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Image: ink drop/Adobe Stock On Monday, Apple issued critical security updates that retroactively address three actively exploited zero-day vulnerabilities affecting legacy versions of its operating systems. CVE-2025-24200 The first vulnerability, designated CVE-2025-24200, was patched in iOS 16.7.11, iPadOS 16.7.11, iOS 15.8.4, and iPadOS 15.8.4. CVE-2025-24200 allows a physical attacker to disable USB Restricted Mode on an Apple device. This is a security feature designed to block unauthorised data access through the USB port when the iPhone or iPad is locked for over an hour. Apple said CVE-2025-24200 “may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals,” hinting at potential involvement from state-sponsored actors aiming to surveil high-value targets such as government officials, journalists, or senior business executives. Although initially patched on February 10 in iOS 18.3.1, iPadOS 18.3.1, and iPad 17.7.5, the vulnerability remained unresolved in older operating systems until now. SEE: Critical Zero-Day Vulnerabilities Found in These VMware Products CVE-2025-24201 The second flaw, CVE-2025-24201, was also patched in iOS 16.7.11, iPadOS 16.7.11, iOS 15.8.4, and iPadOS 15.8.4. This flaw is in WebKit, the browser engine used by Safari to render web pages. It allows malicious code running inside the Web Content sandbox —  an isolated environment intended to contain browser-based threats — to escape and compromise broader system components. CVE-2025-24201 was first mitigated in iOS 17.2 in late 2023, followed by a supplemental patch in iOS 18.3.2, macOS Sequoia 15.3.2, visionOS 2.3.2, and Safari 18.3.1. The flaw has now been retrospectively addressed in iOS and iPadOS 15 and 16. Must-read Apple coverage CVE-2025-24085 CVE-2025-24085, the third vulnerability, was patched in iPadOS 17.7.6, macOS Sonoma 14.7.5, and macOS Ventura 13.7.5. The use-after-free vulnerability is in Apple’s Core Media, the framework responsible for handling media processing tasks such as audio and video playback in apps. It allows attackers to seize control of deallocated memory and repurpose it to execute privileged malicious code.. Originally patched in January, with iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, macOS Sequoia 15.3, watchOS 11.3, visionOS 2.3, and tvOS 18.3, Apple has now backported the fix to older systems. Other vulnerabilities were patched in iOS 18.4 Alongside new Apple Intelligence features and emojis, iOS 18.4 — released on Tuesday — delivers fixes for new vulnerabilities, including: CVE-2025-30456: A flaw in the DiskArbitration framework that allowed apps to escalate their privileges to root. CVE-2025-24097: A flaw in AirDrop that allowed unauthorised apps to access file metadata, such as creation dates or user details. CVE-2025-31182: A flaw in the libxpc framework that lets apps delete arbitrary files on the device. CVE-2025-30429, CVE-2025-24178, CVE-2025-24173: Flaws that allowed apps to break out of sandbox in Calendar, libxpc, and Power Services, respectively. CVE-2025-30467: A flaw in Safari that could allow malicious websites to spoof the address bar. Apple users are strongly urged to update their devices immediately to guard against exploitation of these now-publicised vulnerabilities. While most users will receive automatic update prompts, manual updates can be performed via Settings, General, and then Software Update. source

Technology is revolutionizing numerous aspects of our daily lives, and the landscape of education is no exception. In modern education, technology is reshaping the way we teach, learn, and interact within educational environments. Its significance lies in its potential to enhance learning experiences, streamline administrative tasks, and prepare students for a technologically driven world. The role of edtech in modern education Edtech, short for educational technology, refers to the modern learning landscape that uses digital tools and resources to enhance the ultimate learning experience. Edtech encompasses a wide range of opportunities, from using electronic gadgets (e.g., laptops and tablets) in a conventional classroom setting for note-taking to making online courses accessible. Understanding and embracing edtech has become a necessity for educators, students, and institutions alike. According to Research and Markets’s EdTech and Smart Classrooms Global Market Report 2025, the edtech and smart classrooms market globally is forecasted to grown from $185.78 billion in 2024 to $214.73 billion in 2025. Leveraging edtech to its fullest requires a thorough grasp of its concepts and key terminologies. Exploring core edtech concepts Sharpen your edtech knowledge with TechRepublic Premium’s quick glossary of important terms and concepts. For example, this in-depth resource breaks down the definition of adaptive learning, which refers to technology that tailors the content and pace of instruction based on individual learner needs. This strategy acknowledges that each student has differing learning styles and that a single, universal approach to teaching may not be helpful for all learners. It also describes asynchronous learning. This concept is defined as learning that occurs at different times and places, allowing students to access materials and complete assignments at their own pace. As technology progresses and more individuals gain access to online education platforms, this method is becoming more popular. In the glossary, collaborative learning is explained too. This is an educational strategy that encourages learners to work together on course projects, assignments, or activities. This is frequently supported by digital tools and platforms that foster cooperation and teamwork. Moreover, the resource delves into the details of immersive learning technologies, a term that describes technologies that offer immersive educational experiences by imitating real-world surroundings or adding digital features to the actual world. This includes virtual reality and augmented reality. Other key terminologies featured in the resource include the curriculum management system, distance education, flipped classroom, learning management system, and virtual classroom. Education is a valuable asset that can’t be taken away. For those aspiring to expand their understanding of edtech, this 13-page quick glossary is available for just $19 at TechRepublic Premium. source

Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan. Image: Intel Business/YouTube Intel will spin off assets that aren’t part of its core mission, according to Bloomberg. Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan, who became CEO in mid-March after Pat Gelsinger took a heavily encouraged suggestion to retire, made the announcement on March 31 at the Intel Vision conference. Tan did not define the core business or which parts of the business would be affected. Intel will try to expand its core business using AI and Software 2.0, Tan said. Software 2.0 is a term about the way generative AI allows for coding without writing individual lines of code; instead, the technique, named by computer vision scientist Andrej Karpathy, uses natural language and an AI model. Software 2.0 has some similarities to “vibe coding,” although Software 2.0 encompasses more possible uses for generative AI. More must-read AI coverage Tan tries to turn Intel around as other semiconductor companies pull ahead in the AI boom Despite the AI boom, Intel was not lifted on the wave of demand for chips. Gelsinger’s departure and the state of the company under his last few years of leadership left the future uncertain for Intel. Some considered breaking up the company, according to Bloomberg. Intel rival Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) was in the running as a potential buyer, as was Broadcom. Splitting its interests between manufacturing or designing chips may have allowed other companies, like TSMC, to pull well ahead. NVIDIA also outweighs Intel in the fight to benefit from the AI boom. SEE: Arm Shocked the Semiconductor Industry by Announcing It May Sell Its Own Chips Tan’s leadership must involve some effort to regain Intel’s footing. His motto is “under-promise and over-deliver,” Tan said. He also said he would focus on recruiting quality engineering talent and boosting Intel’s chip foundry work. One of the few specifics Bloomberg noted from Tan was Intel may begin to launch a custom semiconductor service for customers. Tan previously served on Intel’s board of directors. He was CEO of Cadence Design Systems, where he negotiated design solutions and IP with Intel. Some of Intel’s factory-building is on hold Intel had planned to build two advanced semiconductor plants in Ohio. Those plans were delayed in late March due to misalignment with “the needs of our business and broader market demand,” said Intel Foundry Manufacturing executive vice president, chief global operations officer and general manager Naga Chandrasekaran. source

Image credit: Creative Commons Developers have the opportunity to weigh in on OpenAI’s latest project. On March 31, the AI giant published applications for feedback sessions on an upcoming open language model, the second such model since OpenAI’s LLMs went private after GPT-2. It will be released “in the coming months,” according to a post on X by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Open-weight models can be modified by their users. In particular, “weights” in generative AI refers to the connections between digital neurons; changing them might change which concepts the model associates together or the emphasis put on those associations. In Altman’s post, he said the model currently in development will be a “reasoning” model like OpenAI o1. “We’ve been thinking about this for a long time but other priorities took precedence. now it feels important to do,” Altman said. Developers can comment on what they want from an open model Developers in San Francisco will be able to attend an OpenAI event “to gather feedback and later play with early prototypes” in a couple of weeks, he said. OpenAI will hold similar events in Europe and APAC; Altman did not disclose specific locations for those events. “Before release, we will evaluate this model according out our preparedness framework, like we would for any other model. and we will do extra work given that we know this model will be modified post-release,” Altman wrote. OpenAI’s feedback form OpenAI is soliciting feedback about the open model from developers, as well as researchers and anyone in the broader community. The application on OpenAI’s site asks interested developers to provide links to their GitHub profiles and social or professional profiles. It also asks what open models the applicant has used in the past, what they would want to see in an open-weight model from OpenAI, and what they would use it for. “We’re excited to collaborate with developers, researchers, and the broader community to gather inputs and make this model as useful as possible,” OpenAI wrote. SEE: xAI has acquired social media platform X for $45 billion, a consolidation of Elon Musk’s AI startup and the platform formally known as Twitter.  The definition of open source can be murky. One organization, the Open Source Initiative, defines open source AI as models that can be used for any purpose, modified in any way, studied to see how they arrived at their output, and shared with others. More must-read AI coverage Open models are a point of differentiation among AI giants As TechCrunch pointed out, OpenAI’s competitors have more recent examples of success with open models. Developers can download Llama AI model weights from Meta; DeepSeek opened its R1 and V3 models, including some of the model code. OpenAI may be banking on the idea that letting developers run the model themselves will give them a competitive edge in the increasingly crowded AI market. source

Image: StackCommerce TL;DR: Get a three-year license to Adobe Photoshop Elements 2025 for just $100 — edit, enhance, and create stunning photos with pro-level results using AI-powered tools, no subscription required. If you’ve been waiting for a powerful photo editing tool that delivers both performance and affordability, Adobe Photoshop Elements 2025 could be your perfect match. For just $99.99, you can lock in three full years of creative freedom — no monthly payments, no ongoing fees, just one flat price for a powerhouse of visual editing tools. Whether you’re managing a brand, elevating your marketing visuals, or simply want better control over your image content, this software offers everything you need to work smarter and create faster. Designed with both professionals and aspiring creatives in mind, Photoshop Elements 2025 makes the process of editing images feel intuitive — thanks to Adobe’s AI-powered engine. Want to remove an object from a photo? Fix lighting? Add movement to your static images? It’s all possible with just a few clicks. What’s more, the addition of mobile and web-based beta apps extends your editing capabilities beyond your desktop. You can now sync and access your projects wherever you are, giving professionals the flexibility to make tweaks on the go — whether you’re on a set, in the office, or traveling for business. This version of Photoshop Elements also adds brand-new effects and templates, allowing for even more customization in how you present and share your work. From designing branded visuals for a startup to cleaning up e-commerce photos or building standout social content, it provides the control and quality professionals expect — without the commitment of an endless subscription. Even better, the included 59 guided edits function like your personal design coach, helping you grow your skills as you use the software. You’ll learn to create scroll-stopping effects, blend multiple images seamlessly, and take full advantage of smart editing tools — all within a clean, approachable interface. Get three years of Photoshop Elements 2025 while it’s available for just $99.99. StackSocial prices subject to change. source

Image: Google All enterprise users of Gmail can now easily apply end-to-end encryption to their emails. Prior to today, this was a luxury reserved for big businesses with significant IT resources, but Google recognises that email attacks are on the rise across the board. Starting today, Gmail users can send end-to-end encrypted emails to others within their organisation; in the coming weeks, they will also be able to send encrypted emails to Gmail inboxes outside their organisation, with support for all email inboxes expected later this year. To get early access for E2EE emails in Gmail, fill out Google’s Pre-General Availability Test Application. How users and IT can use E2EE in Gmail Emails sent with Gmail’s end-to-end encryption are extremely secure because only the sender has control over the encryption key, which is stored outside of Google’s infrastructure. Users can click the padlock by the Bcc button and press Turn On under the Additional Encryption’ option to apply it. The security feature can be applied to emails sent to anyone, regardless of whether they are within the user’s organisation or even use Gmail. If the recipient does use Gmail, the email will be automatically decrypted in their inbox; if they don’t, they will be sent an invitation to open it in a restricted version of Gmail, which will require them to log in to a guest Google Workspace account. IT teams can request that all external recipients, regardless of whether they use Gmail, must open encrypted emails in the restricted version of Gmail. This may be preferred at hyper security-conscious businesses, as it ensures that communications will not end up stored on third-party servers and devices. IT teams can also retroactively apply security policies or revoke access to emails, in this case. If the recipient has Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (S/MIME) configured — the traditional, resource-intensive protocol for sending encrypted messages that Gmail’s new feature replaces — the email will be sent using it as normal. SEE: Gmail vs Google Workspace: Key Differences for Users & Businesses Gmail’s E2EE doesn’t require extensive IT resources Google can provide end-to-end encryption without requiring businesses to have extensive IT resources, thanks to its cloud storage. The email is encrypted on the sender’s device before being stored in Google’s cloud, eliminating the need for a technical team to acquire and manage certificates. This process makes the message indecipherable to Google and other third parties, ensuring that data protection regulations such as HIPAA are met. In addition, Google is rolling out a number of other security features: An end-to-end encryption default mode for teams handling sensitive data. Classification labels to help users recognise message sensitivity. Data loss prevention tools that enable automatic application of rules to manage and block messages based on their labels. And, a new threat protection AI model has been introduced to enhance Gmail’s defences, using AI to detect spam and phishing attempts before they reach users. How Gmail’s end-to-end encryption democratises high-security emails End-to-end encryption is typically only accessible to regulated companies with large IT budgets. S/MIME requires technical staff to acquire and manage digital certificates — cryptographic keys used to authenticate the sender and encrypt the email — which eats away at their time. Certificates must also be exchanged before the encrypted messages, creating hassle for both the sender and recipient. What’s more, this approach only works if both the sender and recipient have S/MIME implemented, which is only feasible if emails are sent to a small, predefined group of people who are guaranteed to have it set up. There are other options than S/MIME for sending encrypted emails, but they come with their own problems. Encryption features offered by email providers require encryption keys to be shared, creating a security risk. Proprietary point solutions often require the recipient to download a third-party app or extension, which causes inconvenience, and their IT team may not allow it. With Gmail’s end-to-end encryption, only the sender holds the encryption keys, no specialist IT personnel are required, and there’s no need to exchange certificates or use custom software. source

This Motorola Moto G Power 5G shows the midnight blue color option. Image: Amazon New Android malware is using Microsoft’s .NET MAUI to fly under the radar in a new cybersecurity dust-up this week. Disguised as actual services such as banking and social media apps targeting Indian and Chinese-speaking users, the malware is designed to gain access to sensitive information. Cybersecurity experts with McAfee’s Mobile Research Team say that, while the threat is currently aimed at China and India, other cybercriminal groups could easily adopt the same method to target a broader audience. .NET MAUI’s hidden danger: Bypassing security Microsoft launched .NET MAUI in 2022, a framework that lets developers build apps for both desktops and phones using C#, replacing the now retired Xamarin tool. The intent of .NET MAUI was to make it easier to create apps that work across different platforms. Typically, Android apps are built with Java or Kotlin, and their code is stored in a format called DEX (Dalvik Executable); Android security systems are designed to scan these DEX files for anything weird-looking. However, .NET MAUI allows developers to build Android apps with C#, and in this case, the app’s code ends up in binary “blob” files. Malware’s evolving tactics: The blob advantage These Binary Large Object or “blob” files are essentially raw chunks of data that do not necessarily follow any standard file structure. The issue here is that many current Android security tools — built to analyze DEX files — do not inspect the inner contents of these blob files; this creates a significant security blind spot, as malware can be quietly embedded inside these blobs. For cybercriminals, embedding malicious code from the outset is far more effective than waiting to deploy it through an update. The ‘blob’ format enables this kind of stealthy, immediate attack. “With these evasion techniques, the threats can remain hidden for long periods, making analysis and detection significantly more challenging,” warns McAfee in its blog post on the subject. “Furthermore, the discovery of multiple variants using the same core techniques suggests that this type of malware is becoming increasingly common.” SEE: Scam Alert: FBI ‘Increasingly Seeing’ Malware Distributed In Document Converters Mobility must-reads Protecting your device: Security researchers’ advice It’s always important to be careful where you get your apps from, especially if you’re not using the official app stores. McAfee researchers have found that “…these platforms are often exploited by attackers to distribute malware. This is especially concerning in countries like China, where access to official app stores is restricted, making users more vulnerable to such threats.” To deal with how quickly cybercriminals come up with new tricks, McAfee strongly suggests that users “install security software on their devices and keep it up to date at all times.” Basically, staying alert and having good security in place are the baseline measures to stay safe from new threats. source

A single unmonitored exposed IT asset is all it takes to compromise an entire organization. Hence IT asset monitoring is one of the key strategies that keeps proactive cybersecurity efforts up and running across businesses. However, with the growing reliance on cloud platforms, third-party vendors, and remote operations, the number of IT assets to be monitored, both internal and external has widened. And the wider it gets, the greater the attack surface that could be exploited. Across France, enterprises are grappling with an expanding attack surface as digital transformation accelerates. Recent data from Statista shows that 74% of organizations in France encountered ransomware attacks in 2024. The story was similar to the year before when it was about 64%. But what vulnerabilities are attracting cybercriminals to French businesses? The answer and more could be found in Outpost24’s 2024 French EASM benchmark. Understanding the Risks in France’s Digital Landscape Most CISOs would agree that a complete inventory of their external attack surface is paramount, as internet-exposed assets face relentless automated attacks. Without this knowledge, effective defense becomes a fairy tale. To understand the extent to which public-facing assets of France-based businesses are exposed to cyber-attacks, Outpost24, last year, analyzed over 19,000 assets across various sectors using its External Attack Surface Management (EASM) solution. The results of that study show that while France’s push into digital transformation is creating new technological frontiers, it’s also birthing new vulnerabilities. Let’s take the pharmaceutical sector for example. Findings reveal that it was the most vulnerable with 25.4% of vulnerabilities rated critical, very high, or high. The transport sector had the highest proportion of critical or very high Known Exploitable Vulnerabilities (KEVs) at 49.5%, compared to Finance’s 22%. The analyses also highlighted 252 cookie violations and credentials stolen by malware in the healthcare sector. This is not a surprise as public healthcare systems are often tied to aging legacy infrastructure which bears their fair share of exploitable vulnerabilities. Outpost24 further undertook to analyze the online infrastructure of the Paris 2024 Olympic games to understand what the attack surface risks looked like. The study found two exposed remote access ports, 31 domains (5.8%) with invalid SSL certificates, 86 domains (16%) lacking SSL, and 257 out of 294 websites with security header issues. While the overall cybersecurity posture of the Olympics was deemed good, the deep attack surface analysis was crucial as it made it easier to uncover hidden risks and offered actionable insights. What’s hot at TechRepublic The Cost of Neglecting IT Asset Management The pace at which we are experiencing digital expansion does not give room for neglecting IT asset security. Any nonchalance towards having digital resources often leads to devastating consequences for organizations. IBM’s 2024 Cost of a Data Breach Report pegs the global average cost of a breach at $4.88 million, up 10% from 2023. It also found that breaches involving unmonitored or poorly managed assets (e.g., shadow data or devices) accounted for 35% of incidents and were 16% more expensive than average. But beyond monetary losses, companies that fail to manage their IT assets effectively are bound to face complex compliance issues. As reported by Proximity, nearly half of all asset managers surveyed in 2023 saw compliance as a leading concern, a burden compounded by the ever-evolving regulatory landscape. To this end, organizations must prioritize this crucial aspect of cybersecurity to protect their digital assets and maintain their competitive edge. Must-read security coverage How EASM Strengthens Digital Resilience Managing an ever-expanding attack surface can feel overwhelming, but solutions like External Attack Surface Management (EASM)-Tools simplify the process. Outpost24’s EASM solution uses passive detection, elaborate discovery methods and AI to continuously scan, track, and asses external IT assets and thus help organizations stay ahead of cyber threats. With the recent addition of a Dark Web module feature, Outpost24 is taking attack surface management and security even further. The module monitors underground forums, chats and datadumps for mentions of company data, and by doing so, detects potential sales or attack plans before they escalate. For French businesses, this level of monitoring is critical. In critical industries, EASM could help eliminate shadow IT, detect compromised credentials and their source, highlight non-criminal-cyber risks and flag neglected servers that could be exploited. In addition to all of these, Outpost24’s risk-ranking system allows security teams to focus on the most pressing threats thereby cutting through the noise. More cloud security coverage Conclusion Cutting down external attack surfaces starts with knowing what IT assets to protect, where they are, and the level of risk they pose. French businesses can significantly lower their vulnerabilities if they incorporate quality external attack surface management solutions. If you’re curious about how your organization’s attack surface score measures up, book a free attack surface analysis today with Outpost24 to spot your cybersecurity weak spots. source

Data governance tools help organizations manage governance programs. Specifically, they help with data administration, monitoring, control, reporting, lifecycle management, control, security, and compliance. By leveraging the power of data governance software, organizations can ensure that their data is reliable, consistent, and secure, thus using it for better decision-making. In this article, we’ll discuss the top data governance tools of 2024 and help you determine which one is the best fit for your business. Top data governance software comparison The comparison table below highlights important features, such as the ability to catalog data, track data from origin to destination, improve quality, policy management, and more, allowing you to evaluate and compare your options quickly. Ataccama ONE: Best unified AI-powered data governance platform across hybrid and cloud environments Image: Ataccama Ataccama ONE distinguishes itself as a robust, unified AI-powered data governance tool, ideal for managing governance across both hybrid and cloud environments. This platform excels in automatically calculating data quality and classifying data within a catalog, making it easy for data stewards to prioritize their governance efforts systematically. Why I choose Ataccama ONE I chose Ataccama ONE as the best unified AI-powered data governance platform because it stands out for its comprehensive approach to managing data governance across various environments. Its automation capabilities significantly reduce the manual effort required in data management, ensuring higher accuracy and efficiency. Pricing 14-day free trial. Pricing starts at $90,000 for 12 months. Key features Data discovery and classification: Automatically calculates and classifies data. Automated data profiling: Provides in-depth analysis of data sets to detect duplicates, anomalies, and patterns. Automated data quality: Monitors and cleanses data across systems, detects anomalies, and conducts structure checks. Centralized reference data management: Establishes a governed process for authoring and distributing reference data organization-wide. AI-augmented master data management: Offers a multi-domain MDM solution with AI-powered matching rules and model configurations for faster deployment. Ataccama ONE takes a comprehensive approach to managing data governance. Image: Ataccama ONE Ataccama One pros and cons Pros Cons Hybrid and cloud-ready. Slow support response. Advanced automation features. Complex for newcomers. Award-winning platform. Cumbersome setup. Flexible industry support. Collibra Data Governance: Best for its system of engagement for data and AI Governance Image: Collibra Collibra Data Governance excels as a data governance tool for engaging with data and AI governance, providing a unified location to discover, understand, and define data. The software allows businesses to operationalize data governance workflows and processes, ensuring trusted data delivery across various domains. Why I choose Collibra Data Governance I recognize Collibra Data Governance as the best platform for systems of engagement in data and AI governance due to its comprehensive and adaptive approach. It supports organizations in establishing a robust governance framework that scales effectively with their growth. Pricing 12-month subscription to Collibra Data Intelligence Cloud: $170,000. 24-month subscription to Collibra Data Intelligence Cloud: $340,000. 36-month subscription to Collibra Data Intelligence Cloud: $510,000. Key features Adaptive data governance: Scales with your organization to streamline governance processes. Comprehensive business glossary: Establishes a common terminology to ensure uniform understanding across the company. Stewardship management: Facilitates data stewardship by assigning clear roles and responsibilities for data protection and improvement. Centralized policy management: Aids in creating, reviewing, and updating data policies to maintain compliance and adoption. AI governance: Enhances AI model effectiveness and reduces data risks through robust cataloging and validation processes. Collibra establishes a robust governance framework that scales effectively. Image: Collibra Collibra pros and cons Pros Cons Scalable AI governance. Weak search functionality. Detailed business glossary. Slow product updates. Enhanced compliance management. Outdated user interface. Google Vertex AI integration. Challenging for non-tech users. Broad partner ecosystem. Google Cloud award winner. IBM Cloud PAK for Data: Best for providing a unified, trusted view of business data Image: IBM IBM Cloud Pak for Data stands out for organizations looking to achieve a unified and trusted view of their business data. This data governance platform was recognized as a leader in the 2024 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Augmented Data Quality Solutions, highlighting its excellence in data management and governance. IBM recently acquired Manta Software Inc., a data lineage platform, enhancing its data lineage and AI governance capabilities Why I choose IBM Cloud Pak for Data I chose IBM Cloud Pak for Data as the best platform for providing a unified and trusted view of business data due to its comprehensive integration of data management tools and cutting-edge AI capabilities. Its strengths in enhancing data quality, ensuring privacy and compliance, and simplifying complex data landscapes make it an invaluable resource for enterprises seeking to optimize their data governance practices. For more information, read the in-depth IBM Data Governance tools review. Pricing Pricing for the IBM data governance solution isn’t listed on IBM’s website. Publicly available data on AWS Marketplace shows the pricing of IBM Cloud Pak for Data, which is the parent product for the data governance solution: Cloud Pak for Data Standard Option: 48 VPCs cost $18,720 per month and $224,640 for 12 months. Cloud Pak for Data Enterprise Option: 72 VPCs cost $56,016 per month and $672,192 for 12 months. Key features Data quality management: Analyze and enhance data quality using AI-driven rules and visual analytics. Data privacy and compliance: Dynamically identify sensitive data and enforce protection rules to mitigate regulatory risks. Data catalog: Simplify data management with extensive metadata management capabilities and lifecycle management of data products. Policy and rules management: Streamline policy management with integrated workflows. Advanced data discovery: Leverage IBM Watson to intelligently recommend relevant data assets. IBM enhances data quality, ensures privacy and compliance, and simplifies complex data landscapes, making it an invaluable enterprise resource. Image: IBM IBM pros and cons Pros Cons Unified governance platform. Inadequate documentation. Focus on data quality. Lacking deployment details. Advanced AI capabilities. Needs better usability. Comprehensive governance tools. Slow customer support. Gartner-recognized leadership. erwin by Quest: Best for an automated, holistic approach to data management and governance Image: erwin erwin by Quest provides comprehensive solutions for enterprise modeling, data intelligence, and data governance. It equips

Image: SpaceX/YouTube Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup xAI has formally acquired his social media platform X in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $45 billion. This figure includes $12 billion in debt, bringing the implied equity value of X to $33 billion. The merger will “combine the data, models, compute, distribution and talent” of the two companies, according to Musk’s announcement on X. “This combination will unlock immense potential by blending xAI’s advanced AI capability and expertise with X’s massive reach,” the world’s richest man added. Both companies are privately held and controlled by Musk, so investors in X will be compensated with shares in xAI. Some investors have already invested in xAI, including Fidelity Management & Research, Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia Capital, and Kingdom Holding Company. Musk has not disclosed how X’s leadership team will be incorporated into the AI research firm. Deeper Grok integration and a rebound for X X and xAI are already linked through the Grok AI chatbot, which is integrated into the X platform. Grok was initially trained by xAI on public data, with its more recent iterations refined using xAI’s Colossus supercomputer in Memphis, TN. An xAI investor told Reuters the merger will lead to deeper integration of the chatbot within X. xAI has gained traction in the AI sector, a success that X’s co-investors will now benefit from. Musk claims xAI’s post-acquisition value is $80 billion, which aligns with a projected $75 billion valuation discussed last month, according to Bloomberg. Musk co-founded OpenAI in 2015 but left over conflicts of interest with AI development at Tesla, as well as  disagreements regarding OpenAI’s decision to become a for-profit entity. He has since changed his tune on the matter. X’s trajectory since 2022 has been more volatile. That year, Musk acquired the platform — formerly known as Twitter —  for roughly $44 billion. He subsequently laid off almost 80% of staff to cut costs, significantly altered content moderation processes, and reinstated a number of banned accounts, including Donald Trump’s. These decisions triggered an exodus of advertisers, many of whom deemed the platform too risky. Users also began leaving in droves amid concerns over a surge of hate speech and misinformation. However, X has bounced back somewhat since then, partly due to its AI associations with Grok and xAI, and partly due to its improved profit margins. Fidelity valued its X stake at $13.30 million in February 2025, and the platform has since re-obtained its $44 billion valuation. More must-read AI coverage Political power meets corporate expansion Some X users are returning to the platform because of Musk’s increasing influence in the White House as head of the Department of Government Efficiency. This position also grants him the power to potentially influence regulatory oversight of the merger. SEE: Will Musk’s Ties to Trump & DOGE Lead to Long-Term Problems for Tesla? When he was announced as a senior government adviser in January, critics raised concerns that his extensive involvement in private enterprises, including Tesla and SpaceX, created significant conflicts of interest, potentially resulting in reduced oversight of his companies or biased decisions in awarding government contracts. Nevertheless, he has suggested that he will step away from DOGE at the end of May. Musk has merged two of his companies in the past, with the acquisition of solar installation company SolarCity by Tesla in 2016. Tesla shareholders disputed this, arguing that the deal primarily benefited Musk personally as he was the largest shareholder in both companies and accusing him of using Tesla’s resources to bail out a struggling business founded by his cousins. source