OpenAI has unveiled Operator, a new AI agent designed to perform web-based tasks, offering potential productivity enhancements for enterprises.The tool enables interaction with on-screen elements, positioning it as a solution for automating routine processes in business workflows amid growing competition in the generative AI space.Powering Operator is Computer-Using Agent (CUA), a model that combines GPT-4os vision capabilities with advanced reasoning through reinforcement learning, OpenAI said in a blog post. CUA is trained to interact with graphical user interfaces (GUIs) the buttons, menus, and text fields people see on a screen just as humans do. This gives it the flexibility to perform digital tasks without using OS- or web-specific APIs.CUA leverages years of research in multimodal understanding and reasoning, combining advanced GUI perception with structured problem-solving, the company added.It can break tasks into multi-step plans and self-correct when encountering challenges, representing a significant step in AI development by enabling models to use tools commonly relied on by humans and unlocking new application possibilities.The increasing role of AI agentsAI agents, designed to handle tasks such as scheduling and online transactions, are gaining interest in corporate AI initiatives. Rumors about OpenAIs agent have been circulating for months.Perplexity introduced an Android-based assistant this week, offering features like booking reservations, ride-hailing, and reminders.Apple expanded Siris capabilities last year by integrating Apple Intelligence and adding ChatGPT support through a partnership with OpenAI.Last year Anthropic also introduced a feature for its AI models called Computer Use, enabling Claude 3.5 Sonnet to perform tasks on computers autonomously.However, analysts suggest that Operator may have some advantages over the competition.Operator is quite advanced than Perplexity and other AI agents out there and more customizable and configurable, said Neil Shah, partner and co-founder at Counterpoint Research. The capability of the agent to let user takeover when needed or confirm actions with users or filtering out sensitive info or keeping watch is unique and gives users more control while being autonomous.Another differentiator is that most current agents are designed to take direct action based on user prompts and requests but not to maneuver through websites.Open AIs Operator is designed to be a web agent that can autonomously go through websites and conduct multi-step tasks, said Hyoun Park, CEO and chief analyst at Amalgam Insights. This is designed to be helpful both for accessing data within each website as well as conducting complex and time-consuming tasks that currently require repetitive clicking and typing.Enterprise applications and accessibility potentialAI agents open doors for various industries, particularly those seeking to enhance efficiency and streamline workflows. Their ability to automate tasks such as data collection and interaction with web-based platforms offers significant value for businesses.AI agents like Operator, still in their nascent stages, have the long-term potential to revolutionize industries such as customer service, healthcare, retail, and logistics by automating repetitive tasks, personalizing interactions, and enhancing workflow efficiency, said Prabhu Ram, VP of the industry research group at Cybermedia Research.Additionally, the tool redefines the concept of accessibility, making it easier for individuals who struggle to navigate or interact with the web to access online resources.This agent could also be useful in helping employees to quickly gather information or access all of the accessible data and content on a website that would be appropriate for that user to be able to see, Park said. Web agents will likely be an important tool for collecting long tail information on websites that may be hidden behind multi-step workflows that are time-consuming or difficult for humans to negotiate or maneuver.With features like custom API integration and configurability, the Operator tool could also benefit enterprises by enabling them to deploy these agents for internal purposes, such as extracting and organizing data from their own websites or intranets, Shah added.Safety concerns to overcomeAI agents introduce a new wave of safety challenges, with potential risks including misuse for bypassing system safeguards.These risks can range from automating form submissions on public sector websites to launching traffic attacks that disrupt website performance or evading CAPTCHA protections, among other violations.OpenAI, in its blog post, said that a layered safety approach with safeguards for the model, system, and post-deployment processes is essential.OpenAI also needs to ensure how this will protect the privacy of sensitive information when used to fill forms, whether it remains on the device, and that data used for reinforcement is not eventually misused for ads or sponsored listings as a lucrative business model, Shah said. The tools capabilities could also pose challenges for Google and other search engines, which rely on collecting user data and processing cookies to target ads. By giving users and OpenAI more control over data, the technology may disrupt traditional advertising models.

SvetaZi/Getty Images IN BRIEF: AI-First Leadership: Leaders must reimagine how humans and AI collaborate to harness AIs potential and bridge the gap between technological capabilities and strategic goals. Role of Midlevel Leaders: Midlevel leaders are crucial in driving strategy execution and enabling transformational change by embedding AI into personal practices, team workflows, and cross-functional processes. Developing AI-First Capabilities: Organizations need to invest in a structured developmental journey for leaders, focusing on building foundational AI knowledge, cultivating an AI-first mindset, honing AI-specific skills, and leading with confidence. In the era of generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI), leaders across industries are realizing []The post AI-First Leadership: Embracing the Future of Work appeared first on Harvard Business Publishing.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Originally posted on 12 June 2024. Scroll down for details of the Dash 1.8.5 update.Polygonflow has updated Dash, its world building toolset for Unreal Engine 5.Dash 1.7 adds a new vines tool for growing vegetation procedurally across any 3D model, a new Blend material and an instant color grading system.Dash 1.8 adds Dash Board, a new PureRef-style reference image organizer, and a Chat-GPT-based AI assistant.Dash 1.8.5 adds Data Tables, a new system for layering effects, makes it possible to create terrain using height maps or guide curves, and cuts the price of the software.A new name for Polygonflows GraphN Library, minus GraphN itselfReleased in 2023, Dash is a rebranded version of the library of Unreal Engine 5 tools that used to accompany GraphN, Polygonflows now-discontinued node-based programming environment for Maya and Unreal Engine.It is intended to let artists to build complex environments without having to navigate the Unreal Editors interface, working primarily in fullscreen mode in the viewport.It provides readymade behaviours accessible by typing natural-language search terms into a floating prompt bar for common scene-building tasks like create terrain and apply water, plus scattering tools for dressing environments.As well as game development, Dash can be used for offline work: for example to create animations, visual effects projects or architectural visualizations in Unreal Engine.https://www.cgchannel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/240611_Dash17_WorldbuildingToolUnrealEngine5_tw.mp4Dash 1.7: new vines tool generates procedural vegetation across any 3D modelDash 1.7 adds a lot of new features to the software, but the most eye-catching is Create Vines on Selection, for growing 3D vegetation procedurally across any surface.Despite the name, it isnt confined to growing vines, since you can use texture atlases from the Megascans asset library free for use in UE5 to customize the leaf type.The basic workflow will be familiar to anyone who has used an ivy generator such as the ones available for 3ds Max and Blender, with users able to control the form of the vegetation by adjusting parameters for growth, surface adhesion and gravity.New Blend material and automatic color grading systemOther new features include the Blend material, which makes it possible to create custom ground surfaces by blending from three source surfaces.Polygonflow describes is as being a lite version of Quixel Mixer, blending the surface color, height map and noise settings from the sources.There is also a new Image to Grading system, which makes it possible to color grade the viewport display to match a reference image: either a local file, or a URL.In addition, Dash now includes a library of IES profiles for recreating real-world lights in architectural visualizations, based on free online libraries like IES Library.https://www.cgchannel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/240611_Dash17_VolumeScatter.mp4Updates to the scattering tools, including support for 3D scatteringThe scattering toolset has also been expanded, with the new Volume Scatter tool making it possible to scatter objects in 3D, as well as over surfaces.It is possible to use any mesh as the scatter volume, as shown in the video above, where a blobby mesh is used as a volume within which to distribute a flock of birds.The 2D scattering tools get the option to use any landscape paint layer as a mask, and the randomize the colors of the scattered objects. Automatic AI-based object taggingIn addition, Dash 1.7 makes it possible to tag assets within a users Asset Library automatically using Open AIs GPT-4 AI model.AI tagging was originally introduced in Dash 1.5, but Polygonflow describes the original open-source AI model it was using as fairly limited in quality and speed.The new GPT-based system uses a ChatGPT Enterprise plan, so OpenAI cannot use Dash users data for training its AI models.When tagging assets manually, it is now possible to multi-select objects.Other workflow improvementsWorkflow improvements include a new Reference system, which supersedes the old Variables system for controlling shared properties used by Dash tools.It is also now possible to export assets and all of their dependencies from an Unreal Engine project as .zip archives.Other key changes since we last wrote about Dash include the option to use assets from multiple UE5 projects in an environment, which was added in Dash 1.6.Updated 23 October 2024: Polygonflow has released Dash 1.8.The update reworks Dashs user interface, splitting features into distinct menus, and unifying many floating panels into a single Tools panel.The softwares path-based tools Road Tool, Quick Pipe, Decal Scatter and Path Scatter have also been revamped from the ground up to make them easier to use.New PureRef-style image organizer and new AI assistantNew features in Dash 1.8 include the new Dash Board tool, an experimental new reference image organization tool, described as similar to Miro and PureRef.The update also adds a new Chat-GPT-based AI assistant, which makes it possible to type in plain-language questions and receive answers from the online documentation.Updates to the Surface Scatter tool and Blend materialThe Surface Scatter tool gets several new features, including the option to use the top, bottom and center of objects being scattered as pivot points, and to modify the size of scattered objects according to distance from a target object.The Blend Material added in Dash 1.7 has been updated to support rain and snow.Updated 23 January 2025: Polygonflow has released Dash 1.8.5.New features include Data Tables, an experimental system for layering effects.In the initial release, it is limited to layering masks to control object scattering, and curves to deform terrain, but Polygonflow aims to extend it to other systems in the next release.Create terrain surfaces using guide curves or heightmapsUsing curves to deform terrain is itself a new feature in Dash 1.8.5: in previous releases, it was only possible to use noise patterns to deform a landscape mesh.The update also introduces basic heightmap support.Other updated featuresOther changes include new options to hide visible texture repetitions in the Material Edit and Blend Material tools, and new options to control object rotation in the scattering tools. The update also adds support for Fab, Epic Games new online marketplace, with Unreal Engine assets downloaded using the Fab plugin now added to the Dash Content Browser.Price cuts to subscriptions, and perpetual licenses for studios as well as freelancersPolygonflow has also cut the price of Dash. For Freelance users those with funding under $250,000/year the cost of monthly subscriptions falls from $20/month to $14/month, while annual subscriptions fall from $190/year to $133/year.For larger studios, the cost of monthly Enterprise subscriptions falls even further, from $89/month to $14/month, although annual subscriptions remain unchanged at $850/year.Studio can also buy perpetual licenses of Dash, which were previously only available to Freelance users.Price and system requirementsDash is compatible with Unreal Engine 5+ on Windows 10+ only.For artists earning under $250,000/year, perpetual Freelance licenses cost $230, while Freelance subscriptions cost $14/month or $133/year.For larger studios, perpetual Enterprise licenses cost $999, while Enterprise subscriptions cost $14/month or $850/year.Read a full list of new features in Dash in the online release notesRead more about Dash on Polygonflows websiteHave your say on this story by following CG Channel on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). As well as being able to comment on stories, followers of our social media accounts can see videos we dont post on the site itself, including making-ofs for the latest VFX movies, animations, games cinematics and motion graphics projects.

Dont take sides during meetings. Try on these 6 hats instead.Published inThe Medium BlogSent as aNewsletter3 min readJust now-- See you next weekIssue #253: scrobbling, sign language, and self-perceptionBy Harris SockelThe problem with normal meetings, writes Bobby Powers in a review of one of his favorite books Six Thinking Hats by physician and prolific author Edward de Bono is that rather than collectively viewing a problem from various perspectives, each person chooses a side and digs in their heels.This isnt always true, but it often is. People are usually polite about it, but they come into a meeting with an idea or theory, and (sometimes) subtly campaign for it. As Powers quotes Bono in his review: It is so often the case in an argument that both sides are right but are looking at different aspects of the situation. As a result, we wait our turn to speak and then talk past each other.As weve explored previously in this newsletter, meetings are some of the most expensive (but most valuable!) parts of being at work. Theyre practical and emotional at the same time often, the most memorable meetings are the ones where people express some of their most vehement feelings, hopes, and fears. Basically, meetings are what makes work (and the third of your life spent there) feel human and motivating.But they can easily become bogged down in entrenched, or unspoken, disagreement. To solve this, Powers says Bono (who throughout his career published over 25 books containing frameworks for thinking) recommends a colorful, structured process for examining any idea: the six hats.The White Hat: Objective data, metrics, and informationThe Red Hat: Emotion, feelings, and intuitionThe Black Hat: Risks, cautions, and pessimismThe Yellow Hat: Benefits, hopes, and optimismThe Green Hat: Creativity, ideas, and new approachesThe Blue Hat: Control, organization, and guidanceThe key is for everyone in the group to wear each hat together. Go through them one at a time. When youre all wearing the White Hat, pull up your OKRs. When its Red Hat time, get very emo and dont explain why (this is key! please dont explain your feelings whilst under the influence of RH):Image credit: Bobby Powers, Revolutionize Your Meetings with Edward de Bonos Six Thinking HatsIts a meeting tactic, but its also good advice for decision making: Everyone can (and should) give themselves the freedom to be fully emotional and objective, hopeful and cautious, adventurous and risk-averse. Also todayLesser-known fact: For over 100 years (between 1880 and the 1980s), sign language was banned in schools for the deaf because prevailing wisdom prioritized lip-reading (now generally considered less effective as a communication tool). Catarina Dias, whose mom lost her hearing at 13 (when the ban was in effect) is learning sign language herself now, and writes: Its a way to honour my mums resilience and the culture she was never fully allowed to embrace.From the Medium archive: If youre worried someone else doesnt think highly of you, the core issue isnt how they may or may not perceive you its how you perceive yourself while youre around them. (More To That)Last.fm, the 23-year-old music streaming service, is arguably better than Spotify (for some) because its humble, timeless, and creates a nuanced, evolving collage of all the music you listen to across platforms (YouTube videos, vinyl players, and your digital music library) to recommend more songs based on your preferences. Its highly adept at listening to what youre listening to, a technique called scrobbling. (Michael Perera) Your daily dose of practical wisdomTo figure out what you were meant to do in life, focus on the why and watch the how emerge like magic. (Dan Koe)

Pocketpair launches publishing arm, partners with Surgent Studios for first titleSurgent Studios to release standalone horror game in late 2025, unrelated to Tales of Kenzera universeImage credit: Pocketpair News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on Jan. 24, 2025 Palworld developer Pocketpair has launched a publishing division, and has partnered with Surgent Studios to produce its upcoming horror title.The untitled game is set for release in late 2025, and is not set in the Tales of Kenzera universe. Surgent Studios clarified that it is continuing conversations with potential partners centered on games set in that world."Both Surgent and Pocketpair are well-versed in taking risks," said Surgent Studios CEO Abubakar Salim. "We noticed a pattern in the entertainment industry, and Pocketpair has given us the opportunity to make a horror game about it.""We're still in an earnest conversation about further projects set in the Tales of Kenzera universe, but this will be a standalone piece: a mile marker between where we've come from and where we're going."Head of Pocketpair Publishing John Buckley added: "As the games industry continues to grow, more and more games find themselves struggling to get funded and greenlit.""The ultimate goal of Pocketpair Publishing is to find creators with a genuine passion for games and enable them to create fun, new experiences all over the world."Last October, Surgent Studios put its entire games division on hiatus as it struggled to find funding for future projects. An unknown number of staff were put at risk of being made redundant.In July 2024, over a dozen workers were affected by layoffs three months after the release of Tales of Kenzera: Zau.

Its been three long years since Sony launched its flagship WH-1000XM5 headphones, our pick for the best wireless headphones for most people, so were due a follow-up and a regulatory filing indicates that the XM6 cans might nearly be ready to launch. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) filing hints at a slight redesign, including a new hinge and what appear to be detachable earpads.The Walkman Blog first spotted the filing, which includes a product diagram showing off some of the details of the right earcup. Most interestingly, the diagram shows the earpad lifting off to reveal the location of the user-visible name plate containing the model and serial numbers. Since the FCC requires this name plate be accessible to users, it seems likely that the pad is attached without screws, though we dont know if thats with clips, magnets, or something else. The XM5s hid their FCC details under the inner edge of the pads instead, which were not removable.Sonys FCC filing suggests that its upcoming headphones might have a removable earpad. Image: SonyOtherwise theres not too much to glean from the filing. The headphones hinge looks slightly different from the previous generations, though theres no reason yet to believe that means a return to the folding design of the XM4s. The Bluetooth version is reported to be 5.3, and there are some details on the antenna and power specs, but nothing to suggest how the headphones will look or sound.The FCC filing doesnt name these as the XM6 headphones, but the model numbers seem to give it away. These headphones have the model number YY2984, remarkably similar to the XM5s YY2954 designation. The only note of caution is that the tested model is marked as a prototype, rather than a pre-production or mass production unit, so some details may change before release.The FCC filing includes a short-term confidentiality request dated to end on July 22nd 2025, which certainly suggests that well get an official reveal before that date. The XM5s launched in May 2022, so we may be due another spring release.

Large language models (LLMs) have introduced impressive capabilities, particularly in reasoning tasks. Models like OpenAIs O1 utilize long-thought reasoning, where complex problems are broken into manageable steps and solutions are refined iteratively. While this approach enhances problem-solving, it comes at a cost: extended output sequences lead to increased computational time and energy use. These inefficiencies raise concerns about scalability and the practical usability of such models in real-world applications. Addressing this issue is essential for making LLMs more efficient and broadly applicable.Researchers from Sun Yat-sen University, China Agriculture University, Tsinghua University, the University of Oxford, Didichuxing, and NTU propose Length-Harmonizing Fine-Tuning (O1-Pruner). This technique seeks to reduce the inefficiencies in reasoning models while maintaining accuracy. The primary focus is on optimizing token usage, which is a significant bottleneck in current models. O1-Pruner uses reinforcement learning (RL) techniques to encourage the generation of shorter reasoning paths without sacrificing precision.The process begins with evaluating baseline performance through pre-sampling. A customized RL-style loss function then fine-tunes the models reasoning length, ensuring that the generated solutions are proportional to the complexity of the problem. By aligning reasoning length with task difficulty, O1-Pruner reduces computational costs without compromising on quality.Technical Details and Benefits of O1-PrunerAt the heart of O1-Pruner is the Length-Harmonizing Fine-Tuning approach, which balances reasoning length and accuracy. The key steps include:Reference Model Sampling: A reference model evaluates reasoning quality and length by generating multiple solutions for each problem, creating a performance benchmark.Reward Function Design: This involves two components:Length Reward: Shorter solutions relative to the reference model are encouraged.Accuracy Reward: Ensures that shorter reasoning paths do not compromise correctness.Reinforcement Learning Framework: Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) is used to train the model efficiently. Off-policy training further simplifies the workflow and reduces training complexity.The benefits of O1-Pruner include:Improved Efficiency: Reduces redundant computations, leading to faster inference.Accuracy Preservation: Ensures that shorter solutions maintain or even enhance accuracy.Task Adaptability: Dynamically adjusts reasoning depth based on problem complexity, making it applicable to a variety of tasks.Results and InsightsExperiments on mathematical reasoning benchmarks such as MATH, GSM8K, and GaoKao showcase O1-Pruners effectiveness. For example:The Marco-o1-7B model, fine-tuned with O1-Pruner, achieved a 40.5% reduction in solution length while improving accuracy to 76.8%.The QwQ-32B-Preview model demonstrated a 34.7% reduction in solution length alongside a slight accuracy increase to 89.3%.Inference time also improved significantly. On the MATH dataset:Marco-o1-7B reduced its inference time from 2 minutes to just over 1 minute.QwQ-32B-Preview decreased from 6 minutes to approximately 4 minutes.These results highlight O1-Pruners ability to balance accuracy and efficiency. Its superior performance, as measured by the Accuracy-Efficiency Score (AES), establishes it as a better alternative to other methods like Supervised Fine-Tuning (SFT) and Direct Preference Optimization (DPO).ConclusionO1-Pruner demonstrates that efficient reasoning in LLMs is achievable without compromising accuracy. By harmonizing reasoning length with problem complexity, it addresses the computational inefficiencies inherent in long-thought reasoning. This work lays the groundwork for further advancements in optimizing reasoning models, enabling their application in diverse, real-world scenarios where efficiency and accuracy are equally critical.Check out the Paper and GitHub Page. All credit for this research goes to the researchers of this project. Also,dont forget to follow us onTwitter and join ourTelegram Channel andLinkedIn Group. Dont Forget to join our70k+ ML SubReddit. Aswin Ak+ postsAswin AK is a consulting intern at MarkTechPost. He is pursuing his Dual Degree at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. He is passionate about data science and machine learning, bringing a strong academic background and hands-on experience in solving real-life cross-domain challenges. Meet 'Height':The only autonomous project management tool (Sponsored)

Mythic Quest's two-part season 4 premiere streams on Apple TV+ beginning Wednesday, January 29, with new episodes debuting weekly through March 26.After lengthy hiatuses, Severance and Mythic Quest return to the office this month. But thats not the only thing the sci-fi thriller and the workplace comedy have in common: Both Apple TV+ shows are equally invested in exploring personal and professional boundaries (or lack thereof). In its fourth season, the MQ team still struggles to separate home and office, but Poppy Liu (Charlotte Nicdao) embraces a work work life balance. That phrase, with its purposeful repetition, hits on the relatable and absurd qualities of this workaholic environment even after all this time away, Mythic Quest remains sharp and incisive in depicting the world of video-game development. No cheat code is available to prevent Poppy from getting too entangled with creative partner Ian Grimm (Rob McElhenney), and the duo remains the series' driving force. Introducing another man into Poppys life (an artist called Storm, played by Chase Yi) upsets the equilibrium, giving the season a different energy from previous years. Disrupting the status quo ensures Mythic Quest isnt repeating itself, even if Poppy and Ian have returned to the MQ fold after their stint running GrimPop Studios.While Poppy and Ians rollercoaster partnership brilliantly anchors season 4, creators McElhenney, Megan Ganz, and Charlie Day (the last of whom guest stars this season) have always understood that the strength of Mythic Quest lies in its ensemble. Everyone is back in the same place, yet their relationships are more fractured than ever. Danas (Imani Hakim) game within Playpen is driving huge numbers, and still, MQ gets the lions share of the revenue it generates. The goalposts of success continue to move, and she tries to hit the elusive sweet spot between artistic fulfillment and earning her worth. Her girlfriend, Rachel (Ashly Burch), is the head of monetization for MQ, and theres no way to predict how the pair will navigate that conflict of interest. Jo (Jessie Ennis) and Brad (Danny Pudi) are part of Danas team, and they immediately add a level of intensity when anyone tries to enter Danas office. She might not have financial power, but Danas support system terrifies David (David Hornsby). This trio isnt the only winning dynamic in the mix. Season 4 soars when it pairs Rachel and David for a congressional hearing; the same goes for when most of the crew comes together for an Ethics Committee meeting. Theres no weak link here, but with a cast this big and so many ongoing threads to manage, some moments from earlier in the season fizzle too quickly. The gang gets a new hot potato to toss around in the form of generative AI, but through the first nine episodes of season 4, that topic with its profound implications for the characters onscreen, the actors playing them, the writers room, heck everyone involved with the production of Mythic Quest provides some brief laughs but not much else. Witnessing a pro-AI Ian come up against a flawed system only left me wanting more.Other ebbs and flows in the video game industry still provide a lot of humor and tension. Giving the users power turns Playpens kid-friendly platform into a haven of animated smut, delivering a bounty of visual gags. Though the platform still generates interest, an overall dip in sales in a post-lockdown world leads to a recurring gag in which David pines for the financially plum heyday of the pandemic. His people-pleasing attempts often backfire, yet his lack of spine, tone-deaf reasoning, and constant siding with corporate ensure you dont feel too bad for him. The more exasperated he becomes, the funnier Hornsby gets.Mythic Quest Season 4 GalleryPlaying with the formula keeps MQs dysfunctions fresh. (Another feather of invention and innovation in the series cap: The forthcoming four-part spinoff Side Quest, which debuts the same day as the fourth-season finale.) Season 4 doesnt skip the Mythic Quest tradition of a one-off detour from the main story, and though it doesnt hit the heights of season 1s A Dark Quiet Death, the episodes focus creatively fits the setting boundaries theme. This episode taps into a corner of the industry that continues to grow, and the sitcom maintains its funny and silly streak while delving into (but not getting bogged down by) real life issues.Another standout episode takes place outside the offices, with the entire team (plus Storm) receiving an invitation to a secluded location for a murder mystery. Playing games is central to the MQ business model, but in this case, some good old-fashioned sleuthing taps into the personal stakes that make Mythic Quest so appealing. In any creative field, you have to move forward and reinvent; this episode both demonstrates and achieves this in the way storylines advance and characters evolve. A whodunnit in the vein of Mafia (or even Traitors) provides a familiar enough backdrop to convince each of the participants that they a) know the game inside and out, and b) can win. Costume designer Sabrina Rosen nails the Agatha Christie-leaning wardrobe required for the episode, and the entire ensemble flourishes in this setting. The episode, directed by Ganz (who co-wrote it with Humphrey Ker), gets to the heart of the nuanced relationships that have been building since season 1, while also throwing thorny and sweet surprises into the mix. Mythic Quest remains sharp and incisive.Poppy and Ian have survived plenty of storms in the past, but a new one is brewing thanks to her love life. (Yes, there are plenty of puns on Poppys new boyfriends name, and no, I couldnt resist getting in the mix.) The platonic creative partners exist outside of a will-they/wont-they situation, yet Storm introduces all the ingredients of a classic love triangle. Ians jealousy isnt informed by romantic attraction, but his reaction to Poppy finding something fulfilling beyond her career makes the duos journey fascinating. If work is no longer all Poppy thinks about, then where does that leave Ian? They have weathered myriad conflicts (including the failure of GrimPop last season), and creating the next thing is the glue that sticks them together. However, Poppy finding a new source of happiness and even inspiration has the potential to break them apart. The previous victories and ruptures fueled by ego, expectation, and talent make this all work. Nicdao gets to tap into new and old insecurities and is equally convincing across a spectrum of emotions that make her the MVP of the season. And her comedic timing here is next level. Poppy is still a hot mess, which further adds to the comedy and this arc is a brilliant showcase for Nicdao (who also directs this season). PlayAt the helm, McElhenney is dependable in showing Ians endless arrogance and vulnerabilities. Change is hard, and while Ian resorts to old tactics, Mythic Quests depiction of evolving priorities ensures this season feels as fresh as ever, immediately pulling us back into this world after a prolonged absence and proving it is far from game over.

Gear up for tactical online mech combat in War Robots: Frontiers! A new Crossplay Playtest is available to Xbox Insiders from January 28 until February 3. This time were testing out crossplay with other platforms, voice chat, console performance, a brand-new user interface, and a bunch more new features. Jump in to unlock an exclusive Fractured Sparrow Stickeryours to keep in the full version of War Robots: Frontiers.Were grateful for how our team worked together to rework the entire user interface, introducing a fresh new style and making meaningful improvements to the Robot construction experience, says Parisa Zhong, UI/UX Director for War Robots: Frontiers.Player feedback about this from the last Xbox Insider playtest was invaluable, and we immediately started working on ways to improve its clarity, usability, and intuitiveness. The concept of Factory Robots, pre-defined builds designed to help new players get started more easily, is also much clearer now.About War Robots: FrontiersWar Robots: Frontiers is an online multiplayer mech shooter that brings the War Robots universe to the stars. Construct War Robots, squad up online, and unleash the mechanical precision and power of colossal war machines in battle.You are the Pilot and the engineer. Whether you excel at speed plays, all-out assaults, or defensive strategies, theres a playstyle and a mech for you. Build the perfect War Robot and customize it with the huge selection of Pilots, weapons, and modules at your disposal. You can also unlock special cosmetics to complement your best builds!Three modes are available: fight for the most kills in Team Deathmatch, battle to survive in Last Robot Standing, and run control on points in Warp Rush. Play with your friends via Xbox Insider to discover the art of mech combat ahead of the games free-to-play launch on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One later in 2025. For more information, visit the website at warrobotsfrontiers.com.War Robots: Frontiers is still in development, so you might encounter technical or gameplay issues that impact your gameplay experience. We rely on your feedback from playtests like this to help improve and polish the game drop a message to our support team if you need help or want to report an issue!How to Participate:Sign in on your Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One console and launch the Xbox Insider Hub app (install the Xbox Insider Hub from the Store first if necessary).Navigate to Previews > War Robots: Frontiers Beta.Select Join.Wait for the registration to complete, and you should be directed to the Store page to install it.Console Playtest Times:Sign Up: Friday, January 24th, 11:00 CET (10:00 GMT / 02:00 PT / 05:00 ET)Start: Tuesday, January 28th, 14:00 CET (13:00 GMT / 05:00 PT / 08:00 ET)End: Monday, February 3rd, 11:00 CET (10:00 GMT / 02:00 PT / 05:00 ET)How to Provide Feedback:If you experience any issues while playing War Robots: Frontiers, dont forget to use Report a problem so we can investigate:Hold down the home button on your Xbox controller.Select Report a problem.Select the Games category and War Robots: Frontiers Beta subcategory.Fill out the form with the appropriate details to help our investigation.Other resources:For more information: follow us on Twitter at @XboxInsider and this blog for release notes, announcements, and more. And feel free to interact with the community on the Xbox Insider SubReddit.

Jan 24, 2025Ravie LakshmananIT Fraud / CybercrimeThe U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) on Thursday indicted two North Korean nationals, a Mexican national, and two of its own citizens for their alleged involvement in the ongoing fraudulent information technology (IT) worker scheme that seeks to generate revenue for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in violation of international sanctions.The action targets Jin Sung-Il (), Pak Jin-Song (), Pedro Ernesto Alonso De Los Reyes, Erick Ntekereze Prince, and Emanuel Ashtor. Alonso, who resides in Sweden, was arrested in the Netherlands on January 10, 2025, after a warrant was issued.All five defendants have been charged with conspiracy to cause damage to a protected computer, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and conspiracy to transfer false identification documents. Jin and Pak have also been charged with conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. If convicted, each of them faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.The development is the latest step taken by the U.S. government to disrupt the ongoing campaign that involves North Korean nationals using forged and stolen identities to obtain remote IT work at U.S. companies through laptop farms operated within the country.Other efforts include the August 2024 arrest of a Tennessee man for helping North Koreans land jobs in U.S. firms and the indictment of 14 DPRK nationals last month for purportedly generating $88 million over the course of a six-year conspiracy. Last week, the U.S. Treasury sanctioned two North Korean nationals and four companies based in Laos and China for their work on the IT worker scheme."From approximately April 2018 through August 2024, the defendants and their unindicted co-conspirators obtained work from at least sixty-four U.S. companies," the DoJ said. "Payments from ten of those companies generated at least $866,255 in revenue, most of which the defendants then laundered through a Chinese bank account."According to the indictment document, Jin applied for a position at an unnamed U.S. IT company in June 2021 by using Alonso's identity with his consent and one of Ntekereze's New York addresses, subsequently securing the opportunity for a salary of $120,000 per year.Ashtor's North Carolina residence, per the department, operated a laptop farm that hosted the company-provided laptops with the goal of deceiving the companies into thinking that their new hires were located in the country when, in reality, they have been found to remotely log in to these systems from China and Russia.Both Ntekereze and Ashtor received laptops from U.S. company employers at their homes and proceeded to download and install remote access software like AnyDesk and TeamViewer without authorization in order to facilitate the remote access. They also conspired to launder payments for the remote IT work through a variety of accounts designed to promote the scheme and conceal its proceeds.In furtherance of the scheme, Ntekereze is said to have used his company Taggcar Inc. to invoice a U.S. staffing company eight times, totaling about $75,709, for the IT work performed by Jin, who was masquerading as Alonso. A portion of the payment was then transferred to an online payment platform held in the name of Alonso that was accessible to both Jin and Alonso.The wide-ranging effort by North Korea to have their citizens employed at companies across the world is seen as an attempt to earn high-paying IT salaries that can be funneled back to the country to serve the regime's priorities and gain access to sensitive documents for financial leverage.The IT worker scam, as reiterated by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in a separate advisory, involves the use of pseudonymous email, social media, and online job site accounts, as well as false websites, proxy computers, and witting and unwitting third-parties located in the U.S. and elsewhere."In recent months, in addition to data extortion, FBI has observed North Korean IT workers leveraging unlawful access to company networks to exfiltrate proprietary and sensitive data, facilitate cyber-criminal activities, and conduct revenue-generating activity on behalf of the regime," the agency said."After being discovered on company networks, North Korean IT workers have extorted victims by holding stolen proprietary data and code hostage until the companies meet ransom demands. In some instances, North Korean IT workers have publicly released victim companies' proprietary code."Other instances entail the theft of company code repositories from GitHub and attempts to harvest sensitive company credentials and session cookies to initiate work sessions from non-company devices.It's not just a U.S. phenomenon, as a new report from threat intelligence firm Nisos reveals that several Japanese firms have also landed themselves in the crosshairs of DPRK IT workers. It specifically highlighted the case of one such IT worker who has held software engineering and full-stack developer roles with different firms since January 2023.The IT worker personas have been fleshed out digitally to lend it a veneer of legitimacy, complete with accounts on GitHub and freelance employment websites like LaborX, ProPursuit, Remote OK, Working Not Working, and Remote Hub, not to mention a personal website containing manipulated stock images."The individual appears to be currently employed under the name Weitao Wang at Japanese consulting company, Tenpct Inc., and appears to have been previously employed under the name Osamu Odaka at Japanese software development and consulting firm, LinkX Inc.," the company said in a report shared with The Hacker News.Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.SHARE