2025-02-10T04:29:16Z Read in app Trump on Sunday said he'd ordered the Treasury to stop producing new pennies. Reuters/Christian Charisius This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? Trump said on Sunday that he's ordered the Treasury to stop producing new pennies. Trump, in his post on Truth Social, called the production of pennies "wasteful." "Let's rip the waste out of our great nations budget, even if it's a penny at a time," he wrote.President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he ordered Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to halt the production of new pennies."For far too long the United States has minted pennies which literally cost us more than 2 cents. This is so wasteful!" Trump wrote in a Truth Social post."Let's rip the waste out of our great nations budget, even if it's a penny at a time," he added.Trump's announcement comes weeks after Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, criticized the costs of making pennies.DOGE said in an X post on January 22 that producing pennies "cost US taxpayers over $179 million" in fiscal year 2023.

AI is going to become cheaper to use, says Sam Altman.The CEO of OpenAI said in a blog post that the cost of using AI will drop by 10 times every year.OpenAI announced Stargate, a $500 billion AI infrastructure investment project, in January.Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, says AI will be used more frequently as its costs continue to plummet."The cost to use a given level of AI falls about 10x every 12 months, and lower prices lead to much more use," Altman wrote in a blog post on Sunday."You can see this in the token cost from GPT-4 in early 2023 to GPT-4o in mid-2024, where the price per token dropped about 150x in that time period," he added. "Moore's law changed the world at 2x every 18 months; this is unbelievably stronger." That was one of the three observations Altman made in his post, which focused on the development of AI.Besides cost, Altman said that an AI model's intelligence is equal to the amount of resources used to develop it."It appears that you can spend arbitrary amounts of money and get continuous and predictable gains; the scaling laws that predict this are accurate over many orders of magnitude," Altman wrote.Altman also said that there would be "no reason for exponentially increasing investment to stop in the near future" since the intelligence of AI models is growing at a "super-exponential" rate."If these three observations continue to hold true, the impacts on society will be significant," Altman wrote."The price of many goods will eventually fall dramatically (right now, the cost of intelligence and the cost of energy constrain a lot of things), and the price of luxury goods and a few inherently limited resources like land may rise even more dramatically," he added.Representatives for Altman at OpenAI did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.Altman's post comes just weeks after a massive sell-off in AI-linked stocks in January.The sell-off was triggered by the runaway success of Chinese AI startup DeepSeek. DeepSeek's high-performing but cheaper models raised concerns that demand for AI hardware like Nvidia's chips may fall.Meanwhile, tech giants like Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Meta, are doubling down on the AI race. Executives from these companies said in recent earnings reports that they are ramping up their investments on AI.The combined capital expenditures of the four companies are set to surpass $320 billion this year.Last month, Altman was at the White House when President Donald Trump announced Stargate, a $500 billion AI infrastructure investment project. Stargate is a joint venture between OpenAI, SoftBank, Oracle, and Emirati investor MGX."This means we can create AI and AGI in the United States of America," Altman said of Stargate during an interview on Fox News' "Special Report with Bret Baier" on January 21.

Following the rocky launch and subsequent failure of The Callisto Protocol to meet sales expectations, coupled with action roguelike [REDACTED] largely flying under the radar and peaking at fewer than 170 concurrent players on Steam, it seems that KRAFTONs Striking Distance Studios is now betting on a comeback believing third time would be the charm, with evidence suggesting that the team is now working on a AAA multiplayer title powered by Unreal Engine 5.Striking Distance StudiosWith the studio itself keeping its upcoming project under tight wraps and providing no official information about it, the confirmation of the games existence comes from the LinkedIn profiles of Striking Distance employees. While information remains scarce, some profiles offer small hints and details, allowing us to get a rough estimate of the teams third standalone title.Firstly, the games genre:according to Lead Gameplay Programmer George Coombers page, he is leading a team of 12 gameplay engineers to prototype a third-person action game, suggesting that after the experiment that was [REDACTED], the studio is planning to return to its roots and once again try its hand at a TPS. While one could argue that George was referring to The Callisto Protocol, he only joined the team in June 2024, making it all but certain that he is describing Striking Distance Studios unannounced title.Secondly, the engine: as revealed by VP of Engineering Peter Lolley and UX Designer Indrashish D., the upcoming game will be powered by Epic Games Unreal Engine 5, which isnt much of a surprise given the teams experience with the engine and the use of Unreal in their previous two games. Furthermore, Indrashishs portfolio also describes the project as a new AAA experience, making it less likely that, after two unsuccessful titles, Striking Distance Studios has been turned into a PUBG support studio, as some within the gaming community have speculated.Lastly, Striking Distances venture into multiplayer: first spotted by Reddit user Melancholic_Starborn, the unannounced project is highly likely to feature a multiplayer component unlike The Callisto Protocol and [REDACTED] as evidenced by the presence of several multiplayer specialists on the team, with the list including Lead Multiplayer Designer Chin Xiang Chong, Multiplayer Lead Nathan Ross Powell, and Multiplayer Gameplay Engineer Steven Brener.Additionally, Online Backend Engineer Ross Metcalfs LinkedIn profile also points out that the game will not be a single-player experience, causing concern that SDS may have fallen to the dark side and is preparing to unveil a live-service game a genre that not only regular gamers have grown rather weary of, but even the crme de la crme of major gaming studios are beginning to turn away from.Upon reaching out to one of Striking Distances devs, they declined to provide any further details or confirm the information shared by other employees, stating that nothing has been officially published by our company yet. At the time of writing, the studio has not responded to our inquiry to confirm or deny the information provided by the developers, so stay tuned.In the meantime, be sure to join our80 Level Talent platformand ournew Discord server, follow us onInstagram,Twitter,LinkedIn,Telegram,TikTok, andThreads,where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.Source link The post The Callisto Protocol Developer is Working on a New AAA Multiplayer Game Powered by UE5 appeared first on CG SHARES.

A Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 player has shared a clip in which their Care Package is sent flying off the Bounty map. Bounty is set atop a massive city skyscraper, and this Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 player has discovered why they may not want to call in a Care Package near its edges.

Originating in China, manhua is an emerging comic format that has seen a surge in popularity in recent years. Among the many themes that populate the manhua landscape, Boys Love narratives are arguably the most popular genre, even rivaling their manhwa counterparts. Known as danmei novels, these manhua present romantic relationships between men that are laced with nuance.

Introduction: Who am I and what is my vision? Hello dear readers, my name is Maximilian, I come from Germany and have been a passionate player of strategy games since I was a child. However, with every game I have played, there have always been aspects that have bothered me. That's why I spent over a year collecting all these negative points and developing a game concept that, in my opinion, has the potential to become something truly great. <

MOOV Studios ventures into the magical world of the Flying Ship, a retelling of the classic fairy tale that was popularized by the 1970s cartoon. This fantastical tale revolves around Tsars daughter Zabava, who wants to have a love marriage instead of a marriage of convenience. When her heart falls for Ivan, a poor but lovable sailor, instead of the rich but cunning Paul, a battle of magic and willpower ensues.To bring this vibrant tale to life, MOOV Studios masterfully crafted over-the-top VFX sequences that transform the film into a visual spectacle. From the ethereal enchanted forest to the intricate design of the magical flying ship, the studio pushed creative boundaries. Climactic dueling by Ivan and Paul, fueled by stunning dark magic effects, heightens tension and suspense in the plot, while a heartfelt finale aboard the Flying Ship delivers an emotional triumph of true love over treachery.MOOVs artistry ensures that Flying Ship soars high, captivating audiences with its blend of fantasy and romance.The post Flying Ship Feature Film VFX Breakdown by MOOV appeared first on Vfxexpress.

The Wicked Oscars Bake-Off reel demonstrated, narrated by Production-side VFX Supervisor Pablo Helman, the visual effects magic behind the adaptation of the musical by Jon M. Chu. The reel incorporated contributions from Framestore and ILM to demonstrate seamless integration of VFX, SFX, and production design that became the enlivening cinematography of Oz.Iconic locations such as Munchkinland, Shiz University, the Emerald City, and the Ozdust Ballroom were expanded by Framestores VFX Supervisor Jonathan Fawkner and Animation Supervisor Dale Newton. Doctor Dillamond and other fantastical creatures were also created while crafting intricate effects such as Glindas sparkling bubble, Elphabas effigy burn, and her de-greenifying transformation during The Wizard and I.Alongside Production Designer Nathan Crowley, Costume Designer Paul Tazewell, and cinematographer Alice Brooks, Framestores journey came from concept art to final VFX. Sharing sequences with ILM, this epic production has been a testimonial of innovation and collaboration.The post Wicked Oscars Bake-Off Reel Highlights Framestores Magical VFX appeared first on Vfxexpress.

Maybe I should begin this article by arguing that nothing spices up a mundane meeting like a creative, beautiful, or hilarious background for your Zoom calls. But the reality is that most of us just need to hide messy offices, guestroom beds, or dirty-dish-filled kitchens.These three websites offer up almost half a million free Zoom backgrounds for your perusal, so forget tidying up and get that scrolling finger ready.Pexels: Something for everyoneThe undisputed king of free Zoom backgrounds, Pexels houses more than 450,000 photos and more than 50,000 videos in its Zoom section.With that many options, you have . . . well, options. Whether youre looking for something professional, fun, or quirky, Pexels has you covered: nature, home, office, space, peopleyou name it. If you cant find it here, it might not exist.Photos can be filtered by orientation, size, and color to help you whittle down your selection. They can also be sorted by popularity or latest additions.Unsplash: Modern masterpiecesWith only (only?!) 10,000 or so Zoom background images, Unsplash cant hold a candle to Pexelss giant collection, but this site specializes in slick backgrounds that will make your Zoom calls look posh and polished.There are some great options here, mostly skewing to the modern end of the spectrum. Theyre like what your office could look like if you had the time, money, awesome lighting, and daily cleaning service.Images can be filtered by landscape and portrait orientations, and sorted by relevance, date, and curated, which features hand-picked selections.Freepik: No nonsense, no distractionsWhen you need a background to hide your background, Freepik has a wonderful selection of understated options.There are lots of plants here. Lots and lots of plants. However, theres also a great selection of slightly-blurred backgrounds that give your setup a nice, real-life depth of field to make things seem as realistic as possible.With not-quite 4,000 images on hand, this is the smallest collection of the bunch, but its a great place to start if youre looking for something neutral and nondescript.Its also got the most robust searching features, with more than a dozen filtering options to help you hone in on a most excellent downloadable.

Montreal-based designer Ying Gao has created a pair of garments embedded with soft mirrors and eye-tracking robotic components that transform when people look at them.The collection, which features mirrors made by fusing glass and silicone, aims to challenge conventional notions of self-perception and visibility in the digital age.Ying Gao has created a pair of garments embedded with soft mirrorsEmbedded with eye-tracking technology, the garments react to the observer's gaze, triggering micro-actuators that cause the material to ripple and shift.Microcontrollers and sensors are discreetly integrated into the pieces and powered by lightweight, rechargeable lithium batteries.The collection was inspired by Italian philosopher Umberto EcoExpanding on Gao's long-standing exploration of interactive design, the collection draws on Italian philosopher Umberto Eco's idea that mirrors offer an impression of both virtuality and reality."Mirrors are not just reflective surfaces they are thresholds where reality and illusion converge," Gao told Dezeen. "Within clothing, they create a layered experience, one that does not simply reflect an image but fragments and reshapes perception."The garments ripple when people look at themThe garments aim to explore the idea of perception in an age where AI and digital culture continuously reshape how we see ourselves."Self-perception today is shaped as much by screens as by direct experience," Gao said. "These garments embody that condition, both literally and conceptually.""Like digital reflections, they do not offer a singular, stable image but a shifting, fragmented presence."The collection utilises eye-tracking technologyTo create a flexible mirror surface that can move with its wearer, Gao experimented with different combinations of glass and silicone, eventually creating a hybrid material that retains its reflective properties while allowing for movement."The soft mirror material does not simply reflect, it shifts, fragments, and distorts, making the wearer both present and displaced," Gao said.The mirror pieces were assembled using medical cotton gauze refined with 18-carat gold finishing and sewn onto the garments.Read: Rahul Mishra adorns couture pieces with skyscrapers at Paris Couture WeekWhile not intended for everyday use, the garments are not purely conceptual. Gao compares them to haute couture and says they are built to last and "designed to withstand interaction"."Like haute couture, which serves as a laboratory for experimentation, the pieces challenge materiality, movement, and perception," Gao said."Their purpose is not practicality in a conventional sense, but to shift perspectives, to propose new ways of thinking about clothing, technology, and presence."Glass and silicone were combined to create a flexible mirror surfaceThe electronic components were designed to be modular, allowing for maintenance and repair, while cleaning involves localised treatments rather than traditional washing."These pieces invite us to rethink our relationship with clothing, one that values preservation, interaction, and continuity over disposability," Gao said.The mirror pieces are assembled using medical cotton gauze with gold finishingThrough this collection, Gao wants to push the limits of what clothing can be by combining fashion and technology."My work has always questioned the limits of textiles, how they move, how they interact with the body, and how they respond to external forces," Gao said."Incorporating materials like mirrors, robotics and responsive elements allowed me to push this further, transforming clothing into something more than just fabric on skin an active participant in perception."Modular electronic components allow for maintenance and repairGao's previous works include a pair of dresses that expand and contract in response to colours and a collection with fibrous panels that become animated in the presence of strangers.The photography is by Malina Corpadean.The post Ying Gao's All Mirrors clothing responds to the observer's gaze appeared first on Dezeen.