The growth in cloud computing and AI in recent years has sent developers and tech companies scurrying to secure power. The U.S. Department of Energy expects that data centers could consume as much as 12% of all power produced in the U.S. by 2028, up from 4.4% in 2023. The looming crunch could leave 50% of new data centers underpowered by 2027.
Nuclear power has emerged as a darling of data center developers and tech companies. Google signed a 500-megawatt deal with nuclear startup Kairos, and Microsoft is restarting one of the shuttered reactors at Three Mile Island. Data center operator Switch announced an agreement in December with Oklo, the Sam Altman-baked small modular reactor company, for 12 gigawatts of capacity.
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But nuclear’s recent history has been beset by cost overruns and delays. The fresh crop of nuclear startups were largely founded to overcome those hurdles by modularizing and mass producing reactor components. If all goes as planned, the approach could speed approvals and construction of new nuclear plants.
But despite progress, none of the startups has yet to complete a reactor, and the first of their commercial reactors aren’t expected to come online until 2030, doing little to ease the near-term energy shortage. Natural gas power plants, another possible source for data centers, will also take years to build.
Solar and wind farms are much quicker to stand up. Compared with nuclear and natural gas plants, they can be completed in about half the time, according to one study of 50 years worth of power plant projects. More recent estimates suggest that the average time to completion for a solar power plant is around 18 months. Because of their inherent modularity, they can start producing power before the bulk of the project is complete.
The longest part of any solar project is permitting and interconnection, when the facility is connected to the grid. For data centers, grid connections can be optional — many could take power directly from the source. And given the apparent urgency of Stargate, it’s possible that permitting could be sped along, too, leaving solar as the likely frontrunner for the first data centers.
UnitedHealth has confirmed the ransomware attack on its Change Healthcare unit last February affected around 190 million people in America — nearly double previous estimates.
The U.S. health insurance giant confirmed the latest number to TechCrunch on Friday after the markets closed.
“Change Healthcare has determined the estimated total number of individuals impacted by the Change Healthcare cyberattack is approximately 190 million,” said Tyler Mason, a spokesperson for UnitedHealth Group in an email to TechCrunch. “The vast majority of those people have already been provided individual or substitute notice. The final number will be confirmed and filed with the Office for Civil Rights at a later date.”
UnitedHealth’s spokesperson said the company was “not aware of any misuse of individuals’ information as a result of this incident and has not seen electronic medical record databases appear in the data during the analysis.”
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The February 2024 cyberattack is the largest breach of medical data in U.S. history and caused months of outages across the U.S. healthcare system. Change Healthcare, a health tech giant and UnitedHealth subsidiary, is one of the largest handlers of health, medical data, and patient records; it’s also one of the biggest processors of healthcare claims in the United States.
UnitedHealth previously put the number of affected individuals at around 100 million people when the company filed its preliminary analysis with the Office for Civil Rights, the unit under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that investigates data breaches.
In its data breach notice, Change Healthcare said that the cybercriminals stole names and addresses, dates of birth, phone numbers, email addresses, and government identity documents, which included Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, and passport numbers. The stolen health data also includes diagnoses, medications, test results, imaging, and care and treatment plans, as well as health insurance information. Change said the data also includes financial and banking information found in patient claims.
Security researchers from Eclypsium find several bugs in multiple Palo Alto Networks firewalls
They claim the vulnerabilities are quite severe
Palo Alto Networks says if the OS is up to date, and security settings nominal, there is no risk
Security researchers have slammed Palo Alto Networks firewalls, claiming to have discovered severe vulnerabilities which undermine the entire point of the products.
Cybersecurity researchers Eclypsium published a report detailing a host of security flaws impacting Palo Alto Networks’ firewall firmware as well as misconfigured security features.
The company responded by saying the vulnerabilities were a stretch, that they’re close to impossible to leverage in the wild, and that they’ve not seen them abused anywhere.
LogoFAIL, PixieFAIL, and other woes
“These weren’t obscure, corner-case vulnerabilities,” the researchers said. “Instead these were very well-known issues that we wouldn’t expect to see even on a consumer-grade laptop. These issues could allow attackers to evade even the most basic integrity protections, such as Secure Boot, and modify device firmware if exploited.”
Eclypisum said the flaws were found in PA-3260, PA-1410, and PA-415. The first one reached end-of-sale in mid-2023, while the other two are still fully supported.
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The bugs are tracked as CVE-2020-10713, CVE-2022-24030, CVE-2021-33627, CVE-2021-42060, CVE-2021-42554, CVE-2021-43323, and CVE-2021-45970, LogoFAIL, PixieFail, CVE-2023-1017, and Intel bootguard leaked keys bypass.
After the news broke, The Hacker News reached out to the company for comment. Palo Alto Networks responded by saying that “the scenarios required for successful exploitation do not exist on up-to-date PAN-OS software under normal conditions with secured management interfaces deployed according to best practice guidelines.”
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In other words, if the firewalls’ OS is up to date, and secured management interfaces are properly deployed, there is no risk.
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“Palo Alto Networks is not aware of any malicious exploitation of these issues. We stand by the quality and integrity of our technology,” it added.
“While the conditions required to exploit these vulnerabilities are not available to users or administrators of PAN-OS software, we are working with the third-party vendor to develop any mitigations that may be needed. We will provide further updates and guidance to impacted customers as they become available.”
Apple is making an executive change to try and improve its AI efforts and Siri. Kim Vorrath, who recently helped get the Vision Pro software out the door and has been at Apple for 36 years, has been brought over to Apple’s artificial intelligence and machine learning division and will serve as a “top deputy” to AI boss John Giannandrea, Bloomberg reports.
By bringing on Vorrath, whose resume at Apple includes work on the original iPhone software group, over to the AI team, it appears Apple wants to bring more rigor to Apple’s AI development. It also indicates that Apple may see AI as a bigger deal for its future than the Vision Pro.
Bloomberg also reports that “the artificial intelligence group is focused on revamping the underlying infrastructure of Siri and improving the company’s in-house AI models” this year, per a memo from Giannandrea.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is doubling down on Retro Biosciences, a biotech startup based in San Francisco that wants humans to live 10 years longer than what it calls a healthy human lifespan.
Altman previously provided Retro Biosciences’ entire seed round of $180 million. Now, the startup is raising a $1 billion Series A that Altman is joining, The Financial Timesreports.
Retro Biosciences, which says it plans to launch trials for drugs targeting diseases like Alzheimer’s, recently trained a model with OpenAI to turn regular cells into stem cells.
CEO Joe Betts-LaCroix told the FT he wants to move fast by discovering and developing a drug “in the 2020s.”
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The startup joins other major billionaire-backed longevity efforts, including Altos Labs, which launched with $3 billion in 2022 backed by Jeff Bezos, and Unity Biotechnology, supported by both Bezos and Peter Thiel.
Another week has ended and, two of the world’s best streaming services aside (step up your game, Hulu and Disney Plus), there’s something new to watch on their rival platforms this weekend.
Indeed, from a couple of new movies that originally released in theaters in late 2024, to a bunch of new shows (and the return of a smash-hit Netflix series), there’s plenty for you to wrap your eyeballs around over the next few days. – Tom Power, senior entertainment reporter
The Night Agent season 2 (Netflix)
The Night Agent: Season 2 | Official Trailer | Netflix – YouTube
From The Recruit to Black Doves, Netflix has slowly been building out its back catalog of fun, dramatic, and thrilling spy genre shows. Few are more popular on the service, though, thanThe Night Agent, whose first season was a surprise overnight hit for the streaming titan and earned it a spot on our best Netflix shows list.
Two years on from that unprecedented success, the spy thriller is back for its second season. This time around, trust is in short supply for newly-minted Night Agent Peter Sutherland (Gabriel Basso), who becomes embroiled in another wild conspiracy that’ll force him to question who he can really rely on. I’ll be tuning in to see if Netflix’s seventh most-watched English TV Original of all-time can build on its debut season’s almighty performance. Before you do likewise, get the lowdown on the show’s return with our The Night Agent season 2 hub. – TP
Prime Target (Apple TV Plus)
Prime Target — Official Trailer | Apple TV+ – YouTube
Apple TV Plus keeps its busy start to 2025 going with new espionage thriller Prime Target, which stars One Day actor Leo Woodall alongside Quintessa Swindell from Euphoria. In the Apple TV Original, Woodall plays a math genius, who’s working on a secret research project to discover patterns in prime numbers that eventually catches the attention of Swindell’s NSA surveillance operative.
The idea that the story is built around is the fact that prime numbers form the basis of the world’s most common types of encryption that are still widely used today, which is why a Cambridge graduate cracking the code is of seismic global proportions in this new series. The best way I can think to describe it is the Da Vinci Code meets Good Will Hunting and, while it might not rank among the best Apple TV Plus shows, it’s an absorbing watch no less. – Amelia Schwanke, entertainment editor
One of the best 52 movies of 2024 has finally made its streaming debut – well, in the US (sorry, UK and Australian readers). The Wild Robot is an absolute joy of a film, with its gorgeous, painterly art style and wonderfully realized animation, emotionally resonant story, and top-tier voice acting making for a perfect, easy-to-watch flick on Peacock this weekend.
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Marvel star Lupita Nyong’o voices Roz, a service robot who becomes shipwrecked on a remote island that’s inhabited by talking animals. Unsurprisingly, she’s viewed as an outsider by the creatures that live on it. But, armed with a steely determination to adapt to her environment, plus the fact that she becomes the adoptive mother of an orphaned goose called Brightbill (Heartstopper‘s Kit Connor), Roz resolves to not only ingratiate herself with the locals, but also become their protector-in-chief. A beautiful movie in more ways than one that deserves to be seen. – TP
Gladiator II (Paramount Plus)
Gladiator II | Official Trailer (2024 Movie) – Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington – YouTube
Ridley Scott’s highly anticipated follow-up to iconic 2000 movie Gladiator is now available on Paramount Plus (again, only in the US, though). If you weren’t among those who took part in last year’s unexpected double bill Glicked (that’s Gladiator II and Wicked), you can bring the thrill of the Colossuem to your home. It hasn’t performed as well as Wicked, which was recently nominated for Best Picture, but its 71% Rotten Tomatoes rating means it could be worthy of a spot on our best Paramount Plus movies round-up.
With a brilliant ensemble cast like Pedro Pascal, Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington and Derek Jacobi, the movie is set 15 years after the first and is definitely worth your time if you are a fan of the original. It’s perfect if you’re looking for an action packed movie this weekend. Altogether now: are you not entertained!? – Lucy Buglass, entertainment writer
C.B. Strike: The Ink Black Heart (Max)
Max is now home to the TV adaptation of controversial author J. K. Rowling’s novel series of the same name, which were published under her pseudonym Robert Galbraith. The series follows private detective Cormoran Strike who teams up with his assistant Robin Ellacott to take on cases that have baffled the police, hoping they can finally get to the bottom of what happened. It’s no easy task and they work out of a cramped office, but they get the job done.
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There’ll be weekly episodic releases for this one, and the series has already premiered in the UK where it’s been met with some seriously mixed reviews. It’s Rotten Tomatoes score is too low to guarantee a spot to our best Max shows, but you might have a good time with it regardless. – LB
Star Trek: Section 31 (Paramount Plus)
Paramount Plus has released its first-ever made Star Trek TV movie; a 100-minute spin-off of galactic proportions that focuses on the secret Star Fleet agency called Section 31. Star Trek: Section 31 sees Michelle Yeoh reprise her role as emperor Philippa Georgiou who we met in the first episode of Star Trek: Discovery before she eventually becomes a member of the special ops division.
It’s a little different to your usual Star Trek movies, with Yeoh previously describing it as a mix of Mission: Impossible and Guardians of the Galaxy, which makes sense with the plot’s merry band of mercenaries that get caught up in a heist to defend the United Federation of Planets against multi-universal threats. It’s been through a lot of iterations to get here (it was originally going to be a series), which means that“there was so much more” that was left out, Yeoh’s fellow star Sven Ruygrok told us. That might be why long-time Trekkies and newcomers alike have absolutely slammed it, with many labeling it one of the franchise’s worst-ever projects. Ouch! – AS
Harlem season 3 (Prime Video)
Harlem Season 3 – Official Trailer | Prime Video – YouTube
The third and final season of Harlem is out now. Prime Video’s beloved comedy series is coming to an end, but I’m sure the Amazon TV Original will go out on a high. You’ll get two episodes each week until the finale on February 6, and I’m sure this will beat the January Blues some of us might be feeling.
The iconic cast made up of Meagan Good, Grace Byers, Shoniqua Shandaie, Jerrie Johnson, Tyler Lepley and Whoopi Goldberg are all back, with a few surprises and new faces teased for the final instalment. We’ve got plenty of great comedy recommendations on our best Prime Video shows round-up if you need to fill the Harlem shaped hole in your heart, though nothing can quite compare to how great this is. – LB
Nearly a week after it was removed, the TikTok app is still missing from Apple and Google’s app stores.
The app was pulled from both stores after the US’ ban-or-divest law went into effect last weekend, which resulted in the service going dark within the United States. While TikTok came back online shortly after the ban, the app didn’t return to either mobile store. Apple and Google are at risk of paying billions in fines if they make TikTok available, and it’s unclear if President Donald Trump’s executive order refusing to enforce the ban actually removes that risk.
Apple and Google haven’t replied to multiple requests for comment from The Verge — including requests I made today — about if or when the app might be available again. Apple and Google do have statements about the removal of TikTok and other ByteDance-owned apps like Lemon8 and Marvel Snap, but otherwise, no comment since.
TikTok didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment, either, however, Marvel Snap developer Second Dinner posted Friday evening on X, saying, “Our current estimation is that Marvel Snap will be back in the app stores as early as next week barring any setbacks.” Without explaining further, Second Dinner co-founder Ben Brode answered a question on Bluesky about what would happen for next month’s updates, saying, “we’re hoping to have it back before then.”
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Because these app stores are the primary way many people get the software, TikTok’s absence basically means you can’t newly install the app — at least, for the time being — without jumping through a lot of hoops. It also means they can’t deliver updates to add new features or address any bugs, including potential security flaws.
If you had TikTok on your phone before the ban kicked in, however, the app should work for you as normal. (As a result, people are trying to sell used phones with the TikTok app still on them.) You can also use TikTok in a browser — including on your phone.
Update, January 24th: Added new details about Marvel Snap.
Immerse yourself in the epicenter of tech innovation at Disrupt 2025! From October 27 to 29, Moscone West in San Francisco transforms into the global hub for technology and venture capital. Experience 250+ powerful sessions, 200+ expert-led discussions, the thrilling Startup Battlefield 200, and unparalleled networking with 10,000 tech and VC leaders. This year, dive deeper into groundbreaking AI advancements to spark your next big idea.
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What to expect at Disrupt 2025
Expect three dynamic days of exploring the cutting-edge innovations, trends, and products shaping startups today. You’ll also walk away with practical strategies for navigating the challenges and opportunities in the fast-changing tech landscape.
TechCrunch Disrupt continues its mission by bringing you the latest insights from pioneering founders, CEOs, and venture capitalists who will share their invaluable wisdom. This is a must-attend event for entrepreneurs looking to learn from the top minds in the industry. Here’s a preview of the distinguished speakers who joined us last year:
Image Credits:Kimberly White/Getty Images for TechCrunch
Image Credits:Kimberly White/Getty Images for TechCrunch
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Alongside our core focus on entrepreneurship and business growth, this year’s event will feature special tracks on AI and space, and more.
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Frank Scheufens, Product Manager at PNY Technologies explains the benefits and uses of Digital Twins in this second installment.
Frank Scheufens
Product Manager for Professional Visualization at PNY Technologies EMEA.
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Operating Digital Twins: virtually manage, monitor and optimize physical assets
A digital twin operates through a cycle of data collection, transmission, analysis, and user interaction. The process begins with data collection, where physical assets are fitted with sensors that monitor various parameters—such as temperature, pressure, or movement. This data is then transmitted to the digital twin via cloud or edge computing, allowing the digital model to update in real-time. Advanced algorithms and analytics are applied to the incoming data, helping the twin predict future states, identify anomalies, and provide actionable insights.
The real power of a digital twin lies in its interactivity. Operators can interact with the model to test hypothetical scenarios, diagnose problems, and adjust operations without affecting the actual physical asset. This simulation capability, coupled with real-time data, provides a dynamic environment for experimentation and optimization.
The role of AI in Digital Twin projects
Artificial intelligence (AI) plays a crucial role in maximizing the potential of digital twins. AI’s ability to handle massive datasets, identify patterns, and make predictions allows digital twins to go beyond basic monitoring. In many cases, machine learning algorithms are integrated into the twin to enable predictive analytics—forecasting potential failures or maintenance needs before they occur. This predictive capability helps organizations shift from reactive to proactive maintenance, reducing costs and avoiding unexpected downtime.
AI can also help with anomaly detection, identifying unusual behavior patterns in the data. In industries like manufacturing or aviation, these patterns might indicate a need for maintenance or signal a potential issue. Additionally, AI algorithms can simulate various scenarios within the digital twin, allowing organizations to optimize processes and test changes without risking real-world consequences. In some advanced applications, AI even enables the digital twin to make autonomous decisions, adjusting operations based on the analyzed data.
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Challenges in Digital Twin projects
While digital twins offer immense benefits, they also come with challenges that need to be managed carefully. One of the most significant is data management. The vast quantities of data generated by sensors can be overwhelming, requiring robust storage, processing, and analysis capabilities. Integrating a digital twin with existing, sometimes outdated, systems can also be challenging. Legacy infrastructure isn’t always compatible with modern digital twins, necessitating extensive adjustments and integrations. Another challenge is the high initial cost. Developing a digital twin, especially for complex systems, involves significant investment. This includes installing sensors, building models, integrating AI capabilities, and ensuring cybersecurity. The initial expense can be a barrier for smaller organizations or those with tight budgets.
Cybersecurity is another critical concern. Digital twins rely on a constant flow of data, often transmitted through the internet or other networks. This data transmission can become a vulnerability, exposing the twin to potential cyber threats if not adequately secured. Keeping a digital twin accurate over time also requires continuous maintenance. Models must be regularly calibrated and adjusted to reflect changes in the physical object they represent, which can be a demanding and time-consuming process.
Why Digital Twins require special platforms
Developing and managing a digital twin demands a specialized platform due to the unique requirements of real-time data processing, integration, and visualization.
A dedicated platform offers several benefits:
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Data integration: These platforms can aggregate data from various sources—IoT devices, cloud databases, and other systems—seamlessly. This allows the digital twin to have a holistic view of the physical system.
Advanced analytics: Many platforms include built-in analytics and machine learning tools, making it easier to apply AI to data analysis and predictions. • Scalability: A specialized platform can grow as the digital twin project expands, whether it’s adding more assets, increasing data points, or integrating additional processes.
Security: Given the importance of data protection, dedicated platforms often include robust security features to safeguard sensitive information.
Visualization & interaction: Digital twin platforms provide tools for visualizing the model and interacting with it in a meaningful way, such as through 3D interfaces or augmented reality.
These platforms streamline the complex process of building and maintaining a digital twin, ensuring the project is efficient, scalable, and secure.
Types of Digital Twins: from components to processes
Digital twins come in various forms, each catering to different aspects of a physical system:
Component Twins: These focus on individual parts or components of a system, like an engine or a pump. Component twins are often used to monitor the health and performance of critical parts, predicting failures before they occur.
Asset Twins: These model entire assets, such as a vehicle or a machine. Asset twins are used to track the overall health, efficiency, and lifecycle of the asset, providing valuable insights for maintenance and upgrades.
System Twins: System twins represent groups of assets working together, like a factory production line. They help optimize workflows, identify bottlenecks, and improve overall efficiency.
Process Twins: These are the most comprehensive, simulating entire processes or operations. Process twins allow organizations to see how different components and systems interact over time, providing insights that can streamline complex workflows and improve productivity. Each type of digital twin offers a unique perspective, from the granular level of individual parts to the broad view of entire processes.
Security considerations for Digital Twins
Security is a top priority when it comes to digital twins, as they involve constant data exchanges between the physical and digital realms. The level of security varies based on implementation, but several challenges need to be addressed:
Data transmission: With data continuously flowing from the physical object to the digital twin, encryption is crucial. End-to-end encryption ensures that data remains secure during transmission, protecting it from interception.
Integration points: Digital twins are often connected to other systems, like cloud platforms or analytics tools. Each connection point can be a potential vulnerability, so it’s vital to secure them with proper authentication and encryption measures.
IoT device security: Many digital twins rely on IoT devices to gather real-time data, and these devices can be targets for cyberattacks. Ensuring they have up-to-date firmware, secure communication channels, and strong access controls is essential.
A multi-layered security approach, regular updates, and proactive monitoring are key to ensuring that digital twins remain secure while handling sensitive data.
Conclusion
Digital twins are revolutionizing industries by creating a bridge between the physical and digital worlds. They provide a dynamic, real-time view of physical systems, offering unprecedented opportunities for optimization, prediction, and innovation. However, they also come with challenges, from high initial costs to cybersecurity concerns. With the right platform, tools, and security measures in place, digital twins can offer significant advantages, helping organizations navigate the complexities of modern technology and stay ahead of the competition. As AI and IoT technologies continue to advance, the capabilities and applications of digital twins are only expected to grow, making them an integral part of the future of smart systems and connected industries.
This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro’s Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro
Ever since Elon Musk closed his deal to buy Twitter he’s claimed the company, now called X, is in “a very dire situation from a revenue standpoint.” Now, the Wall Street Journal reports that banks are preparing a coordinated move to sell off some of the $13 billion in debt they loaned Musk to finance the deal. It mentions an email sent to employees this month, also confirmed by The Verge, where the Chief Twit said, “…we’ve witnessed the power of X in shaping national conversations and outcomes,” but also claimed, “Our user growth is stagnant, revenue is unimpressive, and we’re barely breaking even.”
Part of the reason Bank of America, Barclays, and Morgan Stanley are holding so much of the debt is from trying to avoid selling at a loss after economic conditions changed, and Musk had an extended court battle attempting to get out of the deal. While equity investors have reportedly slashed the value of their stakes by as much as 78 percent, the Journal reports, “banks hope to sell senior debt at 90-95 cents on the dollar, while retaining more-junior holdings.”
As Musk referenced in his email, the report says the banks hope to use the narrative of Musk’s link to Donald Trump, as some unnamed investors may be interested in buying based on a belief that its financials are on the way up.
However, Musk also said that the company could become cash-flow positive “within months” nearly two years ago, and it still faces over $1 billion in annual interest payments on the loans. The platform is increasingly turning into a testing ground for his AI ambitions, as we reported earlier this month, and while X has added some features, like job listings and a new video tab, there’s little sign of the service he’d said would be able to “someone’s entire financial life” by the end of 2024.
Elon Musk’s X has started expanding the rollout of its dedicated vertical video feed to users around the globe just days after its debut in the U.S., TechCrunch has exclusively learned and confirmed with the company.
On Friday, TechCrunch spotted the new feature had appeared in various regions outside the U.S., including India, Australia, and some European markets. An X spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch the global rollout of the vertical video feed was currently “underway.” The new feature is accessible through a dedicated tab in the X app, where it has a prominent placement next to the Grok button.
The spokesperson also confirmed that the rollout is specific to iOS, meaning Android users need to wait a bit longer. (The company did not share an exact timeframe for the Android launch.)
Earlier this week, X released its vertical video feed in the U.S. amid uncertainty around TikTok’s future in the market as a result of the TikTok ban. Enforcement of the ban is currently on pause as President Trump extended the deadline for TikTok to make a deal that would cede some control to a U.S. entity, if not a full divestment of its U.S. operations, to protect national security interests.
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In addition to providing entertainment, the new video feature also allows X to display ads after users scroll through a few short videos. This helps the company generate additional revenue by keeping users engaged with the video content — a strategy common across social networks, including Instagram, TikTok, and others.
Video experiences have become a key focus for X in general. Last year, the platform launched a stand-alone TV app to show videos from creators and organizations. X also enabled users in 2022 to scroll through short videos by tapping on a video in the timeline and swiping it up.
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