OpenAIs CEO claims the company has yet to receive an official offer from Elon Musks team, sources say.

When tech luminaries talk about their Christian faith, people listen.

Capital One has launched an AI agent designed to help customers with one of the more difficult and confusing purchase decisions: buying a car.The new chatbot, called Chat Concierge, will help customers with everything from researching vehicles and scheduling test drives, to exploring financing options. The generative AI-powered assistant, one of many such projects at the financial institution, simplifies car buying by answering basic questions online with no dealership visit needed. It then directs them to existing online services.Although Capital Ones auto loans are its smallest loan business, they still account for about 28% of its business, or $75 billion.Chat Concierge is considered a customer service chatbot a generative AI (genAI) automation tool that can handle simple user questions. The new service stands in contrast to Capital Ones own study last fall that found the in-person dealership experience remains vital for car buyers, even when they use digital tools to streamline early stages of the process. The report showed 88% of car buyers conduct at least half of the car buying process in person; 60% of buyers said sales reps contribute to trust.Car buyers trust in dealers is a key indicator of how transparent they perceive the car buying process even with access to digital tools to complete key elements of their purchase, the study concluded.Even so, Sanjiv Yajnik, president of Financial Services at Capital One, saidChat Concierge will drive the future of car buying. By leveraging our own internally developed AI tools to provide personalized, efficient, and transparent interactions, Capital One is reimagining car buying and setting a new standard for customer experience in the automotive industry, Yajnik said in a statement.Capital Ones AI assistant is part of a larger trend of companies deploying AI agents to tackle tasks often performed by entry-level employees, or to create efficiencies for high-level workers.In the simplest sense, anAI agentis the combination of alarge language model(LLM) and a traditional software application that can act independently to complete a task. The most basic AI agents include Chatbots such as OpenAIs ChatGPT, Microsofts CoPilot, and Google Bard; they can answer user questions on a myriad of topics. AI agents can also act as spam filters, such as email spam detectors that use keyword matching and smart devices such as Thermostats that can follow set rules for raising or lowering temperature based on environmental conditions.As AI-powered agents improve, they enable more personalized and effective customer service than early chatbots. Banks are using the genAI tools to resolve complex issues, setting new standards for efficiency. By leveraging customer data, AI assistants provide 24/7 support, handling thousands of inquiries at once, according to Arthur OConnor, PhD, academic director of data science at the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Professional Studies.One of the most interesting developments is emotion recognition (ER), an emerging technology enabling chat bots to detect and respond to customer emotions, allowing for more empathetic and effective interactions, and thus engender customer satisfaction and loyalty, OConnor said.Last month, Google DeepMind announced Project Astra, a research initiative aimed at developing a universal AI assistant that can process text, images, video, and audio inputs, enabling more natural and context-aware interactions. A key feature of Project Astra is its multimodal capabilities, allowing users to engage through various means such as speaking, showing images, or sharing videos. The assistant can remember details from past conversations and utilize tools such as Google Search, Maps, and Lens to provide informed responses.The US Airforce recently announced its experimenting with a chatbot called NIPRGPT that will allow service members to engage in human-like conversations to complete various tasks, including drafting correspondence, preparing background papers, and assisting with coding.Many AI agents will be integrated into existing software applications without users even knowing it. For example, Google Maps Navigation uses an AI model combined with traffic data and predicted conditions to provide the best route for drivers. Virtual Personal Assistants, such as Apples Siri, Amazons Alexa, or Google Assistant, use agents to predict user needs.There are also learning AI agents whose algorithms are sophisticated enough to improve performance based on past experiences. Those systems include consumer recommendation services used on Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube, which all rely on AI to learn user preferences.Agents that can become smarter include DeepMinds AlphaGo, which learns and adapts to play the boardgame Go at a superhuman level.Capital Ones Chat Concierge uses multiple AI agents that collaborate to mimic human reasoning. Instead of just providing information, the agents take action based on the users requests. They understand natural language, create action plans, validate them to avoid mistakes, and explain everything to the user, according to the bank.For example, if a buyer asks for a list of trucks and then requests a test drive of the least expensive option, Chat Concierge can handle both tasks seamlessly. Concierge will also:Simulate and validate plans to ensure they meet the car buyers needs and business policies.Generate and deliver clear, natural language explanations of all the steps to the car buyer.Let car buyers explore financing without leaving the dealers website.Connect buyers directly to dealers through dealer websites, a navigator platform, and customer relationship management (CRM) apps, integrating customer info into the dealers CRM.Work seamlessly with both Capital One and non-Capital One products.Capital One has a long history of using data, technology, and analytics to deliver superior financial services products and services for millions of customers, said Prem Natarajan,chief scientist and head of enterprise AI atCapital One. The launch of Chat Concierge is a key milestone in our customer-centered AI journey as we continue to focus on solving some of the most challenging problems in finance with technology.

Apples platforms may bemore secure by designthan others, but that doesnt make them invulnerable to attack. Thats why every user should install the companys latest security patch it fixes a hole Apple says may already have been in active use.It is important to note that the attack seems to be one that requires direct, physical access to the target device. But iPhones, Macs, and iPads all seem to be vulnerable.Update your devices todayThe language used in the companys description of the patch (CVE-2025-24085) is notably more urgent than usual. Introducing it,Apple states: A physical attack may disableUSB Restricted Modeon a locked device. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals.Adam Boynton, senior security strategy manager at Jamf, has said the flaw could potentially let attackers gain full admin access to a hacked device.The indictions are that this vulnerability formed part of highly targeted attacks. It is also important to note that Apple has published software patches to protect against this vulnerability for several older Mac operating systems, including macOS Sequoia, Sonoma, and Ventura. Patches for older iPads, Apple Watch and Vision OS devices were also made available.Was this a state actor?The description strongly hints the vulnerability may have been actively used in major attacks to sidestep USB-based attacks, enabling unauthorized USB devices to be used to exfiltrate user data. So does the discoverer of the flaw,Bill Marczakof The Citizen Lab at The University of Torontos Munk School.What makes this feel a little worse is that Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited against versions of iOS before iOS 17.2.While additional information is not provided Apple likes to limit what it reveals so assailants are kept in the dark as to how it deploys improved protection it is reasonable to see this as a big red flag reflecting the current threat environment.Look at recent security scares across multiple platforms and it becomes clear that nation-state attacks are intensifying, that surveillance-as-a-service firms continue to be a near and present threat, and ill-thought-through moves by some governments will eventually make things even more insecure.No one is secure until everyone is secureTake thepower-crazed authoritarianismof the recent UK government move to demand Apple open up the iCloud data of billions to surveillance by UK authorities. Other than the color of the national flag, there is no difference between the potential abuse of the back door the UK now demands from Apple and the US-mandated door recently exploited by allegedly Chinese terrorists. As almost every security expert universally agrees, there isno such thing as a safe back door. The keys will proliferate, the cost of mounting attacks shrink, and eventually there is no security left at all.Thats what seems to be important about Apples latest update; it seems designed to put a stop to at least one attack vector that could be exploited by sophisticated attackers. Thats why the company referred to an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals.The threat against individuals also deserves to be contextualized. Nation-state attackers areincreasingly targeting operational infrastructure(OT) and in those exploits individual security becomes a link in complex, planned excursions topenetrate trusted, vital systems. Thats everything from road transport management to smart factories. An individual might not be the final target, but their security or lack of it is a link in a chain of attacks to undermine OT security.In other words, by making individuals less safe, weak security makes everything else less safe, including nations, economies, manufacturing, transit systems and more.Protecting those assets is in every nations interest, which is why Apple has pushed out this patch, why you should install it, and why any nation plotting to weaken security for any reason should think more than twice before doing so. There is no such thing as a safe back door and no one using confidential data should ever use a public USB charging system, just in case theres a monster within.In the meantime, install Apple security updates as they appear. Just because you dont happen to be a high-value target doesnt mean you have not been identified as part of a potential route to attack one.You can follow me on social media! Join me onBlueSky, LinkedIn,Mastodon, andMeWe.

Dbrand's ridiculous, ugly, and surprisingly useful Aperture cover is designed to protect the Apple Vision Pro. While polarizing, Dbrand may be on to something.The Dbrand Aperture cover for Apple Vision ProApple Vision Pro looks sleek with its 3D glass front. But that glass is also terrifying. One accidental pull of the battery cable could send your $3,500 face computer onto the floor, shattering it and rendering it useless.To replace that glass panel will set you back a cool $799, too. Not exactly cheap. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Pixelmator's image editing apps have been updated with no bug fixes and no improvements but it did get a new splash screen confirming the firm's acquisition by Apple.There's a similar new splash screen across each of Pixelmator's appsBack in November 2024, it was announced that Apple was acquiring Pixelmator, the maker of notable Mac and iPad image editing apps. That acquisition was subject to regulatory approval, and it was also worrying as users feared Apple would asset-strip the apps for its own tools, as it did with weather app Dark Sky.Now the acquisition has been completed. That fact has been announced not through an Apple press release, and not through a Pixelmator blog post. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Three finalist teams have been named in the Government of Ontarios controversial search for a replacement for the once-beloved Ontario Science Centre. The 56-year-old Raymond Moriyamadesign that was shuttered abruptly last June due to building safety concerns stemming from RAAC concrete roof panel erosion will be replaced with a new building by 2029. Now, Infrastructure Ontario has closed its rigorous evaluation process with a group of three teams that will vie for the project whose target site is said to be near the center of Ontario Place.These are three teams named as finalists via the RFP:DiscoverON Partners:Cumulus Architects and Daoust Lestage Lizotte Stecker (Design Team) forFengate Capital Management Ltd and Pomerleau Capital Inc.EllisDon Infrastructure:Belvidere Architecture and BDP Quadrangle (Design Team) for EllisDon Capital Inc.Ontario Science Partners:Hariri Pontarini Architects and Snhetta(Design Team) forJohn Laing Limited, Sacyr Infrastructure Canada Inc,...

Mithun has completed work on one of the largest passive house-certified student dormitory designs in the U.S. for Princeton University. The almost 330,000-square-foot Meadows Apartments are reserved for Graduate students on campus and provide 604 total beds at a cost 35% lower than a typical student housing design, leveraging a prefabricated wood frame and other locally sourced materials to maximize its credentials for sustainability.Photo: Chris Cooper/ArchExplorerMassings are laid out in the image of a tigers paw, evoking the university mascot. Thereafter four interconnected courtyards form around the development defined by their own purpose and identity. The program includes a community center with a mass timber roof. Mithun is currently under contract with SOM to deliver the replacement design for Munger Hall at UCSB after winning the AIA Architecture Firm Award in 2023.Photo: Chris Cooper/ArchExplorerPhoto: Chris Cooper/ArchExplorerPhoto: Chris Cooper/ArchExplorerP...

2024 was inarguably been one of the PlayStation 5s greatest years, with a handful of all-timers providing exceptional additions to its list of platform or console exclusives: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, appearing on Sonys current-gen console, continues with aplomb Cloud and the gangs odyssey beyond Midgar, and despite the likely inaccurate rumours that sales have been disappointing, its reputation as one of the best Final Fantasy games of all time cannot be tarnished.Stellar Blade, despite the odd bit of jank, is a combat-centric sci-fi adventure which borrows elements of its swordplay from Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice but remixes it with style and approachability to present one of the most enticing new IPs to emerge in recent years. Our game of the year Silent Hill 2 Remake preserves the originals relentlessly oppressive atmosphere, music, and sound design to provide an experience worthy of the iconic originals legacy. Then, of course, theres Astro Bot, the plucky robot mascots latest adventure which crams a ton of ideas into its gameplay and gobbled up a handful of the industrys leading awards for good measure.Despite the growing list of exceptional platform and console exclusives (we say console exclusives as, of course, some of these games also appear on PC), it still feels as though PlayStation 5 is underperforming slightly. Sure, its taken the console a long time to get to this stage due to the persistent hangover the coronavirus pandemic imposed on the industry, but even with the PS5s growing library of games, the release of the PS5 Pro, and the reported target-beating sales of PlayStation Portal, Sonys current generation still isnt hitting the heights we all expected following the PlayStation 4s world dominating success. However, Sonys prior generation excelled thanks to a wealth of incredible exclusives. Given the exclusives confirmed and rumoured for 2025, PlayStation 5 might finally reach its zenith.Of those with 2025 releases Ghost of Ytei, Sucker Punchs follow up to Ghost of Tsushima, plunges new protagonist Atsu into a still-feudal Japan some 300-years after the events of its predecessor. This one is as guaranteed a hit as Sony is going to get for its upcoming PS5 exclusives. Death Stranding 2 is confirmed for release this year, and sees Sam Porter Bridges, now grey and old, will face a stronger phantasmagorical threat in a sequel sure to be stuffed with overabundance of Kojima cinematics. Then theres the lesser-known PS5 and PSVR2 exclusive The Midnight Walk coming from Lost in Random developers MoonHood. Here, youll take command of the recently exhumed Burnt One to travel down a perilous highway stalked by all manner of nightmarish creatures. Theres a Steam page for this one so itll come to PC too. Then theres action RPG Ballad of Antara coming from developer Tipswork Studio whereby players will command a cast of characters dubbed Emissaries by the studio to traverse two cosmic worlds.Of the other PS5 exclusives thatre tentatively slated but not yet confirmed for release this year (possibly beyond), highlights include Bungies sci-fi extraction shooter reboot Marathon, fast-paced hack-and-slash role player Phantom Blade Zero, Insomniac Games latest superhero adaption Wolverine, and Fairgame$, a competitive heist game whereby you undertake Robin Hood style missions to steal from the rich to give to the poor.We also have Journey with hoverboards Sword of the Sea, Wuxia open world game Where Winds Meet, and the game most of you are hotly anticipating Intergalactic, although its touch and go if itll emerge from deep space before 2025 is out.Intergalactic is first-party studio Naughty Dogs upcoming IP, of course, and whilst their newest title has been announced therere a handful of Sonys other first-parties with unannounced titles in the works. Also, if you havent heard, Bluepoint and Sony Bends games were recently cancelled. So, it would be unwise to expect anything from them this year.God of War developer Santa Monica Studio teased their first new IP in almost twenty years last August, although this tease isnt confirmation of something brand new. It could be a reboot of their futuristic racer Kinetica, but this seems unlikely. Another God of War title will almost certainly occur, and as it happens Santa Monica Studio are also working on an unannounced narrative combat game as well as this new IP. If this is the next God of War all signs point to it being a PlayStation 6 release, and thus for definite not this year. Hopefully, 2025 at least yields more information on what Santa Monica Studio has under their sleeve. As one of the most revered developers under Sonys umbrella, any new title in 2025 will propel an already promising year into the biggest year for PS5 on record as per the title of this feature.Apologies that theres a lot of speculation in this feature. Alongside the already announced titles, we dont know for certain whats coming this year. But instead of just publishing rumours and calling it a day we can end things on an optimistic note. Sony, unlike years gone by, nowadays tend to announce release dates that arent too far in the future. Astro Bots release date was announced, and low and behold a few months later its upon us. If Sony announce any release dates for their upcoming games before, say, late summer, chances are theyll be with us before 2025 is out.Assessing the games in the pipeline, plus the titles in the works from its most storied studios, then 2025 is quite possibly going to surpass the already great year that 2024 was. It could even go down as PlayStation 5s biggest year for exclusives, if not the greatest in its lifecycle so far.Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

Like a Dragon has a 20-year legacy of balancing melodrama. The series formally known, in the West at least, as Yakuza is part hard-hitting soap opera, part boot-stomping gangster brawler, and part offbeat goofball caper, with developer RGG Studio, initially taken aback by the series resonance outside of Japan in the mid-oughts, now fully embracing both the caustic and the sober sides of Japanese nightlife of which the games are built upon to push the series in surprising directions. Weve seen the switch from knuckle-cracking fisticuffs to turn-based battling in reboot Yakuza: Like a Dragon, replayed seminal eras in Japanese history via Like a Dragon: Ishin!, and tried our hand at secret agent gadgetry in Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name all titles delivered with a trademark blend of gusto and sincerity.If youve played through all Yakuza and Like a Dragons games, you may find it tough to pinpoint exactly where most of their memorability lies; is it the drama or the comedy? Well, the title of Like a Dragons upcoming spin-off should leave you under no illusion that RGG Studio are banking on the series inherent silliness to bring memorability. Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii sounds bonkers. Again, that title: Pirate Yakuza. In Hawaii. Yes, Goro wears an eye patch, but a pirate? Is this a joke that go out of hand? When leaks emerged a few months after Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealths release that villainous jester Goro Majima would be starring in his very own spin-off, a game where he plunders treasure in command of a pirate ship, the rumours were brushed under the carpet. It seemed too absurd to be true. But fast forward to January 2025 and were a month away from taking to the high seas in what is surely going to be a shoo-in for the daftest Like a Dragon game ever, and perhaps the craziest game to release this year.Viewing preview footage, whats remarkable here is the confidence RGG Studio exude in their newfound comedic focus. Within the first few minutes we see Goro dual-wielding cutlasses, performing on violins to summon psychedelic sharks mid-battle, and dressing his tiger cub companion in cute outfits. There isnt much to know about narrative thus far; Goro, in a time shortly after the events of Like a Dragon, mysteriously washes up on a Hawaiian shoreline, his memory in tatters, believing himself to be a pirate. His yearning to set sail in search of treasure coincides with desires to reinstate his memories. Captaining a crew of shanty crooners, pummelling rival galleons, and ransacking idyllic island resorts whilst searching for clues to unlock Goros amnesia will provide the bulk of your entertainment in Pirate Yakuza. Galleons here are outfitted with cannons, machine guns, and flamethrowers, with Majima and his crew encountering numerous hostile craft scuttling Hawaiis waters. Captain Majima doesnt need to keep his feet planted at the galleons helm during naval battles though for he can take potshots from an RPG before he and his crew board enemy vessels for a good old punch up which, given the abundance of tricorn hats and wooden legs, looks akin to a drunken brawl at a Peter Pan convention. Rival pirates can be recruited, with both Majimas crew and his seafaring ship subject to a slate of RPG-alike upgrades.Fist fighting in Pirate Yakuza returns to the series beat em up roots, but seeing as this is Majimas adventure RGG Studio have injected a swashbuckling twist to keep the slugfests fresh. Here, Majima can hurl his fists via two distinct fighting styles Mad Dog and Sea Dog with the former being the more traditional option closely aligned to his gangster heyday. The latter has him swinging those aforesaid cutlasses alongside a minor arsenal of pirate themed weaponry think pistols and boomerangs with new aerial combo attacks adding a flashy Metal Gear Rising flavour to all the hacking and slashing. Its just a hunch but Goros gangster style might prove useful when picking off foes one-by-one whilst switching it up to his pirate form could come in handy when hes overwhelmed due to the cutlass area of effect potential.Saying that, both fighting styles harbour time-limited special manoeuvres that are rechargeable via a meter. Mad Dogs special move sees Majima conjure doppelgangers of himself, with their over-numerousness levelling the odds during mismatches. Those aforementioned sharks summoned via musical instrument are a special manoeuvre of the Sea Dog variety, and theres a jellyfish, parrot, and a monkey in addition to the electric blue jaws which Majima can raise to assist in swashbuckling his way out of a tight situation.If you ever grow tiresome of hightailing it across the seven seas, then you can angle Majimas sails to the mainland and anchor up outside port. In Honolulu the environment so intricately constructed for Infinite Wealth reused here Goro dons a suitably tropical Hawaiian shirt to explore the sun-baked concrete streets, getting into fistfights, completing tasks for strangers, and partaking in any number of side activities including, of course, buying animals to raise on a farm.In keeping with every Yakuza and Like a Dragon title thus far, therell be access to plenty of distractions throughout Pirate Yakuza in Hawaiis runtime. Staples such as karaoke, cooking, golf, and hitting home runs against a pile of barrels feature alongside arcades with claw games and ports of classic Sega titles with gambling a further option to boost your coinage at the Pirates Colosseum. The latter functions like a buccaneers Las Vegas whereby pirates can engage in ship-to-ship matchups whilst betting on the results. Like a Dragon has featured numerous side activities throughout its history which could arguably function as their own standalone game, but none more so than the Pirates Colosseum whereby numerous battle modes, mostly comprising naval combat, take centre stage.Setting has always been an integral part of any Yakuza or Like a Dragon experience. As stated at the outset, RGG Studio were initially surprised at how well their window into Japanese sleaze was understood by players in the Western hemisphere. The virtual playgrounds of Kamarucho, Osaka, and Yokohama, plus balmy Okinawa and now Hawaii portray an earnest authenticity which provides necessary grounding for the series to function as both a vehicle for emotional drama and slapstick comedy. The fact Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is leaning so far towards humour risks the series unique atmosphere being little too strayed. Will Pirate Yakuza feel like a Yakuza game? Is this spinoff a little too theatrical to balance out what is sure to include some heavy narrative threads?Maybe. But, underpinning every Like a Dragon title has been its characters, whether theyre functioning with aloofness or barroom brawling seriousness. These are stories of people with something to strive for; fight for, even. Theyre about forging connections, about hardship, and struggle. Infinite Wealth explored the cerebral implications of a life in violence deeper than most Like a Dragon titles which came before, so whilst Pirate Yakuza does appear to be a departure in favour of silliness, theres nothing here to suggest that these characters wont bond over the same themes of hardship, loyalty, trust, and betrayal. Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, it seems, is striking a new balance between the offbeat and the sincere.Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.