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In the past eighteen months, our teams have moved from debating whether to use AI to debating how fast we can deploy it. The harder question is how to let teams move quickly enough to capture the value of AI without allowing the company’s risk profile to expand faster than its ability to govern it.
That tension is familiar to technology and security leaders because AI creates two mandates that can appear to compete with each other. The technology side of the organization wants experimentation, access, speed, and a path to real productivity gains, while the security side needs control, accountability, data boundaries, and confidence that new workflows will not introduce avoidable exposure.
Both instincts are correct, which is why companies get into trouble when they treat AI as either a pure innovation project or a pure security problem. It is an operating model change, and the organizations that handle it well will be the ones that build just enough structure and hardened tools to let teams move with confidence rather than forcing them to choose between speed and control.
Start with the work, not the toolMany companies begin by treating AI adoption like a standard software rollout. They approve a vendor, distribute licenses, publish a few guidelines, and assume usage will naturally become transformative. That approach can create activity, but it rarely creates durable operational change.
Real adoption starts when leaders understand how work actually gets done. A finance team, product team, marketing team, support team, and engineering team will not use AI tools in the same way because each group has different knowledge requirements, data sources, risk thresholds, and experience. Each of these will require the development of AI skills and tools.
Leaders should begin by asking what each function is trying to accomplish, what knowledge it needs to make better decisions, what skills are required to use AI responsibly, and what tools or data sources are necessary to produce a reliable result.
When AI is mapped to those capabilities, it becomes part of how the organization operates; when it is layered on top of disconnected processes, it tends to create more output without necessarily creating better outcomes.
Treat data access as a risk design problemData access is one of the clearest places where AI changes the operating model. To make AI genuinely useful, teams often need access to information they did not previously use directly.
A marketing team may need product documentation and customer insights, a finance team may need structured operational data, and a support team may need internal knowledge, historical context, and the ability to understand patterns across systems.
The instinct to open access is understandable because AI becomes more valuable when it has more context. The instinct to restrict access is also understandable because broader access can create privacy, compliance, and security concerns. The answer is not to choose one instinct over the other but to create a more deliberate model for deciding which data can be used, by whom, and for what purpose.
In one enterprise rollout, for example, the practical answer was not to give every team access to everything or to keep AI locked inside a technical function. It was to separate lower-risk operational data from more sensitive information, then give teams enough access to work differently while limiting the potential damage if a workflow behaved unexpectedly.
One useful way to think about this is the blast radius of data. Not every dataset carries the same level of risk, and not every AI use case deserves the same level of restriction. Some information can be made more accessible because the potential damage is limited if something goes wrong, while other information, especially personally identifiable information or sensitive customer data, requires much tighter controls.
This approach allows teams to experiment where the risk is lower while preserving stronger governance where the business truly needs it. The goal is not to make security lighter, but to make it more precise so the company can move faster without losing control of the environments, data, and workflows that matter most.
Build verification into the workflowVerification is where many AI strategies either become scalable or begin to stall. AI systems can produce work that looks polished but is incomplete, inaccurate, off-brand, or noncompliant, and while human review can absorb some of that risk in the early stages, it does not scale well once AI becomes embedded in daily operations.
I have seen this most clearly in technical teams, where AI can accelerate software development only if there is a reliable way to evaluate the quality, security, and accuracy of what gets produced. Without that verification layer, teams may feel faster in the moment while quietly creating more review burden, more rework, and more risk downstream.
Companies need verification patterns that are designed into the workflow itself. That can include automated checks, data quality controls, approval paths, logging, observability, and clear escalation rules for outputs that should not be trusted without further review.
Leaders shouldn't treat these mechanisms as bureaucracy added after the fact. They are what allow AI to move from individual productivity aid to enterprise capability, because teams can only scale adoption when they have a repeatable way to understand whether the work being produced is accurate, appropriate, and safe to use.
Make AI adoption a leadership responsibilityAI adoption cannot be delegated to a single innovation team or AI officer while the rest of the executive team watches from a distance. Every function leader needs to understand how AI changes the work their team performs, how employees will collaborate with agents and models, and where the risks are likely to appear.
That does not mean every executive needs to become a machine learning specialist, but it does mean leaders need enough fluency to guide decisions, set expectations, and model the behavior they ask of their teams. Employees are unlikely to change the way they work if their leaders treat AI as something other people are supposed to adopt.
The cultural framing also matters because if employees hear AI adoption as a euphemism for job elimination, they will protect the current version of their role rather than explore what the next version could become. Leaders should be honest that roles will change, some workflows will disappear, and new responsibilities will emerge, while also making clear that the near-term goal is to help people do higher-quality work with better leverage.
In many cases, the shift is from doing every task manually to orchestrating systems that help do the work. That requires a willingness to work through ambiguity, which becomes more important as AI becomes more capable.
The companies that succeed with AI will not be the ones that put innovation ahead of security and they will not be the ones that wait until every risk can be eliminated in advance. They will be the ones that build enough governance, verification, and data discipline to let teams move with confidence, because within enterprise AI, control is what makes speed sustainable.
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- Google Messages has been hit by a group chat bug
- Users describe it as "frustrating" and "irritating"
- Google says it's now working on rolling out a fix
When you're got an app that's as essential as Google Messages is, bugs are even more frustrating than usual — and Google just acknowledged an issue with the app that annoyed users have been grappling with for several weeks.
The bug in question (via Android Authority) causes group chats to suddenly split up into separate threads. Someone replies to the group, and a new group chat is created, with the same participants but without all the past message history.
According to reports on the Google Messages support forums, group chats can be split until multiple ongoing conversations — which of course makes it tricky to keep track of what's being said, and isn't how group chats should work at all.
As you can imagine, users aren't too impressed with the ongoing issue. "I am so done with this happening!" writes one upset commenter on Reddit, while multiple others are chiming in to call the problem "frustrating", "irritating", and "weird".
Make your feedback heardComment from r/GoogleMessages"We are aware of the issue where group chats are splitting into separate threads, and our team is actively looking into it," a Google representative has now announced on Reddit, encouraging affected users to send a feedback report through the Google Messages app.
To do that, open Google Messages on your phone, tap your profile picture (top right), then choose Help and feedback > Send Feedback. Tap Get started, and you'll then be able to describe the problem — just add #splittingthreads to the text before you send it.
Considering the first reports of this issue cropped up three weeks ago, Google has taken its time in getting around to addressing it. Multiple phone models seem to be affected, though many of the users reporting the bug seem to have recently switched phones.
If you are affected by this, there are no reported workarounds as of yet — so you can't really do much except report the problem to Google, then sit tight and wait for a fix to roll out, which will now hopefully be sooner rather than later.
- OpenAI wants every business, firm, government, and infrastructure provider to be hardened against cyber AI
- To do this, frontier AI firms and their friends in the security industry need to provide access and training
- A letter laying out these aims and how to achieve them has been signed by over 120 companies
Following a string of accidental cyberattacks and demonstrations of powerful AI models capable of finding vulnerabilities and breaches in even the most hardened defenses, OpenAI has called upon its compatriots to shore up the world's businesses, governments, and critical infrastructure.
“Each of us can reduce risk now,” OpenAI’s call to arms said. “All organizations, cybersecurity companies, technology partners, governments, and AI frontier companies have an important role: accelerate defenders’ priorities with tools, funding, and hands-on support, especially for critical infrastructure organizations with limited budgets.”
Over 120 companies have become signatories to OpenAI’s letter, signing their names against three principles; the status quo of security soon won’t be enough; cyber-capable AI can help harden vulnerable organizations; and a collective response is needed to make this happen.
Collective action on cyber defenseWhere OpenAI and other organizations have made little progress in requesting a slowdown in AI tech development, this is the next best thing. Cyber AI will progress whether organizations want it to or not - so if it cannot be slowed down then organizations should be prepared to deal with it.
Ultimately, OpenAI’s first point of call is to ensure all the cyber basics are covered to prepare organizations for the future of cyber AI. “Make cyber defense an immediate leadership priority,” the letter states. Fix and verify weaknesses, replace or upgrade systems using the principle of least privilege, and use AI-powered cyber defenses wherever possible.
OpenAI’s second point calls upon organizations to, “help lead the response to defend against sustained AI-enabled attacks,” by deploying tools that make AI-powered defense accessible to all and build out playbooks that help businesses and critical infrastructure understand how these tools are deployed and used.
The third point calls for coordination with governments to ensure supply chains, hospitals, water utilities, and local governments all have access to capable AI cyber defenses, starting with those without the budget to upgrade existing systems or implement these tools themselves.
Finally, OpenAI calls on frontier AI companies to provide access, training, and support for “under-resourced critical-infrastructure defenders” that includes threat assessments and observability tools to improve response and recovery to cyber threats.
“We call on leaders across industry and government to bring the full weight of their technology, resources, and expertise to this effort. Put cyber-capable AI in the hands of defenders, starting with the teams protecting essential services. Fix the most dangerous weaknesses, verify the fixes, and share what works so others can build on it,” the letter says.
“Together, we can turn today’s AI advances into lasting improvements in security that benefit everyone. Let’s put them to work.”
Identity is the fundamental currency in any technology transaction so we need to treat nonhuman assets with the same care as we apply to people.
We’re outnumbered! Nonhuman identities (NHIs) outnumber human identities in the enterprise by a ratio of up to 50:1. This Non-Human Identity Management Group statistic from 2025 is likely already outdated, and in a year from now the ratio will be exponentially higher as rapid growth trends like AI/Machine Learning, the Internet of Things, digital assistants and the burgeoning API Economy continue to accelerate automation.
What are NHIs? Machines, processes, service principals and accounts, virtualized and other workloads, and applications that are granted digital credentials. Think, for an everyday example, of a helpdesk chatbot on your favorite website.
Managing NHIs is a challenge that CIOs, identity experts, and CISOs must accept. This in some ways is a re-run of what happened 40 years ago when identity access management was widely deployed. It’s just that now we are not only dealing with human beings. And I don’t know a single organization that has its collective head around the concept of who is, or should be, ‘the HR chief’ for NHIs.
Leaders today need to consider nonhuman identity in the way they consider human identity. When we hire, we onboard people by harnessing and securing the details we need to pay them and manage them, but we also work to imbue them with our organizational culture, systems, risks, security processes and so on.
We set and tweak permissions based on who needs access to what and when, depending on their roles, seniority, specific tasks they perform at a given time and so on. We need to have similar controls and contextual understanding of our nonhuman assets.
An urgent case where context is kingWithout making that change CIOs and other leaders will have no foundational basis of understanding where risks are coming from or what measures they need to take. They need a central, visible platform to see what they have and what’s going on. Legacy IAM can’t offer that because it starts with a narrow focus on compliance and is a static model based on rigid criteria like six-month audits and the rote dispensing of permissions and privileges.
The old IAM is rooted in the early-21st-century age of Sarbanes-Oxley, reactions to governance scandals and corporate malfeasance. Moreover, it ignores what is happening in the wider digital world: namely, the explosion of identity types that are crying out for holistic oversight.
Control of the human and nonhuman estate means ensuring there is insight into nonhuman assets and what they're doing.. context is king. So look at NHI constructs that can touch anything in the digital ecosystem and the underlying connectivity to apps and, most importantly, data. CIOs need to be able to recognize the truth of a contemporary mantra: identity is the fundamental currency in any technology transaction.
Everything must be covered: bots; service principals; IoT endpoints; abandoned trial workloads; autonomous agents and agents that speak to other agents. Start by asking an overarching question: do these NHIs leverage a human identity when they perform tasks on behalf of that person, and is that appropriate?
Then it is possible to drill into practical areas like guarding against credential misuse across agents, improving digital and identity hygiene by spotting risks relating to non-expiring tokens, and analyzing API access levels on a just-in-time basis.
ISPM (Identity Security Posture Management) is useful here because organizations need to have a handle on what they have, and must bring identity constructs together. However, this is not a ‘one and done’ discovery process so consider it as a CI/CD journey of continuous improvement.
In the AI era, holistic technology inventory can't be CMDB-based but must be dynamic and based on CI/CD pipeline control frameworks that let us dynamically view and slice and dice data and assets by controlling who is using what and where.
Think of it as an opportunity…It’s a complex task and we are all busy. But we need to pause and think about how this inflection point can be parlayed into a positive. This is an opportunity for the security and identity teams to start asking ourselves about the constructs we can apply to nonhuman identities.
They should be asking what needs to be added to legacy IAM frameworks to be successful. And usually the answer will be to replace them with systems that are coded for the current age, not the previous one.
By providing these new controls the identity team will become respected and sought out. Identity leaders will gain kudos by their ability to attribute risk ratings based on behavioral analytics and business function.
By demonstrating insights into where data sits, where it moves to and from, and how identity supports that, identity leaders can deliver qualitative and quantitative process analysis. In some cases of outperforming best practices and execution, they will even help to refine business process re-engineering through a platform that informs prioritization and budget management.
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A man and his sidekicks time travel through an infinite number of universes, arriving to unknown circumstances where futuristic drama inevitably lays in wait. Am I talking about Stuart Fails to Save the Universe on HBO Max, or legendary BBC series Doctor Who?
At face value, they clearly could be one and the same. But while The Big Bang Theory spinoff is just getting started with its debut 10 episodes (though season 2 has already been renewed), Doctor Who has been regenerating for decades since 1963... but is now stuck.
Not only has Russell T Davies — the man responsible for reviving the IP in the early 2000s — officially left, but the series has been put out to tender. This means that the broadcaster (BBC) asks independent production companies to pitch ideas and bid to make the program instead of using their own in-house team or current producer.
In short, absolutely anything could happen to Doctor Who over the next few years, including it being dropped completely. Yes, this is a worst case scenario, but you don't need the Doctor to tell you that nothing is impossible.
As we enter week six of Stuart Fails to Save the Universe airing on the small screen, something the cast told me has birthed a slightly unhinged idea: what if the two shows crossed over in an unexpected act of heroism?
Stuart Fails to Save the Universe and Doctor Who feels like a partnership waiting to happen — and it could help the BBC(Image credit: HBO Max)"We're like four inept Doctor Who's," Lauren Lapkus (Denise) tells me. "The whole show has very heavy Doctor Who vibes." And you know what? She's right.
Let's start with the obvious. Doctor Who is actively looking for new production companies to pitch fresh ideas. Stuart Fails to Save the Universe is the new kid on the sci-fi block, armed with some of the best sitcom creators in the world and an overarching idea that could last for seasons upon seasons.
From those facts alone, it sounds like a conversation between HBO and BBC needs to happen. Add to this that the two distributors have worked together before — on Half Man, Industry and His Dark Materials, just to name a few — and we only have more solid reasoning.
Doctor Who has even been 'Americanised' before now thanks to the BBC's previous partnership on the show with Disney+. Was this the right fit? No, but audiences have certainly got a taste of what the Doctor can be.
Don't forget, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe is also steeped in classic sci-fi lore thanks to The Big Bang Theory. Take a look at how many references there were below and you'll realize both characters and creators had an inside-out understanding of the genre its built from.
So watching our new Doctor, whoever that ends up being, collide with Stuart and the gang doesn't seem too far-fetched to me. Even an alternate version of Stuart being the Doctor himself is something that I wouldn't question. Doctor Who obviously isn't a sitcom, but it's always been funny... so all of this should be enough to Chuck Lorre to come knocking.
Realistically, I think a singular crossover episodes is as much as we'd ever get here, but I'm daring to dream — mostly because as a Brit, I don't want to see Doctor Who have a neglected, unfitting end completely out of its own control.
- Grand Theft Auto 6's romance between Jason and Lucia is completely optional, Rockstar confirms
- Rob Nelson, the head of development and co-studio head at Rockstar North, says if players aren't into it, "don’t bother with it"
- He says players will need to nurture their relationship if they want it to be romantic
Rockstar Games has confirmed that the romance between Grand Theft Auto 6's co-protagonists, Jason and Lucia, is completely optional.
Speaking in an interview with IGN ahead of the Grand Theft Auto 6: An Extended Look, Rob Nelson, the head of development and co-studio head at Rockstar North, revealed that Jason and Lucia's relationship will be central to the story, but whether the player chooses to nurture their romance is completely up to them, and they won't be penalized for avoiding it.
"I have to say it feels great — if you are into it as a concept. Don’t bother with it if you aren’t. Up to you," said Nelson.
"The narrative is structured in such a way that the circumstances they find themselves in require them to stay together for most of the story and work together. At the very least, they will get through most things as partners in crime."
Nelson avoided talking spoilers, but he said the duo's relationship "adds a compelling element to things."
"It’s one of the reasons we wanted to approach this sort of story, because it's completely different for us," he said. "Could we bring some sort of emotional resonance to GTA for people if they wanted to engage with it? Could we also provide mechanisms for people to just opt out of it if they're not into it? If they feel like, 'I don't want a relationship in this?' That's what we're going to find out. It's not something that we want to foist upon players."
If players do want to make Jason and Lucia's romantic relationship flourish, however, they'll have to spend time nurturing it by spending time together in Leonida. Whether that's taking trips, holding hands, walking on the beach, or doing crime together, these activities will build up their bond.
"When you bring them together, it feels like you’re a steward of their relationship, and you feel protective of them as a unit," Nelson continued. "But this is something we did not know when we started, and it really had to be something we felt our way through.
"But I will say that whether you’re getting in trouble, or you’re running from the cops, or getting in a car, or waiting for the other one — playing as them together feels very cool. It feels like you’re taking care of them, if that’s something you’re into."
Last night's gameplay showcase was filled with a mountain of new details, with a new report later confirming the game will launch at 30fps. To catch you up, here are the 16 things we learned from GTA 6's extended look ahead of the game's November 19 launch.
Contains spoilers for episodes 1 - 7 of Furious season 1.
Furious season 2 has been confirmed for Hulu (US) and Disney+ (internationally), and I'm thrilled at the news that the excellent crime series will continue.
Ahead of the season 1 finale on August 31, Furious has been renewed so we can all breathe a sigh of relief that the trail won't go cold. There are so many answers I want in season 2, and I'm not alone in this.
I spoke to Nora Washington's actress about what she hopes to see in season 2, and at the time of our interview, the news hadn't yet been confirmed. So I'm excited to see if any of this comes to light when the show returns.
'I would love to see how she got to where she is'Nora has quickly become a fan favorite amongst Furious viewers, and it's easy to see why. Bernstine perfectly balances humor with the dark narrative, bringing some funny lines where we never know what she's going to do or say next.
When I asked Bernstine about her hopes for Furious season 2, she had her sights set on Nora's boss Ed George (Danny McCarthy). He's now firmly Nora's enemy after removing her from the case, which could open doors for a very juicy revenge plot for her.
Bernstine told me: "Well, we have to take Ed George down first and foremost. I really need him to go away, so that's my main hope for Nora in season 2."
We also discussed Nora's alcoholism, and how that's an important part of her story. Bernstine admitted this was a challenge, because Nora is a high-functioning alcoholic and we see her trying to get her job done whilst also struggling with this addiction.
She said: "My biggest acting challenge was the alcoholism, because in my experience, it's easier to play like very drunk, you know, like falling down drunk. Nora is a highly functioning alcoholic, and so it was more of a gray area that she occupied because she is a little drunk and she's a little hungover at all times. So figuring out that balance was a challenge for me."
With this in mind, Bernstine told me she would love to learn more about Nora's backstory before we met her in Furious season 1. There's so much about Nora that remains a mystery, which could be explored when the series returns.
"I would also love to see how she got to where she is. I don't know what that looks like, but I'm curious to see what Liz [Meriwether, Furious' showrunner] and the writers might come up with."
Furious season 1 concludes on August 31, so we'll have to wait patiently for news of the show's return. I can't wait to see what happens next.
Until then, why not check out why Furious is a game changer for disabled actors and what Furious star Scoot McNairy thinks you should stream once you've finished the series.
Amazon's 2026 Labor Day sale is live, and it arrives at just the right time. As retailers like Amazon and Apple have had to raise prices on their electronics recently because of the memory and storage component shortage, a discount is very welcome, and Amazon has done just that.
• Shop Amazon's full Labor Day sale
Amazon's Labor Day sale includes deals on best-selling Apple gadgets like iPads and AirPods, as well as its own smart home devices, including smart speakers, Fire TV Sticks, tablets, and Ring Doorbells. The retailer also offers discounts on Labor Day favorites like small appliances, TVs, and popular home items.
Below are links to Amazon's most popular Labor Day sale categories, followed by the top deals I've hand-picked. Highlights include the all-new Ring Battery Doorbell 2K for $69.99, the viral Beckham Hotel Collection pillows for $41.97, and Apple's AirPods 4 for $99.
Keep in mind that today's offers are a part of Amazon's official Labor Day sale, which means you won't find better prices on Labor Day proper (September 7).
- Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
- Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $29
- Back-to-school: backpacks, tech & supples from $5
- Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
- Grills: Weber & Ninja from $179
- Halloween: decor, costumes & books from $8
- Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
- Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
- Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $186
- Patio: outdoor furniture, rugs & decor from $19.99
- Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $34
Fire TV Stick 4K Select: was $49.99 now $19.99
Amazon's newest 4K streaming stick is down to just $19.99 for Labor Day. Since it's only a few bucks more than the cheaper HD version, you might as well pay for the upgrade and get higher-resolution streaming—as long as you have a 4K TV. It lacks a few premium features found in the more expensive Plus and Max models, such as improved Wi-Fi and Dolby Atmos, but that is more than enough for everyday use.View Deal
Bed Pillows: was $59.99 now $41.97
The viral Beckham Hotel Collection pillows are always a top seller during Amazon's Labor Day sale, and the queen-size set is on sale for $41.97. The queen-size pillows have over 240,000 positive reviews and are the number-one best-selling pillow on Amazon's site.View Deal
The AirPods 4 are Apple's cheapest AirPods, and you can find them on sale for $99, which is the lowest price we've seen this year and just $30 shy of the record-low. The AirPods 4 feature a new design for all-day comfort and feature Apple's H2 chip, which supports personalized spatial audio and voice isolation. You also get a redesigned case with 30 hours of battery life and support for wireless charging via USB-C.
Read our full Apple AirPods 4 reviewView Deal
65-inch U7 Mini-LED QLED TV: was $1499.99 now $897.99
This Hisense U7 Series delivers top TV tech for the money in a reasonably sized display, including a bright, vibrant QLED panel with excellent contrast and a high 165Hz refresh rate for smooth images. It will excel as a TV for watching sports, streaming all your favorite shows and movies, and playing the latest games.View Deal
Navigator Lift-Away Vacuum: was $199.99 now $159.99
If you're looking for a powerful upright vacuum but don't want to spend a lot on a Dyson, Amazon has the best-selling Shark Navigator on sale for $159.99. The upright vacuum works on carpet and hard floors, and its lightweight design makes it ultra-portable.View Deal
iPad 11-inch (A16, 2025): was $449 now $399.99
Apple's latest base iPad is $50 off at Amazon, bringing the price to $ 399.99. The biggest upgrade over the previous generation is the newer A16 chip for faster performance, and you'll also get double the standard storage (128GB instead of 64GB). Other features include a sharp 11-inch Liquid Retina display and solid 12MP front- and rear-facing cameras, making this iPad the best for casual streamers and scrollers.
Read our full 11-inch iPad A16 reviewView Deal
Fire TV 55-inch Omni QLED 4K TV: was $499.99 now $329.99
The latest Amazon Omni QLED is a brilliant budget TV that delivers solid picture quality and strong gaming features, including 4K 60Hz, Dolby Vision, and HDR10+, at an affordable price. This Labor Day discount brings the 55-inch model to $329.99, which is an incredible price for a QLED display of this size.View Deal
Amazon's Echo Spot is a solid smart alarm clock that pairs a 2.83-inch touchscreen with a 1.73-inch front-firing speaker. With Alexa onboard, you can ask the assistant for the weather, play music, or, of course, schedule alarms. This Labor Day deal brings the price down to $69.99.View Deal
For a limited time, Amazon is offering its best-selling Fire HD 8 tablet for $89.99 — only $5 more than the record-low price. While it's not the most powerful tablet on the market, the Fire HD 8 has what you need for the essentials, including web browsing, email, video, and light gaming. Battery life is impressive, lasting up to 13 hours, making it ideal for on-the-go use or relaxing on the couch. View Deal
Battery Doorbell 2K+: was $69.99 now $41.99
You can get the all-new Blink Video Doorbell 2K+ for only $41.99. The Blink doorbell alerts you when it detects motion and features infrared night vision, two-way audio, a two-year battery life, and an expanded field of view.View Deal
AirTag 4 Pack (2nd generation): was $99 now $79.99
You can get the best-selling Apple AirTag 4 Pack for $79.99, which is the lowest price we've ever seen. A great way to track a child's backpack or luggage, the AirTag can be attached to anything you don't want to lose, and your iPhone can locate it.View Deal
The AirPods 4 are Apple's cheapest AirPods, and you can find them on sale for $99, which is the lowest price we've seen this year and just $30 shy of the record-low. The AirPods 4 feature a new design for all-day comfort and feature Apple's H2 chip, which supports personalized spatial audio and voice isolation. You also get a redesigned case with 30 hours of battery life and support for wireless charging via USB-C.
Read our full Apple AirPods 4 reviewView Deal
AirPods Pro 3: was $249 now $199.99
Apple's premium buds feature improved Active Noise Cancellation, outstanding audio, a comfortable in-ear design, and new features such as live translation and heart-rate tracking. These do-it-all buds deliver true flagship audio, and the noise-canceling quality is outstanding. Today's deal is the best price you can find on Apple's newest AirPods.View Deal
This is another fantastic Apple deal, just in time for the new school season. Amazon has the Apple Watch Series 11 on sale for $299, just $20 more than the record-low price. The thinnest Apple Watch yet, with a wraparound LTPO3 OLED display, it looks great and packs Apple Intelligence-powered smarts and a boosted battery, clocking in at 24 hours of average use.
Read our full Apple Watch 11 reviewView Deal
iPad 11-inch (A16, 2025): was $449 now $399.99
Apple's latest base iPad is $50 off at Amazon, bringing the price to $ 399.99. The biggest upgrade over the previous generation is the newer A16 chip for faster performance, and you'll also get double the standard storage (128GB instead of 64GB). Other features include a sharp 11-inch Liquid Retina display and solid 12MP front- and rear-facing cameras, making this iPad the best for casual streamers and scrollers.
Read our full 11-inch iPad A16 reviewView Deal
11-inch iPad Air M4,: was $749 now $649
The 2026 iPad Air M4 is now on sale at Amazon for $649 - that's the lowest price we've seen since Apple's price hikes in June. The 11-inch iPad Air delivers laptop-like speed and power thanks to Apple's M4 processor, plus you're getting 12GB of RAM, Bluetooth 6 support, and Wi-Fi 7 connectivity.
Read our full 11-inch iPad Air M4 reviewView Deal
The MacBook Neo is in stock in all colors at Amazon, with a small $10 price cut. While we've seen the budget MacBook drop to $589.99, this is the best deal we've seen since the price hike in July. It's also an incredible price for a feature-packed MacBook with an A18 Pro chip, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage.
Amazon Labor Day home & appliance dealsBed Pillows: was $59.99 now $41.97
The viral Beckham Hotel Collection pillows are always a top seller during Amazon's Labor Day sale, and the queen-size set is on sale for $41.97. The queen-size pillows have over 240,000 positive reviews and are the number-one best-selling pillow on Amazon's site.View Deal
K-Mini single-serve coffee machine: was $59.99 now $49.99
Thanks to its compact size, this Keurig K-Mini coffee maker is a great choice for those working with a small kitchen space. It can brew a cup in minutes and is less than five inches wide. Today's Amazon deal brings the price down to just $49.99.View Deal
Nutri-Blender Pro Personal Blender: was $109.99 now $79.97
Amazon's Labor Day sale has the best compact, single-serve blender for under $80. This is an ideal solution for your daily smoothie or protein shake. The Ninja Pro features two Auto-iQ preset programs that are uniquely timed for smoothies & crushed ice , and the included 24-oz cups are perfect to make your favorite creation just before leaving the house.View Deal
Pot Vortex 6QT XL Air Fryer: was $139.99 now $89.99
For just $89.99, you're getting a dependable, affordable air fryer. You're getting a six-quart basket and four different functions, allowing you to air fry, bake, reheat, and roast with the touch of a button. View Deal
Little Green Mini Portable Carpet Deep Cleaner: was $99.99 now $88.99
Bissell portable carpet cleaners are breakout stars at holiday sales like Labor Day, and Amazon has the top-rated Little Green Mini model for $88.99. Perfect for pet owners and parents, the portable carpet cleaner can magically erase spills and stains from carpets, couches, auto interiors, and more.View Deal
Navigator Lift-Away Vacuum: was $199.99 now $159.99
If you're looking for a powerful upright vacuum but don't want to spend a lot on a Dyson, Amazon has the best-selling Shark Navigator on sale for $159.99. The upright vacuum works on carpet and hard floors, and its lightweight design makes it ultra-portable.View Deal
V11 Origin Cordless Vacuum: was $565 now $449.99
The Dyson V11 is plenty powerful, packing several attachments and an LCD display to help you achieve the deep clean of your dreams. It can conveniently transform into a handheld vacuum and offers up to 60 minutes of run time.View Deal
Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum: was $299.99 now $169
There's a $130 discount on this top-rated Shark cordless vacuum at Amazon. Designed for pet owners, the Shark Pet features a low-profile design to get under furniture and delivers powerful suction on both bare floors and carpets..View Deal
32-inch 2-Series HD Fire TV: was $159.99 now $143.99
If you're looking for a cheap set for an extra bedroom, Amazon's best-selling 32-inch 2-Series HD smart TV is $143.99. While the Amazon 2-Series TV lacks 4K resolution, it offers smart capabilities through the Fire TV experience and Amazon Alexa, providing hands-free control.View Deal
43-inch Select Series 4K Smart TV: was $249.99 now $179.99
Amazon's Labor Day sale has Roku's best-selling 43-inch 4K smart TV for just $179.99. For that price, you get 4K resolution, an enhanced voice remote, and Roku's excellent smart TV interface.View Deal
Fire TV 55-inch Omni QLED 4K TV: was $499.99 now $329.99
The latest Amazon Omni QLED is a brilliant budget TV that delivers solid picture quality and strong gaming features, including 4K 60Hz, Dolby Vision, and HDR10+, at an affordable price. This Labor Day discount brings the 55-inch model to $329.99, which is an incredible price for a QLED display of this size.View Deal
55-inch C6 OLED TV: was $1599.99 now $1499.99
The LG C6 is the successor to our best-rated TV, LG's C5 OLED, and the 55-inch model is on sale for $1,499.99. The 2026 OLED TV delivers more accurate, brighter colors than the C5 with powerful contrast thanks to its new Alpha 11 AI processor. The C6 also includes impressive gaming features and LG's intuitive smart TV platform.
Read our full LG C6 reviewView Deal
65-inch U7 Mini-LED QLED TV: was $1499.99 now $897.99
This Hisense U7 Series delivers top TV tech for the money in a reasonably sized display, including a bright, vibrant QLED panel with excellent contrast and a high 165Hz refresh rate for smooth images. It will excel as a TV for watching sports, streaming all your favorite shows and movies, and playing the latest games.View Deal
65-Inch C5 OLED TV: was $2699.99 now $1396.99
The LG C5 OLED is TechRadar's best-rated TV, and Amazon has the 65-inch model on sale for $1,396.99 thanks to a whopping $1,300 discount. Awarded five out of five stars in our review, the OLED display delivers an outstanding picture thanks to LG's Alpha 9 AI processor Gen8, impressive gaming features, and a comprehensive smart platform featuring all-new AI capabilities.View Deal
85-inch QM6K Series Mini LED QLED TV: was $1197.99 now $1056.68
Here is an Amazon exclusive deal on a massive display. You can get TCL's 85-inch QM6K Series for $1,056.68, which is an incredible price for a TV of this size. A truly great budget mini-LED TV, the TCL QM6K delivers vibrant picture quality and solid gaming features for a price that won't break the bank.View Deal
Fire TV Stick 4K Select: was $49.99 now $19.99
Amazon's newest 4K streaming stick is down to just $19.99 for Labor Day. Since it's only a few bucks more than the cheaper HD version, you might as well pay for the upgrade and get higher-resolution streaming—as long as you have a 4K TV. It lacks a few premium features found in the more expensive Plus and Max models, such as improved Wi-Fi and Dolby Atmos, but that is more than enough for everyday use.View Deal
The Fire TV Stick 4K Max streams the same content at the same quality as the standard 4K version, but the extra power inside delivers faster app navigation. Plus, it uses Wi-Fi 6E technology to deliver a more stable, consistent streaming experience.View Deal
Battery Doorbell 2K (newest model): was $99.99 now $69.99
I already own the best-selling Ring Video Doorbell and can't imagine living without it. The smart doorbell features a built-in battery and lets you see, hear, and speak to anyone from your phone or computer. You also get 2K video resolution, so your videos are crisp and clear. View Deal
Battery Doorbell 2K+: was $69.99 now $41.99
You can get the all-new Blink Video Doorbell 2K+ for only $41.99. The Blink doorbell alerts you when it detects motion and features infrared night vision, two-way audio, a two-year battery life, and an expanded field of view.View Deal
If you're looking for a robust smart speaker, Amazon has the Echo Dot on sale for $54.99. Amazon's best-selling smart speaker offers an improved audio experience, plus a new temperature sensor and all the handy features from Alexa, like playing music, answering questions, and checking the weather, completely hands-free.View Deal
Amazon's Echo Spot is a solid smart alarm clock that pairs a 2.83-inch touchscreen with a 1.73-inch front-firing speaker. With Alexa onboard, you can ask the assistant for the weather, play music, or, of course, schedule alarms. This Labor Day deal brings the price down to $69.99.View Deal
Whether you want advanced features like Lossless High-Definition audio and Automatic Room Adaptation, or you just love the idea of a more premium-looking speaker with faster Alexa responses, the Echo Dot Max is a great choice.View Deal
For a limited time, Amazon is offering its best-selling Fire HD 8 tablet for $89.99 — only $5 more than the record-low price. While it's not the most powerful tablet on the market, the Fire HD 8 has what you need for the essentials, including web browsing, email, video, and light gaming. Battery life is impressive, lasting up to 13 hours, making it ideal for on-the-go use or relaxing on the couch. View Deal
Amazon's best-selling Echo Show 5 is down to $69.99. The latest version of the Echo Show 5 features a compact 5.5-inch display but packs impressive sound with deeper bass and clearer vocals. Voice controls are enabled through Amazon Alexa, while you can use the smart screen to listen to podcasts, watch movies, stream videos, play music, and more.View Deal
Amazon's larger smart display is $60 off at Amazon's Labor Day sale. The Echo Show 11 boasts a vibrant 11-inch Full HD screen and spatial audio support for room-filling sound when you listen to music or watch videos. With Alexa+ support, too, you get access to all of its advanced AI features and an easy way to connect and control other smart devices around your home.View Deal
One of the worst parts about getting scammed is the shame, and that shame just plays into the hands of the crooks. If we don't spread the personal stories, then no one gets warned. So, good on Les Howard who told his story of getting QR code scammed to the BBC earlier this week.
Les, quite understandably, feel victim to what's widely known in the security industry as quishing (QR phishing). Les scanned a QR code that he thought was to pay for his parking, downloaded the app, put in his card details and then watched as chunks of cash were removed from his account day after day. Not great.
There are a number of different ways that QR scams work. Les Howard experienced the fake app routine, but it could just have easily been a link to a fake website, mocked up to look exactly like the real one. AI can work marvels these days when it comes to creating duplicate web pages.
You can just as easily get done by the QR scanner apps themselves, which will take a legitimate QR and send you anywhere it wants to, adding all sorts of other links or scraping the details that you send through.
Now, this doesn't mean that we shouldn't use QR codes. We just need to be a bit more careful about it. The two most important pieces of advice are to use the QR scanner that comes baked into your phone's camera app, if you have one, and, second, use a QR code checker app to make sure what you're scanning isn't a scam.
There are free online tools for the job, such as Is This QR Safe and DNS Checker but they also come bundled in with other tools such as antivirus and VPNs. Kaspersky antivirus has a QR code scammer. The VPN to choose to get one is IPVanish.
Get IPVanish: $2.49 per month
IPVanish has long been a good VPN provider, and it's the only reputable VPN with a QR code checker included. It's built into the app and scans the destination page for all possible threats to make sure it's 100% clean. You can try IPVanish for one month for $14.99 but that's pretty pricey. The better value is either the 1-year plan ($3.89 per month) or the 2-year plan ($2.49 per month). Both of those longer plans come with 30-day money-back guarantees. If you don't like it within that time, you'll get a full refund.View Deal
The IPVanish QR code checker – like all good QR code checkers – loads a live version of the destination page, rather than just relying on domain blacklists that may not be up to date.
It checks all the facets of the page for anything malicious, and follows any redirects that may be trying to throw it off the scent, until it's sure the QR code is safe. If all is well, it presents you with the page and allows you to continue. If not, you'll be told it's a scam code. Pretty simple stuff from the user end.
We rate IPVanish as solid, 4-star VPN. It's only short of the very best VPNs on features like server count and some streaming service unblocking that's not a priority for this use case.
In terms of QR code checking and other security features, it's right up there. So, if you're VPN-curious and definitely want in on a QR code checker, then give it a go.
If a QR code checker is all you want, though, then make sure to take some of those free options above for a spin, instead, before you settle on which one to use full time.