AI tends to divide the crowd, with many sitting in one of two camps. Some have expressed concerns about this type of technology automating tasks and eventually taking over their jobs. Others have embraced the technology and are using it as a sort of virtual assistant to take on elements of their job to maximize their own efficiency. Or so they say.

A new study the journal Frontiers in Robotics and AI found that people carrying out tasks with robots will exert less effort when they think the robot will pick up the slack, a psychological theory known as “social loafing.”

Social loafing is the social phenomenon that individuals don’t pull their weight when working as part of a team or with well-respected colleagues, relying on others to cover for them. It can sometimes explain why groups are often less productive than individuals working on a task alone.

How Was the Study Conducted?

The study by researchers at the Technical University of Berlin was designed to test whether this unconscious behavior was also true with robots, and to what extent.

According to the research article, the method the scientist used was to give participants the task of spotting defects on circuit boards. One group of participants worked on the task alone, while the other group worked with a robot team partner, receiving boards that had already been inspected by the robot.

The robot was quite reliable and marked defects on the boards before handing them over to the human. However, it missed 5 defects.

The dependent behavioral measures of interest were effort, operationalized as inspection time and area inspected on the board, and defect detection performance. In addition, subjects rated their subjective effort, performance, and perceived responsibility for the task.

Key Takeaways

The results show that when people think their efforts will be less valuable than that of a colleague, be it human or robot, they tend to take a more laissez-faire approach to the work.

Those participants who had help from the robot had higher error rates than those working alone. Scientists described a “looking but not seeing” effect where the participants working with robots became accustomed to the robot picking up the errors and began engaging less in the task as they deemed the robot to be reliable.

“Teamwork is a mixed blessing. Working together can motivate people to perform well but it can also lead to a loss of motivation because the individual contribution is not as visible.” – Dietlind Helene Cymek, first author of the study

While the study did have some limitations, the authors warned that if the findings were to play out in real-life workplaces it could have a negative impact on quality control at best and serious safety repercussions at worst. Food for thought for industries such as manufacturing and construction which require stringent quality and safety checks.

Mark Zuckerberg has revealed via Facebook that the world’s most popular social media platform will be getting a broadcast channel feature similar to the one rolled out earlier in the year for two of Meta’s other apps, WhatsApp and Instagram.

The tech giant launched a public one-to-many messaging feature as WhatsApp Channels earlier this year, alongside something similar for Instagram. Now it’s coming to Facebook and is being described by the company as a tool for creators and public figures to more deeply engage with their followers.

Anyone on Facebook will be able to join these broadcast channels as a way of keeping up-to-date with the content from their favorite Pages and dive deeper into the topics that matter most to them. Facebook’s partner messaging app, now simply called Messenger, will also be getting the feature.

How Will Facebook Broadcast Channels Work?

Meta reveals more in a Facebook blog post announcing the new feature. Going forward, anyone with admin access to an official Facebook Page belonging to a brand or celebrity will be able to start a broadcast channel directly from the Page they manage.

Admins can invite users to join the broadcast channel, creating what has been described as a “giant group chat” where they are able to publish content to this channel for all of those who choose to see it and engage with.

Channel members receive notifications whenever the creator drops new content. They cannot post in the channel themselves, but can react to posts published by the admin.

Facebook Businesses Most Obviously Benefit

Listing its core benefits, Meta describes the tool as a “direct communication line with your biggest fans and a lightweight way to keep followers in the know.” Zuckerberg’s post adds that pages will be able to share voice notes, text, photos/videos, and GIFs with anyone who joins their channels.

Polls will also be an important feature for brands to utilize in order to get instant feedback from their community. As well as following in the footsteps of WhatsApp and Instagram channels, the new Facebook broadcast feature most obviously has echoes of Telegram, as the privacy-focused and encrypted messaging app was among the first platforms to introduce such functionality.

New features to the broadcast channel tool are being tested and are expected to be rolled out in due course. This include collaborators, which enable creators to invite other creators (or fans) to participate in their broadcast channel.

Is It Overkill for Meta’s Social Media Family?

Whilst the news has been welcomed with open arms by brands and creators which have had success engaging more deeply with their followers on Instagram and WhatsApp, some are skeptical it was necessary to roll out the same feature across all of Meta’s platforms. In short, the feature isn’t exactly new – it’s just new for Facebook.

One Facebook user gained 227 Likes (at the time of writing) by simply commenting on Zuckerberg’s post: “I miss how each app used to be unique.”

The additional notifications are a potential cause for concern, and might limit the number of channels one user can actually manage to keep up with. It’s not known why Meta didn’t introduce broadcast channels as a cross-platform feature to begin with, to avoid users doubling up on the same content across multiple apps and accounts.

Fed up of Facebook? Check out our guide and learn all the ways you can delete Facebook today, either for good or temporarily.

Do you manage a reasonable workload, clock off at 5pm on the dot, and benefit from a nice salary? If so, you may be working a #lazygirljob. 

What started as a throw-away video from TikToker @gabrielle_judge has snowballed into a global movement with a hashtag that’s racked up over 31.5 million views to date. Drawing comparisons to other Gen Z concepts like #quietquitting and #restenteeism, the trend seeks to challenge the “always-on” culture that permeates US workplaces by encouraging younger workers to opt for low-stress jobs with healthier work-life boundaries.

However, while its advocates view it as a healthy counter to the millennial #girlboss, to its critics, the movement is an unnecessarily gendered trope that’s holding back ambitious women in the workplace. Whichever side of the fence you fall on, we spoke to US workers and the movements creator, Gabrielle Judge, to find out what the movement reveals about our relationship to work in 2023.

The Rise of the Lazy Girl

First coined by TikToker and self-proclaimed ‘anti-work girlboss’ Gabrielle Judge, #lazygirjobs refer to flexible, often remote jobs that pay well and don’t take up too much of your energy. Think of non-technical, clerical positions like office administrator, customer-success manager, or digital marketing associate.

The term takes inspiration from other #lazygirl trends that have been circulating TikTok, such as #lazygirlmath – a trend that uses lackadaisical math to justify pricey purchases and #lazygirldinner – a buzzword used to describe what is essentially a plate full of snacks.

But contrary to its title, proponents of the movement claim that they’re anything but lazy, and instead use the title to subvert tired stereotypes about unmotivated Gen Zs. “A lazy girl job is a mindset that supports a better relationship with work,” Judge tells Tech.co, explaining that a “work-life balance” and priority setting” form its central pillars.

@gabrielle_judge’s lazy girl jobs post on TikTok

Judge started pursuing the lazy girl life after becoming burnt out by her dream job in April 2022. “I quickly found doing good work just meant more work and didn’t guarantee a raise or promotion”, Judge told us. While she works as a full-time content creator and CEO now, she’s grateful that her career pivot gave her more time and energy for her business, relationships, and other personal endeavors.

Judge’s message has resonated. Since she first coined the term back in June, hundreds of mostly Gen Z TikTokers have flocked to the platform to show off their so-called “lazy girl job”. Many of the posts, which often feature young females tapping away on keyboards, gorging on snacks, and leaving their desks for long leisurely strolls, have attracted thousands of likes and tons of engagement, including Victoria Carmonar’s video – which has currently been viewed 2.4 million times.

@victoriacarmonar’s TikTok post received 2.4 million views

Before Victoria Carmonar became a lazy girl, she worked taxing 8-hour shifts as a technical engineer. “Working as a technician I would get home very tired so I wouldn’t pursue any hobbies or wouldn’t even spend time with my loved ones.” she tells Tech.co. “All I wanted to do was get home and rest”.

“Having a lazy girl job gave me the opportunity to have more free time for myself which allowed me to find new hobbies.” – Victoria Carmonar

Since switching to a less labor-intensive desk-based job, Carmonar has had more time and energy to work out, spend time with her dog, hang out with friends and family, and pursue new hobbies. Put simply, she’s been able to swing the pendulum from living to work to working to live, which in the context of the US hustle culture is a sensible, yet radical, concept.

Burnout is On the Rise Universally

The rise of the #lazygirljobs hashtag, and other workplace trends like quiet quitting, bare minimum Mondays, and resenteeism haven’t happened in isolation. They’re all responses to the US’s rapidly growing burnout problem – a type of stress that can have a devastating impact on a worker’s physical health, mental well-being, and sense of identity.

Burnout isn’t anything new, but recent research from the Future Forum shows the health concern is at an all-time high, especially for younger generations and female workers. Due to a heady mix of financial concerns, external pressures, and the turbulent time in which they entered the job market, Gen Z is commonly cited as the most stressed demographic, while around 10% more women report being burned out than men.

However, unlike older generations that propagate, or at least passively accept hustle culture, many Gen Zers are fighting back. By pursuing lazy girl jobs and reserving time and energy for their personal lives, the generation is choosing to actively challenge the ‘always on’ corporate mentality that normalizes mandatory overtime, unrealistic workloads, and unused vacation days.

But while the movement is empowering young workers to carve out healthier work-life boundaries, not everyone is ready to trade in their passion for lazy girl jobs.

Who You Calling Lazy?

The truth is, women in the workforce are more ambitious than ever. According to McKisney’s Women in the Workplace Report 2023, 96% of working females admit that a career is important to them, and nine out of 10 young women are currently trying to work their way up the career ladder.

And while the “purposefully controversial” use of the words ‘lazy girl’ is key to the success of the movement,  the term has also drawn a lot of backlash from professional women, concerned that the term may negatively impact their reputation in the workplace.

“Gendered labels may be catchy, but they’re restricting” explains Shilpa Madan, an assistant professor of marketing at Singapore Management University. “It is easy for these labels to feel patronizing, especially since they may inadvertently minimize the complexity of women’s experiences or undermine their autonomy”.

Others have derived the term for being deceptive. Gina Yiyya works a flexible job as a remote dental health worker, but sees herself as anything but lazy. “The phrase lazy girl job is misleading” Yiyya tells us “as I find I need to work harder to manage my time effectively, especially as a parent.”

But while greater female career progression is undoubtedly a good thing, does leveling up and fulfilling your passion have to be at odds with a thriving personal life?

Lazy Girl Jobs Aren’t The Only Route to Job Satisfaction

The roles that lazy girls promote in their videos roughly fit the bill of what British Anthropologist David Graeber describes as “bullshit jobs”: “a form of paid employment that is so completely pointless, unnecessary, or pernicious that even the employee cannot justify its existence”.

While clerical data entry and customer success roles are nothing to be snubbed at, it’s true that pursuing this type of career may be ill-suited to workers looking to gain deep meaning from their nine to five.

Melanie Ortegon, the marketing director for the restoration company Cleaner Guys rejects the movement for this reason. “I believe that all people need to do something meaningful with their lives in order to feel like their life is worth something,” Ortegon tells Tech.co, “I don’t believe it will ultimately satisfy.”

For others, however, there doesn’t need to be a trade-off between fulfilling your passion and instating healthy boundaries. Veteran digital marketer and founder of FocusWorks, Amanda Sexton, explains that she’s been able to combine both in her current position. “For me, it’s not about choosing between a healthy work-life balance and feeling challenged at work, it’s about integrating them.”

“A job should stimulate and challenge you, but not at the expense of your well-being or personal life.” –Amanda Sexton, founder of FocusWorks

And for those rejecting the corporate rat race to coast in well-paying jobs? Well, they shouldn’t be shamed either. Opting for flexible, low-stress jobs is the only way many can nurture a prosperous life outside of the office.

Speaking to us about this issue, TikToker and #lazygirl Victoria Carmonar explained that despite being criticized for her career move, it finally feels like it’s allowed her to do something with her life. And with Gen Z workers currently experiencing unprecedented levels of stress and anxiety in the workplace, this should be something that everyone – regardless of generation or gender – can rally behind.

During Tesla’s third quarter financial results call on Wednesday evening, Musk spent a large proportion of the call ranting about the the remote workforce.

On the call with the tech titan, financial analysts and investors discussed the electric car manufacturer’s earnings and spoke in detail about interest rate rises, financial pressures on regular working people, and how economic uncertainty might be impacting the company’s financials.

Musk was very much on-brand during the earnings call, offering up some controversial and colorful contributions to the discussion. He described Tesla’s cost reduction efforts as “digging a tunnel with a spoon,” and called people pushing work-from-home policies privileged and detached from reality.

Musk Rants Against Remote Work

Musk described those who are pro-remote work as giving off “Marie Antoinette vibes”. Marie Antoinette was the last queen of France before the French Revolution and was thought to have said the phrase “Let them eat cake” in response to the people of France who could not even afford to eat bread, showing her ignorance for the suffering of the general population.

He went on to say “What about all the people that have to come to the factory and build the cars, and all the people who have to go to the restaurant and make your food and deliver your food? It’s like, what are you talking about? I mean, how detached from reality does the work-from-home crowd have to be while they take advantage of those who cannot work from home.”

Musk has been outspoken on the issue for a while. In an interview with CNBC in May this year, Musk said that he thinks working from home is “morally wrong” when service workers have to show up. He labelled the work from home crowd as the Silicon Valley “laptop classes” calling the movement “bullshit” but insisting “it’s not just a productivity thing.”

A Distraction from Struggling Financials

Musk’s rant about remote workers came as an interruption to the prior discussion about Tesla’s economic position and the affordability of Tesla cars.

Tesla reported revenues of $23.35 billion for the third quarter, missing Wall Street expectations of $24.06 billion.

Musk painted a bleak picture, giving mention to the crumbling real estate market, the “punishing” credit card interest rates, and global conflicts.

“I apologize if I’m more paranoid than I should be, because that might also be the case, because I have PTSD from 2009, big time. And 2017 through 2019, were no picnic either. So, you know, the auto industry is also somewhat cyclic. People hesitate to buy a new car if there’s uncertainty in the economy.” – Elon Musk

“Sleeping on the Factory Floor”

Musk went further on the call, highlighting the importance (to him) of a 24/7 work ethic.

He said on the call, “why did I sleep in the factory so many times? Because it mattered. What about all the people that have to come to the factory and build the cars? What about all of the people that have to go to the restaurant and make your food, and deliver your food?”

It has been well documented that the workaholic tech billionaire has enforced his ways of working on his workers with reports of office attendance tracking, offices being transformed into places for staff to sleep instead of going home, and eyebrow-raising policies on issues such as parental leave.

Microsoft has committed to training one million people with the AI skills needed to pursue a career in technology, readying them for the “AI economy”, one where 47% of business leaders are now considering AI over new hires.

Clare Barclay, head of Microsoft UK, said that by 2025, the company will have supported one million people to gain the AI skills needed “to start, or move into, a career in technology.”

There’s now a whole ecosystem of free AI training courses available online, with more and more people looking for ways to stand out from the crowd in the modern-day economy.

Microsoft Pledges to Train Tomorrow’s AI-Ready Tech Workers

Microsoft has pledged to upskill one million people in the United Kingdom by 2025, focusing on skills that will make them valuable assets to businesses in an AI-powered economy. 

The commitment involves an expansion of the Get On program, which has already trained over one million people in the United Kingdom and has contributed to more than 30,000 people securing careers in the tech industry, Microsoft says.

At the tech giant’s Envision UK event, Clare Barclay, CEO of Microsoft UK, said that the country has “a real opportunity to be a leader in the era of AI” but admitted there were challenges ahead if Britain wants to turn “its ambition into action.”

Microsoft’s Key AI Skills Focuses

In a blog post announcing the pledge, Microsoft details a focus on three key areas.

The first is what the company has termed “AI fluency”. This consists of “enabling workers, job seekers, and AI-curious self-learners to build AI knowledge and understanding including responsible deployment.”

The second is developing AI technical skills, and helping those who gain such skills to achieve certification with self-learning courses on machine and data analysis.

Whether these will be available to people outside of the UK is not mentioned, but there are lots of resources that are available on the Microsoft Learning and Community Hub.

The final area of focus is supporting the businesses as they manage “AI transformation”, so they can really take advantage of the most lucrative growth opportunities.

Is The Global Workforce AI Ready?

According to a recent YouGov survey referenced in Microsoft’s announcements, 54% of UK-based business leaders surveyed are concerned their workforce lacks the skills to make the most of the AI opportunity.

Despite these concerns, echoed by many business leaders in the US, companies are more inclined than ever to incorporate AI into their existing operational infrastructure.

For instance, a recent Tech.co survey focusing on the fleet industry found that 67% of industry decision-makers trust AI to drive their cars.

Many more businesses now expect their employees to implement AI independently too, with or without their permission. Another Tech.co survey conducted this year found that 82% of business leaders think it’s acceptable for employees to use AI to draft responses to colleagues. Having AI skills that show you can be trusted to traverse an ever-expanding landscape of chatbots and guidelines has never been more crucial.

Whether you’re competing with the robots for a job or trying to help a company, businesses are looking for people with a deep understanding of AI, and how it can be implemented effectively. So, it’s important to keep an eye out for training opportunities provided by the likes of Microsoft and Google.

Tired of your commute? Well, you’re in luck, because Microsoft is hiring, and there are nearly 500 positions that are up to 100% work from home.

Whether your company got rid of remote work or you’re just done with in-office company culture, there are plenty of good reasons to look for a job that will let you work from home, including work-life balance and flexible work conditions.

Still, many companies are pushing return-to-office policies like their lives depend on it, which is why we’ve put together this guide to remote jobs available at Microsoft right now. Check out the list of positions below and apply now to ditch the commute.

1. Director of Testing

As we know from platforms like Teams, Microsoft is always testing and updating its offerings. Subsequently, the Director of Testing role that is currently open holds a lot of weight at the company, working directly with the CTO to develop and introduce testing strategies for Microsoft’s many products.

The Director of Testing will “build and manage a team of test engineers that will ensure Microsoft’s successful launch of new, innovative solutions.” Beyond your own team, you’ll also work closely with a wide range of departments, including product development, datacenter design, supply chain, quality, and operations.

Salary range: $173,200 – $282,200 per year

2. Content Product Manager

If you love video games and want to work from home, this Content Product Manager could be a good fit for you. The role is specifically with the Xbox Game Pass Deal & Partner Strategy team, which develops content and strategy for the game subscription service from the popular provider.

Microsoft is specifically looking for someone “who will shape the Game Pass content portfolio and the Game Pass value proposition for key external partners.” You’ll get to work with some of the largest publishers in the video game industry and work across all mediums, including Xbox, portable computer (PC), and cloud gaming.

Salary range: $120,900 – $198,600 per year

3. Responsible AI Governance Program Leader

AI is all the rage in tech right now, and businesses around the world are getting on board with new technology aimed at making the day-to-day operations a little smoother. However, the human touch will always be necessary to keep an eye out that technology, which is where the Responsible AI Governance Program Leader for the Microsoft HR department is so important.

This role involves “developing and implementing an end-to-end governance program to drive adherence to Responsible AI principles.” Responsible AI refers to Microsoft’s stated commitment to ensure that AI models are developed in a responsible and trustworthy manner.

Salary range: $142,200 – $213,200 per year

4. Cloud Solution Architect-AI Platform

Microsoft is one of the primary drivers of AI tech being integrated into other companies, considering its partnership with ChatGPT. As a result, Microsoft customers from across its many products inevitably need help getting it setup, which is where the Cloud Solution Architect will come in.

The role will primarily focus on “enabling customers to achieve their outcomes based on their investments in Microsoft technology,” with thorough knowledge of Microsoft Azure Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) technical specifics.

Salary range: $130,000 – $213,200 per year

5. Security Operations and Incident Response Lead

A big company like Microsoft is consistently targeted when it comes to security breaches. Everything from ransomware attacks to phishing scams put Microsoft and its wealth of valuable data at risk, which is why a Security Operations and Incident Response Lead is such an important role at the organization.

The person that takes on this role “will be responsible for taking the lead on major incident response activities.” Beyond that, you’ll also be responsible for mentoring less experienced analysts, so the whole team is prepped and ready to handle anything cyber criminals can throw at them.

Salary range: $145,800 – $238,600 per year

6. Product Designer

Microsoft is well-known for its many digital services, many of which power companies around the world to accomplish their goals. OneDrive is one of those tools, a cloud storage service that allows you to access photos, images, and other content across multiple devices at once, and the Product Designer position will work to make it better.

The role will specifically innovate, reinventing, and optimize the OneDrive platform, working with researchers, writers, and engineers to make this popular service even more useful for its millions of users.

Salary range: $100,300 – $165,400 per year

7. Senior Software Community Engineer – Linux

Linux is a specific operating system that, while less popular than some competitors, still has a loyal following of users. Because of that, Microsoft wants to ensure that Linux developers on its Azure product with the Senior Software Community Engineer role.

According to Microsoft, the role will “improve the Linux and cloud native experience on Azure by developing and operating new and existing production services at scale, improve the performance and reliability of existing cloud infrastructure, and work with internal and external partners to create a seamless Linux experience on Azure.”

Salary range: $145,800 – $238,600 per year

8. Director of Identity and Security Strategy

There’s no denying that security is important at a company like Microsoft, which is why there are so many different roles dedicated to shoring up protections from cyber-attacks. The Director of Identity and Security Strategy is one of those roles.

The job page for this roles states that you will “be responsible for shaping the strategic direction and the evolution of our identity and security systems, ensuring that they align with the Microsoft’s strategic requirements, maintaining the highest standards of identity protection, privacy, and compliance.”

Salary range: $173,200 – $282,200 per year

9. Group Manager Event Operations

Marketing events are key to the success of any business, and Microsoft wants to keep their priorities straight by hiring a Group Manager Event Operations that will “deliver large scale global marketing events” with a team that they will manage.

In this role, you’ll be responsible for strategizing and delivering of innovative marketing campaigns that will bolster the offerings by Microsoft. You’ll also need to be well-versed in industry trends, keeping up with how marketing events are evolving in the modern era.

Salary range: $142,200 – $213,200 per year

10. Director of Artificial Intelligence & Ecosystem Readiness

The tech industry is all about working together, and Microsoft is a bit contributor here. Beyond its own hardware, it also works with other device partners to provide AI solutions to improve functionality. As a result, they need the Director of Artificial Intelligence and Ecosystem Readiness to facilitate these partnerships in a real way.

The goal for the candidate that receives this role is “to lead AI strategy and enable readiness with Microsoft’s device partners.” Take note, you will report to the Partner Product Management Leader, but you will build out your own strategy for tackling this AI-driven role.

Salary range: $159,000 – $264,000 per year

11. Senior Supply Planner

As you can imagine, Microsoft is always expanding, particularly when it comes to data centers, so that they can handle all the information that transfers through their many offerings. A Senior Supply Plan will tackle that and other operations that relate to data center supply plans

The job site notes that this candidate will be in charge of “delivering capacity plans that balance cost, lead time, and risk in accordance with supply chain management best practices.”

Salary range: $117,900 – $195,000 per year.

New data shows that only 26% of US households have someone working from home, as business owners continue their crusade against remote work.

The return-to-office movement has been gaining momentum over the last few months, with a wide range of business owners establishing policies that have left employees in the lurch. Some have even had to sell houses at a loss because of rushed plans that don’t take employee wellbeing into consideration.

So why exactly are businesses owners so dead set on getting back to the office?

Remote Work Continues to Drop Amidst Return-to-Office Movement

The Household Pulse Survey from the US Census Bureau found that only 26% of US households have at least one person working from home at least once per week.

This number is one of the lowest in the pandemic-era, down from a high of 37% in early 2021.

The decline in remote work is unfortunate but hardly surprising, as business owners have made a concentrated effort rid the world of flexible work conditions. In fact, a ZipRecruiter study found that 43% of businesses have limited remote or hybrid work in some capacity in the last year.

Why CEOs Are Pushing Return-to-Office Policies

Speculation has run rampant when it comes to the actual purpose behind return-to-office policies. Some believe that collaboration and company culture, while others point to investments in commercial real estate as a driver for heading back into the office.

Still, some experts note that it’s nothing more than wanting to keep an eye on employees a little more closely than remote work allows:

“It’s an incredibly challenging, frustrating, and disorienting time for employers when the tool they relied on most, observing employees in-person, is gone.” – Julia Pollak, chief economist at ZipRecruiter to CNBC Make It.

In 2023, this is a borderline laughable excuse for getting rid of remote work. The popular employee perk allows for more work-life balance, allowing workers to more flexibility in everyday life to handle things like childcare and errands, and losing it because your boss needs to actually look at you while you work is simply unacceptable.

On top of that, project management software and other digital business resources are designed to track productivity far more effectively than the naked eye of a passing manager.

Is Remote Work Bad for Business?

With more and more companies announcing return-to-office policies, there must be a lot of data out there showing remote work is bad for business, right? Well actually, the opposite appears to be true, with many work from home productivity statistics showing that remote work can boost productivity and increase revenue.

In fact, a recent study found that businesses offering remote and hybrid work positions are growing at nearly three times the rate of those requiring in-office schedules.

Need even more excuses to stick with remote work? On top of the benefits for your business and your employees, working from home also helps the environment, with flexible working conditions reducing the carbon footprint of businesses that participate.

Suffice to say, return-to-office policies without proper research and reason are bound to backfire on your business, so make sure you know what you’re doing before making a decision.

Employees of online game platform Roblox were told this week about new hybrid work plans that would require them to be in the San Mateo, California headquarters on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Those who choose not to will be offered a severance package, as the organization becomes the latest example of big companies ending remote work this year.

The announcement from founder and CEO David Baszucki was shared in an open-letter to all staff, and U-turns on a memo from May 2022 that stated employees could choose to “primarily work remotely.”

This latest move highlights the increasing lack of consistency across the tech industry’s way of working. While Roblox is in good company with its return to office mandate, there are also still plenty of companies offering remote working in 2023, including the likes of Dropbox, Dell, and Reddit.

Culture and Innovation Behind Roblox’s Move

In a blog titled The Future of How We Work Together at Roblox, Baszucki told employees that the company “did not take the decision lightly”.

Staff welfare is partly behind the pivot, with senior management concerned that college graduates and new starters would miss out on mentorship and “learning through social contact” if they were to start their careers working remotely.

However, one of the main reasons for the move is to ensure that innovation remains strong. “A three-hour Group Review in person is much less exhausting than over video and brainstorming sessions are more fluid and creative. While I’m confident we will get to a point where virtual workspaces are as engaging, collaborative, and productive as physical spaces, we aren’t there yet.” said Baszucki.

He also confirmed that relocation expenses to California, to be undertaken by summer 2024, would be provided to current remote workers if needed.

Roblox Still U-Turns on Last Year’s Memo

The May 2022 memo from Roblox Chief Marketing Officer Barbara Messing, stated that their work from home model gave employees the option to head to the office regularly, rarely, or for “quarterly get-togethers”.

Messing also shared that this original decision was “powered by personal responsibility that gives teams and leaders the flexibility to decide how they work best given their goals”.

Ultimately, the reversal of this policy hopes to “strengthen company culture [to] result in more innovative and productive employees,” even though it does almost certainly mean some employees will have to start looking for companies hiring for remote working jobs.

Roblox Severance Packages to Include Benefits

For those choosing to take severance, the package will be created on the basis of their seniority and how long they’ve been with the company. Roblox will also include six months of healthcare coverage for everyone on their policies, and individuals will be given an additional three months – until mid-April – to “transition out of their roles as full-time employees”.

However, as with all hybrid working policies, nuance plays a large part in Roblox’s recent mandate as the company will continue to employ some remote workers. These include roles such as data center operators, content moderators, and call center workers, as they require offsite working.

Similarly, those with a “niche skill set or significant institutional knowledge” can continue to work remotely. 

Baszucki acknowledged the impact this decision may have on employees’ lives, stating: “We have done everything we can to make this process as systematic and fair as possible. Unfortunately, I know that some employees will decide not to join us at headquarters.”

The $19 billion game company went public in 2021, after seeing business boom thanks to the pandemic. It currently employs over 2,100 people full-time.

If you live in New Zealand or the Philippines and would like to join X, formerly Twitter, the service will now cost $1 a year thanks to a new rule that kicked into play yesterday.

The annual subscription plan will start as a test in the two countries, and are said to be part of the platform’s ‘Not a Bot’ program that’s designed to reduce spam and bot activity.

Rumours of subscriptions fees have been whispered about for some time now. However, this latest announcement marks the most significant change in the platform’s set up since the introduction of verification fees.

Want to Like a Post? It’ll Cost You

As well as paying the $1 fee, new users will have to verify their account with a phone number. Following this they’ll then be able to “perform certain actions” on the platform’s web version, such as Liking and Bookmarking posts, and Replying, Reporting or Quoting other accounts.

In a Help Centre post, X said the subscription was developed to “bolster our already significant efforts to reduce spam, manipulation of our platform, and bot activity… [that can] disrupt the experience of other X users.”. 

Those who opt out of a subscription will only be able to make “read-only” actions, such as reading posts, watching videos, and following accounts.

While it’s not specified why New Zealand and the Philippines have been chosen as the countries to test the subscription, it may be down to the rate of bot activity and ease of creating fake accounts in those locations.

According to X owner Elon Musk, the logic behind the move is that bots cost “a fraction of a penny” to set up, so raising the cost of an account to “a few dollars or something”, and requiring scammers to set up a new payment method per account creation, would act as a deterrent.

Localized pricing works out at $1.43 NZD in New Zealand and ₱42.51 PHP in the Philippines. However, the platform has confirmed that existing users in these countries would not be required to pay the fee.

Not The X’s First Move Into Monetization

While this latest move from X is sure to ruffle a few feathers, monetizing the platform isn’t a new concept. 

Earlier this year the X Premium paid-for subscription came into play, with users able to pay $8 a month or $84 a year to get a blue verification checkmark. The introduction of these fees were similarly made in order to prevent scams.

However, this move has not yet stopped scammers on the platform, as accounts displaying the paid-for icon have been used to mislead users and carry out phishing attacks. Those specifically at risk include users who wish to communicate with the bank and airline customer service teams, and are then tricked into sharing bank details.

X Continues With the Controversy

It’s been a busy period for X/Twitter and Musk of late with the introduction of their controversial new privacy policy that Amnesty International claimed “risks violating the right to privacy for millions”, and talk of lay-off negotiations with over 2,000 ex-employees.

However, Musk is keen to press on monetizing the platform, with plans for subscriptions to become half of the company’s overall revenue. It remains to be seen whether this latest $1 fee will help contribute to that goal.

Following hot on the heels of Google’s recent introduction of passkeys, WhatsApp has revealed it too is now rolling out support for passkeys, with Android devices the first to get the new feature on the popular messaging app.

It’s another potential nail in the coffin for the humble password, with passkeys widely being hailed as the future of online account security. Their main advantage is that they’re considerably more user-friendly than traditional password security, which can easily become unmanageable given its increasingly complex demands.

Instead of complicated alphanumeric combinations, passkeys promise to let you log in to your accounts with nothing more than your face, fingerprint, or a physical mobile device. It means you’ll be able to access your messages more quickly than ever, so let’s take a look at how to setup passkeys on WhatsApp for Android. We’ll update this guide to include other platforms as the functionality becomes available.

How To Set Up Passkeys on WhatsApp for Android

WhatsApp, the widely used messaging platform owned by Meta, announced that it was phasing in passkeys on X (formerly Twitter). Independent user reports indicate that the new passwordless security feature is up and running for select users.  If that’s you, or you want to find out if you’ve got support yet, here’s how to setup passkeys on WhatsApp for Android.

1. Ensure you are logged in to your Google account and have a lock screen enabled
2. Open WhatsApp on your Android phone
3. Navigate to Settings > Passkeys
4. Select “Create Passkeys”
5. Follow the instructions to connect your phone’s lock screen to WhatsApp
6. Choose what type of new passkey to create: PIN, fingerprint, or facial recognition

A final caveat that the you’ll need to be using an Android device running Android 9 or above. Your mileage with biometric security will also vary depending on your device, so if you don’t get the option for facial recognition (for example) that’s probably because you don’t have a compatible handset.

WhatsApp adds that it is rolling out passkey support over the coming “weeks and months,” so if you don’t see the option to create a passkey in WhatsApp, don’t worry: your number probably just hasn’t been called yet.

How Do Passkeys on WhatsApp Actually Work?

As we’ve mentioned, passkey security works by utilizing the biometric sensors that are integrated into many current smartphones, or harnessing a preset PIN number on your handset. This data is stored locally (e.g. physically) on your cell or other mobile device, so your authentication is “secured” by the fact you have to be in possession of the hardware to successfully complete the log-in process.

They are an alternative to the long, often absurdly complicated passwords that are required to secure all manner of online accounts and services these days – measures that have now gone so far, they’ve spawned a highly successful spoof in The Password Game.

If you go off the idea, then you can easily revert to using a traditional password on WhatsApp and other platforms that now offer passkey security. However, you might be like us and quite excited about the prospect of a passwordless future, even if we’re not quite ready to announce its total demise just yet.

Are Passkeys the Future of Online Security?

Google and WhatsApp are two of the biggest names to have joined the passwordless revolution, while the likes of Apple and Microsoft have also committed to creating a new online security standard based around passkeys. You may also have encountered the option to setup passkeys on platforms like eBay and Uber.

As such, there’s little doubt that passkeys are part of the future of online security. However, it’s important not to overestimate their promise, as many online accounts will still almost certainly require 2FA (two-factor authentication), especially for work and business users.

Here, passkeys can potentially supplant the password element in two-factor security, while stopping short of replacing the 2FA process entirely. While passkey technology continues to take root, it’s still good general advice to use one of the best password managers if you want to simplify your online security whilst ensuring you stay on right side of best practice.

It’s no surprise that Apple’s new iPhone 15 is the year’s hottest smartphone, but should you actually upgrade? As an iPhone owner since Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone 4 way back in 2010, this is a question I wrestle with on an annual basis, as unlike when you buy an Pad, you just can’t expect a handset to outlast multiple Presidents. Here’s what I’ve learned over the last decade and why I’m roundly rejecting the iPhone 15 in 2023.

Deciding whether or not to upgrade to a new iPhone is a personal question and depends on your individual circumstances. While I’m about to tell you why buying the iPhone 15 right now is a rotten idea for most people, it isn’t for everyone. If you’re still rolling with an iPhone 8, for instance, it may be time to pony up for a new model regardless.

However, if like many iPhone owners you tend to upgrade every two or three years, then you’re no doubt considering the iPhone 15 right now. As a current iPhone 12 Pro owner, that’s the position I find myself in. Sadly, there are just too many issues with the iPhone 15, which is why I categorically won’t be upgrading. More than that, I think it’s the worst new iPhone upgrade in years, possibly ever. Here’s why.

1. iPhone 15 Pro Max Screen Feels the Burn-in

At the top of the iPhone 15 family tree sits the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which will set you back a cool $1,200 if you buy it outright. For that kind of money, you could be forgiven for expecting a pretty flawless product. Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be case.

Since its release, owners of the new iPhone 15 Pro Max have flooded social media as well as Reddit and the Apple’s own community forums with numerous reports of screen burn-in on the new device. Burn-in is when a display’s brightness levels “burn-in” through the panel and cause everything on the screen to appear faded, to the point of being usable.

Apple's iPhone 15 Pro Max is reportedly experiencing screen burn-in issues, adding to a growing list of problems for the company this year.#iPhone15Series #iphone15pro #Apple pic.twitter.com/HDsQ0iccHw

— Tarun Vats (@tarunvats33) October 11, 2023

It’s a common problem with OLED display technology, which is what the iPhone 15 Pro Max features. Most electronics manufacturers, including those of OLED TVs that operate at similarly high brightness levels as what Apple’s handset promises, have found a way to mitigate screen burn-in as an issue.

Apple clearly has not, even though iPhone screen burn has been a recurring issue for its handsets and I can remember a smattering of similar reports around the iPhone 11 launch.

However, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is the worst instance yet. As much as anything, screen burn is a problem you expect to develop over time and with prolonged usage at high brightness levels – not a few weeks after launch. It’s a massive red flag for me and one of the biggest reason I’m steering clear of the new models.

2. Overheating Adds to Hot Mess of iPhone 15 Problems

Closely linked to this is another major iPhone 15 problem: overheating.

Anecdotally, new iPhone owners have taken to social media to report that their devices are getting too hot to handle – and not in a good way. Specifically, things like fast-charging and intensive gaming, which are features promised by the iPhone 15 Pro in particular, are apparently leading to the handset overheating.

Jeeez my iPhone 15 Pro Max is almost too hot to touch while fast charging rn…

— Ian Zelbo (@ianzelbo) September 25, 2023

The issue was so bad at launch that Apple rushed out a fix in the form of iOS 17.0.3, which it promised would address the issue. However, the latest thermal testing conducted by outlets such as ZDNet and its sources, shows that the device is still clocking temperatures in excess of 107 degrees (Fahrenheit), even after the update.

Worse still, some iPhone 15 Pro Max owners are reporting that overheating as a problem has only just flared up since they installed the iOS 17.0.3 update.

Pro Max, it’s something todo with the camera, or photos, or videos. It wasn’t happening to me before 17.0.3!

— Sam Harman (@sammio2) October 11, 2023

A certain amount of teething problems are to be expected with the latest devices and, more specifically, the new software they run. However, couple with the screen burn-in reports, reports of persistent iPhone overheating and a potentially botched iOS update, suggest to me that Apple has simply packed too much into this device, at the expense of stability.

My trusty iPhone 12 Pro? I’ve got the overheating warning once, by a pool over the summer when it was north of 100 degrees out. That’s the kind of problem you’d expect. What’s going on right now with the iPhone 15 overheating looks much more serious.

3. Is Troublesome Titanium To Blame?

What’s really to blame for the messy launch of the iPhone 15? I’m going to address the software side of things shortly, but according to some Apple experts the real culprit might be Apple’s decision to adopt a new titanium design with its iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max duo.

On the surface, it seems like a no-brainer: a premium new material for Apple’s most premium new phone. However, the problem is that titanium reacts differently to heat. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo notes that Apple made “compromises” in order to give the iPhone 15 Pro a seemingly deluxe new feel, with the reduced weight of titanium coming with a massive trade-off

“The primary cause is more likely the compromises made in the thermal system design to achieve a lighter weight, such as the reduced heat dissipation area and the use of a titanium frame, which negatively impacts thermal efficiency,” Kuo writes on his Medium blog.

For me, this is the biggest proof yet that Apple is valuing style over substance and means Apple fans like myself have to ask themselves an question: have the Android aficionados have been right all along? With rash design decisions like this, that look great on a spec sheet but perform woefully in the real world, they just might be.

4. iOS 17 Issues Are Absolutely Everywhere

You’d think we’d have exhausted the list of iPhone 15 problems by now, but sadly we’re only ready to pivot from its hardware to its software woes.

Chief among these is the fact that, while there are some great new iOS 17 features, the latest iOS 17.0.3 release may have introduced a strange new quirk to the iPhone 15: the smartphone turning itself off overnight.

Among those to report this iOS 17 issue were 9To5Mac writer Zac Hall, who noticed that he was asked to input his passcode as well as Face ID. At first, he thought nothing of it – until he noticed numerous other users experiencing the same issue on Reddit.

This prompted him to investigate his iPhone’s battery data, which clearly showed a four hour or so gap when his new iPhone 15 Pro Max was charging overnight.

We’re all for spooky season, but this one strikes us as especially strange.

It’s not the only iOS 17 problem doing the rounds, either: from Wi-Fi issues to an emergency security patch already being rushed out by Apple, the new operating system looks half-baked at best. The security failings are particularly worrying and you might need to use an iPhone VPN or iPhone password manager to fully protect your device and its data.

https://twitter.com/GanWeaving/status/1707741726117380508

For some, the answer is simple enough: don’t update to iOS 17. The problem is, if you buy a new iPhone 15, you don’t have a choice. Until Apple can prove it has ironed out iOS 17’s many creases, it’s just another reason to stick with your old iPhone for now.

Verdict: Don’t Upgrade To iPhone 15, Get a Better Deal Elsewhere

By now, you probably get the idea: I’m no fan of the iPhone 15 and am content to stick with my slightly archaic iPhone 12 Pro for another year if I have to.

The good news is, that’s not my only option and nor is it yours. Whenever a new iPhone launches, prices of Apple’s older models drop considerably. To use an iPhone 14 as an example, its official price at Apple has dropped by $100 across the board, so down to $699 (from $799) for the entry-level iPhone 14.

Delve further into the Apple back catalogue and you’ll enjoy bigger discounts still. With the spectacle of Black Friday 2023 now looming large, the year’s best iPhone deals are firmly on the horizon, so wait just a couple of weeks to get an iPhone 13 or 14 at a fraction of the price of the new version that’ll burn a hole in your pocket in more ways than one.

Put simply, right now is one of the best times to buy to a new iPhone – just not the iPhone 15.

Short-form video content is king in 2024. As platforms like Instagram Reels and TikTok continue to dominate the social media landscape, more and more businesses are turning to video marketing to connect with audiences – and for good reason.

Due to their bite-sized, bingable format, posts that contain videos receive 48% more views than those without and are also shared twice as much as any other form of content. You don’t have to be a seasoned content creator or social media specialist to compete, either, with recent developments in artificial intelligence ushering in a whole new era of smart, affordable video generators.

Whether you’re looking to convert short-form videos from longer videos, or create them from scratch, this guide outlines the 5 best AI video generators on the market. We also break down how each tool is used, so all you have to do is come up with a unique idea.

Best AI-powered short form video creators:

1. Invideo – Best overall AI video generator
2. Synthesia – Best for videos with custom avatars 
3. Pictory – Most versatile AI video generator
4. VEED – Best video generator for beginners
5. Vidyo – Best for converting longer clips

1. Invideo

• Best overall AI video generator
• Price from: $15 per month

Invideo is a powerful AI generator that is primarily geared toward making explainer videos. Since the platform is a text-to-video generator, you aren’t required to input any video content, which bodes well for users without tons of archival footage to convert. Moreover, like VEED.io and Pictory, Invideo has a shallow learning curve, making it a great pick for newbies to short-form content creation.  

InVideo software screenshot. Source: invideo.io

Here’s how to use Invideo in five simple steps:

1. Select “Black Canvas” when you’re starting a new canvas and then choose your video’s dimensions. 
2. Upload your videos and images, or select content from Invideo’s own stock library and begin creating your video timeline. 
3. Edit your clips and layer your video with additional text and visuals until you’re happy with the result. You can also aminate elements of your video using the right-hand panel. 
4. Now it’s time to manage the audio. You can add personal audio files or bring the text to life using the software’s text-to-speech feature. You can also choose music to add in the background using Invideo’s copyright-free music library.
5. Once you’re happy with the video, choose whether you want to download it in 720p or 1080p and export the file.

2. Synthesia

• Best for making videos with custom avatars 
• Price from: $22.50 per month

Synthesia is a video creation tool that lets you create videos using custom AI avatars. Using its text-to-video function, users can convert mountains of text into polished, engaging videos with over 120 avatars and 65 languages to choose from. Synthesia even lets you build a custom avatar who looks and sounds just like you, to give your videos more of a personal touch.

We break down how to use the platform below:

1. First up, you need to create your video script. This will be the guideline for your video, and its quality will determine your end result. Synthesia offers tons of guides and videos on how to write them, and if you’re really stuck you can always call on AI chatbots like ChatGPT.
2. Now choose who is going to narrate your video from Synthesia’s library of 120+ avatars, and let the app do its magic.
3. Use the platform ‘text-to-speech’ feature to refine your video and to ensure all pronunciations are current. You can also add pauses to emphasize and improve the delivery of the video.
4. Not it’s time to get editing. Use the software to emend the video’s background music, animations, transitions, background videos, GIFS, icons, and more. Once you’re happy with the result, click “Generate video” and view, download, and share your end result.

3. Pictory

• Most versatile AI video generator
• Price from: $19 per month

Pictory is a piece of AI-powered software that lets you create and edit short-form videos. The app has a very low learning curve and doesn’t require a lot of technical know-how to use, making it ideal for users without lots of social media experience. However, Pictory’s finished products aren’t always as polished as videos made by fellow AI video generators like Synthesia and VEED. 

Pictory lets you create short-form videos in four main ways: from scripts, from published articles, from long-form videos, and from visuals. We explain how to use these different methods below:

Script to Video

1. If you’re creating a video from text, you can paste your text directly into the platform’s ‘Script to Video’ option.
2. From here, you can fine-tune your video by auto-highlighting keywords, selecting visuals, and creating different scenes.
3. Then, after selecting a template for your video that aligns with your brand, Pictory will create a video storyboard that you can edit scene by scene.

Pictory text-to-image function. Source: pictory.com

Article to Video

1. If you want to turn a published article, blog, or press release into an article, you can use Pictory’s ‘Article to Video’ function.
2. All you need to do is paste the chosen URL into the search bar, and then the tool distills the content down into different scenes.
3. After you select a template, the AI-creator will create a storyboard which you can add visuals and elements to to create the final result.

Edit Videos using Text

1. If you’re condensing a longer pre-existing video into a short form video, paste the YouTube link or file into Pictory’s Edit Videos Using Text option.
2. Enter the number of speakers in the video, and then edit down the scene-by-scene storyboard created by the app. 

Visuals to Video

1. Finally, if you’re looking to create an original short-form video out of existing images and short videos, you should select Pictory’s Visuals to Video function.
2. Simply upload the files, and arrange them into a sequence of your choice.
3. Then, select a template, assign an aspect ratio, and edit the video to your liking. 

4. VEED.io

• Best AI short video generator for beginners
• Price from $12 per month

VEED.io is a slick AI video editor and creator designed for professionals. Those using the platform can create videos from VEED’s selection of 100+ free stock clips, their own media, and even live webcam recordings with its online screen recorder function. The platform also lets you create tailored content for specific social media channels like Instagram Reels and TikTok. 

VEED.io software screenshot. Source: veed.io

Here’s how to create short-form videos using VEED.io:

1. Once you’ve signed into the platform, select ‘New Project’ on the creator dashboard. Then, record or upload your video footage and wait for a timeline to be created at the bottom of the screen.
2. Now it’s time to edit. You can use VEED.io’s editing toolbar to edit the videos visuals and audio, add subtitles and text, and add on-screen effects like audio visualizers. Using these features is a great way to make your video look polished and to refine it to your liking. 
3. Once you’re happy with the result, you can download your final video by clicking “Export” and “Export Video”. Once your video has finished rendering you’ll be able to copy the link and share it across platforms. 

5. Vidyo.ai

• Best for converting longer videos
• Price from $29.99

Vidyo.ai is a content repurposing tool that lets users transform long-form videos into short-form clips. It’s specifically designed to create sharable, trending content for platforms like Instagram Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts to help creators expand their reach. 

Vidyo.ai software screenshot. Source: vidyo.ai

Vidyo offers a generous free version too, making it ideal for content creators who are just starting out. To create a video with Vidyo.ai, you have to follow the steps below:

1. Import your chosen video to the platform, and select the format for your final product. I.e, would you like the format to be 1:1 for LinkedIn and X, or 9:16 for TikTok and Instagram Reels? 
2. Customize your video with a template of your choice and personalize your video with your YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok handle if desired. 
3. Click through to the next stage and let Vidyo.ai do its magic. The software will now produce a variety of short clips optimized for your selected platform, and you have the option to edit and polish these clips if you choose. 

Want to know more about social media? Read our guide to Social Media Management.

As the education sector continues to use AI to its advantage, British boarding school Cottesmore has appointed an AI chatbot – named Abigail Bailey – as its new “principal headteacher”.

While appointing a robot headteacher might sound dystopian, the exclusive school claims the ChatGPT-like technology isn’t replacing current jobs, and is instead being used to support the needs of Cottesmore’s current headmaster, Tom Rogerson.

But Abigail Bailey won’t be the only chatbot joining Cottesmore’s roster of staff. The school also appointed AI-powered chatbot Jamie Trainer as its head of artificial intelligence – with both tools even adorning their own AI-generated headshots.

UK School Appoints AI Headteacher

Generative AI hasn’t always had a positive impact on education. But one UK school is leveraging the technology to its advantage by hiring an AI chatbot for one of its most senior roles.

Cottensmore’s new AI headteacher, Abigail Bailey, uses deep learning and generative AI in a similar way to OpenAI’s chatbot ChatGPT. However, Bailey’s applications are more targeted as its been programmed to contain specialist knowledge of machine learning and educational management.

The chatbot will essentially be used as a right-hand woman to Cottesmore’s current headmaster, Tom Rogerson, providing guidance on a wide range of issues from drafting school policies to supporting children with ADHD.

“It’s just very calming and reassuring knowing that you don’t have to call anybody up, bother someone, you don’t have to wait around for an answer.” – Tom Rogerson, Headmaster of Cottesmore School

While robot headteachers may sound like something out of a science fiction novel, Cottesmore’s human headmaster Rogerson was quick to note positive experiences with the chatbot.

“It’s nice to think that someone who is unbelievably well trained is there to help you make decisions,” Rogerson shared with the Telegraph, ” you don’t have to wait around for an answer.”

Cottesmore Ramps Up its AI Strategy

Cottesmore, which was named ‘Prep School of the Year’ by UK publication Tatler in 2020, isn’t hiring Bailey in isolation.

The school also decided to appoint an AI chatbot as its “head of AI”, after it was unsuccessful in finding a suitable human candidate.

Rogerson explains it was a “tall order” for human applicants to fulfill these remits, as the successful candidate had to be “highly empathetic”, teach sport, support in lessons, take on multiple activities and hobbies, and have a relevant AI qualification.

Jamie Rainer. Cottesmore’s new Head of AI. Source: telegraph.co.uk

Cottesmore was the first school in the UK to advertise for a head of AI earlier this year, as it works to ramp up it’s broader AI strategy. Pupils in the school have already been assigned personal AI assistants to help them understand their own learning styles.

Rogerson claims the “world-changing technology” is helping the school to step “into the future while preserving the core values of traditional education”.

Teachers: Is AI Coming For Your Job?

With over one-third of teachers currently using AI to assist with workloads, Cottesmore isn’t the only school leveraging the technology in 2023.

Recent polling from the Teacher Tapp revealed that one-third of teachers are using AI for a wide variety of purposes including lesson planning, report writing, responding to emails, and detecting AI plagiarism.

“The introduction of AI is not about replacing our dedicated educators but about augmenting their capabilities and ensuring our students receive the best education possible.” – Tom Rogerson, Headmaster of Cottesmore School

However, despite pessimistic claims made by British education expert Anthony Seldon that robots will replace teachers by 2027, it’s much more likely AI will be used to augment the current capabilities of teachers, helping them to address concerns that have been plaguing the sector for decades.

This view is held by Cottesmore’s headmaster, who explains that despite the deployment of virtual helpers like Bailey and Rainer, AI tools will never be able to replace the soft-skills held by human educators.

Read more about the roles that AI is most likely to impact.

Zelle is a popular digital payment platform that allows direct access to user bank accounts, which means that it is, of course, a prime target for scammers online.

The internet is tragically filled with scammers in the modern era, with bad actors focusing on everything from Google Chat to Geek Squad in hopes of scoring an easy payday.

Unfortunately, Zelle represents a particularly attractive scam candidate, as there is little recourse for scammed individuals to get their money back. So what can you do to keep yourself safe? You can understand what kind of Zelle scams are out there, so you can spot them before it’s too late.

In this guide:

• What Are Zelle Scams?
• How to Spot and Report Zelle Scams
• Frequently Asked Questions

What Are Zelle Scams?

Zelle scams are simply scams that are perpetrated through the Zelle platform. For those that don’t know, Zelle is an online payment service that allows users to send and receive money directly to their bank accounts. Unlike platforms like Venmo and CashApp, Zelle doesn’t have an in-app wallet, but instead facilitates transfers directly into and out of bank accounts for faster payments.

While this feature is understandably quite convenient, it does lend itself to abuse from scammers. Because the funds go immediately into, or in the case of scams out of, you’re bank account, there’s little recourse for getting it back when fraudulent situations arise.

Here are some of the most common Zelle scams to look out:

• Zelle Fake Seller Scams
• Zelle Phishing Scams
• Zelle Charity Scams
• Zelle Fake Job Scams
• Zelle Property Rental Scams

Zelle Fake Purchase Scams

As you can imagine, one of the most prominent scams on Zelle is centered around purchasing and selling products on a variety of marketplace platforms. Facebook Marketplace, in particular, is primed for Zelle scams, as it’s specifically aimed at selling to, and purchasing from, strangers.

In most cases, these scams are pretty straightforward. You reach out to a user on a marketplace platform, and they demand that you pay via Zelle. Once you send over the payment, the user will disappear with no plans to send you the product in question.

Because Zelle transfers are not reversible, there’s little you can do to get your money back, and the scammer is already in the wind due to what is likely a fake name, a fake account, and even a fake product.

How to avoid this scam: Many marketplace platforms require some kind of government-issued identification card to get verified, which means you can ask for this kind of information before committing to a purchase. Otherwise, you better get buddy-buddy with your bank, as that’s the only way to reverse a charge through Zelle.

Zelle Phishing Scams

While straightforward purchase scams on Zelle are common, phishing scams impersonating the financial service company are just as problematic and a little harder to spot.

This scam typically occurs when trying to sell an item on a marketplace platform. The user will reach out to purchase the item and will ask for your email address to send over the Zelle payment.

You’ll then receive the email below, which basically states that you’re not a “business account,” so your Zelle account can’t accept a payment of that size. To remedy this, the email says that you need to send an even larger amount back to the alleged purchaser to “expand” your limit.

The problem? This is not an email from Zelle, individual accounts don’t have limits like this, and you’re going to get scammed if you send the money back to the send. They’ll keep your money, you’ll still have your unsold product, and your Zelle account won’t be expanded (because that’s not a thing).

How to avoid this scam: If you’re selling a product, there’s no reason to ever be sending someone money. If they can’t figure out how to send you the money for a product you’re selling in an easy and comprehensive way, trust us, they’re not the right buyer for you.

Zelle Charity Scams

This scam is typical across the payment service spectrum, but Zelle is a particularly popular option, because again, you don’t have much recourse for a refund.

The scam goes like this: You’re contacted, either via text message, email, or another messaging service, and are told that a particular current tragedy requires donations and that you can help with your Zelle payment. The language is typically a bit off, with spelling errors and grammatical mistakes throughout.

Obviously, the money is not going to the cause in question, but rather directly into the wallet of a potential scammer. And because it’s with Zelle, there is no way for you to get the funds back once they’re on the way.

How to avoid this scam: Always verify whether or not a charity is real before making a donation, particularly with a non-refundable option like Zelle. Even if it seems legit, a cursory glance online can help you make sure your funds are actually going to help the cause they say they are.

Zelle Fake Job Scams

This scam is a bit convoluted, but despite its complexity, it’s quite a common scam to occur, as multiple news sources have reported on first-hand accounts from those that have been scammed.

It starts with a job search, typically for a remote work position. An applicant will receive word that they’ve been granted an interview with a company, but that the interview will be conducted over messaging app, rather than through normal channels like video chat or phone call. After the messaging interview, you’ll learn that you got the job.

As with any job, you need to get set up with hardware to access the company’s database. Your interviewer will explain (see below) that the company will mail you a check, and then you’ll have to purchase a laptop and software through their “trusted vendors.” The check will arrive, you’ll deposit it, and the funds will appear to be available, leading you to believe that buying your work supplies through these Zelle-requiring vendors is all above board.

Because this is a guide to Zelle scams, you probably already know that the check from that company isn’t legitimate. Because banks make funds available to trustworthy accounts before confirming the validity of checks, the user will appear to have the funds available, but after a few days, they will be unavailable to the applicant, leaving them with a smaller bank account and no job to speak of.

How to avoid this scam: For starters, always make sure you actually see the person interviewing you for a job. Beyond that, if you’re ever buying something that is being reimbursed, confirm that the funds are actually available before committing to a purchase, particularly via Zelle.

Read more on how to avoid remote job scams.

Zelle Property Rental Scams

Scams on Zelle are often most prominent when highly priced items are in the mix, and there’s nothing more expensive than property rental. Subsequently, you have to keep your eye out for this scam when looking for a new apartment or even just talking to your “landlord.”

This scam takes advantage of rushed nature of housing with rental listings for units that are either unavailable or simply don’t exist. Supposed landlords will request payment via Zelle for deposits and first month’s rent, banking on the fact that renters won’t need to see the space in advance.

Obviously, the rental property ends up being fraudulent in some way, and the scammer in question is already off to their next target while you still need to find a place to live.

How to avoid this scam: First off, look out for listings with no pictures, that’s an immediate red flag for scams. Additionally, always ask to see a property before making a deposit or paying first month’s rent. As hectic as the housing market is right now, a sight-unseen rental has a good chance of ending up as a scam if you don’t confirm it’s actually on the market in the first place.

How to Spot and Report Zelle Scams

The first step of spotting Zelle scams is understanding how they happened. Fortunately, now that you’ve made it to the end of this guide, you’ve taken your first step to stop these scams in their tracks. The most important thing to remember is that if a stranger wants you to send money through Zelle, for any reason, make sure you have some assurances that you’ll receive what you’re paying for.

If you want to report a Zelle scam, you can always head on over to the platform’s “report a scam” page to fill out a form that will help the company track down the scammer and, hopefully, bring them to justice.

Zelle Scams FAQs

One workplace report has found that a whopping 58% of hybrid workers have “coffee badged” in the past — a term used for employees who show up at a physical office in order to make an appearance, but leave soon afterwards to work the rest of the day remotely.

The term highlights the friction between flexible work schedules and those pushing for a return to the physical office.

Interestingly, the report, out from Owl Labs, found that 62% of coffee badgers were men, compared to just 38% who were women.

Wait, What Is “Coffee Badging” Anyway?

The term coffee badging refers to the practice of showing up at your physical workplace to interact with coworkers just long enough to establish that you showed up, before leaving to get your real work done from home.

The term specifically uses the idea showing up at the office, swiping your badge as proof you’ve been on site, and grabbing a coffee. Afterwards, workers will immediately ditch the office and return home.

It’s a practice that can appeal to hybrid workers who need or wish to show up to work for a few days out of the week, but find they need or vastly prefer working remotely. And, for workplaces that require a set two or three full days out of the week are spent in the office, coffee badging is more than skirting the rules.

No matter whether you support or condemn the idea of coffee badging, there’s no denying that it’s not an ideal situation: It’s essentially working from home but still devoting time and money towards the commute to and from your office building.

Who’s Coffee Badging?

It only makes sense that coffee badging appeals the most to hybrid workers, since they’re regularly commuting anyway, yet have the option to work from home. Of these, the report from Owl Labs, State of Hybrid Work 2023, finds that 62% are men, while 38% are women.

The report doesn’t get into the reasons why men might be more likely to coffee badge than women, but it’s tough to see what the answer could be aside from gendered expectations for what office workers are allowed to get away with. This would align with previous studies of office behavior, like the fact that men have more often felt comfortable attempting to negotiate higher salaries than women have.

Millennials are more likely than other generations to coffee badge, perhaps because older generations aren’t as frequently working from home or have different workplace expectations, while the younger Gen Z isn’t as well established in the workforce.

Percentages of office workers who coffee badge, by generation. Image source: Owl Labs.

Can We Move Past Coffee Badging?

Many CEOs are hoping for a full return to a five-day in-office work week. Meanwhile, we’re still seeing huge amounts of workers remain fully remote or adapting a hybrid work balance. One thing we can all agree on? Coffee badging doesn’t seem worth the effort.

Flexible work policies offer the best of both worlds, allowing workers that find they do their best work fully remote to remain happy while also accommodating those who need to work around others all five days of the week. But rewarding people for showing up and drinking a cup of coffee doesn’t need to be in the mix at all.

Ultimately, coffee badging is a product of work policies that don’t accommodate workers to the degree that they feel works best for them, and your views on how to end the practice might hinge on whether you feel the employer or the employee has or should have the upper hand in their relationship.

Ironically, coffee itself could offer a solution of sorts: According to one study, free hot coffee was the single perk most likely to lure workers back to the office — for good.

36 plaintiffs have joined two others in an existing lawsuit against Apple that accuses the tech giant of negligence for failing to prevent stalkers from abusing its AirTag tracking product.

The lawsuit, filed last December, alleges that Apple dismissed concerns that its $29 AirTag device could increase stalking, despite the device offering ” unparalleled accuracy, ease of use, and affordability.”

The 36 new plaintiffs come from 20 US states, representing a huge increase in scope for the lawsuit.

Why the AirTag Works So Well

The Apple AirTag launched in April 2021, offering a coin-sized tracking device that Apple hoped would help people easily track luggage, laptops, or other valuables via their iPhone or laptop. It works with a Bluetooth signal that is picked up by any Apple devices in the vicinity (called the “FindMe” network).

And, since Apple is a hugely popular tech company, any reasonably populated area in the country is never more than 100 yards from an Apple device, making the AirTag a very useful tracking device compared to any competitors.

The Allegations

The lawsuit says that “immediately” after the AirTag’s release and ever since, reports “have proliferated” of people being stalked through the use of the device, whether finding it in their purses, cars, or sewn into the lining of their clothes.

The sordid stories get worse than this, however, as AirTags have been connected to victims’ deaths as well:

“The consequences have been as severe as possible: multiple murders have occurred in which the murderer used an AirTag to track the victim. Similarly, individuals have been murdered—or murdered others—when using AirTags to track down stolen property and confront the thieves.”

It’s undeniably grim news, and while it may be hard to hear, the lawsuit notes that one in three women and one in six men will be stalked at some point in their lifetime.

Can Further Mitigation Features Help?

Apple says it has taken steps to make the AirTag “stalker-proof” — every device has a unique serial number and must be attached to an Apple ID during setup, adding some measure of identification that can be tracked back to a stalker.

Plus, the company will send an alert saying “AirTag Found Moving With You” to any unfamilar iPhones that the AirTag is nearby for an extended period of time.

The lawsuit dismisses these measures as inadequate, pointing out the many stalking incidents that have still taken place. But the real question is how the lawsuit will resolve in court.

Keep your smartphone handy: Cash transactions around the world are continuing a years-long decline, while instant payment networks are seeing more and more growth.

The latest numbers come from an annual McKinsey report, which found cash use across 2022 to have dropped by nearly 4% from the year before.

Future revenue growth, the firm predicts, will be driven by innovations in instant payments, alongside the rise in digital wallets, at least in certain areas of the world.

Where Is Cash Is Less Common and Why?

Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the market saturation that smartphones are enjoying, instant digital payments are behind the dip in cash transactions.

Around the world, total electronic payment transaction volumes have grown 17% in the last five years, indicating a big shift in the market towards the newer technology. After all, that 17% growth outpaces the mere 6% increase that the entire payments industry grow across that same time period.

So where does cash come in? Here’s how McKinsey explains it:

“These dynamics are also evident in cash displacement. Cash usage declined by nearly four percentage points globally in 2022. Worldwide, the decline in cash usage during the pandemic shows no evidence of being reversed, led downward by the cash-reliant economies of India and Brazil, where the share of cash transactions fell by seven to ten percentage points. Brazil’s cash declines are concurrent with the rapid uptake of the country’s PIX instant-payments network.”

The trend picked up during the pandemic, particularly in India and Brazil, and it doesn’t appear to be going away any time soon.

Nigeria is seeing similar trends: Cash transactions were 95% of all payments in that country in 2019, but just 80% in 2022, all while instant payments leapt from 2% up to 8%.

US and UK Aren’t Seeing Quite as Large a Shift

By 2027, McKinsey forecasts that instant payments in Brazil will account for nearly half of all transactions.

In contrast, the US and UK will see much slower shift, perhaps because these economies were less cash-heavy to begin with. McKinsey still thinks a shift will happen, but there’s less of a trend to indicate that it will.

“Instant payments remain in a nascent stage in the US, where 2022’s cash decline was more muted following 2021’s reduction associated with pandemic restrictions. July 2023’s launch of the Federal Reserve’s FedNow real-time payment rails may prove to be an inflection point, but the effect will be gradual.”

The Winners: Banks and Instant Payment Tools

All this news represents a big opportunity for the banks trying to construct the transaction infrastructure of tomorrow, but it might be a small opportunity for retail stores as well.

Pick a POS system that handles all the most popular digital transactions, and you’ll be well positioned for the steady growth in instant payments. Particularly if you live in Brazil or India.

Tech giant Qualcomm has this week revealed plans to lay off 1,258 roles — around 2.5% of its workforce — in the San Diego and Santa Clara offices. 

According to a filing with the California Employment Development Department, multiple roles, including engineers and those within HR and legal, will be at risk of the scale-back starting on December 13th.

The news follows Google’s recent round of tech layoffs and comes a month after the microchip manufacturer announced a deal to supply Apple with 5G chips until 2026.

Layoffs Include Engineers and VPs

In the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act notices submitted to the California Employment Development Department (CEDD), Qualcomm expressed it was to cut 194 jobs in the Bay Area and 1,064 in San Diego.

CEDD mandates that companies give employees 60 days’ notice before they are let go, and Qualcomm’s were filed this Wednesday.

The layoffs listed include over 150 engineering roles, as well as business analysts, product managers, and high-ranking executives. Eight vice president roles based in San Diego were also included.

A Drop in Microchip Demands is Behind the Cuts

This round of job cuts will be the second major one for the chip manufacturer this year, as back in June the company laid off around 500 workers. It’s said that shrinking revenues are behind the layoffs, and that despite Qualcomm making billions of dollars per year from the design and sale of smartphone chips, a drop in demand has hit profits.

In August, the company seemed to hint more job cuts were to come with filings that stated:

“Given the continued uncertainty in the macroeconomic and demand environment [the company was expected to take] restructuring actions to enable continued investments.”

These actions were presumed to mainly consist of workforce reductions.  The job cuts come at a particularly somber time in the Bay Area, as both tech giants and well-funded startups are making significant layoffs or closing down.

Layoffs Part of a Proactive Cost-Saving Plan

Despite being the supplier for the newly announced Meta Quest 3 and signing a deal with Apple to keep the company in chips until at least 2026, the layoffs seem to be part of a proactive plan to cut company costs.

Chief Financial Officer Akash Palkhiwala had shared with analysts that action needed to take place to mitigate shrinking revenue:

“Given our commitment to operating discipline, we will proactively implement additional cost actions. Until we see sustained signs of improving fundamentals, our operating framework does not assume an immediate recovery.”

A case involving several thousand IBM employees has come to a head this week, when the First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco ruled that the company must reimburse its remote staff for their working from home (WFH) expenses.

While hybrid and home working models have boomed since the pandemic, the number of companies offering remote work has dwindled in 2023, with many scaling back their WFH offering.

IBM initially stated it wasn’t going to compensate employees as it was just following the state’s stay-at-home orders. This ruling, however, means the tech company is liable for 15 months of penalties in the form of back payments to remote working staff.

Californian Court Rejects IBM’s Appeal

When California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a stay-at-home order in March 2020, most companies (like IBM) pivoted to a remote working model.

As workforces became familiar with this new way of working, the change sparked a period of adjustment. This notably included the need to purchase equipment that allowed everyone to do their jobs just as before, so things like headsets for video calls and office chairs instead of just slumping on living room sofas with a laptop.

IBM were amongst many employers who refused to compensate workers for these expenses, arguing that they were just following the state’s orders and shouldn’t have to pay. Since then, the company has also rolled back its remote working policy, with IBM issuing a return to office mandate back in September.

However, the state appeals court said the issue wasn’t over why there was an order to work from home, but whether the employees’ additional expenses were the result of IBM’s orders. The court then ruled that California law protects workers from “bearing the costs of business expenses that are incurred by workers doing their jobs in service of an employer.”

In a 3-0 ruling Justice Mark Simons wrote that despite following Newsom’s order to shut the office, the work was “performed for the benefit of IBM”. This ruling became final on Wednesday, when the state’s high court rejected IBM’s appeal.

IBM Footing the Bill – but State Keeping 75% of It

Despite the workers joining forces to sue the company for violation of labor laws, this may feel more like a moral victory than anything else. The employee compensation won’t be dollar for dollar, but instead they’ll receive 25% of the financial penalties, with the rest going to the state.

Lawyers working for the IBM employees have estimated that around 3,000 of them could receive as much as $100 every two weeks – broken into $25 for an employee and $75 for the state. This is likely to last the length of time spent working from home, which is 15 months.

Other Employer Suits Still Pending

Simons went on to state that the “work-from-home expenses were inherent to IBM’s business” and “allocates the risk of unexpected expenses to the employer.”

While IBM are still yet to comment on the ruling, it’s known that other suits of a similar nature are pending. However, according to Jason Harrow, a lawyer for the IBM employees, it’s clear that in California “big companies can’t force employees to pay for work expenses and then fail to reimburse them”.

Never one to be left in the dust, Google has just begun testing an AI generation tool that can create images using a text prompt. Here’s how to use Google’s new AI image generation tool.

Set to rival Microsoft’s Bing Chat, the AI-powered Search Generative Experience (SGE) is currently only available to a small number of American users. Testers must have opted into the SGE program via Google Labs and be at least 18 years old, although that’s still no guarantee you’ll be amongst the lucky few able to experiment right now.

Still, the world of AI image generation has just opened up even more beyond tools like OpenAI’s DALL-E 3. Fortunately, it’s all pretty straight forward. Here’s everything you need to know about creating AI images direct in Google.

How To Get Started with Google AI Image Generation

If you’re one of the lucky few who’s got access to Google AI image generation, then getting started couldn’t be easier.  Provided you’re already signed up for Google’s SGE testing program, as mentioned above, all you need to do is:

1. Open up a Google search and enter an image generation prompt

2. Wait a few seconds

3. Take a look at the four image options shared by the SGE 

It’s that simple. If you want to edit the images further, select one of them then amend the description to add more detail.

Google has given the surreal example of a “photorealistic image of a capybara cooking breakfast in the forest” to illustrate how it will work. The example then goes on to show an edited description that changes specific details, like asking for the breakfast to become hash browns instead of bacon, or swapping the background trees to sky. Anyone familiar with entering ChatGPT prompts will be used to the idea, but even if you’re not, you should find the process easy enough.

Are There Any Restrictions on Google AI Image Generation?

Well, it wouldn’t be AI generation without a few restrictions.

The SGE features safeguarding measures that block banned content as outlined in the company’s generative AI policy. This includes anything that creates misinformation, promotes illegal activities, and generates sexually explicit content (if it’s not labelled educational or artistic).

You’ll also find that every AI-generated image will come out with a watermark and ‘metadata labelling’ tag. This is to show everyone that content was made by AI, hopefully deterring the spread of false information.

Along those same preventative lines, Google plans to give all its AI-generated content an ‘About This Image’ description. This will aim to supply context about what a user is looking at, so hopefully nobody can claim the AI-images or text are real.

What Else Should I Know About Google AI Image Generation?

Although not yet confirmed, it’s likely that Google’s AI-image generation will become available outside of Search. As in, you’ll see an option to create an AI picture within Google Images too. This could mean one of the image search results is replaced with a button leading to the generative functionality, which will then pop up in a sub-window.

As mentioned above, the feature is currently only available to American users in English. Nothing about an international release has yet been confirmed. 

Keen to try and give it a go? You’ll have to sign up to the Search Labs waitlist first. Head over to Google Labs to get going.

UK regulators have this week approved Microsoft’s $68.7 billion deal to acquire Activision Blizzard. Following Microsoft’s recent revamp of the deal, which will transfer cloud gaming rights for Activision Blizzard games over to Ubisoft, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) confirmed that it is good to go.

This is sure to be positive news for the tech giant who this week have been tussling with the IRS over a giant tax bill.

CMA Welcomes “More Choice” for Gamers

The CMA was initially concerned that the proposed deal would negatively impact cloud gaming competition, so blocked it back in April. 

Microsoft appealed this decision but the whole process was paused when it began to restructure the deal instead. After addressing the CMA’s concerns and making the transfer of rights over to Ubisoft, the UK regulator has now confirmed it’s happy for the merger to go ahead.

“The CMA has decided to give Microsoft Corporation (Microsoft) consent to acquire Activision Blizzard, Inc. (Activision) (the Parties) excluding Activision’s cloud streaming rights outside of the European Economic Area (EEA) (the Merger) subject to the condition that the sale of Activision’s cloud streaming rights completes prior to completion of the Merger,” – the Competition and Market Authority’s statement

CEO of the CMA, Sarah Cardell, called the restructured deal a “gamechanger that will promote competition” in the cloud gaming market.

“With the sale of Activision’s cloud streaming rights to Ubisoft, we’ve made sure Microsoft can’t have a stranglehold over this important and rapidly developing market. As cloud gaming grows, this intervention will ensure people get more competitive prices, better services and more choice.” – Sarah Cardell, CEO of the CMA. 

In an email to all Activision Blizzard employees, CEO Bobby Kotick shared the news and stated “We’re excited for our next chapter together with Microsoft and the endless possibilities it creates for you and for our players.”

Not Smooth Sailing for Microsoft

The somewhat controversial deal was originally announced back in January 2022, catching the eye – and scrutiny – of regulators across the world. In fact, EU regulators have only just approved it following 20 months of battles resulting in a restructure from Microsoft.

Closer to home, the Federal Trade Commission is waiting on its own appeal – due this December – of its failure for a preliminary injunction to block the Activision Blizzard acquisition. Without the injunction in place, Microsoft looks set to close on the deal ahead of its December deadline. 

Microsoft Vice Chair and President, Brad Smith welcomed the CMA’s decision through a message on X (formerly Twitter) “We’re grateful for the CMA’s thorough review and decision today. We have now crossed the final regulatory hurdle to close this acquisition, which we believe will benefit players and the gaming industry worldwide.”

Gaming Industry’s Biggest-Ever Takeover

Not only does the deal confirm Microsoft’s status as a video game giant, it will no doubt be a blow to rival Sony who actively opposed the acquisition with concerns that popular games could become Xbox exclusives.

Meanwhile, Microsoft is hopeful the takeover will create a surge in demand for Xbox, allowing it to add more titles to the Xbox Game Pass streaming service – a subscription service that allows gamers to access titles from the cloud.

By joining forces with Activision, Microsoft will also now own a studio solely for the creation of mobile games. This is likely highlighting its intent to expand upon the success of titles such as Candy Crush.

The finalization of the acquisition is likely to go through by the end of today, Friday 13 October.