Microsoft is introducing a deep research AI-powered tool in Microsoft 365 Copilot, its AI chatbot app.Theres been a raft of deep research agents launched recently across chatbots, including OpenAIs ChatGPT, Googles Gemini, and xAIs Grok. Powering them are so-called reasoning AI models, which posses the ability to think through problems and fact-check themselves skills arguably important for conducting in-depth research on a subject.Microsofts flavors are called Researcher and Analyst.Researcher combines OpenAIs deep research model which powers the companys own ChatGPT deep research tool with advanced orchestration and deep search capabilities. Microsoft claims that Researcher can perform analyses including developing a go-to-market strategy and creating a quarterly report for a client.As for Analyst, its built on OpenAIs o3-mini reasoning model and is optimized to do advanced data analysis, Microsoft said. Analyst progresses through problems iteratively, taking steps to refine its thinking and provide a detailed answer to queries. Analyst can also run the programming language Python to tackle complex data queries, Microsoft added, and expose its work for inspection.What makes Microsofts deep research tools slightly more unique than the competition is their access to work data as well as the worldwide web. For example, Researcher can tap third-party data connectors to draw on data from AI agents, tools, and apps like Confluence, ServiceNow, and Salesforce.Granted, the real challenge is ensuring tools such as Researcher and Analyst dont hallucinate or otherwise make stuff up. Models including o3-mini and deep research are by no means perfect; from time to time, they mis-cite work, draw incorrect conclusions, and pull from dubious public websites to inform their reasoning.Microsoft is launching a new Frontier program through which Microsoft 365 Copilot customers can gain access to Researcher and Analyst. Those enrolled in Frontier, which going forward will gain experimental Copilot features first, will get Researcher and Analyst starting in April.

Microsoft releases its answer to OpenAI and Google's Deep Research.

I tried ChatGPT's new Advanced Voice Mode update. Here's what changed.

The companies seeing the most success treat DEI as a core lever for performance, not a side initiative.gettyBy Lauren Paul, SAP InsightsDiversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts have faced intense public scrutiny and political backlash in recent years. Yet, some companies arent backing down. Why? Because when done right, DEI is far more than a social justice initiative; its a business imperative.Karen Brown has been at the forefront of corporate DEI efforts for over two decades, and shes seen firsthand what works and what doesnt. In her new book, The Leaders You Need, she outlines why many organizations have failed to generate lasting impact from their DEI initiatives and what it takes to turn things around.We spoke with Brown to explore how leaders can reframe DEI as a driver of business performance and innovation.Among the takeaways from our conversation:DEI isnt a programits a strategyIts a common misstep: treating diversity, equity, and inclusion like a one-off campaign or a compliance checklist. But programs, by nature, are finite; they launch, they run, they end. A strategic approach, on the other hand, embeds DEI into the fabric of the business, just like technology, finance, or operations. Brown argues that the companies seeing the most success treat DEI as a core lever for performance, not a side initiative. That means aligning it with long-term business goals, dedicating meaningful resources, and holding leaders accountable for progress. Without that strategic mindset, DEI risks becoming performative and, while well-intentioned, is ultimately disconnected from real impact.The right leadership is criticalOne of the most damaging mistakes companies make is appointing DEI leaders who are passionate but unqualified. Passion matters, but so does business acumen. Brown says the ideal DEI leader understands operations, strategy, and performance metrics, because their job is to connect inclusion to bottom-line value. They should be able to sit at the executive table, speak the language of business, and influence across departments. When DEI is led by someone who doesnt know how to drive results, the work gets marginalized and credibility suffers. Leadership must reflect not just the values of inclusion, but the ability to turn those values into action.Inclusion drives performanceWhen DEI is integrated into how teams operate, not just how they communicate, it becomes a competitive advantage. Brown points to data that shows companies with inclusive cultures outperform on employee retention, innovation, and customer loyalty. Why? Because when people feel valued and heard, they perform better. And when teams are built with different perspectives, they make better decisions. The organizations thriving in todays environment are the ones that go beyond slogans. They invest in inclusive leadership training, build feedback loops into team dynamics, and reward behaviors that foster collaboration across difference.Ask the tough question: Whos missing?It sounds simple, but its a powerful mindset shift. Whether youre designing a product, crafting a policy, or assembling a leadership team, asking Whos not in the room? can uncover blind spots and missed opportunities. Brown challenges leaders to build this question into every decision-making process. It forces a reevaluation of assumptions and opens the door to perspectives that may otherwise be overlooked. And in a global, multicultural marketplace, that level of intentionality isnt just nice to have; its essential for relevance, resilience, and growth.Curious how to turn DEI into a strategic advantage? Read the full interview with Karen Brown.

Facepalm: Signal likes to present itself as the most private and secure messaging service around, but the nonprofit likely didn't design the app for sharing classified plans regarding imminent military action. Yet earlier this month, senior U.S. government and military officials did just that. Signal's president later defended the service amid renewed comparisons to WhatsApp. Signal president Meredith Whittaker reiterated the messaging service's commitment to secure encryption and privacy after top government officials reportedly discussed a classified military operation using the platform. The conversation, which included highly sensitive information, was leaked when the U.S. national security advisor accidentally invited The Atlantic's editor-in-chief into the chat.Jeff Goldberg, editor of The Atlantic, said he didn't believe he'd been invited to an online meeting about upcoming attacks on the Houthis in Yemen until the strikes occurred just hours after being mentioned in the chatroom.During the exchange, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, Vice President J.D. Vance, and other senior officials reportedly discussed specific targets, weaponry, and other sensitive details. Goldberg declined to publish those specifics, citing concerns about endangering military and intelligence personnel. A national security spokesperson later confirmed the authenticity of the message chain.Beyond the sensitive information shared, the messages also revealed candid insights into the officials' private opinions and communication styles. Vice President Vance reportedly expressed disagreement with President Trump over the strikes, arguing that they benefited Europe more than the U.S // Related StoriesAfter the operation, several officials celebrated with emojis, including a fist, a flexed bicep, an American flag, and a flame.While U.S. officials often use Signal for routine communication, the app is not authorized for transmitting classified information. Such discussions are typically conducted on secure devices within protected facilities. Legal experts suggested that sharing classified details over Signal particularly with the service configured to erase messages may have violated the Espionage Act.President Trump later defended the use of Signal, saying it was the best tool available at the time, as accessing secure facilities can be cumbersome.In response to comparisons with WhatsApp, Whittaker emphasized Signal's end-to-end encryption and privacy-first approach. The company also minimizes the amount of data it can disclose under subpoena.By contrast, she pointed out that while WhatsApp uses Signal's encryption technology under license, it does not protect metadata, contact lists, user IDs, or profile photos. Despite Signal's encryption safeguards, devices using the app remain vulnerable to hacking and theft. The incident with Goldberg also highlights the persistent danger of human error.

A question of fairness ESA finally has a commercial launch strategy, but will member states pay? Late this year, European governments will have the opportunity to pay up or shut up. Stephen Clark Mar 25, 2025 11:58 pm | 0 The entrance to the Guiana Space Center, Europe's primary spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Credit: Jody Amiet/AFP via Getty Images The entrance to the Guiana Space Center, Europe's primary spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Credit: Jody Amiet/AFP via Getty Images Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreThe European Space Agency is inviting proposals to inject competition into the European launch market, an important step toward fostering a dynamic multiplayer industry officials hope, one day, will mimic that of the United States.The near-term plan for the European Launcher Challenge is for ESA to select companies for service contracts to transport ESA and other European government payloads to orbit from 2026 through 2030. A second component of the challenge is for companies to perform at least one demonstration of an upgraded launch vehicle by 2028. The competition is open to any European company working in the launch business."What we expect is that these companies will make a step in improving and upgrading their capacity with respect to what theyre presently working," said Toni Tolker-Nielsen, ESA's acting director of space transportation."In terms of economics and physics, its better to have a bigger launcher than a smaller launcher in terms of price per kilogram to orbit.""The ultimate goal is we should be establishing privately-developed competitive launch services in Europe, which will allow us to procure launch services in open competition," Tolker-Nielsen said in an interview with Ars.From one to many?ESA and other European institutions currently have just one European provider, Arianespace, to award launch contracts for the continent's scientific, Earth observation, navigation, and military satellites. Arianespace operates the Ariane 6 and Vega C rockets. Vega C operations will soon be taken over by the Italian aerospace company Avio. Both rockets were developed with ESA funding.The launcher challenge is modeled on NASA's use of commercial contracting methods beginning nearly 20 years ago with the agency's commercial cargo program, which kickstarted the development of SpaceX's Dragon and Northrop Grumman's Cygnus resupply freighters for the International Space Station. NASA later applied the same model to commercial crew, and most recently for commercial lunar landers.Uncharacteristically for ESA, the agency is taking a hands-off approach for the launcher challenge. One of the few major requirements is that the winners should offer a "European launch service" that flies from European territory, which includes the French-run Guiana Space Center in South America. Europe's second Ariane 6 rocket lifted off March 6 with a French military spy satellite. Credit: European Space Agency "We are trying something different, where they are completely free to organize themselves," Tolker-Nielsen said. "We are not pushing anything. We are in a complete service-oriented model here. Thats the principal difference between the new approach and the old approach."ESA also isn't setting requirements on launcher performance, reusability, or the exact number of companies it will select in the challenge. But ESA would like to limit the number of challengers "to a minimum" to ensure the agency's support is meaningful, without spreading its funding too thin, Tolker-Nielsen said."For the ESA-developed launchers, which are Ariane 6 and Vega C, we own the launch system," Tolker-Nielsen said. "We finished the development, and the deliverables were the launch systems that we own at ESA, and we make it available to an operatorArianespace, and Avio soon for Vega Cto exploit."These ESA-led launcher projects were expensive. The development of Ariane 6 cost European governments more than $4 billion.Next stepsIt's taken a while to set up the European Launcher Challenge, which won preliminary approval from ESA's 23 member states at a ministerial-level meeting in 2023. ESA released an "invitation to tender" soliciting proposals from European launch companies Monday, with submissions due by May 5. This summer, ESA expects to select the top proposals and prepare a funding package for consideration by its member states at the next ministerial meeting in November.The top factors ESA will consider in this first phase of the challenge are each proposer's business plan, technical credibility, and financial credibility.In a statement, ESA said it has allotted up to 169 million euros ($182 million at today's exchange rates) per challenger. This is significant funding for Europe's crop of cash-hungry launch startups, each of which have raised no more than a few hundred million euros. But this allotment comes with a catch. ESA's leaders and the winners of the launch challenge must persuade their home governments to pay up.Let's take a moment to compare Europe's launch industry with the United States.There are multiple viable US commercial launch companies. In the United States, it's easier to attract venture capital, the government has been a more reliable proponent of commercial spaceflight, and billionaires are part of the launch landscape. SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, dominates the market. Jeff Bezos's space company, Blue Origin, and United Launch Alliance are also big players with heavy-lift rockets.Rocket Lab and Firefly Aerospace fly smaller privately-developed launchers. Northrop Grumman's medium-class launch division is currently in between rockets, although it still occasionally launches small US military satellites on Minotaur rockets derived from decommissioned ICBMs.Of course, it's not surprising the sum of US launch companies is higher than in Europe. According to the World Bank, the US economy is about 50 percent larger than that of the European Union. But six American companies with operational orbital rockets, compared to one in Europe today? That is woefully out of proportion.European officials would like to regain a leading position in the global commercial launch market. With SpaceX's dominance, that's a tall hill to climb. At the very least, European politicians don't want to rely on other countries for access to space. In the last three years, they've seen their access to Russian launchers dry up after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and after signing a few launch contracts with SpaceX to bridge the gap before the first flight of Ariane 6, they now view the US government and Elon Musk as unreliable partners.Open your checkbook, pleaseESA's governance structure isn't favorable for taking quick action. On one hand, ESA member states approve the agency's budget in multiyear increments, giving its projects a sense of stability over time. However, it takes time to get new projects approved, and ESA's member states expect to receive benefitsjobs, investment, and infrastructurecommensurate with their spending on European space programs. This policy is known as geographical return, or geo-return.For example, France has placed a high strategic importance on fielding an independent European launch capability for more than 60 years. The administration of French President Charles de Gaulle made this determination during the Cold War, around the same time he decided France should have a nuclear deterrent fully independent of the United States and NATO.In order to match this policy, France has been more willing than other European nations to invest in launchers. This means the Ariane rocket family, developed and funded through ESA contracts, is largely a French enterprise.This model is becoming antiquated in the era of commercial spaceflight. Startups across Europe, primarily in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Spain, are developing small launchers designed to carry up to 1.5 metric tons of payload to low-Earth orbit. This is too small to directly compete with the Ariane 6 rocket, but eventually, these companies would like to develop larger launchers.Some European officials, including the former head of the French space agency, blamed geo-return as a reason the Ariane 6 rocket missed its price target.With the European Launcher Challenge, ESA will experiment with a new funding model for the first time. This new "fair contribution" approach will see ESA leadership put forward a plan to its member states at the next big ministerial conference in November. The space agency will ask the countries that benefit most from the winners of the launcher challenge to provide the bulk of the funding for the challengers' contracts.So, let's say Isar Aerospace, which is set to launch its first rocket as soon as this week, is one of the challenge winners. Isar is headquartered in Munich, and its current launch site is in Norway. In this case, expect ESA to ask the governments of Germany and Norway to contribute the most money to pay for Isar's contract.MaiaSpace, a French subsidiary of ArianeGroup, the parent company of Arianespace, is also a contender in the launcher challenge. MaiaSpace plans to launch from French Guiana. Therefore, if MaiaSpace gets a contract, France would be on the hook for the lion's share of the deal's funding.Tolker-Nielsen said he anticipates a "number" of the launch challengers will win the backing of their home countries in November, but "maybe not all.""So, first there is this criteria that they have to be eligible, and then they have to be funded as well," he said. "We dont want to propose funding for companies that we dont see as credible."Assuming the challengers' contracts get funded, ESA will then work with the European Commission to assign specific satellites to launch on the new commercial rockets."The way I look at this is we are not going to choose winners," Tolker-Nielsen said. "The challenge is not the competition we are doing right now. It is to deliver on the contract. Thats the challenge."Stephen ClarkSpace ReporterStephen ClarkSpace Reporter Stephen Clark is a space reporter at Ars Technica, covering private space companies and the worlds space agencies. Stephen writes about the nexus of technology, science, policy, and business on and off the planet. 0 Comments

(Un) Concrete House / Architecture ParadigmSave this picture! Shamanth PatilArchitects: Architecture ParadigmAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:8100 ftYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2024 PhotographsPhotographs:Shamanth PatilManufacturersBrands with products used in this architecture project Manufacturers: Bulthaup, Decorons Trinity, Schindler, Schuco, TOTO LTD. Lead Architects: Manoj Ladhad, Sandeep J, Prajwal Krishna More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. The design brief for the house came from the client's need for a light-filled house as they previously lived in a dimly lit house. This factor along with their love for form-finished concrete that blends into the context without being overtly loud became the driving force for design.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The site located in a leafy suburb with detached houses in Bangalore is south-facing with two sausage trees on the footpath abutting the road. The positioning of the building and its internal zoning were dictated by these trees and the site orientation. A direct relationship between the inside and outside of the house is established due to two longitudinal zones of spaces located in the east and west. The zone on the west houses the programs that need enclosure and privacy while the zone on the east is predominantly open allowing for axial connection from the rear of the house to the front. The eastern zone is sectionally modulated to allow for lateral connection between various levels of the house.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The main areas of the house operate in two levels: the first and the second. This elevated condition allows for secondary programs to be tucked beneath or occupied above the volume of the main house. The first two levels house the living, dining, open kitchen, 3 bedrooms, and a courtyard. Three large apertures, two of them facing south and the other facing the sky define the relationship of the house to its surroundings. The second floor of the house connects to the terrace level through a double-height space while the ground floor of the house is detached and connected only through an internal lift access. The rootedness of the house to the context is accentuated by a sunken area and garden on the ground. This move also allows for modulation in the ceiling height for larger programmatic spaces. Black-clad granite walls and black kadapa flooring in the perimeter of the sunken zone and garden with pergola-lined slits add to the idea of inhabiting an excavated cavernous space. Large sliding folding doors enclosing this area from the parking side allow for the space to open up or be limited based on the client's requirement.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The living room on the first floor is accessed through a set of cantilevered bars acting as stairs that provide relief and a green visual in the tight-bounded corner in the southeast. The house is designed to reveal a sequence of spaces combining compactness and expansiveness. From the confined foyer, one is led towards a large wood-paneled walled space that limits the western zone from the east. On the left, the living room is situated with a large aperture towards the south framed by the two sausage trees. Onto the right is the courtyard with the aperture towards the sky that allows for constant light deep into the house independent of the vagaries of direction. Mat black floor along with a semi-smooth texture of form-finished concrete, smooth wood-paneled walls, and white surfaces absorb and reflect light from these apertures to create a Chiaroscuro effect in a poetic way. The trees on the south cast playful shadows onto the interiors.Save this picture!Light moves in various forms; dappled, in beams or reflected across the house due to these apertures thus becoming abstract scenery at once contemplative and vivid. Another large opening towards the northeast corner is deliberately placed to reflect light from the white surface of the neighboring house on the east and connect to small open spaces around owing to the diagonal axis. The L-shaped wall enclosing the court has been painted white to reflect light from the sky.Save this picture!Save this picture!The second floor is accessed by a metal staircase wrapped in wood. The wood floor expands throughout the spaces on the second floor which provides a tactile base sympathetic to the natural materiality of the concrete wall and the wood-paneled walls. This level has a large double-height aperture on the south framing the lush foliage formed by the 2 trees and the sky. This expansive space is contrasted by a spiral staircase with habitable voids carved in poche. The contrast is further heightened by the red oxide flooring that spills over from the terrace level to the floor below. Towards the northern side of the expansive space is the courtyard void connecting to the floor below and a walkable skylight glass connecting to the terrace above. Another aperture towards the east diagonally connects the family room to the street below.Save this picture!The terrace spaces are primarily designed for leisure and recreation. There is a raised deck fronting one of the sausage tree canopies and the other open deck is on the north side; Both are semi-covered with pergolas and a solar roof mounted on top. The materiality of these spaces is predominated by the ipe wooden deck, oxide floor, form finished concrete walls and painted corten surfaces.Save this picture!Save this picture!In summary, the house seeks to maximize its location within the given context while blending various natural materials into a sort of coherent yet individualistic way. The programmatic definition of the spaces expressed as variously finished boxes on the exterior is akin to the material play within. The connections within the house make the inhabitants aware of each other and the external connections link the house strongly to its context.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessAbout this officeArchitecture ParadigmOfficeMaterialConcreteMaterials and TagsPublished on March 26, 2025Cite: "(Un) Concrete House / Architecture Paradigm" 26 Mar 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1028357/un-concrete-house-architecture-paradigm&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00954-yStudies on climate change and South Africa are also on the latest list of grants to be terminated, according to updated documents obtained by Nature.

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Hothifa Smairs ICity, a tool for artists to design detailed cityscapes using a rich asset library and procedural approach, which weve beeneagerlyfollowing prior to its successfullaunch, has received its new major update, offering a complete visual refresh and an exceptional speed optimization.ICity 1.3.0 also introduced significant improvements to the Grid system, enhancing stability and performance for a faster, smoother experience. The subdivision algorithm within the legend block system has been optimized for more efficient and accurate partitioning. Additionally, some Grid buildings materials have been improved to boost realism and visual quality.The Terrace Block system also received major optimizations, making generation quicker and more stable. The land division algorithm has been refined, addressing small lot issues and ensuring a more realistic distribution. Materials and textures for terrace houses have been upgraded, enhancing their overall visual quality and realism.In a notable change, the traffic simulation system has been decoupled from the main system and will be released as a standalone feature in a future update, offering better control and optimization.Get ICity 1.3.0 byclicking this link and join our80 Level Talent platformand ournew Discord server, follow us onInstagram,Twitter,LinkedIn,Telegram,TikTok, andThreads,where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.Source link The post Blenders Procedural City Generator ICity Received Major Update appeared first on CG SHARES.