Eliana Willis

ZDNETLong before ChatGPT blasted onto the scene and sucked all the air out of the room, there was IBM Watson. Watson itself rose to fame when, in 2011, it beat reigning champion Ken Jennings on the TV game show Jeopardy.Fun fact: ZDNET’s own Steven J. Vaughn-Nichols was once a clue on Jeopardy.Also: The most popular AI tools of 2024 (and what that even means)Anyway, back to our story. My point is that IBM has a long history with AI and has not been sitting still. Its generative AI solution, Watsonx, focuses on enabling businesses to deploy and manage both traditional machine learning and generative AI, tailored to their unique needs.I’m telling you this because if any company has the credibility to offer a credential on AI fundamentals, it’s IBM.IBM’s AI Fundamentals program is available on its SkillsBuild learning portal. The credential takes about 10 hours to complete, across six courses.Because I have long had an interest in AI ethics (I did a thesis on AI ethics way back in the day), I took the AI ethics class. It was good.Also: 7 ways to write better ChatGPT prompts – and get the results you want fasterIt discussed the challenge of balancing technology with ethical responsibility. Key topics included the five pillars of AI ethics, the importance of fairness and avoiding bias, and the need for AI systems to be transparent, explainable, and robust against attacks. The session also emphasized governance, the protection of personal data, and the significance of privacy through data minimization and differential privacy.I subsequently took all the courses in the credential program.Note: To get started, create a free account on IBM’s SkillsBuild learning portal. All the following links to IBM’s free AI courses require you to have created an account and be logged in before you can use them.IBM’s free AI coursesArtificial Intelligence Fundamentals Learning Plan: You’ll explore AI’s history, and then see how it can change the world. Along the way, you’ll dive deep into ways that AI makes predictions, understands language and images, and learns using circuits inspired by the human brain. After a hands-on simulation in which you build and test a machine learning model, you’ll finish with tips on how to find your career in AI.Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (1 hour and 15 minutes): Less than a century old, AI has already undergone three waves of transformative development. Today it gives humanity the most powerful tools for analyzing complex data, not only to find meaning but also to learn without human intervention. In this course, you’ll survey AI’s history and explore ways it can shed light on unstructured data.Natural Language Processing and Computer Vision (1 hour and 30 minutes): You might already know that some AI systems can understand human language, identify visual images, and even create original art. But do you know how these systems do it? In this course, you’ll explore the theory of natural language and vision processing and learn how these technologies drive real-world mechanisms such as chatbots and photo analysis.Machine Learning and Deep Learning (2 hours): In this course, you’ll see how machines can learn and make amazing, evidence-based predictions. Explore the logic behind computers’ ability to learn, then investigate new ways AI systems inspired by neurons in the human brain can solve difficult problems.Run AI Models with IBM Watson Studio (1 hour and 45 minutes): In this course, you’ll practice creating a machine learning model in a series of simulations, using IBM Watson Studio. This is hands-on time that can help you do actual work with AI.AI Ethics (1 hour and 45 minutes): You might have heard about problems that arise when AI systems misinterpret data or propose solutions that reflect human prejudice. This is the course I talked about above. Through real-world examples, you’ll learn about AI ethics, how they are implemented, and why AI ethics are so important in building trustworthy AI systems.Your Future in AI: The Job Landscape (1 hour): Are you considering a career in AI? In this course, learn about the AI job market’s rapid growth and the skills needed for success in this exciting field. You’ll hear how real professionals got their start and find resources and learning opportunities that could help you work alongside them. More

ZDNETAs someone who’s been around the block a few hundred times with technology, planned obsolescence has long bothered me.Consider this: With Windows 10 nearing the end of its life, you have two choices. You can hope your computer supports the upgrade to Windows 11, or you can go another route. When Microsoft released Windows 11, it became clear that a lot of hardware (capable of running the previous iteration) wouldn’t support the new version of Windows. Many people ended up having to purchase new systems if they wanted to stick with Windows. For some, that wasn’t an option, so they had to continue using a Windows operating system that would eventually fall out of support. That meant no more security updates, which can leave users — and their data — vulnerable.Also: When Windows 10 support runs out, you have 5 options but only 2 are worth consideringIf you’ve found yourself in such a situation, there’s hope in the form of a handful of Linux distributions designed specifically for older or less-powerful hardware. With these operating systems, you can revive an old machine and make it run as though it were new.Here are six Linux distributions that are perfectly at home on older (and even newer) hardware.1. Bodhi LinuxGreat for those willing to learn new things More

Power stations are the latest trend in portable energy solutions! If you haven’t come across one yet, imagine a power bank, but on a grander scale-much grander! These incredible devices are equipped with not only USB ports and 12V outlets, but also AC power outlets! Yes, AC power on the move without long extension cables or gasoline generators!Whether you’re heading out for a camping adventure, need to power tools without a nearby outlet, or want to keep your devices running during a blackout, a power station ensures you’ll always have reliable energy at your fingertips. It’s the ultimate companion for your outdoor escapades and emergency situations alike!While power stations are fantastic, many setups are eye-wateringly expensive — sometimes several thousand dollars. If your budget doesn’t extend to four digits, fear not — there are fantastic power stations that you can pick up for a lot less. Also: The best portable power stations you can buy: Expert testedWhat’s the best cheap portable power station right now? I’ve tested more than 100 different portable power stations to find out which are the best of the best. My favorite cheap power station is the EcoFlow River 2 More

Thinkhubstudio/Getty Images If 2024 was a busy 12 months for IT professionals, 2025 will present similar challenges — and then some.  The IT department just wrapped its collective head around generative AI use cases, and now agentic AI is threatening another digital revolution. Add in continuing demands for other emerging technologies — such as automation, machine […] More

Maria Diaz/ZDNETiOS 18.2 rolled out earlier this month, introducing new features like Visual Intelligence and Image Playground. The AI updates may have taken center stage, but the patch also added several quality-of-life improvements to iPhones that you may not be aware of. They range from changing the layout of the Lock Screen to additional controls on the Photos app. The patch is quite large, so instead of going through every single update, we will highlight the most impactful changes. Also: The best iPhones you can buy right now (and if you should upgrade to iPhone 16)After you’re done reading, you can install iOS 18.2 on your iPhone by opening the Settings menu and then going to General. Tap Software Update to find the patch. Be aware that you will need a phone capable of supporting iOS 18, like the iPhone 13 Pro. Note that the Apple Intelligence features are exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 16 series. Unfortunately, older models don’t support them.1. New layout controls More

The Yamaha True X Bar 50A is a low-profile, elegant soundbar that’ll look good under any TV. Jack Wallen/ZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysThe Yamaha True X Bar 50A More

Screenshot by David Grober/ZDNETInstagram’s Adam Mosseri took to the app today to tease the upcoming launch of a generative AI editing feature that will enable users to “change nearly any aspect of your videos.” Expected to roll out next year, the tool will be powered by Meta’s Movie Gen AI model, which was unveiled in early October.     Meta’s Movie Gen AI model can generate HD videos (1080p resolution) from a text prompt, which — the company claims — is more “realistic” than videos generated by rival technology such as OpenAI’s Sora text-to-video model. By bringing the Movie Gen technology to Instagram, the company aims to equip creators with more tools for “realizing” their ideas more easily. Also: I’m a long-time YouTube video producer – these 3 AI tools help me do it better and fasterAccording to Mosseri, the new editing feature will enable creators to change nearly any aspect of users’ videos with a simple text prompt. Moreover, the announcement video previews “early research AI models” that showcase examples of outfit and background transformations. One especially impressive snippet showed Mosseri transformed into a puppet, which speaks to the expansive capabilities of Movie Gen.   Similarly, Gen AI models such as Open AI’s Sora, Adobe’s Firefly, and Google’s Veo — all released in 2024 — emphasize a shift away from AI image generation and toward AI video generation, especially text-to-video tools. However, just like AI image generation, video generation raises concerns about harmful use cases such as digital blackface, AI-generated deepfakes, and disinformation. Also: This new Google AI tool lets you easily generate images from other photos – no prompt requiredMany creative professionals — artists, writers, filmmakers, actors, and photographers — have voiced frustrations with the impact of AI generators on their respective fields due to AI companies scraping the web to train their models. Because of such concerns, YouTube announced earlier this week that it will allow creators to opt into third-party AI training and recently partnered with the Creative Artists Agency to develop tools that give creators and artists more “control over how AI-generated content features their likeness, including their face, on YouTube at scale.”  More