Google recently announced something they’re calling ‘AI Mode,’ positioned as a significant upgrade to search—but let’s unpack what this really means and why it’s important for everyone. What is Google’s AI Mode? Currently, if you’re signed into Google and perform a search, you’ll often see an “AI Overview” at the top of your results. This summary, created by Google’s Gemini AI, provides a helpful but static response. Your options right now are limited: accept the provided answer, or click through traditional search results.

Apple’s latest announcements have quietly landed, skipping the usual grand keynote, yet the upgrades themselves are surprisingly substantial. Here’s a quick breakdown, spiced with a few of my own thoughts. Entry-Level iPad It’s great to see a £100 drop on the entry-level iPad, bringing it back down to a friendlier £329. With Apple’s new A16 chip delivering around a 30% performance boost, it makes this device much more accessible. It’s an excellent choice for schools, young learners, or those looking for their first tablet.

Just hours after discussing the potential of GPT-4.5 in today’s Generative AI Skills Bootcamp, OpenAI has officially launched GPt-4.5 for Plus & Team subscribers - and we’re already seeing impressive results! 🌟 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗣𝗧-𝟰.𝟱: 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗲: Delivers more accurate, reliable responses across diverse subjects. 𝗘𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆: Exceptional improvements in writing, problem-solving, and nuanced storytelling. 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Significantly fewer inaccuracies, boosting trustworthiness. 𝗜𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗽𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗩𝗚 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Handles image inputs, creates inline SVG graphics, and integrates smoothly with DALL·E.

Generative AI continues to evolve at breakneck speed, and the latest announcements showcase just how transformative this technology is becoming. Here’s a breakdown of some of the most exciting updates, explained in a way that’s easy to understand—no tech jargon required! Claude 3.7 Sonnet: A Smarter Way to Think Anthropic has unveiled Claude 3.7 Sonnet, its most advanced AI model yet, now available on Amazon Bedrock. What makes it special?

Amazon’s latest Devices & Services event just dropped some exciting news. Enter Alexa+, a reimagined, AI-powered assistant designed to make your everyday tasks simpler and more enjoyable—even if you’re not a tech whiz. A Smarter Assistant at Your Service Alexa+ isn’t just another voice assistant. It’s built to be your go-to helper, connecting you seamlessly with thousands of services and devices. Whether you need to book a dinner reservation, schedule an Uber ride, or organise your calendar, Alexa+ handles the heavy lifting for you.

The Battle Over AI and Copyright in the UK In a rare show of unity, some of the UK’s largest newspapers have launched a coordinated campaign protesting government proposals that could reshape copyright law in the age of artificial intelligence (AI). The “Make It Fair” campaign opposes a plan that would allow AI companies to use copyrighted materials for training models without obtaining permission or compensating creators. With the government consultation on these proposals now concluded, the debate is heating up between tech firms, media outlets, musicians, and policymakers.

If you’re an Apple AirTag owner—or use any digital tracker to keep tabs on your valuables—here’s some welcome news. Under the latest provisions of the government’s Crime and Policing Bill, police will soon have the authority to search properties without a warrant in order to recover stolen goods that can be tracked, like phones and computers. What’s Changing? Traditionally, when a victim handed over GPS or location data to the police, the recovery process was often delayed by the need to secure a court warrant.

I’ve been keeping an eye on Perplexity AI for a while now, and their latest project—Comet—is generating plenty of buzz. While it’s not out yet (you actually have to sign up to express your interest in the beta), if it does roll out, it could really change the way we browse the web. And although it’s not yet confirmed whether it will hit the UK market, if it does arrive before ChatGPT’s rumored “Operator” service, it might just take the upper hand.

Apple’s iOS 18.4 beta is rolling out a new feature that promises to change how you deal with notifications. The new Priority Notifications feature, powered by Apple Intelligence, is designed to help you focus on what matters most—by automatically prioritizing important alerts and reducing the noise from less critical ones. What Is Priority Notifications? In a world where our devices are constantly buzzing, managing notifications can feel overwhelming. With Priority Notifications, Apple is taking a proactive approach:

With Microsoft’s new Majorana Quantum Chip in the spotlight, you might be wondering: what is quantum computing and why does it matter to everyone? Let’s break it down with simple language and a relatable analogy. The Librarian Analogy: Classical vs. Quantum Classical Computers – The Single Librarian Imagine a librarian searching for a specific book in a huge library, checking one shelf after another. This is how classical computers work: they process information step by step using bits—each one either a 0 or a 1.

With the launch of the iPhone 16e, Apple has officially said goodbye to the old SE models. This new iPhone is a serious upgrade in every way. What’s New in the iPhone 16e? The iPhone 16e is powered by Apple’s latest A18 chip and comes with a 6.1-inch OLED display featuring Face ID—no more Touch ID. It also introduces Apple Intelligence, a personal AI system that offers contextual suggestions and on-device processing to enhance your everyday experience.

I’ve always been fascinated by how we gather and process information, and Perplexity’s new Deep Research tool is a total game changer. It’s like having your own personal research assistant that goes off and digs up everything you need from across the web—synthesizing and analyzing data faster than any human ever could. What Is Deep Research? Deep Research isn’t just another search tool. It combines advanced language models with autonomous research capabilities to generate comprehensive reports on any topic you throw at it—in just minutes.

The UK government has taken a decisive step in its AI strategy by rebranding the AI Safety Institute to the AI Security Institute. This change signals a clear shift in focus—from addressing general ethical concerns like bias and freedom of speech to tackling the most pressing security risks posed by artificial intelligence. Alongside the rebrand, a new Criminal Misuse Team has been launched to safeguard citizens from AI-enabled crimes and to bolster national security.

I remember when we were told that Windows 10 was the last and final version of Windows—a comfort blanket that would be updated regularly. Then, not long after, Windows 11 was announced and released. At first, it didn’t seem much different from Windows 10 aside from a few new visual flares and, of course, extra hardware requirements. If your PC or laptop wasn’t up to the latest specs, you couldn’t install it.

The Super Bowl has long been a stage for brands to show off their creativity and deep-pocketed ambitions. This year, two major players in the AI world—OpenAI and Google—took centre stage with very different approaches. Below, I break down their strategies, share my thoughts in dedicated sections, and provide direct YouTube embeds so you can watch the adverts. OpenAI: Flexing Cash and Celebrating Human Creativity OpenAI made its TV debut with a 60‑second spot that positions its technology alongside humanity’s greatest innovations.

Anyone who has followed my journey recently knows: I have devoted my time and resources to supporting local communities in understanding, adopting, and harnessing Generative AI. I’ve worked through local events with the Yeovil Chambers' Digital Hub; I serve on the board at Digital Somerset; I collaborate with GTIA (formerly CompTIA), Business West, and Innovate UK to support local businesses; I’ve partnered with local MSPs and Yeovil College to provide formalised training; and through the Heart of the South West Growth Hub and Digital Link programme where I am delivering free workshops to the community.

Long story short: OpenAI isn’t sitting on its hands. Shortly after the DeepSeek ruckus shook the industry, they announced the new o3-mini model—a clear statement of power that outperformed DeepSeek’s R1. Then, OpenAI surprised everyone with Deep Research, an AI agent that autonomously gathers, reasons, and synthesizes information from countless sources. And as if that wasn’t enough, SoftBank has now stepped up with talks of a $15–25 billion investment and the launch of SB OpenAI Japan.

Imagine having an AI that goes off and does all the hard work of researching a topic for you—gathering data, cross-referencing multiple sources, and pulling together clear, synthesized answers. OpenAI’s new Deep Research initiative is set to do just that, revolutionizing how we access knowledge. What Is Deep Research? Deep Research is OpenAI’s latest project designed to accelerate scientific discovery and innovation. But it’s not just for scientists—this tool is built to help anyone who needs reliable, in-depth research without the hassle of spending hours scouring the web.

If you’re looking for a smarter way to search the internet, Perplexity AI is leading the way. Recently, Perplexity Pro has been upgraded with two advanced reasoning models that make searching, researching, and planning information a breeze. DeepSeek R1: Open-Source Power and Uncensored Processing Integration Date: January 28, 2025 Perplexity Pro kicked off its upgrade by integrating DeepSeek R1—a fully open-source reasoning model hosted on US servers. This move addresses some of the common security and censorship concerns you might face with using DeepSeek directly on its own Chinese hosted website.

Imagine an internet search engine that doesn’t just return a list of links and ads but instead converses with you—finding exactly what you need by pulling together information from across the web. That’s Perplexity, and now you can get the paid for Perplexity Pro edition for free through an exclusive offer. What Is Perplexity Pro? Perplexity is a next-generation AI-powered search engine that goes beyond traditional keyword searches. Instead of you having to sift through countless ads and irrelevant results, Perplexity gathers and distills information from across the internet for you into clear, conversational answers.

Microsoft’s latest documentation on Microsoft 365 Copilot reveals some critical insights for anyone using SharePoint as a knowledge source for their AI agents. These details clarify how Copilot processes content and highlight important best practices to ensure your data plays nicely with the system. Key Insights from the Documentation File Count Matters: 5 or Fewer Files: When you add up to 5 SharePoint files as knowledge sources, Copilot uses the full content of these files in its responses.

Sam Altman’s recent Reddit AMA (ask me anything which happened on 31st January 2025) has stirred conversation across the AI community. In response to news that competitors DeepSeek and Qwen are giving open-source access to their large language models, Altman made it clear: competition is exactly what the industry needs. A Positive Spin on Open Access Altman’s core message was straightforward. He welcomed DeepSeek and Qwen’s decision to let users download and experiment with their LLMs.

In the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence, China’s latest entrant, Qwen AI, is making notable progress. Developed by Alibaba Cloud, Qwen AI demonstrates that generative AI models can be built both affordably and efficiently while offering a range of creative and practical applications. Advanced Features Qwen AI is more than just a text-based chatbot. It also supports: Image Generation: Users can generate images by simply providing descriptive prompts within the chat interface.

Here’s something exciting for the weekend: OpenAI has just released its latest reasoning models, o3-mini and o3-mini-high. This is the first time advanced reasoning capabilities are available to free ChatGPT users — an important milestone in making sophisticated AI more accessible. On top of this, unlike o1 that came before it, the new o3-mini reasoning model works alongside “search” to be able to access live results from the internet. Introduction to o3-mini The o3-mini model is a streamlined version of OpenAI’s o3 reasoning series.

AI startup DeepSeek recently suffered a serious security breach involving a misconfigured ClickHouse database. The database—left accessible via open ports 8123 and 9000 on two subdomains—lacked authentication, exposing over a million lines of sensitive information to the public internet. This incident raises important questions about how emerging AI companies balance rapid growth with the need for robust security measures. Key Details of the Breach Publicly Accessible Database DeepSeek’s ClickHouse instance allowed anyone with the correct URL to execute arbitrary SQL queries through its HTTP interface.