Framestore teamed up with creative studio Gravity Road to deliver a powerful and emotionally resonant spot supporting the Refugee Olympic Team ahead of the 2024 Paris Games.Directed by William Bartlett, the film blends cinematic storytelling with Framestore’s signature invisible VFX work — from environment enhancements to subtle compositing — all designed to spotlight the resilience and determination of displaced athletes.Through a seamless fusion of narrative and visuals, the campaign captures both the challenges and triumphs of these athletes, turning their journey into a universal symbol of hope and unity. The post IOC Team Refugee – VFX Breakdown by Framestore appeared first on Vfxexpress.

Rasmus Hougaard is the founder and managing partner of Potential Project. In 2019 he was nominated by Thinkers50 as one of the eight most important leadership thinkers in the world. He writes for Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Fast Company, and Fortune and is the coauthor, with Jacqueline Carter, of Compassionate Leadership and The Mind of the Leader. Jacqueline Carter is a senior partner at Potential Project. She has more than 20 years of experience working with leaders in large global companies to unlock potential. She writes regularly for Harvard Business Review and Fast Company and is a sought-after keynote speaker and facilitator. She is the coauthor, with Rasmus Hougaard, of Compassionate Leadership and The Mind of the Leader. What’s the big idea? AI has the power to transform leadership and work, but whether it enhances or erodes the human experience depends on how we use it. In More Human, Rasmus Hougaard and Jacqueline Carter argue that AI, when harnessed wisely, can strengthen leadership by enhancing awareness, wisdom, and compassion. Drawing on insights from top executives, AI experts, and global research, they reveal how leaders can delegate tasks to AI while amplifying human connection and performance. With deep insight and practical strategies, this book offers a road map for making AI a force for more meaningful and human-centered work. Below, Hougaard and Carter share five key insights from their new book, More Human: How the Power of AI Can Transform the Way You Lead. Listen to the audio version—read by Hougaard—in the Next Big Idea App. 1. AI won’t replace leaders—but AI-augmented leaders will replace those who don’t adapt. In essence, AI is reshaping leadership, but not in many ways that people fear. It’s not that machines will replace humans—it’s that leaders who use AI will replace those who don’t. Take Ellyn Shook, the chief leadership and human resources Officer of Accenture, as an example. When AI started generating performance reviews, some leaders worried it would dehumanize the process. But Shook saw the real opportunity: Instead of spending 45 minutes compiling feedback, AI did the heavy lifting in seconds, freeing her up to have more meaningful, human-centered conversations with employees. This is what it means to be an AI-augmented leader. AI can automate repetitive tasks, analyze vast amounts of data, and offer insight that leaders might not have time to find on their own. But the best leaders will use AI to elevate their human leadership—not replace it. Imagine having AI summarize your team’s well-being trends, highlight potential burnout risks, or even suggest how to tailor your leadership approach to different individuals. These insights don’t diminish leadership—they enhance it. The future of leadership really belongs to those who can blend the best of AI and human strengths. The choice is clear: Leaders who embrace AI will thrive. Those who ignore it will be left behind. 2. AI generates answers. Wisdom asks the right questions. In today’s world, leaders aren’t struggling to find answers—they’re drowning in them. AI can analyze billions of data points, generate instant insights, and predict trends with incredible accuracy. But here’s the catch: It can’t ask the right questions. That’s where wisdom comes in. Take Cameron Hedrick, Citibank’s chief learning officer. He wanted to understand his own blind spots, so he created an AI-powered version of himself—a digital model that analyzed his leadership approach. The AI provided feedback without bias, fear, or hesitation—something many human colleagues might hesitate to do. But AI alone wasn’t enough. Cameron had to use wisdom—to ask deeper questions, interpret the insights, and apply them in a way that made sense. AI provided the data. He provided the discernment. This is what AI-augmented wisdom looks like. AI is a powerful thought partner, but it’s up to leaders to challenge its outputs, explore what’s missing, and ensure decisions are grounded in both data and human judgment. 3. Awareness is the antidote to AI’s blind spots. AI can see patterns, but it can’t see the bigger picture. It can process billions of data points, but it doesn’t understand meaning. That’s where human awareness comes in. Many of our clients’ leaders use AI-powered tools to analyze employee well-being. AI helps identify stress patterns, flagging teams that may be at risk of burnout. But here’s the catch: AI can’t understand why employees feel the way they do. It lacks context. For example, imagine AI detects that a team has had a 15% drop in engagement. Without awareness, a leader might assume their employees are losing motivation. But a truly aware leader asks: What else is happening here? Maybe the drop is due to a company-wide restructuring. Or a major project deadline. AI might flag the problem, but only human awareness can interpret it correctly. That’s why AI-augmented leaders develop deep awareness—so they don’t just act on AI’s insights blindly. Instead, they combine AI’s speed with human perspective. AI can provide content, but only humans can provide context. AI can highlight patterns, but only leaders can apply meaning, ethics, and judgment. The leaders who thrive in an AI-powered world won’t just accept AI’s answers at face value—they’ll bring the bigger picture into focus. 4. Compassion is leadership’s greatest differentiator in an AI-driven world. Some people believe AI will eventually replace human leadership. But here’s what AI will never do: truly care. AI can simulate empathy—it can recognize emotional cues, adjust its tone, and even predict human responses. But it doesn’t actually feel anything. It doesn’t experience human emotions. And it doesn’t understand the weight of its actions. True compassion isn’t just about responding to emotions; it’s about genuinely understanding and caring about people. That’s why AI can’t replace human leadership. But it can help make compassionate leaders even more effective. Imagine a leader who uses AI to analyze employee well-being data, but instead of just reviewing the numbers, they use those insights to have deeper, more meaningful conversations. Imagine a leader who lets AI flag burnout risks but then personally checks in with their team to see how they’re feeling. Compassion is what makes leadership human. AI can assist in making decisions, but it takes a human leader to make people feel seen, valued, and understood. The best leaders will leverage AI to enhance, not replace, their ability to care. In a world increasingly shaped by technology, compassion is the ultimate competitive advantage. 5. The future of leadership isn’t either/or. It’s both/and. For too long, leadership has been framed as an either/or choice. Either data or intuition. Either efficiency or empathy. Either technology or human wisdom. But the truth is, the best leaders will embrace both/and thinking. Take Sage, a fictional leader in More Human, who finds herself drowning in information, moving too fast, and unable to see clearly. Her breakthrough comes at a leadership retreat called Mountain Wisdom, where she learns the power of awareness and reflection. She realizes AI can offer answers, but she must provide clarity, meaning, and vision. The best leaders won’t choose between AI and human leadership—they’ll combine them. They’ll use AI to process vast amounts of information—but they’ll apply human wisdom to interpret it. They’ll let AI enhance efficiency—but they’ll bring compassion to decision-making. They’ll trust AI to challenge their thinking—but they’ll have the awareness to question its conclusions. The future belongs to leaders who can toggle between AI’s intelligence and human intuition, leveraging both to lead in a way that’s more human than ever before. This article originally appeared in Next Big Idea Club magazine and is reprinted with permission.

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Macworld At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Integrated interface, connection via USB-C Second microphone or instrument can be connected 48-volt phantom power supply Powerful sound Cons Requires a stand or boom Registration required for software use Our Verdict Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Price When Reviewed389 Euro Best Prices Today: Shure MV7i Retailer Price 369,00 € View Deal 389,00 € View Deal Shure 389,00 € View Deal 399,00 € View Deal 499,00 € View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket I’ve never had a microphone like the Shure MV7i in my hand or on my desk. It combines the simplicity of a USB-C connection with the requirements of high-quality microphones and instruments. Particularly practical: the MV7i also serves as an interface for an additional XLR microphone or a guitar via the 6.3 mm jack input. It can be an exciting solution for travelling because if you want only to record two voices or a voice with a guitar, you don’t need a separate interface. As soon as I unpack it, I realise that the MV7i is designed for professional users, or those who want to become one. You can neither hold it easily in your hand like the Shure SM58 vocal microphone, (which I will use later for comparison) nor place it on a table. Instead, you screw it onto a microphone stand or boom, which you need to provide. There are three connections on the back of the microphone: a USB-C socket, a 3.5 mm jack for headphones, and a combined XLR and line-in socket (6.3 mm jack). Plug the supplied three-meter USB-C cable into the microphone and into ta Mac, headphones into the socket, acoustic guitar connected, GarageBand started with a new project, two tracks selected, configured for simultaneous recording–oops, the same mix of voice and guitar comes out on both channels. How’s that? Of course, I have once again fallen victim to my impatience. The secret lies in the manufacturer’s Motiv Mix app, which you can download to your computer from the Shure website by entering your personal details. The first step is to select that I want to send more tracks to the digital audio workstation (DAW)–in this case, GarageBand–and not mix both channels to mono. I could even use the stereo signal for the second input and split the input of the first one to both channels. The MV71 connects to the Mac via USB-C and another device can connect to its XLR port.Shure I have already outlined the promise of the MV7i: recording two voices simultaneously without an additional interface, either two speakers or a singer with guitar. This is easily achieved with the right settings. How well does the microphone separate the two inputs from each other? The manufacturer promises that the main microphone on channel 1 reduces ambient noise as soon as you speak or sing into it. It does a decent job, but I can still hear the sound of the acoustic guitar quite clearly in the background, even in the passages of the recording where I’m speaking. The electric guitar is less audible, it is also much quieter without amplification, which was to be expected. Conversely, on channel 2 via the 6.3mm jack cable, none of the voice gets through to the recording. Ideally suited for live situations The MV7i is suitable for use in a live performance with a small amount of equipment. The little bit of echo that you hear through the microphone is completely lost in the mix. With professional studio recordings, you usually work differently and record in separate rooms, at different times or both. In my second small series of tests, I used the Shure SM58 as my second microphone. This is a classic, dynamic microphone with a cardioid characteristic that has been appreciated by speakers and singers on stage and in studios for decades. This makes it a good benchmark for the new MV7i. Here, too, the separation of the two channels is excellent, albeit not perfect, so you can always hear a little of the signal recorded with the other microphone on one channel–as long as only one person is speaking. I simulated simultaneous speaking by holding the SM58 directly next to the MV7i and speaking into both microphones. Lo and behold, the MV71 now has clear priority, with practically nothing coming through the second channel on the audio track. Nice. That rainbow stripe on the MV71 is a touch-sensitive LED control.Shure Control via “touchbar” and app If you want to completely silence the other person, the touch-sensitive LED bar on the top of the microphone can help. This is the only control option, as the microphone has no buttons or controls. The most important function is undoubtedly mute: a quick tap on the side, the LED changes from green to red, and the box is quiet. What can happen, however, is that you tap the bar unintentionally and are surprised when you have more signal on your headphones or the output of the DAW. This bar, which is reminiscent of Apple’s Touch Bar of the past, can also be used to control the microphone gain and headphone volume; in the Motiv Mix app, you can not only make further settings, but also change the colour gradients of the bar. Further settings are possible and can also be adjusted directly on the microphone, where the presets are also saved. For example, you can choose from three types of reverb, adjust the sound colour from “Dark” to “Natural” to “Bright” or set the high-pass filter (Off, 75Hz, 150Hz) and compressor (Off, Bright, Medium, Strong). When recording at home with Shure SM58 and guitar via an audio interface (I have one from M-Audio), this is done in the software on the Mac. But the settings saved on the microphone itself have the advantage that they are immediately available on any computer, smartphone, or tablet in any application, and you don’t have to spend a lot of time making adjustments, at least if you ignore different room acoustics. The sound is convincing But how does the Shure MV7i sound in practice? I recorded myself without any further adjustments, and immediately noticed clear differences from the Shure SM58. The MV7i sounds fresher, more natural, and undistorted. This is thanks to several smart features: The intelligent popper stopper minimizes plosive sounds, while the real-time denoiser filters out distracting noises. In addition, the Smartgate automatic volume control adjusts the recording to the room and distance without sounding unnatural. The gain automatically adjusts up to 60 dB; I didn’t notice any clipping in testing. Another interesting feature is what the Motiv Mix app records: In addition to the mix from both tracks, it also records the separate signals, without having to fiddle around in Logic, GarageBand, or any other software. This also makes things a lot easier in recording situations where things have to be done quickly. Should you buy the Shure MV7i? The price of the MV71 is fair considering its audio quality, as decent audio interfaces for two microphones or a microphone plus instrument also cost more. If you only record occasionally and don’t have such high demands in terms of quality, you can get away with cheaper. But then it also sounds cheap.

Teenagers overwhelmingly continue to want their next smartphone to be an iPhone, a survey about the youth of America's spending habits reveals.A pair of iPhonesApple's products are a highly popular collection on the market, and that is especially so for teenagers in the United States. In a regular "Taking Stock of Teens" survey commissioned by analysts at Piper Sandler, the spring 2025 edition demonstrates that the iPhone is still very close to the heart of young U.S. consumers.Approximately 88% of teenage respondents said they own an iPhone. This is up from the 85% figure reported in the same survey one year ago. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Microsoft’s steady stream of multiplatform releases is continuing. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is coming to PS5 soon, while Forza Horizon 5 will follow later in the month. Beyond that, May 6 will see Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition also launching for Sony’s console, making good on its Spring launch window, Microsoft has announced. The game, which is available for pre-orders now, will tout 4K support, a remastered soundtrack, and three expansions in the form of Lords of the West, Dynasties of India, and Dawn of the Dukes. Additionally, Microsoft has also unveiled another new expansion, The Three Kingdoms, which will launch the same day as the PS5 version and will be available on all platforms. The expansion will be based on the Chinese classic Romance of the Three Kingdoms, as its name suggests, and will bring five new civilizations, three new campaigns (totaling 15 missions), and more. A Premium Edition of Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition is also available on PS5. On top of the base game and all of its expansions (including The Three Kingdoms), it will also include five days of advanced access, and 24 bonus in-game animated profile icons.

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You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here Over the past four months, NetEase has launched a variety of incredible skins in Marvel Rivals. Some were available for free, letting players earn new cosmetics just by playing, while others were part of the Battle Pass. Although several heroes have yet to receive a Legendary skin, that’s about to change. With Season 2 launching on Friday, NetEase dropped tons of new content, from the amazing Emma Frost to a new map. Although the update was massive, this is just a glimpse of what NetEase has in store. Everyone will get a Legendary skin in Marvel Rivals Danny Koo, the executive producer at Marvel Games, recently unveiled an exciting plan for in-game cosmetics. One of the players requested a Legendary skin for The Punisher on X (formerly Twitter), as this iconic character only has three skins besides a default one, with two of them being recolors. Koo did not reveal anything about The Punisher’s skin, but he did reveal that everyone will get a Legendary skin at some point. “Everyone will have legendary skin. Time will tell,” the Marvel Games executive replied. The skin’s rarity is determined by its design, not the actual rarity. Image by VideoGamer Frank Castle is not the only character who doesn’t have a Legendary skin in Marvel Rivals. Some others, like Psylocke, Black Panther, and Scarlet Witch are in the same boat. While all of these heroes have fantastic cosmetics, it’s important to note that Legendary skins come with extra features, such as special voice effects or unique animations. The rarity of the skin is determined by its design, as Rare skins are mostly recolors, while Epic ones have new character models. Considering that Legendary skins offer even more, it’s no surprise that many players want them. After all, let’s be honest, it’s a shame that Star-Lord doesn’t have a LE-GEN-DARY skin, right? Marvel Rivals Platform(s): macOS, PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X Genre(s): Fighting, Shooter Subscribe to our newsletters! By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime. Share