The United States and China are entangled in what many have dubbed an AI arms race. In the early days of this standoff, US policymakers drove an agenda centered on winning the race, mostly from an economic perspective. In recent months, leading AI labs such asOpenAIandAnthropicgot involved in pushing the narrative of beating China in what appeared to be an attempt to align themselves with the incoming Trump administration. The belief that the UScanwin in such a race was based mostly on the early advantage it had over China in advanced GPU compute resources and the effectiveness of AIsscaling laws. But now it appears that access to large quantities of advanced compute resources is no longer the defining or sustainable advantage many had thought it would be. In fact, the capability gap between leading US and Chinese models has essentially disappeared, and in one important way the Chinese models may now have an advantage: They are able to achievenear equivalent resultswhile using only a small fraction of the compute resources available to the leading Western labs. The AI competition is increasingly being framed within narrow national security terms, as a zero-sum game, and influenced by assumptions that a future war between the US and China, centered on Taiwan, is inevitable. The US has employedchokepoint tacticsto limit Chinas access to key technologies like advanced semiconductors, and China has responded by accelerating its efforts toward self-sufficiency and indigenous innovation, which is causing US efforts to backfire. Recently even outgoing US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, a staunch advocate for strict export controls, finally admitted that using such controls tohold back Chinas progress on AI and advanced semiconductors is a fools errand.Ironically, the unprecedented export control packages targeting Chinas semiconductor and AI sectors have unfolded alongside tentativebilateral and multilateral engagementsto establish AI safety standards and governance frameworkshighlighting a paradoxical desire of both sides to compete and cooperate. When we consider this dynamic more deeply, it becomes clear that the real existential threat ahead is not from China, but from the weaponization of advanced AI by bad actors and rogue groups who seek to create broad harms, gain wealth, or destabilize society. As with nuclear arms, China, as a nation-state, must be careful about using AI-powered capabilities against US interests, but bad actors, including extremist organizations, would be much more likely to abuse AI capabilities with little hesitation. Given the asymmetric nature of AI technology, which is much like cyberweapons, it is very difficult to fully prevent and defend against a determined foe who has mastered its use and intends to deploy it for nefarious ends. Given the ramifications, it is incumbent on the US and China as global leaders in developing AI technology to jointly identify and mitigate such threats, collaborate on solutions, and cooperate on developing a global framework for regulating the most advanced modelsinstead of erecting new fences, small or large, around AI technologies and pursing policies that deflect focus from the real threat. It is now clearer than ever that despite the high stakes and escalating rhetoric, there will not and cannot be any long-term winners if the intense competition continues on its current path. Instead, the consequences could be severeundermining global stability, stalling scientific progress, and leading both nations toward a dangerous technological brinkmanship. This is particularly salient given the importance of Taiwan and the global foundry leader TSMC in the AI stack, and the increasing tensions around the high-tech island. Heading blindly down this path will bring the risk of isolation and polarization, threatening not only international peace but also the vast potential benefits AI promises for humanity as a whole. Historical narratives, geopolitical forces, and economic competition have all contributed to the current state of the US-China AI rivalry. Arecent reportfrom the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, for example, frames the entire issue in binary terms, focused on dominance or subservience. This winner takes all logic overlooks the potential for global collaboration and could even provoke a self-fulfilling prophecy by escalating conflict. Under the new Trump administration this dynamic will likely become more accentuated, with increasing discussion of aManhattan Project for AIand redirection of US military resources fromUkraine toward China. Fortunately, a glimmer of hope for a responsible approach to AI collaboration is appearing now as Donald Trump recentlyposted on January 17 that hed restarted direct dialoguewith Chairman Xi Jinping regarding various areas of collaboration, and given past cooperation should continue to be partners and friends. The outcome of the TikTok drama, putting Trump at odds with sharp China critics in his own administration and Congress, will be a preview of how his efforts to put US China relations on a less confrontational trajectory. The promise of AI for good Western mass media usually focuses on attention-grabbing issues described in terms like the existential risks of evil AI. Unfortunately, the AI safety experts who get the most coverage often recite the same narratives, scaring the public. In reality, no credible research shows that more capable AI will become increasingly evil. We need to challenge the current false dichotomy of pure accelerationism versus doomerism to allow for a model more likecollaborative acceleration. It is important to note the significant difference betweenthe way AI is perceived in Western developed countries and developing countries. In developed countries the public sentiment toward AI is 60% to 70% negative, while in the developing markets the positive ratings are 60% to 80%. People in the latter places have seen technology transform their lives for the better in the past decades and are hopeful AI will help solve the remaining issues they face by improving education, health care, and productivity, thereby elevating their quality of life and giving them greater world standing. What Western populations often fail to realize is that those same benefits could directly improve their lives as well, given the high levels of inequity even in developed markets. Consider what progress would be possible if we reallocated the trillions that go into defense budgets each year to infrastructure, education, and health-care projects. Once we get to the next phase, AI will help us accelerate scientific discovery, develop new drugs, extend our health span, reduce our work obligations, and ensure access to high-quality education for all. This may sound idealistic, but given current trends, most of this can become a reality within a generation, and maybe sooner. To get there well need more advanced AI systems, which will be a much more challenging goal if we divide up compute/data resources and research talent pools. Almost half of all top AI researchers globally (47%) wereborn or educatedin China, according toindustry studies.Its hard to imagine how we could have gotten where we are without the efforts of Chinese researchers. Active collaboration with China on joint AI research could be pivotal to supercharging progress with a major infusion of quality training data and researchers. The escalating AI competition between the US and China poses significant threats to both nations and to the entire world. The risks inherent in this rivalry are not hypotheticalthey could lead to outcomes that threaten global peace, economic stability, and technological progress. Framing the development of artificial intelligence as a zero-sum race undermines opportunities for collective advancement and security. Rather than succumb to the rhetoric of confrontation, it is imperative that the US and China, along with their allies, shift toward collaboration and shared governance. Our recommendations for policymakers: Reduce national security dominance over AI policy.Both the US and China must recalibrate their approach to AI development, moving away from viewing AI primarily as a military asset. This means reducing the emphasis on national security concerns that currently dominate every aspect of AI policy. Instead, policymakers should focus on civilian applications of AI that can directly benefit their populations and address global challenges, such as health care, education, and climate change. The US also needs to investigate how to implement a possible universal basic income program as job displacement from AI adoption becomes a bigger issue domestically. 2.Promote bilateral and multilateral AI governance.Establishing a robust dialogue between the US, China, and other international stakeholders is crucial for the development of common AI governance standards. This includes agreeing on ethical norms, safety measures, and transparency guidelines for advanced AI technologies. A cooperative framework would help ensure that AI development is conducted responsibly and inclusively, minimizing risks while maximizing benefits for all. 3.Expand investment in detection and mitigation of AI misuse.The risk of AI misuse by bad actors, whether through misinformation campaigns, telecom, power, or financial system attacks, or cybersecurity attacks with the potential to destabilize society, is the biggest existential threat to the world today. Dramatically increasing funding for and international cooperation in detecting and mitigating these risks is vital. The US and China must agree on shared standards for the responsible use of AI and collaborate on tools that can monitor and counteract misuse globally. 4.Create incentives for collaborative AI research.Governments should provide incentives for academic and industry collaborations across borders. By creating joint funding programs and research initiatives, the US and China can foster an environment where the best minds from both nations contribute to breakthroughs in AI that serve humanity as a whole. This collaboration would help pool talent, data, and compute resources, overcoming barriers that neither country could tackle alone. A global effort akin to theCERN for AIwill bring much more value to the world, and a peaceful end, than aManhattan Project for AI,which is being promoted by many in Washington today. 5.Establish trust-building measures.Both countries need to prevent misinterpretations of AI-related actions as aggressive or threatening. They could do this via data-sharing agreements, joint projects in nonmilitary AI, and exchanges between AI researchers. Reducing import restrictions for civilian AI use cases, for example, could help the nations rebuild some trust and make it possible for them to discuss deeper cooperation on joint research. These measures would help build transparency, reduce the risk of miscommunication, and pave the way for a less adversarial relationship. 6.Support the development of a global AI safety coalition.A coalition that includes major AI developers from multiple countries could serve as a neutral platform for addressing ethical and safety concerns. This coalition would bring together leading AI researchers, ethicists, and policymakers to ensure that AI progresses in a way that is safe, fair, and beneficial to all. This effort should not exclude China, as it remains an essential partner in developing and maintaining a safe AI ecosystem. 7.Shift the focus toward AI for global challenges.It is crucial that the worlds two AI superpowers use their capabilities to tackle global issues, such as climate change, disease, and poverty. By demonstrating the positive societal impacts of AI through tangible projects and presenting it not as a threat but as a powerful tool for good, the US and China can reshape public perception of AI. Our choice is stark but simple: We can proceed down a path of confrontation that will almost certainly lead to mutual harm, or we can pivot toward collaboration, which offers the potential for a prosperous and stable future for all. Artificial intelligence holds the promise to solve some of the greatest challenges facing humanity, but realizing this potential depends on whether we choose to race against each other or work together. The opportunity to harness AI for the common good is a chance the world cannot afford to miss. Alvin Wang Graylin Alvin Wang Graylin is a technology executive, author, investor, and pioneer with over 30 years of experience shaping innovation in AI, XR (extended reality), cybersecurity, and semiconductors. Currently serving as global vice president at HTC, Graylin was the companys China president from 2016 to 2023. He is the author ofOur Next Reality. Paul Triolo Paul Triolo is apartner for China and technology policy leadat DGA-Albright Stonebridge Group. He advises clients in technology, financial services, and other sectors as they navigate complex political and regulatory matters in the US, China, the European Union, India, and around the world.

Stripe accidentally sent an image of a cartoon duck to some staff in a layoff email, BI has learned.The company also sent some laid off staff an incorrect termination date.Stripe laid off 300 people on Monday, impacting mostly product, engineering, and operations.Payments software company Stripe accidentally emailed an image of a cartoon duck to some employees when notifying them that they had been laid off, Business Insider has learned.The company laid off 300 staff on Monday, equivalent to about 3.5% of its workforce. Those roles were primarily in product, engineering, and operations, according to a leaked memo obtained by BI.The image, which was attached as a PDF, showed a yellow duck with brown feathers on its wing and accompanying text that says, "US-Non-California Duck."The company also sent impacted staff an incorrect date for the date of termination in an email. A screenshot of the duck image was shared on Stripe's internal group on Blind. Blind/Business Insider A Stripe spokesperson confirmed the duck image and incorrect dates were sent in error and pointed BI to a follow-up email from McIntosh.McIntosh wrote, "I also want to note that some impacted Stripes received a notification error to their personal email accounts Monday evening PT."He added, "I apologize for the error and any confusion it caused. Corrected and full notifications have since been sent to all impacted Stripes."In a separate email to staff confirming the layoffs, McIntosh said Stripe still planned on growing its head count to about 10,000 employees by the end of the year.One employee asked if others had received the duck image in an internal Stripe group on the app Blind, seen by BI. One person responded that they had and that it was another "indication the comms to those laid off were flubbed completely."Another employee, seemingly joking, wrote, "Wonder if there's a california duck," while a different employee wrote, "Quick, make a slack emoji out of the duck."Stripe, which provides payment software to millions of businesses, has made previous rounds of layoffs in recent years. A publicly shared letter from Stripe CEO Patrick Collisonwon praise from some corners for its candidness. Are you a Stripe employee with insight to share? Contact the reporter Jyoti Mann via email at or via Signal at jyotimann.11. Reach out via a nonwork device.

Lauren Snchez wore a white Alexander McQueen suit and lace bra to Trump's inauguration.She previously wore the ensemble to a book event in December and at a Forbes event in September.This time, she paired it with a Schiaparelli coat that retails for over $9,000.Lauren Snchez seems to have a favorite outfit.For at least the third time since September, the journalist has worn a white Alexander McQueen suit with a lace bra peeking out of its blazer for a public event.The latest outing was Donald Trump's inauguration, which she attended on Monday alongside her fianc, Jeff Bezos.She wore the designer outfit beneath a brushed wool and mohair coat from the Italian fashion house Schiaparelli.The statement design costs 8,700 euros, or about $9,073, and features gold-brass buttons designed to look like nipples. Lauren Snchez and Jeff Bezos attend Donald Trump's inauguration. Brendan Smialowski/Kenny Holston/Getty Images Some loved Snchez's feminine look, while others criticized the set specifically its visible bra, which was cut low and had small cutouts. They described it as risqu on platforms like X.Snchez, however, isn't one to shy away from being bold at political events. She previously wore a red, satin, and lace gown with a sheer corseted bodice at a 2024 state dinner hosted by Joe Biden in honor of Japan's prime minister at the time, Fumio Kishida.Stylist Kelly Johnson put together the most recent ensemble, which Snchez has worn on numerous occasions. Johnson and representatives for Snchez did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.The children's book author previously wore the outfit (minus the coat) to The New York Times DealBook event in New York City on December 5 and once earlier at the Forbes Power Women's Summit in September 2024.At the latter event, Snchez spoke onstage about beingas a responsibility, and their work together on Bezos Earth Fund, a $10 billion effort to fight the climate crisis."I'm in this room with all these influential and powerful women," she said at the time. "I'm looking around and going, 'Whoa,' and it doesn't escape me that most of you know me as Lauren Snchez, comma, Jeff Bezos' fiance.""I get it, but I can choose to do something, or I can choose to do nothing," Snchez said. "And I'm choosing to do something." Lauren Snchez attends the 2024 Forbes Power Women's Summit. Taylor Hill/WireImage/Getty Images Historically, women who wear white at presidential inaugurations have been recognized as making political statements.When Hillary Clinton wore the color at Trump's first inauguration in 2017, for example, many saw her outfit as a symbol of women's suffrage.It's unclear if Snchez's outfit had a hidden meaning or if she just really likes her McQueen suit.

This story was originally published by Grist and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. Within hours of being sworn into office on Monday, President Donald Trump announced a spate of executive orders and policies to boost oil and gas production, roll back environmental protections, withdraw from the Paris climate accord, and undo environmental justice initiatives enacted by former President Joe Biden.Trump has called climate change a hoax, and appointed fossil fuel industry executives and climate skeptics to his Cabinet. His first-day actions represent a complete remaking of the countrys climate agenda, and set the tone for his administrations approach to energy and the environment over the next four years. RelatedDrill, baby, drillAmong the most significant actions Trump took Monday was declaring an energy emergency, which he framed as part of his effort to rein in inflation and reduce the cost of living. He pledged to use all necessary resources to build critical infrastructure, an unprecedented move that could grant the White House greater authority to expand fossil fuel production. He also signed an executive order to encourage energy exploration and production on federal lands and waters, and another expediting permitting and leasing in Alaska, including in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. We will have the largest amount of oil and gas of any country on Earth, and we are going to use it, Trump said during his inaugural address. We are going to drill, baby, drill.The US Strategic Petroleum Reserve can store 714 million barrels of crude oil, but currently holds about 395 million. Under his administration, he said, the cache will be filled up again right to the top. He also said the country will export energy all over the world.We will be a rich nation again, he said, standing inside the Capitol Rotunda, and it is that liquid gold under our feet that will help.Richard Klein, a senior research fellow for the international nonprofit Stockholm Environment Institute, noted that fossil fuel companies extracted record-high amounts of oil and gas during the Biden administration. Even if it is technologically possible to boost production further, its unclear whether that will reduce prices. Dan Kammen, a professor of energy at the University of California Berkeley, said it is a direct falsehood that increasing fossil fuel extraction would drive down inflation. He agreed that the US should declare a national energy emergency but for reasons exactly the opposite of what Trump had in mind. We need to quickly move to clean energy, to invest in new companies across the US, Kammen told Grist.Exiting the Paris agreement (again)Trump delivered on his promise to once again withdraw from the 2015 Paris climate agreement, the United Nations pact agreed upon by 195 countries to limit global warming, which the new president referred to on Monday as a rip-off. In addition to signing an executive order saying the US would leave the agreement titled Putting America First in International Environmental Agreements Trump also signed a letter to the United Nations to set the departure in motion. Due to the rules governing the accord, it will take one year to formally withdraw, meaning US negotiators will participate in the next round of talks in Brazil at the end of the year. By this time next year, however, the US could join Iran, Libya, and Yemen as the only nations that arent part of the accord. It simply makes no sense for the United States to voluntarily give up political influence and pass up opportunities to shape the exploding green energy market, Ani Dasgupta, president and CEO of the nonprofit World Resources Institute, said in a statement. Only two in 10 Americans support quitting the Paris agreement, according to a poll by the Associated Press.Trumps announcement came just 10 days after the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration declared 2024 Earths hottest year on record, one marked by life-threatening heat waves, wildfires, and flooding around the world. Experts say things will only get worse unless the US and other countries do more to limit greenhouse gas emissions. Much of the very fabric of life on Earth is imperiled, climate scientists wrote last October. They noted then, even before Trumps election, that global policies were expected to cause temperatures to climb 2.7 degrees Celsius (6.9 degrees Fahrenheit) by 2100. One analysis by Carbon Brief estimated that a second Trump administration would result in an extra 4 billion metric tons of climate pollution, negating all of the emissions savings from the global deployment of clean energy technologies over the past five years twice over.Reversing course on electric vehicles Trump also took action to revoke the electric vehicle mandate, in keeping with his campaign promise to support autoworkers.In other words, youll be able to buy the vehicle of your choice, he said during his inaugural address even though there is no national mandate requiring the sale of electric vehicles and consumers are free to purchase any vehicle of their liking. The Biden administration did promote the technology by finalizing rules that limit the amount of tailpipe pollution over time so that electric vehicles make up the majority of automobiles sold by 2032. Under Joe Biden, the US also launched a $7,500 tax credit for consumer purchases of EVs manufactured domestically and planned to funnel roughly $7.5 billion toward building charging infrastructure across the country. Rolling back incentives to build electric vehicles in the United States is going to cost jobs as well as raise the price of travel, said Costa Samaras, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Carnegie Mellon University who served as a senior policy leader in the Biden White House. Fueling up an electric vehicle costs between one-third and one-half as much as driving on gasoline, not to mention the benefits for reducing air pollution. Ultimately, to lower the price of energy for US consumers, we need to diversify the sources of energy that were using and ensure that these are clean, affordable, and reliable.Rescinding environmental justice initiativesTrump signed a single executive order undoing nearly 80 Biden administration initiatives, including rescinding a directive to federal agencies to incorporate environmental justice into their missions. The Biden-era policy protected communities overburdened by pollution and directed agencies to work more closely with them. That move was part of a broader push that Trump described in his inaugural address as an attempt to create a color-blind society by stopping the government from trying to socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life. Klein said the objective was embarrassing. Kammen said it was a huge mistake to move away from environmental justice priorities.Blocking new wind energy Trump officially barred new offshore wind leases and will review federal permitting of wind projects, making good on a promise to end leasing to massive wind farms that degrade our natural landscapes and fail to serve American energy consumers. The move is likely to be met with resistance from members of his own party. The top four states for wind generation Texas, Iowa, Oklahoma, and Kansas are solidly red, and unlikely to acquiesce. Even Trumps pick for Interior secretary, Doug Burgum, refused to disavow wind power during a hearing last week, saying he would pursue an all of the above energy strategy.Many state and local policymakers, including the members of America Is All In, a climate coalition made up of government leaders and businesses from all 50 states, pledged to take up the mantle of climate action in the absence of federal leadership.Regardless of the federal governments actions, climate mayors are not backing down on our commitment to the Paris Agreement, said Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, in a statement. Our constituents are looking to us to meet the moment and deliver meaningful solutions.Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More:

Thought gaming was already an expensive hobby? (Getty/Microsoft/Sony/Metro)The physical video games market may come to an end even sooner than expected, as US President Donald Trump threatens tariffs on Mexico.Now that Donald Trump has once again been inaugurated as the president of the US hes already talking about tariffs against countries including Mexico and Canada, and that could have a serious effect on the video games industry.He previously threatened tariffs against China too, which the games industry soon realised would potentially make consoles and games more expensive, with business experts saying it would only hasten the death of the physical games market.Its possible companies like Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony will successfully lobby for an exemption on electronic goods (as they did once before), but so far Trump hasnt confirmed that the Chinese tariffs will go ahead but they will for Mexico and Canada.now Trump is threatening tariffs on Mexico as well, which analyst Matt Piscatella believes will lead to less physical releases in the US.As reported by the BBC, Trump told Oval Office reporters that he could force tariffs upwards of 25% on imports from Mexico, as well as Canada, as early as February 1 unless they take stronger measures to prevent illegal migrants and drugs from entering the US.In a recent Bluesky thread, Piscatella points out that this will have a knock-on effect on physical video games since much of that production infrastructure is in Mexico.Piscatella believes this could result in a sharp downtick in the number of disc-based games released in the US, and most certainly further incentivise increasing prices for both physical and digital games.Alright, well, video games.With 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico on the way, I can see a sharp downtick in the number of disc-based games that get released physically in the US, as much of that production infrastructure is in Mexico.If they do get made, I expect higher prices both phys & dig. Mat Piscatella (@matpiscatella.bsky.social) 2025-01-21T14:38:47.618ZPiscatella does acknowledge the hypothetical possibility of moving production to the US, but this wouldnt solve the issue since annual US physical video game software spending is now half what it was in 2021 and declining rapidly.More TrendingTheres no telling if this will have wider ramifications for the games market in the UK or elsewhere in the world, but it doesnt look good from a consumer or preservationist standpoint.According to the Financial Times, Mexicos president Claudia Sheinbaum has responded to Trumps threats by saying, We will defend our sovereignty, and Its always important to have a cool head and refer to the decrees rather than the discourse.As for the aforementioned tariffs for China, those are dependent on whether Chinese company ByteDance agrees to sell at least half of TikToks ownership to a US company, which is also a stipulation for Trumps removal of the TikTok ban that was signed off by the Biden administration.Trumps inauguration took place on January 20 and aside from his other radical executive orders, the conversation has been dominated by arguments over whether Elon Musk did a Nazi salute. The Switch 2s lack of price point could be because Nintendos waiting to see if these tariffs go through (YouTube)Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.GameCentralSign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

Genetic engineering and AI are powering the search for antivenins

According to one of Elon Musks gamer buddies, the controversy surrounding Musks use of boosted characters in Diablo IV and Path of Exile 2 is a big misunderstanding. In a DM exchange on X, Musk told streamer NikoWrex that he did, indeed, pay people to play video games for him. According to Musk, everyone at the highest level is doing it so its fine. At the same time he was preparing to sit at the right hand of President Donald Trump, the worlds richest man was beefing with people online about video games. At the beginning of the year, Musk did a livestream of his Path of Exile 2 character on X. It was weird. According to high-level players with a lot of knowledge of the game, Musk didnt seem to know what he was doing. And his account had tell-tale signs of a guy whod paid to have someone else level it. The gamers called him out and Musk began to publicly fight the allegations. At one point Grimes, the mother of three of his children, even took to X to defend Musks gaming honor. https://x.com/Grimezsz/status/1880685503009443921 Two days ago, NikoWrex posted a YouTube video that he said cleared the whole thing up. Musk wont respond to questions from The Wall Street Journal about his gaming habits but he will, apparently, answer a DM from a gaming buddy on X. With Musks permission, NikoWrex posted the transcript of a conversation hed had with the billionaire on X where he asked him about the controversy outright. Have you level boosted (had someone had someone else play your accounts) and/or purchased gear/ resources for PoE 2 and Diablo 4? NikoWrex asked.Musk responded with a 100 percent emoji. But when I post a video of a game or am streaming, thats 100% me, Musk clarified. Its impossible to beat the players in Asia if you dont, as they do! Musk styles himself as a master gamer, its a big part of his personality and personal brand. The use of boosted characters in games like Diablo and PoE 2 isnt unheard of, but it is controversial. Getting a character to max level can be a grueling task that takes hundreds of hours and gamers have long questioned how it was that Musk was able to get characters up that high while hanging out with Trump and helming multiple companies. NikoWrex asked if Musk intended to take credit for leveling a character to max. No, Musk said. Never claimed that. The top accounts in Diablo or PoE require multiple people playing the account to win the leveling race. Musk is admitting the central claim of the gaming communitys critiques against him: He isnt leveling the accounts himself. Its weird. He could have, if he wanted to, diffused a lot of the drama by just stating this clearly upfront. Instead, he chose to beef with prominent gaming streamers like Asmongold when they called him out.NikoWrex asked about the fight with Asmongold. Musk unfollowed the streamer on X, pulled his blue check, and leaked his DMs without his permission. He seemed to imply that Asmongold wasnt his own person because he worked with editors. Asmongold seemed to require permission from others to stream on X, suggesting he doesnt control his own destiny Musk told NikoWrex. Musk then touted several of his achievements in Diablo 4, even namechecking one that Grimes said she witnessed firsthand.At the end of the conversation, Musk said he would consider allowing Asmongold to stream a SpaceX launch. But he has to admit that I am a living god of video games. . A few days after this conversation, the self-professed living god of video games would appear to Sieg Heil during Trumps inauguration celebration. Twice. While biting his lip.

When people read manga, they often focus on the Instagram caption-worthy one-liners and larger-than-life illustrations that fill their pages. What usually goes unnoticed in picking up a manga is the work that goes into its lettering and graphic design, done by the folks who pour their craftsmanship into typesetting popular Japanese manga for Western audiences. We spoke with professional letterers Brandon Bovia (The Guy She Was Interested in Wasnt a Guy at All, Dragon Ball Super, Kaiju No. 8), Evan Hayden (Battle Angel Alita, Land of Lustrous, Akira), Sara Linsley (Kamudo), Aidan Clarke (Otaku Elf, Neo Faust, Les Miserable), Barri Shrager (Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?), Kyla Aiko (Dandadan, Gokurakugai), and Finn K. (Shinobi Undercover, RuriDragon) about the challenges of typesetting the best manga in the world. Manga Lettering in a Nutshell The job of a manga letterer is a collaborative process between publishers and translators where typesetters bring together all the minutiae of text folks would read in a mangaeven if it means designing fonts themselves. If you look at a page of manga, virtually all the text you can read in English was placed there by a letterer. Letterers are localizing everything from restaurant signs to handwritten love letters. If the reader is meant to read it, then the letterer has to localize it. The kinds of things we have to localize vary from genre to genre, Linsley said. Lettering is an art, and sloppy lettering can ruin a localization. Sara Linsley Sara Linsleys lettering for Pupposites Attract by Hono Natsuna Kodansha Using programs like InDesign, PhotoShop, and Acrobat, letterers localize the typography of a manga for Western readers. Depending on the publisher, a letterers graphic design and typography job description may also include working on the manga covers, table of contents, and other pieces of iconography beyond setting dialogue in speech bubbles and translating onomatopoeia sound effects. Furthermore, letters are also tasked with stylizing the font in the manga. Although this process sounds like it could be straightforwardswapping out Japanese with Englishthe lettering process is actually a complex amalgamation of art and science.Theres a misconception that fan translation is the same as professional translation, and those experiences are used to make assumptions about the manga industry. For example, some folks believe that the same person will translate and letter a page, when thats very rare in the professional sphere. Some folks assume that lettering is easy, or that its just copying and pasting text from the translated script. Lettering is an art, and sloppy lettering can ruin a localization, Linsley said. Another element of manga lettering that differentiates itself from lettering in Western comic books is that workers must adapt every word in manga art to English. In laymans terms, manga letterers must erase handwritten Japanese text elements and replace them with English text elements. This extends beyond dialogue in speech bubbles to translating signsbe they on the road, or in apps and text on smartphones (which can be super tricky)and flamboyant sound effects.Brandon Bovias lettering for The Hunters Guild: Red Hood by Yuki Kawaguchi. Shonen Jump Even if the original manga page was created digitally and the sound effects are on a separate layer from the character and background art, those layered files are seldom available to companies that want to localize the manga. The act of erasing and redrawing manga art is often referred to as retouching, and manga letterers are sometimes credited as having done lettering and touch-up art,' Aiko said. As the letterer of Yen Press popular girls love manga, The Guy She Was Interested in Wasnt a Guy at All, Bovia can attest to the challenging aspect of retouching a manga whose identity is tied to the green layer associated with the identity of its busy panels. If something needed to be retouched, it needed to be retouched twiceboth in black and white and green. Then add the green back into the new English text, Bovia said. The final result ended up being a lot of fun, but that one really pushed me to my limit. And I was juggling eight other books at the same time.Brandon Bovias lettering for The Guy She Was Interested in Wasnt a Guy at All by Sumika Arai Yen Press On the opposite end of the spectrum, Hayden goes the extra mile by hand-drawing his work using a bounty of ink pens on paper, especially if hes working on an older manga. If Im working on a classic manga, I really want to make things look as not digital as possible. I try to avoid using fonts for my sound effects. On Ashita no Joe, Im doing all the sound effects by hand and ink, which takes a long time, but thats how the original artist did it, Hayden said. A modern manga looks fine with modern fonts, but an older one doesnt. Thats personal preference.Ink-drawn manga lettering for Ashita no Joe. Evan Hayden While publishers have streamlined some of the day-to-day lettering processes by using Wild Words as their default font, there are areas of specificity between publishers. For example, manga publisher Seven Seas requires letterers to use 100% auto leading, whereas Yen Press instructs them to use font size plus one for leading. That results in very different-looking implementations of the same font between those publishers, Clarke said. Adding font standards in the mix with other overarching graphic design faux pas and no-noslike the ongoing debate over the implementation of the dreaded cross Is use-case in manga, wrapping of text, over-hyphenated words, and other niggling graphic design annoyancescan go unnoticed by the everyday reader but stick out like a sore thumb to a letterer.Some folks assume that lettering is easy, or that its just copying and pasting text from the translated script. Lettering is an art, and sloppy lettering can ruin a localization, Shrager said. Barri Shragers lettering for Meda-Ude: Mechanical Arms by Yoshino Koyoka. Azuki Manga Getting work consistently hasnt been an issue. Getting paid in a timely manner has been. Finn K. Pay, Work, and Life Balance While being a manga letterer might sound like a fun gig anyone would be lucky to have, much like with any job, balancing work, pay, and safeguarding ones personal life can be a tumultuous balancing act. For starters, a weekly 19 or 20-page series can pay a letterer $4-20 per page depending on the publisher and scope of the work. A monthly volume can take 30-50 hours on the light end, and 70-100 hours on the heavier end to complete within a months deadline. Depending on how demanding the project is, monthly pay can wildly vary, with rates at $1,000 (or lower) to $2,000 (again, depending on the project). Mind you, some of these rates havent changed much since 2013 for letterers. I feel like if I had a few more series that paid well enough, I would make this a full-time job with a very small yearly salary (were talking $40-60,000 max). But currently I do other side hustles to earn [more] money. Workload-wise you can easily spend more than a typical 40 hours a week and not be making nearly the same as someone working an office job, Shrager said. I would even say that $1000 these daysthings are expensivedoesnt take you as far as it used to when I started [in 2017], Bovia said.Barri Shragers lettering for My Dear Detective Mitsukos Case Files by Natsumi Ito. Azuki Manga Requesting time extensions from a publisher isnt like pulling teeth because most production schedules have a built-in cushion for emergencies. However, even this security blanket has an element of a double-edged sword. As a freelancer, you dont want to ask for extensions too often. If youre consistently behind on your work, clients can and will drop you from their projects, Linsley said.In addition to managing their time on a manga project, letterers must consider the amount of work they are taking on from publishers and meet deadlines, as no letterer works on only one manga at a time. If you really want to do your best for something, then you got to put in some incredibly long hours. Whether that means youre lettering a manga or whether it means youre making the next Grand Theft Auto game. People have to work crushing hours to make that happen, Hayden said. And if youre a freelancer, youre getting whatever youre getting, whether you do it quick or slow. You have to force yourself to try to work fast, which sometimes can lead to lower quality, which doesnt make you feel very good.Sara Linsleys lettering for Kamudo by Akira Himekawa. Viz Manga Despite putting in what is akin to full-time hours, most letterers are contract workers laboring on multiple manga chapters and books simultaneously to make ends meet. At the same time, some letterers jerry-rig their workflow so that theyre ostensibly working a full-time job lettering. Rather than feeling like the industry, which has had its systems in place for 20 to 30 years, is making strides to be equitable for letterers, most feel like theyre taking strides in the opposite direction. While it might seem like big-money manga titles would be able to provide full-time pay for letterers, the only company that hires full-time in the United States is porn. Fakku, the largest English hentai manga and doujinshi publisher, is one of the only places that hires letterers full-time. The manga industry is notorious for contractor-only work; its pretty cutthroat. Right from when we started publishing manga 10 years ago, I had a goal to improve the industry and make this a real career for people, Fakku founder Jacob Grady told io9. He continued: All of our typesetters are full-time salaried employees, with health insurance/vision/dental all 100% paid by the company with a 401k retirement plan. The goal is really to make this a long-term career for people, and provide job stability for our employees. While there will certainly never be any shortage of readers wanting to read manga for the plot, most manga letterers are contract workers or freelancers who try to make ends meet by supplementing their income with a second job. Its a really hard thing to make ends meet with. I know a number of people who have that as their full-time job, and there are only a select few of them that I dont see getting actively crushed by it, Clarke said. Ive been able to make it work, but if just a few things were to change in my life, it would be more difficult. Kyla Aiko Freelance letterers can face instances where invoices arent paid out promptly or piecemeal, making the work process all the more challenging. Manga lettering is my main source of income, and while what Im paid works for me most the time, its not my only source. I have a part-time job that Ive held the entire length of my lettering career. Part of the reason is because, while getting work consistently hasnt been an issue, getting paid in a timely manner has been and thats a little stressful even if the moneys good for me, Finn K. said.He continued: On average, it takes three weeks for an invoice to come through for me; sometimes I wait a month. The longest Ive had to wait was a little over two months, and that was hard. While the pay at bigger publishers is more rewarding for most letterers, getting paid in unpredictable timeframes makes the cycle of finding more work and paying bills a stressful ordeal, to say the least. Despite this, letterers balance their workload by typesetting manga monthly or weekly. Sara Linsleys lettering for Dandadan by Yukinobu Tatsu. Shonen Jump If a publisher wants to know how to produce manga faster and cheaper, ask your employees, not an AI startup. Sara Linsley AI Is Not a Solution As the use of AI spreads in nearly every arena of entertainment, tech startups like Orange, Inc. have become pervasive in the manga industry. While companies of this ilk promote their services as a solution to get more under-appreciated manga localized to people in a timely fashion, letterers feel they are no more than a grift. In opposition to publishers eyeing up AI start-ups as a means to maximize production, letterers feel publishers should open up lines of communication with their employees (i.e., letterers) and ask them for solutions the industry is facing. People are interested in comics because they are a form of art. Theyre not just content. They are something that people have put a lot of thought, care, and effort into creating, Clarke said. Not trying to match that passion and effort in the presentation is disrespectful to the people who created these comics in the first place. Automation is a very useful tool that individuals can use within their workflows, but consigning so much of that creative process over to automated methods robs it of that spark.Despite the encroachment of AI, the manga industry faces other persistent issues. As mentioned earlier, low rates are a big one, making the role of a letterer both mentally and physically taxing for workers. Rates are fairly stagnant. Ive seen companies make efforts to raise rates, but its been a slow process. As new companies enter the manga localization market, sometimes it seems like rates are at a race to the bottom, Aiko said. It would be great to see manga lettering rates catch up to even the low end of Western comic lettering rates. Linsley added, The pay is so low that letterers have to overload themselves. I had to stop lettering as my main source of income because I was working 70-hour weeks just to make an average income with no benefits. In tandem with low rates, letters feel like the industrys structure, which relies on contract work from typesetters, prevents years of knowledge to get passed on to letterers in a mentorship capacity outside of folks hitting colleagues up on social media.Over my years of lettering manga, I think, because there isnt any sort of mentorship, you have a new letterer starting from scratch. That doesnt have to be the case. There can be systems in place to ensure people can do this long term as a career, Bovia said. Barri Shragers lettering for Hikaru in the Light! by Mai Matsuda. Azuki Manga Publishers Should Invest in Workers Rather than waiting for solutions to manifest, letterers propose ways the industry can improve and prevent the above challenges from persisting, starting with investing in workers. Letterers we spoke to proposed publishers consult with them for solutions, more open calls for letterers, keeping lines of communication open between contractors and in-house employees, allowing freelancers to negotiate wages, and raising wages to match the modern cost of living. There are publishers out there thatll [hire you] for $600, $500, $400, which is really not much money for your time. If youre just starting out, its really tempting to take those low rates if youre not being offered anything else, Bovia said. Because theres no career path here, its just down to luck and being in the right place at the right time. That doesnt feel like the best way to run things to me. While much of the above can deter any bright-eyed hopeful looking to dip their toes into the profession, every letterer we spoke to encouraged folks to make time for their hobbies and not sacrifice their precious time (and weekends) for endless work.Youve got to do what youve got to do to pay the bills, but you also have to respect yourself as a human being, an artist, and a citizen to get enough money to live a life, Hayden said. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

Case Vecie Winery Production Facility / MASAAI StudioSave this picture! Francesca IoveneHousesGrezzana, ItalyArchitects: MASAAI StudioAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:402 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2024 PhotographsPhotographs:Francesca IoveneMore SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. As part of the recovery programme for the entire 'Case Vecie' property in the hills of Grezzana, its winery needed a new production facility, a changing room for employees and a tool shed for the agricultural management of the estate. The building is located at the bottom of a clearing, in a hidden valley far from the ridge line, and has deliberately been partially positioned underground for minimal impact on the landscape.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The project's underlying concept is to take up the design of the old barchesse in a contemporary key and pay great attention to the choice of materials in order to blend in with the surrounding context. The building is L-shaped, with an internal side that opens up onto the gravel courtyard, permeable to the entrance of agricultural machinery, and an external side with a leaner and more closed character, buffered at the bottom by plastered masonry and at the top by natural larch planking.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The elevations are all characterised by a regular score of massive circular pillars, designed in concrete which is coloured with natural oxides, connecting with the colours of the terrain and context, which support the wooden truss structure of the 2-pitch roof, covered with tiles.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessAbout this officeMASAAI StudioOfficePublished on January 21, 2025Cite: "Case Vecie Winery Production Facility / MASAAI Studio" 21 Jan 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1025860/case-vecie-winery-production-facility-masaai-studio&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

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