A live agent spends hours each week manually documenting routine interactions. Another combs through multiple knowledge bases to find the right solution, scrambling to piece it together while the customer waits on hold. A third types out the same response theyve written dozens of times before. These repetitive tasks can be draining, leaving less time for meaningful customer interactionsbut generative AI is changing this reality. By automating routine workflows, AI augments the efforts of live agents, freeing them to do what they do best: solving complex problems and applying human understanding and empathy to help customers during critical situations. DOWNLOAD THE REPORT Enterprises are trying to rush to figure out how to implement or incorporate generative AI into their business to gain efficiencies, says Will Fritcher, deputy chief client officer at TP. But instead of viewing AI as a way to reduce expenses, they should really be looking at it through the lens of enhancing the customer experience and driving value. Doing this requires solving two intertwined challenges: empowering live agents by automating routine tasks and ensuring AI outputs remain accurate, reliable, and precise. And the key to both these goals? Striking the right balance between technological innovation and human judgment. A key role in customer support Generative AIs potential impact on customer support is twofold: Customers stand to benefit from faster, more consistent service for simple requests, while also receiving undivided human attention for complex, emotionally charged situations. For employees, eliminating repetitive tasks boosts job satisfaction and reduces burnout.The tech can also be used to streamline customer support workflows and enhance service quality in various ways, including:Automated routine inquiries: AI systems handle straightforward customer requests, like resetting passwords or checking account balances. Real-time assistance: During interactions, AI pulls up contextually relevant resources, suggests responses, and guides live agents to solutions faster. Fritcher notes that TP is relying on many of these capabilities in its customer support solutions. For instance, AI-powered coaching marries AI-driven metrics with human expertise to provide feedback on 100% of customer interactions, rather than the traditional 2% to 4% that was monitored pre-generative AI.Call summaries: By automatically documenting customer interactions, AI saves live agents valuable time that can be reinvested in customer care. Download the full report. This content was produced by Insights, the custom content arm of MIT Technology Review. It was not written by MIT Technology Reviews editorial staff.

Its a stormy holiday weekend, and youve just received the last notification you want in the busiest travel week of the year: The first leg of your flight is significantly delayed. You might expect this means youll be sitting on hold with airline customer service for half an hour. But this time, the process looks a little different: You have a brief text exchange with the airlines AI chatbot, which quickly assesses your situation and places you in a priority queue. Shortly after, a human agent takes over, confirms the details, and gets you rebooked on an earlier flight so you can make your connection. Youll be home in time to enjoy moms pot roast. DOWNLOAD THE REPORT Generative AI is becoming a key component of business operations and customer service interactions today. According to Salesforce research, three out of five workers (61%) either currently use or plan to use generative AI in their roles. A full 68% of these employees are confident that the technologywhich can churn out text, video, image, and audio content almost instantaneouslywill enable them to provide more enriching customer experiences. But the technology isnt a complete solutionor a replacement for human workers. Sixty percent of the surveyed employees believe that human oversight is indispensable for effective and trustworthy generative AI. Generative AI enables people and increases efficiencies in business operations, but using it to empower employees will make all the difference. Its full business value will only be achieved when it is used thoughtfully to blend with human empathy, ingenuity, and emotional intelligence. Generative AI pilots across industries Though the technology is still nascent, many generative AI use cases are starting to emerge. In sales and marketing, generative AI can assist with creating targeted ad content, identifying leads, upselling, cross-selling, and providing real-time sales analytics. When used for internal functions like IT, HR, and finance, generative AI can improve help-desk services, simplify recruitment processes, generate job descriptions, assist with onboarding and exit processes, and even write code. Download the full report. This content was produced by Insights, the custom content arm of MIT Technology Review. It was not written by MIT Technology Reviews editorial staff.

December 20, 20242 min readRun, Lucy, Run! Human Ancestors Could Jog but Not Very Far or Fast3D models ofAustralopithecus afarensishint at the muscular adaptations that made modern humans better runnersBy Gemma Conroy & Nature magazine A sculptor's rendering of the hominid Australopithecus afarensis is displayed as part of an exhibition that includes the 3.2 million year old fossilized remains of "Lucy", the most complete example of the species, at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, August 28, 2007 in Houston, Texas. Dave Einsel/Getty ImagesAncient human relatives ran on two legs, like modern humans, but at a much slower pace, suggest 3D computer simulations of Australopithecus afarensis a small hominin that lived more than three million years ago.The analysis offers a detailed snapshot of the hominins running speed and the muscular adaptations that enabled modern humans to run long distances, says Herman Pontzer, an evolutionary anthropologist at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. Its a very thorough approach, he says. The findings were published this week in Current Biology.A. afarensis walked upright on two legs, making its fossils a favourite for researchers looking to unpick how bipedalism evolved in the human lineage. But few studies have explored the hominins running ability because it requires more than studying fossilized footprints and bones, says study co-author Karl Bates, an evolutionary biomechanics researcher at the University of Liverpool, UK.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.Miceking/Alamy Stock PhotoA slow apeBates and his colleagues created a 3D digital model of the Lucy skeleton a near-complete 3.2-million-year-old A. afarensis specimen discovered in Ethiopia half a century ago. They used the muscular features of modern apes and the surface area of Lucys bones to estimate the ancient hominins muscle mass. The researchers then used a simulator to make their Lucy model run and compared its performance with that of a digital model of a modern human.The simulations showed that Lucy could run on two legs, despite lacking the lengthened Achilles tendon and shortened muscle fibres that are thought to benefit endurance running in modern humans. But speed wasnt Lucys strength: she could reach a maximum of only around five metres per second, even after the researchers remodelled her with human muscles. By contrast, the human model ran at roughly 8 metres per second. Even when the researchers removed body size from their modelling, Lucys running still lagged behind that of modern humans, suggesting that her physical proportions were the main culprit. Even if you jack up all the muscles, she was still slower, says Bates.Next, the researchers assessed whether certain muscles have a role in energy expenditure during running. When they added human-like ankle muscles to the Lucy model, the energy cost was comparable to that of other animals of a similar size. But running became more taxing for Lucy when the team replaced the human ankle muscles with ape ones. This suggests that adaptations in the Achilles tendon and surrounding muscles enable modern humans to run for extended periods.Bates and his colleagues are now planning to investigate whether fatigue and bone strain also influenced Lucys running.This article is reproduced with permission and was first published on December 19, 2024.

The winter mechanical keyboard shootout: four tiny options put to the testIt's time for another roundup. Blog by Reece Bithrey Contributor Published on Dec. 20, 2024 Well, we're into the month of December, and temperatures are beginning to get close to freezing here in old England-land. What I've decided to do, in lieu of the cold weather, is take the time indoors to review some more keyboards, although this time with a focus on smaller choices that are rather interesting. Yes, I really am a nerd.Nonetheless, here are three options and a fun wildcard for you to consider, ranging from a seriously customisable 65 percent choice to a 'board with my favourite layout and some interesting changes and another 65 percent option which revives an important custom option from a decade ago.Drop CSTM65 review: An SFF option with a hot-swappable caseWhiteFox Eclipse review: Reviving one of the most important custom 'boards from a decade agoHHKB Studio review: The legendary Japanese keyboard returns, although with a different everythingWildcard: NCR-80 R2 review: A DIY keyboard kit with retro sensibilitiesDrop CSTM65 review: An SFF option with a hot-swappable case Buy: $99 at Drop (usually $129)First up is the Drop CSTM65, whose name explains pretty much exactly what this 'board is all about - a custom 65 percent choice. It offers the benefit of a smaller form factor layout for both providing more desk space and being on trend, while also coming with the fun of a hot-swappable plastic top case. That's right - the CSTM65's top housing can be replaced simply by taking the case off by lifting upwards to reveal the metal innards beneath. With my sample, Drop sent the keyboard in black, and provided the Overgrowth decorative case to go with it ($35) which can be swapped on in a matter of seconds. It completely changes the look of the keyboard, and is an ingenious and cost-effective way of giving your setup a new look without dropping a lot more on a new keyboard.You also get funky aesthetic choices elsewhere on this standard, fully-assembled model with side-printed ABS keycaps. From the top down, they are blank, meaning you've got to be a competent touch-typist at least, although they can at least be swapped out for other keycaps with more standard legend placement if you'd prefer. These are ABS keycaps, so come with a cheaper feel than the PBT I crave, but nonetheless are decent enough under finger.Connectivity here is purely wired via a USB-C to USB-A cable provided in the box, while inside the CSTM65 in pre-built form comes with either Gateron Yellow KS3 linear or Gateron Brown Pro 3.0 soft-tactile switches. My sample came with the latter. They're a reasonable clone of MX Browns, although the tactility isn't as crisp or present, and with the switches being lubricated, it has had the unfortunate side-effect of dampening the feeling a tad. With this in mind, they are comfortable switches to use for typing and the occasional piece of gaming, although if they aren't what you're after, you can soon change them to other switches with 3 or 5-pin mounting as the CSTM65 is hotswappable. The casing can be swapped out and changed with ease.Acoustics here are also solid with the lubed switches, polycarb case and innards, and the range of sound-dampening foam that lives inside the CSTM65. There isn't any case rattle or ping, and it sounds excellent. The RGB lighting on offer is bright, and with the side-printed keycaps, certainly adds to the overall aesthetic. It is addressable with the CSTM65 supporting both QMK firmware flashing and VIA, as Drop's own online configurator where you can flash firmware choices directly to the keyboard. It is a little fiddly, but makes for powerful customisation. The side-mounted legends are interesting, although a little difficult to read.In its prebuilt form, the Drop CSTM65 is going to run you $129, which for a mechanical choice with this much customisation, is rather decent value for money. Not many keyboards offer as much modularity as the CSTM65 without you paying a fair bit more, and if that's what you're after, this is an excellent keyboard.WhiteFox Eclipse review: Reviving one of the most important custom 'boards from a decade ago Buy: The WhiteFox Eclipse may not be the first keyboard that comes to mind when it comes to talking about some of the most important keyboards of all time. That discussion is usually reserved for the IBM Model F or M (and usually brought up with its mention of well-made clones). However, I'd argue, as Alpaca Keyboards (the folks behind the Whitefox Eclipse) would, that Matt3o's Brown Fox is one of the most.Allow me to explain - the WhiteFox Eclipse is a modern reproduction of one of the first custom keyboards developed from the ground up from a member of the mechanical keyboard hobbyist community - namely Matt3o on Deskthority. You might have heard of Matt3o before - he used to collaborate with Drop/Massdrop on a range of keycaps, with some of his designs still stocked. Back in 2013, he set out to build a custom keyboard from the ground up, opting to go for an laser cut acrylic case; hand-soldered, plate mounted MX switches (MX Blues for the main keys, MX Red for arrow keys and MX Green for the space bar) aluminium plate and some lovely brown keycaps, christening it the Brown Fox. Matt3o's original Brown Fox - the original behind this new keyboard.From there, the keyboard was launched in collaboration with Massdrop and Input Club in 2015 with some tweaks, known as the White Fox, which became the most-backed keyboard on Massdrop at the time, and popularised a form of the 65 percent layout that has since become a favourite for enthusiasts. The interesting part comes a couple of years later when Alpaca, the makers of the new Whitefox Eclipse, was established by former members of Massdrop's mechanical keyboards team, who then set out to make a new version of the Whitefox keyboard. After a few years of development, the WhiteFox Eclipse was brought to market.The similarities between the old WhiteFox from Massdrop and the new Eclipse model here are mostly cosmetic, with the same clean white finish, a similar 'TrueFox' 68 percent layout with a nav cluster and arrow keys on the right hand side, and the same Cherry profile dye-sub PBT keycaps. It results in a keyboard that looks gorgeous and wonderfully modern. The 'TrueFox' layout is unique here, offering a clever blend of 65 and 75 percent 'boards.My sample is the plastic case version, although you can also get it with an aluminium case, much like the Massdrop version. It's reasonably sturdy, although comes with some flex under pressure. By default, the WhiteFox Eclipse is a tall and flat keyboard with the case being quite thick and with it coming with full-size switches. This means it can be quite difficult to use without it being raised up to a more comfortable angle. To this end, I'm especially grateful for the magnetic feet that are provided in the box.On the older Massdrop version, you got a serious amount of choice with the switches inside the WhiteFox. In total, there were 11 to pick from with a range which were the most popular among users of Massdrop at the time. You had a choice of more standard options such as Cherry MX Red, Blue, and Brown, alongside their Gateron clone counterparts, as well as odder options from the MX lineup that are rare even now - MX Green, Clear and White. You also got Gateron Green and Clear options, as well as Zealios switches, which were Gateron soft tactile switches that offered a similar force to MX Clears, a higher actuation point, and a supposedly even smoother actuation. Gateron Yellows are the switch of choice here.With the Eclipse version here, things are a lot simpler. This keyboard comes with pre-lubed Gateron Yellows inside, which are a 50g linear switch that feel especially smooth under finger. Unlike other Gateron choices in the past, these have a consistent, responsive keypress which felt excellent to use when typing up plenty of words in articles and such. Their lubrication also allowed for fantastic acoustics alongside the presence of a lot of poron foam inside the case for dampening. If these switches aren't to your liking though, the WhiteFox Eclipse is hot-swappable. That's one benefit of this newer version against the Massdrop option.This keyboard is also gasket-mounted, which has become a standard feature on a lot of prebuilt mechanical choices these days, lending the typing feel to have a slightly bouncier and perceivably more responsive feel against other options. It works in the Eclipse's favour, offering a comfortable experience, all things considered. Even the underside is especially clean.Connectivity is handled by Bluetooth connectivity on up to 3 devices, with pairing on each channel handled by holding down the Fn and Q, W or E keys respectively. The WhiteFox Eclipse also plays nicely on both Windows and macOS and worked without an issue on both OSes in my testing. For macOS use, there are also Mac-specific keycaps included in the box, alongside blue-coloured and Fox accent keys to stay true to the original, a keycap and switch puller, a double-ended spudger for accessing the keyboard's innards and a fantastic quality braided USB-C to USB-A charging cable.Alpaca rates the WhiteFox Eclipse's 4000mAh battery to last for around 90 hours on a charge. This is pretty solid overall, and means you'll be able to go for a good couple of weeks before needing to charge it back up again. That 90 hour runtime is also with the RGB lighting on, which is great. Turn it off, and this extends all way to 10 days. The RGB lighting is simple, but effective.There isn't any additional software here, with customisation limited to changing the RGB lighting mode through a series of keyboard shortcuts. There are a range to choose from, with most of them displaying colours of the rainbow in a slightly different patterns, although some only do this in red and white, or a different shade of blue. You can use Fn and M to change the pattern, and Fn and K to cycle through different colours for the pattern. There is single colour backlighting contained within these settings, although isn't as easy to access as with actual software.The WhiteFox Alpaca is an interesting successor to the original choice, adding some modern functional touches to one of the most important custom keyboards of the last decade. The market may have shifted a fair bit since the original version's release, but there's no doubt that this reimagined version still holds up in 2024.HHKB Studio review: The legendary Japanese keyboard returns, although with a different everything Buy: I've been using an HHKB Professional Hybrid Type-S, which is one of our favourite small form factor keyboards, on and off for the last 18 months. On its own, the HHKB is an expensive Japanese cult sensation known for its electro-capacitive switches which are unlike anything else, and its odd layout. The HHKB Studio is the PFU Corporation's attempt to offer a first-party HHKB for the more normal mechanical keyboard enthuisast - allow me to explain.There are two big differences with this new Studio model against the normal models, the first of which is its choice of switches. As opposed to opting for the classic Topre electro-capacitive options inside, the Studio uses silent linear switches from Kalih with a 45g actuation force. They were surprisingly smooth to type on and felt responsive for day-to-day working, although I still prefer electro-capacitives in my normal HHKB. They just have a crisper keypress because of their unique tactility that you miss out on with linears such as in the HHKB Studio, but the Kalih switches inside felt excellent for office work while also being super quiet.The other big difference against the normal HHKB is the addition of a trackpoint slap bang in the middle of the alphanumeric keys. The trackpoint is recognisable for being in the sea of IBM and Lenovo ThinkPads across from the 1990s to today, as well as other laptops from that era. It was a patented tech by Lenovo in 1997, although with its expiry, it has made its way into other products, such as the HHKB Studio. In essence, it is a pointing stick that offers a way of moving your mouse cursor without the need for a mouse. Yep, that's a trackpoint.It takes some getting used to, and you do have to be precise with it, but the trackpoint is a reasonably useful addition to the HHKB Studio's arsenal. There are also gesture pads around the bottom of the Studio for making tasks such as scrolling easier, as well as dedicated mouse buttons below the space bar for left, middle and right click. That's an interesting addition, and one I did find myself using a fair bit - more than I thought I would, admittedly.Along with the trackpoint, the HHKB Studio also bundles in some interesting gesture pads, which allow you to use the sides of the board's chassis for commands such as increasing and decreasing volume, or scrolling through a web page. It's an interesting addition here, although not one I found myself using too much due to its unfamiliarity compared to a traditional rotary dial.It's worth discussing the HHKB layout just before I move on, as it looks a bit weird. It's all thanks to a collaboration between Japanese computer scientist Eiiti Wada and the PFU Corporation, the Japanese firm that makes the HHKB. Wada wanted a layout that would work with the range of different operating systems and computers he used in the mid 1990s. What resulted is a very comfortable layout with some small, but worthwhile modifications, such as moving the Ctrl key to where Caps Lock would normally be to reduce the distance your fingers need to travel for performing common functions such as Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V, removing the key between Backspace and Enter to make it easier to hit both of them, and moving the Function key to a row above its placement on a traditional keyboard. It's a unique layout, but one that's especially comfortable to use.The HHKB Studio also works without a hitch on Windows and macOS, although comes with macOS keycaps by default - as an aside, the dye-sub PBT keycaps here are some of the best I've used. There is multi-point Bluetooth with it being able to connect to up to four devices at once, with pairing a breeze thanks to a key combo. There isn't any USB receiver action here though, although having Bluetooth is arguably easier. I certainly had no trouble.Software comes in the form of the HHKB Studio Keymap too, which allows you to remap keys, as well as add functions to dedicated keys, such as enabling the gesture pads' functionality with a modifier key. In addition, there are also several function layers to program keys on to provide a fair amount of flexibility. It may not be as powerful as VIA, but the software is quite useful. The only issue is that it has to be used when the HHKB Studio is plugged in, which has you reaching for the cable if you want to remap any keys.Then there's the price - you might want to make sure you're sitting up for this. The HHKB Studio is yours for 325/$329, which is hilariously expensive for a niche keyboard. It's only something I'd recommend if it's what you're really after. Personally, I like the HHKB Studio, but then I am kind of the target market. For everyone else, if you want the HHKB experience in layout only with more customisation choices, this is great, but for everyone else, get a more 'standard' HHKB. You'll thank me later.Wildcard: NCR-80 R2 review: A DIY keyboard kit with retro sensibilities Buy: I usually include a wildcard, or odder, choice in these roundups if you want to consider something that's even more niche than the three choices above for small form factor keyboards. Allow me to introduce you to the NCR-80 R2.On its own, it's a TKL mechanical keyboard kit that you can purchase in barebones form with a PCB, stabilisers and case. There aren't any switches or keycaps included, so you will need to purchase these separately.In a world where mechanical keyboard design has become increasingly zany, bright and perhaps a bit wacky in some cases, the NCR-80 might seem a little boring. There is a good reason for this, though. This beige plastic case is designed to mimic the older Cherry G80 and G81-3000 models from the 1990s, and does so admirably. Having used my fair share of G80-3000s old and new (my very first mechanical 'board was one with MX Blues), I can safely say that the NCR-80 nails it, and arguably improves on those late-era versions with an injection moulded plastic frame that suffers from no flex whatsoever. It also leans into the G80-3000's look with bright green functioning lock lights in the top right corner, a lovely NCR logo in the opposing corner, and a totally-not Cherry label on the reverse. How good does this look? Seriously.Of course, as a more modern take, you get benefits such as a USB-C port for wired connectivity, while there is full QMK and VIA support for controlling key functionality and programming on different layers. The PCB inside is also hot-swappable, and you can have whichever switches you want in here, as long as they're 3 or 5 pin. You will have to supply your own though, as this is just the chassis, PCB and stabilisers.The very kind folks at MechBoards UK sent this over, and specced it out with some TTC Golden Blues. I felt like it had to be something clicky because it leans into the romanticised era of loud keyboards that the G80-3000 was born into back in 1988. These are 37g tactile switches with a total travel of 3.5mm, making them lighter and snappier than your standard MX Blues. I found them quite comfortable to use for writing up all sorts of content, and being a lighter switch, you could conceivably use them for gaming, if you're a madman. Nonetheless, the Golden Blues in here fitted well with the feel of the NCR-80, as do the lovely beige keycaps provided, which round off the look wonderfully. TTC Golden Blues for lots of clicky goodness.I may swap the switches out down the line for a spare bag of MX Black Clear Tops that I've got in storage somewhere. Those are part of the recent series of 'official' MX reissues that included proper versions of the MX Ergo Clear community mod, and the revival of the MX Orange. Clear Top Blacks, or Nixies as they're affectionately known, were initially made for a run of keyboards produced by Nixdorf in the 1980s, so I feel they'd fit well in here, but that's for another day.The thing with the NCR-80 is is that it isn't one of these kits that cost an arm and a leg. At 120/$90 online, it's one of the more 'affordable' ones I've come across, and one that blends wonderful retro charm with livable features and fantastic customisation in a lovely overall package. If you can get one, it's definitely worth it.So, there you have it. Four reviews of some small form factor keyboards I've indulged in testing over the last few months. If you've got any recommendations for other products for Will or I to test, feel free to drop them in the comments below or pester me on Twitter @RBithrey or on Bluesky @rbithrey.bsky.social.

Whether your visions of merriment are glitz and glam or more muted, these holiday decorating ideas from design tastemakers are sure to delightand inspire. This winter, Auberge Resorts Collection has partnered with leading designers and brands to infuse its portfolio of properties with some seasonal spirit. As part of Wonderland by Auberge, creatives including Bronson Van Wyck, Ken Fulk, Nathan Turner, and Lela Rose drew inspiration from each of the properties surroundings and histories while putting their own signature spin on seasonal decor. Below, find six trends and more than 20 holiday decorating ideas that emerged from their merry-makingwhich can seamlessly transfer to at-home decorating.Coastal GlamAt the Vanderbilt in Newport, Rhode Island, Van Wyck channeled Gilded Age opulence with sumptuous Brunschwig & Fils textiles and showstopping trees. One tree is enveloped in metallic tinsel and crowned with a sparkling monogrammed topper, while the other offers a whimsical tribute to the seaside setting with lacquered coral branches, messages in bottles, shells, and glitter-encrusted crustaceans. I couldnt resist Alfred Vanderbilts story, a life brimming with drama, affairs, and infamy, says the event planner. Newports rich nautical past, combined with Vanderbilts brushes with historynarrowly escaping the Titanic, only to meet his untimely end aboard the Lusitaniaserved as inspiration for the marine-themed tree standing proudly in The Vanderbilts grand foyer. Houses & Parties founder Rebecca Gardner also took a glamorous approach to coastal decor for the tree at the Dunlin, near Charleston, South Carolina, which features sea green ornaments, faux coral branches, garlands of pearls, feathered accents, and a birds nest on top.Handicraft MomentsSeveral designers went for an artisanal feel with handcrafted trees and decorations. French firm Pierre Frey created life-size paper trees, which offered a minimalist contrast to the elegant surroundings at Domaine des Etangs in the French countryside. Presents at the base of the trees are wrapped in the companys wallpaper, perfectly matching the surrounding interiors. Meanwhile, in Costa Rica, artist Daniela Monge of Entre Nudos wove macram decorations and installations for the festivities at Hacienda Altagracia, including a towering macram tree. Lela Rose added a handcrafted touch to her tree at Bowie House in Fort Worth, Texas, incorporating paper star ornaments. The designer accented the tree with a reversible tree skirt featuring the designers Reyrosa toile (with a black gingham backside) and packages wrapped in neutral paper and tied up in black satin ribbon. The romantically draped ribbons and bows continue at Auberges Wildflower Farms in Hudson Valley, New York, and Primland in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. At Wildflower Farms, landscape designer Lily Kwong created an installation of native evergreens with cascading green and gold ribbons, evoking the custom of Wishing Trees. Leather goods company Ghurka incorporated chestnut and red leather bows in the tree, wreaths, and garlands in Primlands Great Hall.Merry and BrightWhile some designers kept it classic with red-and-green color schemes, some of the tastemakers chose less traditional palettes. Mexican art and design studio Mestiz collaborated with three of Auberges luxury resorts in MexicoChileno Bay Resort, Etreo, and Susurros del Corazncreating vibrant woven-wicker installations unique to each property. As a whole and individually, the installations celebrate the unexpected yet deeply symbiotic connection between Mexicos three seasthe Sea of Corts, the Pacific Ocean, and the Caribbean Seaand a singular native flora distinct to each property: pink bougainvillea for Chileno Bay Resort, purple trumpet for Etreo, and red tabachn for Susurros del Corazn, says Daniel Valero, founder of Mestiz. Colorful installations can also be found at Solage in Napa Valley, where Bay Area artist Angela Johal created a rainbow-hued tree of glassware by Estelle Colored Glass.All Buttoned UpCozy textiles are a focal point at properties across the country. Heather Taylor Home evoked tradition with gingham stockings and plaid chain garlands hung by the fire at The Inn at Matteis Tavern in Los Olivos, California. Bishops Lodge in Santa Fe partnered with luxury fashion house Zazi on the redesign of the propertys Valley View Suite, which showcases the companys handwoven textiles. And over on the East Coast, Turner put a Scandinavian twist on holiday style at Kennebunk, Maines White Barn Inn. The designer decked the hotels halls with whimsical table linens and stockings printed with woodland creatures.Forest FanciesTurner wasnt the only designer to draw inspiration from nature. Fulk created an eye-catching pine cone garland over the arched entrance to the Commodore Perry Estate in Austin. Inside, the AD100 designer used dried citrus in the garlands, wreaths, and trees that decorate the Mansion Living Room. And Markarian designer Alexandra O'Neill incorporated citrus, pomegranates, and dried flowers into the beautifully textured garlands that adorn the mantles at the Mayflower Inn & Spa in Washington, Connecticut. Terra-cotta pots of paperwhites and amaryllis greet guests in the lobby and the cozy Tap Room.Open-Air FestivitiesThe festive decor isnt limited to the interiors. Several collaborations brought the holiday spirit outdoors for celebrations in the snow or by the surf. Max Mara partnered with Aspens historic Hotel Jerome to devise a winter wonderland inside and out, including the Max Mara Holiday Caf in the Winter Garden. Guests can sip hot chocolate and cozy up in the seating area furnished with firepits and seating topped with the fashion labels luxe pillows and throws. After a day on the slopes, guests at Goldener Hirsch in Deer Valley, Utah, can enjoy an aprs-ski cocktail on the hotels patio, which has been outfitted by skiwear brand Perfect Moment with cozy pillows and red Adirondack chairsa nod to the resorts bright-red front door. And at Esperanza in Cabo San Lucas, design collective Onora brings the festivities to the beach with an outdoor dining and lounge area furnished with pieces by local artisans.

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Welcome to Startups Weekly your weekly recap of everything you cant miss from the world of startups. Want it in your inbox every Friday? Sign up here.This week was full of news, likely because it is also the last real week of 2024. Which is another way for us to say goodbye for now, and see you in 2025!Most interesting startup stories from the weekImage Credits:We Are / Getty ImagesThis week brought us some M&As, but also some reminders that its always worth looking closer at things, whether thats prospective LPs or shiny announcements.Clean capital: More than 20 VC firms, many of which invest in defense tech, signed the Clean Capital Certification, self-attesting that they have not and will not take money from U.S. geopolitical adversaries such as China and Russia.Have-nots: The AI hype is distorting aggregate VC data. Digging deeper, the fundraising landscape is radically different for non-AI startups, and many that raised a Series A round 18 months ago are likely facing challenges in raising Series B funding, Tribeca Venture Partners co-founder Brian Hirsch told TechCrunch.Big deal with caveats: Nuclear startup Oklo, which is backed by Sam Altman, signed a massive but nonbinding agreement with data center operator Switch. The deal is also subject to the startup receiving approval from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission after having its previous application denied in 2022.AI productivity: Grammarly is acquiring productivity startup Coda to expand its scope. In an unusual move, Coda CEO and co-founder Shishir Mehrotra will become the new CEO of Grammarly, replacing Rahul Roy-Chowdhury, who will move on to an adviser role.Informed answers: Perplexity acquired Carbon, a Seattle-based startup that connects LLMs to external data before they generate an answer. This could help Perplexity tap into internal databases, cloud storage, or document repositories, the company said.Most interesting fundraises this weekImage Credits:Agave Games (opens in a new window)As startups rushed to disclose their latest fundraising news before the holidays, there were plenty of deal announcements this week.Mammoth pre-IPO round: Databricks raised $10 billion in one of the largest rounds in VC history. The mammoth Series J might be its last fundraiser before its highly anticipated IPO; but while its CEO isnt ruling it out for 2025, it could also be in 2026, he said.Africas latest unicorn: South African fintech Tyme Group raised a $250 million Series D round. Led by Nu Holdings, the parent company of Latin American fintech Nubank, it put Tymes valuation at $1.5 billion.Ring maker: Finnish wearable startup Oura raised a $200 million Series D funding round at a $5.2 billion valuation. It included participation from Fidelity Management and glucose device makerDexcom, with which Oura recently entered a partnership.Travel is back: Canadian travel startup Hostaway, which makes software for vacation rental operators, raised $365 million at a $925 million valuation. The round was led by General Atlantic and will help the company double down on growth.Momentum for accessibility: Evinced, which helps companies comply with online accessibility requirements, raised a $55 million Series C round to expand into Europe, where new regulations will take effect in June.Fast funding: AI startup Decart, which is based in San Francisco but with operations in Israel, secured $32 million in fresh funding at a $500 million valuation, a mere two months after coming out of stealth.Find the money: Agave Games, the Turkish startup behind highly entertaining mobile game Find the Cat, raised an $18 million Series A round of funding it will use to build out its team and work on upcoming titles.Most interesting VC and fund news this weekImage Credits:Axelle/Bauer-Griffin / FilmMagic / Getty ImagesPendulum swing: Marcy Venture Partners, Jay-Zs VC firm, merged with Pendulum Opportunities to form MarcyPen Capital Partners, which now has $900 million in assets under management.Going backstage: Backstage Capital founder Arlan Hamilton announced that shes moving on to an advisory role; 360 Venture Collective will be acquiring a significant stake in Backstages management entity and joining in co-managing operators and providing capital for the firm, which previously faced criticism and struggles.Vote of confidence: G2 Venture Partners, a spinout of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers investing in climate and sustainability startups, is raising $750 million for a third fund that would confirm LP bullishness for its thesis.Last but not leastImage Credits:Bryce Durbin / TechCrunchWere leaving you with a list of the 51 most disruptive startups of 2024 a collective effort with contributions from several members of the TechCrunch team. Go read it, and happy holidays!

In BriefPosted:10:54 AM PST December 20, 2024Image Credits:Akio Kon/Bloomberg / Getty ImagesNvidia clears regulatory hurdle to acquire Run:aiChip company Nvidia gets the green light from the European Union to complete its acquisition of Run:ai.The EU came to a unanimous decision today that Nvidia could go ahead with its acquisition of Israeli GPU orchestration platform Run:ai, according to reporting from Bloomberg. The European Commission determined that if the merger went through, other hardware options compatible with Nvidia would still be available on the market and thus this company combination would not create a monopoly.Despite the EU approval, though, the deal is still being held up by the Department of Justice in the U.S. and its unclear when/if it will be approved.Still, this is likely welcome news to other AI startups with acquisition and acqui-hire aspirations, as it shows consolidation is welcome in the AI market at least for now.While the deal terms werent disclosed, the purchase price is estimated to be around $700 million, according to Bloombergs reporting that cites local Israeli media. The deal was originally announced in April.Topics

Google said Friday that the company is expanding Geminis latest in-depth research mode to 40 more languages.The company launched the in-depth research mode earlier this month, allowing Google One AI premium plan users to unlock an AI-powered research assistant of sorts. The in-depth function works in a multi-step method, from creating a research plan to finding relevant information. Then, based on that information, the tool performs a search again to extract knowledge. After repeating that process a few times, it creates a report.Geminis supported languages include Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Danish, French, German, Gujarati, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Kannada, Korean, Malayalam, Marathi, Polish, Portuguese, Swahili, Spanish, Tamil, Telugu, Thani, Ukrainian, and Urdu. The challenge for Google is to find reliable sources in a particular language, and then summarize it in the native language without messing up the grammar.In conversation with TechCrunch in early December, HyunJeong Choe, director of engineering for the Gemini app, said that while the company trains the model using clean data and trustworthy sources, Googles AI overviews in native languages like Hindi tend to have inaccuracies in summaries.We generally rely on native sources of the data, and we also use Google search on the back end to ground that information. Additionally, we run evaluations and fact-checks in native language data before rolling out the model, Choe said.Factuality or getting correct information is a well-known research problem for generative AI in general. While the model has a lot of information in the pre-training mode already, we are focusing on training the model to use the information in the right way, Choe said.Jules Walter, product lead for international markets for the Gemini app, said that the company has testing programs to get quality checks from native perspectives. He mentioned that the company generates data to train models. Plus, local teams review those datasets too.Earlier this week, TechCrunch reported that a contracting firm working to improve Gemini by rating responses passed down guidelines from Google that contractors were no longer allowed to skip prompt responses, irrespective of their expertise.After that report was published, a Google spokesperson said that contractors not only rate answers for content but also look at style, format, and other factors.TechCrunch has an AI-focused newsletter!Sign up hereto get it in your inbox every Wednesday.

Autodesk Universitys annual Autodesk Design & Make Platform conference in San Diego boasted plenty of new tech and software updates for animators, modelers and other digital artists and technologists to get excited about. From the buildings we live in to the products we use and the movies that inspire us, Autodesk has always been at the forefront of infrastructure and creativity for entertainment as well as the economy.While the conference hosted in-person and virtual panel sessions focused on preserving history with VR, the future of manufacturing and the frontier of film, TV and design, their Media & Entertainment Industry Keynote invited head of characters for Mikros Animations Mutant Mayhem Gespard Roch, Wonder Studio co-founder Nikola Todorovic, Digital Fish CEO Dan Herman, and others to discuss new creative solutions to animation work pipelines and how AI can be a valuable asset to a production, rather than an unwanted threat.Leona Frank, director of Media & Entertainment marketing at Autodesk, opened the hour-long panel with how story, more than any technology, is pivotal in making sure any project is successful. In her words, Storytelling is the uniquely human aspect that each of us brings to our work. It will never be replaced by any technology. But we use technology to help us release the stories from our imagination into the world. Productions like Inside Out 2 and Shgun are raising the bar. It's quality over quantity. It's visual effects that let the story take center stage. Today, we'll share with you how Autodesk is meeting the moment. We're lowering the barriers to good storytelling. For modelers, the storytellers behind the scenes responsible for defining each narrative and making them memorable, Autodesk has rolled out significant performance updates in 3ds Max.The Boolean Modifier, which combines objects into a single mesh, is now 50 percent faster, and the expansive Array Modifier, which lets you create arrays using multiple distribution methods, is now 200% faster.So, no matter if you're crafting the busy streets of the cyberpunk city or the desert landscape of your next big racing game, you can achieve more in less time, says Frank. And our efficiency updates arent just for modelers. For all the motion graphics or visualization artists out there, we've added support for SVG files in 3ds Max. This means no more manual, time consuming conversion of vector graphics. Now, if you're importing designs, like a logo or 2D illustrations, they'll be ready for use in your scene the second they're loaded, freeing you up on valuable time.Autodesk also continues to invest in open standards like OpenUSD by integrating them across their tools so you can collaborate and manage productions more easily. Universal Scene Description (commonly referred to as OpenUSD), is the most robust open-source software for data interchange within 3D scenes. This highly collaborative system can contain many different asset sources and is becoming the standard for 3D visual media production, architecture, design, manufacturing (US site) and other industries. With the latest update, users can now use USD cameras in the 3ds Max viewport box, select and edit prints in the USD Explorer and manage USD data with new controllers. One of the features of 3ds Max that makes it so popular with creatives is the flexible plugin architecture that allows users to create their own customizations and share them with the rest of the community. One example Frank referenced is tyFlows tyDiffusion, which brings Stable Diffusion right inside 3ds Max so different moods and artistic styles can be explored and then applied directly to 3D objects. It can be used to generate AI images and animations using a variety of ControlNets, LoRAs, prompt styles and other techniques, right in the viewport.Eloi Andaluz Fulla, a professional VFX artist, has been a beta tester for this tech and recently shared his experiences using not only tyFlow, but also the new 3ds Max update, Max 2025.3. The update includes bug fixes and the introduction to OpenPBR, the new material standard developed between Autodesk and Adobe, that will, in Fullas opinion, help compatibility between all Autodesk and Adobe software, making it easier to move materials around looking exactly the same.For animators using Maya, Frank announced Autodesks redesigned Dope Sheet in Maya, complementing the Graph Editor by letting animators make large scale timing adjustments to scenes. The hope is this, in turn, makes refining those moments faster and more intuitive. And Position Mode lets users post characters in just a few clicks while Channel Sets brings customizable color palettes and visual indicators to help you organize animation changes more easily.We know that animation is all in the details and that subtle change in a character's expression, like a slight eyebrow raise, can convey 1,000 words, says Frank. So, we are introducing powerful features to help elevate your craft and save time along the way. And yes, its dope. Another time saving improvement is Maya's advanced Motion Trails, which now support moving cameras and include new draw styles to visualize things, like velocity, in a scene. These Motion Trails are also now up to 100 times faster.The French studio Mikros Animation, known for the most recent Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie and Paw Patrol film series, is using Autodesk Maya across their character pipeline, especially in character modeling, grooming and rigging.It's a software that is simple to use and very customizable, shares Mikros Animations Gespar Roch. It actually allows us to have that creativity in our films and with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, we were easily able to create set animation to create those lines, to create hand drawn lines, and then lines that were projected in the CG space. Maya allowed us to really go beyond what we've done before, to actually create diverse projects and unleash our creativity through all the different creative styles that we have in our studio.For productions with teams spread across various time zones, that's where Autodesks production management tools come in. With efficient collaboration at the center of its inspiration, Flow Production Tracking is designed to help dispersed teams effectively track projects and optimize resources. And Flow Generative Scheduling, powered by Autodesk AI and connected with Flow Production Tracking, teams can automate the creation of different scheduling scenarios and explore how they impact production.It lets you make critical decisions in minutes, notes Frank. Where Flow Production Tracking connects production and creative teams in post, Flow Capture bridges the gap between production and post production, helping teams review footage seconds after capture and allowing them to get feedback from stakeholders during production.This year, we reimagined Flow Captures user experience, putting your media assets right where you need them, says Frank. It is now much simpler to find, access and review media all from one central place, and we'll be taking things a step further by building integrations to streamline the editing process. Editors will find a Flow Capture panel directly in Avid, making importing dailies faster. No more dealing with servers or hard drives slowing you down. With a simple drag and drop, you'll be able to bring footage into Avid and easily pull cuts and timelines back into Flow Capture. This is something many of you have been asking for, so we are so excited to be bringing it to you soon.Earlier this year, Autodesk acquired PIX, a leading collaboration and asset sharing service, and the partnership has already garnered a first integration with Flow Capture.At its heart, Flow is a data model, one that can represent all of your data and in a consistent way so that can be shared throughout the entire production process, from onset to editorial to post, and all between applications, whether they are Autodesks or from third parties, says Maurice Patel, VP of M&E Strategy at Autodesk. On top of that data model is an asset management system, one that keeps track of your data, no matter where it is or who is using it. Now, as productions get bigger and more complex, it becomes harder for one part of the production to know what the other part is doing.Connecting different teams and artists from around the world is becoming a more mainstream part of production. Enter Animating in Context, a new Flow capability coming to Maya. Today, when animating in Maya, you can only see the shot you're working on, says Patel. Wouldn't it be great if you could actually see what was happening before and after the shot you were working on and had more context? By connecting data from Avid to Maya using Flow, with Flow Production Tracking as the go-between, Maya users will see a timeline with the shots occurring before and after the one they are working on. With this context, you can better fine tune your animation and keep it in sync with the surrounding shots. This will help avoid continuity errors in the scene. By helping artists better understand the editor's creative intent, we make it easier for them to deliver higher quality content.Providing more context isnt just important for animators, its also vital for live-action filmmakers and VFX artists. Digital Fish, an innovative technology company focused on digital media and building immersive content for companies like Pixar, Disney, LEGP and NASA, is working on bringing previsualization and vision OS on top of the Flow graph right into the hands of the director.With a laser scanner in their hands, GPS, spatial video and an augmented reality lens, we wanted to see what we could do with the device in your hand and the power of the cloud, says Digital Fishs Herman. What they ended up with was On Site, a service for streamlined VFX production that connects AR capable mobile devices with Flow, enabling live-action virtual production in the field with minimal infrastructure. Filmmakers can simulate what a scene will look like and make adjustments as they film.It offers to all content creators the high end VFX simulation and compute capabilities previously available only to the larger studios, says Herman, who says it took five months to develop the tech, now ready to use. Patel adds, There's so much to be excited about, whether it's connecting workflows or teams or building new capabilities. Flow will enhance your pipeline, making production more efficient and more collaborative. Our goal is to make your life just a little bit, if not a lot easier by empowering you as storytellers.Another technology that will do just that is AI.Wonder Dynamics (an Autodesk company) just recently announced the beta launch of Wonder Animation, which is powered by Video to 3D Scene technology that enables artists to shoot a scene with any camera, in any location, and turn the sequence into an animated scene with CG characters in a 3D environment with fully editable elements (animation, character, environment, lighting, and camera tracking data) in their preferred software, such as Maya, Blender or Unreal.Wonder Animation, now available to all Wonder Studio users, aims to bring artists closer to producing fully animated films, while enabling the artist to retain full creative control unlike other generative AI tools that rely on automated outputs.See the demo here: https://youtu.be/xad1ajxln28Its been five months since we joined Autodesk, and the time spent has only reinforced that the foundational Wonder Dynamics vision aligns perfectly with Autodesk's longstanding commitment to advancing the Media & Entertainment industry through innovation, says Wonder Dynamics co-founder Todorovic. Together, we believe in using artificial intelligence (AI) more intentionally to enhance creativity and efficiency, so artists can spend more time on the creative aspects of storytelling. Rachael Appleton, Sr. Director for M&E Business Strategy at Autodesk, adds, The team is about to release a beta showcasing new underlying technology that will show how new models like motion prediction enable entirely new workflows in Wonder Studio. So, stay tuned for more announcements after AU. Victoria Davis is a full-time, freelance journalist and part-time Otaku with an affinity for all things anime. She's reported on numerous stories from activist news to entertainment. Find more about her work at victoriadavisdepiction.com.