering degree, especially since most folks will end up applying more than over the life of their phone,Here at Digital Trends, we've been reviewing mobile phones and phone accessories for over 20 years from the days when Samsung was still making "feature phones" and the iPhone wasn't even a glint in Apple's eye. We know mobile phones inside and outside and then some, and we're passionate about technology and everything adjacent to it.Our writers, editors, and reviewers have collectively used and tested nearly every mobile phone ever made and we've done so out in the real world, facing all the same bumps and scrapes as you do. We've applied hundreds of screen protectors across all makes and models, and used them across all of life's adventures, from hanging out at the local Starbucks to extreme wilderness adventures. We know what makes a screen protector great, and we know when it's not going to cut it and we're not afraid to objectively give you the good, the bad, and the ugly. We have no vested interest in any of these products other than picking the very best ones for our needs, and the products we recommend to you are the same ones we use and love every day.Editors RecommendationsTopics Jesse HollingtonMobile WriterJesse has been a Mobile Writer for Digital Trends since 2021 and a technology enthusiast for his entire life he was online in BBSes and Usenet when computer screens were green and modems made loud squealing noises. He probably would have been born with an iPhone in his hand had they existed then. Jesse began his career in technology fixing PCs and building small local area networks in his small hometown in the early 90s before moving to the big city (Toronto) and building his own small consulting practice doing enterprise-level network systems integration and project management.A digital music fan from the earliest days of MP3s, Jesse gave up his Creative Nomad Jukebox for his first iPod in 2004 and quickly became a fan of all things Apple. Not long after, he switched gears to go into tech journalism by joining iLounge in 2007 and becoming a stay-at-home dad to his soon-to-be-born daughter. He spent the next 12 years covering all things iPhone and iPad, writing how-to guides and reviews of apps, accessories, headphones, speakers, smart home devices, and more. He also authored three editions of iPod & iTunes Portable Genius for Wiley Publishing and helped create the Apple-themed CES iLounge Pavilion in 2010.After leaving iLounge in 2019, Jesse remained steeped in the world of Apple devices at iDrop News and covered networking gear as an editor for Lifewire before joining Digital Trends in late 2021. He's also contributed to SlashGear and still keeps his pulse on the Android world at Android Police. Beyond his interest in Apple and other mobile gear, Jesse's previous career in networking tech has given him a deep interest in 5G and related technologies like RCS. He also keeps a close eye on what the carriers are up to.Jesse lives in a house that's fully tricked out with Apple HomeKit in Toronto with his iPhone-toting teenage daughter, Victoria, and his new wife, Nora. When he's not fiddling with the latest gadgets or tweaking his Plex library, you'll find him enjoying old movies and TV shows, reading, playing with a Mac Pro while coordinating the media team at his church, and adjusting to married life. If you're a fan of the Samsung S24 lineup of phones, then you'll be happy to know that Samsung has just announced its latest lineup of S25 phones, and you can pre-order them already. There have been quite a few upgrades this generation, although one of the big talking points this year revolved around AI and the effort Samsung has put into integrating it into their phones. You can check out more information on our Samsung Unpacked 2025 event roundup for a breakdown of what Samsung talked about, and if you're ready to pre-order, we've collected all the best pre-order deals for you below.Best S25 deals from SamsungYou can pre-order the Samsung S25 directly from Samsung, and while it doesn't have a direct discount, you can get up to $500 in trade-in credit, which brings it down to $300, and you can also get another $50 in Samsung Credit which will bring it down to just $250. You can also snag the S25, which does have $100 in direct savings that brings the price down to $1,020 from $1,120, plus you can trade-in and get up to another $700 in credit. Finally, you can snag yourself a pre-order for the Samsung S25 Plus with a $120 direct discount which brings it down to $1,300, and there is even another $900 trade-in credit you can get depending on the device you trade in.There is also a full break-down of the Samsung pre-order deals on the Samsung S25, as well more information on the Samsung S25 Ultra pre-order deals from Samsung.Best S25 deals from Amazon One of the most clearcut deals is from Amazon on the S25, which gives you a direct $100 discount, bringing it down to just $800, rather than the usual $900. That's an 11% discount on the 128GB version of the S25, which is pretty substantial given that it's still in pre-order. Unfortunately, Amazon isn't offering any deals on the S25 Plus or the S25 Ultra, but we'll keep an eye out and update this page when and if we see any deals on them.Read more Today is the day that Samsung lovers and those wanting a new Android phone have been looking forward to: pre-orders are up for the new Samsung S25 series phones, including the Samsung S25 Ultra. The Samsung S25 Ultra is available to pre-order now but won't get to you until February 7. Still, now is the time to order the phone if you want to make sure you're one of the first to use it. You can find everything we know about the S25 series elsewhere, but here we're specifically looking at pre-ordering.In any event, you may still wish to learn more about the Samsung S25 Ultra before you order one, so be sure to check out the cool S25 Ultra AI features that are coming out as well as our take on the duel between the OnePlus 13 and S25 Ultra. (If you decide it is too expensive or more robust than what you need for a phone, go check out how to pre-order the Galaxy S25 and S25+ instead.) Once you're ready, go ahead and tap the button below to begin pre-ordering your Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. We'll cover all of the details below, but do know that there are special colors available if you order via Samsung and that you can get a 5% discount if you're a student. Read more Samsung's latest flagship has just landed: the Galaxy S25. With its 6.17-inch display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, and $800 price tag, it's a device you're going to want to protect.From wallet cases to clear cases, and rugged cases to wood cases, there are already some great cases out there. If you're not sure where to start choosing a case for your new device, check out our roundup of the best Samsung Galaxy S25 cases available right now. Read more

Amazon is using math to help solve one of artificial intelligences most intractable problems: its tendency to make up answers, and to repeat them back to us with confidence.

The commission wants platforms like Shein to provide data on the products coming into the region.

This isn't fine As Internet enshittification marches on, here are some of the worst offenders Ars staffers take aim at some of the web's worst predatory practices. Ars Staff Feb 5, 2025 7:00 am | 11 Drawn with great respect for K.C. Green's "This is fine" comic Credit: Aurich Lawson Drawn with great respect for K.C. Green's "This is fine" comic Credit: Aurich Lawson Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreTwo years ago, a Canadian writer named Cory Doctorow coined the phrase "enshittification" to describe the decay of online platforms. The word immediately set the Internet ablaze, as it captured the growing malaise regarding how almost everything about the web seemed to be getting worse."Its my theory explaining how the Internet was colonized by platforms, why all those platforms are degrading so quickly and thoroughly, why it matters, and what we can do about it," Doctorow explained in a follow-up article. "Were all living through a great enshittening, in which the services that matter to us, that we rely on, are turning into giant piles of shit. Its frustrating. Its demoralizing. Its even terrifying."Doctorow believes there are four basic forces that might constrain companies from getting worse: competition, regulation, self-help, and tech workers. One by one, he says, these constraints have been eroded as large corporations squeeze the Internet and its denizens for dollars.If you want a real-world, literal example of enshittification, let's look at actual poop. When Diapers.com refused Amazons acquisition offer, Amazon lit $100 million on fire, selling diapers way below cost for months, until Diapers.com folded. With another competitor tossed aside, Amazon was then free to sell diapers at its price from wherever it wanted to source them.Anyway, we at Ars have covered a lot of things that have been enshittified. Here are some of the worst examples we've come across. Hopefully, you'll share some of your own experiences in the comments. We might even do a follow-up story based on those.Table of ContentsJump to sectionSmart TVs Amazon can use its smart display to track streaming habits. Credit: Amazon Amazon can use its smart display to track streaming habits. Credit: Amazon Smart TVs have come a long way since Samsung released the first model readily available for the masses in 2008. While there have certainly been improvements in areas like image quality, sound capabilities, usability, size, and, critically, price, much of smart TVs evolution could be viewed as invasive and anti-consumer.Today, smart TVs are essentially digital billboards that serve as tools for companiesfrom advertisers to TV OEMsto extract user data. Corporate interest in understanding what people do with and watch on their TVs and in pushing ads has dramatically worsened the user experience. For example, the remotes for LGs 2025 TVs dont have a dedicated input button but do have multiple ways for accessing LG webOS apps.This is all likely to get worse as TV companies target software, tracking, and ad sales as ways to monetize customers after their TV purchaseseven at the cost of customer convenience and privacy. When budget brands like Roku are selling TV sets at a loss, you know somethings up.With this approach, TVs miss the opportunity to appeal to customers with more relevant and impressive upgrades. There's also a growing desire among users to disconnect their connected TVs, defeating their original purpose. Suddenly, buying a dumb TV seems smarter than buying a smart one. But smart TVs and the ongoing revenue opportunities they represent have made it extremely hard to find a TV that won't spy on you.Scharon HardingGoogles voice assistantDoctorow has written a lot about how Google, on the whole, fits the concept of enshittification. I want to mention one part of Google that suffers a kind of second-order enshittification, one that people might have seen coming but which was far from inevitable: the spoken-out-loud version of Google Assistant.Every so often, an Ars reader will write in to ask why their Google Assistant devicesbe they Nest Hubs or Nest Minis or just Android phonesseem to be worse than when they bought them. Someone on the r/GoogleHome subreddit will ask why something that worked for years suddenly stops working. Every so often, a reporter will try to quantify this seemingly slow rot, only to fall for the same rhetorical traps I once did."Everybodys setup is different," "Our expectations are different now," or "There is no real way to quantify it." And sometimes there are just outages, which get fixed but leave you with the sense that your Assistant is hard of hearing, takes a lot of days off, and knows it's due for retirement.Im fine just saying it now: Google Assistant is worse now than it was soon after it started.Even if Google is turning its entire supertanker toward AI now, its not clear why "Start my morning routine," "Turn on the garage lights," and "Set an alarm for 8 pm" had to suffer. If Google's plan is to cut funding and remove features, make everybody regret surrendering their audio privacy and funds to speakers, and then wow them when its generative-AI-based stand-in shows up, Im not sure how that plays out. After so many times repeating myself or yelling at Assistant to stop, Ive muted my speakers, tried out open alternatives, and accepted that you cant buy real help for $50$100.Kevin PurdyThe Portable Document FormatI'm not entirely convinced the PDF was ever really good, but it certainly performed a useful purpose once upon a time: If you could print, you could make a PDF. And if you could turn your document into a PDF, anyone on any platform could read it. It also allowed for elaborate formatting, the sort that could be nightmarish to achieve in Word or some of the page layout software of the time. And finally, unlike an image, you could copy and paste text back out of it.But Acrobat was ultimately an Adobe product, with all that came with it. It was expensive, it was prone to bloat and poor performance, and there was no end to its security issues. Features were added that greatly expanded its scope but were largely useless for most people. Eventually, you couldn't install it without also installing what felt like half a dozen seemingly unrelated Adobe products.By building PDF capabilities into its OS, Apple allowed me to go Adobe-free and avoid some of this enshittification on my computers. But the PDF has still gotten ever less useful. The vast majority of PDFs I deal with now come from academic journals, and whatever witchcraft is needed to put footnotes, formulas, and embargo details into the text wrecks the thing I care most about: copying and pasting details that I need to write articles. Instead, I often get garbled, shortened pieces of other parts of the document intermingled with the text I wantassuming I can even select it in the first place.Apple, which had given the PDF a reprieve, has now killed its main selling point. Because Apple has added OCR to the MacOS image display system, I can get more reliable results by screenshotting the PDF and then copying the text out of that. This is the true mark of its enshittification: I now wish the journals would just give me a giant PNG.John TimmerTelevised sportsIn some ways, the development of technology has been a godsend for watching non-mainstream sports, like professional cycling, in the United States.Back in the olden days at the turn of the century, the Outdoor Life Network carried the Tour de France on cable, and NBC Sports gradually started to cover more races. But their calendar was incomplete and riddled with commercials. To find all professional cycling races, one had to look far and wide, subscribe to some services, and maybe do a little pirating.Nirvana arrived in 2020 when a media company called Global Cycling Network obtained the rights to stream virtually every professional cycling race in Europe. Anyone with a VPN in the United States could pay $40 a year and watch race coverage, from start to finish, without commercials. This was absolutely spectacularuntil enshittification set in.In 2023, the parent company of the cycling network, Warner Bros. Discovery, started the process of "consolidating" its services. Global Cycling Network, or GCN+, was toast. European viewers could watch most of the same races on Discovery+ for about $80 a year, so the deal wasn't terrible. US fans were hosed, however. You needed a UK credit card to sign up for Discovery+ cycling. To watch the majority of races in the United States, therefore, one needed to sign up for Max, Peacock, and a service called FloBikes. The total annual price, without ads, is about $550.This year, it was Europe's turn. In many countries, fans must now subscribe to TNT Sports at a price of 30.99 pounds a month ($38.50). So many Europeans are now being asked to pay more than $450 a year. Even the Tour de France, which had long been broadcast on free television, is going away after next year. The bottom line? The new monthly price is the same as we used to pay for a year of the superior service, GCN+, only two years ago.This is an incredibly stupid decision for the sport, which now has no chance of reaching new viewers under this model. And it takes advantage of fans who are left to pay outrageous sums of money or turn to dodgy pirated streams.And it's not just cycling. Formula 1 racing has largely gone behind paywalls, and viewership is down significantly over the last 15 years. Major US sports such as professional and college football had largely been exempt, but even that is now changing, with NFL games being shown on Peacock, Amazon Prime, and Netflix. None of this helps viewers. It enshittifies the experience for us in the name of corporate greed.Eric BergerGoogle search A screenshot of an AI Overview query, "How many rocks should I eat each day" that went viral on X. Credit: Tim Onion / X A screenshot of an AI Overview query, "How many rocks should I eat each day" that went viral on X. Credit: Tim Onion / X Google's rapid spiral toward enshittificationwhere the "don't be evil company" went from altruistic avoider of ads that its founders knew could ruin search to dominating ad markets by monopolizing search while users grew to hate its search enginecould finally be disrupted by potential court-ordered remedies coming this year. Required to release its iron grip on global search, the search giant could face more competition than ever as rivals potentially get broader access to Google data, ideally leading to search product innovations that actually benefit Internet users. Having to care about Google search users' preferences could even potentially slow down the current wave of AI-flavored enshittification, as Google is currently losing its fight to keep AI out of discussions of search trial remedies.Plenty of people have griped about Google's AI overviews since their rollout. A Google search today might force you to scroll through more than 200 words of AI-generated guesswork before you get to a warning that everything you just read is "experimental." Only then can you finally start scrolling real results. Ars has pointed out that these AI overviews often misunderstand why people are even using Google.As a journalist, I frequently try to locate official documents by searching quoted paragraphs of text, and that used to be a fast way to surface source material. But now Google's AI thinks I want an interpretation of the specific text I'm trying to locate, burying the document I'm seeking in even longer swaths of useless AI babble and seemingly willfully confusing the intention of the search to train me to search differently. Where sponsored posts were previously a mildly irritating roadblock to search results, AI has emerged as a forced detour you have to take before coming anywhere close to your destination.Admittedly, some AI summaries may be useful, but they can just as easily provide false, misleading, and even dangerous answers. And in a search context, placing AI content ahead of any other results elevates an undoubtedly less trustworthy secondary source over primary sources at a time when social platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter) are increasingly relying on users to fact-check misinformation.But Google, like many big tech companies, expects AI to revolutionize search and is seemingly intent on ignoring any criticism of that idea. The tech giant has urged the judge in the monopoly trial, Amit Mehta, to carefully weigh whether the AI remedies the US seeks could hobble Google's ability to innovate in AI search markets. The remedies include allowing publishers to opt out of web crawling for AI training without impacting search rankings or banning Google from exclusive deals that could block AI rivals from licensing Google-exclusive training data.We'll know more this August, when Mehta is expected to rule on final remedies. However, in November, Mehta said that "AI and the integration of AI is only going to play a much larger role, it seems to me, in the remedy phase than it did in the liability phase."Ashley BelangerEmail AI tools No, thank you. Credit: Dan Goodin No, thank you. Credit: Dan Goodin Gmail won't take no for an answer. It keeps asking me if I want to use Google's Gemini AI tool to summarize emails or draft responses. As the disclaimer at the bottom of the Gemini tool indicates, I can't count on the output being factual, so no, I definitely don't want it. The dialog box only allows me to decline by clicking the "not now" option. I still haven't found the "not ever" option, and I doubt I ever will.I still haven't found a satisfactory way to turn Gemini off completely in Gmail. Discussions in forums on Reddit and Google support came up short, so I asked Gemini. It told me to turn off smart features in Gmail settings. I did, but I still have the Gemini icon at the top of my inbox and the top of each email I send or receive.Dan GoodinWindowsI usually try to moderate my criticism of Windows 11 because most of the things that people on the Internet really like to complain about (updates breaking things, attempts at mandatory Microsoft account sign-in, apps that auto-download to your computer when you set it up whether you want them or not, telemetry data being sent to Microsoft, forceful insistence that users switch to the Edge browser and Bing search engine) all actually started during the reign of Windows 10. Windows 10 is lodged in the popular imagination as one of the "good" versions of Windows partly because it retreated from most of the changes in Windows 8 (a "bad" version). But yeah, most of the Windows 11 stuff you hate has actually been happening for a while.With that being said, it sure is easy to resent Windows 11 these days, between the well-documented annoyances, the constant drumbeat of AI stuff (some of it gated to pricey new PCs), and a batch of weird bugs that mostly seem to be related to the under-the-hood overhauls in October's Windows 11 24H2 update. That list includes broken updates for some users, inoperable scanners, and a few unplayable games. With every release, the list of things you need to do to get rid of and turn off the most annoying stuff gets a little longer.Microsoft has proclaimed 2025 "the year of the Windows 11 PC refresh," partly because Windows 10 support is going away in October and there are a bunch of old PCs that can't easily be upgraded to the new version. But maybe Microsoft wouldn't need to poke people quite so hard if Windows 11 were a more streamlined version of itself, one without the unasked-for cruft that did a better job of respecting users' preferences.Andrew CunninghamWeb discourseMost media has never been that originalsomebody creates something witty, clever, or popular, and others rush to mimic it; things have always been this way in my lifetime.But I still bemoan how many people or companies rush to copy nearly anything that resembles a viral moment, whether it's a trope, an aesthetic, or a word that is subsequently beaten to death by overuse. Memes can be funny until they turn into a plague.I physically cringe when "cringe" is used as a ubiquitous catch-all for anything that people don't like. Every job change posted to social media is prefaced by "personal news." I have asked colleagues what exactly is "quiet" about the verb in their headline. And the corporate jargon on LinkedIn causes me the most despair.Look, this is mostly a rant from someone who's supposed to pick words apart, so I understand that language changes, not everyone is a professional writer, and workday constraints lead to some pet phrases. But the enshittifcation of social media, particularly due to its speed and virality, has led to millions vying for their moment in the sun, and all I see is a constant glare that makes everything look indistinguishable. No wonder some companies think AI is the future.Jacob May 11 Comments

Consumer Reports survey Many Americans still dont understand how easily IoT devices can get bricked Smart device users show ignorance around importance of ongoing support. Scharon Harding Feb 5, 2025 6:00 am | 9 Spotify stopped supprting Car Thing devices (pictured) without refunds last year. Credit: Spotify Spotify stopped supprting Car Thing devices (pictured) without refunds last year. Credit: Spotify Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreI dont know who needs to hear this, but your connected gadgets need software updates to retain not just their security but also, frequently, key features. If you read Ars Technica regularly, you probably dont need to hear that. You already know that smart device manufacturers have a reputation for ending support for often-expensive devices, making them insecure and/or not work as intended. But, per a survey from Consumer Reports of 2,130 consumers, many Americans are buying into the Internet of Things (IoT) without understanding the risks involved in losing vendor support: wasted money when devices are bricked and cyber and physical security threats.Consumer Reports American Experiences Survey, taken from December 616, claims the margin of error for its survey is +/- 2.59 percentage points, with 95 percent confidence. The publication said that 36 percent of respondents were four-year college graduates, 63 percent have a household income of at least $50,000, and the median age of respondents was 47 (you can find more information about Consumer Reports methodology here).Consumer Reports' subsequent report, released today, revealed a worrying potential education gap around IoT devices and the importance of ongoing software support:Among people with any type of connected device... 43 percent... said that the last time they purchased one they were not aware that it might lose software support at some point. Roughly a third of consumers with a connected device (35 percent) said that they had been aware that their product would lose software support at some point, and 22 percent said they did not recall.The most common response, at 40 percent, to the question, If any of your smart devices has lost software support, how did you first find out? was it stopped working. Fifteen percent said that they learned about the loss of support through the media. Thirty-nine percent pointed to manufacturer correspondence. Of course, its possible that some of those 40 percent of respondents simply missed vendor communication or even forgot about it.Ironically, 'it was acting strange,' is often the only indication a consumer may have that their device has been taken over by a malicious actor. They may see their overall network performance slow down, the device lag, or the device turning off and on at odd times, the report says.Consumer Reports also found a significant number of respondents expecting manufacturers to support their gadgets for over 10 years, but we know thats often not the case. Credit: Consumer Reports According to the report, "A lack of awareness around the importance of software updates and what it means when devices lose software support probably contributes to the wide variation of expectations here."Consumer Reports also concluded that there's a lack of understanding of how useful smart devices can be without software support. For example, 55 percent of smart TV owners, 46 percent of smartphone owners, and 43 percent of smart speaker owners surveyed said they think their respective gadget would still be useful if it reached its end of life.The report points to smart TVs and smartphones losing third-party app support as their OSes stop receiving updates and smart speakers no longer accessing voice assistants if disconnected from the web due to lack of security support. The report's authors concluded that a lot of Americans who own smart devices dont understand the relationship between software support and how long a device might retain its usefulness.However, its also possible that people have different ideas of whats considered useful. A disconnected smart TV, for instance, could still connect to video game consoles or access streaming apps via a streaming stick. A smart speaker without Alexa can still play audio from a paired device. I asked about this, and Stacey Higginbotham, policy fellow for the tech advocacy team at Consumer Reports, said that the publication believes most consumers wouldn't use disconnected devices as described."Some will likely continue to use the device as intended and keep it connected to the internet until it stops working (35 percent of folks who have had their connected device lose software support)," she said. "This is also born out in our survey research that shows 40 percent of consumers whose devices had lost software support only discovered that their software support ended when the device stopped working."Pressure for smart device vendors to be more up-frontConsumer Reports and other groups, including right-to-repair activists and consumer advocacy groups, in September asked the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to provide guidance for device manufacturers to disclose up front how they will support their products. In November, the FTC warned IoT firms that failure to provide software updates or the failure to disclose the duration of software support raises concerns about harm consumers cannot avoid may violate the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act and Federal Trade Commission Act. In a report [PDF], the government agency said it examined 184 devices across 64 product categories and found that 164 did not disclose the connected device support duration or end date" on their product webpage.The FTC encouraged policymakers and law enforcers to consider these problems. Without any firm action plan from the FTC and new federal leadership, including new chairs at the FTC and Federal Communications Commission (FCC), it's unclear how much of a priority these concerns will be for the government in the immediate future. When asked for comment, Rebecca Kern, a public affairs specialist for the FTC, said "staff is unable to talk further on this topic at this time."Lucas Gutterman, Designed to Last campaign director for the US PIRG Education Fund, which has asked for FTC regulation, maintains optimism that the FTC will see smart device longevity as an important issue, noting that the government body's right to repair work "started during the first Trump administration, and both repair and obsolescence need to be stopped... by preventing manufacturers from controlling products we own."For its part, the FCC launched the US Cyber Trust Mark program this month, a voluntary cybersecurity labeling program for wireless consumer IoT products, per the agency. We wont see labels on products until 2026, however.Currently, though, 72 percent of respondents to Consumer Reports survey think manufacturers should be required to disclose how long they will support the software. Thirteen percent said that this shouldnt be a requirement but that they would feel more positive about a firm providing that information. Eleven percent had no opinion on the matter, and 3 percent said that this shouldnt be required of IoT vendors.But with fluctuating demand and economics, IoT firms, from startups to enterprises, often lack foresight around how long they'll be able toor want tosupport smart devices. It's likely vendors will continue to push out their products without firm commitments to support them unless there is further prodding from users and/or the law.For the non-tech-savvy among us, now's a good time to read up on the importance of software updates and the fickle nature of the IoT.Scharon HardingSenior Technology ReporterScharon HardingSenior Technology Reporter Scharon is a Senior Technology Reporter at Ars Technica writing news, reviews, and analysis on consumer gadgets and services. She's been reporting on technology for over 10 years, with bylines at Toms Hardware, Channelnomics, and CRN UK. 9 Comments

Joe Sagrilla, Faculty, McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at AustinFebruary 5, 20255 Min ReadZoonar GmbH via Alamy StockAs organizations look to increase business performance through generative AI, traditional methods for increasing adoption of new technologies are unlikely to be effective for several reasons.First, unlike most enterprise systems, which are designed to automate specific tasks, GenAI tools are general purpose. While standard use cases can be developed and shared, sustainable productivity gains will result from employees innovating and finding novel ways to use GenAI tools in real-time as conditions change.Second, many GenAI tools are enabled rather than implemented, thus bypassing the user engagement opportunities a formal implementation project affords. For example, many organizations are using GenAI for text generation in word processors and notetaking in video conference software. No implementation project was needed to make this leap; the new functionality was simply activated. Third, GenAI tools are probabilistic rather than deterministic. Having employees attend structured training makes sense for a deterministic system, one that will always generate predictable outputs from a given set of inputs. Conversely, GenAI tools rely on statistical methods and have inherent variability in their outputs. Enter the same prompt in your favorite large language model (LLM) twice and you will get two different responses.Related:The final key difference between prior technologies and GenAI is the level of technical knowledge required. Unlike previous technologies, many GenAI tools are designed to be low code or no code. Users tell the technology what to do via natural language processing or simple graphic interfaces. Because there is no need to translate desired functions into computer code, employees can innovate automations independently, breaking the reliance on IT and specialized coding skills.Culture at the Core of GenAI AdoptionThe challenge for business leaders will be to increase the type of GenAI adoption that continually taps new pools of business value through independent, real-time use case innovation on pace with changing business demands. This will require an important cultural component that I call digital mindset.Digital mindset entails a functional understanding of data and systems, enabling innovation in daily work activities across multiple domains. Digital mindset is a productivity accelerant, insufficient by itself, and most impactful when paired with domain expertise and other soft skills, like problem-solving and communications. Leaders Can Drive Bottom-Up GenAI AdoptionRelated:Cultural changes require a strong leadership push to be successful. There are several practical steps leaders can take to begin building or reinforcing digital mindset and driving value-add GenAI adoption:Role model the behavior. Leaders should be embodiments of digital mindset, role modeling the desired behaviors and consistently walking the walk. To do this, leaders should gain hands-on experience using GenAI tools.Create the right conditions. Encouragement for employees to use GenAI must be matched with a positive user experience, especially for first-time users. Leaders should establish an infrastructure that makes GenAI both safe and easy to use.Communicate clearly and transparently. GenAI adoption should be enhanced through a multi-pronged communication plan, with messaging that evolves over time and, at a minimum, accomplishes a few critical objectives: provides clear guidance, demystifies the organizations approach to GenAI, builds excitement, sets expectations, and celebrates specific examples of success.Embrace the culture shift. For organizations that are resistant or lagging, leaders need to use cultural interventions to treat the root causes -- the underlying employee beliefs and values -- rather than the symptoms. Overcoming limiting beliefs like AI is going to replace me or I need to wait for training before I can start must be overcome to build momentum toward sustained success. Related:Effective cultural interventions create positive changes in employee attitudes that drive new behaviors that generate artifacts that create business value. Because the change unfolds through these layers sequentially, its important to have benchmarks for each layer that help indicate a strong culture (digital mindset) versus a weak one (analog mindset). Some examples of good and bad at each layer include:Layer 1: Culture -- Beliefs and ValuesDigital mindset examples - Technology can make my role more valuable; using new technologies will create skills that transfer to other systems; using new technology is a way to learnAnalog mindset examples - Technology will replace my job; by the time I learn this new technology, it will change again; I need to wait for training before I startLayer 2: AttitudesDigital mindset examples Enthusiastic view of technologyAnalog mindset examples Cynical view of technologyLayer 3: BehaviorsDigital mindset examples Seek out resources and training; experiment with new technologies on daily tasks; spread knowledge to colleaguesAnalog mindset examples Disparage and resist new technology; subvert implementation efforts; encourage complexity to reduce automation potentialLayer 4: Artifacts -- Outcomes that Deliver Business ValueDigital mindset examples Process innovation; productivity gains; analytics enablementAnalog mindset examples Manual processes; unreliable data; stale skillsetsMeasuring ProgressLevels of GenAI adoption can be measured across a continuum ranging from resistant to champion adoption, with several steps in between.GenAI Adoption Levels (Worst to Best)0 Resistant - Actively resists or avoids using GenAI tools, either due to fear, mistrust or a perception that they threaten job security.1 Forced adoption - Engages minimally with GenAI, using only the basic features necessary to meet mandatory requirements or appease supervisors.2 Cautious adoption - Begins to explore GenAIs capabilities beyond the bare minimum, often through limited, low-stakes experimentation.3 Enthusiastic adoption - Shows genuine interest in integrating GenAI tools into their workflow, actively participating in use cases provided by supervisors or team leaders.4 Creative adoption - Develops novel use cases for GenAI independently, often designing solutions tailored to specific departmental needs or even contributing to larger strategic goals.5 Champion adoption - Fully embraces GenAI as a core part of their work and actively promotes its use across departmental boundaries. Champions are adept at identifying new opportunities for GenAI, both operationally and strategically, and regularly share their insights and solutions to drive organizational adoption.Companies that have previously invested in building digital mindsets are likely to find themselves further along the continuum, another testament to the many benefits of instilling digital mindsets within the culture.ConclusionOrganizations that proactively build digital mindset not only position themselves to derive immediate value from GenAI, but also strengthen their long-term adaptability and competitiveness in an increasingly technology-driven business landscape.About the AuthorJoe SagrillaFaculty, McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at AustinJoe Sagrilla is a business leader, management consultant, and university faculty. His specialties include business strategy, technology, transformation, process improvement and organizational performance. He currently lives in Austin, Texas.See more from Joe SagrillaNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also LikeWebinarsMore WebinarsReportsMore Reports

MIT Technology Reviews Whats Next series looks across industries, trends, and technologies to give you a first look at the future. You can read the rest of them here. For every technological gadget that becomes a household name, there are dozens that never catch on. This year marks a full decade since Google confirmed it was stopping production of Google Glass, and for a long time it appeared as though mixed-reality productsthink of the kinds of face computers that dont completely cover your field of view they way a virtual-reality headset doeswould remain the preserve of enthusiasts rather than casual consumers. Fast-forward 10 years, and smart glasses are on the verge of becomingwhisper itcool. Metas smart glasses, made in partnership with Ray-Ban, are basically indistinguishable from the iconic Wayfarers Tom Cruise made famous in Risky Business. Meta also recently showed off its fashion-forward Orion augmented reality glasses prototype, while Snap unveiled its fifth-generation Spectacles, neither of which would look out of place in the trendiest district of a major city. In December, Google showed off its new unnamed Android XR prototype glasses, and rumors that Apple is still working on a long-anticipated glasses project continue to swirl. Elsewhere, Chinese tech giants Huawei, Alibaba, Xiaomi, and Baidu are also vying for a slice of the market. Sleeker designs are certainly making this new generation of glasses more appealing. But more importantly, smart glasses are finally on the verge of becoming useful, and its clear that Big Tech is betting that augmented specs will be the next big consumer device category. Heres what to expect from smart glasses in 2025 and beyond. AI agents could finally make smart glasses truly useful Although mixed-reality devices have been around for decades, they have largely benefited specialized fields, including the medical, construction, and technical remote-assistance industries, where they are likely to continue being used, possibly in more specialized ways. Microsoft is the creator of the best-known of these devices, which layer virtual content over the wearers real-world environment, and marketed its HoloLens 2 smart goggles to corporations. The company recently confirmed it was ending production of that device. Instead, it is choosing to focus on building headsets for the US military in partnership with Oculus founder Palmer Luckeys latest venture, Anduril. Now the general public may finally be getting access to devices they can use. The AI world is abuzz over agents, which augment large language models (LLMs) with the ability to carry out tasks by themselves. The past 12 months have seen huge leaps in AI multimodal LLMs abilities to handle video, images, and audio in addition to text, which opens up new applications for smart glasses that would not have been possible previously, says Louis Rosenberg, an AR researcher who worked on the first functional augmented-reality system at Stanford University in the 1990s. We already know Meta is definitely interested in AI agents. Although the company said in September that it has no plans to sell its Orion prototype glasses to the public, given their expense, Mark Zuckerberg raised expectations for its next generations of Metas smart glasses when he declared Orion the most advanced pair of AR glasses ever made. Hes also made it clear how deeply invested Meta is in bringing a highly intelligent and personalized AI assistant to as many users as possible and that hes confident Metas glasses are the perfect form factor for AI. Although Meta is already making its Ray-Ban smart glasses AI more conversationalits new live AI feature responds to prompts about what its wearer is seeing and hearing via its camera and microphonefuture agents will give these systems not only eyes and ears, but a contextual awareness of whats around them, Rosenberg says. For example, agents running on smart glasses could hold unprompted interactive conversations with their wearers based on their environment, reminding them to buy orange juice when they walk past a store, for example, or telling them the name of a coworker who passes them on the sidewalk. We already know Google is deeply interested in this agent-first approach: The unnamed smart glasses it first showed off at Google I/O in May 2024 were powered by its Astra AI agent system. Having worked on mixed reality for over 30 years, its the first time I can see an application that will really drive mass adoption, Rosenberg says. Meta and Google will likely tussle to be the sectors top dog Its unclear how far we are from that level of mass adoption. During a recent Meta earnings call, Zuckerberg said 2025 would be a defining year for understanding the future of AI glasses and whether they explode in popularity or represent a longer grind. He has reason to be optimistic, though: Meta is currently ahead of its competition thanks to the success of the Ray-Ban Meta smart glassesthe company sold more than 1 million units last year. It also is preparing to roll out new styles thanks to a partnership with Oakley, which, like Ray-Ban, is under the EssilorLuxottica umbrella of brands. And while its current second-generation specs cant show its wearer digital data and notifications, a third version complete with a small display is due for release this year, according to theFinancial Times. The company is also reportedly working on a lighter, more advanced version of its Orion AR glasses, dubbed Artemis, that could go on sale as early as 2027, Bloomberg reports. Adding display capabilities will put the Ray-Ban Meta glasses on equal footing with Googles unnamed Android XR glasses project, which sports an in-lens display (the company has not yet announced a definite release date). The prototype the company demoed to journalists in September featured a version of its AI chatbot Gemini, and much they way Google built its Android OS to run on smartphones made by third parties, its Android XR software will eventually run on smart glasses made by other companies as well as its own. These two major players are competing to bring face-mounted AI to the masses in a race thats bound to intensify, adds Rosenbergespecially given that both Zuckerberg and Google cofounder Sergey Brin have called smart glasses the perfect hardware for AI. Google and Meta are really the big tech companies that are furthest ahead in the AI space on their own. Theyre very well positioned, he says. This is not just augmenting your world, its augmenting your brain. Its getting easier to make smart glassesbut its still hard to get them right When the AR gaming company Niantics Michael Miller walked around CES, the gigantic consumer electronics exhibition that takes over Las Vegas each January, he says he was struck by the number of smaller companies developing their own glasses and systems to run on them, including Chinese brands DreamSmart, Thunderbird, and Rokid. While its still not a cheap endeavora business would probably need a couple of million dollars in investment to get a prototype off the ground, he saysit demonstrates that the future of the sector wont depend on Big Tech alone. On a hardware and software level, the barrier to entry has become very low, says Miller, the augmented reality hardware lead at Niantic, which has partnered with Meta, Snap, and Magic Leap, among others. But turning it into a viable consumer product is still tough. Meta caught the biggest fish in this world, and so they benefit from the Ray-Ban brand. Its hard to sell glasses when youre an unknown brand. Thats why its likely ambitious smart glasses makers in countries like Japan and China will increasingly partner with eyewear companies known locally for creating desirable frames, generating momentum in their home markets before expanding elsewhere, he suggests. More developers will start building for these devices These smaller players will also have an important role in creating new experiences for wearers of smart glasses. A big part of smart glasses usefulness hinges on their ability to send and receive information from a wearers smartphoneand third-party developers interest in building apps that run on them. The more the public can do with their glasses, the more likely they are to buy them. Developers are still waiting for Meta to release a software development kit (SDK) that would let them build new experiences for the Ray-Ban Meta glasses. While bigger brands are understandably wary about giving third parties access to smart glasses discreet cameras, it does limit the opportunities researchers and creatives have to push the envelope, says Paul Tennent, an associate professor in the Mixed Reality Laboratory at the University of Nottingham in the UK. But historically, Google has been a little less afraid of this, he adds. Elsewhere, Snap and smaller brands like Brilliant Labs, whose Frame glasses run multimodal AI models including Perplexity, ChatGPT, and Whisper, and Vuzix, which recently launched its AugmentOS universal operating system for smart glasses, have happily opened up their SDKs, to the delight of developers, says Patrick Chwalek, a student at the MIT Media Lab who worked on smart glasses platform Project Captivate as part of his PhD research. Vuzix is getting pretty popular at various universities and companies because people can start building experiences on top of them, he adds. Most of these are related to navigation and real-time translationI think were going to be seeing a lot of iterations of that over the next few years."

This post originally appeared in the Business Insider Today newsletter.You can sign up for Business Insider's daily newsletter here.Good morning. The US Agency for International Development, or USAID, will place nearly all of its direct-hire workforce on administrative leave starting Friday at midnight, according to an email sent to staff on Tuesday evening and posted on the agency's website.Meanwhile, in today's big story, we're breaking down how the China tariffs will impact what you pay for things.What's on deckMarkets: What Trump's plan for a US sovereign wealth fund could look like.Tech: An Amazon VP reiterated the company's commitment to DEI initiatives in an internal meeting.Business: The White House says more than 20,000 federal workers have taken buyouts, and more will come.But first, the tariff fight isn't over.If this was forwarded to you, The big storyThe cost of a trade war SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images The trade war between Washington and Beijing is set to take place in US consumers' wallets.From new phones to kitchen appliances and clothes, President Donald Trump's additional 10% tax on Chinese imports could result in a slew of higher prices, write Theron Mohamed and Ayelet Sheffey.With China sending $427 billion in goods to the US in 2023 (the most recent year of full data), there are no shortages of things that will be affected by the tariffs.It's not just expensive tech like computers and cellphones that's at risk. The closure of a loophole allowing importers to avoid taxes on shipments valued less than $800 when sent directly to consumers has left brands like Shein and Temu scrambling.Concerns about logistics continued yesterday when the US Postal Service said that it is suspending inbound parcels from China and Hong Kong until further notice, effective immediately. While only parcels are impacted, the suspension may cause exporters to use alternative logistics companies like DHL, UPS, and FedEx. That might cause a demand surge that could increase freight costs, an expert told BI.PDD Holdings, Temu's parent company, was down 6% in premarket trading this morning following the USPS announcement.Companies haven't been shy about saying they'll need to raise prices due to tariffs, and the taxes also provide cover to juice their costs regardless of the tariffs' real impact.Even trade plans that might never come to fruition Mexico and Canada could still cause enough uncertainty that they disrupt supply chains, leading to higher prices.With so many unknowns, some investors are hedging their bets using outcome ETFs and monitoring 21-day realized volatility to reduce downside risk while not completely cannibalizing their returns.If that all sounds like a foreign language to you, there's always the prediction markets. Over there, you can wager on where some of President Trump's next tariffs might land. Getty Images; Jenny Chang-Rodriguez Another corner of the economy is leaving US consumers feeling pretty beat.Rising egg prices are so severe that Waffle House is charging a 50-cent fee for each egg it sells. The restaurant chain said it opted for a surcharge over a blanket price increase across its menu.The eggs-tra fee is only supposed to be temporary, but this won't be over easy. Data from the US Department of Agriculture projects the average price for a dozen eggs won't drop from $4.80 to $2.50 until the second quarter.That's not egg-celent news, but it's tough to blame anyone. As BI's Emily Stewart previously covered, a combination of bird flu and increased demand has scrambled the egg market.News briefTop headlinesWhat the media missed about teens and phones.OpenAI-backer Fidelity marked up its stake in Anthropic by 25% after acquiring shares in FTX bankruptcy.CHART: Here's how much Amazon could be hit by China tariffs.Fox is launching a new streaming service in a very crowded market. Here's why analysts say it's a smart bet.Shares of Chinese companies linked to DeepSeek surged on the first post-holiday trading day.3 things in markets President Donald Trump signing an executive order to create a sovereign wealth fund. Jim WATSON / AFP 1. How exactly would a US sovereign wealth fund work? President Trump asked the Treasury and Commerce departments to come up with a plan for creating a fund to invest on behalf of the country. The strategy, however, is typically used to manage a country's surplus. The US is running on a deficit. Here's how it could still work.2. Learning from the investing wizards. Author Jack Schwager is adding a sixth book to his popular "Market Wizards" series, and he's co-writing it with financial writer and researcher George Coyle. It will focus on the early days of top traders' careers and feature interviews from a mix of well-known names and those who are unknown but "have done spectacularly well," Schwager said.3. Apollo is exploring "modest M&A." The firm is changing tack from its former focus on execution and looking to grow through new M&A, CEO Marc Rowan said on the firm's final 2024 earnings call. Apollo's looking for companies that can help expand its lending capabilities, Rowan said, and he pointed to a recent acquisition as an example.3 things in tech Sundar Pichai speaks during a Google I/O conference. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images 1. Google's AI bets and cloud sales slump. Parent company Alphabet plans for $75 billion in capex this year. Some investors are wary of big AI spending and want earnings to match. Despite consolidated revenue growth, Google Cloud sales didn't meet expectations. Executives did mention a potential bright spot, though: YouTube podcasts.2. An Amazon exec reaffirms company's DEI commitment. When Amazon changed some of its websites about DEI and halted some programs, some employees wondered whether the company might do away with it like Meta. That's not the case, according to AWS VP of technology Mai-Lan Tomsen Bukovec. In a late January meeting, Tomsen Bukovec told employees there is "no change" to the company's DEI commitment and that the edits employees noticed were alterations of language, not principle.3. Connecting the dots between Apple, a porn app, and Trump's possible trade war. The three make unlikely bedfellows, but they set the stage for a tiff between Big Tech and the EU. The key word: regulation. Apple and the other tech giants have beef with the EU over its app store rules, and they're hoping Trump and the threat of tariffs might join the fight.3 things in business Kevin Carter/Getty Images 1. Federal workers say some DOGE members aren't sharing their full names in meetings. One federal employee told BI they've never seen anything like it. These meetings, which include questions from DOGE reps about responsibilities and areas of improvement, appear to be part of its push to revamp the federal workforce. Thomas Shedd, a former Tesla employee who recently joined the GSA, told staff he was trying to protect DOGE members from media attention. However, the interactions come as DOGE promises to promote transparency.2. The rise of the reluctant landlord. As workers face an uptick in RTO mandates, some homeowners may have to ditch the homes they purchased during peak remote work. But it's not an ideal time to sell a home right now, thanks to high mortgage rates and weakening demands. Many would-be sellers are turning to the rental market instead but being a landlord isn't all it's cracked up to be either.3. The White House says more than 20,000 federal workers have taken buyouts. The figure is still well below the White House's goal of 5 - 10% of federal workers taking the deal. However, a spokesperson for the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) told BI the 20,000 number "isn't current," and they're expecting a "spike" ahead of the February 6 deadline.In other newsNew York magazine is finding big success in small newsletters.Why a cargo airline is eyeing a radical new aircraft design for its future planes.The Trump hedge: Four ways investors are seeking downside protection amid Washington's tariff noise.OpenAI files a trademark application for humanoid robots and VR headsets as Sam Altman teases big hardware ambitions.The AI dream is alive and well for Palantir.The new 'Fantastic Four' finally has a trailer. Here's everything we know about the reboot.John Malkovich plays an eccentric, hip-thrusting pop star in 'Opus.' He's not sure why he was the director's first choice for the role.What's happening todayDisney, News Corp, Ford, and Uber report earnings.The Insider Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Grace Lett, editor, in Chicago. Ella Hopkins, associate editor, in London. Hallam Bullock, senior editor, in London. Amanda Yen, associate editor, in New York. Elizabeth Casolo, fellow, in Chicago.