Return-to-office mandates are really getting to some people, with employees at advertising giant WPP starting a petition to rebuke the company’s new policy.

Forcing employees back to the office is all the rage right. From Amazon to Zoom, businesses around the world are ditching their pandemic-era remote work policies in favor of strict return-to-office mandates.

These mandates haven’t gone unchallenged, though, with backlash from employees manifesting as everything from walkouts to petitions, and WPP employees are the latest to take a stand.

The WPP Return-to-Office Mandate

This week, multinational advertising company WPP announced that its more than 100,000 employees would be required to come into the office a minimum of four days per week. The news came in the form of an internal memo, which highlighted why the company is planning to make this substantial change to its policy.

“I believe that we do our best work when we are together in person. It’s easier to learn from each other, it’s a better way to mentor colleagues starting out in the industry, and it helps us win pitches as a truly integrated team.” – internal memo to WPP employees

According to the memo, the new policy will go into effect in April, which they hope will be plenty of time to address the notable “capacity requirements” that could be substantially impacted by this decision.

WPP Employees Start Petition

Remote employees are rarely willing to go gentle into that goodnight when it comes to return-to-office mandates, and WPP workers are no different. A group of employees have even started a petition on Change.org that aims to get WPP to “revoke its four-day office return mandate.”

“In a post-COVID world where many businesses have embraced flexible working styles, WPP’s decision seems to be a step backwards in supporting employee wellbeing and work-life balance, citing anecdotal data that either does not exist or has been misrepresented.” – the Change.org petition

As of writing, the petition has been signed 3,418 times, which is obviously far fewer than the company’s workforce, but could still have a notable impact on the future of the company.

The Value of Remote Work

While return-to-office policies have become increasingly popular, the WPP employees are right: There is very little data to back up the claim that teams are more productive and better equipped to work when they’re in the office.

In fact, the majority of work-from-home productivity statistics show the exact opposite, with companies that offer flexible work accommodations found to be more productive. Even better, hybrid work was found to reduce the carbon footprint of a business, so if going green is a priority, remote work can help.

Beyond that, return-to-office mandates are a surefire way to alienate employees and invite backlash. Sure, establishing these kinds of policies could be a tactic to get employees to quit, but either way, remote work is one of the most sought-after perks in the business world, which means getting rid of it will hinder your ability to attract top talent.

41% of companies around the world plan to reduce their workforces by 2030 because of AI, according to a new report. World Economic Forum (WEF) released its findings on Wednesday as part of the “Future of Jobs” report, which surveyed hundreds of large businesses around the world.

As well as downsizing, a stunning 77% of businesses plan to reskill or upskill existing workers to be able to get the best out of AI models, such as ChatGPT and Gemini, pointing to a future where work increasingly depends upon the collaboration between human staff and advanced technology. The report did not say that most technologies, including AI, were expected to be a “net positive” for the job market, however.

WEF’s findings will do nothing to quell ongoing anxieties about job security in the age of AI. In recent years, tech layoffs have exploded, with a number of companies openly admitting that they laid off staff in response to advancements in AI.

AI to Replace Jobs, Report Finds

41% of companies plan to make layoffs by 2030 in response to the increasing capabilities of AI, it has been revealed. According to World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs report, which was released on Wednesday, the labor market is set to take a hit as businesses place an increased emphasis on human-machine collaboration.

With AI able to automate a number of different tasks, and growing in efficacy at an extraordinary rate, the survey shed light on how different businesses plan to take advantage of the fledgling technology over the next few years.

In addition to making layoffs, 77% of businesses plan to reskill and upskill existing workers between 2025-2030, in an effort to get the most out of programs such as ChatGPT and Sora.

However, the report did not say that AI and other advanced technologies would prove a “net positive” for the labor market, in contrast to earlier findings.

New Tech Can Augment Existing Output

While the findings may prove unwelcome in some quarters, there is another side to this particular coin, with employers increasingly valuing AI-related skills. Nearly 70% of companies plan to hire workers who can create new AI tools and enhancements, with a further 62% to look for workers with the ability to work effectively alongside AI.

The report highlighted the potential of AI to augment human output, rather than replacing it outright. Among its conclusions, it drew attention to “the continued importance of human-centered skills.”

And in a press release ahead of its annual meeting in Davos later this month, WEF stated: “Advances in AI and renewable energy are reshaping the market – driving an increase in demand for many technology or specialist roles.” It did, though, go on to cite “a decline for others, such as graphic designers.”

Fears Grow as AI Momentum Gathers

Undoubtedly, WEF’s findings will be met with scorn by sections of the labor market. Since generative AI exploded onto the scene, and into the public consciousness, in 2022, it has faced its share of detractors. Skeptics have drawn attention to high-profile AI mistakes, and expressed concern that the technology could ravage the job market.

With this report, it’s likely that many will feel their fears are not totally unfounded. And with worldwide spending on AI projected to reach $632 billion by 2028, it’s hardly surprising that so many people have been vocal in their dissent.

It’s unclear exactly what the next few years will look like. But every indication points towards more layoffs, new use cases, and a growing rift between AI advocates and its staunch opponents.

The newly-formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) won’t manage to slash $2 trillion from the federal budget, its co-chair Elon Musk admitted on Wednesday.

During a conversation with political strategist, Mark Penn, broadcast on X on Wednesday, the controversial CEO rowed back on the lofty target that he had set out during the Trump presidential campaign last year. Musk described the $2 trillion figure as a “best-case outcome,” claiming instead that DOGE had a “good shot” at cutting half of it.

While far from an admission of defeat, the downgraded estimate will still come as a blow to Musk and Trump, whose second term is just days away. At the time, commentators had been quick to dismiss the touted figure as implausible. This admission might serve as a striking reflection of the new government in miniature, with big claims ultimately leading to dampened expectations.

Musk Rows Back on Earlier Budget Promises

Elon Musk, the co-chair of DOGE, has claimed that the $2 trillion budget slash he targeted last year is unlikely. In an interview with Mark Penn on Wednesday, the tech magnate called the target a “best-case outcome.” Instead, he said the department had a “good shot” at eradicating $1 trillion from the federal budget.

“I think we’ll try for $2 trillion. I think that’s the best-case outcome. But I do think that you kind of have to have some overage. I think if we try for $2 trillion, we’ve got a good shot at getting 1.” – Elon Musk

The new comments represent a reversal on Musk’s earlier claims. At a Trump rally in New York on October 27, 2024, the Tesla boss promised to cut the federal budget by “at least $2 trillion.”

Initial Claims Revealed to be Wildly Unrealistic

At the time, commentators were quick to dismiss Musk’s claims. Bob Elliott, chief investment officer at Unlimited Funds, said they were “totally implausible.” For reference, total discretionary funding amounts to about $1.7 trillion at present, and includes transportation, education, housing, and environmental programs.

To meet his lofty aims, Musk would have to wipe out all of this spend – and then some.

Experts have speculated as to whether Musk and DOGE co-chair Vivek Ramaswamy might take aim at Social Security programs like Medicare and Medicaid, which provides healthcare support for economically disadvantaged people. Musk himself has previously warned that DOGE cuts could create “temporary hardship” for US citizens.

Despite the revised estimates, he sounded a note of optimism for his department’s objectives.

“If we can drop the budget deficit from $2 trillion to $1 trillion and free up the economy to have additional growth, such that the output of goods and services keeps pace with the increase in the money supply, then there will be no inflation. So that, I think, would be an epic outcome.” – Elon Musk

A Sign of Things to Come?

President-elect Donald Trump isn’t taking office for over a week, but the rumor mill is already working overtime. Since the election result was certified in November 2024, and Musk appointed to his new role as “cost cutter-in-chief,” speculation has mounted as to what the Tesla boss might actually do now that he has the ear of the leader of the free world.

Hyperbole and grandstanding were key features of the Trump campaign trail, at which Musk proved an immovable fixture. From blasting Vice President Kamala Harris for “importing voters” to attacking the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), the X CEO pulled no punches when it came to outlining his and Trump’s shared worldview.

With this recent admission, it would appear that some of his claims are starting to come unstuck. Just how far this trend goes remains to be seen – but it will be interesting to observe how Trump’s supporters react if it continues.

Microsoft is cutting a number of roles in response to poor performance, it has been revealed. The tech giant confirmed on Wednesday that a small percentage of jobs across the company would be let go, with the company citing the need to focus on “high-performance talent” as the main driver of the losses.

The announcement caps a testing few months for the tech company, which has recently found itself embroiled in an antitrust case and faced accusations of AI scraping from disgruntled Microsoft 365 users.

As 2025 gets underway, turbulence in the tech sector is showing no signs of abating. With the last few years blotted by layoffs, the ongoing furor over remote work, and AI gaffes, this industry continues to prove a hotbed of news, gossip, and scandal.

Microsoft Announces Job Cuts

Microsoft has announced that a small number of roles across the business will be laid off on a performance basis. This latest wave of layoffs follows similar moves in 2024, including 1,900 employees being let go from the company’s gaming unit in January 2024, following the acquisition of Activision Blizzard. In 2023, it laid off no fewer than 10,000 workers.

The company confirmed in an email to CNBC that job losses were driven by performance, with Microsoft emphasizing the need for “high-performance talent.” Said a company spokesperson: “We are always working on helping people learn and grow. When people are not performing, we take the appropriate action.”

Reportedly, less than 1% of the company’s approximately 228,000 employees will be affected. Microsoft did not disclose the total number of layoffs.

Microsoft Under the Microscope

Microsoft has endured a tumultuous recent period. In November 2024, the Federal Trade Commission opened an investigation into the company, requesting information on almost every facet of its business. The case forms part of a wider crackdown on leading players across Big Tech, most notably Google, that are accused of suffocating competition in their respective arenas.

Elsewhere, the tech giant moved to see off accusations that it was harvesting data from users of its 365 suite of programs. A spokesperson told Reuters: “These claims are untrue. Microsoft does not use customer data from Microsoft 365.”

And its Copilot model has so far failed to make a dent in the AI landscape, which is dominated by OpenAI and its ChatGPT platform. As reported by CNBC, UBS analysts claimed last month that the rollout had “been a bit slow/underwhelming” off the back of the company’s Ignite conference.

More Upset for Big Tech to Come in 2025

The tech sector continues to surprise and delight in equal measure. Last year, mass layoffs plagued companies across the space, with the likes of X, Tesla, Netflix, Amazon, and more forced to make high-profile cuts in order to keep pace in an ever-changing market.

Against this backdrop, the federal government opened a series of landmark antitrust investigations into leading players in the industry, with Google firmly in the crosshairs. TikTok, meanwhile, is facing an imminent ban in the US – unless it can strike a deal with Shark Tank host Kevin O’Leary.

With 2025 now underway, the industry looks set to continue making headlines and courting controversy. What’s more, President-elect Donald Trump is now just days away from his second term. With the fate of TikTok hanging in the balance, Elon Musk in his ear, and anti-monopoly rulings in progress, there’s every reason to suspect the news cycle will speed up rather than slowing down.

New year, new you, same old AI trends and tools to deal with at work. While you’re setting all those resolutions for how you’ll improve yourself this year, you might as well throw in an AI training course or two.

Ultimately, AI tools might be a big reason why many white collar workers are concerned about retaining their jobs in 2025. Still, figuring out how to operate those same tools might be enough to convince your bosses that you’re staying on the cutting edge of technology.

If you’re interested in how to upskill your AI know-how, you don’t have to pay through the nose. Online sites like Coursera, edX, and Codecademy are home to plenty of video training courses that won’t cost you a cent. Here are all the best options available this month for anyone with an internet connection and a dream.

Google: Google AI for Anyone

⏰Length: 8-12 hours

We don’t often repeat course recommendations in this series. However, this video course, which we already covered back in May 2024, is worth bringing up again.

Google is a top AI company today, as anyone who has tried to Google anything recently can tell you. On top of all the inescapable AI summaries that your Google results are pushing on you, the tech giant has major investments in OpenAI, as well as the French AI startup Mistral.

This course is aimed at the layperson who wants to know what AI is and what the hype is all about. It’s self-paced, but Google suggests spending two to three hours on it for four weeks, making it a relatively easy path towards learning about concepts that include ML, deep learning, data and applications, Neural Networks, AI ethics, and more.

You can get started today on edX for free.

Codeacademy: Learn How to Use ChatGPT

⏰Length: 1 hour

Need the quickest possible ChatGPT explainer? Join the 104,695 learners who opted for this Codeacademy course, which is among the shortest video courses you’ll find at a scant 60 minutes long.

You’ll learn more about how OpenAI’s popular ChatGPT chatbot solution works, how many people are using it in their everyday life, and how you can write the most effective ChatGPT prompts — all over the same amount of time that you’d take for a lunch break.

You’ll get six sections, each with its own quiz to help lock in what you’ve been taught. One of the most important ones is the “Risks and Limitations of ChatGPT” section. Generative AI tools are impressive, they’re not magic, and those who don’t know what they can’t accomplish with generative AI might wind up making headlines, from creating movie trailers that lie about critic quotes to submitting legal briefs packed with falsehoods.

Check out the popular free Codeacademy course online.

Codeacademy: Deep Dive Into Generative AI with Azure OpenAI

⏰Length: 2 hours

For those who turn up their nose at a simplistic one-hour ChatGPT course, Codeacademy has an intermediate offering: A two-hour Azure OpenAI course.

This course will take you through a rollercoaster of definitions and explainations that includes: Azure architecture, OpenAI Studio, model customization and deployment, text and image generation, integration, privacy and compliance issues, among others.

In the end, it’s all in preparation to work with Azure OpenAI, Microsoft’s cloud-based platform aimed at giving developers and data scientists REST API access to a wide range of OpenAI language models. It’s a step towards a more technical understanding of OpenAI’s models. Look at it this way: Within a half of an afternoon, you can know more than the average ChatGPT user about how AI works.

Get started today on Codeacademy over here.

AI for Business: Generation & Prediction

⏰Length: 3 hours

Let’s be honest: The real reason to learn more about AI is to do better in school or at work. If you’re hoping to gain a little bit of an edge at your workplace, this course might be a fast way to gain perspective on what AI can and can’t do for you.

Here, you’ll learn how AI can promote critical thinking, rather than replace it. You’ll also pick up a few more lessons. According to the course material itself, you’ll learn to:

• Differentiate between various generative AI models and identify their advantages across frameworks.
• Construct strategies for implementing generative AI applications in business environments and determine the best models for specific contexts.
• Illustrate the advantages and benefits of implementing generative AI in practical business environments.

The role of AI in financial forecasting is likely the most helpful lesson in this course, although you’ll also gain insight on its benefits for content creation and the ethical implications to know about.

Like most free video courses, it’s taught in English. However, you’ll have access to 21 different language translations, making this an accessable course for many around the globe. Get started on Coursera here.

LinkedIn: Understanding AI for Business Professionals

⏰Length: About 6 hours

Those in need of a longer guide to AI literacy in the business world may want to check out this LinkedIn video course, which takes a little under six hours to complete.

This is a good general-knowledge course exploring what AI is, the key ways that the new tools are currently streamlining workflows, and — par for these types of courses, it seems — what ethical considerations to know about.

The audience for this course is so broad that it isn’t even limited to those who plan to use AI themselves. Anyone who just wants to know what the big deal is with the much-hyped technology can watch these lessons to learn how AI is impacting the business landscape around them.

Technically, this one is not free, but you can get an entire month of LinkedIn Learning without paying at all, and that should be plenty of time to get through this relatively fast training course. Check it out on LinkedIn here.

Future-Proofing Your Career, With or Without AI

As we dive into 2025, the AI takeover might seem inevitable. After all, more than half of the longform posts you’ll find on LinkedIn are likely AI-generated, according to a new study.

In reality, though, we’re still just in the technology’s “freemium” era — eventually, big companies like OpenAI will have to do something about the billions of dollars that they’re still losing every year. Either they’ll land the fat government contracts they need to propell them into massive profits, or they’ll crash and burn.

In either case, most white collar workers are just hoping to know enough about AI to keep their current position or land their next one. If that’s you, check out one or two of the courses above, and you’ll be well on your way.

What next step is best for you after picking up a little free training? Consider browsing through our own online resources, from our guide to crafting a resume to our explainer on the rise of AI slop.

The holiday shopping season is finally behind us once again, and the latest surveys have finally arrived to reveal how it all went down.

Shoppers spent more than ever online, one survey found, and some of them went into debt to do it, according to a second survey.

Here are the specific findings of each report, along with any other interesting details they’ve surfaced about the state of online consumption as we enter 2025.

Holiday Retail Sales Hit a Record $1.2 Trillion Globally

Online holiday sales around the world reached $1.2 trillion for the first time ever, and crossed $282 billion in the United States alone, according to a Salesforce report.

That’s above expectations, and marks a 3% year-over-year growth worldwide (4% YoY for the US).

AI tools may have had a six-fingered hand in the matter, since Salesforce estimates that $229 billion of those global online sales were “influenced by AI and agents in the form of product recommendations, targeted offers, and conversational customer service support.”

However, one more finding is worth noting: The same study found that more than $122 billion of global purchases have already been returned, which marks a 28% increase from last year. Clearly, shoppers are taking full advantage of store’s return policies, so that record-setting $1.2 trillion number may ultimately fall much lower when to comes to the total.

Over a Third of US Consumers Went Into Debt

Our second survey — out from LendingTree in partnership with QuestionPro — was smaller in scope and covered 2,049 consumers within the US only. The biggest statistic it uncovered? A full 36% of US consumers took on debt in December.

Of those debtors, 42% reported that their highest interest rate was at or above 20%. Also, the average dollar amount that consumers took on was $1,181, which is an increase from $1,028 in 2023.

“Inflation is still a big deal in this country, and it’s having a huge impact on people’s finances, including their holiday spending. If you were to only buy the same things you bought last Christmas, you’d likely have to spend more this year thanks to inflation. For many Americans, that means you either have to cut back on gifts or take on more debt.” -Matt Schulz, LendingTree chief credit analyst

When broken down by generation, Millennials took on the most debt this holiday season at 42%, with Gen Xers in second place with 37%, and Baby Boomers in last place with just 29%.

Ecommerce Debt and Jobs

These increases in debt and spending call to mind the difficult job market, which one expert predicted would only get worse across this year in Tech.co’s recent coverage of 2025 predictions.

Federal layoffs, the growth of AI, and the mass deportations promised by the next presidential administration are all reasons to expect a tough job market across 2025 and beyond.

Perhaps the most grim statistic to emerge from these new holiday shopping retrospectives comes from the LendingTree survey: “Parents of young children were the most likely to take on debt, at 48%.”

Mark Zuckerberg has posted a video stating that Meta is completely changing its approach to moderation – ditching third-party fact-checkers and moving to a “Community Notes” model – much like X’s.

The company – which owns WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram – argues that the new policy will encourage “more speech” but the move is already causing consternation, not least from Meta’s own oversight board.

There is also suggestions that Meta could find itself in trouble if it follows the same model as X, which saw an advertiser exodus as concerns grew about the nature of the content being published.

How Is Moderation Going To Change?

Meta has been using a third party fact-checking program since 2016.

In a statement accompanying its CEO’s video, Meta’s newly-appointed chief global affairs officer Joel Kaplan explains: “We made what we thought was the best and most reasonable choice at the time, which was to hand that responsibility over to independent fact checking organizations. The intention of the program was to have these independent experts give people more information about the things they see online, particularly viral hoaxes, so they were able to judge for themselves what they saw and read.”

However, Meta says that this method isn’t working as “experts, like everyone else, have their own biases and perspectives.” Specifically it claims that “…too much harmless content gets censored” but also that too many users are getting “wrongly locked up in ‘Facebook jail.'” Kaplan admits that Meta has been slow to respond in the past when this happened.

Now, instead, Meta is moving to a Community Notes program. Kaplan says: “We’ve seen this approach work on X – where they empower their community to decide when posts are potentially misleading and need more context, and people across a diverse range of perspectives decide what sort of context is helpful for other users to see.”

Kaplan focusses on political discourse and explains that the company will be “getting rid of a number of restrictions on topics like immigration, gender identity and gender. It adds: “It’s not right that things can be said on TV or the floor of Congress, but not on our platforms.”

The statement includes links so that people can sign up today (Facebook, Instagram, Threads) to be “among first contributors to this program as it becomes available.” Phase in will kick off in the next couple of months in the US first.

Kaplan adds that Meta users will soon see the fact-checking controls disappear and the platform will “stop demoting fact checked content.” Instead of the “full screen interstitial warnings” that they had to click through to see the post, users will see “much less obtrusive label indicating that there is additional information for those who want to see it,” he explains.

Concern Rising

Kaplan focuses on the “mistakes” of the past but does not address what is an immediate and well-founded concern: By following the model adopted by X, is Meta now not in danger of becoming a place where the lack of moderation sees a rise in hate speech, misinformation and inflammatory language?

Elon Musk, the irascible owner of X, fired his moderation staff in January 2023, but the platform had already seen a marked change in policy from the days of former owner, Jack Dorsey. Dorsey had, for example, banned both Donald Trump and Kanye West – both of whom were welcomed back by Musk. The rise of hate speech on the platform from when Musk became its master was noted in studies and by advertisers, who made their displeasure known by leaving for rivals.

Fundamental Policy Shift

The changes coming for Meta users are not just a adjustment in who is moderating content, but also what content can be moderated. Wired alerts to changes in Meta’s Community Guidelines, which could dramatically alter what content users might be able to post and be exposed to.

Meta’s “Hateful Conduct” policy, which covers discussions on immigration and gender, has seen some of the most dramatic shifts. For example, “allegations of mental illness or abnormality when based on gender or sexual orientation, given political and religious discourse about transgenderism and homosexuality and common non-serious usage of words like ‘weird’” will now be allowed. This essentially means that users can “accuse transgender or gay people of being mentally ill because of their gender expression and sexual orientation,” says Wired.

The wide-ranging changes also include removing the stops for posting content that targets people based on their “protected characteristics” – race, ethnicity, and gender identity – with “claims that they have or spread the coronavirus.”

The changes also leave room for content suggesting gender or sexual orientation – should play a role in job suitability – for example – women shouldn’t be allowed to serve in the military. There have also been changes to the policy towards conversations about social exclusion.

Wired pointedly also notes that a sentence stating that hateful speech may “promote offline violence” – that “had been present in the policy since 2019” – has been removed and instead the platform says it prohibits content that could “incite imminent violence or intimidation.”

Could the Oversight Board Disappear?

A big query is whether the oversight board that had a role in monitoring moderation standards – and ensuring Community Guidelines were being met – will now be disbanded.

Helle Thorning-Schmidt, who is co-chair of Meta’s independent oversight board, has already raised her concerns in a BBC interview. She specifically spoke of her worry that the move could leave minority groups especially in the LGBTQ+ community – exposed to abuse. She explained: “We are seeing many instances where hate speech can lead to real-life harm, so we will be watching that space very carefully,” she added.

While Thorning-Schmidt, the former prime minister of Denmark, did acknowledge that there have been instances of “over-enforcement,” she argued that there is still a strong role for fact-checking. However, the departure of Meta’s president of global affairs, Sir Nick Clegg, who set up the oversight board, could signal that its demise may be close.

Political Maneuvering

Clegg stepped down just after Zuckerberg was reported to have met with Donald Trump. He was replaced by Kaplan, who has been Meta’s company’s vice president of global public policy since 2011, but was also a White House aide to George W. Bush from 2001 to 2009.

Kaplan’s new role is being touted as a bid to calm the stormy waters between Meta and Donald Trump. Zuckerberg’s promise of a $1 million donation to the incoming president’s inauguration fund is a clear peace offering. Zuckerberg has also appointed UFC boss and firm pal of Trump’s, Dana White, to Meta’s board of directors.

The level of hostility in the past between the soon to be president and Meta’s chiefs was pretty dramatic. It led to Trump being banned from Facebook in January 2021. When he was allowed to return, in February 2023, Meta said it was keeping a close eye on his content. Last summer, Trump wrote that Zuckerberg would “spend the rest of his life in prison” if he attempted to interfere in the 2024 US election, reported BBC News.

Zuckerberg may not be a vocal as Musk, but he is pragmatic and wants a piece of the pie. He has now put his business interests above all else. But the move will spell dramatic changes for Meta users and this might be more dangerous than the ire of Donald Trump.

Thousands of records have been compromised after the recruitment database of the United Nation’s aviation agency was breached.

The Canada-based International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) admitted that it was investigating a potential breach yesterday but has now released some details.

The scale of this breach, though, is tiny compared to some of the cyberattacks that have hit private companies. In the last year alone, Comcast, Dell, and Dropbox have had to hold their hands up and admit hackers have accessed their data.

What Data Has Been Exposed?

The organization oversees the aviation relationships between 193 countries. It has confirmed that job applicants’ names, email addresses, dates of birth, and employment history are among the details that have been stolen.

“The affected data does not include financial information, passwords, passport details, or any documents uploaded by applicants.” – ICAO spokesperson

It sent a statement to TechCrunch confirming the incident, relaying: “ICAO can confirm that the reported information security incident involves approximately 42,000 recruitment application data records from April 2016 to July 2024 claimed to be released by the threat actor known as Natohub.”

Who Is the Hacker?

The hacker goes by the alias of Natohub and had announced their victory at the weekend on a cybercrime forum. They are also now selling data for nominal fees.

ICAO said in a statement that the hacker is “a threat actor known for targeting international organizations.”

What Action Is Being Taken?

The ICAO is being tight-lipped and promises more information after its investigation is complete. However, it did say: “We take this matter very seriously and have implemented immediate security measures while conducting a comprehensive investigation.”

While the volume of data stolen is relatively small, this incident will have far-reaching consequences because of the substantial role of ICAO across the world.

Kevin O’Leary of Shark Tank fame has announced that he is joining a consortium pushing to buy TikTok before the company’s ban in the US.

The deadline for the Chinese-owned company’s sale or demise is just eleven days away; and the company’s C-Suite is desperately trying to make a deal with the incoming Trump administration.

This latest bid could work as it would be a sale and not a partnership; and because Donald Trump has voiced his intention to save the social media platform.  A proposed partnership deal with Oracle fell flat with US authorities as it didn’t offer the safeguards that they wanted to ensure data from US users is ring-fenced from the Chinese Government.

Who wants to buy TikTok?

O’Leary has announced that he is joining forces with billionaire Frank McCourt, the founder of Project Liberty – an organization fighting to democratize the web and put data back into the hands of users.

In December, McCourt published a statement saying that Project Liberty doesn’t want to see TikTok shut down but does recognize that it can’t carry on operating under its present ownership. He explained: “The People’s Bid for TikTok aims to purchase the platform and migrate users to a new internet architecture that gives users control over their digital lives and more access to the economic value they generate.”

Data ownership would be central, he continued, explaining: “As stewards of the app, Project Liberty will work to ensure the platform remains a vibrant and diverse creative community where users can have complete control over their data.”

Is It a Realistic Bid?

McCourt says he is heading up a consortium that “has secured expressions of interest of over $20 billion in capital” but also has access to “a vast network of supporters, and the technology needed to protect the privacy of 170 million Americans using TikTok”.

McCourt certainly has clout as former CEO of McCourt Global and has committed $500 million to fighting for a safe, healthier internet. TikTok would become a model to test this vision of the web if the bid is successful.

Canadian politician and businessman, O’Leary, is best known as one of the hosts of ABC reality series “Shark Tank.” He is also the chairman of a capital investment platform called O’Leary Ventures as well as chairman of an investment service called Beanstox. O’Leary said in a Fox News interview that the consortium needs the support of Donald Trump to make a success of the bid.

What Is Next for TikTok

The Supreme Court is going to review the TikTok ban this week but Donald Trump has asked for the court to pause the legislation. The ban is set to come in the day before Trump’s inauguration.

However, the core issue remains that TikTok has been damned as a national security risk, backed only this week by an academic paper about biases towards the Chinese Communist Party. Even owner ByteDance’s appeal for a reprieve on the grounds of free speech pale in comparison to this perceived risk.

It may come down to the wire and the whim of a newly inaugurated President.

The coming weeks will see a mandate from on high for JPMorgan employees that they need to be back in the office full time.

The US’s biggest bank is planning to announce the new mandate that will see an expansion of existing rules. It currently has around 60% of its workforce in the office five days a week.

As one of Wall Street’s biggest names, the move is sure to have an impact on other financial outfits, but also could prompt workers to look elsewhere for jobs that offer a less draconian policy towards flexible working.

JP Morgan Issues Back to Office Mandate

JPMorgan’s CEO, Jamie Dimon, has consistently voiced criticism of flexible working policies. He was particularly critical of federal workers not being in the office full time. Speaking at The Atlantic Festival in September, Dimon said he’d “make Washington, D.C. go back to work. He added: “I can’t believe, when I come down here, the empty buildings. The people who work for you not going to the office. That bothers me. I don’t allow that at JP[Morgan].”

This was a sign of things to come. However, the mandate has not been officially announced as yet and the company’s spokespeople are not commenting. It has, however, been widely reported with Bloomberg breaking the story.

Could There Be Resistance to RTO Order?

Aggressive RTO mandates have been constantly in the news since the end of the pandemic. The world’s largest tech companies have pushed ahead with strict policies but there has been some resistance.

Amazon employees were told that they needed to be back in the office full time from this month, but then had to revert to a more staggered return when it transpired that there wasn’t enough office space for all of the employees. The company’s insistence that it was necessary for its ethos and productivity was met with disdain by employees  – some of which mobilized to fight the mandate.

Dell and AT&T have also put strict RTO mandates in place, which has led to accusations that these policies are a sneaky way of “thinning the herd” – something a leaked internal memo from Dell actually confirmed. At Dell, employees have already seen swathes of layoffs so morale is understandably low.

Sweetening the Blow

Bloomberg suggests that JPMorgan is hoping to wow employees with a new building in midtown Manhattan and is offering “enticements including yoga and cycling rooms, meditation spaces, outdoor areas and a state-of-the-art food hall”.

However, for many, the cost of a five-day commute and stringent rules about attendance could be enough to drive them elsewhere. Even with reports suggesting that five days in the office can still offer some flexibility, some employees will simply feel their needs are being shoved aside despite no actual evidence that WFH isn’t efficient.

It’s the data breach that keeps coming back to bite: T-Mobile is facing yet more legal action over a 2021 security calamity that saw 79 million customer records leaked.

This latest lawsuit comes from the State of Washington, which is suing the telecoms giant for financial damages and is also trying to push for improved cybersecurity in the future.

The breach has already resulted in a class action lawsuit from affected customers for a reported $350 million; and $31.5 million from the government.

T-Mobile “Did Not Do Enough,” Suit Says

This latest lawsuit centers upon the accusation that T-Mobile knew that its defenses were shaky but did nothing about it.

In a statement announcing the lawsuit, Washington attorney general Bob Ferguson said T-Mobile “knew for years about certain cybersecurity vulnerabilities and did not do enough to address them.”  He added: “This significant data breach was entirely avoidable. T-Mobile had years to fix key vulnerabilities in its cybersecurity systems – and it failed.”

Ferguson adds that the company was also deliberately deceptive. “T-Mobile misrepresented to consumers that the company prioritizes protecting the personal data it collects,” he said.

Even after the breach, Ferguson says that the company wasn’t honest. The lawsuit alleges that the telecoms company “failed to properly notify affected Washingtonians of the data breach, downplaying its severity and sending notices to affected consumers that did not disclose all the information that had been compromised.”

What Do Washingtonians Want?

As well as financial damages, the lawsuit is focused upon getting T-Mobile to take a scrupulous look at its cyber-policies to ensure that a breach of this scale can’t happen again.

The lawsuit alleges that the “2021 breach was enabled, in part, when the hacker guessed obvious credentials to gain access to T-Mobile’s internal databases.” These databases contained full names, home addresses, and even Social Security numbers.

While some technical details in the lawsuit are redacted, the lawsuit also alleges that T-Mobile “allowed the connection from the threat actor’s IP address” from outside its network. The hacker was then allowed to test credentials without limit as the company did not have rate-limiting on login attempts.

T-Mobile “Surprised” by Lawsuit

After years of legal wrangling, T-Mobile obviously thought that the worst was over and admitted to TechCrunch that this lawsuit has come as a “surprise” to it.

In a rather resigned statement, spokesperson Michelle Jacob told the publication: “While we disagree with their approach and the filing’s claims, we are open to further dialogue and welcome the opportunity to resolve this issue, as we have already done with the FCC.”

A study of US attitudes towards AI has revealed that men are more likely to use AI than women, and that concerns about its potential for causing harm are widespread.

Rutgers University recent released a report on TikTok, but this report on AI trends comes from its National AI Opinion Monitor, which analyzed 4,767 responses from participants ages 18 and older living in the US to get a sense of how the public feels about the quickly-evolving technology.

It broke down data into categories including age, education level, and gender, giving insights into levels of knowledge around AI, whether and how it is being used, and whether there is an appetite for it.

Awareness Increasing

The report shows that the majority (90%) of participants knew about AI, but there is a distinct drop off when the team drilled down for details. Half recognized the term “generative AI,” and only 12% are aware of “large language models,” the tech behind AI.

Despite this, the report shows that engagement is increasing, especially among “younger, male, better-educated, and higher-income Americans” who are both more likely to use AI and are more interested in its possibilities.

Gender, Education and Age Differences

While there was little difference between the percentage of women and men who knew about AI in general terms, this widened when it came to specifics. Among female participants, 47% knew about generative AI as compared to 55% of the men.

There was also a gender divide when it came to interest in AI. Men were more likely to be highly engaged, with 44% very or extremely interested, compared to 27% of women. And this translated to a gulf in usage. Generative AI platforms were used by 60% of men compared to 47% of women.

The data was also broken down by education level. Knowledge of what a LLM is sat at 24% of participants with a graduate degree and at 23% of those earning $100K and over. This was far higher than people in the brackets of a lower-level of education and lower earnings.

Age is also a factor. Older Americans were the least aware group of those technologies. The report reveals that only 40% of those over 65 knew about generative AI and 6% about large language models.

Which AI Tools Are People Using?

As well as asking about the technology at a surface level, the researchers delved into which AI tools participants are aware of. It will come of little surprise that OpenAI’s ChatGPT topped the list at 63%. However, only 37% have actually used it. The report broke this usage down and revealed that 5% used ChatGPT multiple times a day, 4% daily, 8% multiple times a week, 5% weekly, 5% monthly, and 11% only once or twice ever.

Coming in second place was Google’s Gemini with 50% of participants naming it while the third place slot was taken by Microsoft’s Copilot at 39%.

The report also revealed what people are using AI for, with over a third of the users accessing AI platforms to seek information about health. However, more said that they came across AI-generated text and search result summaries – with some respondents saying that they encountered these “at least once a day.”

Interestingly, most users (86%) find AI summaries to be helpful. This is despite reports of problems. Apple has been under the spotlight after its Apple Intelligence AI tools created wildly inaccurate news summaries.

The report also suggests that people are getting used to seeing AI-generated content with more than 25% sharing that they see AI-generated images or videos daily.

Concerns Are Widespread

Despite the interest in AI, the report gave some stark insights into exactly how concerned people are about its potential impacts. As policymakers continue to wrangle with how to police AI advances, respondents said they were concerned about the impact AI could have on privacy and safety. Specifically, 41% of respondents believe that AI does more harm than good in protecting personal information.

The data reveals that they are particularly concerned about AI’s influence on politics (58%) and news media (53%), which the researchers suggests picks up on “fears of misinformation and manipulation during the 2024 election cycle.”

This mistrust was also reflected in the tasks that respondents said that they would be happy for AI to perform. Nearly half supported the idea of AI performing household chores, but 57% didn’t like the idea of AI performing surgery on them while 53% were against the idea of autonomous vehicles – a stat Elon Musk might well take issue with.

In a move that will make it harder to do business in the US, Tencent has been designated a Chinese military company by the US Department of Defense.

The company is a big player in the gaming world as owner of Riot Games but is also an investor in a raft of other ventures including Epic Games and Ubisoft.

It joins the list with lithium-ion battery maker CATL, whose batteries are used in EVs made by Tesla and Ford, among others; and drone-maker, DJI, which is furiously trying to get its name removed.

What Is the List?

The designations have been around since 2020 when President-elect Donald Trump created an executive order to stop US companies from making any kind of investment in businesses, which were deemed to have a connection with the Chinese military.

One company that fell afoul of this was the world’s biggest drone-maker, DJI, which was put on the list. This was despite its loud protests that it has nothing to do with the Chinese military and specifically that it has not been carrying out surveillance of ethnic minority groups in the country.

Chinese phone maker, Xiaomi, was also on the list briefly but removed after a few months.

No Sanctions but Still an Impact

The designation doesn’t mean that companies will be hit with sanctions or a ban – unlike the one facing TikTok, for example. But it does mean that it is trickier for companies to do business in the US.

In fact, DJI launched its own lawsuit claiming that its designation on the list means it has “lost business deals, been stigmatized as a national security threat, and been banned from contracting with multiple federal government agencies.”

It says that some of its drones have been blocked from entering the US by Customs. The designation has also impacted its employees in the US who “now suffer frequent and pervasive stigmatization” and are “repeatedly harassed and insulted in public places.”

What Is Next for Tencent and CATL?

Both companies, like DJI, are saying that they will fight the designation.

“We are not a military company or supplier. Unlike sanctions or export controls, this listing has no impact on our business. We will nonetheless work with the Department of Defense to address any misunderstanding.” – Danny Marti, Tencent spokesperson to the Verge

CATL spokesperson Fred Zhang also spoke to The Verge insisting that the company’s inclusion was “a mistake,” and stating categorically that “CATL is not engaged in any military related activities.”

Donald Trump is soon to be back in office, and this designation was as a result of his executive order. Could this be another way of “putting America first”?

Apple is promising a software update that will better signpost AI-generated content after a backlash over inaccurate and confusing content.

Apple Intelligence, which rolled out in October with the iOS 18.1 launch, is the company’s suite of AI tools. It includes AI-powered notifications, summaries of web pages and voice notes as well as an AI-reboot of Siri, and integrations with OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

It is the summaries, though, that have hit the headlines with accusations that they are wildly inaccurate sometimes to the point of misrepresentation – even prompting a complaint from the BBC.

Apple Promises AI News Clarification

The update promised will mean that users will know if a summary is AI-generated, which might encourage a level of caution. This is, however, dependent on users knowing how AI works and that it can be inaccurate.

“A software update in the coming weeks will further clarify when the text being displayed is summarization provided by Apple Intelligence. We encourage users to report a concern if they view an unexpected notification summary,” an Apple spokesperson said in a statement to TechCrunch.

It added: “Apple Intelligence features are in beta and we are continuously making improvements with the help of user feedback.”

Apple AI Feature “Out of Control”

One AI-generated summary prompted the BBC to contact Apple concerned about the level of inaccuracy. A breaking news summary of a BBC piece claimed that Luigi Mangione, who is the person charged with the murder of UnitedHealthCare CEO Brian Thompson, had shot himself. The news organization immediately flagged the summary and demanded action, but claims it has waited weeks for a response.

“These AI summarizations by Apple do not reflect – and in some cases completely contradict – the original BBC content,” the BBC said in a statement. “It is critical that Apple urgently addresses these issues as the accuracy of our news is essential in maintaining trust.”

The BBC adds that there have been other inaccuracies including the announcement of the winner of the PDC World Darts Championships before the competition had actually started and a summary that stated that Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal had come out as gay.

The broadcaster also points out that other news outlets have been impacted, including the New York Times with a false summary suggesting Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been arrested.

Will Apple’s Update up the Accuracy?

The update is unlikely to impact the accuracy of the summaries – that is down to the training of the LLMs powering them – and as ArsTechnica points out, the errors will never get to zero.

What Apple is giving is a promise that the AI-generated summaries will be better flagged. There is an icon on these summaries already but it may not be noticed by many users.

As such, the update might not be enough to satisfy concerned parties who claim that the tech is simply not ready for widespread use. These include the former editor of The Guardian newspaper, Alan Rusbridger, who stated bluntly that Apple Intelligence was “clearly not ready”. He told the Today programme, on BBC Radio Four: “Trust in news is low enough already without giant American corporations coming in and using it as a kind of test product.”

This plays into accusations that Apple has rushed its Apple Intelligence roll-out as it was behind in the race. As such, it is now asking for patience despite inaccuracies that could potentially be damaging for news outlets and misleading for Apple users.

Fortnite players are in line to receive millions in settlement payouts, as an ongoing case against publisher Epic Games finally draws to a close once and for all.

The case revolves around players being charged for in-game cosmetic items that they didn’t want, during a near five year period.

The deadline by which to make a claim was originally January 2024, but has been extended several times, with millions already paid out to claimants. Read on to find out more about the settlement, how you can claim, and when you need to make your application by.

Fortnite $245M Settlement Draws to a Close

Fortnite makers Epic Games found themselves in hot water, after a case was brought against the publisher, claiming that it had charged players for in-game items that they didn’t want.

The case, USA v. Epic Games Inc., Case No. 5:22-CV-00518-BO, saw Epic Games charged almost half a billion dollars, with $245 million going to consumers, and another $275 million going to the FTC in penalties.

The deadline for the settlement has moved several times, with $72 million already having been paid out to players who submitted their claims by October 8th 2024.

Want to work remotely? Check out our guide to remote jobs for January 2025.

Who is Eligible for Fortnite $245M Settlement?

If you want to claim in the Fortnite settlement, you’ll first need to make sure that you are eligible. One of the following must apply:

• You charged in-game currency for unwanted items between January 2017 and September 2022
• You child made charges to Epic Games without your consent between January 2017 and November 2018
• Your account was locked between January 2017 and September 2022 after you complained to your credit card company about wrongful charges.

If you meet the above criteria, you can claim.

How To Claim in Fortnite $245M Settlement

If you’re eligible and want to claim in the Fornite settlement, you’ll need to complete a form via the official settlement site. You will need your FTC claim number, or if you don’t have one, your Epic Account ID.

In terms of the pay out, this may vary, although the FTC has stated that if there is any money left after the first round of payments, it may issue a second round to those eligible.

Claims must be submitted by January 10th 2025, with payments being made sometime after this date, assuming no complications. The FTC states that it expects payments to be made within six months.

An academic paper is about to be published suggesting that TikTok is a propaganda machine for the Chinese government.

The paper couldn’t come at a worse time for the social media platform as it heads into the Supreme Court to try and stop a ban that would force the sale of its US operations or see it shut down for good.

TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, has been on the charm offensive with incoming president, Donald Trump, hoping to reverse the ban. It has also filed a petition to block the law that establishes the ban. But this new paper will be fuel to the fire for those claiming TikTok is a national security risk as it is too closely tied to the Chinese Communist Party.

TikTok Displays Pro-Government Spin

A team from the Network Contagion Research Institute at Rutgers University analyzed content on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram. What the researchers found was that TikTok’s algorithm is less likely to push content that is critical of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) than competing platforms.

It also claims that a study of US users found a positive correlation between how much someone uses TikTok and how positive their views are of the CCP.

The findings are set to be published in the journal Frontiers in Social Psychology but have already been picked up by The Free Press. And they have also prompted a stern statement from ByteDance.

Study Compared TikTok, YouTube and Instagram

The three-level study, which has now been peer-reviewed, looked at TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.

Typing in four politically-loaded key words – “Tiananmen,” “Tibet,” “Uyghur,” and “Xinjiang” – the team first looked at what content the respective algorithms delivered.

The researchers found that while TikTok might not deliver more pro-CCP content, it did deliver less anti-CCP content than the rival platforms. It also, interestingly, delivered more content that researchers say was irrelevant to the keywords.

The team next looked at engagement to see if this explained why anti-CCP content was performing less well. But it found that TikTok users “liked or commented on anti-CCP content nearly four times as much as they liked or commented on pro-CCP content, yet the search algorithm produced nearly three times as much pro-CCP content”. This didn’t happen on Instagram or YouTube.

The last element of the study looked at the impact the content was potentially having on users. The researchers surveyed 1,214 Americans to find information on their social media usage, and their opinion on China’s human rights record. What they found was that the more time users spent on TikTok, the more positive their attitude towards the CCP was.

Is TikTok a “Vehicle for Propaganda”?

The researchers came to the damning conclusion that “taken together, the findings from these three studies raise the distinct possibility that TikTok is a vehicle for CCP propaganda.”

But TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance has furiously denied this claim and has gone after the researchers for their methods. In particular, the social media platform claims that the use of “dummy accounts”, created by the researchers, skews the findings. Instead, the team should have examined actual TikTok users’ feeds, it says.

“This flawed experiment was clearly engineered to reach a false, predetermined conclusion,” TikTok spokesperson Michael Hughes wrote in a statement. “Previous research by NCRI has been debunked by outside analysts and this latest paper is equally flawed. Creating fake accounts that interact with the app in a prescribed manner does not reflect real users’ experience, just as this so-called study does not reflect facts or reality.”

Last Ditch Attempts To Save TikTok

The paper comes as the lawyers gear up for the hearing and as the deadline for TikTok’s fate to be set – January 19^th – creeps ever closer.

However, ByteDance’s executives may be counting on a reprieve from Donald Trump, who has voiced his support for the social media platform in past months despite being a fervent adversary in the past. The company’s CEO, Shou Zi Chew, was reported by CNN to have headed to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida for a meeting, but the outcome remains unknown.

With dramatic reshuffling expected in many Government departments, it may be that the very people pushing the ban for national security reasons could be out of a job. But it could also simply be down to how much favor Trump thinks he will gain by “saving” TikTok and whether his will is enough to push these security concerns aside.

Whether you like or loathe January, it’s the perfect month to hit the reset button and plan for the year ahead.

If cash flow issues are on your mind, and you want to avoid credit cycles that can emerge from high-interest business loans, applying for business grants can be a great way to secure the funding you need to thrive in 2025. Alongside a cash prize, lots of grant programs offer additional resources and guidance, making them especially useful for businesses making their first steps.

So, as the dust from the holiday season settles, we outline five exciting grant schemes currently accepting applications this January. Read on for a summary of these opportunities, including their key details, and eligibility criteria.

Small Business Grants to Apply For in January 2025

Shake off the holiday blues by getting your business’s finances in check. Here are five exciting grants that are currently accepting applications:

1. Santander X Cultivate Small Business Grant
2. Pitch Perfect Grant
3. Retail Readiness Entrepreneurship Training Program
4. Access Ventures Fellowship
5. Year-End Skip $10,000 Grant

1. Santander X Cultivate Small Business Grant

• For: Women and minority-owned food businesses
• Grantor: Santander Bank
• Amount: Up to $13,000

Santander X Cultivate Small Business Grant is a free 12-week program that aims to support the growth of early-stage women, BIPOC, or immigrant-owned food businesses in emerging neighborhoods. Alongside awarding winners up to $13,000 in capital grants, the program also offers a 12-week curriculum including industry-specific education and networking opportunities, mentorship from food industry professionals, and MBA-level learning experiences from Babson College.

The program was founded in 2017 in the Greater Boston area and has since expanded to support entrepreneurs in Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, Philadelphia, Dallas, and Miami. Santander X Cultivate’s grant scheme is open to minority-owned food businesses that have been in operation for at least one year, and have revenues between $25,000 and $1,000,000. Application are being accepted until the end of the month.

• Deadline: January 30

Learn more and apply here

2. Pitch Perfect Grant

• For: Women entrepreneurs
• Grantor: Pink Print, Ellie Talks Money, and Skip
• Amount: $5,000

If you run a female-owned business and are in need of a little cash injection in 2025, the Pitch Perfect grant should be on your radar. The program, which is supported by Skip, Pink Print, and Ellie Talks Money, focuses on empowering women in businesses with small cash grants of $5,000.

The scheme’s straightforward application process makes it a great option for business grant newbies too. To throw your hat in the ring, all you need to do is fill in a short application form and submit a 30-second to one-minute video alongside your entry. The program is open to all 18+ women entrepreneurs in the US.

• Deadline: January 31

Learn more and apply here

3. Retail Readiness Entrepreneurship Training Program

• For: Underserved retail entrepreneurs in the agriculture sector
• Grantor: The Watson Institute and Walmart
• Amount: Up to $1,000

Are you a retail entrepreneur that’s based in a US city with high levels of wealth inequality? If so, you may be eligible for Walmart and the Walton Institute’s Retail Readiness Entrepreneurship Training Program. The 16-week program was designed to help underserved entrepreneurs who transform agricultural inputs into higher-value products become retail-ready.

With a target on entrepreneurs in the ‘missing middle’ stage, between prototyping and scaling, ideal candidates are businesses with proven products that need support to grow. To be in with a chance of winning, you’ll also have to be able to commit to the 16-week program from March to June 2025, which includes weekly virtual workshops as well as a 1-3 day in-person basecamp.

• Deadline: January 26

Learn more and apply here

4. Access Ventures Fellowship

• For: Young leaders aged 22-30
• Grantor: Access Ventures
• Amount: $20,000

Since 2014, Access Ventures has been supporting the leaders of tomorrow through early-stage capital and strategic expertise. This year, its Fellowship grant program is open once again to young leaders aged 22-30 who are dedicated to creating meaningful change in their communities.

Chosen participants receive a $20,000 stipend (split up into 12 monthly installments), a comprehensive program to build and grow leadership skills, expert resources based on individual needs, and access to virtual and in-person gatherings with the cohort and industry leaders. To apply, you’ll need to submit a letter of recommendation, a CV, and an abstract for the project you wish to explore.

• Deadline: January 31

Learn more and apply here

5. Year-End Skip $10,000 Grant

• For: US-based entrepreneurs
• Grantor: Skip
• Amount: $10,000

Loan and grant provider Skip is kicking January off with its first grant of the year. While the due date was originally intended to be in 2024, Skip’s Year-End grant is now accepting applications up to January 15, making it an ideal opportunity for businesses looking to secure their finances for the year ahead.

The program awards winners with a cash prize of $10,000 and is open to all US-based entrepreneurs and small business owners 18+ – making its eligibility criteria much broader than other grants on this list. To apply, all you need to do is provide a link to your business plan and answer one additional question on Skip’s application page. Yep, its really that easy!

• Deadline: January 15

Learn more and apply here

How to Up Your Chances of Securing Funding In 2025

Time is money in business. So, if you’re planning on taking out time to submit grant proposals this January you need to make sure every application counts. Here are some tips and tricks to be aware of to increase your chances of success:

• Choose the grant wisely – Lots of grants have strict eligibility criteria, making them unsuitable for the majority of US business owners. So, if your business falls outside of this criteria, don’t take a punt anyway. Save your time by only applying for grants your business is eligible for.
• Submit a strong business plan – When crafting, or revising your business plan, we recommend including a clear summary, your mission statement, and key facts about your business. The devil really is in the details so this isn’t the time to skimp out on important information.
• Apply early – Too many business owners leave applications until the last minute. Not only does this increase the risk of receiving penalties, but it also may make the applicant less likely to receive funds if the prize pot dwindles over time.
• Use a grant consultant – If you’re applying for grants for the first time, it could also be worth using a grant consultant. They can guide you through the application process, help you develop proposals, and even keep an eye out for other grant opportunities as they emerge.

Despite costing users $200 per month, OpenAI’s ChatGPT Pro plan is actually losing the company money, according to a recent tweet fired off by CEO Sam Altman.

The plan offers users near-unlimited access to the company’s latest models and features, and its popularity appears to be the culprit of these losses, with Altman explaining that “people use it much more than we expected”.

However, despite still struggling to remain profitable, OpenAI is committed to drumming up revenue through a variety of methods – including hiking the prices of its most popular plans.

OpenAI’s New ChatGPT Pro Plan Is Losing The Company Money

OpenAI’s highly anticipated ChatGPT Pro plan was launched in December of last year. The tier provides access to an upgraded version of OpenAI’s o1 AI model – o1 Pro mode – and lifts rate limits on a range of the company’s AI tools including its video generator, Sora.

insane thing: we are currently losing money on openai pro subscriptions!

people use it much more than we expected.

— Sam Altman (@sama) January 6, 2025

Its $200 per month price tag was determined personally by Sam Altman, as the CEO thought it would be high enough to draw some much-needed revenue into the company. Yet, despite costing considerably more than its $20 per month Plus plan, Altman revealed that GPT Pro is still losing the company money because people are using it at a much higher rate than the company expected.

OpenAI Plans For a New For-Profit Structure

Despite being one of the fastest-growing companies in Silicon Valley and raising over $20 billion since its founding, OpenAI has always struggled to generate profits.

Even after attracting over $3.7 billion in revenue last year, the company expected losses of around $5 billion due to expenditures like employee salaries, office rent, and the costs involved with training and running the AI models ChatGPT depend upon – with the chatbot costing an eye-watering $700,000 a day during certain periods.

However, as OpenAI’s financial woes mount and the company admits it needs “more capital than it imagined”, it plans to switch to a for-profit business model to recover some losses.

This corporate restructuring effort will see OpenAI create new strategic partnerships, potentially introduce ads to its free tier, and likely hike the price of its paid subscriptions. By taking these measures, the San Francisco company projects its revenue will reach a massive $100 billion by 2029.

Is It Time to Find a ChatGPT Alternative?

If ChatGPT’s potential pricing markup concerns you, the good news is there is a wealth of AI chatbots that offer just about every feature you’ll find in the trailblazing tool.

For instance, just like ChatGPT, Google Gemini is capable of advanced conversation learning, image generation, and retrieving up-to-date info from the web. After testing the two chatbots side by side, we also found Gemini to be slightly easier to use, and more conversational, making it the preferable choice for those wanting to brainstorm ideas.

What’s more, Gemini’s priciest package currently matches the price of ChatGPT Plus ($20 per month) and Google isn’t expected to raise its price anytime soon, making it a safer bet for users looking to keep costs down in the long term.

However, with ChatGPT offering better logical reasoning, SEO, and research capabilities than most of its competitors, and its Pro plan essentially giving users unfettered access to its feature catalog, it will still remain the obvious choice for many users – even if it requires them to fork out over $200 a month for the privilege.

Commuting to your job is so 2024. In the new year, we want to help you find a remote job that will give you more work-life balance, so you have a better chance of sticking to your new year’s resolutions.

Where do you start, though? Well, there are a lot of companies that are committed to remote work in 2025, with anywhere between a dozen and a hundred work-from-home positions available at any given moment. You just need to find them.

In this guide, we’ve showcased some companies that champion remote work, and listed some of the positions that you can apply for today.

CVS Health

The well-known pharmacy employs more than just in-store clerks and pharmacists. In fact, as one of the largest pharmacies in the world, CVS Health employs more than 300,000 people around the world.

Even better, CVS Health has been surprisingly on board with working from home, with a wide range of remote and hybrid positions available on its career website. As of writing this guide, CVS Health currently offers 193 fully remote positions that you can apply for right now. Here’s just a taste of some of your options:

• Manufacturer Intelligence Manager
• Provider Delegation Implementation Senior Project Manager
• Manager, Sales Operations
• Resource Planning Manager
• Principal Data Scientist
• Staff Capacity Planning Developer & Modeler
• Lead Director, Product Mgt. & Development – Pharmacist
• Senior Manager – Business Product Owner, Data Products
• EAP Clinical Counselor
• Senior Implementation Manager
• Contract Negotiation Manager
• Staff Operational Security Engineer
• Clinical Case Manager Behavioral Health
• Senior Digital Engineering Manager

Remote work isn’t the only perk available at CVS Health either. As an employee, you’ll also enjoy competitive salaries, paid parental leave, tuition assistance, and employee stock purchase plans, which should be enough to get you on board.

Check out the CVS Health career page to find more remote positions.

Uhaul

Working from home has become a popular employee perk for businesses around the world. It’s become so popular that businesses with traditionally in-person positions are starting to offer some roles that allow employees to work from home, and Uhaul has become one of those companies.

Now, Uhaul may not have as many remote jobs as other companies on this list. In fact, as of writing, the vehicle rental company only offers 12 fully remote positions. Still, if these options fit your experience, you could be working from home for a reputable company in no time.

• Sales Representative
• Customer Service Agent
• E-Roadside Assistance Agent
• Lead Software Developer
• HRIS Configuration Analyst
• Senior Software Developer
• Senior Full-Stack Software Developer

Check out the Uhaul career page to find more remote roles.

Lumen

Tech companies are typically the ones leading the charge on providing flexible working accommodations, not only to encourage work-life balance, but also to attract the top talent to the company. Lumen absolutely falls into that category, offering a remote and hybrid options for many of its positions.

On top of that, Lumen offices are all around the country, with locations in Texas, Illinois, Colorado, Maryland, Arizona, Oklahoma, and many more, so you can work from home while having the option to commute to the office if you’re in the area. Here are some of the 63 fully remote jobs currently available at Lumen:

• Senior Planning Engineer
• Lead Network Engineer
• Senior Lead Compensation Consultant
• Project Manager
• Lead Customer Care Manager
• Senior Internal Audit Manager
• Lead Project Manager
• Operations Technician
• Customer Relations Specialist
• Transition Manager Federal Programs
• Senior IT Internal Auditor

For more, check out the Lumen career page to find a remote job for you.

Microsoft

We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention Microsoft when it comes to remote work. The tech giant has been fully committed to providing workers with hybrid and remote work options since the start of the pandemic, with hundreds of positions available at all times, so you can always find something that fits your experience.

In fact, Microsoft offers so many work from home positions that we track the Microsoft remote job offerings on a monthly basis with a special guide to see what kind of roles are available every month. Suffice to say, Microsoft should be your first stop when looking for a remote job in tech.

• Principal Software Engineer
• Senior Forensic Engineering Program Manager
• Cybersecurity Incident Operations Program Manager
• Director, Business Strategy – Americas Market & Compete
• Senior Applied Scientist
• Business Program Management Specialist
• Senior Security Operations Engineer
• Principal Software Engineer- AI Search
• Data & AI Technology Specialist – Majors Growth
• Customer and Partner Engagement Manager

Check out the Microsoft careers page to find more remote jobs.

Finding a Remote Job in 2025

It may seem like remote jobs are fewer and farther between in 2025, given all the return-to-office mandates that have become all-too-common across the business landscape. Still, there are plenty of work-from-home positions out there, you just need to know where to look.

At Tech.co, we regularly post remote job guides for businesses of all sizes, including Google and Apple, so you can find a position that is as competitive as it is flexible.

Additionally, we also create guides to help you actually land the job, including resume assistance and specific interview questions to ask. All that to say, if you’re in the market for a remote job, you’re in the right place!

Apple has just settled a proposed $95 million lawsuit brought by plaintiffs who claimed that the firm’s voice activation system, Siri — which you’ll probably recognize from your iPhone — was recording conversations without permission from users and passing the information on to third parties.

The Apple settlement lawsuit, which was first brought before the courts in 2019, led Apple to internally review its Siri processes and roll out a raft of new permission prompts for users. But despite these alterations, the tech behemoth will likely pay out a small fee to millions of claimants.

In this article, we’ll summarize the ins and outs of the landmark lawsuit, how much you can expect to make if you’re eligible to make a claim, and what we know at present about the timeline for applying.

Apple’s $95 Million Privacy Lawsuit Explained

Apple has settled a $95 million privacy lawsuit which alleges that Siri secretly eavesdropped on the conversations of mobile device users after they activated the voice assistant system by accident — in other words, without their expressed permission.

The lawsuit, which still needs final approval from a US district court judge, additionally claims that Apple then sold the information it collected via Siri to third-party advertisers.

The court documents include several statements from plaintiffs that detail links between products and services they’d had conversations about, and advertisements they were subsequently served on their phones.

As the case has been settled, Apple can maintain that they didn’t do anything wrong, while simultaneously avoiding any further lawsuits concerning the issue.

There’s very little financial motivation for them to see the cause through, either. The company made almost one thousand times more in profits ($93.74 billion) than the payout total during 2024, so settling now is a small drop in a very large ocean of corporate cash.

Who can Claim, and How Much Might You Get?

“The proposed Settlement Class”, the settlement reads, “consists of ‘all individual current or former owners or purchasers of a Siri Device, who reside in the United States and its territories, whose confidential or private communications were obtained by Apple and/or were shared with third parties as a result of an unintended Siri activation’.”

If you do own an Apple device with Siri, you’ll have had to have used it within the period specified in the lawsuit, referred to as the “class period.” This is September 17, 2014 — when Apple first introduced the “Hey Siri” activation demand — through to December 31, 2024.

Claimants will also have to confirm under oath that they have witnessed instances of Siri eavesdropping on conversations they had intended to be private.

Of course, if you don’t have an iPhone — or you have one, but you’ve never turned Siri on — you won’t be eligible for a claim.

According to Reuters, the number of claimants could be in the tens of millions, with up to $20 each up for grabs for each device Siri was installed on. This could include iPhones and Apple Watches, as well as iPads, HomePod speakers, Mac computers and Apple TVs.

The lawyers representing the two plaintiffs who lodged the lawsuit against the tech behemoth are set to take almost $30 million in fees and expenses. This means the total payout shared equally among claimants is likely to be significantly less than the amount Apple has agreed to pay.

How Do You Submit a Claim for Apple’s Siri Lawsuit?

As Apple has only just settled the lawsuit and there’s a further hearing scheduled in February to approve the terms, claimants will have to wait until at least that point to secure their slice of the settlement pie.

So for now, all you have to do is keep your eye on February 14, when everything should hopefully be finalized. After that, we should have some sort of idea of where — and when — claims can be submitted.

In a recent cyberbreach, Chinese government hackers targeted the US Treasury office that administers economic sanctions, it was reported by the Washington Post on Wednesday.

Earlier this week, the department divulged a “major incident” to Capitol Hill lawmakers after hackers gained access to the Treasury and stole unclassified documents. At the time, it did not specify which departments or users were affected. It has since been revealed that the office responsible for economic sanctions was among those targeted by the hackers.

Tensions between the US and China have been heightened in recent months, with China recently opening a probe into US chipmaker Nvidia as a series of escalating sanctions threatens to boil over. With President-elect and notorious China-skeptic Trump now just days away from taking office, the timing could not be worse.

Chinese Hackers Targeted Sanctions Office, Washington Post Claims

Chinese-sponsored hackers that gained access to the US Treasury Department in December specifically targeted the office responsible for economic sanctions, the Washington Post reports. The office of Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who refused to rule out sanctions on Chinese banks in December, was also targeted by the hacks.

Malicious actors gained access to BeyondTrust, the third-party cybersecurity company that provides remote technical support for Treasury employees. Through this, they were able to remotely access federal employees’ workstations and any documents that they maintained.

China Blasts Cybercrime Charges

The news first came to light on December 8, 2024, when BeyondTrust notified the Treasury that it had begun working with the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the FBI to gauge the impact of the breach. According to “available indicators,” the hack was likely to have been perpetrated by state-sponsored Chinese actors, it claimed.

In response to the allegations, Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, called the claims “irrational,” “without any factual basis,” and “smear attacks.” He went on to state that China “combats all forms of cyberattacks.”

Last month, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen refused to rule out sanctions against Chinese banks that were found to be funding the Russian invasion of Ukraine. She stated: “I absolutely would not rule out the possibility we would sanction an individual bank if we had the necessary level of…evidence to be able to put sanctions on.”

US-China Tensions Heating Up as Trump Nears Oval Office

With Trump set to be sworn in as US President in just a few days, relations between the US and China are under considerable strain – and could be set to worsen even further.

In recent months, the two superpowers have levied several tariffs, sanctions, and probes against each other in an escalating grudge match. A month ago, the federal government published tips for broadband providers after relentless telecommunications breaches from China. Elsewhere, the imminent US ban on TikTok inches closer as a solution continues to elude the Chinese-owned ByteDance.

As an avowed China skeptic, there are fears that Trump’s second term could spell disaster for the already fractured relationship between the US and China. While Trump himself has moved to quell these concerns, reportedly inviting Chinese President Xi Jinping to his inauguration later this month, his first term was characterized by hostility towards the superpower.