Emirates has joined the growing number of airlines that will deploy Starlink Wi-Fi across its entire in-service fleet, in a move that will bring fast connectivity on 232 Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 aircraft. 

The accelerated Starlink roll-out and uplifting of connectivity is designed to build on Emirates’ investments in what it said will be a superior onboard experience, which includes its retrofit programme of A380s and Boeing 777s. The roll-out will begin with the Boeing widebody aircraft in November 2025, with deployment completed by mid-2027.

Emirates believes that Starlink connectivity will enable its customers to stream content, game, make calls, work and browse social media throughout their journey on both seatback screens and personal devices simultaneously. This integration will also deliver connected experiences at scale across all cabin classes.

Emirates plans to install Starlink on all 232 aircraft in its in-service fleet over the next two years. The airline has already equipped its first aircraft with Starlink on A6-EPF, the Boeing 777-300ER.

The first Emirates commercial passenger flight with Starlink will depart immediately following the Dubai Airshow as A6-EPF re-enters service, marking the start of an accelerated fleet-wide roll-out.

The airline will fit-out approximately 14 aircraft per month with Starlink, with installation on the Airbus A380 fleet commencing in February 2026.

The airline is primed to install two antennae on each Boeing 777 aircraft, and in what is said to be an industry-first, three antennae on each Airbus A380, to offer connectivity, capacity and coverage across every cabin class for a better customer experience.

Emirates will also make live TV over Starlink available, initially on personal devices and then on seatback screens from late December 2025. Starlink’s aviation product offers download per terminal of 135-310 Mbps.

“Partnering with Starlink is another defining moment in our continuous commitment to ensuring our customers ‘fly better’,” said Emirates Airline president Tim Clark.

“We’re introducing the world’s fastest Wi-Fi, elevating what passengers can expect from in-flight connectivity, like seamless productivity, real-time communication with loved ones, and uninterrupted connection to their digital lives. But that’s just one piece of the transformation happening across our fleet.

“Starlink is being installed in tandem with the most ambitious cabin refurbishment programme in aviation, including brand new Premium Economy cabins, an enhanced Business Class, refreshed First Class, expanded and upgraded entertainment system technologies, and now, industry-leading connectivity.”

Chad Gibbs, vice-president of Starlink business operations at SpaceX, added: “With Starlink onboard your Emirates flight, you’ll be able to stream, game, and have seamless video calls, just as you can do on the ground. We’re excited to transform Emirates’ travel experience and support the rapid installation of Starlink while maintaining focus on delivering overall quality of service.”

The roll-out is also said to reflect the scale of Emirates’ nearly 220 aircraft retrofit programme. To date, 76 fully refurbished aircraft have entered service, featuring Premium Economy, redesigned Business Class, refreshed First Class suites and elevated finishes throughout.

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In the latest airline connectivity win for the SpaceX-owned connectivity provider, and hot on the heels of arch-rival Emirates making a similar announcement, Qatar Airways has accelerated its Starlink installation.

Qatar Airways currently flies to more than 170 destinations worldwide, connecting through its Doha hub, Hamad International Airport. It was also the first airline in the Middle East to be certified to the highest level of IATA’s Environmental Assessment (IEnvA) programme, based on recognised environmental management system principles (such as ISO 14001).

Qatar Airways claims to be the operator of the largest number of Starlink-equipped widebody aircraft and the only carrier in the MENA region currently offering Starlink in-flight connectivity. It has described the expansion as “reaffirming its position as the world’s leading airline for innovation, reliability and unmatched passenger experience.”

The airline sees the deal as a major milestone in its Starlink roll-out, equipping over 100 widebody aircraft with the fastest Wi-Fi in the sky.

It also regards the move as an achievement representing one of the most rapid and ambitious Starlink installation programmes in the aviation industry, that furthermore is being implemented ahead of the initially expected schedule to bring the service to passengers even sooner.

Since its launch of the world’s first Starlink-equipped Boeing 777 in October 2024, meaning it has more than half of its widebody fleet now Starlink-connected, Qatar Airways has operated over 30,000 flights across six continents with gate-to-gate connectivity. This includes key destinations across Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and the Americas.

To date, Qatar Airways has completed the roll-out programme for its Boeing 777 fleet, and is rapidly finalising the Starlink roll-out across its Airbus A350 aircraft, also set to be completed ahead of schedule.

Qatar Airways believes its new connectivity service is “game-changing”, and transforming the onboard experience for both business and leisure travellers by enabling streaming, gaming and working at 35,000 feet.

“Qatar Airways continues to lead the industry by setting new benchmarks with action, and not just intent,” said Qatar Airways group chief executive officer Mohammed Al-Meer. “We have expedited our Starlink roll-out, which is now advancing ahead of schedule as Qatar Airways brings the best travel experience to our passengers as an immediate priority, not a future ambition.

“Equipping over 100 widebody aircraft since the launch of our first Starlink-equipped flight in October 2024 reflects this commitment,” he said. “We now operate up to 200 daily Starlink-connected flights to key destinations to ensure our passengers stay seamlessly connected with speeds faster than many home Wi-Fi services. Whether working, streaming movies and sports, or staying in touch with friends and family, staying connected at 35,000 feet has never been more convenient.”

The increased deployment of Starlink connectivity comes after the airline announced it had rolled out SITA’s next-generation software-defined wide-area network to keep global outstations connected, secure and resilient.

This installation was made to address the dual challenges that modern airlines face through rising passenger volumes and increasingly complex digital operations, resulting in legacy networks being stretched to unprecedented levels of tolerance.

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Google unveiled the Gemini 3 models on Tuesday, shortly after the Gemini 3 Pro benchmarks and model card leaked, teasing massive performance gains over rival products from OpenAI and Anthropic. The benchmark scores could not detail all the novelties in Gemini 3 Pro, especially the new Generative UI functionality, a feature that’s not available from competing AI services like ChatGPT. Generative UI lets Gemini create rich visuals when crafting responses to user prompts. The visuals can help explain a topic better than text-only responses. The new feature can be used to turn a complex concept into something simpler or to create a response that looks like a website or app experience.

The new Gemini 3 model powers Generative UI, creating the advanced visuals and UI on the spot, as it generates the response and determines whether UI visuals are needed. The resulting UI can include interactive elements, like buttons and menus. Also, Gemini can create immersive web, app, and game experiences within its reply.

Google explained in a Google Research blog post that Generative UI may be the precursor of something much bigger. “This work represents a first step toward fully AI-generated user experiences, where users automatically get dynamic interfaces tailored to their needs, rather than having to select from an existing catalog of applications,” Google said, teasing a world where people may use AI to create bespoke apps on the fly.

Generative UI uses several “key tools,” including an unidentified image generation model and access to web search. Generative UI will work initially in the Gemini app (the Dynamic View and Visual Layout experiments) and in Google Search (AI Mode Thinking model), though the latter will be available only to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the U.S.

What can Gemini 3 do with Generative UI?

Google offered a few examples of Generative UI responses. For example, the following video shows Gemini 3 responding to this prompt: “Create a Van Gogh gallery with life context for each piece.” The AI creates a website experience featuring an interactive menu that can be clicked to access different paintings and relevant information.

In dynamic view Gemini designs and codes a fully customized interactive response for each prompt, using Gemini’s agentic coding capabilities. It understands that explaining a complex topic like the microbiome to a child requires a different interface and features than explaining… pic.twitter.com/6U0wJt9I3h

— Yossi Matias (@ymatias) November 18, 2025

The following example shows how Gemini 3’s Generative UI might help students struggling to understand complex subjects, or regular Google Search users who might be curious about a specific topic. Answering this prompt, “show me how RNA polymerase works. What are the stages of transcription and how is it different in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells,” AI Mode creates an animated visual that illustrates the chemical reactions via a simulator accompanying text generated by the AI.

Generative UI is also integrated into AI Mode in Google Search (for Pro and Ultra subscribers in the U.S.). to help visualize complex topics by building interactive tools and simulations on the fly.
Example prompt, “show me how rna polymerase works. what are the stages of… pic.twitter.com/XAd0v4zYzA

— Yossi Matias (@ymatias) November 18, 2025

Google offers additional examples of what’s possible with Generative UI in Gemini 3 in the Google Research blog post. The AI created a website to showcase different outfit styles for a user who sent the following prompt: “Be my fashion advisor — explain the theory and show me a dozen stylish options for me.” The website contains realistic images, menus, and descriptions similar to what you might see in an online store dedicated to fashion. The difference is that the website has been created within Gemini experiences for a single person.

Gemini will also be able to tailor the Generative UI design to the content consumer. A prompt asking for a math experience for a 5-year-old (“Teach my 5-year-old addition, subtraction, multiplication, and binary representation with cute creatures that play basketball. He loves basketball”) leads to a Generative UI response that features an interactive basketball-themed website the boy can use to learn math.

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José Adorno/BGR

Apple still has a long way to go before releasing the next generation of iPhones, but there are already tons of rumors regarding the iPhone 18 Pro models. With so many changes expected for the iPhone lineup in the near future, Apple’s most anticipated Pro phone is expected to have several upgrades.

First up, Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station believes Apple’s next big camera feature will be variable aperture. If that turns out to be correct, Apple could improve low-light shots and make brighter scenes more realistic with improved depth of field.

Another rumor claims Apple will add a smaller Dynamic Island as it prepares to remove the display cutout entirely for the iPhone’s 20th anniversary in 2027. Per display analyst Ross Young and Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple wants to hide the Face ID sensors under the display. And the third rumor we’re tracking is from The Information, which thinks Apple could be planning to add a single pinhole camera in the upper-left corner of the display.

Bigger battery and better chips

José Adorno/BGR

The new iPhone 17 models already have a formidable battery life. Still, it seems Apple might be willing to make the iPhone 18 Pro Max battery life even better. According to a Chinese leaker, the new model will be slightly thicker and heavier, most likely adding space for a longer battery life.

A fifth rumor we’ve heard is that some expect Apple to use a 2nm manufacturing process for the upcoming A20 Pro, making it even more powerful without depleting its battery life. Another chip improvement would come from the C2 modem, which is expected to make Apple abandon Qualcomm in favor of its own solution. Currently, the company uses the C1X modem on the iPhone Air, but rumors suggest that it’s developing a better 5G modem with mmWave 5G support in the U.S.

Finally, on the topic of 5G, The Information believes Apple will add support for 5G networks through satellites, which would expand iPhone users’ access to 5G from its current emergency usage to mainstream usage, meaning customers would be able to have unlimited access online anywhere in the world. BGR will keep following the latest iPhone 18 Pro rumors, and we’ll let you know once we learn more about them.

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As the country’s mobile comms operators increase the reach and roll-out of 5G standalone networks, the UK has become a mobile data-hungry nation, with mobile users consuming nearly a fifth (18%) more mobile data than a year ago, according to research from communications regulator Ofcom.

And while the 5G market was gaining huge momentum, the latest version of Ofcom’s annual Connected nations report also found full-fibre networks’ reach was growing strongly but that many users were not taking advantage of them.

The study found that consumers were using over 1.2 billion GB each month, the equivalent of streaming 400 million football matches in HD, watching 315 billion TikToks, or sending 1.3 quadrillion text-only WhatsApp messages.

Showing just how the UK’s comms infrastructure was changing, the report revealed that while 4G still accounts for the majority of mobile data traffic, 5G data use grew by more than half (53%) in the past year. The rise in subscribers to fixed wireless access (FWA) services was identified as a significant contributor to the overall growth of data traffic on mobile networks.

To keep up, mobile networks were deploying 5G standalone to provide users with a faster, better and more powerful experience. The report – which includes new and exclusive data on standalone 5G (5G SA) coverage for the first time – revealed that 83% of the UK had access to full 5G from at least one mobile network. Overall, 5G coverage outdoors is available from at least one operator in 97% of the UK – up from 95% in 2024. This ranged from 64% to 89% between the mobile networks nationally.

In the fixed connectivity arena, the report revealed a rapid roll-out of full-fibre broadband continues, with 78% of homes (23.7 million) now having access, up from 20.7 million (69%) a year ago. But Ofcom also noted that while using fibre optic cables all the way to the home instead of copper lines means much faster, more reliable broadband – less than half of those with access sign up.

Despite fibre take-up increasing from 35% to 42% this year, Ofcom warned that millions are still missing out on a broadband upgrade that could mean buffer-free streaming, seamless gaming, and saying goodbye to awkward freezes during video calls. Taking full-fibre and cable networks together, the report calculated that 26.4 million homes (87%) now have access to a gigabit-capable broadband connection, over half (56%) of which actually take it up.

Another key connectivity trend for 2025 was a surge in satellite broadband, with Starlink increasing its UK customers to over 100,000 for the first time. Starlink connections rose by over a quarter, from around 87,000 to over 110,000. A majority of those were in rural areas, and more than 12,000 were in places that can’t get decent fixed line or wireless broadband.

Natalie Black, Ofcom’s group director for infrastructure and connectivity, said: “The UK’s demand for data continues to grow as we live increasingly connected lives. For years, operators have been delivering 5G services while using old 4G networks to do most of the legwork. But now, the race to deliver the UK’s full 5G future is on.”

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For anyone who works remotely, their workspace matters greatly. And a key part of their workspace is the desk. They sit at their desk for hours on end almost every day to get work done. Since their desk plays a key role in their work-from-home setup, they’ll thank you for finding them a gift that makes their life easier while working remotely. 

But gifting someone who works remotely can be challenging because they probably already have all the basics: a desk, a basic pair of headphones, a monitor, an ergonomic chair, and more. Despite that, there are many gadgets they don’t have but don’t know they need and others they already have but could use an upgrade after years of use.

If you’re stuck on what to give them as a gift this holiday season, don’t despair. We’ve compiled a list of the best desk upgrades to gift anyone who works remotely that they’ll certainly appreciate. They include an upgrade to their existing desk for a height-adjustable one, better noise-cancelling headphones, and a few other gadgets to level up their workspace.

Flexispot Comhar Standing Desk

If the person you want to gift uses a basic fixed-height desk for work, a height-adjustable desk is one of the best gifts you can get them, as it makes working from home easier. And because a desk is central to any work-from-home setup, it will be one of the biggest (if not the biggest) upgrades to their workspace. Flexispot is one of the go-to companies for desks, and the Comhar electric standing desk is a great option. 

The 55-inch variant can carry up to 154 pounds, hence it is capable of comfortably supporting a multi-monitor setup. It comes with an electric-powered motor for adjusting the height from a low of 28.7 inches all the way to 48 inches. The desk has four memory height presets, letting you set your preferred heights for quick access. The smart control panel on the desk also includes two ports for charging, including one 27W USB-A port and another 45W USB-C port. You also get an embedded drawer that makes it possible to keep the workspace free from clutter at all times.

A nice touch to the Comhar standing desk is an anti-collision feature to ensure the desk doesn’t crash into objects or cause injury. You can pick between a 48-inch and a 55-inch tabletop depending on workspace needs. The Comhar electric standing desk comes in various colors, including white, dark walnut, maple, and more. It currently boasts a 4.4 rating with over 2,700 reviews. The Flexispot Comhar standing desk is currently on sale at Amazon for $227.99 and $294.49 for the 48-inch and 55-inch variants, respectively.

Anker Soundcore Space One

Focusing when working from home can be challenging due to the noise from the surroundings, either from other people in the house or from the outside. That’s why a gift like the Soundcore Space One over-ear headphones with active noise cancellation (ANC) capabilities will be greatly appreciated by anyone working remotely. 

With a promise of up to 40 hours of playback with ANC enabled and 55 hours without on a single charge, the Space One can be used for several days without the need to top up. What makes the Space One even better is that they have multipoint connection support – it can connect to up to two devices at the same time, which should cover essential devices in any workspace. User reviews note that the Space One is comfortable to wear for extended periods as well, thanks to its soft headbands. 

In the sound department, they include 40mm drivers and support the LDAC Bluetooth codec, delivering decent sound for a pair of wireless headphones. And if you don’t like the default sound profile, you can download the companion app for different presets, or manually curate your own custom profile using the in-app equalizer. As one of the top-rated headphones under $100, the Space One has an average rating of 4.4 out of over 11,000 reviews on Amazon. You can buy the Space One on Amazon for $99.

Everlasting Comfort Adjustable Footrest

A footrest is one of those gadgets you don’t know you need until you actually get your hands on it. There are many benefits of a footrest while working at a desk, including helping you stay in a neutral position, which can prevent certain health issues down the line. Everlasting’s Comfort Adjustable Footrest is a great pick with a 4.5-star rating as of this writing from over 27,000 reviews. Unlike other footrests that use a hard surface, this one has a high-density foam with adjustable nodes at the base. 

What’s cool about this footrest is that you can use it in different ways: with the base, without it, or upside down as a rocker. You can also use the base alone since it’s detachable and includes pressure point nodes that help relieve tension in the feet. The Everlasting Comfort Adjustable Footrest normally costs $49.99 but is now on sale for $39.97 on Amazon.

Lume Cube Edge Light

Working remotely often means attending meetings to be in sync with coworkers. That’s why a gift like the Lume Cube Edge Light is a handy desk upgrade for remote workers. This device comes in handy in online meetings by enhancing your look by making your face well lit. Although it uses LEDs, it has a softening lens and a diffuser that ensures the light doesn’t strain your eyes. 

Plus, you can adjust brightness as well as color temperature using the available dedicated control buttons. The Lume Cube Edge Light comes with a desk clamp, so it’s easy to mount and doesn’t take up any space. As a result, it can be gifted even to those who have small workspaces. The light’s desk clamp can attach to surfaces up to 3.3 inches thick, hence it can fit even on slightly thick desk tops. 

Lume Cube’s Edge Light also has adjustable pivot points and a swivel head that make positioning easy. With a 4.3-star rating from over 940 reviews, users love it for its professional light quality, small physical footprint, and placement flexibility. The Lume Cube Edge Light 2.0 is available on Amazon for $149.99.

Insta360 Link 2 PTZ Webcam

While the Insta360 Link 2 webcam is a bit on the high end, it’s packed with lots of handy features. That’s why it’s regarded as one of the most feature-packed webcams on the market. As such, it’s not only a great value for the money but also a perfect gift for someone who works remotely. It features a 1/2-inch sensor that can shoot in 4K and has HDR support; therefore, it will massively improve picture quality in meetings for just about anyone. With a two-axis pivot, the Insta360 Link 2 can rotate freely. The AI-powered tracking feature that follows you around takes advantage of the pivot’s flexibility. 

There’s also a special desk view mode that tilts the camera down to showcase what’s on the desk without any complicated setup. The webcam also has a built-in mic with noise canceling that blocks much of the background noise, as per multiple user reviews. Other handy features on the Insta360 Link 2 include privacy mode when you don’t need to use the webcam and whiteboard mode for showcasing content on a physical whiteboard. 

This webcam also has convenience features for online meetings like gesture controls, background removal, background blur, and background replacer. On Amazon, it has a 4.6 rating from over 980 reviews and is available for $199. However, if you want something a bit cheaper and don’t mind missing out on a few bells and whistles, its Link 2C sibling costs $149.99 on Amazon.

How we picked these products

Svetlana-cherruty/Getty Images

We compiled this list after extensive research on the most useful ways that you can enhance any work-from-home setup. Each product in this list stands out with a solid rating of at least 4.3 from over 900 user reviews on Amazon. Additionally, we paid close attention to what users say about the products to find the best option that you can give someone you care deeply about.

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The surging demand for artificial intelligence (AI) is fuelling growth in datacentre markets across the world, with figures from Gartner highlighting the twin impact of these trends on global electricity supply and demand patterns.

Projections released by the IT analyst house suggest the electricity demands of datacentres will grow by 16% this year and are on course to double by 2030. At the same time, Gartner analysts estimate that the amount of electricity consumed by the global datacentre market will hit 448 terrawatt hours (TWh) in 2025, rising to 980 TWh by 2030, with much of this energy consumed by power-hungry AI workloads hosted in these datacentres. Its figures show that AI-optimised servers are expected to account for 21% of the total amount of power consumed by datacentres this year, rising to 44% by 2030, when they will also represent 64% of the incremental power demand for datacentres.  

“While conventional servers and supporting infrastructure contribute to overall datacentre electricity consumption, the rapid rise of AI-optimised servers is fuelling the increase in datacentre power consumption,” said Gartner research director Linglan Wang. “Their electricity usage is set to rise nearly fivefold, from 93 TWh in 2025 to 432 TWh in 2030.” 

On a region-by-region basis, Gartner said the US and China are expected to account for more than two-thirds of the global electricity demand generated by datacentres. Specifically, Gartner said US  datacentre electricity usage is projected to rise from 4% to 7.8% of regional consumption between 2025 and 2030, with Europe increasing from 2.7% to 5%.

Growth in China and in the Asia-Pacific region is expected to be more moderate, because – as Gartner terms it – the area favours the use of more power-efficient servers and benefits from “superior infrastructure planning”.

With governments across the world, including the UK, trying to become AI leaders, there has been much talk about the need from various countries to accelerate the build-out of their datacentre infrastructure in support of these plans. This has prompted concerns about how these datacentres will be powered, particularly in the UK where energy security in the popular London datacentre hub is a known issue, and whether it will be possible to do so sustainably.

Gartner said the current situation, whereby large swathes of the world’s datacentres are powered by fossil fuels, is not sustainable, but the situation is improving.

“New clean on-site power alternatives – such as green hydrogen, geothermal and small modular reactors – are beginning to emerge and will become viable fuel alternatives for datacentre microgrids by the end of the decade,” said Gartner in a research note.

In the near-term, however, Tony Harvey, vice-president analyst at Gartner, said natural gas is likely to remain the main power source for datacentres, adding: “In the next three-to-five years, we anticipate rapid growth in battery energy storage systems to balance the fluctuations of solar and wind energy. While geothermal microgrids offer great promise, its high initial costs and permitting challenges will likely keep it a niche option for now.” 

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Just as it was warning of the activities of a Russian spy ship close to UK territorial waters, in particular how it could present a threat to communications, the UK government has announced it is to spend £155m to boost the UK’s resilience and global leadership in the critical field of positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) services.

PNT is the bedrock for virtually all modern-day activities from finance to transport that depend on access to reliable and accurate information. Examples cited include satellite navigation services that help people get from A to B, but also timing signals – without which mobile phones and even stock markets could not function properly. Indeed, the UK government cited a study showing that just a 24-hour outage of satellite navigation services could cost the UK economy £1.4bn.

It added that fully secure and smoothly running PNT services were vital for the growth of the economy, particularly in high-growth sectors such as AI and data, and for the delivery of public services.

Yet the UK government warned that recent years have shown the threats posed by the jamming or spoofing of PNT services by hostile actors, and PNT can even be impacted by natural events like solar flares from the sun.

It stressed that in what it called “an uncertain world” where the threats to PNT are growing, the UK cannot be complacent, and added that strengthening the UK’s PNT capabilities will give direction to the growing PNT industry, supporting the wider economy and national renewal, while cementing the UK’s position as a global PNT leader. 

“Having resilient and enduring access to position, navigation and timing services is a critical part of life in today’s world, and a major plank in the UK’s national security,” said UK science minister Patrick Vallance.

“So many of the things we take for granted every day, from using our phones to planning a journey, simply couldn’t happen without it. The UK is a leader in this field, but in an uncertain world, we cannot be complacent. The funding we are announcing today will ultimately help protect Britain from the risks posed to PNT, from both accidental outages and hostile acts, safeguarding everyone’s wealth and well-being.”

The £155m funding is intended to support a programme of work to boost the resilience of UK PNT – including initial work that would provide PNT that is independent of signals from satellites, making it harder to jam or spoof. Funding will also support work on PNT resilience at the UK’s National Physical Laboratory, and on a future system that could monitor for threats to the UK’s PNT proactively. 

The investment has four key planks; £71m to begin work on a UK National Enhanced Long-Range Navigation (eLoran) programme, providing PNT across land, air and sea that is independent of signals from satellites, and hard to jam or spoof; £68m for further development of the National Timing Centre programme; £13m for work on a UK Global Navigation Satellite Systems interference monitoring programme; and £3m for a Space Based Time Transfer R&D programme.

The National Timing Centre is being delivered by the National Physical Laboratory, to develop the UK’s first nationally distributed time infrastructure. As well as boosting resilience, it is seen as being able to help use cases such as 5G, satellite communications and self-driving vehicles. 

The UK Global Navigation Satellite Systems interference monitoring programme will aim to deliver “world-leading” capability for the UK to monitor and react to threats to PNT signals, like jamming and spoofing, and develop the technology required to deliver global timing systems independent of GPS and other Global Navigation Satellite Systems.

The move comes after the UK government agreed to work closer with both the US and France around PNT resilience, as part of September’s UK-US Technology Prosperity Deal, and July’s UK-France Summit. The UK government said it also supported the Royal Institute of Navigation to deliver advice, upskilling and best practice that it assured was vital to the PNT industry.

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The Better Business Bureau (BBB) issued a public warning about a new scam that could affect people looking to pay with mobile apps and certain credit and debit cards at the register. It’s called “ghost tapping”, and no, it has nothing to do with a neighborhood specter or an invisible hand tapping your shoulder. Despite the silly name, ghost tapping could net thieves hundreds or thousands in stolen funds.

Ghost tapping is a scam that specifically targets tap-to-pay cards and mobile wallets. Examples of the latter include PayPal and Venmo apps on iPhone and Android devices that support tap-to-pay functionality and mobile payments. To understand how the scam works, you need to comprehend the technology in use. Tap to pay relies on Near Field Communication (NFC), which allows devices to communicate with each other and send data when they are within close proximity. When you use tap to pay, you complete a transaction by tapping your mobile phone, smartwatch, or payment card to the processing device. This “tapping” sends your payment info to the payment terminal.

Thieves can take advantage of this simple payment method in many ways. Ghost tappers might bump into you in crowded spaces and surreptitiously move a tap-to-pay card reader within scanning distance. Fraudsters could ask you to donate a small amount to charity, while actually charging you much more. Some scammers might pretend to be vendors and rush the process so you don’t notice the item’s true cost. In October of 2025, Newsweek reported that a Missouri resident lost $100 to a ghost tapper carrying a handheld card reader.

How to avoid ghost tapping scams

Milorad Kravic/Getty Images

To guard yourself from ghost tapping scams, be mindful of how you’re using the related payment systems. Consider how crowded your surroundings are before you pay; keep some distance between you and other people, and limit tap-to-pay usage in high-risk or unfamiliar places. You should also set up transaction alerts so your bank or mobile app can notify you whenever a transaction occurs, even if it’s tiny. The BBB also recommends you perform daily audits of your accounts and all expenses. Furthermore, when not in use, keep your payment devices or cards in a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-protected wallet or sleeve.

The rise of ghost tapping comes at a time when new NFC standards that enhance contactless payments and extend communication ranges are almost ready to roll out. These changes could make it easier for ghost tappers to steal your digital cash.

It truly pays to be cautious. Audit the apps and services you’re using; make sure you understand the foundational technologies they utilize (including NFC), and maintain a solid grasp on how to protect yourself when ghost tapping strikes. Can you report fraud and recover lost funds through the apps and services you’re using? Having a plan before you become a victim is the key to acting fast.

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According to research from MIT Sloan Management Review and Boston Consulting Group (BCG), agentic artificial intelligence (AI)-based applications will lead to major management headaches. This is because technology purchases have traditionally been considered either as a substitute or a complement to human workers. Technology automates or augments and so can either be considered as a tool or as a worker.

The fact that agentic AI can act both as a tool and as a coworker breaks down traditional management logic, the authors of The emerging agentic enterprise: how leaders must navigate a new age of AI report warn. The report looks at how organisations now face an unprecedented challenge to manage a single system that demands both human resource approaches and asset management techniques.

For instance, the report points out that IT leaders look for predictable, scalable systems with clear technical specifications. Chief financial executives need investment models with measurable returns and depreciation schedules, while human resources executives require performance management frameworks and supervision protocols. 

Sylvain Duranton, global leader of BCG X, the technology arm of the advisory firm, predicted that more money is likely to be spent on technology than on people. “When you look at the company of the future, it is pretty likely that the relative share of tech cost versus people cost will shift with a higher share allocated to tech costs.”

In the report, BCG and MIT Sloan Management Review warned that existing management principles are incompatible with how agentic AI is being deployed both as a tool and a worker. While tools scale predictably, workers adapt dynamically. The report’s authors note that agentic AI’s ability to do both simultaneously requires new organisational design principles. 

Duranton noted that people management tends to involve a lot of considerations such as social engineering and negotiations with unions. “The same will come to the relationship with technology providers,” he predicted.

Another management change is that business heads need to assess the right time to invest in agentic systems and how these investments are made. According to BCG and MIT Sloan Management Review, business leaders are faced with balancing long-term capability building with short-term returns.

As the report’s authors point out, traditional tools require large upfront costs but deliver predictable returns through established depreciation schedules. Human workers, on the other hand, are an ongoing variable expense, but, as MIT Sloan Management Review note, their value appreciates with experience and training.

The report warns that agentic AI defies both models, requiring substantial initial development costs and ongoing variable costs, such as training models on new data. While many technology systems require ongoing maintenance, agentic AI systems simultaneously depreciate through model drift while appreciating through fine-tuning and emergent capabilities.

Duranton urged executives and IT leaders to rethink how they approach supplier relationship management. He said: “I think that it’s high time for many CIOs, and even the CEO and the C-suite, to strategise in terms of managing their portfolio of technology providers because these costs will be increasing over time.”

The fact that agentic AI evolves and develops over time means that value calculations fail since the most valuable applications have yet to be conceived. According to the report’s authors, conventional timing models applying conventional replacement schedules risk rapid value decay as systems fall behind the technological curve. This is because a traditional approach to upgrading the tech does not take into account for the speed of technological evolution.

Even if an AI system is able to deliver efficiencies right from the start, over time this could lead to a wider deployment, which has an impact on operational cost. Duranton recommended that IT and business executives assess the goal and intention of their technology strategy, as well as the portfolio of IT providers and products they use, to understand how much of the strategy relies on external technology providers, who may dictate the pace of innovation and future costs.

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