At a victory rally the day before being sworn into the presidency, Donald Trump extolled his plan to save TikTok from the law that banned it through a joint venture with the US. On its face, the plan does not appear to comply with the laws requirements for a qualified divestiture that TikToks service providers like Apple, Google, and Oracle could rely on to avoid hundreds of billions in potential fines. Even so, at least some of TikToks service providers seem to be relying on Trumps flimsy promises, allowing TikTok to restore service to the app mid-day Sunday, on the first day of its ban.Trump is proposing a joint venture where the US government owns 50 percent of TikTok. That raises a host of its own First Amendment issues since any content moderation whatsoever might be considered a government act, and the Constitution prohibits the government (not private companies) from infringing on speech. Its not entirely clear how Trump envisions this all playing out, but Trump says, essentially, that TikTok would have a partner in the US government, and theyll have a lot of bidders and the United States will do what we call a joint venture. Trump claims there is no risk to the US because were not putting up any money. All were doing is giving them the approval without which they dont have anything. So, I dont know, it sounds like that works.Trump also reinforced the idea that the whole reason he likes TikTok is because he thinks it helped his campaign. He credited his 21-year-old staffer, nicknamed TikTok Jack, for helping him get on the app that helped him win over young voters.And though the stated purpose of forcing TikTok to divest from its parent company ByteDance (a move Trump himself first tried to do in his first term) was to remove a possible backdoor for the Chinese government to US data, he now says that frankly, we have no choice, we have to save it a lot of jobs. We dont wanna give our business to China.Heres Trumps full comments on TikTok during the rally:And as of today, TikTok is back. So, you know, I did a little TikTok thing we have a guy, TikTok Jack hes a young kid, like 21 years old. And we hired this guy, and I went on TikTok; can you believe what Ill do to win an election?And we went on TikTok and Republicans have never won the young vote, the youth vote. They win a lot of votes, but they never won the youth vote. We won the youth vote by 36 points. So I like TikTok. I like it. I had a slightly good experience wouldnt you say?Romney lost it by 40 points not so long ago. We won it by 36 points. Thats a very big spread.But I said, we need to save TikTok, because were talking about a tremendous who, who in this audience goes with TikTok? Many? Yeah, very popular. And frankly, we have no choice, we have to save it a lot of jobs. We dont wanna give our business to China, we dont wanna give our business to other people. And I said, you know, TikTok without my approval meaning the presidents approval because Congress gave the president the right to make a deal to whatever he wants and uh they did that a long time ago when they have a different president. They didnt know that I was gonna be at the president, I guess.So I said very simply, a joint venture. So, if TikTok is worth nothing, zero without an approval, you know you dont approve, theyre out of business, theyre worth nothing.If you do approve, theyre worth like a trillion dollars, theyre worth some crazy number. So I said, Ill approve, but let the United States of America own 50% of TikTok.Im approving on behalf of the United States.So theyll have a partner, the United States, and theyll have a lot of bidders and the United States will do what we call a joint venture. And theres no risk, were not putting up any money. All were doing is giving them the approval without which they dont have anything. So, I dont know, it sounds like that works. What do you think, good? So, whether you like TikTok or not, were gonna make a lot of money.

Scaling the size of large language models (LLMs) and their training data have now opened up emergent capabilities that allow these models to perform highly structured reasoning, logical deductions, and abstract thought. These are not incremental improvements over previous tools but mark the journey toward reaching Artificial general intelligence (AGI).Training LLMs to reason well is one of the biggest challenges in their creation. The approaches developed so far cannot nearly master multi-step problems or those where the solution must be coherent and logical. A principal cause is using human-annotated training data, which is expensive and inherently limited. Without enough annotated examples, these models fail to generalize across domains. This limitation presents a major barrier to exploiting LLMs for more complex, real-world problems requiring advanced reasoning.Previous methods have found partial solutions to this problem. Researchers have explored supervised fine-tuning, reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF), and prompting techniques such as chain of thought. While these techniques improve LLMs capabilities, they are still strongly dependent on quality datasets and significant computational resources. Fine-tuning with reasoning examples or integrating step-by-step problem-solving trajectories has proved successful; however, the approaches remain computationally intensive and are not generally scalable to mass applications. Addressing these challenges, researchers began to concentrate more on methods for automated data construction and reinforcement learning frameworks that make minimal demands on human effort but maximize reasoning accuracy.Researchers from Tsinghua University, Emory University, and HKUST introduced a reinforced learning paradigm for dealing with the challenges of training LLMs for reasoning tasks. Their approach uses Process Reward Models (PRMs) to guide intermediate steps within the reasoning process, significantly enhancing logical coherence and task performance. Using a combination of automated annotation with Monte Carlo simulations, the researchers have automatically generated high-quality reasoning data that does not rely on manual intervention. This innovative methodology eliminates reliance on human annotations about the data quality but enables models to perform advanced reasoning through iterative learning cycles. The reinforced learning method encompasses a variety of components, including PRM-guided automated reasoning trajectories and test-time reasoning.PRMs provide step-level rewards centered around intermediate steps rather than final outcomes. The detailed guidance ensures the model can learn incrementally and refine its understanding during training. Test-time scaling further improves reasoning capabilities by dedicating more computation resources for deliberate thinking during inference. Techniques such as Monte Carlo Tree Search (MCTS) and self-refinement cycles are critical to this process, allowing the models to simulate and evaluate multiple reasoning paths efficiently. Performance results show that these methods work well.The models trained using this reinforced paradigm show significant improvement in reasoning benchmarks. The OpenAI o1 series, one of the most prominent implementations of such techniques, achieves an 83.3% success rate in competitive programming tasks by leveraging structured reasoning and logical deduction. The o1 model has also demonstrated PhD-level performance in mathematics, physics, and biology, scoring at gold-medal levels in the International Mathematics Olympiad. Systematic evaluations reveal that integrating step-level reasoning processes improves accuracy by 150% compared to earlier models. These results emphasize the ability of the model to decompose complex problems, synthesize interdisciplinary knowledge, and maintain consistency in long-horizon tasks.The study showcases the promising perspective that LLMs can realize once endowed with advanced reinforcement learning methods and test-time scaling strategies. The cases of data annotation and the reduction of computational resources culminate in novel possibilities for reasoning-focused AI systems. This work enhances the state of LLMs and establishes a foundation for future exploration in creating models for handling highly complex tasks with minimal human intervention.In summary, research points towards the transformational strength of the merge of reinforcement learning and test time scaling in building LLM. By addressing problems associated with traditional trAIning methods and deploying novel strategies of innovative design and application, such a model shows great promise as an effective creation for reasoning power. The methods presented by authors from Tsinghua University, Emory University, and HKUST are an enormous step in pursuing the desired goal of well-established AI and human-like reasoning systems.Check out the Paper. 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 our65k+ ML SubReddit.(Promoted) Nikhil+ postsNikhil is an intern consultant at Marktechpost. He is pursuing an integrated dual degree in Materials at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. Nikhil is an AI/ML enthusiast who is always researching applications in fields like biomaterials and biomedical science. With a strong background in Material Science, he is exploring new advancements and creating opportunities to contribute. Meet 'Height':The only autonomous project management tool (Sponsored)

Economic pressures have driven architectural studios to innovate and diversify, as outlined in BCIs Construction Outlook Report New Zealand. The report uses proprietary pipeline data, industry surveys and expert insights to forecast emerging trends and market resilience for the yearahead.NZ architects balance economic pressures with innovation, sustainability, and optimism through emerging opportunities.Image: SuppliedThe report shows that architects are adapting by streamlining operations and embracing new technologies to staycompetitive.Cost escalation remains a major concern for New Zealand architects, with 59% identifying it as a key risk, while economic fluctuations (57%) and securing approvals (40%) remain topchallenges.Dan McNelis, New Zealand Studio Director at DKO Architecture, told BCI Central that the easing of inflation and steadying interest rates could provide improved project continuity andconfidence.What Im finding now is that we seem to have settled a little more politically. With things like the official cash rate drops and inflation seemingly under control, Im seeing a lot more optimism from our clients, McNelissaid.Were getting more incoming calls about projects, and personally, Im feeling better about the work and the prospects for a really good year in2025.Architects are determined to move beyond a survival mindset, focusing instead on thriving in the new year. This shift in perspective is echoed by McNelis, who emphasises the importance of fostering positivity and collaboration in theindustry.As we enter a new year, I feel invigorated by the optimism of bouncing back from a challenging period. I want to shift from a survive till 25 mentality to one of thriving, focusing on building deeper relationships with clients and promoting quality outcomes, McNelissaid.Changing our thought patterns can significantly influence our outcomes. By embracing optimism, we attract positive results, creating a ripple effect in theindustry.Developers, architects, and builders are navigating unprecedented risks in 2025Image: BCI Central Construction Outlook ReportFaced with economic pressures, architects are turning to diversification and innovation. Many firms are exploring new project sectors, embracing advanced technologies, and prioritising talent development to maintainmomentum.As a multi-disciplinary design firm, we view design efficiency and diversification as key to addressing economic challenges, Nick Moyes, Principal at Jasmax,said.Weve recently opened a studio in Sydney, which has shown promising growth across the Tasman Sea. We are optimistic that the efforts we make in the headwinds of today will accelerate opportunities now and into thefuture.New Zealand architects are also increasingly adopting specification writing software and automated workflows to enhance productivity. Over half (53%) of architects in New Zealand now use specification software a figure significantly ahead of their Australiancounterparts.New Zealand architects are balancing resilience and sustainability with economic viability as climate change, severe weather and demand for sustainable design continue to challenge the builtenvironment.Clients are increasingly demanding climate-resilient projects, leading architects to incorporate innovative materials and practices. Still, this shift highlights a persistent challenge: the gap between market expectations and commercialrealities.Despite advancements, the nations approach to climate resilience is still evolving.New Zealands approach to construction in the face of climate change and severe weather remains relatively fragile. Our architecture and built environment are constantly tested by these conditions, exposing limitations in our resilience, Hamish Davies, Director of Plus Architecture, told BCICentral.Despite advancements and technical capabilities, we face significant disruptions and challenges that undermine our progress. One area of opportunity is the Build-to-Rent (BTR) sector, which is gaining traction as a sustainable and community-focused solution to housing challenges. Interest in BTR initiatives rose to 38% from 10% in 2023, reflecting a shift toward rental-focuseddevelopment.Natasha Cockerell, Director and Registered Architect at Prendos New Zealand Limited, highlighted the sectors potential. Theres still incredible architecture being created, especially in the Build-to-Rent (BTR) sector, which I see as a significant part of our future, Cockerell said. Developers focused on long-term investments approach their projects with a mindset that prioritises quality and community, creating desirable living spaces rather than just profit-drivendevelopments.As New Zealand architects enter 2025, a year where many architects are expecting a significant change in sentiment, a shared focus on resilience, sustainability and innovation is driving the profession forward. Centralised data, industry sentiment and advancements in technology are helping to streamline decision-making, making it easier to navigate challenges and adapt to New Zealands evolving builtenvironment.Want to learn more about the current state of the New Zealand constructionindustry?Download the full and free reporthere.About HubexoIn 2021, BCI Central was acquired by Byggfakta Group, which rebranded to Hubexo in October 2024. This new Hubexo brand underscores a commitment to working as a unified, global organisation that empowers clients with innovative tools across five key product pillars: Market Intelligence, Project Information, Product Information, Specification and eTendering. Supporting 50,000 customers in 25 countries, Hubexo is shaping a sustainable future for the built environment by connecting data, insights and innovation.About BCI CentralBCI Centrals LeadManager platform gives users access to a live database of construction projects, companies and contacts, unlocking unparalleled opportunities and insights. BCI Centrals Analytix platform leverages hundreds of thousands of historical project data points from LeadManager, uncovering patterns, trends and relationships to enable proactive strategic planning.This content has been created with support from BCI Central.ArchitectureNow works with a range of partners in the A&D supply sector to create and/or source appropriate content for this website andArchitecture NZmagazine.If your brand or clients are interested in similar creative contentemail[emailprotected]toenquire.

Our Experts Written by McKenzie Dillon Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement Why You Can Trust CNET 16171819202122232425+ Years of Experience 14151617181920212223 Hands-on Product Reviewers 6,0007,0008,0009,00010,00011,00012,00013,00014,00015,000 Sq. Feet of Lab Space How we test CNETs expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise. What to consider Solid vs. inflatable board Not all stand-up paddleboards are inflatable; some are solid, which makes for easier setup but not necessarily transportation. Solid boards may also be better for the ocean because of their durability. Purpose of owning a paddleboard Some paddleboards provide for more speedy transportation across the water, while other paddleboards are built for yoga or offer more stability. The best stand-up paddleboard for you depends on how you'll be using it. Price How much do you want to spend on a paddleboard? There's a range of prices. Table of Contents Our Picks Best overall paddleboard Bote Breeze Aero View details $699 at Boteboard View details Best solid paddleboard Connelly Voyager 2.0 View details $550 at Dick's Sporting Goods View details Best lightweight paddleboard Retrospec Weekender 10' View details $250 at Retrospec View details Best paddleboard for travel iRocker 10' All Around Ultra View details $650 at iRocker View details Best paddleboard for touring Infinity E-Ticket Touring View details $1,595 at Infinity Surfboards View details Best paddleboard for fishing Bote Rackham Aero View details $1,649 at Bote View details Best paddleboard for yoga Aqua Marina Dhyana View details $550 at Amazon View details Best budget inflatable paddleboard High Society ZG Inflatable SUP (out of stock) View details $399 at High Society View details Best inflatable paddleboard ISLE Pioneer 2.0 (out of stock) View details See at ISLE View details Table of Contents A stand-up paddleboard is an easily transportable piece of gear for a fun recreational activity that lets you put in real effort for some solid exercise or simply relax and enjoy the sights. Stand-up paddleboards are useful for more activities than you might think. There's yoga, racing and even touring around lakes and rivers to fish, if you're so inclined.Think of stand-up paddleboards like kayaks, only with much more flexible movement. If your current board isn't up to the task, or you're ready for a lighter, better board, check out our roundup. We've tested the best stand-up paddleboards on the market to ensure you get a board that fits your skill level and needs. Affordable options, inflatable options -- we've explored a variety, and this is our list of the best.Best stand-up paddleboards

Another 136,000 ranked play accounts have been banned for cheating across both Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Warzone.In a detailed update shared on social media, developer Treyarch said it recognised cheaters "are frustrating and severely impact the experience for our community" but insisted it was addressing the issue, and will continue to do so "throughout 2025".To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Nintendo Switch 2 and Mario Kart 9 have been revealed - but questions remain.Watch on YouTubePart of these efforts include "new layers of security and protections", as well as updated detection models for behavioural systems like aim botting, and "other data points", including "account trust and hardware identifiers to target serial cheaters".Players can also expect new detection and warning systems for spam reporting and enhanced cross-examination tools to reduce the time it takes to review reports. To see this content please enable targeting cookies.From Season 2, players can expect to see new and improved client and server-side detections and systems, too, as well as "major" kernel-level driver updates that not only improve driver security, but also reinforce the encryption process and introduce a new tampering detection system.Treyarch stressed that "malicious reporting is against the security and enforcement policy", adding that when a user spams the report button in-game multiple times against a user or someone uses an illegal cheat tool to spam 10,000 reports its system "does not consider more than one single report from a player versus another (despite what cheat developers are telling players when they try to sell their illegal software)".Interestingly, when a cheater is banned, the developer's system will also "detect other accounts it had regularly partied up with and raise flags for investigation to combat boosting and other cheater behaviour"."We have seen community questions about detection methods, like IP-based banning," the studio explained. "We do not utilise IP-based bans for anti-cheat because they tend to take action against entire groups within a range that aren't problematic. For example, a college campus or internet caf would be swept up in an IP-based ban wave when only a single machine was targeted."ICYMI, as Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 readies for the release of Season 2 on 28th January, developer Treyarch has shared initial details of Zombies mode's next map, The Tomb - which plunges players deep beneath the earth, down into ancient catacombs.

Our eyes do not deceive us: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is going full MAGA.After releasing a chilling video announcing that Facebook, Instagram and other Meta companies will unleash a firehose of fascist disinformation on their platforms, Zuckerberg went where else? on Joe Rogan's podcast to celebrate. Complete with his new frat daddy look, Zuckerberg raved about how he thinks the "corporate world" has been "culturally neutered" and complained about being "surrounded by girls and women." He praised "masculine energy" and said a culture that "celebrates the aggression a bit more has its own merits that are really positive." He claimed he's not trying to exclude women, but then immediately pivoted to romanticizing his "masculine" martial arts training space, which is presumably segregated by gender.There's been a lot of media discourse about the more gossipy aspects of Zuckerberg's MAGA makeover. He does seem to have undergone several personal changes, picking up mixed martial arts fighting, dressing like an obnoxious dudebro complete with gold chains and talking like a masculinity grifter. He's giving off so much "divorced guy" energy think Ben Affleck or Kanye West that social media platforms are abuzz with speculation that Zuckerberg's wife, who he met in college, has left him. Truly, the try-hard nature of Zuckerberg's posturing is so embarrassing it's hard to look away from.View this post on InstagramA post shared by Geeky Stoics (@geekystoics)But, as with Elon Musk, Peter Thiel,Marc Andreessen and other tech billionaires, the pivot to MAGA isn't just about overgrown nerds trying (and failing) to compensate for high school insecurities. It also seems to be fueled by a deep loathing of the very people who have made these capitalists their money: the fleets of mostly desk workers who make the companies run.Musk frequently rants on X about the "elites," a word he uses almost exclusively to describe college-educated professionalswho draw middle-class or upper-middle-class incomes, i.e. the class of people doing the work that makes him rich. Yes, it's people who can often afford home ownership or summer vacations, but they still have to work for a living. Most make less in a year than Musk or Zuckerberg spend in a single trip to Mar-a-Lago.The war on "woke" is ultimately a war on workers.Want more Amanda Marcotte on politics? Subscribe to her newsletter Standing Room Only.Like Musk before him, Zuckerberg appears to resent the people who work for him and make him rich. Zuckerberg's raving about how he wants more "masculine energy" and complaints that corporate culture is "neutered" are being celebrated by MAGA as a swipe at diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. These programs are dismissed by the right as "woke" and "virtue-signaling." The more mundane truth, however, is that DEI is part of a larger effort to attract talented employees by making workplaces welcoming and comfortable. A culture that "celebrates aggression," as Zuckerberg put it, sounds miserable for people who actually have to show up. Most adults just want to get their job done and aren't interested in chest-bumping, childish bullying, or feeling like they have to compare MMA stats to fit in.It's playing into the hands of oligarchs to reject the needs of middle class workers.That Trump's incoming administration is eager to downplay the importance of workers was revealed Thursday during the confirmation hearing for Scott Bessent, Trump's pick to head the Treasury Department. Citing Musk, Zuckerberg and other tech billionaires cozying up to Trump, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., asked Bessent, "Would you agree with President Biden that an oligarchy is taking shape in America?"Bessent replied, "The billionaires you listed make the money themselves." It was not only a non sequitur where the money comes from is not the measure of whether rich people controlling government constitutes oligarchy but it is also a flat-out lie. Thousands upon thousands of people work for these tech billionaires, churning out code, maintaining systems and running the business. Musk and Zuckerberg may not want to admit it, but they couldn't make a dime without those people.Meanwhile the more authoritarian, anti-worker regime at Meta has already kicked off. As the New York Times reported earlier this week, "Meta typically" invites "employees, civic leaders and others to weigh in" before a big policy change, but not this time. The new policies allowing more disinformation and hate speech on the platform were sprung on "most of Metas 72,000 employees" during the public announcement. The unwillingness to involve employees in the decision-making process has resulted in policies that don't just degrade the platforms. Employees complained "training materials that Meta created for the new policies were confusing and contradictory." For instance, Facebook users still cannot say "white people have mental illness," but they can say "gay people have mental illness."There's been a crackdown on free speech within Meta since the announcement. The company deleted messages on its internal communications system that criticized newly appointed board member Dana White, a Trump-loving professional fighter who was taped hitting his wife. The company locked down access to policies and training materials, to prevent workers from sharing them with the press. There have also been obnoxious moves that read as evident slights to employees, such as removing tampons from men's rooms, which serves no other purpose than to signal to trans people they aren't equal at Meta. Zuckerberg also announced he's moving the company's moderation teams from California to Texas, where, he argues, "theres less concern about the bias of our teams." This means forcing people to leave a state that is friendly to human rights to move to one that bans abortion and restricts queer-inclusive health care. Even for those who don't move, the message is loud and clear: Zuckerberg is signaling his contempt for their professionalism and intelligence.RelatedTech billionaires expose MAGA's "populism" con jobZuckerberg may want to frame the "neutered" environment of his offices in gendered terms that resonate with the psychosexual hang-ups of Trump voters, but in truth, it's not really about sex at all. It's about a more boring but necessary goal: meeting the needs of everyday workers, regardless of gender, race, or sexual identity. Most people just want a peaceful place to do their job, plus a pay and benefits package that helps them meet their life goals outside of work. It's not "woke" that makes Silicon Valley workers spend their days wearing khakis, drinking coffee, and being generally pleasant to each other, instead of exhibiting "masculine energy" and "aggression." Basic common sense dictates that chill, congenial workplaces are better for morale and productivity. Everyday niceness may not be as exciting as beating people up at a martial arts gym, but it is what actually made Zuckerberg his money."Zuckerberg blamed his former chief operating officer, Sheryl Sandberg, for an inclusivity initiative at Facebook that encouraged employees self-expression in the workplace," the New York Times reported Thursday. "He said new guidelines and a series of layoffs amounted to a reset and that more changes were coming."Zuckerberg's former COO Sheryl Sandberg got a lot of grief, much of it well-deserved, for her "Lean In" book and its watered-down, individualistic approach to feminism. But while she will never be considered a great feminist thinker, her strategy made her a success at her actual job: attracting top-level talent to Facebook and later Meta. Her "feminine" approach, which Zuckerberg seems so ashamed of now, focused on making employees feel valued and acknowledging that workers are full human beings, not just cogs. So the company provides healthy benefits and salaries, on-site gyms, food, wellness centers, and varied transportation options. I agree with the cynic's take that this is all so they get more work out of people. It's also fair to say that it's a sight better than many alternatives, which expect maximum work without helping employees minimize stressors at home.Zuckerberg may now see those efforts to address work-life balance and inclusivity as emasculating and "woke," but it's not about gender. The stereotypical bachelor computer programmer also enjoys having free restaurants to eat at, rather than sadly microwaving a burrito at home for dinner. But pretending it's about masculinity is a good way to distract from the mundane fact that, like a stereotypical capitalist parasite, Zuckerberg has adopted a hostile posture towards his own workers. Perhaps, like so many of the hyper-rich before him, he doesn't like being reminded that, without his staff, he would be nothing.We need your help to stay independentSubscribe today to support Salon's progressive journalismIn his farewell speech to the nation Wednesday, President Joe Biden compared the "rise of a tech-industrial complex" to the robber barons of the 19th and 20th centuries. He warned that "the dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a very few ultrawealthy people" threatens not just democracy, but the basic rights of workers "to earn their fair share." The increasingly ugly attitude that tech billionaires take towards their own employees is a troubling indicator of this.We saw this already at X, formerly Twitter, where Musk, having stereotyped middle class workers as "elites" not deserving of respect, felt justified in stripping them of basic workers' rights. He demanded they work long overtime hours without pay or sleep, insisting they work 84 hours a week while he sits around and tweets. He disregarded their expertise, abused them verbally and made the situation so intolerable that many were forced to leave. He made them betray their basic values by catering to neo-Nazis and other scum that he let loose on Twitter. One reason he wants a carveout for H1B visas in the expected immigration crackdown is because he can use threats of deportation to extract high-intensity work for low pay from immigrant employees.Because the desk workers of Silicon Valley are middle class, they don't rate much sympathy in the current political discourse, which is far more focused on the partisan tug-of-war for working-class voters. But it's playing into the hands of oligarchs to reject the needs of middle class workers. The real battle is between working people, whether college-educated or not, and the hyper-wealthy, who want to suck up all the money for themselves and leave the people who do the actual labor behind. People like Musk and Zuckerberg save their rhetorical fire for the middle class desk workers who staff their companies, but the efforts to redistribute money upwards will hurt everyone, the working class most of all. This was also demonstrated during Bessent's hearing, when he rejected a call to raise the federal minimum wage, which has been stuck at a paltry $7.25 an hour since 2009. The chatter about "woke" is an effort to distract Americans from a simple fact: the desk worker and the factory worker have way more in common with each other than they do with the capitalist leaders who make money on their backs. And the tech billionaires now cozying up to Donald Trump are not friends to any of us.Read moreabout this topicBy Amanda MarcotteAmanda Marcotte is a senior politics writer at Salon and the author of "Troll Nation: How The Right Became Trump-Worshipping Monsters Set On Rat-F*cking Liberals, America, and Truth Itself." Follow her on Bluesky@AmandaMarcotteand sign up for her biweekly politics newsletter, Standing Room Only.MORE FROM Amanda MarcotteRelated Topics ------------------------------------------Class WarfareCommentaryDeiFeminismLaborMark ZuckerbergMetaMiddle ClassMisogynyPmcSilicon ValleyTechWoke

Leading AI developers, such as OpenAI and Anthropic, are threading a delicate needle to sell software to the United States military: make the Pentagon more efficient, without letting their AI kill people. Today, their tools are not being used as weapons, but AI is giving the Department of Defense a significant advantage in identifying, tracking, and assessing threats, the Pentagons Chief Digital and AI Officer, Dr. Radha Plumb, told TechCrunch in a phone interview.We obviously are increasing the ways in which we can speed up the execution of kill chain so that our commanders can respond in the right time to protect our forces, said Plumb.The kill chain refers to the militarys process of identifying, tracking, and eliminating threats, involving a complex system of sensors, platforms, and weapons. Generative AI is proving helpful during the planning and strategizing phases of the kill chain, according to Plumb.The relationship between the Pentagon and AI developers is a relatively new one. OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta walked back their usage policies in 2024 to let U.S. intelligence and defense agencies use their AI systems. However, they still dont allow their AI to harm humans.Weve been really clear on what we will and wont use their technologies for, Plumb said, when asked how the Pentagon works with AI model providers.Nonetheless, this kicked off a speed dating round for AI companies and defense contractors.Meta partnered with Lockheed Martin and Booz Allen, among others, to bring its Llama AI models to defense agencies in November. That same month, Anthropic teamed up with Palantir. In December, OpenAI struck a similar deal with Anduril. More quietly, Cohere has also been deploying its models with Palantir.As generative AI proves its usefulness in the Pentagon, it could push Silicon Valley to loosen its AI usage policies and allow more military applications.Playing through different scenarios is something that generative AI can be helpful with, said Plumb. It allows you to take advantage of the full range of tools our commanders have available, but also think creatively about different response options and potential trade offs in an environment where theres a potential threat, or series of threats, that need to be prosecuted.Its unclear whose technology the Pentagon is using for this work; using generative AI in the kill chain (even at the early planning phase) does seem to violate the usage policies of several leading model developers. Anthropics policy, for example, prohibits using its models to produce or modify systems designed to cause harm to or loss of human life.In response to our questions, Anthropic pointed TechCrunch towards its CEO Dario Amodeis recent interview with the Financial Times, where he defended his military work:The position that we should never use AI in defense and intelligence settings doesnt make sense to me. The position that we should go gangbusters and use it to make anything we want up to and including doomsday weapons thats obviously just as crazy. Were trying to seek the middle ground, to do things responsibly.OpenAI, Meta, and Cohere did not respond to TechCrunchs request for comment.Life and death, and AI weaponsIn recent months, a defense tech debate has broken out around whether AI weapons should really be allowed to make life and death decisions. Some argue the U.S. military already has weapons that do. Anduril CEO Palmer Luckey recently noted on X that the U.S. military has a long history of purchasing and using autonomous weapons systems such as a CIWS turret.The DoD has been purchasing and using autonomous weapons systems for decades now. Their use (and export!) is well-understood, tightly defined, and explicitly regulated by rules that are not at all voluntary, said Luckey.But when TechCrunch asked if the Pentagon buys and operates weapons that are fully autonomous ones with no humans in the loop Plumb rejected the idea on principle. No, is the short answer, said Plumb. As a matter of both reliability and ethics, well always have humans involved in the decision to employ force, and that includes for our weapon systems.The word autonomy is somewhat ambiguous and has sparked debates all over the tech industry about when automated systems such as AI coding agents, self-driving cars, or self-firing weapons become truly independent.Plumb said the idea that automated systems are independently making life and death decisions was too binary, and the reality was less science fiction-y. Rather, she suggested the Pentagons use of AI systems are really a collaboration between humans and machines, where senior leaders are making active decisions throughout the entire process.People tend to think about this like there are robots somewhere, and then the gonculator [a fictional autonomous machine] spits out a sheet of paper, and humans just check a box, said Plumb. Thats not how human-machine teaming works, and thats not an effective way to use these types of AI systems.AI safety in the PentagonMilitary partnerships havent always gone over well with Silicon Valley employees. Last year, dozens of Amazon and Google employees were fired and arrested after protesting their companies military contracts with Israel, cloud deals that fell under the codename Project Nimbus.Comparatively, theres been a fairly muted response from the AI community. Some AI researchers, such as Anthropics Evan Hubinger, say the use of AI in militaries is inevitable, and its critical to work directly with the military to ensure they get it right.If you take catastrophic risks from AI seriously, the U.S. government is an extremely important actor to engage with, and trying to just block the U.S. government out of using AI is not a viable strategy, said Hubinger in a November post to the online forum LessWrong. Its not enough to just focus on catastrophic risks, you also have to prevent any way that the government could possibly misuse your models.

Located at127-133 South Streetin the under-appreciated Leather District of Boston, the 1886 Beebe Building is an excellent vestige of the leathergoods trade and commercial architecture of the late 19th century. This building was constructed byJ. Franklin Faxon (1832-1912), a business owner who engaged in real estate development and built a number of commercial blocks in this part of Boston. Rand & Taylor, architects, designed the building in an effective blending of Classical and Romanesque styles with rock faced brownstone ashlar above the storefronts, oculus windows, and segmental arched openings on the top floor. The Classical detailing of the two-story brick pilasters and modillion cornice add to its complexity. The building was originally occupied by the Thomas E. Proctor Leather Companyand was later purchased by leather goods company Lucius Beebe & Sons and the storefront was renovated byHutchins & Frenchin 1930. The building has since been known as the Beebe Building and has been well-maintained by subsequent owners.

OnePlus 13REwan SpenceOnePlus started, and arguably defined, the idea of the flagship-killer smartphone. The idea that you could get very close to the form and function of top-of-the-line smartphones but with a notable discount has become more prevalent as pricing becomes more variable and the gap between mid-range and high-end functionality lessens.Yet the OnePlus 13R is a quintessential flagship killer from the mother of the genre. Its price ($599 for the 12 GB RAM / 256 GB Storage) is in that curious no-mans-land between the iPhone SE and Pixel 8a smartphones of the world. The specs are going to deliver more than enough power and performance for the average user, and it looks the part with a cutting-edge designIt also has some subtle downgrades and choices to reach that target price.OnePlus 13REwan SpenceOnePlus 13R SpecsThe OnePlus 13R design is a striking mix of utilitarian flat surfaces. The corners are curved to help grip, but the flat screen with minimal bezels helps the screen stand out and gives the phone a sense of purpose. That might not be enough to let you recognise the 13R from a distance, but one element does the three-way alert slider that gives you a choice of silent/vibrate/on, which can all be done by touch.Just a few moments with the OnePlus 13R and it felt like a OnePlus. That intangible moment takes years to create across multiple phones, and its easily lost.OnePlus 13REwan SpenceMORE FOR YOUThe display is the key part of the package and lifts the feel of the handset. It eschews the recent trend for curved screens by going for a completely flat lookand Im perfectly happy with that choice. It also has a variable refresh rate from 1Hz to 120Hz, and OnePlus Aqua Touch allows for touch operations in the wet, and a glove mode enables the phone to pick up inputs as long as the gloves material is not too deep.Like previous R models, the chipset is the prior years premium choice. So, the OnePlus 13R comes with Qualcomms Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The demands on a smartphoneperhaps excepting on-device generative AIhave not changed significantly over the last year, so last years powerhouse still delivers.If you want more powerful options, then you should look at the OnePlus 13, which offers the latest technology.OnePlus 13REwan SpenceOnePlus Battery LifeJust as the OnePlus 13 delivered a class-leading battery that would comfortably exceed two days of regular use, so does the OnePlus 13R, which offers a similarly impressive number in the 700 range. Battery life is a touch longer than last years OnePlus 12R, and you will get a comfortable day of use out of the handset. Two days of general use is too much for the device, so I can see this as a regular charge every night device.The larger battery, coupled with just 80W in the fast charger, means the empty to 100 percent time is longer than most, with 45 minutes being the best I saw. This is if you use the SuperVOOC wired charger, which is an additional purchaseOnePlus does not ship the phone with a charger, just the signature red USB-C cable.Unfortunately, the 13R does not support wireless charging. Given the svelte construction and the larger battery, there may not be the internal volume to accommodate everything. For a long time, OnePlus put off adding wireless charging, noting that with a fast-charging battery, the need for wireless charging diminished. I guess the internal prioirty of faster wired over wireless is still in effect.OnePlus 13REwan SpenceOnePlus 13R CameraI think that OnePlus has over-extended what it can deliver with the camera. Id argue that the three-lens arrangement has one lens too many.The primary lens is the only lens with optical and electronic stabilization to help capture crisp and clear shots. Thats a massive help in low-light environments, so youll lean into the default lens for most of your work.Thankfully, the macro lens found on the OnePlus 12R has been replaced with an x2 telephoto camera. Its not a tremendous amount of magnification, but its more welcome and valuable than a lens for super close-up work.While the primary and telephoto lenses have 50-megapixel sensors, the wide-angle lens comes in at just 8 megapixels. The lack of physical pixels means there is a lot more post-processing going on here, and once you start to edit your own, the lack of original detail becomes apparent.Given how close the primary and telephoto lens quality is, I wonder if dropping the third lens and investing the savings into what would be a two-lens system would have been a better choice. Smartphone design is about making choices, which is a rather fundamental choice at the heart of the system.OnePlus 13REwan SpenceOnePlus 13R OS And AIThe OnePlus 13R uses OxygenOS 15, which is OnePlus flavor of Android 15. With four years of software support and six years of security updates, the 13R offers a solid window of support for the price. OxygenOS remains a clean implementation of Android with little added by OnePlus to Googles standard package.Its also functionally identical to the software running on the OnePlus 13. You get the latest Gemini AI tools from Google, alongside OnePluss own AI software; its generative editing tools are most noticeable when working with your photos.OnePlus 13REwan SpenceOnePlus 13R Final ThoughtsThe OnePlus 13R has some clear weak spots. The camera doesnt have the optical zoom or the accuracy of other handsets at a similar price, and the lack of wireless charging is disappointing.Yet the OnePlus 13R is more than those choices. Its a well-rounded device that is a cut above the mid-range smartphones that get a lot of attention. Its closer in price to the iPhone 16 and the Galaxy S24 FE, while the specs are closer to their larger brethren. And the endurance you get from the battery is a huge selling point.The OnePlus 13R isnt really a mid-range smartphone. When mid-range customers look for something a little bit more, they dont want to step up to an expensive premium device. They need something thats close in specs, offers more potential than the average smartphone, and has a little bit of class around it.There should be a name for that. Oh wait, there is.The OnePlus 13R the flagship killer.Disclaimer: OnePlus supplied a OnePlus 13R for review purposes.

Table of ContentsTable of Contents7. Black Bag (March 14, 2025)6. Companion (January 31, 2025)5. The Amateur (April 11, 2025)4. From the World of John Wick: Ballerina (June 6, 2025)3. Havoc (TBD 2025)2. Sinners (April 18, 2025)1. Untitled Paul Thomas Anderson film (August 8, 2025)One of the common themes in Hollywood last year was Survive to 25. Due to the strikes and the economic hardships of COVID-19, many studios pushed high-profile projects to 2025. Its now 2025, and the years slate is loaded. From SupermanThe Fantastic Fourto Mission: Impossible The Final ReckoningandJurassic World Rebirth, 2025 should surpass 2024s cumulative box office.This year is stacked with thrillers in action, horror, and suspense. Steven Soderbergh, Gareth Evans, Ryan Coogler, and Paul Thomas Anderson all have thrillers coming out in 2025. Those four find themselves on our most anticipated list. Check out the rest of our rankings.Recommended VideosBLACK BAG - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters March 14Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, and Soderbergh team up for Black Bag, a spy thriller from Jurassic Parkscribe David Koepp. By the looks of the trailer, Black Bagwill not be as funny and lively asMr. and Mrs. Smith, which might work out in its favor. Kathryn (Blanchett) and George Woodhouse (Fassbender) are a married couple who both happen to work as intelligence agents.When Kathryn is accused of treason, George must investigate the matter, complicating his relationship. The more George digs, the worse it seems to get. When its time to deliver a verdict, will George be willing to cross his wife if he finds her guilty? With Soderbergh behind the camera, expect a slick thriller from a stylistic filmmaker.This is how the latest trailer for CompanionBarbarian should.From writer-director Drew Hancock comesCompanion, a new horror thriller that already looks like it will entice spirited conversations. Iris is a robot programmed to be the perfect girlfriend of Josh (Jack Quaid). However, a calm weekend with friends becomes a nightmare, and all hell breaks loose. Why is Iris covered in blood in the trailer? Did she kill someone? Barbarianhad one of the best twists of 2022.Companionshould follow suit.The Amateur | Official TrailerRami Maleks career is fascinating to study. Malek won an Emmy for playing Elliot Alderson inMr. Robot and received an Oscar for portraying Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody. With that much prestige and awards recognition, you would think Malek would be a butts-in-seats star. It hasnt worked out that way, though. Malek hasnt been the lead in a movie since Bohemian Rhapsody in 2018.In 2025, Malek will test the waters of being the headliner in The Amateur. In this espionage thriller, Malek plays Charlie Heller, an underestimated CIA decoder working in the basement at Langley. After his wife dies in a terrorist attack, Charlie goes on the offensive, embarking on a treacherous journey to make those responsible pay for their sins. If The Amateurworks, more projects built around Malek could materialize.From the World of John Wick: Ballerina (2025) 'CCXP Extended Look' - Ana de Armas, Norman ReedusCan a John Wick movie work without the titular character as the star? This theory will be tested in Ballerina, the first John Wick movie spinoff directed by Len Wiseman. Ana de Armas plays Eve Macarro, the titular ballerina who studies to be an assassin with the Ruska Roma criminal syndicate. Driven by revenge, Eve hunts down those responsible for murdering her parents.After poor test screenings, Lionsgate delayed Ballerinaand conducted reshoots withJohn Wickdirector Chad Stahelski, who reportedly reshot most of the film. Considering Stahelskis proven track record in this franchise, the reshoots should be viewed in a positive light. Plus, it wouldnt be a John Wick film without an appearance by Reeves, who shows up at the end of the trailer.NetflixEvans sits in the elite class for action filmmakers. Evans is the mind behind The Raid,The Raid 2, and Gangs of London. The Raid movies, in particular, are always mentioned when discussing the best action thrillers of the 21st century. Evans is back in 2025, and hes bringing Tom Hardy with him for this latest directorial effort, Havoc.Per Netflix, Havocfollows a bruised detective who must fight his way through a criminal underworld to rescue a politicians estranged son after a drug deal gone wrong. Hardy as a detective navigating the criminal underworld? Sign us up. With Evans behind the camera, expect some crazy action sequences that will make you say, How did he do that?Sinners | Official TrailerIts been 10 years since Coogler directed a non-Black Panthermovie. That film in 2015 wasCreed, the excellent Rocky spinoff starring Michael B. Jordan as Apollo Creeds son. Coogler is teaming up with Jordan again for Sinners, an original horror for Warner Bros. Jordan is pulling double duty in Sinners, playing twin brothers who return to their hometown for a new start.Unfortunately for the brothers, their hometown reunion is short-lived, as sinister creatures now rule the area. Though not specifically stated, the creatures appear to be vampiric. Leaving the steadiness of the MCU to direct a $90 million genre movie is the type of risk more filmmakers with Cooglers reputation should take.1. Untitled Paul Thomas Anderson film (August 8, 2025)Leonardo DiCaprio Slaps Teyana Taylor's Booty On The Set Of 'BC Project' In Sacramento, CAAnderson is known for his dramas about complicated characters who explore their feelings about family, regret, and loneliness. Boogie Nights, Magnolia, Punch-Drunk Love,There Will Be Blood, The Master, etc. In his next film, Anderson will enter new territory with a crime thriller described as his most mainstream film to date.The rumored titleis The Battle of Baktan Cross, reportedly inspired by Thomas Pynchons 1990 novel Vineland.The budget is rumored to be around $140 million, the largest of Andersons career. The cast includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Regina Hall, Sean Penn, Alana Haim, Teyana Taylor, Wood Harris, Benicio del Toro, and Shayna McHayle. Action thrillers are a change of pace for PTA, adding more to the anticipation.Editors Recommendations