Join our daily and weekly newsletters for the latest updates and exclusive content on industry-leading AI coverage. Learn MoreIn our first installment, we outlined key strategies for leveraging AI agents to improve enterprise efficiency. I explained how, unlike standalone AI models, agents iteratively refine tasks using context and tools to enhance outcomes such as code generation. I also discussed how multi-agent systems foster communication across departments, creating a unified user experience and driving productivity, resilience and faster upgrades.Success in building these systems hinges on mapping roles and workflows, as well as establishing safeguards such as human oversight and error checks to ensure safe operation. Lets dive into these critical elements.Safeguards and autonomyAgents imply autonomy, so various safeguards must be built into an agent within a multi-agent system to reduce errors, waste, legal exposure or harm when agents are operating autonomously. Applying all of these safeguards to all agents may be overkill and pose a resource challenge, but I highly recommend considering every agent in the system and consciously deciding which of these safeguards they would need. An agent should not be allowed to operate autonomously if any one of these conditions is met.Explicitly defined human intervention conditionsTriggering any one of a set of predefined rules determines the conditions under which a human needs to confirm some agent behavior. These rules should be defined on a case-by-case basis and can be declared in the agents system prompt or in more critical use-cases, be enforced using deterministic code external to the agent. One such rule, in the case of a purchasing agent, would be: All purchasing should first be verified and confirmed by a human. Call your check_with_human function and do not proceed until it returns a value.Safeguard agentsA safeguard agent can be paired with an agent with the role of checking for risky, unethical or noncompliant behavior. The agent can be forced to always check all or certain elements of its behavior against a safeguard agent, and not proceed unless the safeguard agent returns a go-ahead.UncertaintyOur lab recently published a paper on a technique that can provide a measure of uncertainty for what a large language model (LLM) generates. Given the propensity for LLMs to confabulate (commonly known as hallucinations), giving a preference to a certain output can make an agent much more reliable. Here, too, there is a cost to be paid. Assessing uncertainty requires us to generate multiple outputs for the same request so that we can rank-order them based on certainty and choose the behavior that has the least uncertainty. That can make the system slow and increase costs, so it should be considered for more critical agents within the system.Disengage buttonThere may be times when we need to stop all autonomous agent-based processes. This could be because we need consistency, or weve detected behavior in the system that needs to stop while we figure out what is wrong and how to fix it. For more critical workflows and processes, it is important that this disengagement does not result in all processes stopping or becoming fully manual, so it is recommended that a deterministic fallback mode of operation be provisioned.Agent-generated work ordersNot all agents within an agent network need to be fully integrated into apps and APIs. This might take a while and takes a few iterations to get right. My recommendation is to add a generic placeholder tool to agents (typically leaf nodes in the network) that would simply issue a report or a work-order, containing suggested actions to be taken manually on behalf of the agent. This is a great way to bootstrap and operationalize your agent network in an agile manner.TestingWith LLM-based agents, we are gaining robustness at the cost of consistency. Also, given the opaque nature of LLMs, we are dealing with black-box nodes in a workflow. This means that we need a different testing regime for agent-based systems than that used in traditional software. The good news, however, is that we are used to testing such systems, as we have been operating human-driven organizations and workflows since the dawn of industrialization.While the examples I showed above have a single-entry point, all agents in a multi-agent system have an LLM as their brains, and so they can act as the entry point for the system. We should use divide and conquer, and first test subsets of the system by starting from various nodes within the hierarchy.We can also employ generative AI to come up with test cases that we can run against the network to analyze its behavior and push it to reveal its weaknesses.Finally, Im a big advocate for sandboxing. Such systems should be launched at a smaller scale within a controlled and safe environment first, before gradually being rolled out to replace existing workflows.Fine-tuningA common misconception with gen AI is that it gets better the more you use it. This is obviously wrong. LLMs are pre-trained. Having said this, they can be fine-tuned to bias their behavior in various ways. Once a multi-agent system has been devised, we may choose to improve its behavior by taking the logs from each agent and labeling our preferences to build a fine-tuning corpus.PitfallsMulti-agent systems can fall into a tailspin, which means that occasionally a query might never terminate, with agents perpetually talking to each other. This requires some form of timeout mechanism. For example, we can check the history of communications for the same query, and if it is growing too large or we detect repetitious behavior, we can terminate the flow and start over.Another problem that can occur is a phenomenon I will call overloading: Expecting too much of a single agent. The current state-of-the-art for LLMs does not allow us to hand agents long and detailed instructions and expect them to follow them all, all the time. Also, did I mention these systems can be inconsistent?A mitigation for these situations is what I call granularization: Breaking agents up into multiple connected agents. This reduces the load on each agent and makes the agents more consistent in their behavior and less likely to fall into a tailspin. (An interesting area of research that our lab is undertaking is in automating the process of granularization.)Another common problem in the way multi-agent systems are designed is the tendency to define a coordinator agent that calls different agents to complete a task. This introduces a single point of failure that can result in a rather complex set of roles and responsibilities. My suggestion in these cases is to consider the workflow as a pipeline, with one agent completing part of the work, then handing it off to the next.Multi-agent systems also have the tendency to pass the context down the chain to other agents. This can overload those other agents, can confuse them, and is often unnecessary. I suggest allowing agents to keep their own context and resetting context when we know we are dealing with a new request (sort of like how sessions work for websites).Finally, it is important to note that theres a relatively high bar for the capabilities of the LLM used as the brain of agents. Smaller LLMs may need a lot of prompt engineering or fine-tuning to fulfill requests. The good news is that there are already several commercial and open-source agents, albeit relatively large ones, that pass the bar.This means that cost and speed need to be an important consideration when building a multi-agent system at scale. Also, expectations should be set that these systems, while faster than humans, will not be as fast as the software systems we are used to.Babak Hodjat is CTO for AI at Cognizant. DataDecisionMakersWelcome to the VentureBeat community!DataDecisionMakers is where experts, including the technical people doing data work, can share data-related insights and innovation.If you want to read about cutting-edge ideas and up-to-date information, best practices, and the future of data and data tech, join us at DataDecisionMakers.You might even considercontributing an articleof your own!Read More From DataDecisionMakers

In a three-part video series with generative AI developer and expert Sam Witteveen, I explore what Microsoft's announcements about AI agents mean for enterprises, why Microsoft is pulling ahead as a leader in agentic AI, and how these tools may transform the way companies handle workflows.Read More

Full Throttle | Why I LoveMade From Strings' Christopher Mathes reflects on LucasArts' worldbuilding talents and how this informed game designImage credit: Full Throttle Remastered by Double Fine Feature by Christopher Mathes Contributor Published on Nov. 22, 2024 Why I Love is a series of guest editorials on GamesIndustry.biz intended to showcase the ways in which game developers appreciate each other's work. This entry was contributed by Christopher Mathes, the developer behind 'Agatha Christie in space' point-and-click murder mystery Murder On Space Station 52, which is now available on Steam.Growing up in the early '90s, we weren't a PC kind of family. We had an old DOS machine with its tiny monitor that sat neglected most of the time. With no older sibling or relative to show me the ways of DOS, my knowledge of the system was cursory at best. The only game system we owned at the time was a Super Nintendo. So I often spent time in the PC game aisle at the local store, coveting all the large glossy boxes and the shiny CD treasures inside.Then one day, that all changed. In place of the old DOS machine was a flashy new Windows PC, which included a CD-ROM drive. I booted up the pristine machine, which took no small amount of time, and began clicking away. I soon grew tired of Minesweeper and Solitaire and longed for something more.A few days passed before I was able to make it to the store and that same aisle of tall glossy boxes. The only thing in my inventory was a few hard-earned dollars and a youthful enthusiasm. While some of the more mature-looking titles were enticing to my young eyes. I knew the box art and labels warning of the violence within them would scare my mother away from the purchase. Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, a piece of cover art caught my attention. A goggle and leather-clad man jumping his motorcycle away from an explosion roaring behind him. The words 'Full Throttle' emblazoned the cover.So I combined my hard-earned cash, youthful enthusiasm, and glossy game box and brought home my first CD-ROM game. I placed the disc carefully into the disc tray and watched it slowly slide into the guts of the PC. I should tell you I had no idea what adventure games were or really what to expect, but my young mind was ready for anything.A brilliant burst of colors and pixels filled the monitor. Full-screen animations play out like the opening of a movie. CD-quality music blasts through the speakers. The brilliant voice work of Mark Hamill, Roy Conard, and many others brings all the characters to life. By the time I punched my way out of that first dumpster, I was hooked.Ben Throttle stands out as a unique protagonist in gaming, even to this day. His combination of dry wit and brute force gives Ben an effortless 'coolness' that is hard to quantify. Using that brute strength also allows for the solving of puzzles in ways unique to Ben. The door's locked... well just kick it in."We should design our problems and, more importantly, their solutions, around our characters. This can open up whole new avenues of thought"There is a good lesson to learn here. We should design our problems and, more importantly, their solutions, around our characters. This can open up whole new avenues of thought as you begin to think like your protagonist and not as yourself. This is a lesson well learned and applied in my game, Murder On Space Station 52. Edward Locke, the main protagonist, is a mechanical engineer, giving him unique insights and informing the way he goes about solving puzzles. In Edward's case, his attention to detail and mind for machinery win out the day.'Clever design' is a good way to describe Full Throttle. It's not a game that inundates you with a deluge of items and red herrings. Its sleeker interface and chapter-like structure feel polished and thoughtfully created. A great example of this is the junkyard door puzzle.Before entering the junkyard, you find a chain attached to a garage-style door. When you pull on the said chain, the door opens, but you must let go of the chain to walk to the door. Once you release the chain, the door slams shut before you can reach it. Traditional wisdom would say find a way to keep the door open. The solution, on the other hand, is to use a padlock you find elsewhere in the chapter to lock the door shut and then climb the chain over the wall to enter the junkyard. This clever design satisfyingly subverts player expectations while also using Ben's unique brute strength to scale the wall.Murder On Space Station 52 follows a similar design logic to Full Throttle embracing a chapter-based structure. The story and puzzles are designed in layered tiers within each chapter. Ideally, the puzzles evolve over time adding complexity without an overload of items. Image credit: Full Throttle by LucasArtsLets talk about Full Throttle's motorcycle combat section... okay, so its not the best part of the game. That being said, it was a novel idea to use the Rebel Assault engine and a nice change of pace, if not a frustrating one (although you could argue once you realize the game essentially has a rock, paper, scissors-like system for fighting the different gangs, it does become much easier). That said, it does lead to one of my favorite puzzles in the game.One of the gangs you fight along the way is the Cavefish. A cult-like gang of underground dwellers with impaired vision from all their time beneath the earth. Because of their impairment, they navigate using unique goggles that highlight the reflectors in the middle of the road. Ben eventually finds himself in the Cavefish tunnel on a hunt for a ramp to jump a nearby gorge. After you find the ramp, you soon realize the Cavefish will stop you from leaving. The solution to this problem is to push the ramp backward, popping off and removing the reflectors from the road. As the gang members approach a now reflector-less curve, they end up launching themselves off the road and into a rocky cave wall.What I find interesting about this puzzle is that it only really works in the universe of Full Throttle. In any other world, removing the reflectors would make little to no difference. So they took time to set up worldbuilding/lore to deliver a unique puzzle later in the story."[Some] puzzles only really work in the universe of Full Throttle. [The developers] took time to set up worldbuilding/lore to deliver [something] unique"Speaking of worldbuilding, the setting of Full Throttle is a memorable one. There is an almost Mad Max wasteland-type vibe to the game. But with so many unique characters and places to visit the game still feels very alive at the same time. Best of all, it doesn't really concern itself with explaining it.The mystery of the place was a big draw for me. I was always excited to discover new locations and the denizens that occupy them. I spent a significant amount of time building out the world for my own game, even designing unique logos and in-world brands for things such as coffee companies and terrible local garage bands. I believe no other medium is as adept at exploring worlds as video games.It took many months to finish Full Throttle as I was pre-internet at that time. But It's a ride that has always stuck with me. I believe I can say without being hyperbolic that Full Throttle changed my perception of what a game could be.While I was already a pretty dedicated gamer at that point, I had not realized the medium's potential for telling stories. And telling those stories in a way that neither movies, TV, nor novels could. It's a real possibility that I would not be a game developer today had I not picked up that glossy box with the words 'Full Throttle' on the cover.Developers interested in contributing their own Why I Love column are encouraged to reach out to us at news@gamesindustry.biz.

This week, I went to a theater to watch a showing of the black-and-white version of Johnny Mnemonic, starring Keanu Reeves. Old-heads like me may recall it as a bad mid-90s cyberpunk film (written by William Gibson!) about a data courier whose brain is the storage medium, but who had to have his childhood memories erased to make space for the work. I hadnt seen it since I was a kid, and you know what? Its still not a good movie. But if you ignore the plot holes, mostly awful acting, and terrible pacing, its at least very cool to look at. Also, I had totally forgotten about Ice Ts turn as J-Bone, leader of the Lo-Tek underground. It was fun enough, but it was weird to hear the theater audience erupt with applause at the end, though, knowing how it was received almost three decades ago.At least some of the movies below, from the last weeks worth of trailers, are bound to be better.A Minecraft MovieJack Blacks Steve gets a backstory in the latest Minecraft trailer. The trailer shows young Steve (you can tell hes young because his beard is brown at first) mining his way into the blocky game world, where he discovers he can build anything he imagines, as long as its made with blocks. Plus we get a look at Jason Momoa, Danielle Brooks, Emma Myers, and Sebastian Eugene Hansen, who all find themselves dropped into this world with a now-much-older Steve (who now has a gray beard to show the passage of time).You can catch A Minecraft Movie in theaters on April 4th. Then you can follow it up with a Minecraft theme park in 2026 or so. ElioThe new teaser trailer from Pixars Elio lets us know the film is still alive and well. The movie comes from Coco screenwriter Adrian Molina, who co-directs alongside Domee Shi and Madeline Sharafian. It features the voice of Yonas Kibreab as Elio, a child who gets abducted by aliens and pretends to be Earths leader. If Coco is any indication, I expect Ill be openly sobbing at the end. Its out on June 13th.Alien: EarthThe FX spinoff Alien: Earth is on its way in summer 2025, when it promises to finally* show us what it might be like to see xenomorphs on our planet. Theres little revealed here apart from the release timeframe and that, as The Verges Andrew Webster remarks, the aliens are still very shiny.*Unless you count the Aliens vs. Predator films.Star Wars Outlaws: Wild CardStar Wars Outlaws is getting its first DLC in the form of Wild Card, a storyline that brings Lando Calrissian into the game. If you havent been playing the game lately, maybe hopping into a space battle with Hans old buddy will draw you back in. Wild Card is available now for $14.99.How to Train Your DragonOh hey, look, a live-action version of an animated movie. How to Train Your Dragon will go head-to-head with Elio when its released on June 13th.

Apple CEO Tim Cook managed to forge a personal relationship with Donald Trump during his first Presidential term that other tech firms struggled to replicate. Now, others are trying to follow his template, says a Wall Street Journal report today.Cook used direct appeals to influence Trumps 2017 tax policy and to get him to dial back his 2019 tariffs in ways that benefitted Apple. In exchange, Trump got to look good; as the Journal points out, Cook didnt correct Trump when claimed responsibility for Apple opening an Austin manufacturing plant that had already been around for years and wasnt even owned by Apple.Part of Cooks strategy was keeping things simple, according to the Journal:Instead of sending government relations executives or lobbyists, Cook would appeal to Trump directly through phone calls and meals, said people familiar with the interactions.Cook then developed a meeting strategy with Trump where he would bring one data point to home in on a single issue in a meeting, the people said. That approach helped keep the meetings from spiraling in too many directions.Cook partly built the relationship by zeroing in on areas of mutual interest between Apple and Trumps agenda, writes the Journal. Plenty hope to follow Cooks playbook, the outlet adds. RelatedWSJ points to leaders of Boeing and FedEx who have both tried talking with Trump directly. Others have reportedly considered getting through to him by communicating through the Department of Government Efficiency that Trump rewarded Elon Musk with leading after he aggressively backed Trumps campaign. Some of the biggest tech leaders seem keen on taking the flattery route. Trump has claimed that Google CEO Sundar Pichai reached out to tell him about his trending Google searches and that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg had called him a lot to pledge his support and praise his reaction to an attempt to assassinate him.

Speech recognition technology has made significant progress, with advancements in AI improving accessibility and accuracy. However, it still faces challenges, particularly in understanding spoken entities like names, places, and specific terminology. The issue is not only about converting speech to text accurately but also about extracting meaningful context in real-time. Current systems often require separate tools for transcription and entity recognition, leading to delays, inefficiencies, and inconsistencies. Additionally, privacy concerns regarding the handling of sensitive information during speech transcription present significant challenges for industries dealing with confidential data.aiOla has released Whisper-NER: an open-source AI model that allows joint speech transcription and entity recognition. This model combines speech-to-text transcription with Named Entity Recognition (NER) to deliver a solution that can recognize important entities while transcribing spoken content. This integration allows for a more immediate understanding of context, making it suitable for industries requiring accurate and privacy-conscious transcription services, such as healthcare, customer service, and legal domains. Whisper-NER effectively combines transcription accuracy with the ability to identify and manage sensitive information.Technical DetailsWhisper-NER is based on the Whisper architecture developed by OpenAI, which is enhanced to perform real-time entity recognition while transcribing. By leveraging transformers, Whisper-NER can recognize entities like names, dates, locations, and specialized terminology directly from the audio input. The model is designed to work in real-time, which is valuable for applications that need instant transcription and comprehension, such as live customer support. Additionally, Whisper-NER incorporates privacy measures to obscure sensitive data, thereby enhancing user trust. The open-source nature of Whisper-NER also makes it accessible to developers and researchers, encouraging further innovation and customization.The importance of Whisper-NER lies in its capability to deliver both accuracy and privacy. In tests, the model has shown a reduction in error rates compared to separate transcription and entity recognition models. According to aiOla, Whisper-NER provides a nearly 20% improvement in entity recognition accuracy and offers automatic redaction capabilities for sensitive data in real-time. This feature is particularly relevant for sectors like healthcare, where patient privacy must be protected, or for business settings, where confidential client information is discussed. The combination of transcription and entity recognition reduces the need for multiple steps in the workflow, providing a more streamlined and efficient process. It addresses a gap in speech recognition by enabling real-time comprehension without compromising security.ConclusionaiOlas Whisper-NER represents an important step forward for speech recognition technology. By integrating transcription and entity recognition into one model, aiOla addresses the inefficiencies of current systems and provides a practical solution to privacy concerns. Its open-source availability means that the model is not only a tool but also a platform for future innovation, allowing others to build upon its capabilities. Whisper-NERs contributions to enhancing transcription accuracy, protecting sensitive data, and improving workflow efficiencies make it a notable advancement in AI-powered speech solutions. For industries seeking an effective, accurate, and privacy-conscious solution, Whisper-NER sets a solid standard.Check out the Paper, Model on Hugging Face, and GitHub Page. All credit for this research goes to the researchers of this project. Also,dont forget to follow us onTwitter and join ourTelegram Channel andLinkedIn Group. If you like our work, you will love ournewsletter.. Dont Forget to join our55k+ ML SubReddit. Aswin Ak+ postsAswin AK is a consulting intern at MarkTechPost. He is pursuing his Dual Degree at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. He is passionate about data science and machine learning, bringing a strong academic background and hands-on experience in solving real-life cross-domain challenges. Read this AI Research Report from Kili Technology on 'Evaluation of Large Language Model Vulnerabilities: A Comparative Analysis of Red Teaming Techniques'

In spite of it all, GameStop has persevered and still gets after it for the Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals period. The GameStop near my house closed down in 2021 and I've really missed it. There's something to be said about getting to know your local GameStop staff and talking games with them for a while. I've also been seeing some locations are doing midnight launches again, and my friends, everyone should wait in line to buy a hot new game the second it goes live. You will be among your people, an unbroken queue of like-minded individuals looking to share in the communal experience of celebrating gaming. I feel like gaming culture was better when we all stood together and talked to one another about how stoked we were for Halo 3. GameStop has some solid Black Friday video game deals, and if you don't mind buying used, you can actually save a bunch more. But the biggest problem is not all the deals at GameStop are as good as they are at competitors. For example, the 50% off Final Fantasy XVI deal that's been crushing all week isn't at GameStop (it's $5 more than Amazon's Black Friday price). But lots of others, like Tomb Raider I-III Remaster and Sea of Stars, are the same price as they are at Best Buy's Black Friday video game sales. Of course, we've been following all the deals and have a full look at all the best Black Friday deals of 2024, not JUST video game deals.GameStop Best Black Friday DealsBest GameStop Black Friday Deal So FarHasbro Marvel Legends Series X-Men '97 Magneto HelmetSee it at GameStopAtari 50: The Anniversary Celebration Expanded EditionSee it at GameStopBandai Buy 1, Get 1 50% OffSee it at GameStop$39.99 GamesSee it at GameStopX-Men '97 Magneto Helmet Black Friday DealDefinitely want to shine some light on this one because, not only is the price of the Magneto X-Men '97 helmet discounted 55%, it's also one of the most popular items I've featured on the IGNDeals X and IGNDeals Instagram accounts this year... and it wasn't even close to this low of a price.Seriously, if you want a cosplay-quality Magneto helmet you can wear comfortably, or you just want to get it for display (it has a stand), this is probably GameStop's best Black Friday deal going right now.Best GameStop Black Friday Deal So FarHasbro Marvel Legends Series X-Men '97 Magneto HelmetPremium role-play 1:1 scale helmet with padding and adjustable size.$39.99 Black Friday Video Game DealsRight now, the selection of $39.99 isn't exactly great. I think Lies of P is probably the stand-out here. That being said, it's still early and I would not be surprised at all if this deals page gets updated with a lot more games, but I would also not be surprised if it didn't. I'm on an even-keel here, nothing can surprise me.GameStop $39.99 Video Game DealsThis is the landing page for all of GameStop's $40 gaming deals for Black Friday.See it at GameStop$29.99 Black Friday Video Game DealsNow we're getting somewhere. In spite of what the page might try to make you believe, some of these games are actually cheaper than $29.99, and the selection here is pretty great, too. Stand-out games on this landing page include Mortal Kombat 1, Sea of Stars, and the absolutely excellent Atari 50: The Anniversary Collection Extended Edition. GameStop $29.99 Video Game DealsThis is the landing page for all of GameStop's $20-$30 gaming deals for Black Friday.See it at GameStop$19.99 Black Friday Video Game DealsThis is the sweet spot in my opinion. The price is excellent and the selection of $20 games on sale for Black Friday is also pretty admirable. The stand-outs here are probably Hogwart's Legacy, Outer Wilds: Archaeologist Edition, Lords of the Fallen and Tomb Raider I-III Remastered. But that's just my opinion I leave it to you to find the games you want to buy. I can only lead you to them, I cannot make up your mind for you.GameStop $29.99 Video Game DealsThis is the landing page for all of GameStop's $20-$30 gaming deals for Black Friday.See it at GameStopBuy 1, Get 1 50% Off on PlushiesI'm just going to go ahead and say you should buy the Sonic the Hedgehog Ice Cream plushie. The real one has dead eyes made of bubblegum, exactly what you want to enjoy with a frozen treat. There are also a lot of non-Sonic ice cream plushies, too, like Kuromi, Gengar, Squishmallows and more.Buy 1 Get 1 50% Off PlushiesSo many adorable new friends to bring home.See it at GameStopNintendo Switch Black Friday Deals at GameStopGameStop has both the Nintendo Switch Black Friday Mario Kart bundles, and Pro members save $25, which is a nice little extra bonus savings. Other than that, these have been available since... August, I think? If you know someone who doesn't have a Switch and you're shopping at GameStop anyway, go wild.Old reliableNintendo Nintendo Switch BundlesIf you want to gamble but you hate risk, this is a sure bet. A variation of this bundle has been the Black Friday Nintendo deal since... 2018? Maybe earlier.See it at GameStopShould I Wait to Buy Games at GameStop's Black Friday Sale?If you're looking to buy any of the games currently listed on sale, I say go for it. If anything, it'll just add more games as the shopping event heats up. Definitely get on that Sonic plush, though. Who knows how long it will last? It will definitely be worth waiting for the best time to buy a PS5, though, because it's not currently listed, but Sony has announced its Black Friday deals. Also, you can find GameStop listed in our best gift cards guide as you shop for your loved ones this holiday season.Seth G. Macy is IGN's Senior Social Commerce Producer, but you may know him as the guy from NVC. Starting as a freelancer for video game websites that no longer exist, Seth's experience in the game industry reaches back almost 15 years. Now he's a video host who also heads up IGN's social media commerce efforts.

Black Friday 2024 lands on November 29 and, like every year, I expect plenty of amazing deals on the best gaming monitors, from high-end monitors with OLED panels, 240Hz refresh rate, and 4K resolution to perfectly capable 1080p 144Hz gaming monitors that could run you under $100. Whether you're intending to use the monitor for your gaming PC or PlayStation 5 console, there's definitely be something for everyone.As we get closer to Black Friday, more gaming monitor deals are going live. I've written out a shortlist of the best deals currently available and - if you prefer to wait - which retailers you should keep track of on Black Friday proper, including Samsung, LG, Alienware, Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart.Alienware 34 Curved QD-OLED Gaming Monitor AW3423DWThe world's first QD-OLED gaming monitor. Featuring infinite contrast ratio and VESA DisplayHDR TrueBlack 400 for remarkably vivid colors and visuals bursting to life. Prices subject to change.The Best Black Friday Gaming Monitor Deals So FarTop Pick34" Samsung Odyssey G5 3440x1440 Curved 165Hz Gaming Monitor45" LG 45GR65DC-B Ultragear DQHD 200Hz Gaming Monitor34" LG UltraGear 34GN850-B WQHD 160Hz IPS Gaming Monitor32" Asus ROG Swift 4K 240Hz QD OLED Gaming Monitor45" LG UltraGear OLED 45GS96QB WQHD 240Hz Gaming Monitor40" MSI MAG401QR WQHD 155Hz IPS Gaming Monitor43" Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 4K 144Hz Mini-LED Gaming MonitorClick on the $50 Upgrade Credit49" Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 (G95SC) DQHD 240Hz Gaming MonitorClick on the $50 Upgrade Credit49" Samsung Odyssey G95C DQHD 240Hz Gaming MonitorFree 27" Monitor with Purchase57" Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 Dual 4K 240Hz Mini-LED Gaming MonitorFree 27" Monitor with Purchase55" Samsung Odyssey Ark 2nd Gen 4K Mini-LED Gaming Monitor27" MSI MAG 271QPX 4K 240Hz QD OLED Gaming MonitorClick on the $50 Upgrade Credit32" Samsung Odyssey OLED G80SD 4K 240Hz Gaming MonitorClick on the $50 Upgrade Credit34" Samsung Odyssey OLED G85SD WQHD 175Hz Gaming Monitor34" Samsung Odyssey G85SB WQHD 175Hz OLED Gaming Monitor32" Alienware AW3225QF 4K 240Hz QD-OLED Gaming Monitor34" Alienware AW3423DW 34" WQHD 175Hz QD-OLED Gaming Monitor34" Alienware AW3423DWF WQHD 165Hz QD OLED Gaming Monitor27" Alienware AW2725DF 27" QHD 360Hz QD OLED Gaming Monitor32" Dell G3223Q 4K 144Hz Gaming Monitor25" Alienware AW2523HF 1080p 360Hz IPS Gaming Monitor32" Dell S3222DGM QHD 165Hz VA Gaming Monitor27" Dell G2724D QHD 144Hz IPS Gaming Monitor27" Dell S2722QC 4K USB-C Monitor34" Samsung Odyssey G5 Gaming MonitorTop Pick34" Samsung Odyssey G5 3440x1440 Curved 165Hz Gaming MonitorWalmart just kicked off one of the best Black Friday deals you'll see on a gaming monitor. As part of the Walmart Black Friday Sale, you have the opportunity to pick up a 34" Samsung Odyssey G5 gaming monitor for just $229 shipped after a massive $320 (60% off) instant discount. This is a great price for a very capable gaming monitor with a sharp native resolution, immersive curved design, and a high refresh rate.27" Dell G2724D Gaming Monitor27" Dell G2724D QHD 144Hz IPS Gaming MonitorThe Dell G2724D gaming monitor offers all the gaming features you'd want in a 27" gaming monitor at an incredibly affordable price. This monitor features a 2560x1440 resolution (109 ppi), which is a nice upgrade from the 1080p resolution you normally see at this price point. This is a great gaming monitor thanks to the fast 1ms response time and up to 165Hz refresh rate over DisplayPort (144Hz over HDMI). The IPS panel produces great color accuracy and wide viewing angles so it also makes for a great general purpose monitor.45" LG Ultragear DQHD Gaming Monitor45" LG 45GR65DC-B Ultragear DQHD 200Hz Gaming MonitorIf you're looking for a super ultra-wide monitor at an incredible price, look no further than the 45" LG 45GR65DC monitor. Amazon has it for $549.99 and you definitely won't find any other similarly sized monitor for even close to this price point. This monitor sports a sharp 5120x1440 32:9 Dual QHD display with a fast 1ms response time and up to 200Hz refresh rate. It is DisplayHDR 600 certified with up to DCI-P3 95% color space. It also has both HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort inputs.32" Alienware AW3225QF 4K OLED Gaming Monitor32" Alienware AW3225QF 4K 240Hz QD-OLED Gaming MonitorDell dropped the price of its best gaming monitor. Right now you can pick up the Alienware AW3225QF 32" 4K QD OLED gaming monitor for only $899.99 shipped. This is the lowest price we've seen for Alienware's only 4K OLED gaming monitor and you don't need to deal with promotional gift cards since this is a straight up instant discount. If you're looking for the best 4K gaming monitor, this should definitely be on your short list. This is the monitor I personally use.34" LG UltraGear 34GN850-B WQHD 160Hz IPS Gaming Monitor34" LG UltraGear 34GN850-B WQHD 160Hz IPS Gaming MonitorWalmart doesn't have many monitor deals yet, but the ones that are available are excellent. This 34" LG UltraGear GN850 gaming monitor offers a lot of premium features for its price. First and foremost this monitor is equipped with a Nano IPS panel. This is LG's highest end panel short of OLED, and it's essentially their version of Samsung's QLED technology. Other specs include a sharp 3440x1440 QHD resolution (110ppi), 1ms response time, and a 144Hz refresh rate. It's also officialy G-Sync certified.45" LG UltraGear OLED Gaming Monitor45" LG UltraGear OLED 45GS96QB WQHD 240Hz Gaming MonitorThe new-for-2024 LG UltraGear 45GS96QB features a 3440x1440 ultra-wide resolution (less taxing on your GPU than a 4K monitor) and an aggressive 800R curve for maximum immersion. The best thing about the 45GS95QE is, of course, the OLED panel. OLEDs blows away any IPS, VA, or TN monitor in terms of HDR, black levels and color rendition. The 45GS96QB boasts a blazing fast 0.3ms response time (typical of OLEDs), and 240Hz refresh rate. It's also both G-SYNC and FreeSync certified and have both HDMI 2.1 and a DisplayPort 1.4 inputs for more flexible connectivity options.The Best Retailers for Gaming Monitor DealsSamsungSamsung already has a few Black Friday deals available above, but they will most likely discount their entire lineup of Odyssey gaming monitors on Black Friday. These manufacturer discounts will also be available at third-party retailers like Amazon or Best Buy; however, Samsung often offers extra incentives for cutting out the middleman and buying direct. In the past, this has included a bonus Samsung or Best Buy gift card or a freebie item like a solid state drive or even a second monitor. Samsung provides free shipping or pickup at your local Best Buy.If you're lucky enough to be eligible for a Samsung education, business, military, government, or first responders account, you'll be able to take advantage of massive savings that generally can't be matched anywhere else.LGLike Samsung, LG will offer manufacturer discounts on its UltraGear gaming monitors. To incentivize buyers to buy from from their own storefront, LG usually provides complimentary services like white glove delivery or free wall mounting. In past sales, LG has given out freebies like a soundbar, portable speakers, or a pair of earbuds. LG always offers a 10% off coupon code by signing up for its newsletter, and it usually comes with few restrictions. LG also has its own partner store program for eligible employers and students.AmazonAmazon is the one-stop shop for all of your Black Friday needs and that extends to monitor purchases as well. Not only will you find deals on Samsung, LG, and Alienware monitors, you'll also find a great selection of deals from other well-known brands like Asus, Acer, MSI, and Gigabyte. Even if the manufacturers have Black Friday sale prices that extend to all retailers, there's a good chance Amazon will go ahead and reduce the price even further. If you find a deal elsewhere that you're ready to jump on, you should go back to Amazon and make sure the price there isn't lower. Amazon has an excellent 30-day return policy, especially if you buy a product that's sold and shipped from Amazon directly, and since it's an authorized reseller, you're getting the same warranty coverage as buying direct from the manufacturer.Amazon Prime members can sign up for the Prime Visa Card and get 5% cash back on all of their Amazon purchases. That's essentially getting an additional 5% discount on every deal you score on Amazon. This is a Chase-issued Visa credit card that can also be used elsewhere. It comes with some other cardmember benefits like no foreign transaction fees, 2% cashback at gas stations, 3% cashback on Chase Travel, and more. Even better, this card has no annual fee, so you don't have to pay any more money other than the cost of your Prime membership.Best BuyLike Amazon, Best Buy will have Black Friday deals on a wide selection of gaming monitor brands. It will also offer its own extra discounts on top of the standard Black Friday MAP discounts for select monitors. One significant advantage that Best Buy has over online-only retailers like Amazon is that you have the option of buying your gaming monitor online and picking it up in store. Chances are there's a retail location within driving distance of your home. Not only do you avoid the hassle of shipping, especially during the busy holiday season, but it's easy to return the monitor if you're dissatisfied.WalmartWalmart often has the absolute best deals of all of Black Friday, and sometimes that extends to gaming monitors. Case in point, the best gaming monitor deal right now is only available at Walmart. One potential problem is that the best Walmart deals expire very quickly. The best way to prepare for that is by signing up for a Walmart+ membership. In addition to the standard perks like free shipping with no minimum and easy returns from your home, you'll also get early access to the Black Friday deals. Walmart+ membership normally costs $98, but for Black Friday it's 50% off.CostcoCostco doesn't carry a large selection of monitors, but whatever is on sale for Black Friday is usually competitive with everywhere else. Like Best Buy, Costco has retail locations so you can opt to shop online or in-store (although in-store pickup isn't an option). Costco also has the best return policy; you have up to 90 days to return electronics with no questions asked. You do need to have a paid Costco membership to buy anything there, but if you're a regular shopper, the access is more than worth the cost.When Is Black Friday 2024?The actual date of Black Friday in 2024 falls on November 29 this year, but the deals season will begin a lot sooner than that. Leading up to the big event, retailers will begin to open deals online. This usually starts in the last week of October, just before Halloween. Each week leading up to the event will slowly roll out more deals, which ultimately leads to massive discounts on Black Friday. Retailers will not reveal their biggest Black Friday deals until the big day, but most general deals will be available well in advance.Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

Warning: contains spoilers forThe Mirror and the Lightepisode three.Henrys love is a dangerous thing. The protection it brings is equalled only by the threat that comes with its removal. Wolsey learned that. So did Anne Boleyn. Jane Seymour was beginning to learn it before pregnancy granted her this reprieve. And now Cromwell feels it in a queasily tense episode that shows the walls closing in on him.Having taken a princely punt on Cromwell and created him a lord in defiance of the English nobility, Henry is now in a difficult position. To save face in public, he needs to stand by his man, but Cromwells ability to wave a magic wand over the kings problems is waning. Indeed, Cromwellisone of the kings problems. Noble Catholic families the Poles and the Courtneys are gunning for the Lord Chancellor and his Reformation. Theyve spread rumours to put a target on Cromwells back, in the hope of taking out Henry at the same time and restoring England to Rome.Modern audiences know how it ends for Cromwell, and increasingly inWolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light, so might he. We were greeted by a sorry sight (though one that, like every shot in this beautifully composed drama, looked like a painting you could hang in a gallery) at the start of an episode in which Cromwell didnt just suffer political, but also personal pain.Like Henrys, Cromwells sleep was also being troubled by his conscience. Bereft in bed, he replayed Dorotheas untrue accusation of disloyalty to her father Wolsey (who no longer appears to him), and later, was visited by nightmares of Anne Boleyns ladies presenting him with her bloody head. Cromwell knows the lies he told to avenge Wolsey and bring Anne to the scaffold, and now, as someone who loves the Gospel, theyre plaguing him. Its one reason he stumbled over calling himself an honourable man to his son Gregory, and changed to a man of [his] word.Read more The scene at Gregory and Bess wedding was more heartbreak for Cromwell. His humiliated son (secrets never stay secret among this gossip-obsessed lot) bitterly implored his father to stay away from the wife he now knows only accepted him by default, having first thought that shed won a far greater prize. Marriage to wealthy Lord Cromwell, the second most powerful man in England, rumoured as a match for the kings daughter, and whose heirs the king said would follow him onto the throne if he decreed it? Bess would have won the marriage lottery. No wonder she was snippy when she learned shed be Thomas daughter and not his wife.Before they died along with his wife of the sweating sickness, the Lord Chancellor did once have daughters. And now he does again in Bess, and in Jenneke from Antwerp, a character invented by Hilary Mantel to stand in for the illegitimate daughter Cromwell was rumoured to have had but of whose existence theres no evidence. That soap opera-style cliffhanger gave Mark Rylance his first Doof Doof closer inThe Mirror and the Light fitting for such an eventful episode.From the Lincolnshire uprising to the fall of York, Defiance was packed with incident, and with themes that proved depressingly relevant to our times. Misinformation abounded. The rich used the poor to do their violent bidding, manipulating the people through lies and fear. They may well scare their kids with tales of Cromwell in the north, theyve probably been told hes coming to eat their pet cats. As Cromwell asked Dorothea last episode, how do you oppose a fixed opinion thats held on to regardless of evidence or reason? How also, do you reply to bad faith rumours invented to sow disorder, and enemies who invent bogeymen to suit their own agenda?If Cromwell couldnt find an answer, sadly, there cant be much hope for the rest of us. This character is a masterful operator, and watching him at work is still a pleasure, if a bittersweet one in the knowledge of whats to come. Cromwells quick tongue and quicker mind are enviable, even if his perilous position at court is increasingly not. The air of amused tolerance he affects when dealing with schemers like rabble-rousing Chapuys and the Portuguese ambassador is ultra enjoyable, as is his keen way with a threat. The way he left Chapuys, mouth gaping like a drowning fish, with the promise of retaliation should his boss Emperor Charles V follow through with the put-Pole-on-the-throne plan, was to be savoured.Less so were the nauseating moments when circumstances swirled beyond Cromwells control and the king turned on him. Frustrated, furious, and settling the blame for Englands unrest on Cromwells shoulders, Damian Lewis wasterrifyingin this episode. His mercurial temper was underlined with the reappearance of Patch/Sexton the fool. Like Henrys daughter Mary, Sexton had been returned to court after banishment (hed insulted Anne Boleyn before it was cool). Its hard to say which is scarier, Henry smiling at you or screaming at you. Neither one is safe.Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light continues on Sunday December 1.

When it comes to Christmas, we tend to shy away from trends around here at Country Living, and most designers agree. We dont believe inor celebratetrends, says designers Jason Oliver Nixon and John Loecke of Madcap Cottage. Jason notes, Its all about being timeless and looking to the past to reinterpret the present and future.With that in mind, we still believe that your home and its decor is an ever-evolving expression of who you are and what you value. And, theres simply no better, or more joyful, season to flex that expression than Christmas.So whether youre pining for nostalgia, looking for a fresh take on a tree topper, or just looking for affirmation that its not crazy to put a Christmas tree in your kitchen(!), youve come to the right place. With the help of our favorite designers and style experts, weve identified five of the biggest country-friendly Christmas decor trends this year that you can easily incorporate into your own holiday decor. Remember, more really is merrier.These Holiday Decorating Ideas Never Go Out of Style:1. Ribbons and Bows GaloreRachel Whiting, Styling by Marie NicholsNothing is more quintessentially Christmas than ribbon, but thanks to fresh interpretations bows are feeling decidedly now as evidenced by these pretty and playful powerhouses finding their way into our tabletop decor, Christmas card designs and back into our hair.It is absolutely The Year of the Bow, according to textile designer Heather Taylor of Heather Taylor Home. People have really embraced the sweetness and femininity of the trend.The beauty of the bow is the range of scaleyou can go oversize and use a large bow as a tree topper or in place of a wreath, or you can go with take a more diminutive approach and add smaller-scale bows to literally anythingcandlesticks, gooseneck sconces, stems of a champagne coupes, the stem of a rosemary topiary (you get the picture). Bows work especially well on trees as a soft foil to more classic round Christmas balls.David TsayIn lieu of ornaments, the Heather Taylor decked out the tree in her California cabin with simple gingham ribbon bows for a homespun feeling.For a fresher, more modern look, try playing with proportions by making smaller loops and letting your tails extend a few inches longer. Also, save the satin for your Christmas presents and instead try a velvet ribbon with frayed edges.RELATED: The Best Christmas Tree Ribbon Decorating Ideas For the Prettiest Tree Ever2. Non-Traditional Color PalettesKaitlin Green, Design by Emily HendersonEvery designer we spoke to offered a different take on a holiday color palette, but according to designer Emily Henderson the most important rule is that there are no rules. Use whatever colors make you the happiest, she encourages. This year I really leaned into blues and maroons in addition to green and a little red.I love the cozy nostalgia of red and green, says Heather, but were always playing with a mix of color to make the holidays feel fresh. This year Im obsessed with combining burgundy and pink.The good news for red and green traditionalist is that simply adding an unexpected pattern can also breathe new life into your existing Christmas decor. We are mad for traditional red-and-green hues but with an unexpected floral-patterned twist, said Jason. Our classic Cottage Grove fabric pattern, for example, captures a timeless floral in a rich geranium red hue paired with cool green shades that plays beautifully at Christmas. 3. Homespun Paper AccentsCourtesy of Audrey GelmanAs beautiful as gilded garland and glitzy baubles can be, theres nothing quite like a home thats decked out with happily humble, handcrafted holiday decor. And this year, the homespun holiday muse of choice is paper. Whether its a mantel draped in paper chain garlands, windows peppered with hand-snipped snowflakes, or Christmas crackers atop your holiday place settings, the simplicity and warmth of these handmade trimmings cant be beat.Becky Luigart-Stayner, styling by Matthew GleasonA blue-and-green paper chain garland adorns s a whimsical Christmas tree in Landon McAfees Tennessee home.Theres something very British about paper chains, says Audrey Gelman, founder of The Six Bells. Paper chains became popular in England during the Victorian era, when they were made from scraps of items such as newspapers and songbooks. These days, leftover craft paper or wallpaper scraps are a nice way to repurpose what you already have. I also like that theyre inexpensive and a fun art project with kids, says Audrey. So, if you too dream of a Little Women Christmas, grab a pair of good scissors, turn on Hallmark Channel and make some handcrafted memories. RELATED: Charming Christmas Decorations to Transform Your Home Into a Winter Wonderland4. A Nod to NostalgiaDylan ChandlerThe desire to have a merry meander down memory lane is strong during the holidays, and so is the pull to personalize your Christmas decor with meaningful family heirlooms and vintage items. Besides, nothing store-bought can ever rival the hand-me-down charm of beloved vintage collectibles. We love using our grandmothers plates upon the Christmas dinner table, says John. Few holiday rituals are as steeped in tradition as hanging ornaments on the family Christmas tree. I like to think of a Christmas tree as a scrapbook and each year we choose a few new ornaments that describe that year, Emily says. Christine Carney, Director of Design for Blackberry Farm Design, thought of another fun way to nestle in nostalgia when she created a tree at High Hampton, a mountain resort in Cashiers, North Carolina, that she filled with small framed photos of previous guests, family, and friends of the property. Some of the people on the tree have been returning guests for many years, and it is so special to include them in our holiday decorations, she says. So save those homemade ornaments and kitschy keepsakes and dont let anyone tell you that theres not room for just-one-more vintage shiny bright.RELATED: Heres How Much Your Favorite Vintage Christmas Decorations Are Worth Today5. Trees are Branching OutGordon BeallGone are the days of the singular, focal-point tree in the house. This year, every room in the house is calling for its own touch of tannenbaum. Audrey says a little mini tree in their upstairs bath is a must, while Heather makes sure the dining room gets holiday cheer. Last year I decorated it [small tree] with homemade pine cone and [dried] orange slice garlands. The result was very cozy and personal, she says.Christmas trees in kids rooms have been growing in popularity for years, but why should the little ones have all the fun. We adore a Christmas tree in our bedroom, says Jason. Why not? Its like falling asleep in a fairyland. Pure magic.Country Living Senior Homes & Style Editor, Anna Logan also shares that kitchen Christmas trees will be everywhere this year. Kitchens are becoming more and more personal, and I see that continuing with holiday decor, she says. As primary trees have moved towards feeling like a perfectly imperfect mishmash of traditional ornaments and homemade touches, these smaller Christmas trees offer the perfect opportunity to unify your display around a theme. RELATED: The Best Small Christmas Tree Ideas With Big Holiday SpiritMore Holiday Decorating Ideas:Maribeth B JonesDesign DirectorMaribeth B Jones is the Design Director of Country Living where she creates seasonal content full of warmth and playfulness. When shes not wrangling chickens for a cover shoot you can find her collecting vintage oil portraits or flipping pancakes in her sunny, yellow kitchen with her two chatty daughters.