One morning, you wake up and realize that your business has grown to the point where you can no longer afford to get into that old, worn-out diesel subcompact. Instead, you schedule a test drive of a brand-new electric vehicle. The business transitioning from password-based security to passkey technology experiences a similarly transformative feeling. Now, let’s dive into the details and break it down thoroughly!

Passwords have powered digital authentication for decades — much like an old diesel subcompact that somehow keeps starting every morning. But the engine is coughing. The doors don’t lock properly. Anyone who knows the trick can jiggle the handle and get in.

Research shows that 49% of security incidents involve compromised passwords, according to Verizon’s 2023 Data Breach Investigations Report, while 84% of users admit to reusing the same password across multiple accounts — creating a cascade of vulnerabilities. These are not minor inconveniences — they are warning lights flashing on the dashboard, signaling systemic risk.

Passwordless authentication, particularly through passkeys, is like upgrading to a high-tech bullet car: faster, sleeker, and nearly impossible to derail. The ride is smoother, quieter, and significantly harder to hijack.

For organizations under ISO/IEC 27001, switching from passwords to passkeys is less like a casual upgrade and more like overhauling an entire airline fleet to meet stringent new safety standards. It requires ensuring that the new drivetrain aligns with established controls, risk treatment plans, and documentation obligations.

This article examines how organizations can transition to passkeys while maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 compliance — covering the technical foundations and offering practical guidance for IT professionals navigating this modernization journey.

How passwordless authentication works: Technical foundations

Passwordless authentication eliminates the cognitive burden of remembering passwords. Authentication relies on cryptographic keys, biometrics, or possession-based factors — what you have or what you are.

Passkeys represent the most mature implementation of this approach. Passkeys, built on FIDO2 and WebAuthn standards, are like the latest GPS technology — they guide you securely to your destination without the risk of getting lost or taking a wrong turn.

When you create a passkey, your device generates a cryptographic key pair: a private key that stays locked on your device, and a public key that’s registered with the service. During authentication, the service sends a challenge, your device signs it with the private key, and the service verifies the signature. Because the private key never leaves your device, attackers have nothing to intercept or phish.

NIST’s Digital Identity Guidelines (SP 800-63B) classify authentication methods by Authenticator Assurance Level (AAL). Passkeys typically meet AAL2 or AAL3 requirements, representing a significant security upgrade over traditional password-based authentication.

Modern passkeys come in two flavors: device-bound (stored in hardware like security keys) and syncable (backed up across devices through encrypted cloud services). NIST’s updated guidance from August 2024 explicitly addresses syncable authenticators, recognizing that users who lose their only authentication method face significant access recovery challenges.

The adoption numbers tell a compelling story. FIDO Alliance reports that more than 15 billion online accounts now support passkeys — double the figure from 2023. Amazon has created 175 million passkeys, while Google reports 800 million accounts with passkeys enabled. The revolution is already underway.

ISO/IEC 27001 compliance requirements

ISO/IEC 27001 is like a detailed road map for navigating the complex terrain of information security risks, ensuring you don’t take a wrong turn. The 2022 revision reorganized Annex A controls into four themes: organizational, people, physical, and technological.

Authentication falls primarily under three controls:

• Annex A 5.15 (Access Control) defines rules and rights for accessing information and systems. Organizations must establish policies covering user authentication, authorization, access provisioning, and access revocation procedures.

• Annex A 5.17 (Authentication Information) requires organization-wide procedures for allocating and managing authentication credentials, including documenting authentication methods and protecting authentication data.

• Annex A 8.5 (Secure Authentication) specifies technical implementation requirements, including multi-factor authentication for privileged access.

For organizations with ISO/IEC 27001 certification, adopting passkeys requires demonstrating that the new authentication method meets or exceeds existing control objectives, that risks have been properly assessed, and that implementation is thoroughly documented.

Mapping passwordless adoption to ISO/IEC 27001 controls

Transitioning to passkeys touches multiple ISO/IEC 27001 controls. Here’s how to align your implementation:

A 5.15 (Access Control)

• Define passkey scope by risk level: device-bound passkeys for privileged accounts (AAL3), syncable passkeys for standard users (AAL2)

• Document fallback procedures for device loss scenarios

• Establish clear policies for when and how users can authenticate without passkeys during transition periods

A 5.17 (Authentication Information)

• Document the complete enrollment process, including who initiates registration and what identity verification steps are required

• Define encryption requirements for databases storing public keys

• Specify re-enrollment triggers: device compromise, security incidents, device loss, or role changes

• Establish access controls for authentication data management

A 8.5 (Secure Authentication)

• Demonstrate MFA compliance by documenting how passkeys provide two factors: possession (the device) plus biometrics or device PIN

• Explain how cryptographic binding to specific domains prevents use on phishing sites

• Detail technical implementation of WebAuthn protocols and FIDO2 standards

Risk assessment and treatment

• Document eliminated risks: credential theft through phishing, password reuse across services, brute force attacks, credential stuffing

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• Address new risks: device loss or theft, vendor lock-in with syncable passkeys, recovery complexity, downgrade attacks where attackers manipulate interfaces to force fallback authentication

• Establish monitoring procedures for detecting and responding to new attack vectors

Organizations should prioritize device-bound passkeys (AAL3) for privileged accounts and syncable passkeys (AAL2) for standard users. Document fallback procedures, encryption standards, and re-enrollment triggers to satisfy auditor requirements.

Benefits of passkeys

Real-world implementation data reveals benefits beyond theoretical threat modeling.  Google reports that passkeys eliminate password-based attacks entirely for accounts that use them exclusively, with a 30% improvement in authentication success rates and 20% faster sign-in times. Sony PlayStation observed an 88% conversion rate for users who started enrollment.

Password management creates ongoing operational costs through help desk calls for password resets, account lockouts, administrative overhead, oil changes, new tires, you get it? Gartner reports that password-related issues account for 20-40% of all help desk calls, with each reset costing organizations an average of $70 in direct support time.

Microsoft’s shift to passkeys as the default sign-in method for all new accounts, supporting over 1 billion users, represents a significant industry move away from this support burden. These costs accumulate quickly across enterprise environments with thousands of users.

Passkeys naturally align with multiple compliance requirements: NIST AAL2/AAL3 phishing-resistant authentication, PCI DSS 4.0 multi-factor authentication, GDPR reduced personal data exposure, and SOC 2 strong access controls. For organizations juggling multiple compliance frameworks, passkeys provide a single technical control that addresses requirements across standards.

Challenges and misconceptions

Passkeys significantly improve security, but implementation requires understanding their limitations. As an electric vehicle won’t take you 1,000 miles on a single charge the way diesel would. Modern technology requires modern infrastructure — charging stations, service networks, trained technicians. Passkeys face similar dependencies.

Passkeys aren’t completely phishing-proof

While passkeys resist traditional credential phishing, attackers adapt. Downgrade attacks force users back to passwords by manipulating authentication pages. Device code phishing and OAuth consent attacks bypass passkey protections entirely.

These attacks don’t compromise passkey cryptography — they exploit implementation choices and user behavior. Organizations should:

• Monitor for downgrade attempts

• Disable password fallback where possible

• Train users to recognize suspicious authentication flows

Account recovery complexity

If a user loses their device and hasn’t backed up their passkey, they’ve lost their authentication credential. Recovery approaches include:

• Email-based recovery (reintroduces email compromise as an attack vector)

• Backup passkeys on multiple devices

• Manual identity verification by administrators

• Recovery codes generated during enrollment

Each approach has security implications that your ISO/IEC 27001 documentation should address in detail.

Mixed authentication environments

Few organizations can go fully passwordless overnight. During transition periods, you’ll operate mixed environments where some users authenticate with passkeys while others use passwords. This creates:

• Inconsistent security posture — Your most sensitive systems may rely on passkeys while legacy applications still accept weak passwords, creating exploitable gaps.

• Policy enforcement challenges — Different authentication methods require different security policies, making it difficult to maintain uniform access controls across the organization.

• Audit trail complexity — Security teams must track and correlate authentication events across multiple systems, complicating incident investigation and compliance reporting.

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• User confusion — Employees struggle to remember which accounts use passkeys and which still require passwords, leading to support calls and productivity loss.

Enterprise implementation considerations

Enterprise password management platforms should support:

• WebAuthn-based authentication through fingerprint readers, Face ID, PIN codes, and hardware security keys

• Flexible authentication policies allowing administrators to enforce passwordless authentication for specific user groups while maintaining password-based authentication for others during transition periods

• Email verification and authentication to ensure account recovery mechanisms reach legitimate recipients

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• Audit trails and monitoring tracking authentication events, passkey registration, and modifications

These capabilities enable gradual migration while maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 compliance.

Best practices for implementation

• Prioritize by risk — Start with privileged accounts (administrators, developers with production access, users handling sensitive data). Document your prioritization rationale to demonstrate the risk-based thinking that ISO/IEC 27001 demands.

• Maintain defense in depth — Passkeys should be one layer in a comprehensive security strategy. Combine with robust session management, authentication pattern monitoring, and device security requirements (encryption, screen locks).

• Plan the transition — Define clear migration timelines with deadlines for passkey adoption by user population. Track which users continue using legacy authentication. Make clear this is a temporary state with a defined end date.

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• Address account recovery proactively — Require multiple recovery options during enrollment. Test recovery procedures regularly. Monitor recovery usage for unusual spikes that may indicate phishing campaigns.

• Document thoroughly — ISO/IEC 27001 requires documented information for controls implementation. Maintain records of technical architecture, policy updates, risk assessments, operational procedures, and training materials. This documentation demonstrates compliance during audits and creates institutional knowledge that survives employee turnover.

The test drive is over: Time to sign the papers?

Your old password-based authentication still gets you from point A to point B — but is it ready for tomorrow’s journey? Passkeys don’t eliminate all authentication risks, but organizations that build adaptable authentication frameworks today will be better positioned to incorporate emerging technologies while maintaining rigorous security governance.

Passkeys represent a fundamental shift in authentication security, offering measurable improvements in security, user experience, and operational efficiency. For ISO/IEC 27001-compliant organizations, success requires risk-based prioritization, comprehensive documentation, and thoughtful management of the transition period.

Ready to strengthen your authentication security?

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Sponsored and written by Passwork.

Photograph: Julia Forbes

Based on the advertised deep contouring and pressure-relieving AirCradle foam, I expected the pressure relief to be a standout feature, but it wasn’t. This is not to say that pressure relief was absent in testing, but it was minimal compared to that of firmer hybrid mattresses I’ve tested such as the DreamCloud Hybrid or the Wolf Memory Foam Hybrid Premium Firm. Which brings me to firmness: By my measure, this was not a “medium” mattress. Saatva rates this mattress between 5 and 7 on the firmness scale, so it falls in the medium-firm range. Unless you’re more than 200 pounds or have a taller build, your body mass would lead to more sinkage. This felt like a true firm mattress, which I’d rate at 7.5 to 8 out of 10. For context, the firmer hybrid mattresses we’ve tested, like the Plank Firm Luxe and Bear Elite Hybrid, reside in the 8 to 10 range of the firmness scale.

To be clear, a firm mattress is not at all a bad thing. The light cushioning for my pressure points, especially my hips, was right on target for back and stomach sleepers. Paired with how much spinal alignment support you get from this mattress, this is an excellent choice for these two sleeping positions. Side sleepers, I’m much more hesitant. In my two-week testing period, I also tried this mattress with Saatva’s Graphite Memory Foam Topper, which was included in the Winter Bundle. That helped significantly to create more cushion to sink into. The downside is that it’s not included with the mattress and costs extra. Athletes will have this available to them in Colorado Springs, but I can’t help but wonder whether, for LA28, it might have been more strategic to go with the Saatva Classic mattress, with its three customizable firmness levels and two heights. However, I can’t even begin to contemplate the logistical headache that would be; I am just a humble mattress tester.

The Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid did well at maintaining a bouncy feel that supported me as I moved between sleeping positions. It also maintained good motion isolation, keeping the bed stable so my husband wasn’t disturbed on his side as I tossed and turned. I wouldn’t label this a cooling mattress, even with the graphite-infused topper. It stayed more temperature-neutral, not amassing excessive body heat, but it didn’t offer a cool-to-the-touch feel either.

Personal Record

Photograph: Julia Forbes

Overall, this is a high-quality offering from Saatva, and based on my testing history with the brand, I expected nothing less. It also comes with Saatva’s free white-glove delivery service, which includes delivery, mattress setup, and haul-away of your old mattress. As someone who hauls around beds every single week, this being part of your purchase is a very big deal. Throw in a 365-night sleep trial with no minimal “break-in” period, plus a lifetime warranty that Saatva offers, and you’ll probably start to understand why I’ve always regarded this brand as one of the best in the game—they know what they are doing.

You might assume that moving into a leadership position means that you already have the skills you need to succeed, but everyone benefits from a long-term learning strategy.

It takes commitment to advance to a leadership role, as you strive to prove you have the skills needed to lead others in the workplace. By the time you make your way up the career ladder, it is a fair assumption that you have all of the skills you might need ready to go, but that often isn’t the case.

Whether you are an early-career hire, or an established employee working out the last few years before retirement, everyone needs to have an upskilling plan that ensures they are keeping on top of changes and the needs of the working environment. 

So, with that in mind, which skills should employees looking towards a future in leadership prioritise?

Agility

In today’s shifting landscape one of the most important skills a future leader can have is the ability to transform and move with the changing times. In 2026, the modern workplace is being impacted by a range of factors, from the technological wave that is AI and the DEI response to the climate crisis, to mass global layoffs and increasing worldwide political tensions. 

Anyone looking to get ahead needs to be agile, ready to learn and unlearn in a short space of time, so they can help others through the chaos. Agility can be learned in a number of ways. For example, by experimenting with new ideas, technologies and processes, by being receptive to challenges and new opportunities, by seeking out constructive feedback and making the commitment to learn and grow from mistakes in a positive way.  

Basically, if you as the leader can’t roll with the punches, how can you expect your team and co-workers to?

Emotional intelligence 

Emotional intelligence, that is the ability to strongly identify, use and control your emotions, is fast becoming a coveted workplace soft skill. Perhaps as a response to rapidly changing global workplace dynamics. A true benefit in the working environment, skills in this space can enable leaders to ascend the career ladder quickly, improve cohesion, enhance trust, navigate risk and overall, create professional spaces for people to get their work done. 

To improve EQ employees should focus on other skills that lend themselves to higher emotional intelligence, for example, improved listening, clear communication, adaptability and critical thinking. As this particular skill depends on grouping a range of other abilities together, workshops, online courses and tutorials can be a more straightforward and convenient way to upskill in this area. 

Transparency

Openness and transparency in the workplace are critical to maintaining a content and productive atmosphere, in which important conversations and decisions can be made. To ensure a good start in your leadership journey, you should adopt a mindset of honesty. This can be achieved by being aware of your own limitations, addressing skills gaps, be they yours or co-workers, by ensuring that relevant information is not siloed and by embracing feedback. By creating strong channels of communication, through face-to-face meetings, online engagement and regular reviews, leaders show that they are committed to developing a cohesive and collaborative working culture. 

Strategy

When you first start in a leadership position it might be tempting to just ‘go with the flow’ and not ‘rock the boat’ for the first few weeks. Which is a fair plan, as you need time to acclimate and get your bearings, however, before too long you may find that part of this new professional experience includes making long-term plans. You are going to need to know how to strategise for the future. Having a strategic vision is about the ability to plan ahead, spot trends and patterns and ask the important questions before challenges arise. 

Professionals who want to work on their strategic thinking skills should work to expand their idea of the bigger picture, for example by attending industry-relevant events, networking with experts and following industry-relevant reports, surveys and announcements. Professionals should strive to ask smarter questions and should be open to exploring new avenues, as a means of discovering what works, what doesn’t work and what could be improved. 

Career-goers in leadership roles could also benefit from an in-depth knowledge of how various different ecosystems interact with and impact one another, as more and more we see workplace dynamics and expectations morphing. 

Perhaps most importantly, leaders should ensure that they take the time to reflect on their strategies and their overall approach to leadership. Changing your style as the landscape changes around you is not a sign that you have made a mistake, but rather that you recognise that your responsibilities are evolving and so must you. 

Don’t miss out on the knowledge you need to succeed. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic’s digest of need-to-know sci-tech news.

Eating well means focusing on a balanced, nutritious diet that includes vegetables, fruits, greens, whole grains, proteins and even treats in moderation. Although highly processed foods are not as healthy as fresh foods, you don’t need to avoid them completely or feel bad when you eat them. Just be sure you consume them in moderation.

To improve your health and balance out your diet, we compiled a list of 10 foods to be mindful of when dining out or cooking at home. Remember, you can still have them, just limit how frequently you eat them.

10 foods that can negatively affect your health

While the following foods are particularly lacking in nutrition, the point of paying attention to this list is less about cutting each item out entirely and more about realizing how little they bring to your diet. We don’t recommend you avoid these foods completely as food restriction can potentially trigger disordered eating. The main takeaway here is that it’s OK to eat the foods on this list as long as you’re also eating nutrient-rich foods that provide you with the vitamins and minerals you need. 

Many of the following foods contain highly refined grains, high amounts of trans fats or other processed fats that are hard for the body to use effectively. The foods lack many of the key nutrients such as dietary fiber, that promote gut health. Over time, depriving your body of the many vitamins, minerals and nutrients of whole foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains may create deficiencies that have medical symptoms. 

White bread 

White bread is made with a kind of bread flour that is processed from wheat. The processing removes bran and germ: parts of wheat grain. Whole wheat will generally be darker and denser, because it contains more nutrients and more fiber. These two aspects are great for your digestion and give your body the nutrition it needs. White bread has a nice light flavor but it’s made of just the endosperm layer of a wheat grain, and it contains less nutritional value. Instead, choose whole grain bread, which is loaded with essential nutrients.

To learn more about how complex carbs help keep you healthy, check out why you should be eating more carbs, not less.

Potato chips 

Many of the reasons why eating too many chips can be harmful is because they don’t provide a balanced source of calories. The amount of oil and simple carbohydrates they contain makes them calorie-dense but they aren’t correspondingly full of useful nutrients like vitamins. Chips that don’t contain any preservatives are a nice option for an occasional delicious indulgence but eating nothing but chips in a meal will leave your body wishing for more vitamins, protein and fiber.

French fries

French fries include many of the same nutrients as chips, although there’s more actual potato in a french fry. The crispiness of a french fry, however, doesn’t have to be from deep-fat frying, which has a lot of oils if you eat them often. In an air fryer, a thin sheen of oil (or even zero oil) can still get you a homemade, low-salt batch of french fries made from basically only potatoes. If your diet already has enough oil in it, this could be a good way to get a crispy treat without going over your daily value. 

Fried chicken 

Chicken is a delicious lean protein, but the breading on fried chicken tends to include white flour, oil and salt. These three ingredients are fine in moderation, but choosing grilled chicken or air-fried chicken could help you to reduce unhealthy ingredients if you’re already getting more than the recommended amount. 

Processed meats 

Generally, processed meats have few nutrients in them that, when consumed in excess, have been linked to negative medical outcomes. Processing meats sometimes involves adding nitrates and nitrites, which have been linked to higher cancer risk when eaten in moderation. Also, sodium is built into processed meat at fairly substantial levels. Whenever possible, cook and eat fresh meat.

Sugary cereals 

Like eating candy, sugary cereal often has a lot of simple carbohydrates and sugars compared to a lower protein, fiber and vitamin content. As a breakfast option, sugary cereals can also result in a blood sugar crash that makes you feel hungry soon after eating the cereal. Choosing a lower sugar cereal that has more protein and fiber included, as well as a plant-based or dairy milk can help you feel full and energetic longer.

Margarine 

Margarine was turned to when the saturated fats in butter were seen as a negative for our health. However, margarine varies: In some countries, it has harmful trans fats that aren’t easily processed by the body and in many cases it has a similar amount of processed saturated fat. Read the label or choose a less processed oil, like olive oil, as a bread topper if you really want to cut butter from your diet.

Frozen entrees 

All frozen entrees aren’t created equal — flash-frozen vegetables and cooked chicken, for instance, sometimes are low in preservatives and are a great way to eat if you need convenience food. However, for premade meals, check what types of food and other items are in your meal, especially if you’re worried about preservatives or food coloring in your diet.

Boxed mac and cheese 

While some of the prominent brands of mac and cheese have been found to be high in harmful chemicals, a big reason they’re considered unhealthy is from the high amount of simple carbohydrates and fats and low nutritional value. If you love the cheesy pasta, though, don’t despair: There are a variety of versions now that are either incorporating whole grains, vegetables like cauliflower and lower levels of preservatives and fats. 

Baked goods

Cakes, donuts and other baked goods can be delicious. But they can also be loaded with simple carbohydrates and saturated fats. Plus, they have very little fiber, protein or vitamins. If you make your own baked goods, however, it’s easy to make a treat that will deliver more nutrition, be it with some whole wheat flour substituted, an unsaturated fat substituted for butter or adding fruits or grated zucchini to increase vitamin content.

When it comes to office furniture, Herman Miller is a stand-out for design and comfort – and for the Presidents’ Day sales, I’m seeing some of the company’s top office chairs on sale.

That line-up includes the Embody, now $1688 (was $2110), which delivers a floating, cloud-like experience that makes it my top pick for long hours. And the iconic Aeron mesh chair, now $1592 (was $1999).

My team and I have many Herman Miller reviews under out belt – with several models featuring in my guide to the best office chairs. So, I’ve checked through the Herman Miller sale to find the office chairs that reviewed the best for ergonomics, style, and comfort during our testing.

If you’re planning to upgrade your office and workflow, you won’t want to miss this.

Top Herman Miller office chair deals

China is officially telling automakers to get a full grip: a complete wheel-style steering wheel. According to a draft from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the country plans to ban “yoke-style” or “half” steering wheels (via CarNewsChina).

The ban comes into effect from January 1, 2027, as part of the updated national safety standard (GB 11557-202X). While the documentation doesn’t explicitly name yokes, the new crash-testing requirements make it effectively impossible to pass.

China tightens its grip on steering design

The updated safety norms require steering wheels to pass an impact test at 10 specific points around the rim, and guess what: a yoke-style steering wheel, which doesn’t have a top part, can’t exactly volunteer for the test. It’s a no rim, no test, no approval kind of situation.

Chinese regulators explain how the choice isn’t about aesthetics. Rounder steering wheels offer a broader surface area, preventing drivers from pitching forward past the wheel in the event of a crash. Concerns about airbag deployment have also fueled the new norms.

The move will affect brands that have embraced the sci-fi look, including Tesla (among the major automakers that popularized the yoke-style steering wheels), Lexus, IM Motors, and Mercedes-Benz. While new models must comply from 2027, existing models might get a 13-month transition period.

Automakers rethink the spaceship look

Most recently, China also banned flush, pop-out door handles over safety concerns, stating that motorized handles can complicate emergency exit from vehicles.

Whether it is the yoke-style steering wheel or the flush-type door handles, regulators are dialing back flashy design trends in favor of safety and practicality.

For Chinese drivers who never quite got used to shuffling a yoke through a tight parking space, the news might come as a relief. For those chasing a spaceship-like vibe, automakers have to get back to the drawing board to continue selling models in the region.

For now, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) hasn’t given any indication about such bans coming to the United States, nor do the regulatory bodies here have a norm that automatically rules out yoke-style steering wheels.

The 2026 Winter Games in Milano Cortina will feature more medals than previous years, thanks to eight new events. The most notable addition is ski mountaineering — or “skimo” — an entirely new Olympic sport.

Skimo is a test of endurance where athletes climb up steep mountains on skis and then race back down. It combines the physical challenge of mountain climbing with the technical speed of skiing. With three gold medals on the line, it’s he biggest change to the Winter Olympics lineup in years. Here’s everything you need to know about skimo and how, when, and where to watch. 

Meet skimo, the new Olympic sport

As you might have guessed from the name, skimo is a new skiing event. Unlike other ski races, this one involves going both uphill and downhill, combining the endurance of Nordic skiing with the daring of alpine racing, with a pinch of NASCAR pit crew feeling at the top, as competitors transition from climbing to skiing down.

A skimo race begins at the bottom of the hill. Skiers start with carpet-like strips called “skins” on the bottom of their skis, which help them grip the snow as they race uphill. As if cross-country skiing wasn’t enough of an aerobic test of pain tolerance, let’s make it harder and race uphill!

As racers near the top of the skimo course, there will be a section too steep for skis, so racers will hop out of their skis, throw them on their back and hike up the hill in their boots. This exhausting section is called “boot packing.” 

Finally, at the top, racers will jump back into their skis, strip off the skins with shocking efficiency and then race down the hill through a series of gates to the finish line. This downhill section will look like a giant slalom race, for those familiar with alpine ski racing.

What are the three skimo events?

There are men’s and women’s sprint events, as well as a mixed relay. 

The sprint events will be completed faster than you would ever expect. Racers will climb roughly 230 feet to the top over the two uphill sections and then race down to the finish line in under three minutes.

The mixed relay will feature teams of one man and one woman. Each racer will go through the course twice, with the woman racing the first and third legs and the man racing the second and final legs. Since skimo racers use ski poles, there is no baton passing in a skimo relay — a simple tag is all that is required to pass the race to your teammate. The team with the fastest cumulative time wins.

The mixed relay course is longer than the sprint races and, in a twist, features a bootpack section on the second ascent but not the first. The total time for the mixed relay race is expected to be around 30 minutes.

When are the skimo events at the 2026 Olympics?

The men’s and women’s sprint events take place on Thursday, Feb. 19, at the Stelvio Ski Centre in Bormio. All the skimo sprints will take place on this one day, from the first heats to the gold medal final in both the men’s and women’s competitions.

Each field consists of 18 competitors who race in three heats of six. The top three from each heat, plus the three fastest who didn’t automatically qualify, advance to the semifinals. The two fastest from each semifinal, along with the two next-best times, create a field of six for the skimo final.

There are no preliminary heats for the mixed relay event, just a final, consisting of 12 to 18 teams. The men’s and women’s mixed relay finals will be run on Saturday, Feb. 21.

Which countries are the best at skimo?

Ski mountaineering started in the Alps, so it won’t surprise you when I tell you that France, Italy and Switzerland have historically dominated the skimo scene. At last year’s Ski Mountaineering World Championships, France won nine medals (four gold), Switzerland won seven (three gold) and Italy was third in total medals with four.

The current men’s world champion is Spain’s Oriol Cardona Coll. He’s the gold medal favorite in Milan Cortina for the men’s sprint. Emily Harrop from France is the favorite for the women’s sprint.

Who’s on the US skimo team?

Anna Gibson and Cam Smith will represent Team USA in the mixed relay race. They became the first American team ever to win a mixed relay World Cup event. Their win at Solitude, Utah, was not only historic on a national level but also qualified them for the Olympics. 

Gibson is a 26-year-old from Jackson, Wyoming, with a background in trail running and Nordic skiing. Hailing from Rockford, Illinois, Smith is 30 years old and the closest the US has to a skimo veteran. He’s an 11-time US Ski Mountaineering national champion and a five-time North American Ski Mountaineering champion.

Google is introducing Gemini-powered Audio Summaries to Google Docs, letting you listen to a shorter AI-generated overview of your document on the go. Think of it as turning long-form documents, such as product manuals, minutes of the meeting, or a quarterly business report, into an audio-only podcast.

Audio Summaries generate a short, natural-language recap of the document (typically a couple of minutes long) that retains the key ideas; it is based on Google Gemini.

Your Google doc, now in podcast form

It offers the gist of the entire document in audio format. You can listen to it while completing your steps on a treadmill, preparing breakfast, or simply walking to your class or office.

The Audio Summaries feature is available in Google Docs on the web, under Tools > Audio > Listen to document summary. Once you select the feature, Gemini scans the file and produces a narrated summary, along with a “Listen to this tab” option that reads the entire page for when you don’t want to miss the details.

Google says the voices sound natural (similar to the Gemini AI assistant). You can also control the playback speed to suit your needs. You also control standard controls like play, pause, and timeline scrubbing, as well as different voice styles, so that you can personalize the document-turned-podcast yourself.

Availability, productivity boost, and a catch

The Audio Summaries feature is rolling out gradually. However, the feature isn’t available for free users; it is currently limited to paid tiers, including the Workspace Business (Standard and Plus) and Enterprise plans (Standard and Plus), as well as certain AI add-ons (including Google AI Ultra and AI Pro).

Audio Summaries could really help enhance your productivity, especially if you’re a multitasker or have accessibility needs. However, be careful when using the feature, as summarizing the document might miss some important details.