Join our daily and weekly newsletters for the latest updates and exclusive content on industry-leading AI coverage. Learn MoreMicrosoft Research has introduced a powerful new AI system today that generates novel materials with specific desired properties, potentially accelerating the development of better batteries, more efficient solar cells and other critical technologies.The system, called MatterGen, represents a fundamental shift in how scientists discover new materials. Rather than screening millions of existing compounds the traditional approach that can take years MatterGen directly generates novel materials based on desired characteristics, similar to how AI image generators create pictures from text descriptions.Generative models provide a new paradigm for materials design by directly generating entirely novel materials given desired property constraints, said Tian Xie, principal research manager at Microsoft Research and lead author of the study published today in Nature. This represents a major advancement towards creating a universal generative model for materials design.How Microsofts AI engine works differently than traditional methodsMatterGen uses a specialized type of AI called a diffusion model similar to those behind image generators like DALL-E but adapted to work with three-dimensional crystal structures. It gradually refines random arrangements of atoms into stable, useful materials that meet specified criteria.The results surpass previous approaches. According to the research paper, materials produced by MatterGen are more than twice as likely to be novel and stable, and more than 15 times closer to the local energy minimum compared to previous AI approaches. This means the generated materials are both more likely to be useful and physically possible to create.In one striking demonstration, the team collaborated with scientists at Chinas Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology to synthesize a new material, TaCr2O6, that MatterGen had designed. The real-world material closely matched the AIs predictions, validating the systems practical utility.Real-world applications could transform energy storage and computingThe system is particularly notable for its flexibility. It can be fine-tuned to generate materials with specific properties from particular crystal structures to desired electronic or magnetic characteristics. This could be invaluable for designing materials for specific industrial applications.The implications could be far-reaching. New materials are crucial for advancing technologies in energy storage, semiconductor design and carbon capture. For instance, better battery materials could accelerate the transition to electric vehicles, while more efficient solar cell materials could make renewable energy more cost-effective.From an industrial perspective, the potential here is enormous, Xie explained. Human civilization has always depended on material innovations. If we can use generative AI to make materials design more efficient, it could accelerate progress in industries like energy, healthcare and beyond.Microsofts open source strategy aims to accelerate scientific discoveryMicrosoft has released MatterGens source code under an open-source license, allowing researchers worldwide to build upon the technology. This move could accelerate the systems impact across various scientific fields.The development of MatterGen is part of Microsofts broader AI for Science initiative, which aims to accelerate scientific discovery using AI. The project integrates with Microsofts Azure Quantum Elements platform, potentially making the technology accessible to businesses and researchers through cloud computing services.However, experts caution that while MatterGen represents a significant advance, the path from computationally designed materials to practical applications still requires extensive testing and refinement. The systems predictions, while promising, need experimental validation before industrial deployment.Nevertheless, the technology represents a significant step forward in using AI to accelerate scientific discovery. As Daniel Zgner, a senior researcher on the project, noted, Were deeply committed to research that can have a positive, real-world impact, and this is just the beginning.Daily insights on business use cases with VB DailyIf you want to impress your boss, VB Daily has you covered. We give you the inside scoop on what companies are doing with generative AI, from regulatory shifts to practical deployments, so you can share insights for maximum ROI.Read our Privacy PolicyThanks for subscribing. Check out more VB newsletters here.An error occured.

Just a couple of years ago, Sony had a dozen new live service games in development, but that number keeps dropping. It was already down to six by the end of 2023, before the well-received launch of Helldivers IIthe disaster that was Concord in 2024. Now, Bloombergs Jason Schreier has confirmed with Sony that two unannounced live service projects have been canceled.One was from Syphon Filter and Days Gone developer Bend Games, while Schreier reports the other shuttered title was a live-service God of War game that Bluepoint Games has been working on for the last couple of years.Bluepoint Games is one of several developers Sony acquired in recent years as it was building up a queue of live service projects, with many ports and remasters under its belt, including Demons Souls, the first three Uncharted games, Shadow of the Colossus, and others. Now, Schreier says the studios wont close, but theres no word yet on what their next projects will be. The live service approach to gaming once seemed wide open following the success of Fortnite and other titles, but games like Concord, Anthem, and Redfall have shown how difficult it can be. At Sony alone, the list of canceled service titles Bloomberg has already reported on included the Spider-Man game revealed by the Insomniac ransomware breach, Twisted Metal, and a Destiny-linked game from Bungie called Payback. However, were still expecting to hear more about Bungies revived MarathonFairgames, a PvP heist title from Haven Studios.

Why Small Language Models Make Business Sense 0 like January 16, 2025Share this postAuthor(s): Paul Ferguson, Ph.D. Originally published on Towards AI. Image generated by Gemini AISmall Language Models are changing the way businesses implement AI by providing solutions that operate efficiently using standard hardware.Despite the attention given to massive AI models, these compact alternatives demonstrate that in the real world, smaller often means smarter, faster, and more cost-effective.What are SLMsSmall Language Models (SLMs) are much like the Large Language Models (LLMs) that we are all familiar with (e.g. ChatGPT), except that they are smaller in size.Model ScaleSLMs typically range from a few million to a few billion parametersLLMs are much larger, with tens of billions to trillions of parametersExample: Metas Llama 2 comes in 7B (7 billion parameters) and 70B (70 billion parameters) variants, each serving different needsPractical ImplementationCan run on standard computing hardwareSuitable for mobile devices and edge computingAdaptable to specific business needs through fine-tuningSLM vs LLM ComparisonIncreased AdoptionOne of the key reasons for this is that they are ideally suited to some of the smaller datasets that are more prevalent within typical businesses. They can also be more easily fine-tuned to the exact needs of a specific company and their own data.Clem Delangue, CEO of Hugging Face, predicts that up to 99% of AI use cases could be addressed using SLMs.Prominent firms, like Microsoft and Google along with IBM and Meta have introduced SLMs, such as Phi Trio and Gemma as well as compact versions of Llama models. Illustrating broad acceptance, within the industry.Suitable Use Cases for LLMs vs SLMsKey Advantages of Small Language ModelsThese compact models deliver impressive results with millions rather than billions of parameters.Their benefits include:Efficiency and Cost-Effectiveness: SLMs require significantly less computational power and memory compared to LLMs: this makes them faster to train, as well as more affordable to run long-term.Domain-Specific Applications: SLMs perform well in tasks that require specialist knowledge, such as customer support chatbots, real-time translation, document summarisation, and IoT device operations. Their smaller size allows for easier fine-tuning on specific datasets, which allows them to excel, with particularly niche use cases.Enhanced Privacy: Due to their compact nature, SLMs can operate locally (e.g., on mobile devices). This significantly enhances data protection by limiting the need for cloud based processing services.Reduced Environmental Impact: Lower computing requirements lead to less energy consumption, in both training and inference processes. Which is a crucial factor, for companies aiming to achieve sustainability goals.Technical FoundationsThree key strategies enable the creation of these models;Knowledge Distillation: This process involves training a smaller model to mimic a larger ones behaviour. For example, a customer service SLM might learn the most common support scenarios from a larger model while remaining compact enough to run on local servers.Model Pruning: This technique involves removing less important connections within the model: through careful pruning, models can often maintain most of their performance while significantly reducing their size.Quantisation: This method optimises how the model stores and processes numerical data. Instead of using high-precision numbers (which require more storage), quantisation uses smaller number formats, which maintain acceptable accuracy. For example, decreasing precision, from 32 bits to 8 bits can notably shrink model size while generally preserving adequate performance levels, for various business usesUnderstanding the LimitationsWhile SLMs offer many advantages, its important to understand some of their limitations:Task ComplexitySLMs are like specialised tools, while LLMs are more like swiss army knivesThey excel at specific tasks but may struggle with broader applicationsBest suited for focused, well-defined business problemsInput TypesMost SLMs work with a single type of input (usually text)Unlike larger models, they typically arent multimodal (cant process images, audio, etc.)For many business uses, this single-focus approach is actually beneficialContext WindowSLMs have smaller context windows the amount of text they can process at onceExample: SLMs like Llama 3.2 handle 128k tokens, while Gemini 1.5 processes 2 million tokensSolutions like chunking help manage longer texts by breaking them into smaller piecesThe Road AheadSLMs are finding success in several key business applications:Targeted Applications: Businesses with specific, limited-scope language tasks, such as customer feedback analysis or domain-specific queries, can benefit from the efficiency of SLMs.Real-Time Processing: SLMs are well-suited for real-time interactions, such as chatbots and live translation services, as they deliver faster response times due to their smaller size.Data Privacy Concerns: In industries like healthcare and finance, SLMs can process sensitive data locally, helping companies to comply with regulations such as GDPR or HIPAA.AI Agents and Orchestration: SLMs excel as specialised AI agents, each handling specific tasks. Businesses can create systems of these agents working together, combining the efficiency of SLMs with the versatility of having multiple specialised components.Making the Right Choice for Your BusinessWhen deciding if SLMs are suitable for your companys needs here are some factors to keep in mind:What is the specific task or problem youre trying to solve?What are your computational resources and budget constraints?Do you have specific data privacy requirements?What is the expected volume and frequency of model usage?Do you need real-time processing capabilities?SLMs represent practical AI implementation. They offer an effective balance of capability and efficiency for businesses seeking reliable, cost-effective AI solutions.If youd like to find out more about me, please check out www.paulferguson.me, or connect with me on LinkedIn.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 generic title of the new Netflix action-comedy Back in Action could refer to both the movies pedestrian story and to the entirely unrelated reason that people might be interested in watching it. Our protagonists are Emily and Matt, two romantically involved CIA super-operatives who retire into anonymity due to Emilys pregnancy, only to be drawn back into spy-movie shenanigans years later. But thats all reminiscent of bits and pieces of better movies, including Kill Bill Vol. 2 and Mr. & Mrs. Smith. The real lure is in whos playing this in-from-the-cold couple: Cameron Diaz, coming out of a decade-long retirement from acting, and Jamie Foxx, who largely sat 2024 out following the stroke that delayed the production and release of Back in Action. In other words, two major movie stars have returned and reteamed for some popcorn entertainment. Too bad this particular piece of popcorn entertainment may not ultimately muster even as much excitement as Diaz and Foxxs two previous movies together.That those two previous Diaz/Foxx projects were a sports drama (Any Given Sunday) and a musical (the 2014 remake of Annie) may indicate why Back of Actions subtext about glamorous professionals returning to what they do best falls a little flat. Yes, both stars appeared in their share of lightweight entertainment, like the winkingly cartoonish Charlies Angels or the caper-like Horrible Bosses (directed, like Back in Action, by Seth Gordon). But their eclectic careers havent been dominated by the kind of star-studded, instantly forgotten sorta-action sorta-comedy that has flourished on streaming in recent years. (Think Red Notice, Ghosted, Role Play, The Union, and Argylle.) These streaming spy movies all try for a mix of escapism and laughs by juxtaposing cartoonishly high-tech espionage with humdrum day-to-day life. Back in Action is more adept at depicting the latter, as the couple struggles with their tech-savvy younger son Leon (Rylan Jackson) and especially their rebellious older daughter Alice (McKenna Roberts). Emily is the more overprotective parent, while Matt does his best to stay laid back, a dynamic that the two stars play with an easy, affable chemistry. Theyre sweetly believable, in a sitcom sort of way, and its novel to see the once-indomitable secret weapon of Diazs megawatt charm her distinctively sunny grin fail to penetrate the armor of a pitiless teenager. When the couples old boss (Kyle Chandler) resurfaces looking for a long-lost McGuffin (one of those all-purpose digital keys that can unlock anything on the grid, and so on), pursued by a group of nefarious henchmen, the family must go on the run. This prompts Gordon and co-writer Brendan OBrien to engineer a whole lot of clumsily directed chases and fights, the latter repeatedly scored with musty pop hits as some kind of jokeless running gag. Like other streaming spy movies, Back in Action aspires to Bondian globe-trotting, and winds up with a meager range of green-screen-friendly locations: Atlanta suburbs, a petrol station at night, and a generic mansion to name three. The climax does hit up the Tate Modern in London, but only briefly. Back in Action GalleryEarly on, in moments where violent self-defense seems to unlock something Emily and Matt suppressed during parenthood, Back in Action seems poised to unpack the idea that enjoying this kind of work involves a degree of sociopathy. But Gordon and co-writer Brendan OBrien dont seem interested in anything that thorny, and so their characters ass-kicking is quickly recategorized as purely righteous. The mayhem is so frictionless that it appears to go entirely unnoticed. Endless machine-gun rounds are fired through a suburban neighborhood in broad daylight. A car chase minutes later sends vehicles soaring through the air. Matt wields a gas pump as a flamethrower in full view of multiple civilians, and nobody ever bats an eye or alerts the authorities.Back in Action isnt going for naturalism, but the interchangeable locations and vacuum-sealed action make the movie feel smaller without leaving room for it to be funnier. The best bits in its second half involve Nigel (Jamie Demetriou), a bumbling MI6 trainee whos shacked up with Emilys estranged ex-spy mother, played by Glenn Close. Nigels open-hearted enthusiasm has a daft originality that the rest of the characters conspicuously lack as they learn predictable lessons about parent-child understanding. Far from a window into an exotic world of subterfuge and life-or-death stakes (or any analogues in the lives of Hollywood A-listers like Diaz and Foxx), the algorithmically generated plot points and robotic sequel-seeding of Back in Action wind up feeling like another day at the corporate offices.

The words Back in Action are as much a promise as they are a title. After all, anyone who considers themselves a fan of Jamie Foxx or Cameron Diazand Netflixs algorithm clearly thinks there are a lot of us out therewill know theyve been away from screens for serious reasons. Its been almost two years since Jamie Foxx experienced a stroke that left him hospitalized and initially unable to walk. So seeing him dance, kick, and float across soundstages again is the kind of rare catharsis that even AI analytics can never genuinely quantify.While Diazs own reasons for stepping away from the screen were more voluntary, theyre no less significant. Since the performer chose to retire from acting after 2014s Annie, she has not appeared in a new film for more than a decade. Yet here she is again, back in action and dancing, kicking, and bantering with Foxx like no time has passed for either of them. (In truth, Diaz has told the press her off-screen friendship with Foxx is a key reason Back in Action marked her return to the movies.)The more outside knowledge you bring to the film, then, the more satisfying it is to see them doing their thing. Because otherwise one cannot help but wish they were doing it in something better than this anodyne, innocuous, and wholly disposable piece of fluff that was blatantly designed to be a second-screen time-waster.The films premise is easy enough to digest, even when youre looking at your phone during the many expository scenes: Diaz and Foxx are introduced in a sequence set fifteen years ago when they were still hot-shit spies at the CIA. They steal WMDs from terrorists and bad men, drink champagne on their own private planes, and survive said planes crash while barely sustaining a scratch. However, right before the aircraft went blasting into the Alps, the pair also learned Diazs Emily is pregnant, and her partner Matt (Foxx) is the papa. So they use the close call with oblivion to Irish-goodbye the spy game and fake their own deaths.Cut to the present and the pair are living a painfully recognizable form of suburban American normalcy. Matt coaches his daughters soccer team; Alice gets her kids ready for school and dreams of moms movie Mondays; and said youngins, teenage Alice (McKenna Roberts) and tween Leo (Rylan Jackson) think their parents are hopelessly lame. That might begin to change though after the olds go viral on TikTok by beating the clout out of some college twerps hitting on their underage daughter. They unfortunately end up back on the radar of old friends like CIA handler Chuck (Kyle Chandler) and bad mercenaries who want the MacGuffin they stole in that plane crash. Road trip hijinks ensue with the children in the back and on the way to MI6 grandmamas house.Back in Actions metaphor for a suburban midlife crisis through the prism of spy games and mirthful action movie clichs is not a new one. James Cameron made one of his frothiest (and perhaps most problematic) movies out of it in True Lies. In that one, it was Jamie Lee Curtis bored housewife who realized her hunky husband (Arnold Schwarzenegger) wasnt getting those muscles from selling computer monitors on the road. A little later, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie fatefully sizzled up the concept in a double-header where it turns out the non-communicative spouses were both spooks for rival agencies in Mr. & Mrs. Smith.Back in Action tweaks the premise again. Husband and wife are still both spies, but now theyre aware of their shared history, even as theyve kept their past adventures secret from the kids. It is an amusing enough wrinkle for any parent whos ever realized their children believe Mom and Dad never had a life before they were bornand that old folks have always been lame. Director and co-writer Seth Gordon (Horrible Bosses, Baywatch) might not be reinventing the wheel, but plenty of entertaining studio comedies of yore, including Horrible Bosses, have started from less.Alas, Back in Action is less studio comedy than modern streaming content. The action is largely pedestrian and obligatory, lazily hanging on popular needle drops that range from Frank Sinatra to Etta James; the jokes and plot twists are obvious; and the overall effect ultimately being adequate. It is meant to be consumed but never experienced, and even the thrill of seeing Foxx and Diaz back in action fizzles quickly.Both actors who broke out in the 1990s and 2000sand spend much of this movie explaining to these Gen-Alpha youths that theyre not Boomershave a nice easygoing rapport, but never one youd mistake as romantic or sizzling. The pair come across like old college chums who still like to hit the pub once in a while. Its more work-wife and work-husband than the real marital thing, to use a term Gen-Xers wont be offended by.They just seem happy to be here and go through the paces and martial arts paces that is a far cry from what they were doing back in Charlies Angels or Miami Vice heyday, never mind Being John Malkovich or Collateral. Unfortunately, the paces the movie gives them so barely register a reaction that its remarkable how quickly the running time gets stolen from them by Glenn Close and Jamie Demetriou as an unlikely May-December pair of grandparents.There are moments of bemusement to be had from the leads, particularly whenever the film reuses the beat of them astonishing their kids by beating the stuffing out of bad guys time and again. Mom and Dad got moves?! Were sure plenty of real-life Gen-X and older Millennial parents will revel in the fantasy of showing the perpetually online generation how things were done back in the day before social media came along. But its all in service to a streamer that threw in this movies towel to the smartphone screen before a punch was ever rehearsed. In other words, on family movie night, this one is more for the olds. The kids can (and will) keep scrolling.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!Its still nice to have Diaz and Foxx back, but next time lets hope they return for more than a Silicon Valley paycheck.Back in Action starts streaming on Netflix on Friday, Jan. 17.

Benjamin and Chance react to Mark Zuckerbergs recent comments about Apple having not done anything good recently as we also look forward to everything Apple is set to announce this year. Apple gets in hot water about Enhanced Visual Search, and the iOS 18.3 beta cycle continues, if a little bare.And in Happy Hour Plus, as Apple ramps up its marketing effort for Severance, Benjamin tries to convince Chance to give the show another chance. Subscribe at9to5mac.com/join.Sponsored by HelloFresh: Americas #1 meal kit! Get up to 10 FREE meals and a free high protein item for life atHelloFresh.com/happyhour10fm.Sponsored by Shopify: Grow your business no matter what stage youre in. Sign up for a $1 per month trial atshopify.com/happyhour.HostsChance Miller Benjamin MayoSubscribe, Rate, and Review9to5Mac Happy Hour PlusSubscribe to 9to5Mac Happy Hour Plus! Support Benjamin and Chance directly with Happy Hour Plus! 9to5Mac Happy Hour Plus includes:Ad-free versions of every episodePre- and post-show contentBonus episodesJoin for $5 per month or $50 a year at9to5mac.com/join.Feedback Submit #Ask9to5Mac questions on Twitter, Mastodon, or ThreadsEmail us feedback and questions to happyhour@9to5mac.com LinksAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

SpaceX's Starship has exploded into countless pieces of space junk as it reentered the atmosphere over the Caribbean.The company's seventh test flight has ended in what could turn out to be a disaster, with videos taken from the West Indian islands of Turks and Caicos showing massive streaks of reentering pieces of Starship rocket blazing across the evening sky.SpaceX called the event a "rapid unscheduled disassembly," a tongue-in-cheek term denoting a rocket explosion, "during its ascent burn," in a statement posted to X-formerly-Twitter."Teams will continue to review data from today's flight test to better understand root cause," the company wrote. "With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and todays flight will help us improve Starships reliability."SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has yet to comment on the mishap.It's still unclear if anybody was hurt following the event. Given the proximity of the debris to the Caribbean islands, it's not out of the question."Starship debris raining from space after its explosion 8.5 mins into flight," Reuters space reporter Joey Roulette tweeted."Scary or beautiful?" Ars Technica reporter Stephen Clark wrote. "Hopefully, no harm or damage. Yikes."The company's seventh test flight initially appeared to have gone smoothly, with Starship's Super Heavy booster being caught by SpaceX's "chopsticks" arms-equipped tower.But despite having sent several Starship prototypes successfully into orbit and having them slow their descent before dropping into the Pacific, the company's latest attempt appears to have been a major step backward."This is probably the most significant setback for Starship since SpaceX started full-stack test flights in 2023," Clark tweeted. "The [Federal Aviation Administration] will likely require a mishap investigation."Other onlookers saw the situation as a glass half full."Lots to learn for SpaceX from these Starship disintegration videos, unfortunately," former Canadian astronaut legend Chris Hadfield tweeted. "Hopefully no one hurt. Glad the first stage was successfully caught. Onwards to improvements for Flight 8."Other observers were just puzzled."Are those shooting stars?" one onlooker can be heard saying in one of the videos. "What are those?"More on Starship: SpaceX Spotted Scooping Pieces of Starship Out of Ocean After ImpactShare This Article

Job Title: Lead DevOps EngineerLocation: Remote, USDepartment: Product EngineeringType: Full-Time, ExemptExperience: Senior (8+ years)Salary Range: $175,000 - $215,000 base (+ bonus, equity, and benefits)Core Hours: 9 AM - 1 PM PST / 12 - 4 PM ESTRole SummaryAs tvScientific's Lead DevOps Engineer, your primary focus will be streamlining software development and deploying scalable infrastructure solutions. Day to day, you'll lead the team that builds out IaC, optimizes processes, drives platform consistency, maintains CI/CD pipelines, and resolves system issues, collaborating with our cross-functional teams. (We're biased but our teams are awesome!)Using your expertise in automation tools, cloud platforms, and CI/CD methodologies, you'll own the responsibility of ensuring smooth software delivery and high system availability. Success in this role requires that you simplify processes, proactively address challenges, and ensure system reliability, measured by decreased deployment times, reduced system downtime, and improved overall performance.What You'll DoCollaborate across teams to optimize software development.Implement and maintain scalable, reliable, and secure infrastructure as code practices.Design, build, and manage CI/CD pipelines for automated testing and deployment.Evaluate and recommend tools for improved DevOps efficiency.Provide technical leadership and mentorship for continuous improvement.Proactively address bottlenecks, performance issues, and security vulnerabilities.Participate in on-call rotations and incident response for system reliability.Monitor system metrics and troubleshoot issues for optimal performance.How We'll Define SuccessEffectively leading the team that owns all of our infrastructure.Empowering other teams with platform observability.Implementing scalable infrastructure practices effectively.Ensuring smooth operation of CI/CD pipelines.Driving towards platform and tool consistency.Introducing tools for improved DevOps practices.Proactively resolving issues.Maintaining high system availability.Optimizing system performance continuously.Youll Be Successful in This Role if You Have/AreStrong proficiency in automation tools and scripting languages (Python, Bash).Extensive experience with cloud platforms (especially AWS) and infrastructure as code (Terraform, CloudFormation).In-depth knowledge of CI/CD tools (Jenkins, Github Actions) and practices.Familiarity with containerization technologies (Docker, Kubernetes) and orchestration.Familiarity with deployment methodologies (e.g. Blue-Green, Canary) and tools (e.g. Argo Rollout).Experience with monitoring and logging tools (CloudWatch, OpenTelemetry, Grafana, Prometheus, ELK stack).Solid understanding of networking concepts and security best practices.Excellent problem-solving and troubleshooting skills.Strong communication and collaboration abilities, especially in cross-functional teams.Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.You May Also HavePrevious experience in a leadership or mentoring role.SecOps experience: We are Soc 2 Type 2 compliant and undergo annual audits.FinOps: Need someone with an ownership mindset that monitors and optimizes infrastructure costs.Adtech or CTV experience.Advanced degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.Culture and BenefitsAt tvScientific we believe people do their best work when they feel challenged and engaged by their day to day responsibilities, when theyre surrounded by smart, hard working people, and when they have a healthy work life balance. Our company culture and benefits package reflects these beliefs.Full health, dental, and vision insurance - up to 95% funded by the company for employees.Employee stock option program.Company-sponsored retirement plan with a matching contribution program.12 annual paid holidays (including 2 flexible days).Generous PTO policy (get your work done and take the time you need).A remote-first environment that allows employees flexibility to work from most places in the US.As tvScientists We Are...Big Thinkers: We believe in setting audacious goals and envisioning transformative change.Radically Transparent: We value transparency in all aspects of our business. We foster a culture of open communication, honesty, and accountability.Performance-obsessed: We are passionate about achieving exceptional results. We strive for excellence in everything we do and set high standards for ourselves.Data-driven: We embrace the power of data, science, and technology as crucial drivers of our success.Trust Builders: We prioritize building and nurturing trust with our stakeholders. We understand that trust is the foundation of successful relationships and business partnerships. Through our actions, integrity, and commitment to delivering on promises.Forever Students: Challenge assumptions to look for solutions. We create a safe environment for experiments and risk-taking by our customers and employees.

When youve designed a character concept and want to transform it into a 3D model, a detailed turnaround sheet in my experience, is super helpful to have.Did you know you can create one directly in Blender? Using Blenders Grease Pencil, you can draft to scale, refine your characters details, and hand off a comprehensive blueprint to a modeler with all the information they need.This article gives you an insight into what you need to know to create a character turnaround sheet in Blender. To dive deeper into the process please check out my Blender Course TURNAROUND now streaming for CG Cookie Members.This course was created in Blender 4.2 LTS. A few things have changed since, but the fundamental principles covered are evergreen.Why Use Blender for Turnaround Sheets?Blender offers unique advantages for creating turnaround sheets:Precision: Work at real-world scales using Blenders metric or imperial units.Efficiency: Leverage tools like modifiers, keyframes, and compositors for quick changes.Integration: Combine 2D and 3D elements seamlessly with Grease Pencil.By working in Blender, youre not just sketching; youre creating a blueprint ready for the next stage of production.Step 1: Refine Your Concept for Missing DetailsBefore drafting a turnaround sheet, revisit your character concept to ensure it covers all necessary details. For example:What does the character look like from all angles?Are there hidden features, like the back of a costume or under armor, that need to be clarified?In Lunas case, the back of her armor was missing in the initial concept. Adding these details ensured the modeler had all the information they needed.Step 2: Setting Up Scale in BlenderBlenders Grease Pencil is pre-configured for 1:1 scale, making it easy to create accurate blueprints. Working at a 1:1 scale ensures that proportions are consistent and realistic, simplifying the workflow for modelers who rely on precise references. Heres how to set it up:Choose Units: Select metric or imperial units in Blenders scene settings.Adjust Grid: Use the grid to ensure consistent proportions across sketches.Verify Scale: Double-check that your drawings align with real-world measurements.Step 3: Sketching Views with Grease PencilStart sketching the front, side, and back views of your character. Grease Pencil allows you to:Create rough sketches first, then refine them with clean lines and colors.Use layers to separate details like limbs, armor, or accessories, which enhances clarity and makes collaboration with modelers more effective.Add separate sketches for arms or features that might obscure other parts of the design, ensuring that no critical details are missed.Step 4: Advanced Tools for EfficiencyBlenders additional tools can save you time and enhance your turnaround sheet:Modifiers: Quickly adjust proportions or replicate elements.Keyframes: Create variations of your sketches for alternate poses or features.Compositor: Render-focused images to highlight specific details.In ConclusionBlenders Grease Pencil isnt just for sketching, its a powerful tool for creating detailed, scalable turnaround sheets. By taking advantage of Blenders built-in tools like modifiers, keyframes, and compositors, you can produce professional-quality blueprints efficiently. These integrated tools not only streamline the creation process but also enable quick adjustments, ensuring flexibility and consistency throughout your workflow.Thanks for reading! Ready to learn Grease Pencil in Blender? Become a free member today to begin streaming the entire DRAW course.

Two weeks into the new year, Verizon is planning to raise prices on some of its plans. Those affected include select plans with five or more lines as well as those still using the no-longer-available New Verizon Plan options.While these plan price hikes may not affect the majority of Verizon users, it still reduces affordability for customers trying to keep prices down. In February, customers on the current myPlan accounts with five or more lines will see a monthly $3 per line increase in their bill as early as Feb. 20, as Droid Life first reported.Also, customers who were locked in to the no-longer-available New Verizon Plan in any of the S, M, L, XL and XXL varieties will see their single phone line rates go up $4 per line per month. Those with multi-phone line accounts will have rates increase by $15 per month, while data overage fees will also increase from $15 to $20 per gigabyte, according to a Verizon support page."We can confirm we've adjusted pricing on some mobile plans for select customers," the carrier said in a statement. "Verizon is committed to delivering unparalleled network reliability, experiences and choices our customers love and expect. These price adjustments allow us to continue to provide our customers top-tier products and services, with a focus on ultra-reliable connectivity."Verizon had increased one of its ancillary monthly fees, the Administrative and Telco Recovery Charge, by 20 cents per line last month, up to $3.50 per voice line for phones, or $1.60 per data line for tablets and hotspots.Carriers hiked prices of different plans and fees last year. In January 2024, AT&T increased its unlimited plans by 99 cents per line, followed by Verizon raising prices for some older unlimited plans in March and T-Mobile upping rates on older plans in June. The latter two efforts by Verizon and T-Mobile included messaging to nudge those with older plans to upgrade to currently available ones. Watch this: The Coolest Mobile Gadgets We Saw at CES 02:29