Easemate.ai launched in 2025 with a simple pitch: one platform for everything AI.

It doesn't make you choose between a chat assistant, an image generator, or a video tool. You get all three, alongside study utilities, document readers, and image editing features. The range of supported models is equally wide, covering GPT, Gemini, Claude, DeepSeek, Grok, Kimi K2, and Qwen 3 on the chat side alone.

The creative side is where things get particularly ambitious. Easemate integrates image models including Nano Banana, Midjourney, Flux Kontext, GPT-4o, and Seedream, with a video catalogue stretching to Sora 2, Google Veo 3, Kling, Seedance, and Runway. Few platforms at this price point give you that many models in one place.

We've been reviewing B2B software and AI platforms at TechRadar Pro since 2012. Easemate sits in a crowded but useful category of multi-model AI aggregators that we've tracked closely. You can also check out our AI tool roundup for 2026 and deep dives into platforms like OpenClaw or Moltbook.

What is Easemate.ai?

Easemate.ai is a web-based AI platform that consolidates multiple AI models and task-specific tools into a single subscription.

Rather than routing you to one underlying model, it lets you switch between GPT, Gemini, Claude, DeepSeek, and others depending on what you need, without juggling separate accounts.

The platform divides its offering into four main areas: AI Chat, AI Study & Research, AI Photo, and AI Video. Within those, you'll find tools for ChatPDF, document summarization, math and science solvers, flashcard generation, image-to-video conversion, and YouTube transcript extraction.

It targets a broad user base (students, solo creators, freelancers, and small businesses) rather than positioning itself as a developer tool or enterprise solution. If you want a single dashboard that covers daily AI tasks without managing multiple subscriptions, Easemate's pitch is worth considering.

Easemate.ai: At a glance

Attribute	Notes
Underlying model(s)	Multi-model: GPT (various), Gemini, Claude 3 Haiku, DeepSeek, Grok 4, Kimi K2, Qwen 3 for chat; Nano Banana, Midjourney, Flux Kontext, Wan, Kling, Seedream and more for image/video
Best for	Students, solo creators, and small businesses needing all-in-one AI access
Distinguishing functions	Multi-model chat, ChatPDF, image generation, video generation, math/science solvers, AI writing tools, face swap, YouTube summarization
UI features	Browser-based interface, desktop and mobile (iOS and Android); no-login trial available for select tools
Subscription costs	Basic (free), Lite ($8.90/month intro, then $9.90/month), Pro ($19.90/month intro, then $24.90/month)
API pricing	No public API; consumer-facing platform only

Buy it if…

• You want multi-model AI chat without juggling accounts. Easemate puts GPT, Gemini, Claude, DeepSeek, and Grok 4 in one place, which saves real time if you regularly compare outputs across models.
• You need creative tools alongside a chat assistant. The combination of image generators and video models in one subscription is hard to match at Easemate's price point.
• You're a student or researcher on a budget. The free tier includes 30 sign-up credits, daily check-in bonuses, and up to 200K AI chat tokens per day.

Don't buy it if…

• You need consistent professional image or video output. Users report a "prompt drift" issue where the platform ignores specific instructions, alters faces, or changes scenes unexpectedly.
• Reliable customer support matters to you. Support is online-only and has drawn criticism for being slow to resolve credit-related problems.
• You want granular model control. Access to Veo 3 and Sora 2 comes through Easemate's own interface rather than direct API access, which limits parameter customization.

My time with Easemate.ai

Getting started on Easemate.ai is frictionless. The platform lets you try select tools without an account, and signing up takes under a minute. Once logged in, the 30 free credits appeared immediately, and the interface guided me clearly toward the main tool categories. For a platform with this many features, the navigation stayed surprisingly tidy.

Where I hit friction was in creative generation. I ran several image prompts through Nano Banana and Flux Kontext and found outputs solid roughly two-thirds of the time. There were noticeable cases where the platform deviated from my descriptions, and rerunning the same prompt sometimes produced very different results. Video tools showed similar inconsistency.

The value case is real at the Lite tier, though. For $8.90 in the first month, rising to $9.90 after that, you get 1,200 credits, access to up to 120 images and 60 videos per month, and multi-model AI chat. That's a fair deal for casual creative work or students managing multiple AI tasks, as long as you aren't expecting the precision of a dedicated tool.

Easemate.ai: Features

The AI Chat section covers GPT (multiple versions), Gemini, Claude 3 Haiku, DeepSeek, Grok 4, Kimi K2, and Qwen 3. For most conversational tasks (drafting, translating, summarizing), having that range in one tab is useful. The daily free token limit of 200K is also more generous than most comparable platforms.

The study and research tools are well-executed and clearly the original backbone of the platform. Math, physics, and chemistry solvers work step-by-step, making them practical for students rather than just returning a final answer. Flashcard and quiz generators, mind maps, and AI Scholar round out a toolkit that serves academic workflows more carefully than most multi-purpose AI platforms do.

On the image side, the model selection is broad: Nano Banana, Midjourney, Flux Kontext, GPT-4o, and Wan 2.5 are all accessible on paid plans. Nano Banana produces good commercial-style images; Flux Kontext handles text-in-image prompts reasonably well. The consistency problem persists, particularly with prompts involving specific faces or complex scenes.

Document tools perform well. ChatPDF, Chat Doc, and Chat PPT let you upload files and query them conversationally, with OCR support for scanned content. The YouTube summarization tool is a genuine highlight: paste a link and get structured notes with timestamps, which worked better than expected in testing.

Easemate.ai: User experience

The interface is clean and well-organized. Tool categories sit in a top navigation bar, each expanding into a dropdown with clearly labeled options. First-time users shouldn't need a tutorial to find their way around, and the browser-based experience works consistently across devices.

The credit system is where the UX gets murky. Different tools consume different credit amounts, and it's not always clear how many you're spending before you generate. A failed generation still costs credits, which user reviews flag repeatedly. Easemate's team has acknowledged this in public responses, but the system itself hasn't changed.

Easemate.ai: Customer support

Easemate offers support via email at support@easemate.ai and through a help portal on the website. There's no live chat, phone line, or priority tier for paid subscribers. Documentation covers pricing and credits at a surface level but doesn't go deep enough for troubleshooting edge cases.

User perception is mixed. As of early 2026, Easemate held an overall rating of 2.0 to 3.0 out of 5 stars with most review aggregators, with positive feedback on ease of use offset by complaints about reliability and support responsiveness. More recent reviewers show a wider range of experiences — solo creators praise the video output quality, while others report credits consumed by failed generations with no satisfying resolution.

(Image credit: Easemate)

Easemate.ai: Pricing

• Basic (free): 30 sign-up credits, daily check-in bonuses, up to 200K AI chat tokens per day, limited image and video access
• Lite ($8.90/month intro, then $9.90/month): 1,200 credits, up to 120 images and 60 videos per month, full model access; annual billing drops this to $7.49/month intro, then $8.49/month
• Pro ($19.90/month intro, then $24.90/month): 3,000 credits, up to 300 images and 150 videos; annual billing drops to $16.90/month intro, then $20.9/month

The free tier is actually usable for light AI chat and occasional image generation — it's not a locked demo. Lite is the sweet spot for individuals. Easemate also sells one-time credit packs that never expire, ranging from 500 credits at $4.90 up to 15,000 credits at $104.90, with discounts of 10–30% depending on bundle size. There's no API access or developer-tier pricing.

Easemate.ai alternatives you should consider

• ChatGPT Plus: At $20/month, you get GPT-4o, o4-mini, and DALL-E 3 in a more mature, reliable environment. A better choice if text generation and image creation are your primary needs.
• Perplexity Pro: Covers multi-model chat with web search grounding and document uploads. Weaker on creative generation but more dependable for research-heavy workflows.
• Adobe Firefly: Produces commercially safe, high-consistency image output with better prompt fidelity than Easemate's image tools, though it lacks the platform's broad AI chat and video coverage.

How I tested Easemate.ai

• Tested AI chat tools across GPT, Gemini, Claude, and DeepSeek for writing, summarizing, and translating tasks, comparing output quality and response speed across models.
• Generated images and video clips using Nano Banana, Flux Kontext, Kling, and Veo 3 with a range of prompt types to assess consistency and prompt adherence.
• Used document and study tools, uploading multi-page PDFs and PowerPoint files to test ChatPDF accuracy, and running math and science problems through the step-by-step solvers.

My testing involved hands-on use of Easemate.ai across its four main tool categories over several sessions, combined with a review of third-party user feedback on Trustpilot and review platforms to benchmark real-world reliability against my own observations. Pricing details were verified directly against the official Easemate.ai pricing page.

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When I think of Enola Holmes, one word springs to mind: naff. Average, run-of-the-mill, mundane, as our friends across the world might put it instead.

It's been four years since the sequel and six years since the original movie came to Netflix, and I have no bearing on where it sits culturally. As an avid internet user in my pre "I have a job reviewing film and TV" days, the Millie Bobby Brown-led franchise felt like a complete flop. But look at the trilogy from a critic's perspective, and it's been a solid entry into the streamer's canon.

Watching Enola Holmes 3, I finally get it. As Sherlock's little sister takes on her wildest case — Sherlock (Henry Cavill) himself being kidnapped — I understand the brief writer Jack Thorne is trying to fulfil... a harmless one.

Suitable for all the family thanks to its genuinely fun and compelling (though not exactly unexpected) narrative, Enola Holmes 3 has all the hallmarks of a solid three-star movie. In fact, it's the most three-star movie to ever three-star.

Can you guess the ending? Yes. Do you care? Probably not. Will you look at your phone occasionally while streaming it, or maybe get started on those pesky household chores you keep putting off? I'd put money on it. Will you lose the storyline or interest if you suddenly pop out to make a coffee and keep the TV running? Not in the slightest.

It's safe storytelling at its most entertaining, and I felt a little like I imagine a baby does when a sensory YouTube video presents them with dancing fruit. Gripped, unmoving, but ultimately numb to what's actually going on.

Enola Holmes 3 must have been an actor's dream working holiday — like Mamma Mia! without the singing

If you have an account on X/Twitter or Instagram and are into pop culture, you have probably seen the pictures of the cast wrap party for the 2008 movie version of Mamma Mia! — which involved the likes of Meryl Streep and Colin Firth getting drunk and doing karaoke in Croatia.

In my mind's eye, Enola Holmes 3 had the same effect on its cast. Set and filmed in Malta, the exciting action sequences, picturesque heartfelt scenes walking along the coast, and frequent galivanting around the capital Valette likely amounted to a similar jovial spirit (and imagine a wrap party abroad with a Netflix budget).

The cast is just as stoic as they ever have been, with standout Helena Bonham Carter as a vagrant outsider, a veritable thrill. They're having fun, so we're having fun along with them, with the ingenious use of animated title cards to explain Sherlock lore, a shrewd interactive touch.

It's not particularly taxing or sophisticated as far as storytelling is concerned, but the existence of this IP wouldn't work if it tried to be. Let's stick with tried and tested easy-on-the-eye action, please.

Netflix needs to stop casting actors with 'iPhone face' in its period dramas

(Image credit: Netflix)

Before I come to my main gripe, let me make clear that Millie Bobby Brown is a) beautiful and b) absolutely doesn't deserve to have her appearance critiqued by the internet.

Instead, I wish that the costume and make-up departments had paid closer attention to its continuity, particularly around 'iPhone face' (the theory that someone cast in a period drama has clearly seen an iPhone).

As Brown has matured over the last six years, it's understandable that she'd want make-up that matches where she is in life. The result is that, unlike the previous two movies, she's got a full face of easily identifiable foundation, contour, and lip liner, which definitely wouldn't have been the case in the late 1800s.

Add to this that wider shots show Brown wearing gel acrylic nails — whereas close-ups show her slightly dirtied yet authentic natural nailbeds — and the illusion of a genuine period drama is ruined.

Continuity seems to be a wider issue across Enola Holmes 3, such as shots spliced together in a single scene not properly keeping track of whether someone's eyes have just been opened or closed. Much like the harmless safety of the narrative, it's this lack of attention to detail that keeps the franchise cocooned in its middling category, though armchair detectives might enjoy trying to spot said mishaps.

Still, it all adds to the light-hearted spirit of the piece, doesn't it? How likely is it that Sherlock, the Sherlock Holmes, could really be kidnapped anyway? Just roll with it, as the saying goes.

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Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Monday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Monday, June 29 (game #1617).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,400 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1618) - hint #1 - Vowels

How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 3*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1618) - hint #2 - repeated letters

Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 2.

Quordle today (game #1618) - hint #3 - uncommon letters

Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1618) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)

Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1618) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• H

• D

• T

• M

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #1618) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1618, are…

• HALVE
• DRYER
• THERE
• MINTY

I played this game without my glasses, which added a new dimension of difficulty.

The first error this caused was my using the word “ducky” instead of my starter word “duchy” and the second was missing the letter H and wasting a guess before getting HALVE.

Somehow, I managed to keep my winning streak going.

Daily Sequence today (game #1618) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1618, are…

• VIVID
• CYCLE
• CHUNK
• PLATE

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1617, Monday, 29 June: SLURP, CRACK, CRANK, PHONY
• Quordle #1616, Sunday, 28 June: RUPEE, TOPAZ, FULLY, BEING
• Quordle #1615, Saturday, 27 June: PRINT, MARRY, SADLY, BICEP
• Quordle #1614, Friday, 26 June: JUICE, ARRAY, BONEY, SKIFF
• Quordle #1613, Thursday, 25 June: SHELF, TAWNY, HYPER, SOLVE
• Quordle #1612, Wednesday, 24 June: SOBER, ECLAT, GOOSE, NINNY
• Quordle #1611, Tuesday, 23 June: ARDOR, DADDY, SERVE, SHEAR
• Quordle #1610, Monday, 22 June: WAXEN, APNEA, CHIME, WAVER
• Quordle #1609, Sunday, 21 June: ABBOT, NOTCH, DREAD, LURID
• Quordle #1608, Saturday, 20 June: SLAIN, TAMER, VIPER, FALSE
• Quordle #1607, Friday, 19 June: ALOUD, POINT, GLOBE, GROIN
• Quordle #1606, Thursday, 18 June: LATCH, BRAWL, STEEL, CRUSH
• Quordle #1605, Wednesday, 17 June: HOIST, PLUSH, GROUP, LEMUR
• Quordle #1604, Tuesday, 16 June: SLAIN, PLUCK, PINTO, SLICE
• Quordle #1603, Monday, 15 June: GAUNT, SNEAK, ROUTE, POKER
• Quordle #1602, Sunday, 14 June: WIMPY, WISPY, VIRAL, NYLON
• Quordle #1601, Saturday, 13 June: DEALT, STEED, BELIE, GULLY
• Quordle #1600, Friday, 12 June: TENTH, SHOAL, JELLY, UNIFY
• Quordle #1599, Thursday, 11 June: GAMMA, SPILL, SALVE, RURAL

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• Grand Theft Auto 6 could take more than a day to download for those with slow Wi-Fi speeds
• This is according to experts at comparison website Uswitch, who estimate that the game could be around 120GB
• Pre-loading will begin on November 12 for those who pre-order the game

With Grand Theft Auto 6 pre-orders officially available, many are already making plans for the November 19, 2026, launch date. Developer Rockstar Games has confirmed that those who pre-order the game will be able to begin pre-loading it on November 12, and it seems making good use of that time will be incredibly important for those eager to dive in on day one.

This is because new research by the broadband experts at comparison website Uswitch suggests that the game could take over a day to download for those with slower Wi-Fi connections.

They predict that the GTA 6 file size could be 120GB, only a little more than GTA 5. This means a download time of more than one day if you're stuck on old copper ADSL connections (which offer speeds of roughly 10Mbps), while those with the UK average 170.2Mbps download speed will have to wait an hour and 34 minutes for the game to be ready to play.

Things are much better over in the US, where the average download speed is roughly 300 Mbps, with just a 53-minute and 20-second wait according to Uswitch's download time calculator.

How long could GTA 6 take to download?

Download Speed	Estimated Download Time (120GB)
10Mbps	1d 2h 40min
30Mbps	8h 53min 20sec
50Mbps	5h 20min
100Mbps	2h 40min
170.2Mbps [National Average]	1h 34min
250Mbps	1h 4min
500Mbps	32min
1.0 Gbps (1000Mbps)	16min
1.5 Gbps (1500Mbps)	10min 40sec

You can use the table above to work out how long GTA 6 might take to download for you based on that 120GB estimate, though Uswitch notes that actual download times can vary based on real-world conditions like server demand and peak-time congestion.

Their in-house broadband expert, Max Beckett, says you can also make sure you're getting the best possible speeds with some "simple moves" like using an Ethernet cable to connect your router directly to your PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X or Series S in order to keep speeds consistent.

He also says "positioning your Wi-Fi router in a central, open area of your home can help maximise speeds" and recommends Wi-Fi extenders to ensure coverage in larger homes.

If you're still suffering from slow speeds, then he suggests shopping around for other plans: "You may find that you can get a much faster speed for very similar prices these days."

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For the past two years, the generative AI conversation has been dominated by one piece of hardware: the GPU.

GPUs supplied the parallel compute needed to train large language models, and their scarcity quickly became a proxy for AI readiness.

But that shorthand is now incomplete.

The next phase of enterprise AI will not be defined by accelerators alone.

It will be shaped by CPUs, memory bandwidth, cloud capacity, networking, and the workflow systems that allow AI to move from casual experimentation into daily business operations.

AI’s true economic impact will not come from model access; it will come from whether businesses can turn AI into reliable, cost-efficient operational capacity.

AI is Becoming an Infrastructure Problem

The first wave of generative AI adoption was largely experimental. Employees used standalone tools to draft emails, summarize documents, or write code. These ad-hoc use cases were useful, but they did not require companies to redesign how work actually gets done.

The next wave is different. As AI moves deeper into enterprise workflows, IT infrastructure requirements become exponentially more complex.

A customer service tool that drafts a response is simple. An AI system that reads account history, checks policy, updates a CRM, logs the interaction, and triggers a follow-up task is an entirely different beast. This system does not just need a powerful model; it requires compute orchestration, secure data access, software integrations, permissions, audit trails, and fallback logic.

This is where the GPU-centric view fails. While GPUs remain critical for heavy inference, CPUs coordinate how these workloads interact with databases, APIs, security layers, and operating systems. As a result, memory bandwidth, latency, and power availability are becoming the true strategic constraints.

The High Cost of Unstructured AI Usage

The early enterprise playbook was simple: give employees access to powerful tools and see what happens. While this accelerated learning, it also exposed a massive financial vulnerability. Individual, unstructured prompting is expensive, difficult to measure, and hard to tie to tangible business outcomes.

We are seeing a major corrective shift play out among tech giants. Microsoft recently began pulling back internal licenses for Anthropic's Claude Code—which was costing between $500 and $2,000 per engineer monthly due to high token consumption—and is forcing its Experiences and Devices division to transition to GitHub Copilot CLI ahead of its June 30 fiscal year-end.

Similarly, Uber completely exhausted its entire AI coding tools budget in just four months. The ride-hailing giant deployed Claude Code to roughly 5,000 engineers and aggressively stoked adoption using internal leaderboards. The experiment was incredibly effective—assisted systems generated nearly 70% of committed code—but token usage scaled faster than anyone anticipated, forcing Uber's leadership to publicly question the net ROI.

Consequently, the future of enterprise AI will move away from fragmented prompting toward a central intelligence model. Rather than thousands of disconnected interactions, companies will rely on shared intelligence layers—centralized systems that understand corporate data, apply consistent business rules, route tasks across applications, and track performance.

This model is inherently more efficient because the same intelligence is reused across workflows rather than recreated from scratch by individual users.

From Answers to Workflows

The most critical shift in enterprise tech is the transition from tools that answer questions to systems that perform work.

Traditional software is deterministic: a user clicks a button, and a system performs a known action. AI workflows are more dynamic. An agentic workflow can retrieve real-time data, reason through a multi-step process, interact with third-party software, and loop in a human for approval.

This puts immense pressure on the full technology stack. To unlock actual productivity gains, businesses need clean data infrastructure, disciplined governance, and robust integrations. Advanced models are useless if layered on top of fragmented, disconnected corporate systems.

Unprecedented Change Management and the "AI-Native" Workforce

As these agentic systems mature, the impact on global employment will trigger a corporate change management crisis on a scale never before seen. AI will fundamentally alter hiring patterns and role requirements long before it eliminates headcount at scale.

Historically, headcount was the default lever to scale capacity; more customers required more support staff. AI breaks that linear relationship. Instead of asking how many people are needed to handle an influx of volume, leaders will increasingly ask how much of a process can be handled by automated systems.

This environment will aggressively reward adaptability. Professionals who stay ahead of the technology curve, learn to design AI-enabled workflows, and manage systemic exceptions will disproportionately benefit.

Conversely, the risk of displacement is starkest for those relying purely on legacy industry experience. Traditional technical and managerial paradigms are being disrupted by a new cohort of AI-native developers, product managers, and team members. These professionals do not just use AI as an assistant; they build, manage, and think in terms of automated, model-driven systems.

Those who fail to transition from traditional operators to AI-native orchestrators risk being replaced by those who do.

AI Infrastructure is Economic Infrastructure

The broader economic impact of AI will be determined by how deeply it can be embedded into the core systems that run global businesses.

GPUs, CPUs, networking, and data centers form the physical foundation. Agent orchestration, security, and observability form the operational foundation. Together, they dictate whether AI remains a novelty or becomes a scalable business capability.

The GPU race was merely the opening chapter of the AI boom. The next chapter will be defined by the holistic compute, data, and workflow systems that allow AI to do real work at scale. That is the moment AI stops being a tool and truly becomes infrastructure.

Check out our list of the best IT automation software.

This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives, our channel to feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today.

The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/pro/perspectives-how-to-submit

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• Watch Wimbledon 2026 free on BBC iPlayer (UK) / 9Now (Australia)
• Unlock your stream with NordVPN (save up to 75%)
• Daily start time: 6am ET / 11am BST / 8pm AEST
• Centre Court: No.1 Sinner vs Kecmanovic; No.1 Sabalenka vs Kostovic; No.7 Djokovic vs Wu

Watch Wimbledon 2026 live streams, as top seeds Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka, and seven-time champion Novak Djokovic help get the tournament underway. The trio are up on Centre Court from 8.30am ET / 1.30pm BST / 10.30pm AEST on Day 1, where they'll face Miomir Kecmanovic, Teodora Kostovic and Yibing Wu respectively.

Emma Raducanu was supposed to open play on Court No.1 at 8am ET / 1pm BST / 10pm AEST, but withdrew from the tournament overnight with a new injury. That will force a last-minute reshuffle, the results of which are yet to be revealed at the time of publication.

No.8 Daniil Medvedev was originally supposed to be next up against 2017 finalist Marin Cilic, with newly crowned major winner No.5 Mirra Andreeva closing proceedings against Magda Linette. However, there's now a chance they'll be bumped up.

No.7 Coco Gauff headlines the Court No.2 action, opposite Tamara Korpatsch. They'll be fourth up at the arena, after No.4 Jessica Pegula, No.26 Cam Norrie and No.3 Felix Auger-Aliassime, who are taking on Darja Vidmanova, Michael Zheng and Aleksandr Shevchenko respectively.

Here's how to watch Wimbledon 2026 from anywhere in the world. We've also listed the order of play for the show courts, the seeds and recent winners below.

Wimbledon order of play – Monday, June 29, 2026

Click to see more ▼

(All times BST)

Centre Court
1.30pm – No.1 Jannik Sinner vs Miomir Kecmanovic
No.1 Aryna Sabalenka vs Teodora Kostovic
No.7 Novak Djokovic vs Yibing Wu

No.1 Court
1pm – TBA
No.8 Daniil Medvedev vs Marin Cilic
No.5 Mirra Andreeva vs Magda Linette

No.2 Court
11am – No.4 Jessica Pegula vs Darja Vidmanova
No.26 Cam Norrie vs Michael Zheng
No.3 Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Aleksandr Shevchenko
No.7 Coco Gauff vs Tamara Korpatsch

Can you watch Wimbledon 2026 for free?

Yes. Wimbledon 2026 is being shown on free-to-air BBC One and BBC Two in the UK, with live streaming available through BBC iPlayer, and on free-to-air Channel 9 and 9Gem in Australia, with live streaming available via 9Now.

Traveling abroad right now? You can use a VPN to watch Queen's for free as if you were right at home.

Use a VPN to watch Wimbledon 2026 live streams

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How to watch Wimbledon 2026 live streams in the US

In the US, Wimbledon 2026 coverage is being provided by ESPN, ESPN2, ABC and ESPN Select.

ESPN Select, which is live streaming every match on every court, costs $12.99/month or $129.99/year, but you can bundle it with Disney Plus and Hulu for $19.99/month.

If you don't have ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC on cable, they're available through Sling – specifically the Orange & Blue plan, which starts at $60.99/month. It includes ABC, NBC and Fox in select locations, plus ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, USA Network, FX and more.

Alternatively, ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC are also carried by Fubo, YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV, each of which offers a free trial to new users.

Outside of the US? Use a VPN whilst you're traveling away from home to unlock your stream.

How to watch Wimbledon 2026 live streams in the UK

(Image credit: Other)

In the UK, Wimbledon 2026 is free-to-air on BBC One and BBC Two, as well as via the BBC iPlayer streaming service.

There will be a dedicated feed for every match on all 18 courts on BBC iPlayer, and Centre Court coverage will be available in 4K.

All you need is an account, a TV Licence and a UK postcode (e.g.HA9 0WS). Sign up here!

If you're out of the UK but still want to tune in, explore the VPN route set out above, which will help you access your accounts from anywhere.

How to watch Wimbledon 2026 live streams in Australia

(Image credit: free)

Wimbledon 2026 is free-to-air on Channel 9 and 9Now in Australia, with live streaming available via the 9Now platform.

Stan Sport, meanwhile, will have exhaustive coverage of every court. Stan Sport costs AU$20/month on top of a Stan subscription, which itself starts at AU$12/month.

Not in Australia right now? You can simply use a VPN like NordVPN to watch all the action as if you were back home.

How to watch Wimbledon 2026 in Canada

(Image credit: Other)

In Canada, Wimbledon 2026 is exclusive to TSN.

If you don't have cable, the TSN Plus streaming service costs CA$29.99/month or CA$249.99/year. However, you can currently get three months for CA$59.99.

If you're out of Canada but still want to tune in, explore the VPN route set out above, which will help you access your accounts from anywhere.

Wimbledon 2026 Q&A

What is the Wimbledon 2026 preview?

Wimbledon 2026 preview

Wimbledon 2026 sees seven-time champion Serena Williams make a sensational return to singles action at the age of 44, four years after retiring from tennis. With many of the game's top stars either off-color (Novak Djokovic, Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek) or injured (Carlos Alcaraz), this has the makings of a helter-skelter tournament.

Despite bombing out of the French Open in the second round amid a crippling energy crash, world No.1 and reigning champion Jannik Sinner is the firm men's favourite. However, Alexander Zverev could make things interesting now that he's finally exorcised his gland slam hoodoo at the French Open. With Sinner and Djokovic out of the picture, the German took full advantage in Paris, beating Flavio Cobolli in a five-set final.

The form of the big three women has, extraordinarily, deserted them all at the same time. Sabalenka has played four tournaments without reaching a final, which is a drought by her standards, while Gauff and reigning Wimbledon champion Swiatek are yet to pick up any silverware at all this year. Elena Rybakina too has had a quiet time of things since winning the Australian Open.

19-year-old Mirra Andreeva, however, is walking on air after securing her first major at Roland Garros, though in three previous appearances she hasn't quite looked at home in SW19. It's a ludicrous thought, but with the draw this wide open, wildcard Williams might just fancy her chances of putting a run together.

She's sticking to the line that she only came back so that her daughters can watch her play, but even a toddler can see that taking part means nothing to Serena – it's purely about winning.

Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, Francisco Cerundolo, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Donna Vekic, Linda Noskova, Marie Bouzkova, Karolina Muchová and Madison Keys each enter Wimbledon off the back of grass-court triumphs, while British hope Emma Raducanu enjoyed a confidence-boosting run to the Queen's final.

Who are the Wimbledon 2026 seeds?

Wimbledon 2026 seeds

Men

1. Jannik Sinner
2. Alexander Zverev
3. Felix Auger-Aliassime
4. Ben Shelton
5. Alex de Minaur
6. Taylor Fritz
7. Novak Djokovic
8. Daniil Medvedev
9. Flavio Cobolli
10. Alexander Bublik
11. Casper Ruud
12. Andrey Rublev
13. Jiri Lehecka
14. Luciano Darderi
15. Jakub Mensík
16. Learner Tien
17. Frances Tiafoe
18. Francisco Cerúndolo
19. Karen Khachanov
20. Arthur Fils
21. Tommy Paul
22. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
23. Rafael Jodar
24. Joao Fonseca
25. Arthur Rinderknech
26. Cameron Norrie
27. Ugo Humbert
28. Brandon Nakashima
29. Tomas Martín Etcheverry
30. Alejandro Tabilo
31. Ignacio Buse
32. Matteo Arnaldi

Women

1. Aryna Sabalenka
2. Elena Rybakina
3. Iga Swiatek
4. Jessica Pegula
5. Mirra Andreeva
6. Amanda Anisimova
7. Coco Gauff
8. Elina Svitolina
9. Linda Noskova
10. Karolína Muchova
11. Belinda Bencic
12. Marta Kostyuk
13. Jasmine Paolini
14. Naomi Osaka
15. Diana Shnaider
16. Iva Jovic
17. Sorana Cirstea
18. Ekaterina Alexandrova
19. Anna Kalinskaya
20. Maja Chwalinska
21. Marie Bouzkova
22. Leylah Fernandez
23. Emma Navarro
24. Clara Tauson
25. Elise Mertens
26. Madison Keys
27. Anastasia Potapova
28. Ann Li
29. Alexandra Eala
30. Emma Raducanu
31. Donna Vekic
32. Katerina Siniakova

Who are the recent Wimbledon winners?

Recent Wimbledon champions

Men's champions

2025 – Jannik Sinner
2024 – Carlos Alcaraz
2023 – Carlos Alcaraz
2022 – Novak Djokovic
2021 – Novak Djokovic
2019 – Novak Djokovic
2018 – Novak Djokovic
2017 – Roger Federer
2016 – Andy Murray

Women's champions

2025 – Iga Swiatek
2024 – Barbora Krejcikova
2023 – Marketa Vondrousova
2022 – Elena Rybakina
2021 – Ashleigh Barty
2019 – Simona Halep
2018 – Angelique Kerber
2017 – Garbine Muguruza
2016 – Serena Williams

What are the daily Wimbledon 2026 start times?

Wimbledon 2026 start times

Day session

From 3am PT / 6am ET / 11am BST / 8pm AEST

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

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• Watch World Cup for free in Bangladesh on BTV / Toffee
• International FREE streams: BBC / ITV (UK) | SBS (AUS) | RTE (IRE)
• UNLOCK YOUR FREE STREAM: NORTON VPN (try 60 days)
• World Cup 2026: June 11 - July 19

The 2026 World Cup is delivering one thrilling moment after another. With only a handful of knockout-stage spots still up for grabs, expect the action to become even more intense in the coming days.

And, of course, one of the tournament's most captivating storylines is the race for the Golden Boot. Will it be Mbappé, Haaland, Messi, Kane, Ronaldo, or someone else entirely?

Fortunately for football fans in Bangladesh, all 104 matches of the tournament are available free-to-air, thanks to local broadcaster Bangladesh Television (BTV) and the Toffee app.

But how can you watch Toffee from anywhere in the world? And what if you're traveling in Bangladesh from the US, UK, Canada, or Australia? Here's our simple guide to watching 2026 World Cup live streams in Bangladesh, including free options.

How to watch World Cup 2026 for free in Bangladesh?

Bangladesh is one of the few countries offering free live streams of all the 104 World Cup 2026 matches. The Bangladeshi government acquired the broadcasting rights from FIFA for just $3.85 million – all of which they can easily cover via advertisements run during the games.

As a result, the BTV cable channel is broadcasting all 104 kick-offs at no charge.

What if you've cut the cord in Bangladesh? Well, no worries, as there's a handy way to access free World Cup 2026 live streams online. The trick? Using Banglalink as your network provider and using the Toffee app.

Banglalink users who have an active 30-day data or mixed bundle package can watch all the World Cup matches for free on Toffee. If you're not a Banglalink user, you can still use Toffee to view World Cup matches in full HD, albeit with a tournament pass that costs between Tk 99 and Tk 129 – that's just around $1.

Alternatively, users of Grameenphone – another network provider in Bangladesh – can get its Tk 97 (valid for 50 days) data bundle offering access to World Cup matches. Live streams will be available through the Bioscope+, MyGP, and Skitto apps.

However, you can only access World Cup 2026 live streams on Toffee with a Bangladeshi IP address. Abroad right now? You can use a VPN to connect to a server in Bangladesh and access your favorite World Cup streams like you were back home.

But what if you're a foreigner traveling in Bangladesh during the World Cup? In that case too, you can use Norton VPN (60-day money back guarantee) to connect to a server in your usual country and watch free streams on the likes of BBC iPlayer and ITVX in the UK, SBS On Demand in Australia and RTE Player in Ireland.

There are plenty of other countries offering free access to every match as well. Find the full list below.

• 🇬🇧 UK: BBC / ITVX (English commentary)
• 🇦🇺 Australia: SBS On Demand (English commentary)
• 🇧🇷 Brazil: CazéTV's YouTube (no account required)
• 🇧🇪 Belgium: RTBF / VRT
• 🇧🇩 Bangladesh: Toffee
• 🇮🇪 Ireland: RTE Player (English commentary)
• 🇳🇱 Netherlands: NOS
• 🇨🇭 Switzerland: SRF Play / RTS Play / RSI Play
• 🇹🇷 Turkey: TRT

Watch FIFA World Cup 2026 live streams from anywhere

If you’re traveling, you might discover your usual World Cup stream is suddenly unavailable due to geo-restrictions.

Don’t worry, that’s exactly where a VPN can help. A virtual private network lets you connect to servers around the world so you can securely access your usual World Cup coverage as if you were back home.

We recommend Norton VPN. Here's why:

▶︎ Norton VPN MEGA Deal — 60-day money back guarantee

Watch your free World Cup stream without limits. Norton VPN delivers fast, secure connections with global servers, so you can stream from anywhere with ease.

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It's really easy to use a VPN to watch the World Cup for free:

1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, Norton VPN is our choice.

2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're visiting Bangladesh and want to watch your free BBC iPlayer stream, you'd select 'United Kingdom' from the options.

3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to BBC iPlayer, sign in, and watch the World Cup for free.

Which devices can I use to watch World Cup 2026 on Toffee?

The Toffee streaming platform is available as a dedicated app on Android, iOS, and Android TV, while PC and laptop users can access the official Toffee website through web browsers.

More from TechRadar

• How to watch World Cup 2026: Full streaming guide
• How to watch the World Cup on YouTube (it's free)
• Which country gets the most free World Cup streams

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We've tested a lot of crazy workout gear over the years, from Adidas' pressurized workout shoes to elaborate virtual coaching booths, but never anything from space.

Let me confirm that I haven't actually worn anything from outer space: this is a workout layer from premium activewear company Walero, which also makes professional-grade motorsport gear. The Walero Active temperature-regulating baselayer incorporates Outlast technology, which is a fabric system originally developed for NASA to clothe its astronauts.

The Outlast website says "the most important part of fabrics and materials with this NASA technology is the microencapsulated wax, which is usually won from rapeseed oil.

"When the temperature rises, it causes the wax in the capsules to melt. During this phase shift, the temperature cannot increase any further. Heat peaks are reduced or even prevented and as a result, sweat production decreases by up to 48%."

So the wax hardens and softens inside the fabric based on the wearer's temperature, capping it. Clever.

While the Walero baselayers only consist of 20% Outlast technology, I was intrigued enough to try it when I was offered to test one. Given that I also test the best running shoes in addition to fitness gadgets, I'm always intrigued when I hear about performance-enhancing technical fabrics and materials in addition to smartwatches and other gadgets on my usual beat.

So, without further ado, I laced up my Saucony Ride 19s and hit the road, wearing it on as many runs as I could (in between washes) over a month.

Beat the heat

(Image credit: Future)

I tested the Ben Nevis long sleeve half-zip Walero Active top, but I found it difficult to judge its results in an objective, numerical fashion. Walero claims its kit is scientifically proven to lower heart rates by 8%, and sweat production by 30%.

However, one person's sweat production and heart rate can change dramatically for all sorts of reasons, ranging from what they've eaten that day, to the weather, to their previous night's sleep. I normally test the best smartwatches against a Polar H10 heart rate monitor to obtain numerical data, but I found it difficult to deliver any meaningful comparison data on a regular workout vs. one in the top. An 8% decrease in heart rate isn't a massive change for the average runner to measure, although it could mean everything for an elite athlete. How does a mediocre but enthusiastic runner quantify this sort of thing?

Nevertheless, after running 10 kilometers in a UK heatwave, during which I would have normally worn as little clothing as possible (and certainly not a long-sleeved top) I must admit I was partially convinced. I wore a sleeveless t-shirt underneath, and hadn't needed to remove the long-sleeved top at all during the run.

Other runs in the top, some shorter, some similar distance, were done in cooler conditions, including one in the rain. At all times, the layer stayed on, apart from one exceptionally hot day. I didn't see any historic achievements or plateau-breaking as a result of wearing it, but my runs felt strong and the top was comfortable. I didn't need to shed the layer in most hot conditions to avoid overheating, or feel like it was insufficient in cold.

Will it really increase performance?

(Image credit: Future)

At the end of the day, it's a very premium-priced (a hefty £195, around $250 / AU$370) baselayer with a nice feel. Will it increase performance? Perhaps. It's definitely going to be a go-to when exercising in the cold, as the 'layering problem' rears its ugly head most often in transitional seasons. You start out cold, and end up baking due to over-layering. I see this piece as an answer to this issue.

One independent study testing the thermo-regulation property of Outlast fiber by means of thermal analysis found that the 'smart fiber' as its called, has "been certified [for] its obvious capability of temperature regulation". So the Walero top will reduce sweat and keep your body regulated with its 20% Outlast fibers woven into its construction, in theory.

In practice, for most of us, it's a fun novelty that seems ideal to wear in most conditions, and most suited to cooler changeable weather. You'll get a lot of wear out of it as it's very adaptable, but it's certainly more expensive than most baselayers. It's a cool gimmick to chat about as you queue up at the startline of your local parkrun, but whether it represents good value will depend on your budget. An amateur athlete looking to save money (most of us) won't get enough mileage out of this top to justify the expense, while a high performer with deep pockets will likely live in it due to its thermo-regulating qualities.

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It's been another packed week of technology news, and TechRadar has been covering all of the stories that matter: the Prime Day deals, the Apple price hikes, new devices from Oura and Sonos, and plenty more besides.

If you haven't been able to check in regularly on our site, this weekly ICYMI (In Case You Missed It) round-up is here to get you up to speed. You can browse through the headlines that matter below, and click the links for the full articles.

Get yourself comfortable and review the past week below, and we'll be back again this time next week for another ICYMI summary.

7. We scoured the Prime Day deals

(Image credit: TechRadar / Amazon)

You may have noticed that it's been Amazon Prime Day this week — it's now spread across multiple days of course — and the TechRadar team has been busy searching across every Amazon category to bring you the best deals: we've found discounts on TVs, laptops, headphones, smartwatches, smart home gadgets, tablets, and plenty more besides.

No matter what you're in need of tech-wise at the moment, our US and UK round-up pages have a variety of deals that will fit, and a lot of these discounts are genuinely substantial — and many are still going. Together with the latest prices and links for each product, we've also included our expert tech advice in each case, so you know exactly why which offers are worth pursuing.

• Read more: We're tracking the best Prime Day tech deals live — 121 biggest discounts on Apple, Samsung, Kindle, Sony, and more

6. We reviewed the Oura Ring 5

(Image credit: Future)

The Oura Ring 5 is a substantial step up from its predecessor: it's slimmer, lighter, and more durable, as well as offering extra battery life — and according to our review, you might even forget you're wearing it. Oura has managed to refine the device's appearance so it looks like a normal piece of jewelry, even with the cutting-edge sensors inside it.

"It's easily the most stylish and accurate smart ring around," our review states, though it's not perfect, and there's that usual Oura subscription fee to consider if you want to access most of the tracking features. If you're wondering whether the Oura Ring 5 is the right wearable upgrade for you, then we'll tell you everything you need to know below.

• Read more: Oura Ring 5 review — a luxury smart ring for discreet everyday wellness tracking that's (almost) easy to forget you're wearing

5. Meta revealed its cheaper smart glasses

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

Meta has treated us to a bumper crop of new smart glasses, starting at $299 / £269 / AU$599 and developed in partnership with EssilorLuxottica. We've got all the details here, including how they feel to wear, and a rundown of the design and color variations you can pick from — you certainly can't complain that there isn't enough choice in this batch.

We've also got comments from Meta CTO and Head of Reality Labs Andrew 'Boz' Bosworth, who outlined the company's vision of a smart spec future, and said "it's pretty easy to make glasses that don’t look good, it turns out". That seems to be a humorous dig at some of Meta's rivals in the space, but see what you think of the new Meta Glasses range.

• Read more: 'Our goal is to reach every corner of the market': Meta CTO Andrew 'Boz' Bosworth on the new $299 EssilorLuxottica Meta Glasses

4. We reviewed the latest Sonos speaker

(Image credit: Future)

The Sonos Era 100 SL wireless speaker is more affordable than the Era 100 that launched before it, but as our detailed review will tell you, Sonos has been able to pull this off without making too many compromises. Most importantly, the quality of the sound doesn't drop even though the price does, so you still get a top-tier listening experience.

Our review takes you through every aspect of the Era 100 SL speaker, from how easy it is to set up initially, to the sort of performance you can expect from it — with London Grammar and DJ Shadow included in the artists whose music we used for testing — and there's praise for "quality sound", "great connectivity", and "iconic design" along the way.

• Read more: 'A better price for the same performance': I reviewed Sonos' cheaper Era 100 SL wireless speaker, and was shocked at how few concessions were made to make this a bargain

3. The Steam Machine got an official price tag

(Image credit: Valve)

It's been a long wait for the Steam Machine, but we're nearly there, and now know that the starting price is set at $1,049 / £879 / AU$1,609, and we can thank the price inflation driven by the RAM crisis for that. If a Steam Machine is still within your budget, you'll be able to put in an order from June 29, more than seven months after it was first announced.

If you don't think that's good value, then we've put together a guide to building your own Steam Machine alternative below. You get full control over the budget and the specs of the components you choose, and it can be a lot of fun too (as we can say with confidence given the years of PC building experience on the TechRadar team).

• Read more: Disappointed by the Steam Machine’s official price? Build your own mini gaming PC instead with these deals

2. Apple revealed its painful price hikes

(Image credit: Future / Adobe Firefly)

Speaking of the RAM crisis, it just hit Apple too: the company has racked up the pricing on many of its products, including iPads, MacBooks, and even the HomePod. The recently launched MacBook Neo, for example, now has a starting price of $699 rather than $599 in the US — a not inconsiderable rise of $100 or 17% in a single jump.

We've got all the details of how much more expensive each Apple gadget is now, with these price increases effective immediately on the official Apple Store. We've also got some ideas about where you can still find these Apple products at their original prices from third-party retailers — though you'll have to move fast to grab them.

• Read more: Apple just delivered the worst kind of news: price hikes across many of its major products (even the Neo) — and yes, RAM prices are to blame

1. GTA 6 pre-orders finally went live

(Image credit: Rockstar)

After two substantial delays, GTA 6 is finally going to go on sale on November 19, and you can get your pre-orders in now for the PS5, the Xbox Series X, or the Xbox Series S. You've got a $79.99 / £69.99 Standard Edition and a $99.99 / £89.99 Ultimate Edition to choose between, and we've got links for you to all the top US and UK retailers right here.

We're also going to keep an eye out for any bundles that these stores are offering, meaning you can pick up the game and a console at the same time — so check back often if you're interested. It's exciting that pre-orders are now live for what could be the video game of the decade, and we only have five more months to count down until launch day.

• Read more: GTA 6 pre-orders live — bundles arrive, while almost all major US and UK retailers have stock

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• Hisense launches a dedicated remote that connects to the kid-safe Vidaa Kids
• Kids can't access grown-up apps with the Safe Streaming remote
• Included across the 2026 Hisense TV range

If you're a parent, you probably don't want your kids to watch things on TV that aren't age-appropriate or safe for them to stream. But stopping that can be a pain. Hisense may have a better option: the first "Safe Streaming" remote control.

Hisense has teamed up with A Parent Media Co Inc, which owns the Kidoodle TV service, to deliver kid-friendly shows to its Vidaa TV operating system alongside the aforementioned remote. It'll be available across the entire 2026 TV range.

Rather than try to screen out dodgy stuff across your smart TV apps and channels, Hisense's solution removes them altogether. The kids can watch thousands of episodes on Vidaa Kids, and the remote is there to help them find their favorites such as Spongebob Squarepants, PAW Patrol: Pup Tales, Baby Shark and many more. There are over 50,000 episodes in total.

(Image credit: Hisense)

A walled garden that's safer for kids

Like many parents I was anti-screens… until I became a parent. Sometimes parking a toddler in front of PAW Patrol is exactly what you need so you can prepare a meal, put a laundry load on or just get a few minutes' break.

But my kids didn't have access to the streaming and live channels today's smart TVs have; there's no way I'd leave young kids in front of the TV without supervision or a lot of parental controls switched on.

What Hisense is offering here is an easier life for parents of young children: rather than having to block specific apps on your TV or PIN-protect profiles in multiple apps, you can simply give the kids the Safe Streaming remote and let them get on with it.

Because it's all in one app you don't need to spend any time configuring the apps the grown-ups use, and there's no possibility of the kids getting frustrated across multiple streaming services.

The new remote will be included across Hisense's 2026 MiniLED and RGB MiniLED range, including the E8S, U7S, U7S PRO, UR8S and UR9S series, launching this month — but only on sets with the Vidaa operating system, meaning in the UK and Europe, but not in the US.

Thinking of buying a new TV?

Try our TV size and model finder! You tell it how far you sit from your TV, we'll tell you what size to buy based on viewing angle advice from image quality experts, and we'll recommend our three top TVs at that size for different prices.

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“With great power comes great responsibility.”

It may be a line borrowed from Spider-Man, but it captures the inflection point facing the telecoms industry today.

Telecom networks are the invisible infrastructure of modern life. Every message sent, video streamed and connected device depends on the vast digital highways that telecom operators build and maintain.

But the industry is now at a crossroads.

As UK telecoms intensify their journey toward Net Zero and with 6G on the horizon, AI is emerging as both a transformative enabler and a sustainability challenge.

A dual approach to AI

Telecoms has entered a new phase of AI-fueled growth. Data demand is surging, networks are becoming denser, and the next wave of innovation is pushing digital infrastructure to new limits.

With this growth comes a clear opportunity to lead on sustainability – but to seize it, the industry must unlock AI’s full potential responsibly. On one hand, AI enables smarter operations across the telecoms system, from network traffic optimization to supply chain analytics and carbon reporting. On the other, it brings rising energy and water demands driven by compute-intensive workloads.

A dual approach is therefore central to ensuring technological innovation supports the climate agenda. That means advancing both AI for sustainability – using AI to reduce emissions, optimize resources and accelerate progress towards Net Zero – and sustainable AI, ensuring that AI itself is designed, deployed and governed in a way that minimizes its environmental impact.

This is the defining tension of the next decade: scaling intelligence without scaling impact.

Pinpointing high-impact AI use cases

AI is already creating new possibilities for progress, but real value lies in prioritizing use cases that drive both business value and environmental benefit. Not every use case delivers equal value—and in a resource-constrained world, prioritization is critical.

First and foremost, energy optimization is an area of significant opportunity. Energy consumption accounts for up to 40% of telecoms’ network OPEX, and GSMA Intelligence indicates that operators could reduce OPEX by 4% for a 20% reduction in energy costs through power efficiencies.

Here, AI can assist with network load balancing to help distribute traffic evenly and reduce unnecessary energy consumption. Meanwhile, energy use in data centers can be reduced through intelligent workload distribution, predictive cooling and server optimization, all of which lower overall demand. In effect, AI enables networks to think more intelligently about how and when energy is used.

On the reporting side, AI is also playing an increasingly important role. It’s being used to support customer carbon reporting, particularly in analysing large datasets from multiple sources – estimating notoriously obscure Scope 3 emissions and helping customers better understand their impact.

For example, a network operator seeking to assess B2B customer emissions can integrate data from traffic records and device energy use, linking it with customer profiles to generate more accurate insights. What was once opaque is becoming measurable, and therefore manageable.

Establishing the foundations for sustainable AI

Without the right foundations, scaling AI risks putting the cart before the horse. Organizations must establish strong governance to ensure AI is used ethically and sustainably – and that requires close collaboration across sustainability, technology and operational teams.

A centralized governance body can accelerate decision-making, enforce accountability, and ensure AI initiatives are aligned with wider sustainability goals. It also provides the guardrails needed to scale AI with confidence.

This oversight should extend across the full AI lifecycle — from design and development to training and deployment — embedding environmental, social and ethical considerations from the outset, rather than treating them as an afterthought.

For instance, organizations can adopt a “decision tree” approach to evaluate whether AI is needed at all, and if so, what type is most appropriate, considering alternatives that may deliver similar outcomes with a lower environmental footprint.

Assessing and mitigating environmental impact

Understanding AI’s environmental footprint must be the starting point for responsible adoption. After all, you can’t manage what you can’t measure. In truth, only a minority of companies are actively monitoring and disclosing the environmental footprint of their AI models, and even fewer have set reduction targets. This indicates a broader need for lifecycle assessments and accountability in AI operations.

But this is a daunting task on a few levels. Many organizations lack transparency from AI providers regarding energy efficiency and carbon footprints, which is crucial for informed decision-making – and without clear, standardized metrics and greater visibility across the value chain, organizations are left making critical decisions in the dark. Addressing this gap will require closer collaboration across the ecosystem to establish common standards, improve transparency and embed sustainability into AI decision-making.

A responsibility that extends beyond telecoms

The impact of telecoms sustainability decisions goes far beyond the industry. Telecoms already account for at least 1.6% of global carbon emissions. Decisions made here influence energy demand, emissions reduction and resource efficiency across national economies. By acting decisively, telecoms can set a standard for other sectors, demonstrating that AI-powered growth and sustainability are not mutually exclusive.

But there is work to be done. As AI adoption accelerates across networks, customer operations and enterprise services, understanding and managing its energy impact will become increasingly important. Ultimately, the challenge facing telecoms is not simply to connect the world, but to do so responsibly.

We feature the best business phone systems.

This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives, our channel to feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today.

The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/pro/perspectives-how-to-submit

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