Justice for Rost Horizon: Zero Dawn gets the graphical remaster a modern classic deserves This is how to do a remaster. Nate Anderson Dec 20, 2024 3:10 pm | 47 Just look at that fog! Credit: Sony Just look at that fog! Credit: Sony Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreAt their best, "remastered" video games keep terrific older titles viable on new generations of hardware and for new generations of fans. At their worst, they can feel like a cash-in.So it was with some trepidation that I recently fired up the "remastered" Horizon: Zero Dawn, a game which won me over years ago with its PS4 version due to the simple fact that it was ONE OF THE BEST VIDEO GAMES OF ALL TIME and featured ONE OF THE BEST PROTAGONISTS OF ALL TIME in one of the BEST STORIES OF ALL TIME. (Yes, I like superlatives, which are some of the BEST WORDS OF ALL TIME. But the game world really was terrific.) Even my kids were won over, playing through the game and its sequel multiple times.The game tells the story of a future Earth long after catastrophein the form of an autonomous robotic swarmhas ruined the planet. But it's not mere dystopia, though one does come across many wrecked and overgrown spaces from that earlier age. Horizon instead focuses on how humans, having lost most of their past knowledge, rebuilt a world in tribal fashion, a world populated by animal-inspired machines. The game's story operates ambitiously in two timelines and features massive killer robots, cults, and mad Sun Kings, all set against the gorgeous background of the American West.If the original Horizon had a flaw, it was long load times. As one redditor succinctly put it, "These load times are butt, huh?" Indeed they were. Extremely butt, in fact.The payoff was a gorgeous open world with such distinctive art direction that the developer put out a hardcover book showcasing the design work that went into the game. (Yes, I bought it, because it was about ONE OF THE BEST GAMES OF ALLwell, you get it.)But that amazing graphic design, as good as it looked when it appeared on the PS4, was a tiny bit dated as the years passed, especially when its just-as-gorgeous sequel came out on the PS5. The story and gameplay in the first title were still amazing, but it was disappointing not to be able to play both parts of ONE OF THE BEST GAMES..., etc, in identical visual glory.So when Sony put out the recent "remaster" of Zero Dawn, I was cautiously optimistic. Any sort of non-half-assed PS5 reworking ought to reduce load times, right? Machines make it hard to enjoy the view. Machines make it hard to enjoy the view. So many more people in the towns. It's starting to feel a bit crowded! So many more people in the towns. It's starting to feel a bit crowded! Everything about the game looks good. Everything about the game looks good.So many more people in the towns. It's starting to feel a bit crowded!Everything about the game looks good.I meant to dip into the world of Zero Dawn only for a few hours, but I ended up playing through the whole game and its expansion, The Frozen Wilds, over the last few weeks. The arrow-based gameplay, complex story, and voice acting were still terrific, and the remastered elements were far more than a simple cash-in. Even little things, like the way the adaptive triggers on the PS5 controllers mimic the tension of a bowstring, felt perfect.I didn't expect to get sucked back into the game's world for so many hours, but I had a great time doing it and wanted to spread the good word for those who might be looking for an engaging single-player experience over the holidays.Big changesWhen it comes to major changes, the remaster has three.First, the game loads fast. It feels like a ground-up PS5 title. Deathand its attendant reloadsno longer makes me want to throw my controller across the room during difficult battles. It's great.Second, the game looks unbelievable. This is not a case of just upping the resolution to 4K and calling it a day. Sony claims that the game features "over 10 hours of re-recorded conversation, mocap and countless graphical improvements that bring the game to the same visual fidelity as its critically acclaimed sequel." Also, the game's characters have "been upgraded, bringing them in line with current generation advances in character models and rendering."This is not just marketing fluff. The faces look incredible, even in close-up cinematic interludes, but what really caught my eye was the lighting. From the moment a young Aloy spelunks into a cave and finds an electronic gadget attached to a skeleton lying peacefully in a sunbeam, the revamped lighting engine makes its presence clear. No, it's not "realistic"everything looks like a postcard shot. But I found myself pausing the game just to look at the sunlight scattered by a snowstorm or dawn breaking over a mountain range. The lighting interacts with a volumetric set of effects that bring fog and dust devils to life like few other games I've seen. When Aloy tramps through a winter squall, leaving footsteps in the mountain snow as she walks, the effect is magical. (Until a Glinthawk swoops in, screaming, and attacks.)The populated areas, especially the major town of Meridian, also feel vastly improved. The game engine appears to have far more power available to it now, and that power has been devoted to populating towns and villages with double or triple the number of non-player characters. This goes some way toward making the world feel more alive, and I found the effect immediately noticeable.In other words, this is not just some "upscaled" PS4 title; this thing looks like a modern PS5 game, and a good one at that. The incredible art design of the world and its inhabitants are more immersive than ever before. (And you really need to see the game in motion; screenshots look good, but it's the way facial expressions move or how light plays through trees or hit a dust bowl that are truly stunning.)Third, the game improved its audio. According to Sony, audio "has been significantly enhanced. Weve completely revamped the sound mix, now supporting PS5 Tempest 3D Audio Tech2 for higher-order ambisonics and Atmos rendering for an immersive soundscape. Our sound design has also seen major improvements, with hundreds of improvements both in-game and in the cinematics." I take their word for it, but I didn't personally notice a major difference. I don't have an Atmos system, but the audio (still) sounded great.If you love the Horizon series, this is the best way to experience the first title on console. (I haven't tried the PC versions. Also, the less said about the new LEGO version of the game, called LEGO Horizon Adventures, the better.)And if you previously bought the game, you can upgrade for ten bucks (though note that if you bought a PS4 disc version, you'll need to have the game disc inserted both to upgrade and to run the game; and if you have a disc-less PS5, you're out of luck on that front.)Nate AndersonDeputy EditorNate AndersonDeputy Editor Nate is the deputy editor at Ars Technica. His most recent book is In Emergency, Break Glass: What Nietzsche Can Teach Us About Joyful Living in a Tech-Saturated World, which is much funnier than it sounds. 47 Comments

Particles in ship exhaust inadvertently cause cloud brightening some geoengineering projects would try to recreate this effectNASAs Earth ObervatoryHow would the world react if one country launched a solar geoengineering project to cool the planet without the permission of others? Would the sky change colour based on the type of particles injected into the upper atmosphere? Even if global average temperatures cooled in response, how would rainfall change over Africa? These are just some of the questions about solar geoengineering scientists grappled with at a December meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) in Washington DC, and they

TikTok is a video-sharing social media platformAnatolii Babii / AlamyA US law banning the popular video-sharing app TikTok is set to take effect at the start of 2025 but the US Supreme Court has agreed to hear TikToks legal challenge to this. Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump has hinted he might take action against the law, raising new questions about whether it will stand.What would the TikTok ban actually do?Starting on 19 January 2025, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act would block US companies such as Google and Apple from allowing users to access or update TikTok through their app stores unless TikToks Chinese owner ByteDance sells the app to a US company. It would also require internet service providers to block the platform on US internet browsers. It was approved with bipartisan support by the House of Representatives and Senate before being signed into law by President Joe Biden in April 2024.If the ban is implemented, it would be practically impossible for new users in the US to download the TikTok app, says Kate Ruane at the Center for Democracy & Technology, a non-profit organisation based in Washington DC. For the 170 million existing TikTok users in the US, the app might remain on their phones. Without access to updates, however, its functionality would degrade over time.AdvertisementPeople in the US could still potentially access TikTok using a virtual private network (VPN) service that disguises a users location. But the experience of using the app could still worsen, says Ruane: because TikTok content would no longer be housed on nearby US servers, it would load more slowly.These restrictions stem from concerns about privacy and security. US lawmakers have stated that TikTok is a national security threat because Chinas government could force ByteDance to hand over TikTok users data or pressure the app to modify its algorithm, presenting content that could manipulate public opinion. However, no firm evidence has been provided to support these claims. TikTok has said it has invested heavily to keep US data safefrom outside influence and manipulation. Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox.Sign up to newsletterIts very concerning that a country like the United States, which has consistently led on the global stage in defending the free, open and interoperable internet, is now taking a step to ban access to an entire platform within its borders that is an extraordinary measure, says Ruane.Will the Supreme Court block the TikTok ban?Although judges in the lower DC Circuit Court of Appeals previously allowed the US law to stand, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear TikToks appeal. TikToks position is that the ban amounts to censorship that violates the free speech rights afforded to Americans under the US Constitutions First Amendment.I would like to see the court really grapple with how this law harms those rights, and how the government should account for the rights of social media users when it is attempting to regulate these speech platforms, says Ruane. The courts have not done that in the course of examining this particular law, even though there are users who are suing, claiming that the law violates their First Amendment rights, as distinct from TikTok.The most likely short-term impact is that the US Supreme Court will temporarily suspend implementation of the law while the justices are considering the case, says Ruane. That could delay the laws effects for months however long the Supreme Court requires to make its decision in 2025. TikTok has specifically asked for such a hiatus in its court filing.If the Supreme Court finds that the ban infringes First Amendment rights, and that the US government has less restrictive options at its disposal, it could issue an injunction that effectively makes it impossible for the government to justify such an outright ban, says Ruane. The Supreme Court may also require the lower DC Circuit Court of Appeals to reexamine its analysis of the case. Such decisions could force the government to find more narrowly tailored options for regulating TikTok.How could Trump prevent the TikTok ban?In his first term, President-elect Trump supported plans to ban TikTok, but he has since changed his stance. During the 2024 presidential campaign, he promised to save TikTok in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, as he encouraged US voters to back him. On 16 December, Trump met the CEO of TikTok and later, during a press conference, said his administration would take a look at the ban. Even if the Supreme Court eventually agrees to let the ban stand, Trump could change the impact of the law.For example, the president could go back to US lawmakers and ask them to change the national law by repealing or amending it, says Ruane. She also described a scenario where Trump could potentially direct his administrations US attorney general to not enforce the law although she cautioned that would be outside the norms of how the US government has typically operated.Even if Trumps attorney general announced that the US government wouldnt enforce the ban, US companies such as Google and Apple might still be reluctant to allow people to access the app through their platforms. If I am in charge of legal risk at one of these companies, I dont know whether I would say were going to trust that [decision], its fine for us to allow access to this app that has been banned, says Ruane.What would a US TikTok ban mean for the rest of the world?If it goes through, the US ban could have significant ripple effects across the world. For starters, people in other countries would no longer have access to new content from US-based TikTok creators and influencers. But more crucially, the US governments actions could encourage other countries eying similar restrictions.The US isnt the first nation to act against TikTok Indias government has blocked the app since 2020 but Ruane expressed concerns that a US ban could encourage authoritarian regimes to bar any app, including some developed in the US, by invoking similar national security justifications.I think it absolutely will be used as a justification for banning TikTok elsewhere, but also for banning access to other applications which have served as important speech platforms in countries where the internet might not otherwise be as open, says Ruane.Would the TikTok ban protect privacy?The ostensible goal of the ban is to protect the privacy of US TikTok users preventing their data from falling into the hands of another nation and to address concerns that Chinas government could manipulate content presented to app users in the US. But Ruane says there are many alternative actions US lawmakers could take before blocking TikTok entirely.For instance, the government could require TikTok to be more transparent about how it gathers and shares individual users data, and what measures it takes to protect their privacy. To alleviate concerns of manipulation, lawmakers might require the platform to share how its algorithms filter and manage the content that users see, says Ruane.The US government could also consider passing a consumer privacy law to provide better legal protections for how social media platforms can share individuals data with other companies or governments. Those options regarding consumer privacy and transparency are less extreme than banning an entire platform, says Ruane.Topics:

Could we build a secure quantum internet with the cables we already use?Shutterstock/Connect worldCaught in a traffic jam with the internet, quantum teleportation persists. An experiment demonstrating that the two can share an optical fibre may point towards an easier way to build an unhackable quantum internet.For many years, Ive had the thought of how can we share quantum information over the same fibres that carry classical communication signals? says Prem Kumar at Northwestern University in Illinois. Now, he and

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.

How did Elon Musk go from being an Obama supporter to a self-described "dark MAGA" Trump ally? Here's a look at the relationship between two billionaires ahead of the second Trump presidency.Read the original article on Business Insider

Oxford Street in LondonA view of London's Oxford Street. Anadolu/Anadolu via Getty Images One of London's busiest shopping spots also doubles as the perfect photo stop during the festive season.The street is draped in overhead lighting every year, with this year's totaling about 300,000 star-shaped LEDs, the BBC reported.There are also plenty of restaurants and retailers around, which add their own spins on the festive decor. The Galeries Lafayette in ParisDecorating the halls of Galeries Lafayette Paris has been a tradition the department store has followed since 1976. Grgoire CAMPIONE/AFP/Getty Images Since 1976, department store Galeries Lafayette has celebrated the festive season by constructing a giant Christmas tree. This year is no different, except that the brand is also celebrating its 130th anniversary.Its pink tree is covered in 20,000 programmable lights, paired with what the store calls "a fiber-optic fireworks effect."The design was inspired by former Louis Vuitton designer Kevin Germanier's dress collection. Gwanghwamun Square in SeoulA large Christmas tree is installed during the Seoul Winter Festa event at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul. Kim Jae-Hwan/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images Seoul lights up for the holiday season with its Winter Festa, which runs from November through February 2025 at popular places across the city, such as Gwanghwamun Square, Cheonggyecheon Stream, and Seoul Plaza.The festival features dazzling art, illuminated sculptures, including a "Squid Game"-themed exhibit, and vibrant lantern displays.There's also a brightly lit Christmas tree in the center of Gwanghwamun Square overlooking a festive market. The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree in New York CityThe Rockefeller Center Christmas tree has been a staple of New York City's Christmas celebrations every year since 1931. AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson The Center's annual tree-lighting ceremony is a big event that draws large crowds in person and on TV. Last year, NBC's broadcast of the ceremony attracted 7 million viewers, Variety reported.This year's tree, from West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, is 74 feet tall and weighs about 11 tons.Over 50,000 multi-colored LED lights were used to decorate it, and a glittering 900-pound Swarovski star was placed on top. Calle Marques de Larios in SpainA dancer is seen performing at Marques de Larios Street during the festive season. Jesus Merida/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Calle Marques de Larios is among the most popular shopping streets in Mlaga, Spain.During the festive season, the city creates and decorates a special procession pathway between the streets for some added holiday sparkle.This year's displays will feature 16 angel figures suspended in the air and an impressive 2.7 million LED lights, per SUR, a local newspaper in Mlaga. Luci d'Artista in Salerno, ItalyChristmas illuminations during the 17th edition of the Luci d'Artista festival in Salerno in December 2022. Anadolu/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Luci d'Artista is an annual event that combines art and festive celebrations by lighting the streets of Salerno ahead of the holidays.Various parts of the city are draped in festive lights and displays, such as the illuminated zoo, a lemon-tree-shaped light setup, and an LED replica of the night sky. The installations are on display from November 29 until January 2025.In addition to the holiday lights, a nearly 65-foot Christmas tree is set up in the central square, Piazza Portanova. Pozna Christmas Market in PolandThe Venetian carousel, Christmas tree, and Ferris wheel at the Pozna Christmas market in the center of Pozna. Volha Shukaila/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images Every year, the historic Old Market Square in Pozna undergoes a festive transformation ahead of the holiday season, becoming a one-stop shop for all your Christmas needs.From festive treats like hot chocolate and mulled wine to dazzling light displays and child-friendly rides, this market has everything to make the holiday season feel magical.Around this time, an ice festival also occurs at the Old Market Square. It features a small sculpture competition and a speed ice-carving contest. Praa do Comrcio in LisbonThe Christmas lights in Lisbon were officially inaugurated on November 23 this year, continuing the tradition in Praa do Comrcio. Luis Boza/NurPhoto/Getty Images A lesser-considered yet spectacular spot for the holidays is Lisbon specifically, its decorations around its grand plaza or Praa do Comrcio.Every year, the city celebrates Christmastime by setting up a nearly 98-foot-tall tree that's decked up in LED lights and festive ribbons.There's also an ice rink where kids and adults can skate while enjoying the lovely light displays. McAdenville town in North CarolinaPopularly known as Christmas Town USA, McAdenville, a small town in North Carolina, gets beautifully decorated for the holiday season, attracting thousands of visitors every year. Peter Zay/Anadolu/Anadolu/Getty Images McAdenville, in North Carolina, transforms into a holiday wonderland every December, with over 500,000 lights illuminating its streets, homes, and trees.Widely known as Christmas Town USA, the tradition of decorating the whole town began in 1956, per Travel & Leisure, and continues to attract thousands of visitors every year.Guests can stroll or drive through the festive displays, enjoy a tree-lighting ceremony, and soak in the community spirit all for free. Grand-Place in BrusselsGrand Place's Christmas tree illumination ceremony marks the beginning of winter and Christmas in Brussels. Nicolas Tucat/AFP/Getty Images Winter Wonders, the annual festive market in Brussels, is home to over 200 small business stalls, food vendors, and plenty of festive activities.At the center of the market, overlooking all these activities, is the city's nearly 65-foot-tall Christmas tree, which, according to the Brussels Times, was chosen from a private garden in Rixensart, Wallonia.This year's tree decorations include ornaments signed by famous Belgians, which will eventually be auctioned to support Make-A-Wish. Castle Square in Warsaw, PolandChristmas in Warsaw, Poland, on December 5, 2024. Foto Olimpik/NurPhoto/NurPhoto/Getty Images Poland's capital city comes alive with glittering lights this time of year, with festive displays stretching from the Royal Castle to the Old Town.At the end of the route on Castle Square stands the city's Christmas tree bedecked in blue and gold.While strolling along the route, visitors can enjoy the light installations and the Christmas market, where they can browse seasonal souvenirs and sip on warm drinks. Parques del Rio in Medellin, ColombiaGiant Christmas installations displayed by the Medellin River in Colombia. JAIME SALDARRIAGA/AFP/Getty Images This Colombian city goes all-out during the festive season with a spectacular display of lights.For 57 years, Medellin has celebrated Alumbrados, a festival of lights known for its vibrant exhibits and 3D glow-in-the-dark figurines.Over 27 million LEDs have been used to assemble this year's festive displays, which visitors can watch for free. Porta do Sol in Vigo, SpainPeople attend the Christmas lights ceremony at Porta do Sol on 16 November 2024 in Vigo, Spain. Adrian Irago/Europa Press News/Europa Press/Getty Images A nearly 147-foot tall Christmas tree decked with vibrant lights at Porta do Sol in Vigo sets the tone for the city's holiday celebrations.The streets sparkle with over 11.5 million LED lights spread across 450 streets and squares, per Galacia Travels, a Spanish travel agency.In addition to the festive markets, visitors can enjoy taking photos at the Christmas castle and a giant illuminated bauble nearby. St. Peter's Square in Vatican CityThe Nativity scene and the Christmas tree lighting ceremony in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican this year. Rocco Spaziani/Archivio Spaziani/Mondadori Portfolio/Getty Images Christmas celebrations at the Vatican, which run from December 9 to January 7, draw many visitors.At Saint Peter's Square, a Christmas tree and a life-size Nativity scene take center stage.This tradition started in 1982 under Pope John Paul II, with Italy providing the inaugural tree. Each year since, a different European country or region has contributed the tree. The US Capitol in Washington, DCThe US Capitol Christmas tree is lit on the west front during a December 3, 2024, ceremony. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images An 80-foot Sitka spruce from Alaska's Tongass National Forest lights up the West Lawn of the US Capitol this holiday season.A tradition since 1970, the tree traveled over 4,200 miles, making 11 community stops before it was set up in Washington, DC.It will be lit every night from dusk until 11 p.m. through January 1, 2025. Federation Square in Melbourne, AustraliaA giant Christmas tree is illuminated at Federation Square in Melbourne. Ye Myo Khant/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images From a sound and light show to food stalls, there's plenty of festive cheer to bask in in Melbourne.Federation Square has been transformed into a magical Christmas hub, featuring a nearly 57-foot-tall Christmas tree, twinkling lights, performers, caroling choirs, and several other free festive activities.The Square is open until Christmas Day. Old Town Square in PragueAn illuminated Christmas tree at the traditional Christmas market in the Old Town Square in Prague. Tomas Tkacik/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images The nearly 72-foot Christmas tree at Old Town Square in Prague adds a festive glow to the city's holiday atmosphere.Sourced from Krompach, a village in the eskolipsko region, the spruce tree is decorated with red and gold baubles, oversized stars, and over 110,000 LED lights. The Christmas Village in San Salvador, El SalvadorA giant Christmas tree in the Christmas Village at the Historic Center in San Salvador. APHOTOGRAFIA/Getty Images San Salvador's Christmas Village at the Historic Center features a large Christmas tree, a Santa house, a cookie factory, and a bustling Christmas market.In addition to the village, iconic landmarks, including the National Palace and National Theater, will host festive-friendly activities and performances throughout the season.The Christmas Village is free to visit and open daily from 10 a.m. to midnight until January 1. Syntagma Square in Athens, GreeceThe Christmas tree in Syntagma Square in Athens, Greece. Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto/NurPhoto/Getty Images According to the Greek City Times, a nearly 64-foot-tall tree sourced from the village of Taxiarchis in Halkidiki is now the centerpiece of Athens' festive celebrations.This year's holiday theme, inspired by fairy tales, transforms the square into a magical setting filled with characters like little elves and the Nutcracker. Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi, GeorgiaThe main Christmas tree on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi. Jerome Gilles/NurPhoto/Getty Images Despite ongoing protests in Georgia, city officials went ahead with its annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony although later than usual and without a formal celebration on December 16.Protests in Georgia intensified in late October following the government's decision to delay its bid to join the European Union, per CNN.Before the tree was set and decorated, it became part of the protests; protestors hung flags of Georgia, the EU, Ukraine, and the US instead of festive decor, Georgia Today reported.Amid the growing political tensions, Tbilisi's streets and monuments, like the Ballet Theater, have still been illuminated for the season.

OpenAI's marketing campaign "Shipmas" ended Friday.The campaign included 12 days of product releases, demos, and new features.On the final day, OpenAI previewed o3, its most advanced model yet.OpenAI released new features and products ahead of the holidays, a campaign it called "Shipmas."The company saved the most exciting news for the final day: a preview of o3, its most advanced model yet, which the company said could be available to the public as soon as the end of January.Here's everything OpenAI has released so far for "Shipmas."'Shipmas' Day 1OpenAI started the promotion with a bang by releasing the full version of its latest reasoning model, o1.OpenAI previewed o1 in September, describing it as a series of artificial-intelligence models "designed to spend more time thinking before they respond." Until now, only a limited version of these models was available to ChatGPT Plus and Team users. Now, these users have access to the full capabilities of o1 models, which Altman said are faster, smarter, and easier to use than the preview. They're also multimodal, which means they can process images and texts jointly.Max Schwarzer, a researcher at OpenAI, said the full version of o1 was updated based on user feedback from the preview version and said it's now more intelligent and accurate."We ran a pretty detailed suite of human evaluations for this model, and what we found was that it made major mistakes about 34% less often than o1 preview while thinking fully about 50% faster," he said.Along with o1, OpenAI unveiled a new tier of ChatGPT called ChatGPT Pro. It's priced at $200 a month and includes unlimited access to the latest version of o1.'Shipmas' Day 2On Friday, OpenAI previewed an advancement that allows users to fine-tune o1 on their own datasets. Users can now leverage OpenAI's reinforcement-learning algorithms which mimic the human trial-and-error learning process to customize their own models. The technology will be available to the public next year, allowing anyone from machine-learning engineers to genetic researchers to create domain-specific AI models. OpenAI has already partnered with the Reuters news agency to develop a legal assistant based on o1-mini. It has also partnered with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to develop computational methods for assessing rare genetic diseases.'Shipmas' Day 3 The Explore page of OpenAI's Sora AI tool, which generates AI videos from text prompts. screenshot/OpenAI OpenAI announced on December 9 that its AI video generator Sora was launching to the public.Sora can generate up to 20-second videos from written instructions. The tool can also complete a scene and extend existing videos by filling in missing frames."We want our AIs to be able to understand video and generate video and I think it really will deeply change the way that we use computers," the CEO added.Rohan Sahai, Sora's product lead, said a product team of about five or six engineers built the product in months.The company showed off the new product and its various features, including the Explore page, which is a feed of videos shared by the community. It also showed various style presets available like pastel symmetry, film noir, and balloon world. OpenAI showed off Sora's features, including Storyboard for further customizing AI videos. screenshot/OpenAI The team also gave a demo of Sora's Storyboard feature, which lets users organize and edit sequences on a timeline.Sora is rolling out to the public in the US and many countries around the world. However, Altman said it will be "a while" before the tool rolls out in the UK and most of Europe.ChatGPT Plus subscribers who pay $20 monthly can get up to 50 generations per month of AI videos that are 5 seconds long with a resolution of 720p. ChatGPT Pro users who pay $200 a month get unlimited generations in the slow queue mode and 500 faster generations, Altman said in the demo. Pro users can generate up to 20-second long videos that are 1080p resolution, without watermarks.'Shipmas' Day 4 ChatGPT can provide more specific edit notes and run code using canvas. OpenAI OpenAI announced that it's bringing its collaborative canvas tool to all ChatGPT web users with some updates.The company demonstrated the tech in a holiday-themed walkthrough of some of its new capabilities. Canvas is an interface that turns ChatGPT into a writing or coding assistant on a project. OpenAI first launched it to ChatGPT Plus and Team users in October.Starting Tuesday, canvas will be available to free web users who'll be able to select the tool from a drop-down of options on ChatGPT. The chatbot can load large bodies of text into the separate canvas window that appears next to the ongoing conversation thread.Canvas can get even more intuitive in its responses with new updates, OpenAI said. To demonstrate, they uploaded an essay about Santa Claus's sleigh and asked ChatGPT to give its editing notes from the perspective of a physics professor.For writers, it can craft entire bodies of text, make changes based on requests, and add emojis. Coders can run code in canvas to double-check that it's working properly.'Shipmas' Day 5 All Apple users need to do is enable ChatGPT on their devices. OpenAI 'Shipmas' Day 5 OpenAI talked about its integration with Apple for the iPhone, iPad, and macOS.As part of the iOS 18.2 software update, Apple users can now access ChatGPT directly from Apple's operating systems without an OpenAI account. This new integration allows users to consult ChatGPT through Siri, especially for more complex questions.They can also use ChatGPT to generate text through Apple's generative AI features, collectively called Apple Intelligence. The first of these features was introduced in October and included tools for proofreading and rewriting text, summarizing messages, and photo-editing features. They can also access ChatGPT through the camera control feature on the iPhone 16 to learn more about objects within the camera's view.'Shipmas' Day 6 OpenAI launched video capabilities in ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode. screenshot/OpenAI OpenAI launched its highly anticipated video and screensharing capabilities in ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode.The company originally teased the public with a glimpse of the chatbot's ability to "reason across" vision along with text and audio during OpenAI's Spring Update in May. However, Advanced Voice Mode didn't become available for users until September, and the video capabilities didn't start rolling out until December 12.In the livestream demonstration on Thursday, ChatGPT helped guide an OpenAI employee through making pour-over coffee. The chatbot gave him feedback on his technique and answered questions about the process. During the Spring Update, OpenAI employees showed off the chatbot's ability to act as a math tutor and interpret emotions based on facial expressions.Users can access the live video by selecting the Advanced Voice Mode icon in the ChatGPT app and then choosing the video button on the bottom-left of the screen. Users can share their screen with ChatGPT by hitting the drop-down menu and selecting "Share Screen."'Shipmas' Day 7 OpenAI introduced Projects on Day 7 of "Shipmas" screenshot/OpenAI For "Shipmas" Day 7, OpenAI introduced Projects, a new way for users to "organize and customize" conversations within ChatGPT. The tool allows users to upload files and notes, store chats, and create custom instructions."This has been something we've been hearing from you for a while that you really want to see inside ChatGPT," OpenAI chief product officer Kevin Weil said. "So we can't wait to see what you do with it."During the live stream demonstration, OpenAI employees showed a number of ways to use the feature, including organizing work presentations, home maintenance tasks, and programming.The tool started to roll out to Plus, Pro, and Teams users on Friday. The company said in the demonstration it will roll out the tool to free users "as soon as possible."'Shipmas' Day 8 OpenAI announced on Monday it is rolling out SearchGPT to all logged-in free users. screenshot/OpenAI OpenAI is rolling out ChatGPT search to all logged-in free users on ChatGPT, the company announced during its "Shipmas" livestream on Monday. The company previously launched the feature on October 31 to Plus and Team users, as well as waitlist users.The new feature is also integrated into Advanced Voice Mode now. On the livestream, OpenAI employees showed off its ability to provide quick search results, search while users talk to ChatGPT, and act as a default search engine."What's really unique about ChatGPT search is the conversational nature," OpenAI's search product lead, Adam Fry, said.The company also said it made Search faster and "better on mobile," including the addition of some new maps experiences. ChatGPT search feature is rolling out globally to all users with an account.'Shipmas' Day 9 OpenAI announced tools geared towards developers. screenshot/OpenAI OpenAI launched tools geared toward developers on Tuesday.It launched o1 out of preview in the API. OpenAI's o1 is its series of AI models designed to reason through complex tasks and solve more challenging problems. Developers have experimented with o1 preview since September to build agentic applications, customer support, and financial analysis, OpenAI employee Michelle Pokrass said.The company also added some "core features" to o1 that it said developers had been asking for on the API, including function calling, structured outputs, vision inputs, and developer messages.OpenAI also announced new SDKs and a new flow for getting an API key.'Shipmas' Day 10 You can access ChatGPT through phone calls or WhatsApp. screenshot/OpenAI OpenAI is bringing ChatGPT to your phone through phone calls and WhatsApp messages."ChatGPT is great but if you don't have a consistent data connection, you might not have the best connection," OpenAI engineer Amadou Crookes said in the livestream. "And so if you have a phone line you can jump right into that experience."You can add ChatGPT to your contacts or dial the number at 1-800-ChatGPT or 1-800-242-8478. The calling feature is only available for those living in the US. Those outside the US can message ChatGPT on WhatsApp.OpenAI employees in the live stream demonstrated the calling feature on a range of devices including an iPhone, flip phone, and even a rotary phone. OpenAI product lead Kevin Weil said the feature came out of a hack-week project and was built just a few weeks ago.'Shipmas' Day 11 Open AI's ChatGPT desktop program has new features. screenshot/OpenAI OpenAI focused on features for its desktop apps during Thursday's "Shipmas" reveal. Users can now see and automate their work on MacOS desktops with ChatGPT.Additionally, users can click the "Works With Apps" button, which allows them to work with more coding apps, such as Textmate, BB Edit, PyCharm, and others. The desktop app will support Notion, Quip, and Apple Notes.Also, the desktop app will have Advanced Voice Mode support.The update became available for the MacOS desktop on Thursday. OpenAI CPO Kevin Weil said the Windows version is "coming soon."'Shipmas' Day 12 Sam Altman and Mark Chen introduced the o3 and o3 mini models during a livestream on Friday. screenshot/OpenAI OpenAI finished its "12 days of Shipmas" campaign by introducing o3, the successor to the o1 model. The company first launched the o1 model in September and advertised its "enhanced reasoning capabilities."The rollout includes the o3 and 03-mini models. Although "o2" should be the next model number, an OpenAI spokesperson told Bloomberg that it didn't use that name "out of respect' for the British telecommunications company.Greg Kamradt of Arc Prize, which measures progress toward artificial general intelligence, appeared during the livestream and said o3 did notably better than o1 during tests by ARC-AGI.OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said during the livestream that the models are available for public safety testing. He said OpenAI plans to launch the o3 mini model "around the end of January" and the o3 model "shortly after that."In a post on X on Friday, Weil said the o3 model is a "massive step up from o1 on every one of our hardest benchmarks."

This weeks installment of the long-running saga, House Republicans cannot govern, will soon be forgotten. Elon Musks decision to blow up a bipartisan agreement to keep the government funded through the sheer power of posting (and the latent threat posed by his immense wealth), Donald Trump suddenly calling for the abolition of the debt limit, House Republican Chip Roy telling his colleagues that they lack an ounce of self-respect all these dramas will surely give way to even more ridiculous ones in the new year.But this weeks government funding fight also revealed something that could have profound implications for the next four years of governance: Trumps power over the congressional GOP is quite limited.This did not appear to be the case just days ago. On Wednesday, Trump joined Elon Musk in calling on House Republicans to scrap a bipartisan spending deal that would have kept the government funded through March, increased disaster relief, and funded pediatric cancer research, among many other things. Despite the fact that the GOP needs buy-in from the Senates Democratic majority in order to pass any legislation and failure to pass a spending bill by Saturday would mean a government shutdown House Republicans heeded Trumps call to nix the carefully negotiated compromise.If Trump had little difficulty persuading his co-partisans to block one spending bill, however, he proved less adept at getting them to support a different one. On Thursday, in coordination with Trump, the House GOP unveiled a new funding bill, one shorn of all Democratic priorities. Over social media, the president-elect instructed his party to vote YES for this Bill, TONIGHT! Then, 38 House Republicans voted against the legislation, which was more than enough to sink it amid nearly unified Democratic opposition. House conservatives defiance of Trump is partly attributable to ideological differences. The president-elects objections to Wednesdays bipartisan agreement were distinct from those of his donor Elon Musk or the House GOPs hardliners. The latter disdained the spending bills page count and fiscal cost. Trump, by contrast, appeared more preoccupied with the legislations failure to increase or eliminate the debt limit.RelatedWhat the hell is going on in Congress, explainedWhich is understandable. The debt limit may be the most irrational of all the US governments institutions. It does not prevent Congress from authorizing spending far in excess of federal revenue. Rather, it authorizes the government to finance the spending that Congress has already ordered through borrowing. The alternative to raising the debt limit is for the government to default on its obligations to American citizens, or to its lenders, or both. In practice, breaching the debt limit could trigger global financial tumult, as the worlds most widely trusted safe asset US treasury debt suddenly becomes a risky investment.Although refusing to raise the debt limit would be economically disastrous, many lawmakers are inclined to do so anyway. After all, increasing the limit on how much debt the government can accrue when the federal debt already sits at $36 trillion can sound bad to voters when highlighted out of context in a campaign ad. And some conservatives see threatening to sabotage the global financial system as a potential means of forcing through unpopular spending cuts. So getting Congress to raise the debt limit is inevitably a bit of a headache. And Trump does not want that high-stakes formality getting in the way of his plans to enact large tax cuts that if history is any guide will substantially increase the debt and deficit. Trump therefore implored House Republicans to suspend the debt limit for at least two years or else, eliminate it entirely so it wouldnt interfere with his honeymoon period (as is, Congress will likely need to raise the debt ceiling at some point next year, after narrowly averting a crisis in 2023). House Speaker Mike Johnson honored this request, adding a two-year debt limit hike to Thursdays bill.For dozens of House conservatives, the idea of voting for a spending bill devoid of any major funding cuts that also suspended the debt limit was more odious than the prospect of defying Trump.It is not surprising that some House Republicans would prize conservative purity above fealty to Trump. That nearly 40 of them would harbor such priorities is a revelation, however. During the 2024 campaign, Trump demonstrated a remarkable capacity to dictate ideological terms to his party, officially forswearing a national abortion ban without provoking any sustained attacks from his right. Combined with his apparent success in revising conservative orthodoxy on trade, entitlement spending, and US-Russia policy, Trumps pivot on abortion raised the possibility that the modern right was a personality cult first and an ideological movement second. Its now clear that for a substantial portion of House Republicans, this is not the case. And that is going to raise serious challenges to Trumps agenda next year.Republicans will control both chambers of Congress in 2025, but their majority in the House will be razor-thin: They will have at most a five-vote majority by years end, assuming they sweep all impending special elections in deep-red districts. The party will need to reach something approaching unanimity in order to advance legislation without Democratic help. This might not seem like such a difficult feat when it comes to passing the cornerstone of Trumps legislative agenda, an extension and expansion of his 2017 tax cuts: If Republicans agree on anything, after all, it is that taxes should be lower.Yet some conservatives evince genuine concern about deficits and insist on paying for the tax cuts by slashing spending. Others hail from swing districts and may be nervous about signing off on unpopular cuts to social welfare programs. At least a few Republicans are even reluctant to roll back all of the Inflation Reduction Acts pro-clean energy tax credits, which have disproportionately benefited Republican areas. Appeasing all relevant constituencies will be difficult. Theoretically, Trump could make this task easier by cowing intransigent Republicans with charges of disloyalty and threats of primary challenges. But after Thursday, it appears less certain that the president-elect actually boasts such power over the House GOPs backbenchers.It is worth recalling that Trump is a 78-year-old lame duck. If you are an up-and-coming conservative House member with aspirations to run for higher office a decade from now, a reputation for conservative ideological purity might eventually prove more useful than a record of perfect fealty to an elderly man whose interest in the Republican Party is liable to evaporate the moment he forfeits the presidency.Whatever happens, Trump is poised to wield a disconcerting amount of personal power over the executive branch come next year. But he may find that his capacity to dictate terms to Congress is as frustratingly limited as our governments authority to issue new debt. Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More: