US intelligence agencies and the military are developing AI programs.But they need specialized, secure systems to rein in sometimes-chaotic AI models.Microsoft has created an AI system cut off from the internet for US intelligence.The US military and intelligence services are eager to harness the potential of AI, and firms are developing new technology to enable them.While many industries can experiment with AI freely and use public tools, the high stakes and sensitivity of intelligence work and warfare represent a big barrier.For companies that can keep the data safe enough and defend against the well-documented mistakes and hallucinations of AI models, a significant new market awaits. Its tasks are as varied as sorting through reams of National Security Agency intercepts for terror threats to guiding battlefield decisions in real time.Firms like Microsoft have built walled-off AI products for the intelligence community, and Palantir has also staked out its ambitions. Similar efforts years ago created an uproar inside Google.An emerging businessThis month, a senior Pentagon official focused on AI, Radha Plumb, pointed to the small amount of classified computing power as a hurdle as the Pentagon prepares to carry out new tests, Defense One reported; Plumb has since stepped down.As demand from defense and intel agencies grows, so should the business opportunity.Officials hope that AI can supercharge tasks from analyzing swaths of secret data to battlefield targeting, an approach Israel's Defense Force used in its withering aerial war on Hamas-led Gaza."The US is planning to integrate AI into a wide range of national security-related tasks," said Ian Reynolds, a postdoctoral fellow for the Futures Lab at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.He said the Pentagon had around 800 AI-related projects in the works, and was rolling out uses of the technology identified in a 2023 testing program called Project Lima."There are some indications that the technology is operational in some circumstances even today," said Reynolds.Defense One reported that the US military was trying to figure out how AI could help its leaders make decisions faster in a potential conflict with China with tests in the Pacific region."The idea is to quicken the decision-making process and achieve what the DoD is calling 'decision advantage', or the capacity to make faster, better decisions," Reynolds said.Among the Pentagon's chief aims is to improve the flow of information within different parts of the military.Not just the US, but nations including China and Gulf states are racing to dominate the new technology and experimenting with how it can be used by spies and the military.Reynolds said that one of the core functions would be to analyze troves of classified data."I think the goal here is to get at the most critical data, information, or broader patterns across data, at a quicker rate than an analyst," he said.Power and dangerThe dangers, though, are many and severe classified data could accidentally drift into non-classified uses for an AI. It could leak or be stolen.AI models could also display bias in ways that are difficult for humans to pick up on or could misunderstand nuances in communications reports, distorting the decision-making process."We are not fully sure of the degree to which human decision-makers may be nudged toward certain decision pathways by AI-enabled decision support systems," Reynolds said.And the secrecy of the programs being rolled out is another concern for critics.Amos Toh, a senior counsel in the Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center for Justice, told Business Insider that "the little we know about military uses of commercial AI indicates a real risk of exposing classified information to adversaries.""Using AI in intelligence analysis may also sweep up vast amounts of personal and sensitive data while amplifying discriminatory predictions about who poses a national security threat," he added.Microsoft in December said it had created a solution: a walled-off AI that could handle classified data safely.It said it was the world's first time a major AI model had operated wholly severed from the internet signaling the start of a new kind of spy-friendly AI.

Hangzhou Digital Farm Operation Center / Studio Dali ArchitectsSave this picture! Arch-Exist PhotographyOfficesHangzhou, ChinaArchitects: Studio Dali ArchitectsAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:2265 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2022 PhotographsPhotographs:Arch-Exist Photography, Dong Image Lead Architects: Ye Li More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. The project is located in Penggong Township, Yuhang District, Hangzhou, not far from the world-renowned Jing Shan Temple. The site is situated at the intersection of Penggong Townships settlement and farmland, just a stream to the north from the town street, which is lined with common three-story farmer-built houses and factory zones developed in clusters; to the south lies over 1500 acres of rice fields, where extensive rice field ridges connect and will soon be developed into rice experimental fields and fruit technology greenhouses.Save this picture!Save this picture!The site of the Digital Farm Operation Center covers an area of approximately 3000, with a long side of 66 meters, roughly forming a slightly asymmetrical rectangle. This location will serve as the operational center and headquarters for the entire agricultural technology park, designated for research and mechanical farming purposes. This means that buildings do not require complex approval procedures but must be relatively easy to dismantle and revert to farmland. The site has strict height restrictions and standards; the highest point of any building must not exceed 7.5m, and the eaves must be no more than 3.5m below the surrounding farmlands eaves, maintaining an equal posture with the surrounding eaves.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The initial arrival at the site was in mid-July 2021, during the sweltering summer heat of Hangzhou. While the vast rice fields were indeed magnificent and beautiful, they also exposed us to the harsh natural conditions with no place to hide.Under such open natural conditions, the intuitive architectural form is a roof that provides a sense of shelter. I hope that the overall shape and scale of the building can match the thousands of acres of rice fields and the nearby hills, avoiding being overshadowed by the fields. At the same time, I hope that the architectural space has visual appeal, offering a "shelter" for people working in the fields, providing a place to rest under the eaves during breaks from their busy schedules. The building can be like a naturally falling cloud, large in scale but not oppressive, existing gently and lightly above the fields, welcoming anyone to enter and offering an open space for shelter. This idea of a large roof spontaneously arose.Save this picture!Save this picture!To enhance the light and free spatial experience, a series of designs were made. The main structure is made of wood, and the shear wall system that provides lateral force is ingeniously arranged in the shadow, concealing the heavy material sense. Visually, most of the wooden structures are orthogonal joined, with all technical elements appropriately condensed to minimize the visual complexity of the structure, enhancing the buildings comprehensibility, thus forming a cognitive lightness. To reduce the weightiness of the roof, the primary and secondary wooden beam systems are designed to minimize dimensional differences between components, adopting mortise-and-tenon joints. Compared to traditional joint forms, this can save 300mm height of secondary beams, making the roof visually lighter. Wooden colonnades are used around and inside the building, with the column bases expressed as steel details in the form of a standing rooster, further enhancing the buildings floating sensation.Save this picture!Save this picture!To adapt to Hangzhou's climate conditions and spatial usage requirements, the building is arranged with a main courtyard and several secondary courtyards, providing additional lighting and ventilation for the space under the roof while also reducing the sense of enclosure created by the large roof. The central courtyard is hidden on the inner side of the buildings front, making it invisible from the outside, allowing people to only perceive the dialogue between the horizontal eaves and the vast fields from the exterior of the building.Save this picture!Save this picture!The building was designed with the possibility of public access in mind from the outset.After discussing with the client, although this building serves as the operational and R&D headquarters, a portion of its space could be open to the public at all times, becoming part of the village's public space, allowing residents to enter the corridors and courtyards. Thus we added public restrooms and water pools for washing farm tools in the functional details, and designed open seats under the windows, which not only provide convenience for passers-by, but also provide a variety of flexibility for non-daily use of the building space.Save this picture!Save this picture!We abandoned the idea of designing centralized public spaces and dispersed the main open areas under the eaves around the building,creating buffer zones between inside and outside,private and open spaces,farm and community.These spaces have inspired encounters between the daily users of the house and visitors, creating more possibilities for communication. In subsequent daily use, we have noticed that this space, through its open and flexible uses, has created interactions and coexistence among different groups of people at various times.Save this picture!Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessProject locationAddress:Yuhang District, Hangzhou, ChinaLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officeMaterialWoodMaterials and TagsPublished on January 26, 2025Cite: "Hangzhou Digital Farm Operation Center / Studio Dali Architects" 26 Jan 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1025976/hangzhou-digital-farm-operation-center-studio-dali-architects&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save? / 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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The Fireworks Season in Infinity Nikki features some of the most explosively amazing fashion seen yet in the game, and the New Years-themed update has captured the imagination of the entire player community with the biggest expansion to date. One of the biggest highlights of it is, of course, the incredibly variety of stunning new outfits waiting to be claimed and crafted.

Despite not being the final act, there is plenty of great loot to be found in Act 2 of Baldur's Gate 3, including Armor for all classes and builds. From robes and clothing to Light, Medium, and Heavy Armor, there is something for everyone, and the best Act 2 Armor is capable of serving players for the rest of the game.

Microsoft-backed d-Matrix's Corsair PCIe card has 2GB of SRAM performance memory.

South of Midnight was my personal highlight of the Xbox Developer Direct, and it's coming sooner than you might think.

In the military drama Les Armes, chaos and conflict are front and center, and Montreal-based studio Alchemy 24 has skillfully amplified every intense moment through seamless visual effects. Specializing in invisible VFX, Alchemy 24 enhances storytelling by blending work so naturally into the narrative that viewers are completely immersed in the world of the film.From subtle atmospheric enhancements to intricate combat sequences, Alchemy 24s visual effects add layers of depth and realism to the on-screen action. The studios meticulous attention to detail ensures that every explosion, background extension, and environmental effect contributes to the tension and emotional weight of the story.Their ability to create invisible VFX elevates Les Armes above its genre, setting up a visceral experience for the audience. Alchemy 24s contribution drives home why they are renowned for their ability to combine creativity and accuracy and confirms why they are at the top of their game.WATCH BREAKDOWNThe post Les Armes: VFX Breakdown by Alchemy 24 appeared first on Vfxexpress.

Incarcerated people in Colorado are exposed to climate-related extreme heat and cold, plus flooding and wildfires. Because theyre unable to escape these hazards, their health suffers and some die.I remember it being summer, and theres no way to get away from the sun. And I remember people just burning, said one formerly incarcerated person. My [cellmate] at the time, . . . he was out there all day. And he was so purple, and he had edema on his head so bad, you could put your thumb in his forehead and [the print] would just stay.Another person recounted how they would escape the heat by pouring water on the ground of their cells to form a shallow pool.Granted, it was only a quarter-inch, at the most, deep, they said. But you would just strip down to your boxers and just lay on the floor in the water.Exposure to extreme heat, and other hazards caused by climate change, are not unique to Colorados prisons and jails. A study that looked at deaths of incarcerated people between 2001 and 2019 in Texas found that of more than 3,000 deaths in that time period, or 13%, could be attributable to extreme heat.The intensity and frequency of climate disasters are increasing at the same time as 1.2 million people are incarcerated in the U.S.Incarcerated people lack the ability to evacuate or otherwise protect themselves from heat, cold, wildfire, or the effects of these disasters. This simple fact led us to investigate the vulnerability of incarcerated people to climate hazards in Colorado.We are a collective of scholars in architecture, environmental communication, geotechnical hazards engineering, geography, sociology, and structural engineering. We have spent the past four years scrutinizing the vulnerability of carceral facilitiesbuildings like prisons, jails, and detention facilitiesto climate hazards. During that time, we also looked at the experiences of formerly incarcerated individuals. Our research has resulted in three papers, an exhibit at the University of Colorado Boulder, and two symposiums.We analyzed the exposure of 110 carceral facilities in Colorado to wildfire, flood, extreme temperatures, and landslides. We did so by mapping facility location and hazard exposure for single and multiple climate events, such as floods or the combination of fire and heat.We found that 75% of the facilities we studied had a moderate or high relative exposure to one or more of the hazards. These facilities house roughly 33,300 people, or 83% of people incarcerated in Colorado.Stories of incarcerated peopleIn our most recent study from 2022 to 2023, we held a series of interviews and focus groups with formerly incarcerated people in Colorado to understand how climate hazards had affected their daily lives in detention.We found that climate-related extreme temperatures, wildfires, and flood events affected the majority, about 65% of the 35 study participants. To check the validity of what we learned from this small sample, we compared the information we collected with other investigations and projects, and found they were aligned.The people we interviewed experienced prolonged exposure to temperatures upward of 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius) and below freezing, poor air quality, and water contamination. We found that Black and Latino people were disproportionately exposed to these hazards, based on the location of the facilities where they were incarcerated.Their stories are harrowing.It was so cold at times in the winter that I would have every piece of clothing I had on, one participant said. I was also afraid to go to sleep at night because it felt like it was so cold that I would not wake up. In the morning, theres steel toilets, and so you would have ice in your toilet.Another participant described the smoke of a nearby wildfire.The smoke actually woke me up, and it was choking. I just couldnt breathe, and I was just coughing, coughing, the participant said. I asked if I could go, like, to medical, and they were just like, No, you cant go to medical at this time. Theres nothing we can do for you.As extreme temperatures become more common, we believe such stories are important to collect. They offer insights into experiences that may otherwise remain unheard and provide data for a more accurate quantification of the risks incarcerated people face. Our hope is that documentation of actual conditions will provide evidence that can be used for advocacy and reform.Compounding effectsWe discovered three common ways incarcerated people cope with their climate vulnerability: by trying to modify their environment, making commissary purchases, and lodging formal complaints.[W]hen its that hot, youre filling out that grievance, youre dehydrated because you cant go to the water fountain, everybodys mad, angry, pissed off, said one study participant. You have symptoms of heat exhaustion, your brain is not firing on all cylinders, and youre sitting there trying to do the right thing, trying to follow their procedures.This participant, and others, told us that if they made a mistake in their formal complaintseither by misspelling a word or using the wrong technical terminology for the problem at handtheir grievance could be dismissed.The study participants also talked about retaliation for grievances. If they were to file a lawsuit, according to an interviewee, prison staff members are going to make it the worst that it could possibly be. They feared inmate privileges could be taken away or, as one participant explained, people could be suddenly moved to another facility. That move could disrupt important connections with family, visitors, and their communities on the inside.Experiences such as these were corroborated by multiple participants. Prison officials did not respond to our requests for more information about their facilities or the exposure of incarcerated people to extreme weather.Lack of insight into prisonsTalking to formerly incarcerated people about their experiences made us eager to see the facilities we were studying ourselves to reliably assess risk, but it was almost impossible to get permission to get inside prisons or talk to the people inside.Our requests to see building floor plans or engineering drawings, which would have allowed us to analyze the exposure of facility staff and incarcerated people to hazards such as extreme temperatures or flooding, were denied. Corrections officials said our requests raised security concerns.Regardless of their function, jails and prisons must keep their occupants safe. We believe Colorados current carceral infrastructure does not provide humane spaces that protect against increasingly intense and frequent climate hazards. This produces unjust human suffering and hampers the ability of people who are incarcerated to stay healthy.Shawhin Roudbari is an associate professor of environmental design at the University of Colorado Boulder.Shideh Dashti is an associate professor of civil, environmental and architectural engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder.This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Natalie Kerr and Jaime Kurtz are social psychologists and colleagues in the department of psychology at James Madison University. Kerrs work has been published in many academic journals, and she also writes forPsychology Today. Kurtz has also appeared in a variety of psychology journals, and previously authoredThe Happy Traveler,Positively Happy, and two Audible Original programs.Whats the big idea?Connecting socially has become increasingly complicated. Despite being more digitally connected than ever, our society is experiencing record-breaking loneliness. Many emerging cultural norms threaten to emotionally isolate us from one another. It is necessary for health and well-being that we practice the science-backed fundamentals of a meaningful social life.Below, coauthors Natalie and Jaime share five key insights from their new book,Our New Social Life: Science-Backed Strategies for Creating Meaningful Connection.(Listen to the audio versionread by Natalie and Jaimein the Next Big Idea App.)1. Social connection isnt a luxury.Do you wish you had more time to spend with friends? If so, youre not alone. Surveys suggest that Americans spend less time with friends than they used to (now averaging just three hours a week!), and about half of people wish they had more time with friends. This trend can be partly attributed to our busy schedules but may also reflect shifting priorities.We have a fundamental need for social connection. We live happier, healthier, andlongerlives when we have enough of it. Yet, in the modern world, we often view socializing as a luxury we can afford to live without. It can feel more like an indulgence than an essential need. When we feel pressed for time, happy hours, date nights, and brunches with friends are often the first things to go.This mindsetthat social connection is a luxury rather than an essential needcan create a barrier to social connection that we might not even be aware of. To overcome this barrier, we must remember that social connection is an essential health behavior (just as important as sleep, exercise, and good nutrition), and we need to prioritize it accordingly. Whether we consider ourselves introverts or extroverts, we must invest time, energy, and resources into relationships.2. The norms of modern life make it hard for us to connect.Social norms are the unwritten rules for normal or acceptable behavior in a given context. In the U.S., social norms include shaking hands when greeting someone, saying please and thank you, and giving people plenty of personal space. Its good to conform to these types of social norms because they help people know what to expect during social interactions. They also help us maintain good relationships with others.However, there are other social norms that we should consider breaking. Lets consider a relatively new norm: using our phones in social settings. In a recent survey, nearly 90 percent of U.S. adults admitted to using their phone during their most recent social interaction. You can see this play out at nearly any restaurant, wedding reception, or fraternity party.Nearly 90 percent of U.S. adults admitted to using their phone during their most recent social interaction.Have you had the experience of someone repeatedly looking at their phone while youre telling them something important? Oreven worsehave you had someone reply to someone elses text message while you were talking to them? It feels crummy. Research confirms this behavior can make us feel rejected and less connected to our social partners. This behavior is also linked to increased conflict and decreased satisfaction in couples.This is just one example of how social norms can make connection difficult. Other examples include the fact that were spending more time alone. More people are living alone and working remotely. Weve also adopted busyness as a way of life, filling our schedules to the point where theres little room left for spontaneous connection. Additionally, modern parenting has become so time- and energy-intensive that many of us sacrifice our social lives to support our kids activities.These patterns are starting to feel normal, and many of us feel pressure to conform. We might even go along with these norms without even realizing it. If we want to live more connected lives, we need to start questioning and resisting some of the norms that define our modern social world.3. Our assumptions about people are often wrong.Have you ever fretted over a social blunder you thought you committed, only to learn later that no one had noticed or cared? Have you ever felt rejected when a friend didnt return a text, only to discover they misplaced their phone? If youre like us, youve had the experience of misreading social cues. After all, making sense of other people is no easy task! We cant read minds, so we make inferences about others thoughts, feelings, and intentions. Decades of research demonstrate that our inferences are often wrong.For instance, we tend to underestimate how much others will appreciate our efforts to connect. This keeps us from striking up conversations with strangers who might eventually become friends, expressing gratitude to those weve never properly thanked, offering social support to friends in need, and performing random acts of kindness.Another example: have you ever replayed a conversation in your head, cringing at something you said? Its common for people to worry about the impression they made, but our fears are often overblown. Research shows that people tend to like us and enjoy our conversation more than we think they do. Researchers call this discrepancy theliking gap.Our faulty perceptions of other people can create a barrier to social connection. This barrier can be overcome by adopting a more positive outlook. Expect people to like you. Expect them to appreciate your gratitude, support, and kindness. Chances are, they truly will. In the rare instance that they dont, it probably had nothing to do with you.4. Opportunities for connection are right in front of us.Many people think making friends is mysterious or determined by a persons unique attributeslike a great sense of humor or good looks. These factorsdomatter, but research suggests that liking is also triggered by simple, mundane factorslike how often you cross paths or how much you have in common. Overlooking these simple factors can cause you to miss out on the opportunities for connection right in front of you.The mere exposure effect applies to foods, fragrances, songs on the radio, andyespeople.One of the most overlooked factors isproximity. In the words of social psychologist Elliott Aronson, the people who are geographically nearest to you are most likely to become dearest to you as well. Theres nothing mysterious about the power of proximity. The more you see someone, the more opportunities there are to smile at one another, say hello, strike up a conversation, and discover common interests. The power of proximity is due to a very basic psychological phenomenon known as themere exposure effect. In short, the more were exposed to something, the more we tend to like it. The mere exposure effect applies to foods, fragrances, songs on the radio, andyespeople.Put the mere exposure effect to work by just letting yourselfbe seen. Turn your camera on during Zoom meetings, comment on your friends social media posts, or go to the yoga studio instead of streaming a class in your living room. And try to be seenrepeatedly. You could try going to the gym at the same time each day or attending the 9:00 am church service every Sunday. This increases the chances of crossing paths with the same people. Over time, youll start recognizing others, and theyll begin to recognize you, which could lead to something more.This advice is especially helpful for shy or quiet people. You dont need to be the wittiest or most outgoing person in the roomyou might just need to show up!5. Opening up is risky, but worth it.How do you feel about deep conversations? The ones in which you admit your imperfections, share your true feelings or reveal your deepest longings. How do you feel about showing your true self in a friendship? Research suggests that many of us are reluctant to engage in these types of behaviors, but they are key to unlocking greater intimacy in relationships.Consider one study where participants engaged in shallow and deep conversations with strangers. In the shallow conversation, participants answered questions such as:How is your day going so far?In the deep conversation, participants disclosed more personal information by answering questions like:If you could undo one mistake you have made in life, what would it be, and why would you undo it?The results showed that participants expected to prefer the shallow conversation, but they actually preferred the deeper one. They felt closer to their deep conversation partner than their shallow conversation partner, and the deep conversations were a lot less awkward than participants thought they would be. When we play it safe, we might be missing out on opportunities for meaningful social connection.Natalie Kerr and Jaime KurtzThisarticleoriginally appeared inNext Big Idea Clubmagazine and is reprinted with permission.