As we step into 2025, the APAC region stands at the forefront of a global financial transformation, with digital wallets and real-time payments reshaping the very fabric of commerce. Exploring the state of digital payments across six key APAC markets — Australia, metro China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia — our latest report, The State Of Digital Retail Payments In Asia Pacific, 2024, offers valuable insights and trends that are shaping the industry. We found that: Buy now, pay later (BNPL) has bounced back. Although strict regulations initially damped its growth, BNPL has surged in popularity among Gen Zers and Millennials. Younger consumers are particularly attracted by its flexible repayment terms and lack of interest charges. The BNPL market in APAC still has room for growth. Cryptocurrency and stablecoin usage have increased. The use of crypto for payments increased notably in 2024, especially in high-growth economies such as India and Indonesia. Consumers are becoming more familiar with cryptocurrency and stablecoin, which will lead to increased trust and use in the coming years. Central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) are still fresh and have room to grow. CBDCs are emerging as a promising digital payment method, with several APAC countries exploring or implementing these initiatives. The introduction of CBDCs represents a significant step toward digital currency adoption, backed by the security and trust associated with central banks. Digital payments are popular in both high-growth and mature economies. This surge in digital payments is largely driven by the convenience that digital payments offer over traditional methods like cash or cards. Consumers also appreciate the ease of transaction tracking and financial management that digital options provide. Cash is resilient despite the booming digital payment landscape. During the pandemic, concerns about hygiene caused cash’s popularity to plummet, with digital payment usage growing significantly, but our more recent findings show that cash remains a popular payment method for both online and offline transactions. Keeping pace with the dynamic changes in the digital payments sector is essential for businesses aiming to succeed. With the landscape continually shifting, a deep understanding of consumer preferences and behaviors across APAC’s varied markets becomes indispensable. This knowledge allows banks, payment services, fintech companies, and merchants to refine their payment solutions to better serve their clientele. Read the full report for deeper insights into APAC’s latest digital payments landscape. Forrester clients can schedule an inquiry or guidance session with me for further details. source

熱愛歷險的人氣企鵝 Pingu 今個農曆新年帶同整個家族由南極洲越洋來到皇室堡「旅居」，由即日起至2月16日攜手打造【皇室堡 x Pingu 暖笠笠鈎織雪樂園】，與大家共度溫馨愉快的新年！今次Pingu 企鵝家族總動員，包括主角 Pingu、Pingu 爸爸、Pingu 媽媽、Pinga（Pingu 妹妹）、Pingi（Pingu 女朋友）及海獅 Robby（Pingu 好朋友）將一同現身於暖意滿溢的鈎織雪樂園。園內設3大打卡位及互動玩樂區，其中最矚目的是2米高 Pingu 主理中央的「七彩鈎織小部屋」，為大家準備好鈎織飾品，身上更配戴了由 Happy Yarn 創辦人及創意總監劉陳凱韻女士（甘比）帶領其Happy Yarn團隊親自鈎織的飾物，洋溢着暖洋洋的氣息；旁邊還設有另外兩個玩味打卡位——「趣味滑雪場」及「雪球 Pingu 滾動中！」，打卡同時與一眾企鵝互動，讓鈎織雪樂園滿載歡笑聲！ 此外，Pingu 亦帶來「皇室堡 x Pingu 期間限定店」，推出全港首發限定 Pingu 主題精選產品，種類涵蓋實用家品及可愛小物，讓大家添置新年禮物時更得心應手，同場更可以欣賞Happy Yarn 團隊親手鈎織的新春作品。當然，亦要把握機會換領皇室堡聯乘 Pingu 推出的「五福豐收利是封」、「家有福氣揮春」及「幸福暖意保溫袋」，過一個暖意無限的新春！ 企鵝家族空降3大打卡位   和2米高巨型 Pingu 一起玩轉鈎織雪樂園 Pingu 企鵝家族越洋空降雪樂園，和Happy Yarn 團隊攜手以鈎織作品溫暖農曆新年：先有2米高巨型 Pingu 和妹妹 Pinga 換上鈎織新裝，帶着一個個巨型毛線球進駐「七彩鈎織小部屋」跟您拜年；以繽紛毛絨溫暖大家的心靈後，可以大膽挑戰「趣味滑雪場」的毛線纜車，和 Pinga 大玩山上雪橇，反轉海獅 Robby 的可愛冰屋；另一邊廂驚喜發現「雪球 Pingu」正在極速滾落，被毛線纏繞的可愛模樣讓人忍不住舉起手機瘋狂打卡！ 3款獨家聯乘 Pingu 精選禮品登場   必搶限量版利是封、揮春及保溫袋共度溫暖新年 要在寒冬中溫暖迎接農曆新年，除了靠一家人聚在一起外，特別版 Pingu 禮品幫到您！皇室堡聯乘 Pingu 推出「五福豐收利是封」、「家有福氣揮春」及「幸福暖意保溫袋」，以團聚鈎織中的企鵝家族圖案跟您一起共度暖意融融的新春季節。各位粉絲只要於場內任何商戶以電子貨幣消費滿指定金額*或完成指定步驟，即可換領聯乘禮品乙份；每日名額有限，先到先得，送完即止，不容錯過! 期間限定店全港首發 Pingu 主題產品   同場欣賞甘比親手鈎織的新春作品 Pingu 迷新春願望成真！「皇室堡 x Pingu 期間限定店」全港首次發售全新 Pingu 主題限定精選產品，涵蓋實用家品及可愛小物，不論是Pingu 和 Pinga 玩偶模型，還是暖笠笠的 Pingu 造型抱枕和冬日滑雪抱枕，抑或是兼具實用度和裝飾度的 Pingu 帆布袋及文具精品，都能讓您時刻擁有趣緻企鵝的窩心陪伴，溫暖迎接新一年。 瘋搶 Pingu 精品的同時，亦可參觀於同區域的「Happy Yarn 鈎織作品展示區」，Pingu 同 Pinga將坐鎮帶您欣賞纜車上由 Happy Yarn 創辦人及創意總監劉陳凱韻女士（甘比）親自鈎織的新春作品——姿態優雅的「新春開運蘭花」和可愛趣緻的毛絨絨「大桔大利」，祝願大家新春好運齊來，感受甜蜜又暖笠笠的鈎織樂園。 LinkedIn Email Facebook Twitter WhatsApp The post 人氣企鵝 Pingu™ 再度登陸皇室堡商場 appeared first on VeriMedia. source

The U.S. government is set to introduce a seal of approval to help consumers identify secure internet-connected devices, the White House announced in a press release on Jan. 7. The U.S. Cyber Trust Mark will certify devices that meet certain security standards. Following the initiative’s first announcement in July 2023, the Federal Communications Commission provided details on Tuesday about how companies can submit their products for approval under the new label. The label applies to consumer devices only rather than connected devices intended for “manufacturing, industrial control or enterprise applications.” “We see great potential in the US Cyber Trust Mark Program,” said Michael Dolan, senior director and head of enterprise privacy and data protection at Best Buy, in the press release. “It is a positive step forward for consumers and we are excited about the opportunity to highlight this program for our customers.” The news comes as cyberattacks are increasingly plaguing companies and governments worldwide. In 2024, the Justice Department disrupted a cyberattack that had targeted consumer routers and connected cameras. SEE: Cybersecurity professionals struggle with employees skipping security best practices. 1 Semperis Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Large (1,000-4,999 Employees), Enterprise (5,000+ Employees) Large, Enterprise Features Advanced Attacks Detection, Advanced Automation, Anywhere Recovery, and more 2 ESET PROTECT Advanced Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Any Company Size Any Company Size Features Advanced Threat Defense, Full Disk Encryption , Modern Endpoint Protection, and more 3 ManageEngine Log360 Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Micro (0-49 Employees), Small (50-249 Employees), Medium (250-999 Employees), Large (1,000-4,999 Employees), Enterprise (5,000+ Employees) Micro, Small, Medium, Large, Enterprise Features Activity Monitoring, Blacklisting, Dashboard, and more What is the Cyber Trust Mark? The Cyber Trust Mark is intended to incentivize companies to apply cybersecurity best practices to the internet-connected devices they produce. The White House compared the Cyber Trust Mark to the Energy Star label, which educates customers about a product’s energy use and influences companies to make their appliances meet the Energy Star standards. In the case of the Cyber Trust Mark, devices covered include: Connected appliances. Baby monitors. Home security cameras. Connected doorbells. Voice-activated assistants, such as Amazon’s Alexa. “Amazon supports the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark’s goal to strengthen consumer trust in connected devices,” Amazon Vice President Steve Downer wrote in the news release. “We believe consumers will value seeing the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark both on product packaging and while shopping online.” Amazon and Best Buy plan to highlight the mark in their product listings. “Building a secure device is expensive; building an insecure device is cheap,” said Sean Tufts, managing partner for critical infrastructure and operational technology at Optiv, in an email to TechRepublic. “This certification puts pressure on business leaders to do the right thing.” Must-read security coverage What devices can and can’t receive the label? Some connected devices aren’t eligible for the Cyber Trust Mark. For example: Medical devices still fall under the Food and Drug Administration. Connected cars and equipment remain under the purview of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Personal computers, smartphones, and routers are also exempt — although NIST is working on new standards for consumer routers. Broadly, the label applies to any other consumer wireless IoT products. Most companies outside of the U.S. can apply for the label, participate in testing labs, or work as administrators. Companies prohibited from participating in U.S. government programs can’t apply for the mark, including those on the FCC Covered List, the Department of Commerce’s Entity List, or the Department of Defense’s List of Chinese Military Companies. How organizations can submit their products for the Cyber Trust Mark To receive the mark, companies must submit products to accredited labs for compliance testing overseen by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology. Eleven private testing companies have been conditionally approved to be administrators. The FCC said the program is active now, and companies will be able to submit products for testing “soon.” Once devices are approved, manufacturers can apply the label and a QR code. Customers can scan the code to learn security information such as how to change the default password or configure the device securely. The QR code will include information about built-in security measures, such as how long the device will receive support from the company and whether software patches are automatic or must be applied manually. If the device does not have security support or updates from the manufacturer, the QR code will note that. Are companies required to participate in the Cyber Trust Mark program? Submitting products for Cyber Trust Mark approval is entirely voluntary. “While voluntary, Consumer Reports hopes that manufacturers will apply for this mark, and that consumers will look for it when it becomes available,” Justin Brookman, Director of Technology Policy, Consumer Reports, wrote in the press release. “However, we also must consider whether this trust mark will give consumers a false sense of being ‘unhackable’ and a false sense of complacency,” Tufts said. “This could increase risk for Americans that are cyber unaware.” source

Smart IVR refers to Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems that can recognize and respond to human speech. Unlike traditional IVR — which relies on rigid menus and keypad inputs — smart IVR can interpret spoken language, ask clarifying questions, and adapt its responses based on customer needs. This creates a smoother, faster experience that leaves callers more satisfied and businesses more efficient. Now — you’ll see terms like “smart IVR,” “intelligent IVR,” “conversational IVR,” and “natural language IVR” that are often used interchangeably. The distinctions usually stem from marketing and branding rather than significant technical differences. In this post I’ll help cut through the marketing noise to explain what smart IVR is, how it works, and what it can do. 1 RingCentral RingEx Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Medium (250-999 Employees), Large (1,000-4,999 Employees), Enterprise (5,000+ Employees) Medium, Large, Enterprise Features Hosted PBX, Managed PBX, Remote User Ability, and more 2 Talkroute Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Any Company Size Any Company Size Features Call Management/Monitoring, Call Routing, Mobile Capabilities, and more 3 CloudTalk Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Any Company Size Any Company Size Features 24/7 Customer Support, Call Management/Monitoring, Contact Center, and more Technically, what is a smart IVR? For practical purposes, a smart IVR has the following capabilities that go beyond traditional systems: Conversational capabilities: Using Natural Language Processing (NLP) to understand and respond to natural speech. Dynamic routing: Adjusting call flows based on real-time customer inputs and historical data. AI-driven insights: Using data from past conversations and machine learning to improve interactions and refine responses over time. Supplemental smart IVR features In addition to core capabilities, some vendors offer supplemental features that enhance the functionality of smart IVR systems. These features can provide additional value and address specific business needs: Customer feedback surveys: Automatically prompt callers to provide feedback after their interaction, offering insights for continuous improvement. Visual IVR: Extend IVR functionality to a smartphone interface, allowing users to navigate visually instead of verbally. Outbound notifications: Proactively reach out to customers with reminders, updates, or alerts via automated calls or messages. Multilingual support: Offer advanced language capabilities for seamless interactions with diverse customer bases. Integration with third-party tools: Connect IVR systems to CRM, helpdesk, or analytics platforms for a unified workflow. Generally, the best call center software supports all of these capabilities — just bear in mind that some vendors offer built-in solutions whereas others rely on third-party tools to support visual IVR, multilingual support, and other features. How smart IVR works When a caller dials in, the system greets them and invites them to describe their needs in their own words. Unlike traditional IVRs, which rely on fixed menus, smart IVRs use Automated Speech Recognition (ASR) and NLP to interpret the caller’s intent, ask clarifying questions if needed, and route them efficiently. Behind the scenes, smart IVR systems use AI to analyze spoken input and match it to the most relevant solutions. They connect with customer data through CRM integration to personalize interactions, such as recognizing returning customers or recalling past issues. Smart IVR systems also dynamically adjust call flows based on context, ensuring that each caller gets the appropriate response, whether it’s self-service, detailed information, or a transfer to a specific agent. The result is a streamlined caller journey that balances speed and satisfaction. Callers spend less time explaining their needs or waiting for the right connection, while businesses benefit from reduced call handling costs and more effective agent utilization. By combining advanced contact center technology with a focus on the user experience, smart IVRs ensure that every step of the journey feels purposeful and productive. SEE: Discover seven surprising things call center ASR does really well.  Benefits of smart IVR systems In terms of the performance metrics associated with call centers, Smart IVRs offer a number of attractive KPI-related benefits. Shorter customer wait times With Smart IVR, you can offer a greater range of self-service features, which can significantly reduce call center queuing times for customers. The intelligent routing features also cut down on wait times by connecting callers to the right department or agent without bouncing them from one agent to the next. And, since callers are able to get moving in the right direction a lot sooner, this can lead to a lower call abandonment rate and a higher first-call resolution rate. Increased productivity and decreased stress for agents Since smart IVR systems provide more ways for callers to perform basic inquiries on their own at any time of the day, it lessens the burden on live agents. This not only lets the call center’s employees focus on more complex (and less repetitive) tasks, but it also tends to lower burnout rates and call center turnover — ultimately saving your business money in the long run. Improved data collection and analysis A Smart IVR system also makes it simple to collect and evaluate large amounts of customer data. This supplements traditional IVR analytics with additional data points to optimize call flows and customer journeys. This data can also be used to gain deeper insights into customer bases and their pain points, effectively providing implied feedback that can help companies improve their products and get rid of common issues. SEE: Learn how IVR analytics can fix call flow issues.  Fewer human errors In a traditional contact center without Smart IVR, manual call routing errors and long wait times commonly lead to negative customer experiences and call abandonments. Smart IVR, however, greatly reduces the risk of human errors, leading to a better customer experience overall. Lower customer support costs With Smart IVR’s self-service options and intelligent call routing, there’s less of a need for a large team of live agents. This cuts down on staffing costs for businesses and organizations to save big bucks over time. KPIs to measure smart IVR performance When taking a

Although most of the software development lifecycle is now automated, infrastructure continues to be a largely manual process requiring specialized teams. Yet with infrastructure demands rapidly growing, more organizations now look toward automation for help.  GitOps uses Git project repositories as the single source of truth for managing application configuration and deployment information, says Elliot Peele, senior manager of software development at analytics software provider SAS. “By using declarative specifications stored in a Git repository, it ensures that the desired state of the system is always maintained and continuously reconciled,” he explains in an email interview.  Mike Rose, data and analytics director at technology research and advisory firm ISG, notes that a GitOps framework ensures that the entire system — including infrastructure, applications, and configurations — is described in a consistent manner within Git, allowing for consistent, repeatable, and auditable changes across environments. “It enhances transparency and traceability and significantly reduces the risk of configuration drift between the desired state and the actual state of the infrastructure.” he states via email.  Peele adds that the approach not only enables continuous integration and deployment, but also provides version management and rollback capabilities, which are crucial for maintaining consistency and reliability in infrastructure management.  Related:What Developers Should Know About Embedded AI GitOps in Action  GitOps implementations have a significant impact on infrastructure automation by providing a standardized, repeatable process for managing infrastructure as code, Rose says. The approach allows faster, more reliable deployments and simplifies the maintenance of infrastructure consistency across diverse environments, from development to production. “By treating infrastructure configurations as versioned artifacts in Git, GitOps brings the same level of control and automation to infrastructure that developers have enjoyed with application code.”  Rose states that GitOps reduces manual errors, allows increased deployment frequency, and generally improves overall system reliability. “Probably one of the most valuable but intangible benefits of GitOps is its ability to foster closer collaboration between development and operations teams as both groups work from the same set of Git repositories to manage application code and infrastructure configurations,” he says. “This alignment will accelerate the feedback loop between development and operations.”  Related:Let’s Revisit Quality Assurance GitOps will have a significant impact on infrastructure automation, Peele predicts. “By providing consistency, version control, continuous deployment, reduced configuration drift, and enhanced security and compliance, GitOps is a game changer in software development and deployment practices,” he says. “It enables peer review for configuration changes and allows developers without prior operations experience to control their application’s deployment.”  Multiple Benefits  GitOps’ primary benefit is its ability to enable peer review for configuration changes, Peele says. “It fosters collaboration and improves the quality of application deployment.” He adds that it also empowers developers — even those without prior operations experience — to control application deployment, making the process more efficient and streamlined.  Another benefit is GitOps’ ability to allow teams to push minimum viable changes more easily, thanks to faster and more frequent deployments, says Siri Varma Vegiraju, a Microsoft software engineer. “Using this strategy allows teams to deploy multiple times a day and quickly revert changes if issues arise,” he explains via email. “This high deployment velocity accelerates releases, allowing teams to deliver business impact quicker.”  Related:Soft Skills, Hard Code: The New Formula for Coding in the AI Era Since infrastructure state is defined in code and stored in Git, static analysis can be performed to detect security misconfigurations, Vegiraju says. “This approach helps enhance the overall security posture by identifying and addressing potential vulnerabilities early.”  Rose reports that ISG research shows that an environment using GitOps — along with complementary AI Ops improvements — can see a productivity efficiency of at least 30% over a two-year time horizon.  Top Adopters  GitOps is most likely to be adopted by enterprises that focus on automation and consistency, Peele says. “The peer review nature of GitOps lends itself to companies that are focused on compliance, requiring multiple reviews of any application configuration or deployment changes.”  Enterprises with cloud-native environments, and those heavily invested in DevOps practices, are also likely to adopt GitOps, Rose says. “This includes any organization prioritizing rapid, reliable software delivery and infrastructure management,” he notes. Such enterprises often have a high rate of change in their infrastructure and applications, making the version control and automation aspects of GitOps particularly valuable.  Enterprises undergoing digital transformation or moving toward microservices architectures are also prime candidates for GitOps adoption, Rose says. He notes that Gits “single source of truth” aligns well with container orchestration platforms, such as Kubernetes, making it especially attractive for organizations using such technologies.  Possible Pitfalls  While GitOps offers numerous benefits, many new adopters face obstacles. “The significant challenge is the steep learning curve for teams unfamiliar with Git or DevOps concepts,” Rose says. “This can lead to initial productivity slowdowns and may require a substantial investment in training and upskilling.”  GitOps requires a deep understanding of the organization’s current IT infrastructure and applications, as well as advanced knowledge of Git, Peele warns. “This can be daunting for teams that are new to these concepts.”  Small organizations with simpler infrastructures may find GitOps adds unnecessary overhead, since the complexity of managing a GitOps pipeline may outweigh the benefits, Vegiraju says.  Looking Forward  An important emerging trend is the increasing intersection of GitOps and AIOps. “This convergence is leveraging AI and machine learning to enhance automation, predict issues, and optimize infrastructure management within the GitOps framework,” Rose says. He notes that AI algorithms can analyze Git commit patterns to predict potential conflicts or issues before they occur or to optimize deployment strategies based on historical performance data.  source

OpenAI set out to build AGI from its founding in 2015, when the concept of AGI, as Altman put it to Bloomberg, was “nonmainstream.” “We wanted to figure out how to build it and make it broadly beneficial,” he wrote in his blog post. “At the time, very few people cared, and if they did, it was mostly because they thought we had no chance of success.” But the company recruited talent with the lure “just come build AGI,” and in April 2023 appeared to have at least made some strides toward it: Microsoft researchers said that ChatGPT had “sparks” of AGI. They demonstrated that “beyond its mastery of language” GPT-4 could solve “novel and difficult tasks” including math, coding, vision, medicine, law, psychology, and more, without special prompting. source

By Matthew Perlman ( January 8, 2025, 6:35 PM EST) — Epic Games has received support from federal antitrust enforcers, Microsoft and others at the Ninth Circuit as the game developer fights Google’s bid to appeal an order forcing the tech giant to loosen its policies surrounding the distribution of apps on Android devices…. Law360 is on it, so you are, too. A Law360 subscription puts you at the center of fast-moving legal issues, trends and developments so you can act with speed and confidence. Over 200 articles are published daily across more than 60 topics, industries, practice areas and jurisdictions. A Law360 subscription includes features such as Daily newsletters Expert analysis Mobile app Advanced search Judge information Real-time alerts 450K+ searchable archived articles And more! Experience Law360 today with a free 7-day trial. source

In most of the countries we surveyed, there is widespread support for changing the economic system. In fact, in all but three nations, majorities say the economic system in their country needs major changes or complete reform. Across all 36 countries, a median of 20% of adults say their economic system needs to be completely reformed, while a median of 52% call for major changes. Much smaller median shares say their economic system needs minor changes (16%) or no changes at all (3%). Significant shares in some middle-income countries support complete economic reform. Majorities in Nigeria and Tunisia say this is necessary, and roughly four-in-ten or more agree in Ghana, India, Malaysia, South Africa and Turkey. Only in the Netherlands, Singapore and Sweden – all high-income countries – do fewer than half of adults want significant economic changes. Majorities in most North American and European countries surveyed say their system needs at least major changes, including three-quarters or more in France, Greece, Hungary, Italy and Spain. And across both regions, no more than about a quarter of adults think their economic system needs complete reform in any survey country. Views by perception of economic inequality In nearly all countries surveyed, adults who see economic inequality as a very big problem are significantly more likely than others to favor significant changes to the economic system. For example, Swedish adults who think inequality is a very big problem are twice as likely as those who think it’s a moderately big problem, a small problem or not a problem at all to say Sweden’s economic system needs major changes or complete reform. And in 31 of the 36 countries surveyed, people who say the current economic situation in their country is bad are more likely than those who say it’s good to favor significant changes. Views by age In 10 countries, younger adults are more likely than older people to favor significant economic changes. These include the U.S., where 77% of adults under 35 want major changes or complete reform to the economic system, compared with 58% of people ages 50 and older. Views by gender In seven countries, larger shares of women than men say their economic system needs at least major changes. In France, for example, 81% of women support major economic changes or complete reform, compared with 72% of men. How support for economic reform has changed over time Opinions about economic reform have changed since we last asked this question in several places. In 10 countries, significantly greater shares of adults favor major economic change or complete reform this year than in the past. In fact, this share has doubled in Australia since 2021 – from 32% then to 64% today. Support for large-scale economic change is also up in several European countries compared with three years ago. Smaller shares say their economic system needs major changes or complete reform now than in the past in Argentina (-5 points since 2023), South Korea (-6 since 2021), Spain (-8 since 2021) and Singapore (-13 since 2021). Trend data on this question is not available in Bangladesh, Chile, Colombia, Ghana, Malaysia, Peru, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tunisia or Turkey. source

By Lauren Berg ( January 8, 2025, 9:30 PM EST) — DNA-testing platform Nebula Genomics, Meta Platforms, Microsoft and Google urged a Chicago federal judge to toss a putative class action accusing the companies of surreptitiously misusing customers’ genetic data through tracking software on Nebula’s website, arguing that the complaint lacks specifics tying the defendants to alleged wrongdoing…. Law360 is on it, so you are, too. A Law360 subscription puts you at the center of fast-moving legal issues, trends and developments so you can act with speed and confidence. Over 200 articles are published daily across more than 60 topics, industries, practice areas and jurisdictions. A Law360 subscription includes features such as Daily newsletters Expert analysis Mobile app Advanced search Judge information Real-time alerts 450K+ searchable archived articles And more! Experience Law360 today with a free 7-day trial. source

Join our daily and weekly newsletters for the latest updates and exclusive content on industry-leading AI coverage. Learn More The tech market in the U.S. is expected to grow a few percent in 2025 to $537 billion, so long as there isn’t a trade war triggered by promised tariffs from president elect Donald Trump, according to the Consumer Technology Association, the group that puts on CES. That’s one of the predictions made today about tech trends at the opening session of CES 2025, the big tech trade show in Las Vegas this week. AI could drive that growth, as 93% of U.S. adults are familiar with generative AI. And 61% of U.S. adults have used an AI tool that worked. Brian Comiskey, senior director of innovation and trends at the CTA, talked about the predictions for tech trends in front of a room full of international tech press. He noted Gen Z is about 32% of the global population now, and it is 27% of the OECD economic workforce. He said Gen Z grew up with smartphones and is the first truly digital native generation. Comiskey said 60% of Gen Z are early adopters of tech in the U.S., based on their purchasing habits. Comiskey got on stage with Melissa Harrison, head of marketing and communications at the CTA, the trade association that puts on CES. The CTA expects the U.S. tech market will grow 3.2% to $537 billion in 2025, up from $520 billion in 2024. But the warning is that tariffs promised by Trump could take those numbers down dramatically if the tariffs trigger a trade war. Things like laptop sales could go down as much as two-thirds if that happens, he said. Game consoles would also be dramatically affected in a negative way. Human security is a big trend that will affect tech. That includes energy transition, including grid resilience and infrastructure. Companies are investing in nuclear power just to power the infrastructure needed to meet AI demand, Comiskey said. He also said we’re advancing toward autonomy, for everything from aircraft to Waymo self-driving ridesharing vehicles to Mobileye sensors. The AI retail market is expected to hit $7 billion while virtual try-on is going to be a $2 billion market. Consumers are taking to AI purchasing. about 64% have used AI tools for shopping online. The modern enterprise is benefiting from advances in computing and AI tech. Semiconductors can only perform their best if software enables modern data infrastructure. Smart home will take advantage of the next generation of AI for products like smarter TVs. AI will help out robotic vacuums from Narwal, and improve pet care products like Pawport. Harrison said she toured the show floor and noted that Oshkosh, which is more than 100 years old, is showing up to CES for the first time and it is “bringing it,” she said. And the future looks promising. “If the 2020s are the intelligence decade, the 2030s will be the quantum decade,” said Comiskey. source