After weeks of buzz, OpenAI has released Operator, its first AI agent. Operator is a web app that can carry out simple online tasks in a browser, such as booking concert tickets or filling an online grocery order. The app is powered by a new model called Computer-Using AgentCUA (coo-ah), for shortbuilt on top of OpenAIs multimodal large language model GPT-4o.Operator is available today at operator.chatgpt.com to people in the US signed up with ChatGPT Pro, OpenAIs premium $200-a-month service. The company says it plans to roll the tool out to other users in the future.OpenAI claims that Operator outperforms similar rival tools, including Anthropics Computer Use (a version of Claude 3.5 Sonnet that can carry out simple tasks on a computer) and Google DeepMinds Mariner (a web-browsing agent built on top of Gemini 2.0).The fact that three of the worlds top AI firms have converged on the same vision of what agent-based models could be makes one thing clear. The battle for AI supremacy has a new frontierand its our computer screens.Moving from generating text and images to doing things is the right direction, says Ali Farhadi, CEO of the Allen Institute for AI (AI2). It unlocks business, solves new problems.Farhadi thinks that doing things on a computer screen is a natural first step for agents: It is constrained enough that the current state of the technology can actually work, he says. At the same time, its impactful enough that people might use it. (AI2 is working on its own computer-using agent, says Farhadi.)Dont believe the hypeOpenAIs announcement also confirms one of two rumors that circled the internet this week. One predicted that OpenAI was about to reveal an agent-based app, after details about Operator were leaked on social media ahead of its release. The other predicted that OpenAI was about to reveal a new superintelligenceand that officials for newly inaugurated President Trump would be briefed on it.Could the two rumors be linked? OpenAI superfans wanted to know.Nope. OpenAI gave MIT Technology Review a preview of Operator in action yesterday. The tool is an exciting glimpse of large language models potential to do a lot more than answer questions. But Operator is an experimental work in progress. Its still early, it still makes mistakes, says Yash Kumar, a researcher at OpenAI.(As for the wild superintelligence rumors, lets leave that to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to address: twitter hype is out of control again, he posted on January 20. pls chill and cut your expectations 100x!)Like Anthropics Computer Use and Google DeepMinds Mariner, Operator takes screenshots of a computer screen and scans the pixels to figure out what actions it can take. CUA, the model behind it, is trained to interact with the same graphical user interfacesbuttons, text boxes, menusthat people use when they do things online. It scans the screen, takes an action, scans the screen again, takes another action, and so on. That lets the model carry out tasks on most websites that a person can use.Traditionally the way models have used software is through specialized APIs, says Reiichiro Nakano, a scientist at OpenAI. (An API, or application programming interface, is a piece of code that acts as a kind of connector, allowing different bits of software to be hooked up to one another.) That puts a lot of apps and most websites off limits, he says: But if you create a model that can use the same interface that humans use on a daily basis, it opens up a whole new range of software that was previously inaccessible.CUA also breaks tasks down into smaller steps and tries to work through them one by one, backtracking when it gets stuck. OpenAI says CUA was trained with techniques similar to those used for its so-called reasoning models, o1 and o3.Operator can be instructed to search for campsites in Yosemite with good picnic tables.OPENAIOpenAI has tested CUA against a number of industry benchmarks designed to assess the ability of an agent to carry out tasks on a computer. The company claims that its model beats Computer Use and Mariner in all of them.For example, on OSWorld, which tests how well an agent performs tasks such as merging PDF files or manipulating an image, CUA scores 38.1% to Computer Uses 22.0% In comparison, humans score 72.4%. On a benchmark called WebVoyager, which tests how well an agent performs tasks in a browser, CUA scores 87%, Mariner 83.5%, and Computer Use 56%. (Mariner can only carry out tasks in a browser and therefore does not score on OSWorld.)For now, Operator can also only carry out tasks in a browser. OpenAI plans to make CUAs wider abilities available in the future via an API that other developers can use to build their own apps. This is how Anthropic released Computer Use in December.OpenAI says it has tested CUAs safety, using red teams to explore what happens when users ask it to do unacceptable tasks (such as research how to make a bioweapon), when websites contain hidden instructions designed to derail it, and when the model itself breaks down. Weve trained the model to stop and ask the user for information before doing anything with external side effects, says Casey Chu, another researcher on the team.Look! No handsTo use Operator, you simply type instructions into a text box. But instead of calling up the browser on your computer, Operator sends your instructions to a remote browser running on an OpenAI server. OpenAI claims that this makes the system more efficient. Its another key difference between Operator, Computer Use and Mariner (which runs inside Googles Chrome browser on your own computer).Because its running in the cloud, Operator can carry out multiple tasks at once, says Kumar. In the live demo, he asked Operator to use OpenTable to book him a table for two at 6.30 p.m. at a restaurant called Octavia in San Francisco. Straight away, Operator opened up OpenTable and started clicking through options. As you can see, my hands are off the keyboard, he said.OpenAI is collaborating with a number of businesses, including OpenTable, StubHub, Instacart, DoorDash, and Uber. The nature of those collaborations is not exactly clear, but Operator appears to suggest preset websites to use for certain tasks.While the tool navigated dropdowns on OpenTable, Kumar sent Operator off to find four tickets for a Kendrick Lamar show on StubHub. While it did that, he pasted a photo of a handwritten shopping list and asked Operator to add the items to his Instacart.He waited, flicking between Operators tabs. If it needs help or if it needs confirmations, itll come back to you with questions and you can answer it, he said.Kumar says he has been using Operator at home. It helps him stay on top of grocery shopping: I can just quickly click a photo of a list and send it to work, he says.Its also become a sidekick in his personal life. I have a date night every Thursday, says Kumar. So every Thursday morning, he instructs Operator to send him a list of five restaurants that have a table for two that evening. Of course, I could do that, but it takes me 10 minutes, he says. And I often forget to do it. With Operator, I can run the task with one click. Theres no burden of booking.

Samsung's latest smartphone launch, the Galaxy S25, is the South Korean tech company's latest attempt to win the mobile AI war. Here's how the entry-level model compares against Apple's iPhone 16.iPhone 16 [left], Samsung Galaxy S25 [right]On January 22, Samsung launched an update to its flagship smartphone line. The Samsung Galaxy S25, along with the Galaxy S25+ and Galaxy S25 Ultra, are set to become the biggest smartphones on Android, and possibly in AI.During the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event, Samsung promoted its smartphones as a way for anyone to quickly use AI while on the move. Promises were made of natural context-aware mobile experiences, an intuitive interface, and high performance. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

It's been a few months since Apple launched the black Apple Watch Ultra 2 and the all-new Apple Watch Series 10. Here's how they compare after three months of daily use.Let's compare the Apple Watch Series 10 to the Apple Watch Ultra 2We wore the Apple Watch Ultra 2 for an entire year. Once the new Apple Watch Series 10 was released, we made a chance to the new wearable instead.This has given us lots of insight into the two models and how they actually compare after prolonged use. We'll go beyond just the specs on a website. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

The Getty Center has reported no damage in the wake of last nights Sepulveda Fire, which broke out on the opposite side of the 405 Freeway near its Brentwood campus in Bel-Air, Los Angeles. The new fire, which comes two weeks after the Palisades Fire scorched some parts of its grounds without causing any damage to the museum or Getty Villa, has been put out, according to a late update from the LAFD. A spokesperson from the Getty told Archinect that the new fires would not affect the museum's anticipated January 28th reopening.Here's some more of the latest from our ongoing coverage of the dangerous Los Angeles Fires:Getty Trust leads $12 Million relief fund for artists impacted by LA firesHere's how L.A. will expedite the rebuilding process with Mayors orderFires threaten LAs spectacular design legacy says Sam Lubell

Our latest weeklycurated jobs roundupfrom theArchinect Job boardfeatures 13 architecture schools in search of faculty,academic leaders, staff, and fellows.Preparing for a new job? Be sure to follow ourArchinect Tipsseries to improve your portfolio, resume, and interviewing skills and increase your chances of getting that next job.Teaching PositionsVirginia Techseeks anOpen Rank - Assistant/Associate/Full Professor, Architecturein Alexandria, VA"The successful candidate will be capable of connecting theory and innovative practice through teaching, scholarship, creative practice, and engagement with the city. Candidates should demonstrate a strong commitment to architecture and human well-being at multiple scales across the built environment. Qualified candidates will be expected to rigorously engage and advance theoretical, practical, and productive expertise that results in culturally meaningful and well-crafted built environments."University of Torontoseeks anAssist...

2024 was a successful year for Sega, to say the least, and sure enough, the company is continuing to reap the profits of those efforts.Sonic X Shadow Generationsgot off to a blistering start upon its release, with a million units sold on launch day. Within the next month, it had sold another additional half a million units. Now, its passed another milestone.Sega has announced thatSonic X Shadow Generationshas sold 2 million copies across all platforms since it launched in October. That means the expanded platforming remaster has sold another 500,000 units over the course of the last two months, maintaining solid momentum. Sega released a DLC pack for the title in December that added a new level and featured voice acting for Shadow by Keanu Reeves, which may have helped bump up the sales.In our review of the game, we awarded it a score of 8/10, saying, With an enhanced version of one of the series best 3D outings to date, as well as a legitimately great brand-new adventure starring a returning fan-favourite, Sonic X Shadow Generations is well worth a look for fans of Segas platforming franchise. Read the full review through here.Sonic X Shadow Generationsis available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

Sonys first-party output has had a relatively spotty track record the last couple of years, but theres no doubting that PlayStations first-party portfolio is its biggest strength. After all, even the aforementioned period of last couple of years has brought us spectacular games likeMarvels Spider-Man 2andAstro Bot. And with Sony having confirmed that it intends to resume normal service in 2025, with major annual AAA single-player releases back on the menu, it looks like theres reason to be optimistic for fans of the PlayStation Studios lineup.And what exactly has that lineup got cooking? Thats the question were here to answer. A number of first-party Sony studios has officially confirmed what theyre working on, others have teased out potential hints and details, while in some cases, leaks have also potentially shed light on what some of these teams could be working on. Either way, theres no shortage of information on what to expect from the future of PlayStation Studios at large, and here, were going to take a look at the lineup one studio after another.Lets kick things off with the big one.NAUGHTY DOGThe complete lack of Naughty Dog on PS5 outside ofThe Last of Usre-releases has been a big source of disappointment for many, but in December, the studio finally announced its next big project. Working on a new IP for the first time in over a decade, Naughty Dog has unveiled the space-faring sci-fi action-adventure gameIntergalactic. The studio has shown off little of the game so far, but has already captured the attention of the masses so far with what little has been revealed.Intergalactichas been in development since 2020, so its possible that we see it in 2026 or 2027 (though the former might be a bit optimistic).Of course, Naughty Dog has previously confirmed that it has multiple AAA single-player titles in development. In all likeliness, the second game isThe Last of Us Part 3, which is presumably further out thanIntergalactic. In all likelihood, thatll be a PS6 title instead of a PS5 release (unless, of course, its cross-gen, though that would depend entirely on when it releases).SIE SANTA MONICA STUDIOGod of War Ragnarokwill be three years old this November, which means questions about Sony Santa Monicas next game are only going to grow louder. WhateverGod of War (2018)director Cory Barlogs next project is, wed wager that thats what the studio is going to come out with next. Leaks and speculation have suggested that Barlog is leading a new IP behind-the-scenes, which has the makings of an exciting announcement, if theres any truth to it.But of course,God of Waris nowhere close to being done yet. We dont know what the future of the series looks like, but we do know the Norse saga is done, which means were probably moving on to a new mythological setting sooner rather than later. But might we perhaps also expect a spinoff starring Atreus as its protagonist? After all, the Norse saga itself does still have plenty of unresolved plot threats left. Hopefully, 2025 will bring some clarity about what the future holds for Sony Santa Monica.INSOMNIAC GAMESWere approaching the four-year anniversary ofMarvels Wolverine,and so far, weve seen nothing of it other than its brief announcement teaser. Leaks have claimed in the past that the game is targeting a 2026 release, and if thats true, this would be the year that we begin seeing more of the game. Given Insomniac Games track record, especially with Marvel titles, theres every reason to be excited aboutMarvels Wolverine.Of course, the studio has other irons in the fire as well.Marvels Spider-Man 3is inevitable, even if it hasnt been officially announced yet, while past leaks have also suggested that the studio has aVenomspinoff in development. Those same leaks also claimed that a newRatchet and Clankgame is also in the pipeline, though wed suspect that one is probably several years off yet.GUERRILLAGuerrilla has fully dived intoHorizonby now, and it seems the franchise occupies the entirety of the studio at this point. Journalist Jason Schreier claimed last year that the third mainlineHorizongame was several years off and unlikely to be the studios next game, but wedoknow that the sequel toForbidden Westis nonetheless in the works. WhatisGuerrillas next game though? Well, thatd beHorizon Online, or whatever it is that the developer ends up calling the co-opHorizontitle that it has had in the works for several years at this point. We wouldnt be surprised if it ended up announced sometime this year, in fact.SUCKER PUNCHWe all know what Sucker Punch is working on. In 2024, the studio announcedGhost of Yotei,the sequel toGhost of Tsushima, starring a new protagonist in a new era and new location of Japanese history.Ghost of Tsushimawas a spectacular game, and arguably the best game to have been developed by Sucker Punch, so its no surprise that expectations from its sequel are high. Whether the studio intends to support the game with post-launch content the way it didTsushimaremains to be seen. The fans, of course, would absolutely love to see more of that, especially if it meant something similar toGhost of Tsushima: Legends.BLUEPOINT GAMESUntil not that long ago, we would have been willing to bet anything that the studio behind the excellent Shadow of the Colossus and Demons Souls remakes will be revealing its game sometime this year. Alas, Sonys poor decision-making has cost the company again. Reports have revealed that the game Bluepoint had been working on for years was a God of War live service title of all means, and that that project has now been cancelled. What the studio will work on next is anyones guess, but clearly, we wont be learning much about it anytime soon.SIE BEND STUDIOLike Bluepoint, Sony Bend also saw its project recently cancelled. The studio has endured several years of bad luck with its projects now, and after four years of having a new live service open world IP in development, it has now had that project shelved. On one hand, were glad to see Sony rethinking its misguided live service push. On the other, however, we cant help but lament the absolute waste of time that these last few years have been for several first-party PlayStation studios. What will Bend work on next? We have no earthly idea, thanks to the fact that the last few years of work by the studio are going into the dumpster, with a new project set to start from scratch at some point in the future.HAVEN STUDIOSHaven StudiosFairgame$was announced a couple of years ago now, but this games future is looking more than a little shaky in spite of how little we have seen of it. The multiplayer first-person shooter was announced as part of Sonys big push into the live service space, but that push has largely failed over the last couple of years, and hit its lowest point yet in 2024 with the absolute failure ofConcord. Of course, what happened toConcorddoesnt necessarily have to happen toFairgame$,but the game wasnt inspiring much confidence to begin with, and now, in a post-Concordworld, its chances of succeeding are looking even slimmer. Hopefully, when we see it next (with actual gameplay this time), itll leave a much stronger impression.FIRESPRITEFiresprites rumouredTwisted Metalrevival was supposedly the studios main project until not that long ago, but it ended up being one of several live service cancellations as part of PlayStations widespread layoffs in early 2024. So what does the studio have in the works now? Well, official details continue to be scarce (after all, Twisted Metalwasnt officially known either), but as per leaks, the studio is working on a sequel toUntil Dawn. The horror title received a remake in 2023 and is also receiving a movie adaptation soon, so clearly, Sony intends to keep expanding on the IP.HOUSEMARQUEHousemarque hit an entirely new level withReturnalin 2021, which means there are more eyes on studio and what it has cooking up next than ever before. Little is known about Housemarques mystery project, other than the fact that it is another new IP, and that it is going to be another AAA production likeReturnalwas. Hopefully, the developer will be ready to share more details soon, especially withReturnalnow close to four years old.MEDIA MOLECULEMedia Molecule swung for the fences withDreams, and even though the game wasnt nearly as successful as it should have been, the studio continues to be one of PlayStations biggest assets. A couple of years ago, the developer announced that it had a new project in the works, with support forDreamshaving been brought to an end, and last year, it was confirmed that that new project was going to be yet another new IP. Theres little else that we know about it, but given how experimental Media Molecule loves to be, were excited to see what shape it takes. Presumably, however, itll be some time before we get any concrete details.POLYPHONY DIGITALGran Turismo 7is three years old now, so the only question to be asked here is- how long until the nextGran Turismogame? Post-launch support forGT7is continuing with impressive momentum, and it doesnt look like Polyphony Digital is going to slow it down anytime soon. That would suggest that the nextGTis still years away- though then again, Polyphony Digital has traditionally followed a pattern of twoGran Turismoreleases per console. That might suggest that the studio could maybe release a cross-genGT8for PS5 and PS6 in a handful of years- though thats all purely speculative at this point.TEAM ASOBIThe delightfulAstro Botisnot even a year old yet, which means its probably too soon to start talking about Team Asobis next game right now. Will it beAstro Bot 2? Will it be a new IP? Whatever it is, we hope the studio can put it out as swiftly and efficiently as it didAstro Bot, which was put together in the space of three years by a team of less than hundred people and turned out to be one of the best and most prominent releases of its year.

The statue of Athena had been housed in William Weddell's estate in England since the 1700s. Halsted A&A FoundationWith an owl in the palm of her hand, a cloak adorned with a gorgons head and a warriors helmet upon her swept hair, Athena, as depicted in a Roman statue from the first century C.E., is a remarkable sight.Now, for the first time in nearly 260 years, it will also be a widely accessible one.This stunning marble depiction of the ancient Greek goddess of wisdom and warfare will go on public display in the atrium of the Wrightwood 659 gallery in Chicagos Lincoln Park neighborhood starting on January 25. William Weddell, the British artistocrat who purchased the statue of Athena on a Grand Tour of Rome Public domain via Wikimedia CommonsBefore the Halsted A&A Foundation acquired the sculpture in 2023, it was tucked away in a rose-colored niche in Newby Hall, the North Yorkshire country house of William Weddell, a British landowner and politician who traveled to Rome to purchase it in the mid-1700s.By displaying the sculpture at Wrightwood 659, the foundation invites the public to see a work which has been largely out of general public view for nearly three centuries, Karen Manchester, the curator of the Halsted A&A Foundation, says in a statement.Now, scholars, students and visitors will be able to study the statue of Athena closely and interpret it from many perspectives, including those of art history, restoration practices and gender studies, she adds.Among the most interesting features of this Athena is the 74.5-inch-tall statues hodgepodge provenance. Its head came from a sculpture carved during the time of the Roman emperor Augustus (31 B.C.E. to 14 C.E.). Meanwhile, its body was grafted from a statue dating to the reign of Claudius (41 to 54 C.E.), the ruler who conquered Britain, according to the statement.But this mishmash of marble wasnt a scam to get the wealthy Weddell to purchase a seemingly intact statue of Athena. Rather, many buyers preferred complete pieces, even if composed of unrelated parts, Manchester explains. The so-called "Halsted Athena" at its new home at Wrightwood 659, a gallery in Chicago Halsted A&A FoundationWhen older parts werent available, sculptors would carve new ones, such as the so-called Halsted Athenas left arm and a section between her jaw and chest. While these pastiches might confuse archaeologists attempting to trace an artworks origins, Manchester says they tell complex stories about art, taste and aesthetics throughout history, per the Observers Elisa Carollo.The Halsted Athena emerges from the confines of Weddells Newby Hall at the same time that 58 pieces from the Torlonia Collection, a trove of ancient sculptures, travel to North America for the first time. They will go on view at the Art Institute of Chicagos Myth & Marble exhibition, which opens on March 15.Weddells own journey to Rome to purchase the statue reflects the practice of Grand Tours across the cities of the ancient world, popular among young British aristocrats. A painter who encountered Weddell on his Grand Tour of Rome once remarked that the collector had [bought] such a quantity of pictures, marbles, etc. as will astonish the West Riding of Yorkshire. William Weddell and fellow British travelers as depicted by Nathaniel Dance-Holland, who remarked on the large number of antiquities that Weddell planned to bring home with him Public domain via Wikimedia CommonsWeddell and his fellow British travelers would have referred to the statues subject as Minerva, the Roman goddess, rather than Athena, because they learned Latin in school, not ancient Greek, and therefore were familiar with the Latin names of deities, Manchester tells Elena Goukassian of the Art Newspaper.But the Roman statue distinctly depicts the Greek goddess, with her signature helmet and aegis, or sash-like cloak, draped across her chest.At the time these pieces were carved, the classical style was in vogue. In other words, ancient Roman customers wanted sculptures that reflected the look of ancient Greek and Hellenistic Greek, Manchester adds.Even in the first century C.E., when the statue took its complete form, Romans were harking back to an immemorial Greece. Now, the Halsted Athenas voyage to the leafy avenues and art galleries of well-to-do Lincoln Park adds another chapter to its rich and complex backstory, stretching from Greece to Rome and from Yorkshire to Chicago.Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.Filed Under: Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Art, Arts, British History, Chicago, England, Exhibitions, Exhibits, Greece, Museums, Religion, Religious History, Sculpture, Statues, Tourism

The next several weeks will give skywatchers a chance to see many planets at once. Shimpei Yamashita via Getty ImagesThe night sky will offer stargazers a special sight for the next several weeks: Right now, all planets except Mercury can be seen after sundownthen, in late February, the missing planet will join the line-up.While the planets technically always appear along the same rough line in our sky, the fact that so many can be seen at once is noteworthy, according to NASA. Six planets are currently located above the horizon after darkVenus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are all visible to the naked eye, but youll need a telescope or binoculars to see Uranus and Neptune, the most distant planets. Then, with the addition of Mercury around February 28, all seven other planets will be together in the night sky.However, the planets wont actually form a perfect line. You can draw a line thats an arc, but its not an alignment like what you would have in your mind, explains Parshati Patel, an astrophysicist and science communicator with Stellar Dreams, to CBC News.In reality, the event is more about our perspective than the planets literal placementif the planets actually aligned with each other in space, that would be called a syzygy and thats a much, much rarer event, Kate Pattle, an astronomer at University College London, said to CNNs Jacopo Prisco during a similar alignment last year. The planetary lineup this month will feature four planets visible to the naked eye. Mercury will join them in late February. NASA / JPL-CaltechThe eight planets in our solar system all orbit the sun in roughly the same flat plane, known as the eclipticbut they move at different speeds. Earth, for instace, takes about 365 days to complete one orbit; Mercury takes roughly 88 days, while Neptune takes nearly 165 years. That plane of planetary motion forms a line across our sky, and the planets always appear to travel acrossit.Right now, they happen to all be in their orbits on the same side of our sun, within the same degrees in our sky, so that we can see them, says Rebecca Allen, an astrophysicist at Swinburne University in Australia, to the Guardians Petra Stock. That is special.Even if the planetary alignment is more of a planetary coincidence, itll still be worth spending a few minutes looking up to the sky after sunset. Allen recommends using a basic sky map, available on many phone apps. Saturn and Venus will appear in the west, while Mars will lie in the east and Jupiter will shine overhead. Uranus and Neptune, though not naked-eye visible, will be between Jupiter and the western planets.Yes, you can go on Google and get a more spectacular view of all these planets, says Jenifer Millard, a science communicator and astronomer at Fifth Star Labs, to Jonathan OCallaghan of the BBC. But when youre looking at these objects, these are photons that have traveled millions or billions of miles through space to hit your retinas.Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.Filed Under: Astronomy, NASA, Outer Space, Planets, Sky Watching Guide, Solar System

David Haddad, who has served as Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment president for 12 years, is leaving the company.Read More