Its hard to imagine a holiday season without A Charlie Brown Christmas. The 1965 broadcast has become a stapleetched into traditions across generations like decorating the tree or sipping hot cocoa.But this beloved TV special almost didnt make it to air. CBS executives thought the 25-minute program was too slow, too serious and too different from the upbeat spectacles they imagined audiences wanted. A cartoon about a depressed kid seeking psychiatric advice? No laugh track? Humble, lo-fi animation? And was that a Bible verse? It seemed destined to failif not scrapped outright.And yet, against all the odds, it became a classic. The program turned Peanuts from a popular comic strip into a multimedia empirenot because it was flashy or followed the rules, but because it was sincere.As a business professor who has studied the Peanuts franchise, I see A Charlie Brown Christmas as a fascinating historical moment. Its the true story of an unassuming comic strip character who crossed over into television and managed to voice hefty, thought-provoking ideaswithout getting booted off the air.Call from the blueThe Peanuts special came together out of a last-minute scramble. Somewhat out of the blue, producer Lee Mendelson got a call from advertising agency McCann-Erickson: Coca-Cola wanted to sponsor an animated Christmas special.Mendelson had previously failed to convince the agency to sponsor a Peanuts documentary. This time, though, he assured McCann-Erickson that the characters would be a perfect fit.Mendelson called up Peanuts comic strip creator Charles Sparky Schulz and told him he had just sold A Charlie Brown Christmasand they would have mere months to write, animate and bring the special to air.Charles Schulz drawing in the 1950s. [Photo: Roger Higgins/World Telegram & Sun via Library of Congress]Schulz, Mendelson and animator Bill Melendez worked fast to piece together a storyline. The cartoonist wanted to tell a story that cut through the glitz of holiday commercialism and brought the focus back to something deeper.While Snoopy tries to win a Christmas lights contest, and Lucy names herself Christmas queen in the neighborhood play, a forlorn Charlie Brown searches for the real meaning of Christmas. He makes his way to the local lot of aluminum trees, a fad at the time. But hes drawn to the one real treea humble, scraggly little thinginspired by Hans Christian Andersens fairy tale The Fir Tree.Jazzand the BibleThose plot points would likely delight the network, but other choices Schulz made were proving controversial.The show would use real childrens voices instead of adult actors, giving the characters an authentic, simple charm. And Schulz refused to add a laugh track, a standard in animated TV at the time. He wanted the sincerity of the story to stand on its own, without artificial prompts for laughter.Meanwhile, Mendelson brought in jazz musician Vince Guaraldi to compose a sophisticated soundtrack. The music was unlike anything typically heard in animated programming, blending provocative depth with the innocence of childhood.Most alarming to the executives was Schulzs insistence on including the heart of the Nativity story in arguably the specials most pivotal scene.When Charlie Brown joyfully returns to his friends with the spindly little tree, the rest of the Peanuts gang ridicule his choice. I guess I really dont know what Christmas is all about, the utterly defeated Charlie Brown sighs.Gently but confidently, Linus assures him, I can tell you what Christmas is all about. Calling for Lights, please, he quietly walks to the center of the stage.In the stillness, Linus recites the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 2, with its story of an angel appearing to trembling shepherds:And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.For unto you is born this day in the city of David a savior, which is Christ the Lord.Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men, he concludes, picking up his security blanket and walking into the wings. The rest of the gang soon concludes Charlie Browns scrawny tree isnt so bad, after allit just needs a little love.When Schulz discussed this idea with Mendelson and Melendez, they were hesitant. For much of U.S. history, Protestant Christianity was the default in American culture, but in the years since World War II, society had grown somewhat more mindful of making room for Catholic and Jewish Americans. Unsure how to handle the shifting norms, many mainstream entertainment companies in the 1960s tended to avoid religious topics.The Bible thing scares us, CBS executives said when they saw the proofs of the special. But there was simply no time to redo the entire dramatic arc of the special, and pulling it was not an option, given that advertisements had already run.Fun and philosophyFortunately for the Peanuts franchise, when the special aired on December 9, 1965, it was an instant success. Nearly half of American households tuned in, and the program won both an Emmy and a Peabody Award. Schulz had tapped into something audiences were craving: an honest, heartfelt message that cut through the commercialism.Millions of viewers have continued to tune in to the shows annual rebroadcast for over 50 years on CBS and then ABCand now Apple TV+.When I was researching my spiritual biography of Schulz, A Charlie Brown Religion, one of my favorite finds was a 1965 letter from a Florida viewer, Betty Knorr. She praised the show for stressing the true meaning of the Christmas season at a time when the mention of God in general (is) being hush hushed.The magic of Schulzs work, though, is that it resonates across demographics and ideologies. Some fans find comfort in the shows gentle message of faith, while others embrace it in a purely secular way.Simple but poignant, Schulzs art and gentle humor can do two things. They can act as safe entry points for some pretty hefty thoughtsbe they psychiatric, cultural or theological. Or Peanuts cartoons can simply be heartwarming, festive entertainment, if thats what you want.Today, both the Peanuts empire and the Christmas industry are thriving. Back in the 1960s, commercial realities almost derailed Schulzs special, yet those same forces ultimately ensured its broadcast. The result is a lasting touchstone of innocence, hope, and belief.Stephen Lind is an associate professor of clinical business communication at the University of Southern California.This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

There are many reasons why sometimes kids are left to play alone or entertain themselves. Oftentimes the babysitter would be a phone or tablet or any gadget but of course these are mostly passive activities and they cannot totally interact with it. Of course actual contact with human beings would be the most ideal but for those that are not able to always do so, an interactive educational and entertainment tool would be the next best thing.Designer: Onurhan DemirThe TED-I is an AI-powered Teddy Bear concept that is meant to be a friend, menter, and teacher to the child that its baby-sitting if there are no available adults at the moment. It is equipped with different features to help engage with the child and recognize their potential early on. The child is also able to interact back with the bear because of the features so they dont feel that theyre just alone with the device.The bear is equipped with two microphones on its ears so it can detect sounds around it, including when the child talks. One of its eyes has a projector lens that can project images and videos onto surfaces while the other eye has a camera that can detect user and environmental movements. It can also record and stream live video for the parents if theyre not there. On the cheeks, there are two speakers so the child can listen to music and to the videos audio. Theres also an LED screen on its mouth so you can see real-life mouth movements and expressions while the artificial heart on its chest also expresses emotions through the different colors. It has a wireless charging pillow when you need to it to rest and recharge. Its an interesting concept if the child (or adult) is not afraid of android bears that might eventually become their overlord. While its meant to be a childs more interactive babysitter, the parents can also enjoy it with their children like watching movies together and listening to music while talking. The post AI-powered teddy bear concept is an interactive babysitter for kids first appeared on Yanko Design.

A new claim says that any iPhone that can run iOS 18 will also work with iOS 19, but some older iPad models won't get iPadOS 19.While Apple Intelligence dominates the feature list, iOS 19 will be compatible with older iPhones also.French website iPhoneSoft, citing anonymous sources from within Apple, says that any iPhone model that can currently run iOS 18 will also be able to run iOS 19 when it arrives in late 2025.This includes the iPhone XR from 2018, along with the second-generation iPhone SE from 2020 and later. Here's the full list of compatible iPhone models: Rumor Score: Likely Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

With every game that launches and meets (or surpasses) expectations, there will always be several other titles that fall short. They could have the most extensive marketing budget, the sharpest visuals or the biggest IP behind them things just dont come together in a compelling, much less enjoyable way. Of course, other titles could disappoint simply due to trends and being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Regardless, here are our 15 picks for the most disappointing games of 2024.Star Wars OutlawsAs iffy as certain things looked before launch, there was still some hope for Star Wars Outlaws from Massive Entertainments involvement alone. The Reputation and Wanted system, more organic exploration, and focus on single-player were all the right moves, but it didnt land for consumers. Those who took the plunge suffered numerous bugs and issues with movement, combat, AI, stealth, and so on. Its a better game now, but Outlaws still needs work.Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice LeagueEven with successes like Helldivers 2, this year just wasnt it for live-service titles. However, the negative response to Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League began well prior, with many criticizing the looter shooters format. The release sadly did nothing to rise to the occasion, featuring a horrendous story that falls off a cliff, insufferable characters, and the same dreary games-as-a-service mission structure seen hundreds of times before. With a $200 million impact on Warner Bros. Discoverys revenue, Suicide Squad clearly didnt meet expectations.Skull and BonesAlleged reboots, high-profile departures, constant delays, and a ballooning budget Ubisofts Skull and Bones had all the key ingredients for a potential disaster. Adding in all the live-service staples like seasons, always-online gameplay, a focus on multiplayer, and whatnot hastened the games doom (calling it a quadruple-A title also didnt help). With player numbers reportedly coming in at less than a million around launch, it was a failure before it even got started.Planet Coaster 2Incredible visuals and the studios penchant for attention to detail did little to make a difference for Planet Coaster 2, which is, by all accounts, a hotly awaited sequel, that much more palatable. The awful UI, pathing issues, lackluster pools, awful characters and various bugs were just too significant to ignore, even with the better campaign. Frontier has rolled out improvements, and it will likely excel in the long run, but for now, Planet Coaster 2 is an underwhelming ride.Farming Simulator 25After the failure of Farming Simulator 23 (at least on Nintendo Switch), Farming Simulator 25 marked a return for the franchise to consoles and PC. It shipped with extensive bugs, an annoying user interface, jarring physics, and multitudes of other issues that remain. Thats on top of the unoptimized performance on PC, which hinders the otherwise strong environmental effects and textures. Mods will likely make it a better experience over time but at this point, fans would appreciate a strong title out of the gate (which certainly applies to our next choice).Starfield: Shattered SpaceStarfield had its share of mixed impressions after launching last year and Shattered Space seemed like the perfect opportunity to address many issues while offering a fresh slate. However, the hand-crafted planet of Varuunkai delivered the most rudimentary content and barren surroundings to go with lackluster characters and story-telling. Even the intriguing gravity anomalies barely appear after a point.A Quiet Place: The Road AheadI was excited about Stormind Games first-person horror, especially with how it leveraged the films and their mechanics. Unfortunately, A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead is a hugely linear, highly scripted experience with bizarre AI, questionable design decisions, and a predictable story that fails to really leverage its endearing characters.ConcordSonys biggest first-party failure in years, Concord was seemingly doomed from its first proper reveal, especially when the hero shooter elements became apparent. After a beta with abysmal numbers, it would launch to middling reviews and reportedly sold only 25,000 copies. Sony initially pulled the title from sale and shut down servers before eventually shuttering it and Firewalk Studio.Rise of the RoninDirector Fumihiko Yasuda revealed around June that Rise of the Ronin was Koei Tecmos best-selling game so far, with the publisher even reporting higher sales than Nioh. Thats all great, but the game itself fell short of what we expected in terms of open-world activities and storytelling. At least the combat remains enjoyable, and Team Ninja has provided some extensive post-launch content for free.Dragon Age: The VeilguardThe first Dragon Age title in ten years was bound to have astronomical expectations, especially with all the rumors and reports of reboots. Combat was sharp despite pivoting to a real-time hack-and-slash approach and the environments are gorgeous, without a doubt. Its everything else that either whelmed or disappointed, from the uneven characterization and writing to the mission structure. Though it wasnt BioWares worst, its far from being its best.Call of Duty: Black Ops 6Significant improvements over last years game dont excuse Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 from disappointing in other ways. Despite a superior campaign, its story ultimately felt flat (and continued the same cliffhanger approach), while multiplayer fell short with its map design. Zombies is surprisingly good despite some balance issues, and while the overall experience classifies as good, its nowhere near the series heights.Unknown 9: AwakeningTheres always some skepticism when a developer gets ahead itself and plans out an entire universe for its IP before the first game even launches. Unfortunately, Unknown 9: Awakening loaded its bland premise with dull writing and boring combat, while various bugs and performance issues weighed even heavier. Suffice it to say that with an all-time peak concurrent player count of 285 on Steam at launch, Unknown 9: Awakening failed to meet any expectations heaped on it.MultiVersusFrom promising platform fighter to being pulled and relaunching earlier this year in a worse form, MultiVersus has had quite the journey. Its hard to pinpoint all the issues, be it the sheer lack of quality-of-life features at launch or how underwhelming Rifts felt after they finally went live, but above all else, the feel and fluidity from the open beta felt like it was missing. And unfortunately, Player First Games hasnt been able to capture the magic ever since.XDefiantInitially revealed as part of the Tom Clancy series, XDefiant would become a standalone entity while still crossing over with the publishers various other titles. However, despite some responsive shooting, it couldnt match the features and content of other free-to-play shooters at launch. Various issues like network performance also affected it, causing a sharp downturn. Maybe theres still time to right the ship, but based on the companys other live-service endeavors, XDefiants days could be numbered.Outcast: A New BeginningDeveloping a sequel to a niche title from the late 90s is unusual on its own, but perhaps Outcast: The New Beginning could cater to long-time fans. What it offered was a massive world with nothing exciting, loading up players with menial tasks and awful writing. Appealing as it may be for those seeking more old-school-style titles, A New Beginning felt more like an awkward continuation for a cult-classic series.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the way we approach everyday tasks, simplifying processes, and unlocking new levels of efficiency. AI tools enhance productivity and offer innovative solutions to a wide range of challenges, from managing daily routines to improving communication and decision-making. Whether its automating repetitive chores, organizing schedules, or personalizing experiences, AI is becoming an essential part of everyday life, making tasks smarter and more efficient. This article explores 25 AI tools designed to help improve productivity across various aspects of daily life.ChatGPTChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, is an advanced AI chatbot designed to facilitate natural conversations. It can assist with answering queries, brainstorming ideas, and drafting content. Businesses use ChatGPT for customer support automation, creating personalized communication, and streamlining documentation. Key features include its ability to understand and generate human-like text, making it highly versatile. However, its reliance on internet connectivity and occasional inaccuracies in complex queries can be limitations.GrammarlyGrammarly is an AI-powered writing assistant that enhances the clarity, correctness, and tone of text. Professionals widely use it for drafting error-free emails, reports, and marketing materials. Grammarly offers real-time grammar checks, vocabulary suggestions, and tone adjustments. The tools seamless integration with browsers and productivity apps is a significant strength, though its premium features come at a cost.Otter.aiOtter.ai is an AI-powered transcription tool designed to convert spoken words into written text. Its widely used in meetings, lectures, and interviews to create accurate transcripts. Otter.ai supports real-time transcription and speaker identification, making it a favorite among remote teams. While it saves time and ensures documentation accuracy, its transcription accuracy can vary with accents and background noise.MeetGeekMeetGeek is an AI meeting assistant that automatically video records, transcribes, summarizes, and provides key insights from every meeting.Trello with ButlerTrello, paired with its AI-powered automation tool Butler, revolutionizes task management. Trello helps teams organize projects through visual boards, while Butler automates repetitive tasks like setting due dates and sending reminders. Businesses use Trello for project tracking and team collaboration. Its intuitive interface is a strength, but complex projects may require integration with other tools.CalendlyCalendly simplifies scheduling by integrating with calendars to automate meeting bookings. It eliminates the back-and-forth emails to find suitable times. Calendly is highly effective for client meetings and interviews. Its ability to integrate with apps like Zoom and Salesforce is a plus, though its free version lacks some advanced features.JasperJasper is an AI-powered content generation tool designed to create high-quality marketing copy, blog posts, and social media content. It helps marketers and writers significantly speed up the content creation process by providing suggestions, drafting text, and even generating complete articles. Jaspers ability to produce engaging content in various styles and tones is a major strength, making it ideal for businesses looking to scale their content production. However, while Jasper can generate high-quality content quickly, users often need to edit the output to ensure consistency in tone and voice, especially when working on longer or more nuanced pieces. Despite this, it remains a popular choice for marketers seeking efficiency and fresh ideas for their content.Notion AINotion AI is integrated into the Notion productivity platform, automating tasks like writing, summarizing notes, and brainstorming ideas. Teams use Notion AI for collaborative document editing, note-taking, and project management, benefiting from its ability to generate content ideas or provide quick summaries. The integration with Notions rich ecosystem of toolslike databases, tasks, and calendarsmakes it easy for teams to centralize their workflows. However, the AI-generated content sometimes lacks depth and may need further refinement, especially when tackling complex topics. Despite this limitation, Notion AI is a powerful assistant for teams seeking to streamline documentation and enhance collaboration.Zoom AI CompanionZoom AI Companion offers advanced features to enhance virtual meetings, including transcription, sentiment analysis, and automated summaries. This AI-powered tool is particularly useful for remote teams looking to improve meeting efficiency by capturing key takeaways and action items without needing to take extensive notes. The sentiment analysis feature can help teams understand the mood or tone of the conversation, making it easier to gauge the effectiveness of communication. However, while Zoom AI Companion improves productivity, it may not always capture every nuance of a conversation, and errors in transcription or sentiment detection can occur, especially in complex or fast-paced discussions.Canva with Magic ResizeCanva integrates AI with tools like Magic Resize, allowing marketers and designers to quickly create and adapt graphic designs for various platforms. Magic Resize automatically adjusts the size and proportions of designs, making it easy to repurpose content for different social media channels, presentations, or marketing materials. Canvas intuitive design tools and customizable templates make it accessible to both professional designers and beginners. However, the free version of Canva offers limited premium templates and features, which may restrict users who need more advanced options. Despite this, the combination of AI-driven design suggestions and ease of use makes Canva an ideal choice for creating visually appealing content quickly.Monday.com with AI AssistanceMonday.com incorporates AI to enhance project management capabilities, automating tasks like prioritization and progress tracking. Businesses use this tool to optimize workflows, allocate resources more effectively, and gain actionable insights into project performance. The AI features can analyze project data to suggest improvements and help teams stay on schedule. Monday.coms intuitive dashboards and customization options are key strengths, allowing teams to tailor the platform to their needs. However, advanced features like detailed analytics are only available through premium plans, which can be a limiting factor for smaller teams or businesses on a budget. Still, the platform remains an effective tool for enhancing project management and team collaboration.Figma with AI PluginsFigma integrates AI plugins to streamline design processes, particularly for UI/UX designers working on collaborative design projects. These AI-driven features include auto-layouts, content generation, and real-time design suggestions, which help save time and enhance the overall design workflow. Figmas cloud-based platform makes it easy for multiple designers to collaborate on the same project simultaneously, increasing productivity and creativity. However, its reliance on internet connectivity can be a limitation for teams needing to work offline, as they will lose access to AI features and collaboration tools. Despite this, Figmas powerful design tools, combined with AI enhancements, make it a popular choice for design teams looking to optimize their workflows and improve collaboration.Adobe SenseiAdobe Sensei is an AI platform embedded into Adobes suite of creative tools, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and Adobe Experience Cloud. It leverages machine learning to enhance image recognition, automate mundane tasks, and generate personalized content suggestions, making it a valuable asset for designers, marketers, and content creators. Sensei can help streamline workflows, speeding up tasks such as object removal, automatic tagging, and image enhancement, all based on user behavior and data analysis. While it provides powerful features, users may need substantial training to harness its full potential, especially as it integrates advanced AI functions, which could be overwhelming for beginners or those unfamiliar with AI tools.Salesforce EinsteinSalesforce Einstein is an AI-powered feature integrated into Salesforces Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform. It enables users to leverage predictive analytics, automate workflows, and receive personalized insights to boost sales and customer engagement. By analyzing vast amounts of data, Einstein can prioritize leads, forecast sales trends, and recommend actions to enhance customer relationships. This makes it a valuable tool for sales teams looking to optimize their efforts and close deals more efficiently. However, implementing Einstein requires a more complex setup and customization, which can be challenging for smaller teams or businesses without dedicated resources for deployment and training.Slack GPTSlack GPT integrates generative AI directly into Slacks communication platform, allowing teams to summarize conversations, generate actionable insights, and automate repetitive tasks. It enhances the productivity of teams by simplifying workflows and improving the flow of information within a company. By analyzing conversations, Slack GPT can help prioritize messages, summarize lengthy threads, and suggest actionable next steps, helping teams stay organized and responsive. However, its effectiveness heavily depends on how well it is integrated and how users adopt the tool. Misuse or incorrect integration may reduce its potential, and proper onboarding and training are essential to ensure teams fully benefit from Slack GPTs capabilities.HubSpot (AI Tools)HubSpot is a comprehensive inbound marketing, sales, and service software that integrates AI to enhance various aspects of marketing automation, customer segmentation, and sales forecasting. With AI-driven features like personalized email campaigns, predictive lead scoring, and customer behavior analysis, HubSpot enables businesses to engage customers more effectively and efficiently nurture leads. The AI tools offer actionable insights, helping businesses fine-tune their marketing strategies and increase conversions. However, while HubSpots features are robust, its pricing structure can become expensive, especially when businesses opt for more advanced tools and integrations, making it more suitable for medium to large organizations. Despite the cost, its all-in-one platform remains highly regarded for automating and streamlining customer relationship management.CrystalCrystal uses AI to provide insights into personality traits and communication preferences, helping individuals and teams communicate more effectively. By analyzing publicly available data, Crystal offers personalized recommendations on how to approach conversations, whether with colleagues, clients, or partners. Sales and HR teams benefit from this tool by tailoring their communication style to better connect with others and close deals or hire candidates more effectively. However, the tools reliance on data accuracy can be a limitation, as the insights it generates are only as good as the information it analyzes. Inaccurate or insufficient data can lead to suboptimal recommendations, making it important to ensure that data sources are reliable.SuperhumanSuperhuman is a highly efficient email management tool that uses AI to streamline inbox organization and communication. It incorporates features like smart categorization, predictive replies, and advanced search functions to help users process emails faster and more effectively. Executives and professionals who require quick and efficient email management often turn to Superhuman for its speed and the ability to cut down on time spent managing emails. However, its premium pricing is a significant barrier for many users, as it can be costly compared to other email management tools. Despite this, its blend of powerful AI tools and user-friendly interface has made it a favorite among high-performing individuals who value efficiency and speed.Clockify (AI Timesheets)Clockify is an AI-powered time-tracking tool designed to help businesses and individuals track working hours and productivity with ease. The tool automates the process of creating accurate timesheets, making it easier for businesses to handle billing and analyze employee productivity. Clockify is particularly valuable for freelancers and teams that need to log work hours for invoicing or project management purposes. Its simplicity and ease of use are key strengths, making it accessible to a wide range of users. However, while the basic features are free, advanced functionalities such as reporting and detailed analytics are only available with paid plans, limiting its accessibility for those on a budget.DescriptDescript is an AI-driven tool designed for video and audio editing, making it a popular choice for podcasters, content creators, and media professionals. It offers powerful transcription features that automatically convert audio and video files into text, which can then be edited just like a text document. This makes editing much easier and more intuitive, as users can cut, paste, and rearrange the content with minimal effort. Descript also supports audio and video publishing, which streamlines the workflow for creators. However, exporting large files can be time-consuming, particularly for longer recordings or high-quality media, which can impact its efficiency for users working with extensive content. Despite this, Descripts ease of use and AI capabilities make it a valuable tool for content creation.ClickUp (AI Writing Assistant)ClickUp helps streamline task management and project coordination by automating the creation of tasks, reports, and workflow optimizations. Teams can use this tool to save time by automatically generating project descriptions, to-do lists, and status updates, ensuring consistency and reducing the manual effort required for managing projects. The AI Writing Assistant is particularly useful for teams working on collaborative projects, as it can help create clear and concise communication. The flexibility of ClickUp allows for a wide range of customization, but the tools features can be overwhelming for new users, leading to a steep learning curve. Despite this, ClickUps combination of AI features and flexibility has made it popular among businesses that require comprehensive project management solutions.SaplingSapling is an AI-powered tool designed to enhance customer support by providing real-time grammar checks and suggesting responses to agents. It helps businesses improve both the speed and quality of customer interactions by automatically correcting language errors and offering tailored responses based on context. Integrated with CRM tools, Sapling ensures that responses are consistent with customer data, improving the overall customer experience. However, Saplings functionality is limited to English, which may restrict its usefulness for global teams or those working in multilingual environments. Despite this, it is a valuable tool for improving communication efficiency, especially in customer service roles where quick, clear, and professional responses are crucial.TidioTidio uses AI-powered chatbots to automate customer support and lead generation, making it an attractive solution for small businesses looking to enhance user engagement. The tool allows businesses to set up automated conversations, answering frequently asked questions and engaging with potential leads, which helps free up customer service agents for more complex issues. Tidios free plan provides a good starting point for small businesses, but advanced features like advanced automation, reporting, and integrations require a paid subscription. Despite this, its ease of use and affordability for smaller businesses make it an appealing option for automating customer interactions and improving overall efficiency.Canva DocsCanva Docs brings AI-powered design features to document creation, enabling teams to quickly generate visually appealing reports, presentations, and other documents. Canvas design-centric approach ensures that content created in Canva Docs is not only functional but also professional-looking, with easy-to-use templates and layout options. The tool is especially popular among marketing teams, content creators, and businesses looking to create branded documents in a short amount of time. However, while Canva Docs excels in visually-driven content, it is less suited for data-heavy documents or reports that require complex tables and analytics. For teams focused on creating aesthetically appealing content, though, it provides a powerful and efficient solution.Miro AIMiro AI integrates AI into its collaborative whiteboarding platform to enhance teamwork and brainstorming sessions. With features like automated diagram generation and real-time idea clustering, Miro helps teams better organize and visualize their thoughts, making it ideal for remote collaboration and creative problem-solving. Miros intuitive interface makes it easy for teams to start collaborating instantly, even if they have no prior experience with whiteboarding tools. However, some of the AI-powered features are still in beta, meaning that users may experience occasional bugs or limitations in functionality. Despite this, Miros AI capabilities, combined with its flexibility and collaborative focus, make it a strong choice for teams looking to enhance remote work and idea sharing.ConclusionAI is rapidly spreading its influence across every field, revolutionizing industries from healthcare to finance, marketing to design. Its ability to automate tasks, analyze data, and enhance decision-making is transforming how businesses operate, making processes faster, more efficient, and smarter. However, the key to unlocking AIs full potential lies in understanding how to use it effectively. The most efficient way to complete a task today is not just through hard work, but by leveraging AI tools that can accelerate performance, improve accuracy, and open up new possibilities. Embracing AI in your workflow isnt just a trendits the future of efficiency and innovation.The post Top 25 AI Tools to Increase Productivity in 2025 appeared first on MarkTechPost.

Designing antibodies with high specificity and binding affinity to diverse therapeutic antigens remains a significant challenge in drug development. Current methods struggle to effectively generate complementarity-determining regions (CDRs) responsible for antigen binding, especially the highly variable heavy chain CDR3 (HCDR3). These difficulties are mainly due to poor generalization of the already existing computational models to the experimental validation of their designs, inefficiency in optimizing leads, etc. Addressing these challenges will drive the advancement of therapeutic antibody engineering to advance and accelerate the formulation of effective treatments.The current computational models, like ProteinMPNN and AntiFold, use generative approaches to predict sequences that fit particular antibody structures. Although these systems have excellent in silico performance, their practical application is limited by the absence of extensive experimental validation. Additionally, they suffer from designing several CDR regions as a coherent approach toward attaining antigen specificity. They greatly require curated datasets, which are real constraints on their ability to scale to new targets-antigens and prove inadequate in performance aspects compared to baselines set up.Absci Bio Releases IgDesign: A Deep Learning Approach Transforming Antibody Design with Inverse Folding. IgDesign addresses the above limitations through a novel generative framework tailored to antibody design. It incorporates contextual inputs such as antigen sequences and antibody framework (FWR) sequences to create optimized CDR3 (HCDR3) and complete heavy-chain CDRs (HCDR123). Structure-aware encoder and sequence decoder, inspired by LM-design but specially adapted for antibody functions. It further distinguishes itself by the ability to design high-affinity binders validated through extensive in vitro testing across eight therapeutic antigens. The breakthrough enhances scalability, improves generalizability, and achieves experimental success rates that set a new standard for therapeutic antibody design.The researchers curated datasets from SAbDab and PDB, ensuring the inclusion of strong antigen-specific holdouts to eliminate the possibility of data leakage. The model was pre-trained on a general protein dataset and then fine-tuned on antibody-antigen complexes. Antibody sequences were generated sequentially to maintain coherence between interdependencies of regions; for each antigen, 100 HCDR3 and 100 HCDR123 were generated and tested. The sequences were progressed through an extensive wet-laboratory protocol that included cloning of the sequences into E. coli, expression within these cells, and high throughput SPR screening designed to support the confirmation of binding kinetics and affinities. A robust set of HCDR3 sequences from the training dataset was used as controls to measure performance, a distinct reference point for proving the utility of IgDesign.IgDesign showed consistent superior performance of designed antibodies across all different antigens. Experiments in vitro showed that designs of HCDR3 had significantly higher binding rates than baselines for seven out of eight tested antigens, and the design of HCDR123 outperformed the baseline for four of them. The produced antibodies are bound at affinities close to or better than those of clinically validated reference antibodies for targets such as CD40 and ACVR2B. Such findings underline the potential of IgDesign to generalize proficiently and design superior antibodies, which opens up transformative possibilities in therapeutic antibody development.This work represents a significant step for antibody design in that IgDesign marries high computational accuracy with empirical evidence to create a unified, streamlined process. As a result of success in antigen-specific binder construction exhibiting very high affinity, this advance challenges major bottlenecks in drug discovery. The framework not only facilitates lead optimization but also paves the way for de novo antibody design, significantly advancing the field of drug discovery.Check out the Paper and Code. All credit for this research goes to the researchers of this project. Also,dont forget to follow us onTwitter and join ourTelegram Channel andLinkedIn Group. Dont Forget to join our60k+ ML SubReddit. Aswin Ak+ postsAswin AK is a consulting intern at MarkTechPost. He is pursuing his Dual Degree at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. He is passionate about data science and machine learning, bringing a strong academic background and hands-on experience in solving real-life cross-domain challenges. [Download] Evaluation of Large Language Model Vulnerabilities Report (Promoted)

How GenAI is Reshaping the Way We Build Recommendation Systems: A Developers Perspective 0 like December 21, 2024Share this postLast Updated on December 21, 2024 by Editorial TeamAuthor(s): Vikram Bhat Originally published on Towards AI. This member-only story is on us. Upgrade to access all of Medium.As someone whos worked on building recommendation systems for a few years, Ive witnessed the dramatic shift in tools, workflows, and paradigms firsthand. Back in 2019, building recommendation systems required a lot of manual effort, fragmented tools, and custom code. Fast forward to end of 2024, Generative AI and modern libraries have completely transformed the landscape, making development faster, more intuitive, and far more scalable.In 2019, building a recommendation system involved a lot of manual coding and iteration. Let me walk you through a typical workflow I followed back then:Data Collection & Cleaning: I relied heavily on Pandas and SQL for data cleaning, merging, and feature extraction. Tasks like splitting timestamps for session analysis or encoding categorical variables had to be scripted manually.Model Building: I would use Scikit-learn or XGBoost for collaborative filtering and content-based methods. Training involved long cycles of feature engineering everything from creating TF-IDF vectors for text features to manually generating embeddings. For deep learning, I used TensorFlow 1.x, which was powerful but complex to debug due to static graph definitions.Model Tuning: Hyperparameter tuning was slow and mostly manual. I used grid search or random Read the full blog for free on Medium.Join thousands of data leaders on the AI newsletter. Join over 80,000 subscribers and keep up to date with the latest developments in AI. From research to projects and ideas. If you are building an AI startup, an AI-related product, or a service, we invite you to consider becoming asponsor. Published via Towards AITowards AI - Medium Share this post

The weekend is officially here, and we've rounded up the best deals you can find! Discover the best deals for Saturday, December 21, below:Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics for $34.99Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics - Nintendo SwitchMarvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics - PlayStation 4Finally, you can score Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics for only $34.99 this weekend at Amazon. That's even lower than last week's sale! This collection packs in seven different titles, including the beloved Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes. At last, you can play these classic titles on modern platforms. Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven for $39.99Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the SevenRomancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is arguably the best entry point into the SaGa series at this time. Acting as a full 3D remake of the 1993 release, this game features English and Japanese voiceovers, rearranged music, retooled gameplay, and more. If you're still unsure about Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, you can check out the free demo across all platforms! LEGO Horizon Adventures for $39.99LEGO Horizon Adventures - Nintendo SwitchLEGO Horizon Adventures PS5Lego Horizon Adventures is the latest game in the Horizon series, and it marks the first time a Horizon game has been playable on Nintendo Switch. In our review, we wrote, "Lego Horizon Adventures reimagines Horizon Zero Dawn with a playful Lego twist, simplifying the story while keeping the heart of its key moments and characters."Alan Wake II for $59.99Alan Wake 2 Deluxe EditionAlan Wake II never received a physical release at launch last year, but Remedy has fixed that as of last month with the Alan Wake II Deluxe Edition. This release bundles in Alan Wake II and its two expansions, Night Springs and The Lake House. If you're a fan of survival horror, this is one of the best games available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.Astro Bot for $49.97Astro Bot PS5Selected as Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2024, Astro Bot is on sale this weekend, and there has never been a better time to pick up one of the PlayStation 5's best games. Building off Astro's Playroom, Astro Bot features many new abilities and bosses to fight, with over 300 bots to rescue across the galaxy. You'll find planets modeled after beloved PlayStation games like Ape Escape and Uncharted, and even surprise third-party bots like Leon S. Kennedy from Resident Evil 2. Resident Evil 4 for $19.99Resident Evil 4 - PS5Resident Evil 4 was one of the biggest games of 2023, with Capcom recreating one of the highest-praised action titles ever. As Leon S. Kennedy, it's up to you to travel to Europe and rescue the President's daughter, Ashley Graham. With the Separate Ways DLC also available, the Resident Evil 4 remake is simply one of the best action games ever. There's never been a better time to jump in, with this price acting as an all-time low.Save on ROG Ally at Best Buy$449.99 for My Best Buy Plus MembersAsus ROG Ally AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme 512GB Gaming HandheldThis weekend at Best Buy, you can save on the ROG Ally Z1 Extreme model, where it's priced at $499.99. This handheld device is perfect for exploring your Steam library on the go, with PC Game Pass support also easily accessible. If you're planning to travel anytime soon, the ROG Ally will be your best friend.Ace Attorney Investigations Collection for $29.99Ace Attorney Investigations Collection - NIntendo SwitchAce Attorney Investigations Collection brought both Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth and Ace Attorney Investigations 2: Prosecutors Gambit in one package, with Prosecutor's Gambit releasing in English for the very first time. This release features updated visuals, new animations, gallery mode, conversation history, and more. You can even switch between the old and new sprites!DJI Action 2 Dual-ScreenDJI Action 2 Dual-Screen Combo (32GB)The DJI Action 2 is on sale this weekend at Amazon for $159, and it's the perfect camera to take with you on your next adventure. With 4K/120 capability, the DJI Action 2 can be attached to all kinds of accessories, including a magnetic headband, lanyard, and more. The camera itself is even waterproof, with support for depths up to 10 meters right out of the box.

Ever since it opened at Disneyland in 1969, the Haunted Mansion has spooked and delighted millions and millions of Disney Parks guests from all over the world. Now, with the Disney Treasure's Haunted Mansion Parlor, there is a brand-new way to experience this beloved attraction while in the middle of the ocean on Disney's newest cruise ship.Disney invited us on the Disney Treasure Media Preview Sailing and we had the chance to not only check out the Haunted Mansion Parlor and all of its haunts, but we also were able to speak to a couple of the Imagineers behind bringing this nautical twist on the attraction we all love to life.Welcome, Foolish MortalsThe Haunted Mansion Parlor feels like the perfect extension of The Haunted Mansion itself and just screams authenticity. From the iconic ticking clock sound to a floating Madame Leota to eerily familiar paintings that hide dark secrets to hitchhiking ghosts and the always wonderful 'Grim Grinning Ghosts,' there is so much love and care put into every inch of this lounge. However, this isn't just a smaller version of the Haunted Mansion. No, this is its own wonderful place with its own story to tell that shouldn't be missed."We built our own mythology here because we're on a cruise ship, so we wanted it to have a nautical twist to everything," Danny Handke, senior creative director at Walt Disney Imagineering, said. "And we built it all around this Captain character who is currently dead but lives on in this place and even in a portrait in the lounge. "This is the Captain's lounge, and the story is he rescued his bride-to-be who is actually a murderous mermaid you can also meet in the parlor. They get engaged and things start to go wrong and that's where the real Haunted Mansion story comes into play. More of the story is then told in various ways around the space and you have the option to discover it on your own and figure out what the lore is."One of the biggest additions to this lore is the centerpiece of the Haunted Mansion Parlor - an aquarium with ghost fish. While this alone seems like a very cool concept, its history goes way back to when the original Haunted Mansion was being developed.The Haunted Mansion Parlor on the Disney Treasure"The Haunted Mansion was worked on and developed for 10 years before it opened in 1969 at Disneyland for the first time and there were so many things that didn't make it in," Daniel Jones, executive illusions & effects development at Walt Disney Imagineering, told me. "So, with love, we looked at all these concepts and what really popped out were the Museum of the Weird elements that Imagineer Rolly Crump had worked on. Most of all however, the team and I agreed the Ghost Fish Aquarium was a must because it's the perfect fit."The Museum of the Weird was set to be a companion walkthrough experience to the Haunted Mansion but it never saw the light of day due in part to Walt's passing. Variations of some of the planned pieces of the museum - from the 'Donald Armchair' near the Endless Hallway to the iconic wallpaper - made it into the Haunted Mansion, and now one more of Crump's designs can be celebrated. While this was an exciting prospect for the team, it also proved to be one of the parlor's most difficult challenges."The Ghost Fish Aquarium was a call it action to my team and I because a lot of illusions and things that we like to do tend to be in the dark and from one point of view and, as you know, the aquarium is the central piece and can be seen from all sides," Joseph said. "You can look through and see other people behind it. So it is, for all intents and purposes, a real fish tank just like you'd normally have but with ghost fish."Getting this bit of "Disney Magic" came down to the wire as it wasn't quite to the standard of Walt Disney Imagineering until after it was already installed on the ship. The aquarium was mocked up and designed four years beforehand but the team was tweaking it up until the last minute to make it what they all knew it could be."The aquarium is a great example of typical Disney Magic where there's a lot of technology in it but you don't see any of it or don't even question it," Joseph said. "This thing was mocked up and developed probably four years ago and since then we've been kind of tweaking on and off how it would work and what's in it. And, really to the last minute, we didn't have it fully working to what we all knew it could do until it was on the ship, which is pretty late in our process."The aquarium is a great example of typical Disney Magic where there's a lot of technology in it but you don't see any of it or don't even question it."Grim Grinning Ghosts GaloreWhile Joseph didn't reveal all the tricks that finally brought the aquarium to the finish line, he and Handke did share how Imagineering made the rest of the parlor feel just as real and believable as the ghost fish are.We spoke previously about the paintings that change before your eyes in the parlor, which are very much in the style of those found in the original Haunted Mansion by Marc Davis, but Imagineering once again went above and beyond to honor the past while paving a new way forward."What we're really proud of about this paintings is a new technique that we use where you can go right up on top of them, put your face right near it, and it looks and seems like a real painting," Joseph shared. "Just like in a museum, you can go up and see the texture of the art, all the brush strokes, and even the glossiness and the matte finish of the oil paint."This is made even more impressive by the fact that these paintings do change and move, from the captain becoming a skeleton to his bride-to-be showing her true form as that murderous mermaid. However, Imagineering was careful never to go too far and leave what we all expect from the Haunted Mansion behind. In fact, their passion for the attraction is one of the main reasons it feels so authentic. This is perhaps seen best in the mirror behind the bar where we see the hitchhiking ghosts, Madame Leota, and more. One route the team could have taken was to update these characters and use modern-day techniques to bring them to a new audience, but they chose a different path.For the character behind the bar, we elected to go with the original Haunted Mansion animated figures," Joseph said. "So, there's no CGI in that because we wanted it to feel like the original from 1969. Those aren't animated cartoon characters that you can see in a video game, they are very analog looking. So, we took a very high ISO camera with high resolution and filmed a whole bunch of the figures in the Haunted Mansion ride at Disneyland and then amped up the quality and added glow and all that."I know it's cliche to say, but the Haunted Mansion Parlor truly is a love letter to the original attraction and the incredible people who made it into the iconic attraction it is and always will be. To shine a haunted light on that and bring this story to a close, I want to share one final story from Daniel Joseph that just really proves why this is more than just another lounge."Another character we all loved from the Museum of the Weird was Rolly Crump's Candleman," Joseph said. "Sadly, Rolly passed away during the development of the Haunted Mansion Parlor and we were all saddened by that and the fact he'd never get to see it completed. "So, we knew we wanted to do a bust in there no matter what just like you'd find in the Haunted Mansion, but we then knew the perfect choice was to make it of Rolly. To make it even more special, one of our team members suggested we do Rolly partially as the Candleman and make sure the side of his head that's melting is next to the fireplace. This was a huge honor and another really detailed thought and the authenticity of the design that follows suit with everything else in the Mansion parlor. For more on the Disney Treasure, check out why The Tale of Moana is one of the best shows I've seen on land or sea and why the Plaza de Coco dining experience was one of the most emotional I've had in quite some time.Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on TikTok.

My Dad passed away in 2018, well before his time, and Coco helped me in such a way with this terrible loss that I could never hope to truly put it into words. The film, and the Mexican tradition of Dia de los Muertos that inspired it, felt like the warmest blanket on the most frigid of nights and helped me believe for the first time that he was still with me and always would be. So, it should go without saying that when Disney invited me on the media preview sailing of the Disney Treasure and I first stepped into that world via the Plaza de Coco restaurant, complete with a recreation of the Riveras Ofrenda and the Plaza de Santa Cecilia, my heart soared and that feeling came rushing back.This dining experience was one of the most emotional meals Ive had in quite some time and I was so honored to be able to speak to and hear from Cocos director Lee Unkrich, Miguels voice actor Anthony Gonzalez, and members of the team that brought Plaza de Coco to life to learn more about why this is one celebration you wont want to miss.Our Love For Each Other Will Live on ForeverPlaza de Coco is set three years after the events of the film and it was such a pleasure to see how Santa Cecilia and the Rivera family have changed since the credits rolled. Hctor is now the star and Ernesto de la Cruz is nowhere to be found. There is a long hallway that leads to the main part of the restaurant, and it is adorned with the letters Hctor wrote Coco and the song lyrics and notes to the tracks my kids and I still dance and sing along to today. The hallway also has nods to the Rivera family being shoemakers with a workbench, shoes, and tools all around, and these are joined by pictures of the family from the present and the past. From those first few steps, you can feel how the events of Coco have changed the family and this town for the better.This then extends into the dinner show itself, which takes place over two nights. We only got to see the second night, which is much more a retelling of the events of Coco and features a lot more of the most popular songs, but the first night appears to set the stage in a wonderful way."We're seeing how generational trauma has been healed through music, and that's really, really powerful.Because our story starts three years after the film, we wanted to let that sink in for our guests, Plaza de Coco Show Director Juan Cantu said. So, it really is about seeing Miguel meeting Abuelita Elena a few years later where she's allowed music into her life. I mean, remember, she's the one that broke his guitarra, and I know what that felt like.I mean, my parents never broke my guitar, but I certainly felt the way Miguel felt at that moment wanting to be a musician. So, we're seeing how generational trauma has been healed through music, and that's really, really powerful.Speaking of powerful, seeing the Riveras Ofrenda in person - complete with the picture of Mama Coco who passed at the end of the film and the restored photo of Hctor, Mama Imelda, and Coco that now allows Hctor to cross the Marigold Bridge - was a tearful moment I wont ever forget. It also meant a lot to Cocos director Lee Unkrich, who had never seen it brought to life in such detail before.We spent a lot of time creating the Rivera familys Ofrenda and we based it upon elements of the most beautiful Ofrendas that we saw in rural Mexico during our research trips, Unkrich said. We would be with families that were very, very poor, yet they pulled together the most beautiful Ofrendas that sometimes took over whole rooms in their homes.We wanted more than anything to capture that beauty, so it was crazy for me to walk in and see that Ofrenda there that the Disney team put together because it looks so much like the one in the film. In all seriousness, I've only ever experienced that Ofrenda digitally while making the film, so it was really amazing for me to be able to walk up to it and touch it and just see the actual framed photos. It was very surreal in the best way. Plaza de Coco on the Disney TreasureGonzalez was also moved by seeing the Ofrenda at Plaza de Coco, because it means so much to not only his character in the film, but his heritage and those he loves the most.Seeing the Ofrenda was a very special moment because it represents the love that Miguel has for his family and represents the love that we all have for our ancestors, Gonzalez said. So, to see Miguel's family there and Mama Coco right in the middle was a very special moment to see in real life. "Plaza de Coco is a place that honors family. Sure, it honors Miguel's family, but also all the families that are going to come here and experience this wonderful culture, food, and music for themselves.Remember MeI know its taken a while, but yes, Im happy to report Anthony was right and the food is also wonderful! There were a ton of authentic Mexican dishes crafted specifically for Plaza de Coco, and the Michoacn Carnitas tacos entree was my favorite bite of the entire cruise. It just had the most tender and crispy bits of carnitas and a beautifully spicy and bright salsa, cilantro-lime rice, guacamole, pickled red onions, and delicious tortillas. Miguels Churros Calientes, which were sugar spiced and came complete with a warm cajeta caramel, were a close second as they were everything youd hope a churro would be. Delightfully crispy on the outside, pillowy soft on the inside, and accented masterfully with that sauce.Other highlights included the Red Chicken Enchiladas with Guajillo spiced red enchilada sauce, the Beef Birria Empanada with Oaxaca Cheese and Birria Consomme, and the Sunrise Spectacular Chocolate Cake with raspberry chocolate creme and Marigold petals. Oh, and its hard to beat chips and salsa waiting for you on your dinner table.Also waiting for us was that second night of the Plaza de Coco show, which features Miguel being joined once again by Hctor and Mama Imelda and singing the most popular Coco and Mexican songs. Just like everything else at Plaza de Coco, the team infused so much of Mexican culture into the show and hearing them talk about what a meaningful thing that was stuck with me long after I left the ship.It was such an honor to be invited to be part of this project as the cultural consultant, Mario Trujillo said. It was such a critical part to find authentic musicians to play the instruments from Mexico like the vihuela, wear the proper Mariachi outfits in the trajes de charro, and play beautiful, authentic Mexican melodies that are very, very familiar to not only our Hispanic cultures and Mexican cultures, but worldwide like Cielito Lindo, Cu Cu Ru Cu Cu Paloma, Sabor a Mi, and the birthday song Las Maanitas.We wanted to bring so much of our culture to Plaza de Coco and share it with our guests, who we believe will leave here as familia knowing they can start their own traditions after hearing this beautiful story and learning more about Dia de los Muertos, which is not a somber occasion, but a celebration of life. It's a celebration of the future. It's a celebration of the past of those we loved. And when it's deeply rooted in culture and tradition, I think that's the magic.Mario, Im so happy to report that there was magic in that room and the love, care, and authenticity put into every corner of Plaza de Coco shines so bright. It also really made me think of father in a beautiful way, and there is a truly special moment in the show where we all get to honor those we lost. I could ramble on about what that meant to me, but I want Juan Cantu to have the final words here and share a story that echoes my own and so many others around the world."It's a celebration of the future. It's a celebration of the past of those we loved. And when it's deeply rooted in culture and tradition, I think that's the magic."My parents are from Monterrey, Mexico, and I definitely dedicate this to my parents, Cantu said fighting back tears. I do this to honor them, and I celebrate them every night when I see the show. There's a beautiful moment where you will be invited to remember a loved one and I definitely think of Maria y Ramiro Cantu and honor them through this work.That's the beauty of this whole experience. They were a part of me going to Mexico to hold auditions for our actors and then they were there for every creative decision along the way. I felt them whispering in my ear, and not just them, but all of our ancestors, who we truly feel are present in this space when we perform this show. It's a very heartfelt, meaningful experience.It may have been the rendition of Proud Corazn that gets me every time when watching Coco or the Ofrenda or that moment where got to honor our loved ones, but I did feel that my Dad was in that room with us, and whats a better gift than that? For more on the Disney Treasure, check out why The Tale of Moana is one of the best shows I've seen on land or sea and why the Haunted Mansion Parlor is the perfect extension of the beloved Disney Parks Attraction.Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on TikTok.