News

Organizations are recognizing the value of artificial intelligence and it’s rapidly becoming a standard part of how businesses operate. From automating tedious tasks to generating valuable insights, AI is reshaping how teams work and make decisions. But as adoption grows, the pressure to invest in these platforms is pushing many organizations toward IT infrastructure that wasn’t built with them in mind.Today, most companies that turn to advanced AI do so through centralized platforms from big tech giants like Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform, and Amazon Web Services. While these platforms offer convenience and high computing power, they also come with high costs, limited flexibility, and long-term risks. For many organizations that value autonomy, the current infrastructure can be expensive and carries unsustainable limitations in the long term.The Cost of Staying Dependent on Big TechThere’s more than one way to build an AI system, and each comes with trade-offs. Many organizations start by relying on Big Tech cloud platforms. This gives them access to powerful GPUs without buying their own hardware, but the convenience comes at a premium. Costs often rise unpredictably as usage grows, and teams have limited control over how resources are priced or provisioned.Another option is to invest in a centralized architecture in-house. While this setup offers more control, it often requires purchasing expensive hardware upfront, including GPUs that can cost over $30,000, and replacing legacy systems to meet performance requirements. Privately distributed infrastructure offers a more cost-effective alternative.The Power of Using What’s Already in PlaceTraditional AI systems are built to run on expensive and specialized hardware. But some platforms support advanced workloads on existing hardware, including older CPUs, in-house servers, and consumer-grade devices. These systems can be optimized for models without the need for a full rebuild to perform.Supporting AI on existing hardware lowers the cost of adoption and opens access to more organizations. Some distributed platforms can reduce AI deployment costs by up to 90% due to a combination of using existing hardware, optimizing model size, and distributing workloads more efficiently.Vendor Lock-In Limits FlexibilityCentralized platforms often require companies to build around a single vendor’s tools, infrastructure, and pricing. Over time, that dependency can be difficult and expensive to unwind. Switching platforms can require re-architecting entire systems, retraining teams, and migrating sensitive data.Vendor lock-in makes it hard to pivot when priorities shift or problems arise. As businesses grow, pricing models don’t always grow with them. Technical needs evolve, new technologies emerge, and vendor systems aren’t always built to integrate with other tools. That lack of flexibility can stall progress or force teams into workarounds that add unnecessary complexity. And because infrastructure, data, and workloads are tied to a single provider, migrating away is costly and disruptive.Distributed infrastructure avoids this lock-in by giving organizations more control over how and where their models run. Systems can be deployed across different environments, including local servers, legacy hardware, cloud environments, or hybrid setups, which makes it easier for teams to adjust, scale, or shift direction without starting over.Outsourced Infrastructure Means Lost ControlOutsourced platforms often force companies to structure their systems around a vendor’s tools and pricing. Any shift, whether it’s a price increase, technical requirement, policy change, or delay in new capabilities, can slow innovation or derail internal priorities. And because workloads and data live on a third-party infrastructure, companies have little choice but to accept those terms.Without visibility into how resources are allocated or the ability to adjust them, organizations may end up paying 10x to 100x times more than necessary to run the same workloads. Distributed infrastructure gives that control back. Companies can deploy models on their hardware, keep sensitive data within their network perimeter, and evolve AI systems as needs change, without waiting on a vendor to catch up.Centralized Systems Put Sensitive Data at RiskMost centralized AI platforms rely on external infrastructure, which means sensitive data leaves the organization during both training and inference. Even with encryption and compliance in place, companies still have to trust third parties to keep that information secure. Every time data leaves the organization, the chances of it being intercepted, misused, or exposed increase.A distributed setup avoids that exposure entirely. When both the model and the data stay inside the organization, whether on internal servers or private environments, the entire workflow stays contained even during inference. That keeps sensitive information private and ensures the data, the outputs it drives, and the intelligence it creates all stay under the company’s control.AI’s Environmental Toll Is Getting Harder to IgnoreMassive cloud computing platforms rely on powerful GPUs and energy-intensive data centers that run continuously. Training a single large language model like ChatGPT-3, for example, consumes 1,287 MWh, which is enough electricity to power the average U.S. home for more than 120 years. These centralized systems also require continuous cooling, backup power, and high-density server maintenance.Some platforms can reduce energy use by distributing workloads across hardware that’s already running, such as consumer GPUs, CPUs, and local servers. As a result, they avoid the constant power draw of centralized data centers. Reusing existing resources can significantly lower power consumption, particularly for modest or task-specific workloads.A Viable Future For Sustainable AICentralized platforms offer power and convenience, but they also come with trade-offs that many organizations can’t afford. Distributed platforms are a practical alternative that gives businesses more flexibility, lower costs, and greater control over their data and infrastructure.As AI continues to advance, so will the ways organizations can adopt it. Businesses don’t need massive infrastructure to make AI useful. With the right tools and control over their systems, they can run advanced workloads while keeping their data secure.I tried 70+ best AI tools.This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

There's new firmware for the Sony WH-1000XM6 and WF-1000XM5Both updates installable via the Sound Connect appNew low-latency mode plus improvements to Quick Access and Scene-based ListeningSony is rolling out a free software update to its flagship Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones that adds new features – and there's also one for the Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds.The update is version number 5.0.2 for the WH-1000XM5 and 2.0.2 for the WF-1000XM6, and both updates are installed via the Sound Connect app. You'll need to ensure that your headphones are fully charged, as the update may take as long as an hour to complete.The good news is that it's an update worth waiting for.Sony WH-1000XM6 and WF-1000XM5 update: what's new?The big changes are improvements to Quick Access and to Scene-based Listening modes with YouTube Music and Apple Music, and there's a new low-latency Bluetooth connection method alongside the existing Stable Connection and Sound Quality options, which can be good for gaming and watching video.Sony also says that the updates ensure that the 'capture your own voice during call' functions work across all the ambient sound controls. There are new languages for the voice controls, and a water damage warning for the over-ears' USB port.Here's what's new in each update, as reported by Notebookcheck.net.Sony WF-1000XM5 Version 5.0.2Adds services that support Quick Access and Scene-based ListeningAllows you to choose from three Bluetooth connection methods on some smartphones:Prioritise Sound QualityPrioritise Stable ConnectionLow LatencyEnhances system software security featuresImproves general performanceSony WH-1000XM6 Version 2.0.2Adds services that support Quick Access and Scene-based ListeningEnables the Capture Voice During a Phone Call setting for all Ambient Sound Control modesAllows you to choose from three Bluetooth connection methods on some smartphones:Prioritise Sound QualityPrioritise Stable ConnectionLow LatencyAdds French, German, and Spanish to the Voice Control-supported languagesAdds moisture detection on the USB Type-C terminalEnhances system software security featuresImproves general performanceBoth updates are available now.You might also likeThe best Sony headphones for all budgets, as tested by usOur in-depth Sony WH-1000XM6 reviewThe best noise-cancelling earbuds

Opera's revamped VPN Pro now integrates ExpressVPN's Lightway technologyThe update also adds 15 more server locations for a total of 48 worldwideOpera VPN Pro still lacks iOS support at the time of writingOpera VPN Pro has undergone a major revamp – and it's now powered by one of the very best VPN providers out there.The team has integrated ExpressVPN's proprietary Lightway protocol into the service in a move that promises to deliver faster speeds, better privacy, and stronger security – even against post-quantum threats. The update also includes 15 more server locations, for a total of 48 worldwide.New and existing users can now enjoy the protection of the revamped Opera VPN Pro on up to six Windows, macOS, or Android devices. Yet, the service still lacks iOS support at the time of writing.Why ExpressVPN's Lightway?Lightway is ExpressVPN's proprietary technology, specifically designed to offer users a faster, more secure, and reliable VPN experience.Fully developed in-house and released in 2020, Lightway is an open-source software. This means that anyone can audit its code to ensure that all works as it should.ExpressVPN completely recoded Lightway from C to Rust last February for even better security, performance, and ease of extension.Lightway also has the advantage of including post-quantum protection by default to protect users against both current and future cyber threats.Now, Opera VPN Pro users can also benefit from these protections.Opera for Android just got a powerful upgrade!👉VPN Pro now supports 15 new global locations, more ways to browse privately and securely👉Aria just leveled up, now with higher-quality answers for a smoother chat experience👉Bookmarks got personal, sort them your way and add… pic.twitter.com/QrW4KyCibiJuly 1, 2025It's worth noting that, unlike the Opera free VPN version, Opera VPN Pro was originally built on Nord VPN's servers and network infrastructure.The provider told TechRadar it has now decided to collaborate with ExpressVPN for this purpose.Commenting on the move, Product Marketing Manager, Privacy and Security at Opera, Michael Tegos said: "Being an open-source, independently audited protocol that regularly undergoes penetration testing to check for vulnerabilities, Lightway aligns with our focus on continuing to improve VPN Pro and offering better privacy and security to our users."Tegos also mentions ExpressVPN's improved speed and reliability as reasons behind the switch. He said: "[Lightway] works especially well on mobile devices where it offers reduced latency and better battery life. As we offer VPN Pro on both desktop and Android, this was an important factor for us."Finally, Lightway’s use of ML-KEM, the NIST standard for post-quantum encryption, means that it can help us future-proof VPN Pro for our users today."Crucially, the provider ensures that the revamped Opera VPN Pro continues to never log your activity, collect personal data, or any other identifiable information. A commitment that was verified with an independent no-log audit in September 2024.How to upgradeUnlike other VPN services, Opera VPN Pro doesn't come as a standalone app, but is integrated directly within the Opera browser.If you're already an Opera VPN Pro subscriber, the provider promises a seamless transition.On desktop devices (macOS and Windows), the service will automatically upgrade to the new version the next time you start your web browser. On Android, you'll receive a notification to upgrade your browser app and enjoy Opera's revamped VPN Pro.Not sure if you want to sign up? Good news – new users can try out the new Opera VPN Pro with a 7-day free trial on up to 6 devices at once.You might also likeSurfshark reaffirms its commitment to user privacy in independent auditIran is discouraging its people from using free VPNsThese free VPNs may have ties to China’s military – and they are still hidden in Apple and Google app stores

Google's data centers used 30.8 million MWh of electricity in 2024That's around a 2x increase from 2020, and 7x from 2014Google claims data center emissions fell by 12% year-over-yearGoogle has published its latest Sustainability Report, revealing how it is becoming increasingly apparent the desire for cloud and AI services is causing huge spikes in electricity demand.The company says it used around 32.1 million MWh in 2024, 30.8 million MWh of which was consumed by its data centers – a staggering 95.8% of its total consumption, and more than double the amount of energy its data centers used in 2020 (14.4 million MWh), just before the explosion of AI tools adoption to consumers on a huge scale.Looking back even further, Google's data centers used an estimated four million MWh of electricity in 2014, marking a colossal 7x increase over the course of the past decade.96% of Google's energy consumption is from data centersThe report added the total electricity consumption for Google rose 27% year-over-year in 2024, following a 17% increase announced in its 2023 report.However the company stressed it's making good progress towards cleaning up its energy supply despite the huge growth.Despite increasing demand, data center energy emissions were reduced by 12% in 2024 through a combination of clean energy initiatives and data center efficiency improvements.The amount of compute per unit of electricity has risen by around 6x over the past five years, with 2024 power usage effectiveness closing in on the theoretical minimum of 1.0 – in 2024, it was 1.09.Google explained that, at this scale, even a 0.01 improvement could have considerable positive consequences.Moreover, Google maintains 100% renewable energy matching globally – something that it's been doing since 2018. The report details how clean energy purchases in 2024 avoided 8.2 million metric tons of CO2e emissions.The company recently signed 60 new contracts worth around eight gigawatts in new clean energy, including a geothermal plant in Nevada, solar projects in South Carolina and Oklahoma, and upcoming nuclear reactors.Although Google continues to make meaningful progress, increasing demand highlights the challenges that the tech giant faces. Looking ahead, Google is piloting carbon-intelligent computing to shift compute tasks to cleaner regions or times.You might also likeAccess powerful, energy efficient chips with the best cloud computing providersData centers are becoming an increasing emissions concernConsider switching to the best green web hosting companies

No, you haven’t missed it – HBO Max is still very much Max. With The Gilded Age season 3 now at the halfway point, you might be looking for something else to tide you over during your weekly waits.This month, we’re turning our attention back to Michael B. Jordan’s charismatic twins trying to outwit a trio of insistent vampires. After an astonishing theatrical run that made it a box office smash, Sinners is finally available on streaming this month as one of the seven best new horror movies being released, so get ready to play that musical scene on repeat.Of course, we’ve also got another packed list of classic movies this month. Cate Blanchett is at her very best in Todd Haynes’ Carol (2015), while The Dude drinks more White Russians than anyone can handle in The Big Lebowski (1998). You might as well cancel your plans now and strap in for the best Max movies landing this month.Everything new on Max in July 2025Arriving on July 1Annabelle (movie)Better off Dead… (movie)Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me (movie)Canyon River (movie)Carol (movie)Chopped volume 4 season 61 (TV show)Cunningham (movie)Dames (movie)Dances With Wolves (movie)Dances With Wolves: Extended Cut (movie)Film Geek (movie)Get Out (movie)Get Shorty (movie)In Time (movie)Insidious (movie)Jewel Robber (movie)Jimmy the Gent (movie)Lady Killer (movie)Lawyer Man (movie)Life as We Know It (movie)Love & Other Drugs (movie)Love Crazy (movie)Moana with Sound (movie)Mortal Kombat 1995 (movie)Mortal Kombat 2021 (movie)Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms (movie)Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match (movie)Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge (movie)Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind (movie)Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (movie)Napoleon Dynamite (movie)One Way Passage (movie)Other Men's Women (movie)Picture Snatcher (movie)Private Detective 62 (movie)Red Dawn (movie)Shadow of the Thin Man (movie)Shaun the Sheep Movie (movie)Showgirls (movie)Sinner's Holiday (movie)Smart Money (movie)Snatched (movie)Song of the Thin Man (movie)Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay (movie)Taxi! (movie)The Amityville Horror 1979 (movie)The Amityville Horror 2005 (movie)The Big Lebowski (movie)The Brink 2019 (movie)The Great Wall (movie)The Kennel Murder Case (movie)The Key (movie)The Last House on the Left (movie)The Meg (movie)The Public Enemy (movie)The Road to Singapore (movie)The St. Louis Kid (movie)The Strawberry Blonde (movie)The Thin Man Goes Home (movie)The Three Stooges (movie)Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am (movie)Torrid Zone (movie)Two O'Clock Courage (movie)Tyrel (movie)Valentine's Day (movie)Valley of the Sun (movie)What’s Your Number? (movie)What's Your Number? Ex-tended Edition (movie)Winner Take All (movie)Woman at War (movie)Arriving on July 2Dear Ms.: A Revolution in Print (movie)My Big Fat Fabulous Life season 13 (TV show)Arriving on July 3Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League (movie)The Deep Three season 3 (TV show)Arriving on July 4Sinners (movie)On Becoming a Guinea Fowl (movie)Arriving on July 790 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After? season 9 (TV show)Wardens of the North season 4 (TV show)Arriving on July 10Back to the Frontier season 1 (TV show)Celebrity IOU season 10 (TV show)Isadora Moon season 1B (TV show)Arriving on July 11Opus (movie)Chasing the West season 1 (TV show)House Hunters International volume 9 season 202 (TV show)House Hunters volume 10 season 243 (TV show)Rage (Furia) season 1 (TV show)Arriving on July 12Gold Rush: Mine Rescue with Freddy & Juan season 5 (TV show)Arriving on July 14Evil Lives Here season 18 (TV show)Naked and Afraid: Last One Standing season 3 (TV show)Two Guys Garage season 24 (TV show)Arriving on July 15A Killer Among Friends season 1 (TV show)Arriving on July 16911: Did the Killer Call? season 1 (TV show)Arriving on July 17Beat Bobby Flay season 38 (TV show)Arriving on July 18Billy Joel: And So It Goes (movie) Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives season 51 (TV show)Family Recipe Showdown season 1 (TV show)I Love You Forever (movie)Arriving on July 19Guy's Ranch Kitchen season 7B (TV show)Zillow Gone Wild season 2 (TV show)Arriving on July 20Shark Week 2025 (TV show)Teen Titans Go! season 9C (TV show)Arriving on July 22Eva Longoria: Searching For Spain season 1 (TV show)Arriving on July 23Welcome to Plathville season 7 (TV show)Arriving on July 25Death of a Unicorn (movie)AEW Special Events, 2023C (TV show)AEW Special Events, 2024C (TV show)Care Bears: Unlock the Magic S1F: The No Heart Games (TV show)Arriving on July 26The Pioneer Woman season 39 (TV show)Arriving on July 29Worst Cooks in America season 29 (TV show)Arriving on July 31Don't Hate Your House with the Property Brothers season 2 (TV show)You might also likePeacemaker season 2 finally has a teaser trailer – here are 3 things you need to know about the hit Max show's returnHBO Max's highly anticipated IT prequel series Welcome to Derry finally has a trailer, and it's delightfully creepy5 of the biggest streaming announcements from Warner Bros. Discovery Upfront 2025, from HBO Max shows to the new Superman trailer

Apple has apparently begun prototyping the foldable iPhoneThis leak echoes others in saying a launch in 2026 is likelyHowever, development of a foldable iPad has apparently been pausedThe foldable iPhone has been rumored for years now, but it might finally be becoming a reality, with the latest leak suggesting Apple has begun producing prototypes.This is according to DigiTimes (via @Jukanlosreve), which claims that Apple aims to finish prototyping the foldable iPhone by the end of 2025. At that point, the device will enter the Engineering Verification Test (EVT) phase, before a launch in the second half of 2026.That’s in line with other recent foldable iPhone release date rumors, and would likely mean that the phone lands alongside the iPhone 18 series in September of 2026.But while that’s still a way off, if the phone really is being prototyped now, it’s likely that we’ll start seeing leaked images of the handset soon, which should give us a much clearer idea of what it will look like.There might not be a foldable iPadThe iPad Pro 13-inch (2024) (Image credit: Future)It’s not all good news for Apple’s foldable ambitions, though, because in another DigiTimes report (also via @Jukanlosreve), it’s claimed that the company has paused development of a foldable iPad.Apparently, this is likely due to a combination of manufacturing difficulties, increased production expenses, and limited demand for larger foldable devices.Last we heard, the foldable iPad was possibly going to land in 2027, but if this latest leak is accurate, then we probably won’t see it until even later, if at all. The wording here suggests it’s possible Apple will continue developing the foldable iPad at a later date, but it’s unclear if or when this will happen.We’d think it’s likely that if development really has been paused, the company will probably wait and see how the foldable iPhone does before deciding whether to resume developing a foldable iPad. In which case, such a device is still probably at least a few years away – and may never emerge.You might also likeThe foldable iPhone’s cameras might leave it trailing behind the Galaxy Z Fold 7The iPhone 17 Pro’s rumored camera bar looks much better than before in new dummy unit photosiPhone 17 Pro again tipped to get a vapor chamber – here's why that'd be a big deal

New formatting abilities have arrived in Notepad for Windows 11Microsoft previously tested these features, but they're now rolling out to all Windows 11 usersSome welcome the move as a useful addition to Notepad's editing powers, while others feel Microsoft is just bloating the text editorWindows 11's Notepad app has been fleshed out with new formatting powers, and the app is morphing, slowly but surely, to become more like WordPad (the more extensive text editor that Microsoft canned quite some time ago).Windows Latest reports that it downloaded an update for Notepad from the Microsoft Store which provided the new functionality to a PC running the finished version of Windows 11 (as opposed to test builds, where these features were previously being trialled).The fresh formatting powers include the ability to add different kinds of headings or subheadings, use italics or bold text, and create numbered or bullet-point lists. It's also now possible to add hyperlinks to selected text.Others on Reddit have been sharing their opinions on the introduction of these new lightweight formatting abilities over the past few days, so it seems the rollout is definitely underway.So how's the new Notepad being received so far? To say it's had a mixed reception, going by the reactions on Reddit, is an understatement.Analysis: bolstered or bloated?(Image credit: Microsoft)The polarization in the feedback to these changes is quite something. There are two camps, as you might guess: those who welcome the move, and those who, well, very much don't.The welcomers are generally folks who miss WordPad, which Microsoft sent to the great app graveyard in the sky early last year. WordPad was essentially a midway point between Microsoft Word, the firm's full-on word processor, and Notepad, which was originally conceived as a super-lightweight text editor for duties in a pinch.With that compromise app now gone, what Microsoft has been doing for a while now is adding more features to Notepad in order to make up for the loss of WordPad. This latest move to usher in basic formatting tricks bolsters Notepad considerably in terms of its editing clout, and a fair few people are happy about that as a result.The folks who feel otherwise are concerned that all Microsoft is doing is bloating Notepad. Bear in mind that this introduction of formatting powers is the latest in a long line of additions, and the fear is that eventually Notepad is going to become more bloated, and perhaps less responsive or even slower to start – which defeats the whole point of the app as a quick and easy editor.However, there's a crucial point to remember here, namely that the new formatting features can all be switched off. If you don't want them, Microsoft has made it so that support for formatting can be dispensed with in a single click, which should go some way to placating some of the haters – even if they still won't approve of the general direction Microsoft is taking with Notepad, which doesn't appear to be a course the software giant is planning on altering.If you've got the new version of Notepad and have noticed the formatting functionality, and you're wondering how to switch it off, that's easy. At the bottom of the app window you'll see it says 'Formatted' to indicate that formatting is active – just click on that, and all formatting will be disabled.You might also like...No, Windows 11 PCs aren't 'up to 2.3x faster' than Windows 10 devices, as Microsoft suggests – here's why that's an outlandish claimmacOS Tahoe 26: here's everything you need to know about all the new featuresCan’t upgrade to Windows 11? This Linux project wants to save your old PC from the scrapheap when Windows 10 support ends