OpenAI will give the US AI Safety Institute early access to its next model as part of its safety efforts, Sam Altman has revealed in a tweet. Apparently, the company has been working with the consortium "to push forward the science of AI evaluations." The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has formally established the Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute earlier this year, though Vice President Kamala Harris announced it back in 2023 at the UK AI Safety Summit. Based on the NIST's description of the consortium, it's meant "to develop science-based and empirically backed guidelines and standards for AI measurement and policy, laying the foundation for AI safety across the world."The company, along with DeepMind, similarly pledged to share AI models with the UK government last year. As TechCrunch notes, there have been growing concerns that OpenAI is making safety less of a priority as it seeks to develop more powerful AI models. There were speculations that the board decided to kick Sam Altman out of the company he was very quickly reinstated due to safety and security concerns. However, the company told staff members in an internal memo back then, that it was because of "a breakdown in communication."In May this year, OpenAI admitted that it disbanded the Superalignment team it created to ensure that humanity remains safe as the company advances its work on generative artificial intelligence. Before that, OpenAI co-founder and Chief Scientist Ilya Sutskever, who was one of the team's leaders, left the company. Jan Leike, who was also one of the team's leaders, quit, as well. He said in a series of tweets that he had been disagreeing with OpenAI's leadership about the core priorities of the company for quite some time and that "safety culture and processes have taken a backseat to shiny products." OpenAI created a new safety group by the end of May, but it's led by board members that include Altman, prompting concerns about self-policing.a few quick updates about safety at openai:as we said last july, were committed to allocating at least 20% of the computing resources to safety efforts across the entire company.our team has been working with the US AI Safety Institute on an agreement where we would provide Sam Altman (@sama) August 1, 2024 This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/openai-vows-to-provide-the-us-government-early-access-to-its-next-ai-model-110017697.html?src=rss

Once youve set up your new iPhone, its time to make the most of it with the best iPhone accessories. Its exciting to choose a new case or wireless charger, and personalize your smartphone with a cute PopSocket to really show off your style. There are probably a bunch of iPhone accessories you didnt even know you needed, like a kickstand so you can watch YouTube or TikTok videos while getting ready in the morning, or an AirTag so you can use your new iPhone 15 Pro Max to keep track of all your belongings. With an extensive range of iPhone accessories to choose from, weve whittled down the best accessories that are worth investing in. If youre not quite done accessorizing your Apple devices, you can also check out our recommendations for the best Apple Watch accessories. Best iPhone accessories This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-iphone-accessories-140022449.html?src=rss

You might have an idea of which smartphone you want to buy next. But there are more options than ever before that are solid plenty of companies are making stellar handsets nowadays, at similar prices, all with comparable feature sets. That said, the choice isnt always cut-and-dry. If you know you want an iPhone, your decision-making process is a bit easier. If youre an Android person, you have even more options to choose from and more questions to answer before you spend any money. At Engadget, we review phones regularly and have tested dozens over the years; so far for 2024, our top picks remain the same as they were last year, with Apple's iPhone 15 Pro and Google's Pixel 8 handsets sitting at the top of the list. Whether youve had your eye on them, one of Samsung's new Galaxy S24 phones or another device, were here to help you decide which is the best phone to buy this year. Android or iOS? When you're searching for the best smartphone, it becomes clear that each OS has its pros and cons. Apples tight-knit ecosystem makes it super easy to share data between iPhones, iPads and Macs or seamlessly hand-off phone calls or music from one device to another. At the same time, youre effectively locked in, as services like Apple Messages arent available on other platforms. As for Android, theres a much wider range of handsets from companies like Google, Samsung, Sony and more. However, Android phones dont enjoy that same length of software support and often have lower trade-in values. In short, theres no wrong answer. However, you will want to consider how your phone will fit in with the rest of your devices. So unless youre really fed up with one OS and willing to learn another, it probably doesnt make a lot of sense to switch from an iPhone to an Android phone (or vice versa) especially if everyone else in your household is using the same platform. Cameras Since your cell phone often pulls double duty as your primary camera, figuring out what kind of photo tools you want is key. Nowadays, practically every mobile phone can take a great picture in bright light. But if you want a long optical zoom, youll probably have to upgrade to a more expensive device. Cherlynn Low / Engadget Mid-range phones often only have two rear cameras (a primary wide-angle lens and a secondary ultra-wide camera) and can sometimes struggle in low-light situations. Each phone maker also has various features that might be a better fit for your style, with Apple offering four different color presets on the latest iPhones, while Googles Pixel 8 comes with neat tools like dedicated long exposure and Action Pan modes. Will you get mmWave 5G or Wi-Fi 7? The good news is that in 2024, most phones have at least Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6e and support for some kind of 5G connectivity. However, if you want the fastest wireless speeds possible, its going to cost you a little extra. For example, on certain networks, mmWave 5G offers up to gigabit download speeds, less latency and better bandwidth. But mmWave 5G also requires more sophisticated (and pricier) modems, which means support for it is often missing on less expensive devices, even those like the unlocked version of the Pixel 8. On the bright side, mmWave 5G isnt as widely available as other versions of 5G, so depending on where you live and what network youre on, you may not be missing out on much right now if you buy a phone that doesnt support it. Its a similar situation for Wi-Fi 7, which is available on some high-end handsets like the Galaxy S24, but harder to find on cheaper devices. Wi-Fi 7 also requires you to have a compatible router, so unless you know you need it or have a specific use case in mind, the lack of support for mmWave 5G or Wi-Fi 7 shouldnt be a dealbreaker when looking for a new phone. Other features to consider Because not everyone agrees on what makes the best phone, you should think about any other specs that might be extra important for you. Mobile gamers will almost certainly appreciate the 120Hz refresh rates you get on phones like the Samsung Galaxy S23 or the Apple iPhone 15 Pro. Alternatively, if long battery life is important, youll probably want to go with a larger iPhone or an Android phone with a battery thats between 4,000 and 5,000 mAh in size. Meanwhile, if you find yourself juggling a lot of devices, it can be really nice to have a phone that supports reverse wireless charging, which on Samsung phones even lets you recharge the companys Galaxy Watches. Other smartphones we've tested Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra For its latest super-premium phone, Samsung gave the S24 Ultra a more durable titanium frame, faster performance thanks to a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip and a much longer battery life. The company also tweaked its longest telephoto lens with a 5x optical zoom so it's more usable in a wider range of situations. But the biggest upgrade is a new full suite of AI tools, which includes the ability to proofread texts, edit images and transcribe recordings. And when you tack on the best display available on a phone today and a built-in stylus, you have a very compelling flagship handset. Unfortunately, starting at $1,300, the S24 Ultra is a bit too expensive to recommend to anyone without deep pockets. OnePlus 12 While the OnePlus 12 wasnt able to unseat the latest Pixel, its worth mentioning because it offers powerful specs for the money. It features a speedy Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, a big and bright 6.8-inch, 120Hz OLED screen and the best battery life weve seen on any phone to date. OnePlus also brought back support for wireless charging for the first time in several generations, along with a good (but not great) IP65 rating for dust and water resistance. And even though its huge camera module looks a bit ungainly, its photos are surprisingly sharp. But the best thing is that, with a starting price of $800, the OnePlus 12 costs $200 less than a Pixel 8 Pro or a similarly specced S24+. FAQs How do I know which smartphone is the best for me? While choosing the best smartphone can be challenging, it mostly comes down to how you plan on using the device. All of the best phones available now get the basics right youll be able to make calls, text and access the internet without many hiccups. If your smartphone is your most used gadget, you may want to consider paying for a device on the higher end of the price spectrum. That will get you better overall performance, higher-quality cameras and a phone that will last for many years. If you dont use your phone for everything, you may be able to compromise on performance and extra perks and spend less on a still-capable handset. How much is a smartphone? Smartphones range in price from $300 to over $1,500. The best budget phones available now will usually compromise on overall performance, design, camera prowess and extra features to keep costs down. On the flip side, the most expensive phones will have powerful processors, triple-camera arrays and even flip or fold designs. Most people will find a phone that fits their needs somewhere in the middle of that wide price range weve found that most of the best smartphones available right now cost between $500 and $1,000. What can you do on a smartphone? Smartphones are essentially small, portable computers that let you do things like check email, browse social media, follow map directions, make contactless payments and more. This is all on top of the basics like making phone calls and texting, which weve come to expect in all modern cell phones. Smartphones have also mostly replaced compact cameras thanks to their high-quality, built-in shooters, and the fact that most smartphones today as just as portable, if not more so, as compact cameras. How long do smartphones last? Smartphones can last years and people are holding on to their phones longer now than ever before. Software updates and battery life are two of the biggest factors that can affect phone longevity. Apple promises five years worth of software updates for its latest iPhones, and Google promises the same for its Pixel phones. Samsung phones will get four years worth of Android updates from the time they launch. As for charging speeds and battery life, your phone can deteriorate over time as you use and recharge your phone on a regular basis.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-smartphones-140004900.html?src=rss

LightWave 2024 is out. It's another sizeable update to the veteran 3D modeling and animation software, adding new character rigging, weight painting and liquid simulation toolsets.https://www.cgchannel.com/2024/07/lightwave-digital-releases-lightwave-2024/

Discover how to design a near-future vehicle grounded in real-world engineering principles with Race Vehicle Concept Design, The Gnomon Workshop's beginner-friendly new tutorial using Blender, Photoshop, Illustration and After Effects.https://www.cgchannel.com/2024/07/tutorial-race-vehicle-concept-design/

Which is the best AMD workstation GPU for CG work? Check out CG Channel's group test of the Radeon Pro W7000 Series, which puts AMD's pro GPUs through an exhaustive series of real-world content creation and rendering tests, including Blender, Cinema 4D, Maya, Substance 3D Painter and Unreal Engine.https://www.cgchannel.com/2024/07/group-test-amd-radeon-pro-w7000-series-workstation-gpus/

We've already shared Zero VFX's amazing tennis-ball-POV virtual camera shot from sports drama Challengers, but its new VFX breakdown also shows the CG face replacement work.Watch the full video on the Zero VFX Vimeo channel: https://vimeo.com/989694389

Check out Crafty Apes' VFX breakdown for boxing drama Creed III, including the CG stadium and CG crowdWatch the full video on the Crafty Apes YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOvxFJH7mDQ

Disruptions hits over 250 hospitals after crucial blood center fell victim to cyberattack.

The Beatbot iSkim Ultra is an industry first for smart robotic pool cleaning, giving you the freedom to enjoy your pool this summer instead of worrying about the hassle of maintenance and cleaning.