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The so-called "paper of record" is now encouraging staff to use generative AI tools to write headlines and summarize articles.AsSemafor reports, theNew York Times recently informed employees that they now have a whole suite of AI tools at their disposal to write search headlines the version of headlines that appear on search engines like Google as well as code, social copy, quizzes, and more.Along with models from Google, Github, and Amazon, NYT staff will also have access to Echo, a bespoke tool currently in beta that's designed to condense articles into shorter summaries. It's unclear whether these tools are the same ones that the paper was experimenting with last year, when leaked data revealed that theNYT was already using AI to write headlines."Generative AI can assist our journalists in uncovering the truth and helping more people understand the world," the newspaper's new editorial guidelines for AI read, per internal documentation shared with Semafor.Those new guidelines which the paper refused to comment on when Semafor's Max Tani asked for on-record confirmation suggested that employees use the new suite of AI tools to make articles "tighter," write promoted social media posts, and summarize articles "in a concise, conversational voice" for newsletters.Despite those example use cases, and others shared with staff by the company, the guidelines also warn employees not to employ generative AI in article writing or revision, or when inputting copyrighted material from outside sources. Employees are also barred from using the technology to get around paywalls.For months, a small internal pilot group of journalists, designers, and machine-learning experts have been, per a May 2024 announcement, "charged with leveraging generative artificial intelligence" in theNYT newsroom. As Tani notes, this new suite of tools is the result of that effort.News of these updated AI guidelines and the introduction of this suite of tools also comes more than a year after the paper announced that it was suing OpenAI and Microsoft for copyright infringement a claim that the larger tech firm scoffed at in counter-filings. Though that company's non-ChatGPT API will also be accessible to NYT staffers, they will only be able to use it with approval from the newspaper's legal department.Despite the cheery announcement, some of the paper's staff are less than thrilled about the higher-ups' full-throated endorsement of the technology. Employees at the NYT told Semafor that some of their colleagues may be reticent to use the technology because they're concerned it might inspire laziness or a lack of creativity or, perhaps more importantly, result in the sort of inaccuracies that generative AI has become known for.From the outside, it certainly sets an unsettling precedent for such a prestigious paper to be embracing AI nevermind the bizarre optics of theNYT leaning into the tech while it's still locked in a legal battle with OpenAI.Share This Article

As Elon Musk leans the future of Tesla on his long-deferred dream of fully autonomous vehicles, its rollout of Full Self-Driving (FSD) is faltering in China, the automaker's second-largest market.In September of last year, Tesla announced that FSD was expected to deploy to the company's EVs in China and Europe in 2025, pending regulatory approval.But that plan hit a snag in China, which is now expected to delay the debut, according to sources tapped by the Financial Times, who were told by Chinese regulators that the timeline for FSD approval was "indefinite," after previously indicating approval by this spring.It's another illustration of how Musk's outrageous political activities put his companies at risk. As his chief ally Donald Trump teases extreme tariffs on geopolitical foes and allies alike,the FT's sources claim that Beijing regulators are using FSD as leverage in a mounting trade war.That's not the only front on which Musk's drama is causing trouble for thebeleaguered EV maker, which has seen sales plummet worldwide as Musk has hacked his way through the federal government.China's EV market is among the fastest growing in the world, with upwards of 60 percent of global EV registrations coming from the country. Chinese EV manufacturers are likewise dominating the global market, despite strong tariffs in the US and European Union by October of 2024, it was reported that China's global share of the EV and hybrid vehicle market had exceeded 75 percent.And while the approval of FSD in Chinamay take longer than expected, investors and critics are wondering ifMusk can hold up his end of the deal, expressing skepticism around the mogul's timeline for deliveringa genuinely autonomous version of the tech.During an investor event last year, Musk rolled out his prototype FSD robotaxi concept, called Cybercab, to the groans of shareholders hoping for details about the application of FSD software, which seemed to be overlooked in favor of another pie-in-the-sky concept car.Following the showing, Tesla's stocks plummeted by 9 percent in a single day, reflecting growing impatience at Musk's extravagant promises and lack of convincing timelines.But the market's hesitation did little to sway Musk's overcommitment to self-driving cars. Doubling downon the vision, Musk told investors in a January earnings call that "Teslas will be in the wild, with no one in them, in June in Austin. This is not some far-off mythical situation. It's literally five, six months away."For those investors, thepromise of FSD is turning into a long chain of broken promises, spanning as far back as 2016, when Musk claimedevery Tesla already came with the necessary hardware to drive itself, assertingthere would bea "demonstration drive of full autonomy from Los Angeles to new York by the end of the year."Needless to say, that demo drive never happened, with the software stuck in a beta in which drivers need to carefully oversee it at all times. Illustrating the perils of that model, just days after Musk's January earnings call, a negligent driver utilizing supervised FSD in Nevada crashed his Cybertruck into a pole when the three-ton stainless steel truck failed to register its lane was merging.If Tesla's investors weren't skeptical before, they certainly are now, as Tesla rank-and-file and management alike have begun wondering aloud if it wouldn't be better for Musk to resign.And in any case, the clock is ticking; Chinese automakers are rapidly starting to offer home-grown autonomous driving capabilities.More on Tesla: Cybertruck Driver Was Blasted on Booze and Cocaine in Deadly CrashShare This Article

Speakers: Mat Honan, editor in chief, and Niall Firth, executive editor. Generative AI search, one ofMIT Technology Review's10 Breakthrough Technologies of 2025, is ushering a new era of the internet. Despite fewer clicks, copyright fights, and sometimes iffy answers, AI could unlock new ways to summon all the worlds knowledge. Hear from MIT Technology Review editor in chief Mat Honan and executive editor Niall Firth as they explore how AI will alter search. Related Coverage

We are thrilled to receive these prestigiousGreen Star ratings for our new Parliament buildings. This achievement underscores our commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship. These buildings will not only provide a healthier and more productive environment for our staff but also contribute to New Zealands broader goals of reducing energy use and emissions, says David Wills, Future Accommodation Project Director of Parliamentary Service.Pictured (left to right): Benjamin Sawrey (Aurecon, Sustainability Consultant), Michael Davis (Studio Pacific Architecture, Senior Principal), Andrew Eagles (NZGBC Chief Executive), Marcus Welby (Aurecon, Principal), Mitch Knight (Parliamentary Service Deputy Chief Executive), Dave Wills (Parliamentary Service Future Accommodation Strategy Project Director), Karl Wakelin (Aurecon, Sustainable Buildings Leader), Jessica-Mae Robertson (Parliamentary Service Future Accommodation Strategy Project Construction Lead), Kerrin Manuel (LT McGuinness Construction Director).Image: SuppliedDesigned by Studio Pacific Architecture, the buildings are part of Parliaments Future Accommodation Strategy, a program aimed at modernising and expanding the parliamentary precinct to better serve the needs of Members of Parliament and parliamentarystaff.Wills says he initiative aims to secure, an efficient, and climate-friendly environment that reflects New Zealands heritage andculture.NZGBC chief executive Andrew Eagles says The Ballantrae Place Building and the Museum Street Building both achieved the highest possible Green Star certification from the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC), with a 6 Star rating reserved for buildings demonstrating world-leading approaches to sustainable design and construction. Its a huge testament to the outstanding efforts of the Parliamentary Service and the wider team to create buildings that set a benchmark for sustainability in thecapital.He continues Just as the Beehive is instantly recognisable for its unique design, these new parliament buildings are set to become icons of sustainability. They highlight New Zealands dedication to environmentally friendly practices and we applaud Parliamentary Service for their visionary approach and commitment to creating buildings that are both functional andgreen.Museum Street BuildingImage: Render: Studio Pacific ArchitectureKey sustainable highlightsinclude:Energy efficiency:Both buildings are designed to significantly reduce energy consumption. Museum St building is predicted to reduce energy use by 47%, have 52% lower peak electricity demand, and slash greenhouse gas emissions by 83% compared to standard building. Ballantrae Place Building is predicted to reduce energy use by 29%, have 40% lower peak electricity demand, and slash greenhouse gas emissions by 49% compared to standardbuilding.Use of New Zealand timber:Locally sourced timber from around New Zealand supports New Zealand jobs andmanufacturing.Healthy indoor environment:Focus on good air quality, daylight, and acoustics to enhance staff productivity andwell-being.Waste reduction:Emphasis on recycling and reusing materials to minimise waste sent tolandfill.Water conservation:Predicted reduction in potable water consumption by approximately 51% for the Museum St building and 84% for Ballantrae Place building compared to referencebuildings.Transport and accessibility:Excellent access to public transport, reduced car parking spaces, and facilities for electric vehicles andbicycles.The buildings are expected to welcome members and associated parliamentary staff in2027.(The projects Green Star certification, overseen by Green Star Accredited Professionals at Aurecon, is an interim design rating, with a final rating provided once the build iscomplete.)

Xbox Game Pass subscribers can soon expand the Imperium of Mankind in the grimdark universe ofWarhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader. Subscribers can also become London-based hackers or F1 drivers in these other games coming to Game Pass. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate -- a CNET Editors' Choice award pick -- offers hundreds of games you can play on your Xbox Series X, Series S, Xbox One, PC and mobile device for $20 a month. A subscription provides access to a large library of games, with new titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 added every month, plus benefits such as online multiplayer and deals on non-Game Pass titles. Read more: Microsoft's Developer Direct Proved Game Pass Is Xbox's New NormHere are all the games Microsoft is adding to Xbox Game Pass in February. You can also check out other games Microsoft added to the service recently, such as Avowed. EA Sports F1 24 Available: Feb. 20 The officially licensed video game of the 2024 Formula One Championship is coming to Xbox Game Pass. You can race some of the best drivers in the world, and in the refreshed Career Driver mode you can experience the careers of real drivers from the past and present. Maybe with enough practice you'll be able to dethrone Max Verstappen as champion. Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader Available: Feb. 20 Deep in the Imperium of Mankind is the Koronus Expanse, a dangerous and mostly unexplored part of space. You're a Rogue Trader, a high-ranking noble in the Imperium with a starship, crew and the ability to trade and make war in the God Emperor's name. You can try to bring order to this galactic backwater region, or you can become a heretic and let chaos reign in this tactical, turn-based game. Watch Dogs: Legion Available: Feb. 25 A terrorist attack has transformed London into a surveillance state where citizens have very few personal liberties, and their every move is under surveillance. You play as a hacker with the group DedSec as the group tries to liberate London through espionage and recruitment of citizens. You can recruit almost any character in the game, but your choices may influence whether or not they will join you in your fight, so act accordingly. Games leaving Game Pass soon While Microsoft is adding those three games to Xbox Game Pass soon, the company is also removing nine other games from the service on Feb. 28. So if you want to finish your campaign or any side quests in these games, you'd better hurry before you have to buy them separately. For more on Xbox, check out other games available on Game Pass Ultimate now, read our hands-on review of the gaming service and learn which Game Pass plan is right for you. Watch this: Everything We Expect in Gaming in 2025 05:01

Nintendo's Switch 2 is less than two months away from itsbig reveal on April 2, but it appears Nintendo is already making some changes to its eShop in preparation for the new portable console. The company plans to eliminate two programs for its digital store that saved Switch owners some money when buying games online.The first program to be sunset isGold Points. This was Nintendo's reward program for those who buy Switch games on the eShop. After each purchase, they receive a certain amount of Gold Points, depending on how much they purchased. For example, buying a $60 game results in $3 of Gold Points. Those points can then be used toward the next game purchased.Starting on March 24 at 9:30 p.m. PT/12:30 a.m. ET, Gold Points will no longer be earned when making purchases in the Nintendo eShop. Points will still be valid for 12 months after they're awarded, including those earned right before the cutoff. Upgrade your inbox Get cnet insider From talking fridges to iPhones, our experts are here to help make the world a little less complicated. Along with the end of the Gold Points, Nintendo also updated its page about Switch Game Vouchers. This program allows customers to buy two Nintendo games from the eShop -- Splatoon 3 and Mario Kart Deluxe 8, for example -- for $100, saving $20 off the full price. What changed is that Switch Game Vouchers cannot be redeemed for games exclusive to the Switch 2.Nintendo didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on why these programs were changing.Considering the timing of these updates and their proximity to the Switch 2 reveal in April and likely a summer release for the console, it appears Nintendo wants to end these programs before the big launch, maybe to start a new Switch 2-focused reward program. It's unclear what Nintendo's plans are right now, and everyone will have to wait and see in the coming months.

Marvel Rivals team hit by layoffs despite major launch success"This is such a weird industry."Image credit: Marvel Games News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Feb. 18, 2025 Free-to-play hero shooter Marvel Rivals has been a huge success for publisher NetEase, smashing through the 20m player barrier just weeks into its launch and still regularly attracting over 250K daily concurrent players on Steam. But that hasn't been enough to stop NetEase from making lay offs across the US development team that helped land it a hit.Marvel Rivals game director Thaddeus Sasser broke the news of job cuts at NetEase's Texas-based studio in a post shared on LinkedIn. "This is such a weird industry," he wrote. "My stellar, talented team just helped deliver an incredibly successful new franchise in Marvel Rivals for NetEase Games... and were just laid off!"Sasser didn't say how many people have lost their jobs following NetEase's decision - Eurogamer has reached out to the publisher for clarification - but Marvel Rivals level designers Jack Burrows and Garry McGee both confirmed they'd been affected in separate posts.Marvel Rivals launched in December last year.Watch on YouTube"Welp, just got laid off from my job working on Marvel Rivals with NetEase," Burrows wrote. "Was an enormous pleasure to work with my American coworkers who join me in this sad culling. Just couldn't dodge that big boot I guess, no matter how big the success of the gig."McGee shared a similar sentiment, writing, "My team recently helped develop and launch Marvel Rivals, which turned out to be a bigger hit than any of us expected! Unfortunately my team was also laid off. Strange times all across the industry indeed."As unexpected as NetEase's decision might seem in context of Marvel Rivals' breakout success, the move follows layoffs across a number of its western studios. In November, for instance, BioWare veteran Mac Walters announced a "pause" in operations at his NetEase-backed Worlds Untold. Similarly, Jar of Sparks - a first-party NetEase developer founded by Halo Infinite head of design Jerry Hook in 2022 - halted work on its currently-unannounced debut title in January, laying off staff and began searching for a new publishing partner.This week also saw an unspecified number of layoffs at Swedish developer Liquid Swords, which was formed in 2020 by Avanlanche Studios' Christofer Sundberg with NetEase funding.Today's layoffs continue a devastating few years for the games industry, which has seen over 25,000 employees lose their jobs since the start of 2023. Less than two months into 2025, another 900 layoffs have already been recorded, affecting workers across the likes of Unity, HiRez Studios, Sumo Digital, Ubisoft, Splash Damage, and Midnight Society.

Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco are making big moves together in the City of Angels. Per TMZ, the engaged couple said I do to a seven-bedroom manse for $35 million in December 2024, marking one of Beverly Hills biggest real estate transactions of the year. It was also reported that a famous Hollywood director was a previous resident of the Spanish-style home, though their identity has not yet been revealed.The abode features a total of seven bedrooms and 12 bathrooms. It also boasts luxury amenities including a library, a grand spiral staircase, a greenhouse, a fitness center, and a pool.The news of Gomez and Blancos eight-figure splurge comes days after the couple announced their joint album, I Said I Love You First, out March 21. The entire project was reportedly recorded in Blancos cozy and kooky Los Angeles pad. In a March cover story for Interview, the Rare Beauty founder and the award-winning music producer dished on their home life together in Blancos 1930s-style dwelling, which he bought in 2019. The two shared that they recorded their collaborative album, which explores their relationship, in one of the upstairs bedrooms.Join NowBecome an AD PRO member for only $25 $20 per month + receive an exclusive toteArrowSo many times it was so hodgepodge. It was like two hours here, two hours there, Blanco told the outlet. Id never worked that way with someone. Usually I work that way if Im by myself, but it was so cool to be able to do that with her. Gomez also shared that the process was so laidback, she sometimes recorded songs literally laid back on the bed or lounging around the room. Normally Im on this little chair and I have a thousand blankets on me, she said. I loved it. It felt very easy.

By Matthew Gault Published February 18, 2025 | Comments (23) | Marketing material from the Protector App. Image via Protector App's X account. Protector, an app that lets you book armed goons the same way youd call for an Uber, is having a viral moment. The app started doing the rounds on social media after consultant Nikita Bier posted about it on X. Protector lets the user book armed guards on demand. Right now its only available in NYC and LA. According to its marketing, every guard is either active duty or retired law enforcement and military. Every booking comes with a motorcade and users get to select the number of Escalades thatll be joining them as well as the uniforms their hired goons will wear. Protector is currently #7 in Travel on Apples App Store. Its not available for people who use Android devices. Sorry Google phone fans, if you want your own armed goons youll have to resort to more traditional methods of goon employment. The marketing for Protector, which lives on its X account, is surreal. A series of robust and barrel-chested men in ill-fitting black suits deliver their credentials to the camera while sitting in front of a black background. Theyre all operators. They describe careers in SWAT teams and being deployed to war zones. They show vanity shots of themselves kitted out in operator gear. All of them have a red lapel pin bearing the symbol of Protector. Who is this for, you might ask? A video posted on January 6, 2025, that runs just over two minutes gives the game away. It opens with a photo of assassinated UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Were going to run through a scenario to demonstrate, where if a Protector had been present, crisis could have been averted, the Protector says in the video. He then runs through several fantasy versions of the assassination where a Protector is on hand to prevent the assassin from killing the CEO. What if tragedy didnt have to strike? We revisit the murder of UnitedHealthcares CEO and examine how a Protector may have changed the outcome. pic.twitter.com/XA2PLNadiS Protector (@bookprotectors) January 6, 2025 In the first scenario, the self-described operator stops the would-be assassin from getting close enough to do any damage. He turns the shooter away and nothing happens. In the second scenario, the Protector shoots the assassin in the stomach as he draws his weapon. In the third, the assassin gets a shot off but the Protector is able to shoot the assassin in the chest. Then he rolls him over on the wound and ties his hand behind his back. Protector is something of a pivot for its parent company Protector Security Solutions. The whole thing is the brainchild of founder Nick Sarath, who worked as a product designer at Meta for a year before founding his own company in 2020. That was Poparazzi, an Instagram competitor that burned bright and then died.He founded Protector Security Solutions in October 2024 and started putting together two apps: Protector and Patrol. Patrol is marketed in the same way and with the same people. Scared suburban neighbors pool their resources to hire private security for their neighborhood. Add more money to unlock more tiers, more cars, more drones, and more guards. Two days after Thompson was gunned down on the streets of Manhattan, Sarath put out a press release that promised to rush Protector to market. My deepest condolences are with the family and friends of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, Sarath said in the release. We rely on law enforcement to keep us safe, but they cannot be everywhere at once. Protector is designed to support the goals of law enforcement and will provide an accessible way for people to protect themselves and their loved ones. Our trained and highly experienced team is ready to help provide enhanced security to all citizens as soon as we launch, he continued. We are here to help law enforcement and ultimately we are here to help you.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Thomas Maxwell Published February 14, 2025 By Matthew Gault Published February 11, 2025 By Matthew Gault Published February 6, 2025 By Matthew Gault Published January 17, 2025 By Matthew Gault Published January 15, 2025 By Matthew Gault Published December 30, 2024